Family Rise: Start with Daily Intelligence.

Chapter 523 The Holy Maiden, the Treasure Entrance, One After Another Rushing In
Northern Xinjiang, Baiwu Village
After the spiritual light of the Blood Escape Talisman of Tuoba Xiong and the other two dissipated, the White Witch Village was deathly silent.

The high priest stood in the center of the altar, his bone staff slamming heavily on the ground, and the twelve human skulls emitted a shrill scream that echoed in the night.

"They escaped?" The chieftain—a middle-aged man with a sinister face and wearing a mottled animal skin—strode over, his eyes blazing with anger. "Three outsiders dared to trespass on my White Witch Village's blood sacrifice ceremony, and you let them get away?!"

The high priest was silent for a moment, then slowly spoke: "They... used the Golden Silkworm Gu."

The chieftain's pupils constricted: "Golden Silkworm Gu? The Tuoba Clan of Yunzhou?!"

The high priest nodded: "The battle markings on that body cultivator's body are indeed the 'Eight Desolate Battle Body' of the Tuoba family."

The chieftain's face was grim, and his fists were clenched so tightly they cracked.

The Tuoba clan is a powerful family in Yunzhou, with many strong members. What is their purpose in traveling thousands of miles to their territory?
Could it be that the imperial court is about to wage war against them?!

Just then, a clear, silvery sound came from behind the altar.

Everyone turned around and saw a young girl dressed in a plain white dress and wearing a silver moon crown walking slowly towards them. Her face was beautiful and her features were exquisite, but her eyes were as deep as an abyss, as if they could see right through people's hearts.

Wu Yue Li, the Holy Maiden of Bai Wu Village.

"Why should the chieftain worry?" Her voice was clear and cold, like a cold spring in a secluded valley. "Ask the shaman about their purpose, and you will know the answer."

The chieftain took a deep breath, suppressed his anger, and nodded, saying, "Please, Holy Maiden, pray to the gods!"

Wu Yueli nodded slightly and slowly stepped onto the altar.

With a gentle wave of her hand, twelve witches, each holding a bone bell, stood around the altar and began chanting ancient incantations.

"Boom-thump-thump-"

The human skin drum moved automatically without wind, its dull drumbeats echoing like a heartbeat.

Wu Yueli closed her eyes, stretched out her arms, her skirt fluttering without wind, and treaded out strange steps. Her dance appeared slow but was actually swift, each step seemingly stepping on a node in the void. As the silver bells tinkled, the runes on the altar gradually lit up, and blood-red light flowed around them.

"God of War, please issue a divine decree!"

She suddenly opened her eyes, her pupils turning completely black, with no whites, only endless darkness.

"boom!"

A crimson beam of light shot up from the altar and into the sky!
In an instant, the entire sky seemed to be dyed red, the clouds churned and coalesced into a blurry giant face, looking down upon all living beings.

All the shamans in the village knelt down, their foreheads pressed to the ground, not daring to look directly at each other.

Wu Yueli looked up and met the giant face, her lips parting slightly in silent communication.

A moment later, the crimson clouds gradually dissipated, and the darkness in Wu Yueli's eyes faded, restoring clarity.

"How is it?" The chieftain stepped forward impatiently.

...

Wu Yueli gestured to move to the council hall. After the nine layers of witchcraft restrictions closed one by one, ensuring that not even a single Gu worm could fly in, she softly spoke: "The Witch God has decreed—those three have come for the 'Mysterious Netherworld Realm.'"

"But what about the ancient secret realm recorded in the 'Witchcraft Canon,' which buries the true blood of the 'Twelve Ancestral Witches' and seals the 'Nine Netherworld Cauldron'?"

The bronze lamps at the four corners of the council chamber suddenly dimmed for a moment, as if the name had touched some ancient taboo.

The silver bells within Wu Yueli's wide sleeves trembled silently as she gazed at the lamplight, saying, "Indeed. Ten thousand years ago, during the heyday of witchcraft, twelve great witches of my clan sacrificed themselves to suppress the extraterrestrial demons within the Nine Netherworld Cauldron. Later, the world underwent drastic changes, and the secret realm, along with the decline of witchcraft, vanished into the void. Only the 'Heavenly Burial Coffin' can serve as a vessel for guidance."

Her fingertips traced through the air, and spiritual energy condensed into an ancient mural: twelve towering sorcerer gods surrounded a massive bronze cauldron, its surface entwined with blood-red runes resembling chains. At the bottom of the image, countless kneeling figures could be vaguely seen performing some kind of bloody ritual.

"The entrance is in the 'Mystic Witch Death Domain'."

As soon as this statement came out, the whole audience was in an uproar!

"The Xuanwu Death Domain?!" an elder exclaimed. "That place is a place of no return; even Nascent Soul True Monarchs dare not set foot there. Are they going to their deaths?!"

Another elder's eyes flickered: "If we could truly control a secret realm, the strength of my White Witch Village would..."

The chieftain's eyes flashed with a sharp light, and he slammed his hand on the altar: "A golden opportunity! We must find the entrance to the secret realm before they do!"

"Chief, please think twice!" an elderly elder hurriedly advised. "The Xuanwu Death Domain is extremely dangerous. Entering rashly could lead to the extermination of your entire clan!"

"Hmph!" the chieftain sneered. "The Black Witch Village has grown powerful in recent years. If we don't take action, we'll be swallowed up by them sooner or later! Now that the secret realm has appeared, it's the perfect opportunity for the White Witch Village to rise!"

"But that place..."

"Enough!" the chieftain roared. "How can anything be accomplished if you're so timid and hesitant?!"

The two sides were locked in a stalemate, and the atmosphere was tense.

Wu Yueli watched quietly, then suddenly spoke up: "How about... we let the death row inmates scout ahead?"

Everyone was stunned and looked at her.

Her gaze was cold as she continued, "Select one hundred death row inmates, implant 'Soul-Guarding Gu' into them, and send them into the Death Domain. If they can find the location of the giant coffin at the altar indicated by the oracle, they will be spared the death penalty; if not... they will simply be used as waste."

The chieftain's eyes lit up: "Great! Let's do it that way!"

...

Deep within the cold, damp dungeon, a hundred condemned prisoners were herded to the central square. The heavy shackles dragged on the ground with a harsh sound, and the dim torches cast long shadows of them.

"Stand still, all of you!" The guard brandished his whip, cracking it in the air.

A tall figure stood out in the crowd. Mo Xiao's scars appeared particularly menacing in the firelight. He flexed his wrists, which were chafed raw by the shackles, and sneered:

"What, are you finally going to execute us?"

The guards didn't answer, but simply pushed them roughly up the steps. When the hundred death row inmates reached the ground, the blinding sunlight caused many to instinctively close their eyes.

The chieftain stood on the high platform, his cold gaze sweeping over the ragged prisoners. "Today I'll give you a chance to live," his voice echoed across the square. "One hundred men enter the Death Zone; whoever finds the giant coffin at the altar—exemption and freedom!"

An uproar immediately broke out among the death row inmates.

"You're kidding me!" a bearded man spat. "Who doesn't know that once you enter the Xuanwu Dead Zone, you never come out?"

Beside him, the gaunt, ghostly scholar narrowed his eyes, the blood-stained copper coin in his hand spinning rapidly: "Interesting."

"Silence!" the chieftain roared. "From among your hundred men, you must select five captains, each leading nineteen men into the Death Zone."

The voice just fell.

Mo Xiao strode out of the crowd:
"I'm leading the team. Anyone who wants to live, come with me!"

Immediately afterwards, a clear, cold female voice rang out.

“I’ll lead a team too.” The green snake on Liu Qing’s wrist flicked its tongue, and her cold gaze swept over the crowd. “Only female cultivators.”

Tieshan stepped forward silently, his bulging muscles covered in scars. He didn't need to speak; a dozen or so death row inmates had already silently stood behind him.

Finally, there was the hunched-over mute woman. She simply raised her hand slowly and pointed in the direction of the dead zone. Surprisingly, more than twenty people immediately stood behind her.

The chieftain watched with satisfaction as the teams completed their tasks. The sorcerers stepped forward and implanted a "Soul-Guarding Gu" into each condemned prisoner. "This Gu will allow you to sense each other within the Death Domain," the chieftain sneered. "Don't even think about escaping."

Mo Xiao spat disdainfully behind his back, Liu Qing remained expressionless as the sorcerer cast his spell, Tie Shan remained silent as a stone, the Ghost Scholar still wore an inscrutable smile, and the mute woman kept her eyes closed, as if she were detached from the matter.

After the last Gu worm was planted, the chieftain waved his hand and shouted, "Let's go!"

...

the other side.

a long distance away.

As the light from the Blood Escape Talisman dissipated, Tuoba Xiong and his two companions crashed heavily onto a barren, black earth.

All around was silent; even the wind seemed to have frozen.

Looking up, the sky was not the azure blue common in the northern frontier, but a chaotic dark purple, as if distorted by some ancient force. In the distance, rows of black stone pillars rose from the ground, their shafts covered with strange runes, and traces of dried blood could be faintly seen seeping into the cracks in the stone, which had not faded even after thousands of years.

"Where is this..." The Sixth Elder's expression changed drastically, his voice trembling slightly, "The Xuanwu Death Domain!"

Tuoba Xiong's pupils contracted.

The Xuanwu Dead Zone—one of the most dangerous forbidden areas in the Northern Frontier. Legend has it that this place was once a sacred site of the ancient witchcraft lineage. Later, due to the failure of a grand sacrifice, the entire area was corrupted by a curse. Any living thing that enters will be devoured by countless witchcraft and never be able to be reborn.

From then on, this place became a forbidden zone for the living.

Even a powerful Nascent Soul True Monarch would not dare to set foot here lightly, because once inside, there would be no way back.

"Damn it! How could the Blood Escape Talisman have teleported us to a place like this?!" The Eighth Elder gritted his teeth and roared, the dagger in his hand flashing coldly as he warily scanned his surroundings.

The Sixth Elder calculated with his fingers, his expression growing increasingly grim: "The space here is chaotic, the Blood Escape Talisman is being interfered with, and it has mistakenly entered the edge of the Dead Zone..."

Before he finished speaking, a strange writhing motion suddenly came from the ground.

"Watch out!" Tuoba Xiong took a step forward, his golden battle runes erupting, and punched the ground.

"boom!"

The mud exploded, and dozens of blood-red centipedes burst out of the ground. Each one was as thick as an arm, and its head had a distorted human face that emitted a piercing, shrill laugh.

"Human-faced centipedes?!" The Sixth Elder was horrified. He hurriedly formed a hand seal, and three bronze coins transformed into golden light to protect his body. But the centipedes were not afraid at all. Instead, they frantically gnawed at the golden light barrier, and in the blink of an eye, they bit through a gap!
The Eighth Elder snorted coldly, and his dagger transformed into a black dragon, instantly shredding several centipedes. However, after the insect corpses fell to the ground, they turned into pus and blood that seeped into the ground. Then, even more centipedes crawled out of the swamp, densely packed and endless!

"Go!" The Sixth Elder gritted his teeth and summoned a [Heavenly Gang Protective Talisman]. Golden light enveloped the three of them, barely holding off the swarm of insects. But before they could even catch their breath, a low roar suddenly came from the depths of the swamp—

"Boom! Boom! Boom!"

The earth trembled, and a colossal creature slowly emerged from the fog.

That was... a humanoid Gu corpse!
It stood ten zhang tall, its body rotting, countless Gu worms writhing beneath its skin, its head reduced to half, revealing stark white bone, its eye sockets teeming with silver Gu worms. Embedded in its chest was a massive golden core, radiating a suffocating pressure—this was a Gu corpse at the peak of the Golden Core stage!
"Run!" the Eighth Elder roared, his dagger transforming into nine black streaks that pierced the Gu corpse's vitals. But the moment those black streaks touched the Gu corpse's skin, they were devoured by countless Gu worms, leaving not even a scratch!
The Gu corpse raised its giant hand and slammed it down!
"boom--"

The Sixth Elder gritted his teeth and summoned his natal magic weapon, the Xuan Turtle Shield, to withstand the attack. The shield cracked instantly, and he spat out a mouthful of blood, his aura weakening.

"Sixth Uncle!" Tuoba Xiong's eyes were bloodshot, his body covered in battle markings, and he punched the Gu Corpse's knee.

"Crack!"

The Gu Corpse's kneecap shattered, but the next second, countless Gu worms surged forth, instantly repairing the injury. It let out a low growl, and its rotting giant hand grabbed the Sixth Elder, squeezing him violently—

"puff!"

Blood splatters!

"Sixth Brother!!" The Eighth Elder roared madly, his eyes bloodshot, and he directly burned his golden core. Black flames surged all over his body, and his dagger transformed into a hundred-foot black dragon, crashing fiercely into the Gu Corpse!

"Boom——"

The Gu Corpse was blasted back several steps, and the golden core in its chest dimmed a bit. However, the Eighth Elder's aura also rapidly declined due to the burning of his golden core.

Tuoba Xiong trembled all over; he had never felt so powerless. With a roar, golden light erupted from the battle patterns all over his body, and he smashed the Gu corpse blocking his path with a single punch, carving out a bloody path.

The three fled frantically, but this dead zone seemed to be boundless. No matter how they ran, the scenery around them remained unchanged—black stone pillars, a dark purple sky, and black soil that kept writhing under their feet.

"Something's not right..." The Sixth Elder stopped, panting. "We...we're going in circles!"

Tuoba Xiong turned around abruptly, and sure enough, the stone pillar covered with blood runes that they had just passed had reappeared in front of them!
"Is it an illusion array?" The Eighth Elder gritted his teeth.

"No..." The Sixth Elder's face turned deathly pale. "It's a 'ghost wall'... This dead zone is devouring our life force!"

As soon as he finished speaking, the Eighth Elder suddenly groaned and looked down. He saw that his arm was covered with tiny black lines, and the flesh under his skin was visibly shriveling up!

"The poison has entered my body?!" He was shocked and furious. He immediately circulated his spiritual power to suppress it, but the black line was like a living thing, frantically devouring his spiritual power!

"Eighth Brother!" The Sixth Elder was shocked and immediately began to cast a spell to try to expel the poison from him.

But at that moment, the ground shook again, and a huge skeletal hand burst out of the ground, grabbing at the Sixth Elder!
"Sixth Uncle!" Tuoba Xiong's eyes were bloodshot as he leaped forward and threw a punch at the skeletal hand.

"boom!"

Fists collided, and Tuoba Xiong was actually knocked back several steps, his arm going numb! The skeletal hand, with only a few cracks, still reached out to grab the Sixth Elder!
"Get out of my way!" The Eighth Elder endured the excruciating pain, and his dagger transformed into a black dragon, slashing fiercely at the white bones.

"Crack!"

The skeletal hand finally shattered, but the next second, more bones crawled out from the ground, and the mutilated corpses stood up, with eerie green flames dancing in their empty eye sockets.

"It's... the remains of ancient sorcerers!" The Sixth Elder's voice trembled. "They... were bound by the curse of the Dead Zone, becoming undead monsters!"

Tuoba Xiong gritted his teeth, his battle patterns ignited, and golden light shot into the sky: "Charge out!"

The three stood back to back, fighting to the death.

The Sixth Elder unleashed his natal magic weapon, the Heavenly Secrets Disc, with stars swirling on it, barely managing to withstand the onslaught of the corpses; the Eighth Elder's dagger lashed out like a dragon, its black light shattering bones wherever it passed; Tuoba Xiong, on the other hand, was filled with boundless fighting spirit, each punch shattering several corpses!

But the enemy... is endless!
"puff!"

The Eighth Elder was ultimately weakened by the Gu poison, and his movements slowed down by a moment. He was pierced through the shoulder by a bone claw from a corpse!

"Eighth Brother!" The Sixth Elder's eyes were bloodshot. He suddenly burned his essence blood, and the Heavenly Secrets Disc burst out with dazzling starlight, temporarily forcing back the zombie horde.

However, he himself also suffered from overexertion of spiritual energy.

Tuoba Xiong helped the Eighth Elder up and discovered that black lines were spreading from his wound, and his entire arm had turned black!

"No... If this continues, we'll all die. We have no choice but to use our last trump card!" The Sixth Elder stopped wasting words, bit his tongue hard, and spat a mouthful of blood onto the Heavenly Secrets Disc: "Reverse the Stars, Open the Heavens with Blood Escape!"

"boom!"

The Heavenly Secrets Disc shattered, and a beam of blood-red light shot into the sky, tearing a rift through the horde of corpses!
"Go!" The three of them sprinted off in the direction indicated by the blood-red light!

After running for an unknown amount of time, Tuoba Xiong and his two companions finally collapsed to their knees, exhausted.

He trembled as he took out the communication jade talisman, attempting to contact his family.

however--

"Crack!"

The jade talisman shattered mysteriously and turned into dust the moment it was taken out!
"What?!" Tuoba Xiong's pupils constricted sharply: "This place has actually blocked communication with the outside world!"

He looked up abruptly and realized that he was standing in the center of an ancient altar, surrounded by twelve black stone pillars, each carved with a distorted human face, silently watching him...

In the very center of the altar, there was an ancient bronze coffin.

at the same time.

Tuoba Xiong suddenly felt a burning sensation in his chest.

He suddenly looked down and saw that the imperial jade talisman hanging around his neck was emitting a dark blue light. The runes flowed and floated up on its own, pointing directly at the ancient bronze coffin in the center of the altar!

"Could the entrance to the Xuanming Secret Realm... be here?!"

A look of wild joy flashed in Tuoba Xiong's eyes, but that joy was quickly swallowed up by despair.

The Sixth Elder was on the verge of death, his flesh and blood corroded by the Gu poison, half of his body already blackened; the Eighth Elder was even more feeble, his cultivation nearly plummeted to the Foundation Establishment stage due to the burning of his Golden Core, making it extremely difficult for him to even stand. And they... were trapped in this dead zone, unable to send messages, let alone escape!

“Young Master…” The Sixth Elder coughed up a mouthful of black blood, and with difficulty raised his hand, pointing to the ancient bronze coffin, “Since the imperial court’s jade talisman points to it… then it… must be related to the Xuanming Secret Realm… perhaps… the only way out…”

The Eighth Elder gritted his teeth, forced himself to stand up, and held the dagger horizontally: "Let's go...go and take a look!"

Tuoba Xiong took a deep breath, helped the two elders up, and walked step by step toward the center of the altar.

As they approached, the patterns on the bronze coffin gradually lit up, revealing ancient sacrificial scenes—countless figures kneeling on the ground, bowing to the coffin, while a huge vertical pupil was carved on the coffin lid, coldly staring at the newcomers.

"This is... the 'Heavenly Burial Coffin' of the ancient Witch Clan!" The Sixth Elder's voice trembled. "Legend has it... this coffin can connect to the Netherworld. Could it be... the entrance to the Xuanming Secret Realm... is hidden inside the coffin?!"

Tuoba Xiong reached out and touched the coffin lid.

"boom--!"

An extremely cold aura suddenly erupted, the vertical pupil on the coffin lid snapped open, and a beam of eerie blue light shot into the sky, tearing the entire sky apart!

In an instant, the surrounding scenery began to distort. The dark stone pillars, the writhing black soil, and even the corpses in the distance were all pulled by an invisible force, turning into a vortex and surging wildly into the coffin!

the other side.

Similarly, in another announcement, Yu Xiaozi, dressed in white and vying for the position of Imperial Envoy, stood atop a mountain, his sword-like eyebrows slightly furrowed, his gaze sharp as lightning, scanning the rolling mountains below as if searching for something.

"Fairy Maiden, it's been three years, and we still have no clue." His voice was cold, tinged with impatience. "We've turned this Black Witch Village upside down, but we haven't even found a trace of the secret realm."

Behind her, Yun Xiangu approached slowly, leaning on her jade cane, her old eyes slightly narrowed: "Young Master, do not be anxious. I just sensed that the auras of those three from the Tuoba family... have suddenly vanished."

Yu Xiaozi raised an eyebrow: "Oh?"

Yun Xiangu lightly tapped the air with her fingertips, and a wisp of dark blue thread appeared—the tracking technique she had secretly planted on Tuoba Xiong. At that moment, the thread mysteriously snapped and vanished without a trace.

“Unless they are dead, or…” A glint flashed in her eyes, “they have entered some secret realm isolated from the heavens.”

Yu Xiaozhi's lips curled into a cold smile: "It seems they're luckier than us."

"It might not be luck," Yun Xiangu stroked her long beard. "I just used a secret technique to trace their location and discovered that their last known place was near the Xuanwu Death Domain."

"The Xuanwu Dead Zone?" Yu Xiaozi's eyes narrowed. "That hellish place where you can never leave?"

Fairy Yun nodded: "Exactly. It's said that this is the burial ground of the ancient witch clan, and even Nascent Soul cultivators dare not easily set foot there."

Yu Xiaozi snorted coldly: "What do I care if it's a dragon's den or a tiger's lair? Since Tuoba Xiong dares to go, what do I, Yu Xiaozi, have to fear?"

With a flick of his sword, the longsword behind him was drawn three inches from its sheath with a clang, its chilling sword aura surging forth and cleaving through the surrounding black mist.

Seeing this, Yun Xiangu shook her head inwardly. Her young master was exceptionally talented, having already reached the mid-stage of the Golden Core realm at a young age, and his swordsmanship was the best among the younger generation in Qingzhou. It was just a pity that he was too arrogant and looked down on everyone.

“Young Master, the Xuanwu Death Zone is extremely dangerous; we must proceed with caution,” she advised.

Yu Xiaozi, however, disagreed: "Fairy, you're overthinking it. If we really encounter trouble, we can simply kill it with a single sword strike."

Helpless, Yun Xiangu could only say, "Then at least let me investigate first. Just now I sensed that Baiwu Village also seems to be making moves."

Yu Xiaozi nodded slightly: "Let's go, don't let the Tuoba family get there first."

The two figures flashed and transformed into streaks of light, rushing towards the direction of the Xuanwu Death Domain.

...

...

Outer perimeter of the Xuanwu Death Domain
At dawn, Yu Xiaozi and Yun Xiangu quietly arrived at the edge of the Dead Zone.

Even before getting close, a chilling, decaying aura wafted over them. In the distance, the black earth seemed cursed, barren of everything, and dark purple clouds hung low in the sky, as if they might press down at any moment.

"Indeed strange." Yu Xiaozi narrowed his eyes, sword energy flickering at his fingertips, eager to try.

Suddenly, Yun Xiangu pressed down on his shoulder: "Young Master, someone's here!"

With a flick of her sleeve, the two figures vanished into the void.

Not far away, nearly a hundred ragged prisoners were being driven towards the Death Zone by the sorcerers of White Witch Village. The five captains at the head of the group were particularly conspicuous—

A burly man with a scar on his body had muscles bulging all over his body, and the ground trembled slightly with every step he took; a cold and beautiful woman had a green snake wrapped around her wrist, and her snake eyes were cold and eerie; a silent and strong man had arms as hard as iron and a heavy and imposing aura; a thin scholar played with a bloodstained copper coin and had a mysterious smile; and finally, a hunched old woman seemed frail and weak, but there was a glint of shrewdness in her eyes.

"The death row inmates of Baiwu Village?" Yu Xiaozi scoffed. "Sending them to scout ahead? That saves us some trouble."

After a moment's thought, Fairy Yun nodded and said, "Very well. However, young master, please remember that the Xuanwu Death Domain is extremely dangerous; do not act rashly."

Yu Xiaozi chuckled, a fighting spirit rising in his eyes: "I'd like to see what this godforsaken place is capable of."

Having said that, he vanished in a flash, silently following the procession of death row inmates. Yun Xiangu sighed inwardly and had no choice but to follow closely behind.

The two concealed themselves, hanging far behind the line of death row inmates. As they ventured deeper, the surrounding black fog thickened, and eerie whispers echoed faintly in their ears.

Suddenly, the line of death row inmates in front of them stopped.

Yu Xiaozi stared intently and saw that the scarred man, Mo Xiao, was squatting on the ground, examining something.

“It’s Tuoba Xiong’s blood,” Yun Xiangu whispered. “They really were here.”

A glint of light flashed in Yu Xiaozhi's eyes: "It seems we've found the right place."

At this moment, a sudden change occurred!
The ground suddenly trembled violently, and countless skeletal arms burst forth from the earth, grabbing at the line of death row inmates! Screams of agony immediately echoed throughout the surrounding area.

"Hmph, trash." Yu Xiaozi watched coldly, showing no intention of making a move.

Yun Xiangu, however, stared intently into the distance: "Young Master, look—"

The five captains each displayed their unique abilities: the scarred man smashed several skeletal corpses with a single punch; the cold and beautiful woman spewed mist from a green snake, corroding large sections of bone hands; and the burly man, Tieshan, directly tore off an attacking bone arm, displaying unparalleled ferocity.

The most astonishing thing was that hunched old woman; with just a light stomp of her foot, all the white bones within a three-zhang radius turned to dust!

“This is interesting.” Yu Xiaozi finally revealed a serious expression. “These death row inmates are not simple.”

Yun Xiangu said in a deep voice, "Young Master, this place is dangerous. I think it's best to..."

Before she could finish speaking, Yu Xiaozi had already drawn his sword: "No need for words, follow them! I am determined to obtain the entrance to the secret realm!"

With a flash of sword light, his figure disappeared into the black mist.

Yun Xiangu felt a vague unease, sensing that the Xuanwu Death Domain was probably not as simple as it seemed.

...

The black mist writhed around the line of condemned prisoners like a living thing, and the soul-guiding Gu on the wrists of the hundred prisoners emitted a faint green glow, forming a winding path of fireflies in the thick fog. Mo Xiao walked at the very front, his rough hands tightly gripping the bone bell bestowed by the Holy Maiden, shaking it once every three steps.

"Ding--"

The moment the bone bells rang, the black mist ahead receded like a startled swarm of snakes, revealing a barely discernible path.

"Stay close!" Mo Xiao roared, turning back. The scar on his face looked particularly gruesome in the eerie light of the bone bells. "Those who fall behind will be swallowed whole by the Dead Zone, leaving not even bones behind!"

A few suppressed coughs rang out from the group. The Ghost Scholar, toying with a copper coin, walked at the back, then suddenly chuckled, "Brother Mo, do you think the Holy Maiden gave us this bell to really help us find the coffin, or…" He flicked his finger, the coin spinning nine times in the air, “to use us as sacrifices?”

Before he could finish speaking, the ground suddenly collapsed!
"Watch out!" The green snake on Liu Qing's wrist suddenly stiffened, and she grabbed two female cultivators beside her and pulled them back hastily. More than ten prisoners had no time to react and instantly fell into the suddenly appeared pit, from which came the chilling sound of chewing.

Tieshan silently picked up a stone and threw it in. Three breaths later, a faint splash was heard—followed by a scream that abruptly stopped.

“It’s the Bone-Rotting Swamp,” the mute woman suddenly spoke, her voice hoarse and inhuman. “Living things fall in, their flesh melts away, leaving only bones.” She hunched over and walked to the edge of the pit, taking out a handful of gray powder from her bosom and sprinkling it down. The moment the powder touched the black water, it solidified into a narrow, grayish-white path.

Mo Xiao grinned: "The old woman's got some skills." He was the first to step onto the powdered path, his bone bells ringing more and more rapidly. Liu Qing followed closely behind, a green snake coiled around her neck, its tongue flicking in and out. Tie Shan hoisted his two injured companions and strode after them, while the Ghost Scholar glanced thoughtfully at the mute woman before also stepping onto the treacherous path paved with bone powder.

After the last person passed through, the gray path suddenly collapsed, returning to the black water.

“The Soul-Guarding Gu indicates that the Tuoba family went in that direction.” Liu Qing raised her wrist, and the green snake bit her fingertip. A drop of blood fell on the Gu worm, instantly igniting an even stronger light pointing northeast.

The group continued onward, but the malice of the Dead Zone was only just beginning to unfold.

By dawn several days later, the original group of over ninety people had been reduced to more than half. They had encountered moving, man-eating vines, swarms of rotting carrion worms emerging from the ground, and most terrifyingly, human skin lanterns suspended in the black mist. Whenever a lantern emitted an eerie green light, a prisoner would suddenly go berserk, tearing at his companions.

“At this rate, we won’t reach the altar.” Iron Mountain snapped the neck of yet another madman and said in a deep voice. His iron arm was covered with tiny bite marks, but miraculously showed no signs of poisoning.

The scholar suddenly stopped, the copper coin spinning rapidly between his fingers: "Something's coming."

The ground began to tremble, and three enormous shadows emerged from the black mist in the distance. As the shadows drew closer, everyone gasped—they were three bronze corpse puppets, each three zhang tall, with blood-red vines wrapped around their joints and ghostly blue flames flickering in their empty eye sockets.

"Run!" Mo Xiao roared, but it was too late. The bronze corpse puppet at the front smashed down with a punch, instantly turning the five prisoners into minced meat.

Liu Qing's green snake suddenly swelled to the thickness of a bucket, spewing out poisonous mist that corroded the joints of the corpse puppet; Tie Shan roared and charged at another corpse puppet, actually using his flesh to directly confront the bronze; the Ghost Scholar's copper coins transformed into golden chains that wrapped around the legs of the third corpse puppet; the mute woman knelt down and began chanting strange incantations, and countless pale bone hands emerged from the ground to grab the corpse puppet.

Taking advantage of the moment, Mo Xiao leaped onto the shoulder of the tallest corpse puppet and shoved the bone bell into the ghost fire in its eye socket. "Try this!" He grinned maliciously and crushed the bell, unleashing the sealed witchcraft power within, causing the ghost fire to explode.

When the last corpse puppet crashed to the ground, fewer than thirty prisoners remained alive.

The procession of condemned prisoners continued for several more days when the guiding talisman suddenly trembled violently, pointing to a canyon. At the canyon entrance, twelve pitch-black stone pillars were arranged in a ring, each covered with twisted runes.

"This is it." Mo Xiao gripped the guiding talisman tightly, a wary glint in his eyes. "The place where those three outsiders last disappeared."

Liu Qing's green snake suddenly began to struggle violently, as if it had sensed something terrifying. The Ghost Scholar's copper coins all spun upright, emitting a piercing buzz. Even the usually silent mute woman raised her head, a hint of fear flashing in her cloudy eyes.

"To go in or not?" Tieshan asked in a deep voice, veins bulging on his bulging muscles.

Mo Xiao grinned, revealing his gleaming white teeth: "We've come this far, are we going to go back to our deaths? White Witch Village has no intention of letting us leave alive."

The five men exchanged a glance and instantly reached a consensus. They ordered the remaining death row inmates to wait outside, while they themselves stepped into the circle of stone pillars.

The instant all five entered, crimson runes simultaneously illuminated the twelve stone pillars! The ground began to tremble violently, and a massive altar slowly rose from the ground. At the center of the altar lay an ancient bronze coffin!
"Is this what the chieftain is looking for?" Tieshan asked in a low voice.

The Ghost Scholar toyed with the blood-stained copper coin: "For White Witch Village to go to such lengths, it's probably not just a coffin."

Mo Xiao licked his lips: "I'm fed up with being someone else's dog. Since I'm here, why not see what treasures are inside?"

Liu Qing sneered: "Aren't you afraid of dying in there?"

"We're going to die either way," Mo Xiao slammed his fist on the coffin lid, "Why not take a gamble!"

The coffin lid remained motionless.

The five attacked simultaneously—Mo Xiao's brute force, Liu Qing's poison, Tie Shan's heavy blows, Gui Shusheng's curses, and the mute woman's witchcraft—all these forces bombarded the coffin, yet not a single mark was left.

"It's no use." A cold voice suddenly came from above everyone's heads.

The five were startled. Looking up, they saw a flying sword hovering in the air, upon which stood a young man in flowing white robes, a jade talisman at his waist gleaming with a ghostly blue light. Behind him, an old woman leaning on a jade cane stood in mid-air, her eyes flashing with a sharp light.

"Yu Xiaozhi!" The Ghost Scholar recognized the newcomer, his expression changing drastically. "A lackey of the imperial court!"

Yu Xiaozi sneered, his flying sword transforming into a streak of light as it landed in his hand: "I didn't expect the death row inmates of White Witch Village to have some knowledge." He glanced at the five men, "Since you've helped me find the entrance, you can get lost."

Yun Xiangu landed on the other side of the altar and said in a deep voice, "Young Master, the mission is complete. We should return to report."

"Report back?" A glint of fanaticism flashed in Yu Xiaozhi's eyes. "Fairy Maiden, do you know what this is?" He pointed to the ancient bronze coffin. "The entrance to the Xuanming Secret Realm! A treasure left behind by the ancient witch clan! Once it's reported to the imperial court, what will be left for us?"

Yun Xiangu frowned: "Young Master, please reconsider. This place is extremely dangerous."

"A mere coffin dares to stop me?"

With a flick of his sword, a sharp sword aura cleaved straight through the coffin lid!
"Zheng——"

The sword energy collided with the coffin lid, producing a deafening metallic clang. Suddenly, the vertical pupil pattern on the coffin lid lit up, and a beam of eerie blue light shot into the sky!

"Oh no!" the Ghost Scholar exclaimed, "Retreat quickly!"

But it was too late. The pillar of light rapidly expanded, forming a massive vortex. A terrifying suction force erupted from the vortex, causing the surrounding stone pillars to crumble and rubble to be swept into it.

Mo Xiao roared, his feet sinking deep into the ground, yet he was still being dragged little by little into the vortex. Liu Qing flung out dozens of silver needles, driving them into the ground to barely steady himself. Tie Shan's arms were embedded in the rock, his muscles almost torn apart. The Ghost Scholar scattered all his copper coins, forming a golden barrier. The mute woman knelt on the ground, chanting rapidly, a blood-red light shield appearing around her.

Yu Xiaozi burst into laughter: "Hahaha! This is more interesting!" Instead of resisting, he leaped forward and charged into the center of the vortex!

"Young Master!" Yun Xiangu's expression changed drastically. She hurriedly swung out her jade staff to try to stop him, but was pulled into the vortex and disappeared.

The vortex's suction suddenly intensified. First, the death row inmates on the outer perimeter screamed as they were pulled in, and then the figures of Mo Xiao and his four companions, who were struggling to hold on, also began to falter.

"Damn it! I'm going to die either way!" Mo Xiao suddenly loosened his resistance and used the momentum to rush towards the vortex. "I want to see what this incredible opportunity is all about!"

Liu Qing and Tie Shan exchanged a glance and simultaneously released their grip. The Ghost Scholar gave a bitter laugh and put away the copper coins: "Such is fate." The mute woman remained in that eerie kneeling posture, completely swallowed by the vortex.

...

...

The silver bells tinkled softly, and the gauze curtains moved swayed without any wind.

Wu Yueli sat upright by the Moonlit Pool, her fingertips lightly touching the water's surface. Ripples spread out, reflecting a chaotic and dark scene—twelve pitch-black stone pillars surrounded the altar, and a bronze coffin sat quietly in the center, its vertical pupil patterns gleaming with a chilling light.

"Found it." She whispered, a glint of light in her eyes.

...

Chamber.

"Hahaha! Heaven blesses my White Witch Village!" The village chief slammed his fist on the table and stood up, his animal-skin cloak fluttering in the wind, his eyes filled with wild joy. "The Xuanming Secret Realm has appeared in the world, it is time for our clan to rise! I will immediately gather the elite troops and set off!"

Wu Yueli slightly raised her hand, and a wisp of silver light flew out from her sleeve, transforming into a barrier in front of the door.

"Wait a moment, Chieftain." Her voice was as cold as frost. "That secret realm cannot be entered by anyone but those with great fortune."

The chieftain frowned and said impatiently, "Why does the Holy Maiden say such things? Our White Witch Village has been lying low for a hundred years, waiting for this day! What do we care about fortune? Seizing it is an opportunity!"

Wu Yueli's gaze darkened slightly. With a light stroke of her fingertips, the Moonlight Pool water surged once more, reflecting the scene at the entrance to the secret realm—black mist billowed, corpses littered the ground, and the remains of several bronze corpse puppets lay scattered, clearly indicating that a fierce battle had taken place.

“Look,” she pointed to the image in the pool, “those condemned prisoners were no ordinary men, yet now only one in ten remains. The entrance to the secret realm is extremely dangerous; to rush in rashly could lead to the extermination of one’s entire clan.”

The chieftain sneered, strode forward, and stirred the water with a flick of his sleeve: "Those who aspire to great things cannot be timid and hesitant. The Black Witch Village is eyeing us covetously, and the imperial court's lackeys are secretly watching us. If we don't act now, are we going to let them get there first?"

Wu Yueli sighed softly and looked directly at the chieftain: "That's precisely why we need to be even more cautious. I used the power of the Witch God to peek into the secrets of heaven. The cause and effect in that secret realm are intertwined, and the evil aura is soaring to the sky. It is definitely not a good place."

A sinister glint flashed in the chieftain's eyes. He suddenly lowered his voice and said, "Has the Holy Maiden forgotten that our clan still possesses the 'Blood Sacrifice Array'? If we use the lives of a thousand people as a catalyst, how can we not open a path to survival?"

Wu Yueli's fingertips trembled, and a chill suddenly appeared in her eyes: "Chief, going against the will of Heaven will surely bring backlash."

"Backlash?" The chieftain scoffed, taking a sudden step closer, his shadow enveloping her slender figure. "Once we obtain the ancient magical treasure from the secret realm, what backlash can't we suppress? If the Holy Maiden is afraid, she can stay and guard the stronghold!"

Wu Yueli remained silent for a moment, then suddenly smiled, like a lotus flower blooming for the first time: "Since the chieftain has made up his mind... Yueli will naturally obey." She lightly touched her brow with her fingertip, and a wisp of silver hair fell into her palm. "These are the star coordinates of the entrance to the secret realm. Please keep them safe."

The chieftain grabbed the silver thread, laughed wildly, and strode away.

Once the footsteps had completely disappeared, Wu Yueli slowly closed her eyes. The pool water rose silently, reflecting the cold curve of her lips.

"Those who are insatiable..." she gently stroked the silver bell on her wrist, "will ultimately become sacrifices."

(End of this chapter)