“Indeed, this is the door.” Nanlong Hou gazed at the small stone door, his expression thoughtful, but he eventually let out a long sigh and spoke.
“The blood aura on this door seems too demonic. Could there be any issues?” Lu Weiying observed it for a while and asked with some concern.
“This door was sealed by ancient cultivators using their lifeblood, so naturally, it differs from ordinary restrictions. This is perfectly normal. What, Brother Lu, are you having second thoughts now?” Nanlong Hou glanced at him and replied indifferently.
“Second thoughts? We’ve come this far—why would I do something so foolish? But just to be cautious, shouldn’t we take some precautions?” The old man shook his head and spoke gravely.
“Brother Lu makes a fair point. This door does give off an unsettling feeling. Very well, let’s set up a few layers of restrictions outside first. That way, if anything goes wrong, we’ll have a safe retreat.” Nanlong Hou pondered for a moment before his expression softened slightly.
“Good, that’s the best course of action. I’ll follow your lead, Fellow Daoist.” Lu Weiying nodded without hesitation, readily agreeing.
Thus, Nanlong Hou and the old man retrieved several sets of formation tools from their storage and began setting up arrays at the bottom of the pool.
—
While Nanlong Hou and his companion were preparing to break the blood curse seal on the door, in another part of the inner valley, atop a massive mountain covered in dark boulders, a group of people was slowly ascending. Leading them was a stern-faced middle-aged cultivator, accompanied by an elderly man in a green robe—none other than the Ghost Spirit Sect Master and Wei Wuyan. Wang Tiangu trailed behind them by a few paces, followed closely by four Ghost Spirit Sect disciples at the Core Formation stage.
“This cursed place is truly bizarre. To think there’s a flight restriction spanning hundreds of miles in such a remote area—we can’t even fly a few feet off the ground.” Wang Tiangu glanced at the blood-red clouds overhead and muttered under his breath.
“The more restrictions there are, the more it proves we’re on the right track. If I were an ancient cultivator, I’d also place something important in such a location. With these restrictions in place, few cultivators would be willing to trek for days on foot to reach it.” The Ghost Spirit Sect Master replied calmly, his expression unchanged.
“After all this effort, I hope we haven’t come to the wrong place. We’ve already lost three disciples along the way.” Wang Tiangu sighed with a hint of resignation. The Ghost Spirit Sect Master chuckled darkly but offered no response.
At that moment, Wei Wuyan looked toward the mountaintop and said expressionlessly, “We’ve been traveling for three days and two nights since entering the inner valley. We should be close by now. Don’t tell me we still have several more days to go.”
“Rest assured, Fellow Daoist Wei. Once we cross this mountain, we’ll reach our destination. There’s no need to rush. If this succeeds, our Ghost Spirit Sect will rise as the foremost demonic sect, and Fellow Daoist Wei’s breakthrough to the Deity Transformation stage will be within reach.” The Ghost Spirit Sect Master spoke respectfully, his tone easing slightly.
“Hmph! To be honest, I don’t believe in the legends of the Ethereal Spirit Garden. It’s likely just a rumor spread by ancient cultivators. If such a space truly existed at the boundary between the Spirit Realm and our mortal world, other cultivators would have found it long ago. How could it remain hidden until now?” Wei Wuyan sneered after a moment of silence.
“If Fellow Daoist Wei doesn’t believe, why did you agree to our invitation in the first place?” The Ghost Spirit Sect Master showed no surprise but instead asked with interest.
“Brother Wang has taken this so seriously, bringing nearly half of your sect’s elite forces. Naturally, you must have some confidence in this expedition to the Fallen Devil Valley. Even if it’s not the Ethereal Spirit Garden, it must be some secret site left by ancient cultivators. Since I’ve learned of this, I might as well take a share. You use my reputation to deter other cultivators in the valley, and I’ll claim a portion of the treasures. That’s not unreasonable, is it?” Wei Wuyan replied bluntly without hesitation.
“Haha! Fellow Daoist Wei speaks frankly. However, you’ve guessed one thing wrong—our sect has invested so much effort precisely because we’re targeting the Ethereal Spirit Garden. It’s no myth. The entire Fallen Devil Valley was built by ancient cultivators to guard it. Once we cross this mountain, we’ll see it with our own eyes in a few hours. When it comes to opening the spatial barrier, we’ll rely on Fellow Daoist Wei’s strength.” The Ghost Spirit Sect Master laughed heartily, his expression tinged with fervor.
Wei Wuyan looked slightly surprised, a flicker of interest crossing his face. “From Sect Master Wang’s words, it seems you already possess evidence of the Ethereal Spirit Garden’s existence.”
“Indeed, our sect is seventy to eighty percent certain of its existence. As for the evidence, you’ll see for yourself when we arrive.” The black-robed man smiled mysteriously. Despite being only at the early Nascent Soul stage, he showed no unease in the presence of Wei Wuyan, a late-stage Nascent Soul cultivator.
Wei Wuyan nodded, his expression returning to normal, though inwardly he scoffed. No matter how eloquently the Ghost Spirit Sect Master spoke, he wouldn’t believe a word of it without seeing the Ethereal Spirit Garden himself. Of course, he kept these thoughts to himself and instead changed the subject.
“Elder Zhong of your sect separated from us upon entering the valley and hasn’t regrouped since. Sect Master Wang, could you enlighten me on his whereabouts? Surely you wouldn’t let a mid-stage Nascent Soul elder wander aimlessly in the Fallen Devil Valley like the others?”
“Fellow Daoist Wei jests. To be honest, Elder Zhong has gone to another secret location in the valley to retrieve another treasure. Of course, while valuable, it pales in comparison to the Ethereal Spirit Garden.” The Ghost Spirit Sect Master replied casually, as if the matter were of little consequence.
Hearing this frank admission, Wei Wuyan chuckled dryly and didn’t press further. The group fell silent again as they continued their ascent.
—
Amid a rugged field of scattered boulders, six or seven Ghost Spirit Sect disciples were spread out, searching beneath large rocks. Elder Zhong hovered motionless at the center of the area.
Though his spiritual sense could easily cover dozens of miles, pinpointing specific markers was beyond his ability. Thus, despite his impatience, he had no choice but to rely on his disciples to comb through the area like searching for a needle in a haystack.
—
At the exit of a large canyon in the inner valley, where multicolored light shimmered, a thunderous roar erupted. The radiance intensified, accompanied by flashes of lightning, before a group of cultivators burst forth.
Leading them were an elderly Daoist and a green-robed elder—Tianjing Zhenren and Dongmen Tu, the Grand Elder of the Beast Taming Sect. Though unharmed, both looked disheveled and covered in dust. The five green-robed cultivators behind them were similarly ragged and pale, as if they had endured hardships. Only the two demonic puppets remained unchanged.
“Finally, we’ve broken through the restrictions and entered the inner valley. Who would’ve thought Fellow Daoist Tianjing’s puppets were so formidable—almost on par with early-stage peak cultivators. Truly enviable!” Dongmen Tu stopped his flight a few dozen feet from the canyon entrance, glancing back at the gorge and then at the two fearsome puppets with a strange glint in his eyes.
“Puppets are just puppets. No matter how powerful, they can’t compare to Fellow Daoist Dongmen’s subordinates. These five, each mastering one of the five elemental arts, can likely hold their own against a late-stage Nascent Soul cultivator when working together.” Tianjing Zhenren remained wary of Dongmen Tu, deliberately keeping his distance as soon as they exited the canyon. The two puppets swiftly positioned themselves behind him.
Seeing this, Dongmen Tu’s expression darkened momentarily before he sighed and forced a smile. “Fellow Daoist Tianjing, you truly are cautious. After two days of working together to break the formation, I’d hoped you’d trust me more. Why not reconsider joining forces? Working together would be far safer than going alone.”
“Fellow Daoist Dongmen misunderstands. I bear no prejudice against you—I simply prefer to act alone. Let’s not speak of alliances. Now that we’ve both entered the inner valley, I’ll take my leave.” Tianjing Zhenren laughed lightly, dismissing the suggestion without hesitation. He bowed slightly, his gaze fixed warily on Dongmen Tu’s face.
Dongmen Tu frowned briefly before smiling again. “If Fellow Daoist Tianjing truly wishes to part ways, I won’t insist. May you reap great rewards!” He spoke amiably, his demeanor unruffled.
“Then I’ll take your kind words to heart.” Tianjing Zhenren relaxed visibly and replied calmly before departing at a measured pace with his puppets in tow.
Watching his retreating figure, Dongmen Tu’s face abruptly darkened.
“That old fox is far too cautious. After two days together, he didn’t reveal a single weakness. With those two puppets, my safety in the inner valley would’ve been assured.” He muttered resentfully before scanning his surroundings. With a flick of his wrist, a silver-glowing bat shot out from his spirit beast pouch and landed before him.
He tossed a black pill into the air, which the bat swallowed mid-flight before darting off in another direction. Dongmen Tu immediately signaled his five followers, transforming into a streak of green light as he gave chase. The canyon entrance was soon deserted.
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