Family Rise: Start with Daily Intelligence.

Chapter 649 Closing the door to beat the dog, annihilating three sects!
Master Huanxi smiled confidently and said:
"Master is overthinking it. It's not that Yue Zhenshan doesn't want to set up defenses here, but this place... is simply impossible to defend against!"

他指着那翻涌的黑雾，解释道：

“Deep within this canyon is no ordinary perilous place, but rather filled with a strange energy called ‘Netherworld Fiend Wind.’ This wind is formless and intangible, yet it can erode spiritual power, erode divine consciousness, and even incite inner demons. If a Golden Core cultivator does not receive special protection and ventures deep into it, their spiritual power will be exhausted and their soul damaged in no time, or they may even be taken advantage of by their inner demons and self-destruct!”

He paused, his tone carrying a hint of arrogance:
"More importantly, the core area of ​​the canyon is extremely unstable, riddled with tiny cracks, making it impossible to pass through using ordinary methods of escape. Forcing your way through would be certain death!"

"Yue Zhenshan must have known that this place was treacherous and believed that we had no chance of passing through here, which is why he deployed his main forces in other areas. This was not a trap, but rather what he perceived as a 'dead end'!"

Master Jingnian pressed further, "If that's the case, how can we pass through?"

The smug look on Master Huanxi's face deepened. He took a deep breath and carefully took something out of his robes.

It was a small, palm-sized, jet-black, ancient-looking boat-shaped magical artifact. Countless dark and complex runes were engraved on its hull, emanating a strange, cold, and lifeless aura.

"This is our sect's secret ancient treasure—the [Netherworld Treasure Ship]!" Venerable Huanxi's tone was filled with unparalleled confidence. "Only this treasure can release Netherworld Mystic Light to resist the erosion of the valley's evil winds, and it can also stabilize the surrounding space, allowing one to safely traverse between those spatial rifts! Without this treasure, even a Nascent Soul cultivator would have to pay a considerable price to forcibly cross this place!"

His gaze swept over the crowd:
"Yue Zhenshan never imagined that my Joyful Sect would possess such an ancient treasure! What he thought was a dead end is actually the path to heaven that we can take by surprise!"

Seeing the ancient aura emanating from the Netherworld Treasure Ship and feeling its extraordinary fluctuations, the doubts in Master Jingnian's eyes finally dissipated, and she slowly nodded: "So that's how it is. I was overthinking it."

Master Wan Shou also clicked his tongue in amazement: "Good heavens, Old Ghost Huanxi, your sect really does have some good stuff!"

"Without further delay, let's set off!"

Master Huanxi said no more and poured his magical power into the treasure ship in his hand.

hum!
The small black boat grew longer as it faced the wind, and in an instant it transformed into a giant ship about ten feet long, shrouded in a dark, eerie light. Runes flowed on the ship's hull, pushing away some of the surrounding gray-black mist.

"Everyone, get on board!"

The cultivators from the three sects dared not delay and immediately flew onto the Netherworld Treasure Ship.

The treasure ship paused slightly at the entrance of Black Wind Canyon, then transformed into a dark streak of light and silently sailed into the thick black fog and eerie winds.

The ship's hull emitted a faint, mysterious light that formed a protective shield, enveloping the entire vessel. The malevolent winds from the outside, powerful enough to erode even a Golden Core cultivator's spiritual energy, struck the shield, only causing minor ripples before being slid away and absorbed. Occasionally, when encountering a tiny spatial rift, the shield would slightly distort, emitting fluctuations that stabilized the space, allowing the treasure ship to pass through safely.

The journey was uneventful.

About half an hour later, the black fog in front of them gradually thinned out, and the light of day could be faintly seen.

Swish!
The Netherworld Treasure Ship suddenly accelerated and rushed out of the Black Wind Canyon!

Suddenly, the view opened up before them, revealing themselves to be within the territory of the Great Zhou Dynasty! Looking back, the treacherous Black Wind Canyon resembled a hideous scar, stretching across the border, and they had successfully infiltrated it!
"We succeeded!" an elder of the Joyful Sect couldn't help but exclaim.

Master Huanxi retrieved the Netherworld Treasure Ship, a sinister smile of absolute confidence spreading across his face: "Yue Zhenshan is still unaware! Fu family, your doomsday has arrived! Full speed ahead, target—the extinct volcano in Huixi County, Fu family!"

...

...

The three allied forces escaped from Black Wind Canyon and dared not linger. They marched swiftly and soon entered a place called "Ao Valley". This valley was shaped like a giant turtle lying on the ground, with gentle slopes on both sides and a wide valley floor, making it an excellent marching route.

However, just as the three cultivators stepped into the valley, a sudden change occurred!
"Om-!"

A deep, resonant hum, seemingly originating from the depths of the earth, suddenly resounded, and countless intricate, interwoven, and shimmering spiritual patterns instantly lit up the ground and mountains of the entire Ao Valley! Thick beams of light shot into the sky, rapidly intertwining in the high heavens, transforming into a massive light shield covering the entire valley!
Above the light shield, the five elements rotated, wind and thunder surged, and killing intent was chilling! Countless phantoms of sword energy, fire crows, boulders, and ice shards gathered and died within it, emanating a destructive aura that terrified people!

"Not good! It's a formation! A fifth-order trapping and killing formation!" Master Huanxi's expression changed drastically, and he exclaimed in shock, instantly recognizing the terrifying level of this formation!
A fifth-order formation, corresponding to the Nascent Soul level! Once trapped in such a trapping and killing formation, even a Nascent Soul True Monarch would be half-dead if he did not understand the formation or did not have a powerful way to break it. How much more so for these Golden Core cultivators?
"How is this possible?! How could they know we were passing through here?!" Master Huanxi was both shocked and furious. A thought flashed through his mind in an instant: "There's a traitor among us! There must be a spy from the Great Zhou among us! Otherwise, how could Yue Zhenshan have laid such a tight net here so precisely!"

Just as the formation was fully activated, trapping the allied forces of the three sects, the next moment...

On the slopes on both sides of Ao Valley, spiritual light flickered, and figures emerged one after another.

The leader, clad in heavy black armor and wielding a ten-foot-long spear, was none other than General Yue Zhenshan, the General Who Guards the West! Beside him, Fu Yongfan stood calmly with his hands behind his back. Behind them stood the patriarchs of the Ouyang, Wu, Cao, and Lei families, along with numerous Golden Core and Purple Mansion cultivators, their presence exuding a murderous aura!
"You old devil Huanxi, you demon nun Jingnian, you beastly scoundrel! This general has been waiting here for a long time!" Yue Zhenshan's voice boomed like a bell, carrying a chilling killing intent. "You have trespassed on the borders of my Great Zhou, and your crimes deserve death!"

He glanced at Fu Yongfan beside him, his eyes filled with undisguised admiration and relief: "Nephew Fu, you are truly a visionary! If it weren't for your advance warning, allowing me to set up this 'Five Elements Annihilation Formation,' you villains would have almost taken advantage of the situation today! If you had truly crossed the border silently, I would have been responsible even if I died!"

Fu Yongfan bowed slightly: "General, you flatter me. This is merely my duty." He looked coldly at Huanxi Shangren, who was filled with shock and anger in the ranks below, as if he had everything under control.

Inside the formation, upon hearing these words, Master Huanxi was so angry that he almost vomited blood. He glared fiercely at Fu Yongfan, wishing he could devour him alive.

The problem actually lay with the Fu family! They had anticipated this!

"Fellow Daoist Huanxi! Is this what you call foolproof?!" Abbess Jingnian's face was ashen, her tone filled with suppressed rage. True Man Wanshou also glared angrily, feeling utterly betrayed by Venerable Huanxi.

"What's the use of saying all this now!" Master Huanxi abruptly interrupted them. As expected of a ruthless and powerful figure, he remained calm in the face of danger, his eyes sharp and fierce. "This is a fifth-order trapping and killing formation. If we don't break it soon, we will all be reduced to ashes today!"

He made a swift decision, flipping his hand to retrieve a palm-sized talisman, entirely crimson gold, with an inscription of a three-headed, six-armed demon god's phantom on its surface. The moment the talisman appeared, it emitted a chilling Nascent Soul-level pressure, causing the surrounding space to slightly distort.

"This is a Nascent Soul talisman bestowed upon us by our sect's Supreme Elder—the [Demonic Eye of Law Breaking]! It requires time to activate before it can unleash its full power, enough to tear this formation apart! Fellow Daoists, quickly order your disciples to form an array to protect me and buy us some time! Otherwise, we will all die together!"

Although Abbess Jingnian and Master Wanshou hated Master Huanxi to the extreme, they also knew that life and death were at stake at this moment, and that infighting would only lead to their deaths.

"Disciples of Qiuyue Nunnery, heed my command! Form the 'Bright Moon Purification Formation'!"

"Disciples of the Myriad Spirits Sect, heed my command! Form the 'Hundred Beasts Shaking Mountain Formation'!"

The two men gave the order almost simultaneously in a stern voice.

In an instant, the 150 Golden Core cultivators within the formation suppressed their panic and moved as ordered. The nuns of Qiuyue Nunnery moved swiftly, pure moonlight rising and weaving into a cool, serene light screen, attempting to purify and resist the formation's erosion. The disciples of Wanling Sect, connected with the auras of their spirit beasts, roared deafeningly, gathering a primal and powerful aura to withstand the formation's bombardment.

Meanwhile, the cultivators of the Joyful Sect quickly surrounded Joyful Venerable, forming a defensive formation.

Master Huanxi sat cross-legged at the core, his hands forming hand seals. His magical power surged forth like a bursting dam, wildly flowing into the crimson-gold talisman. The phantom of the demon god on the talisman gradually lit up, its three demonic eyes slowly opening. Destructive energy gathered within, causing the entire trapping formation to tremble!

He was racing against time, trying to outlast this fifth-order grand formation!
Seeing this, Yue Zhenshan snorted coldly: "A desperate struggle! Nephew Fu, everyone, follow me to activate the great formation and annihilate them!"

"Yes!"

Fu Yongfan and the four family patriarchs echoed each other, pouring their magical power into the control array.

The fifth-order trapping and killing formation, the "Five Elements Annihilation Formation," was unleashed at full power. Sword energy roared, flames burned the sky, boulders fell, ice shards pierced, and gales tore through the air... All sorts of killing moves descended like natural disasters, constantly bombarding the three sects' allied forces that were stubbornly resisting within the formation.

The fact that these three sects in the far west have been able to stand for so many years speaks volumes about their profound heritage.

Faced with such a desperate situation, the Beast Master's eyes widened in fury. He suddenly slapped an ancient beast pouch at his waist and roared:
"You really think I don't have something up my sleeve? Beast Banner, bring it out!"

hum!
A giant banner, about ten feet long, dark in color, and seemingly stitched together from the hides of countless demonic beasts, shot into the sky! On the banner's surface, the phantoms of hundreds and thousands of demonic beasts surged and roared, exuding an overwhelming aura of ferocity! This was none other than the Wanling Sect's most prized treasure—the [Ten Thousand Beasts Banner]!
The True Man of Ten Thousand Beasts bit his tongue, spitting a mouthful of blood onto the banner. He then formed hand seals, and his magical power surged into the banner like a torrent.

"A stampede of beasts, shaking the heavens and the earth! Block them for me!"

Roar--!
The thousands of beast shadows on the banner seemed to come alive, coalescing into a visible, violent torrent mixed with the characteristics of countless demonic beasts, surging upwards and colliding fiercely with the array killing moves falling from the sky!
Rumble!
Terrifying explosions rang out one after another, and turbulent energy surged in all directions. The torrent of beast shadows condensed by the Myriad Beast Banner was constantly being obliterated, yet it continued to surge out from the banner, managing to withstand the frenzied attack from one corner of the great formation!

On the other side, Abbess Jingnian's face was extremely solemn. She clasped her hands together and chanted incantations. A terrifying aura far exceeding the level of a nascent infant slowly awakened from her body.

"Amitabha! If I don't go to hell, who will... Moonlight bestows upon my head, Nascent Soul... Opens!"

She actually used some kind of secret technique to forcibly burn her own essence, briefly raising her pseudo-navel cultivation to the true early stage of the Nascent Soul realm! Although the cost was enormous and it couldn't be sustained, the power she unleashed at this moment was a genuine Nascent Soul level!

She pointed her fingers like a sword, and with a touch of her fingertips, the moonlight, so cold and clear it seemed to freeze the soul, condensed.

"Autumn Moon Secret Technique: Taiyin Nirvana Finger!"

With a flick of his finger, a slender yet imbued with endless desolation and icy chill, moonlight energy shot through the air. Wherever it passed, even the raging flames and gales condensed by the array were instantly frozen and annihilated! The finger energy struck a point on the array's light shield, causing the shield to fluctuate violently and develop fine cracks!

Yue Zhenshan's expression changed, and he hurriedly mobilized more array power to reinforce that point, inwardly alarmed:

"This old nun actually possesses such a life-saving secret technique!"

For a time, thanks to the tenacious defense of the Myriad Beast Banner and the Nascent Soul-level attacks of Abbess Jingnian, the three sects' allied forces, though in a sorry state and suffering many low-level disciples killed or wounded, managed to barely hold on under the strangulation of the great formation, resulting in a stalemate.

"Hmph! A stubborn resistance!" Yue Zhenshan's face was gloomy as he activated the formation with all his might.

Seeing this, Fu Yongfan's eyes flashed with a cold light. He knew he couldn't delay any longer and had to use his decisive strength to break the deadlock. Without hesitation, he patted several spirit beast pouches at his waist and shouted sharply:
"Azure Dragon, Demon Vine, Chaos, deploy the 'Three Talents Demon-Slaying Formation'!"

"Spirit-Devouring Insects, deploy the 'Five Elements Spirit Control Array'!"

"Liuli, divine light bestowed!"

Roar!
With a clear, resonant dragon's roar, a colossal azure dragon, its scales menacing, charged forward. A bulge on its head hinted at emerging keratin, its aura clearly reaching the peak of the near-fifth rank! Immediately afterward, countless black vines, covered in barbs and shimmering with metallic luster, burst from the earth, coalescing into the grotesque form of the Skull Demon Vine, wreathed in ghostly flames. Finally, a chaotic beast, its form shimmering and seemingly capable of devouring everything, silently appeared on the flank.

Three powerful near-fifth-tier demonic beasts.

Instantly, they took their positions according to the profound directions recorded in the "Ancient Demon Battle Formation Record".

Demonic energy surged into the sky, intertwining and condensing above them into a three-headed, six-armed, menacing phantom of an ancient demon god!
It is the "Three Talents Demon-Slaying Formation"!
Once this formation is complete, combining the power of the three beasts, its offensive might is infinitely close to a true Nascent Soul strike!
at the same time.

Five almost transparent phantoms flashed, and five spirit-devouring insects appeared in another location. Their auras were connected, forming a perfect five-element cycle. Hidden yet resilient spiritual light threads intertwined to form a net—the "Five Elements Spirit Control Array" was complete!

This formation excels at defense, and also has the effect of trapping enemies and absorbing spiritual energy.

At last.

The Seven-Colored Glazed Beast soared into the air, its body radiating a dreamlike seven-colored glow. It let out a clear cry, and two condensed seven-colored divine lights shot towards the demon god phantom of the "Three Talents Demon Slaying Array" and the spiritual light network of the "Five Elements Spirit Control Array" respectively!

hum!
得到七彩神光的加持，那妖神虚影更加凝实，凶威滔天，利爪獠牙仿佛能撕裂苍穹！而五行御灵阵的光网也更加璀璨夺目，流转不息，防御与吞噬之力大增！

"Kill!" Fu Yongfan pointed his sword downwards.

The phantom of the demon god, carrying overwhelming malevolent energy, crashed into the protective circle of the Joyful Sect!
"Form the formation! Form the formation now!" Master Huanxi roared, but he couldn't stop activating the talisman.

Ten Golden Core elders gritted their teeth and charged forward, their various magical treasures flashing with light. However, before the phantom of the Nascent Soul level demon god, their resistance was as fragile as paper.

"boom--!"

The demon god's claws swept across, shattering the protective aura and causing ten Golden Core elders to explode and die on the spot! Blood stained the sky, and a huge gap was torn in the protective circle!
At the same time, the light net of the Five Elements Spirit Control Array had completely enveloped the battle formation between Qiuyue Nunnery and Wanling Sect. Abbess Jingnian was shocked to find that the moonlight power around her was being frantically drained. Her Nascent Soul realm, which she had forcibly raised with a secret technique, fluctuated violently, and the illusory image of the bright moon above her head flickered uncertainly.

"This formation is strange!" roared the Myriad Beasts True Man, and the torrent of beast shadows condensed by the Myriad Beasts Banner became noticeably thinner.

The seven-colored glazed beast hovered high in the sky, its seven-colored divine light continuously amplifying the power of the two demonic formations. With this shift in power, the allied forces of the three sects were suddenly plunged into a desperate situation!

"Now!" Fu Yongfan shouted.

Yue Zhenshan's tiger-like eyes widened, and he poured his immense magical power into the array plate: "Five Elements Annihilation, Slay!"

大阵威能暴涨！之前被静念师太太阴寂灭指击出的裂纹瞬间修复，更狂暴的攻击如天河倒泻般倾泻而下！

"No—!" Master Huanxi's eyes widened in horror as he watched helplessly as his disciples fell one after another under the bombardment of the formation.

At this critical moment, the crimson gold talisman in his hand was finally fully activated!
"Demon Eye of Law Destruction, activate!"

The three-headed, six-armed demon god phantom on the talisman suddenly solidified, its three demonic eyes fully opened, and its destructive energy gathered to the extreme, transforming into a crimson-black pillar of light that tore through the void and slammed into the great array's light shield!
"Kacha—!"

A gap was actually torn open in the fifth-order grand formation!
"Go quickly!" Master Huanxi shouted hoarsely, and took the lead in transforming into a stream of light and rushing towards the gap.

Seeing this, Abbess Jingnian and Master Wanshou disregarded their disciples and followed closely behind.

However, just as the three were about to escape, a clear, cold voice rang out:

"Want to leave? Dream on!"

Suddenly, Fu Yongfan appeared at the gap, holding an ancient seal in his hand—the very fifth-rank imperial jade seal of the Fu family!

"town!"

印玺迎风便长，化作山岳大小，携带着一方世界的厚重之力，朝着三人当头压下！

A hint of heartache flashed in Master Jingnian's eyes.

A right hand flip.

A jade talisman appeared in his hand.

The jade talisman was engraved with a full moon, in which the phantom of a cassia tree was visible, emitting a nascent soul fluctuation that was in no way inferior to the Demonic Eye of Breaking the Law!
"Moonlight Guardian, activate!"

She spat out a mouthful of blood essence onto the jade talisman, which instantly burst forth with a dazzling moon-white radiance, forming a solid light shield with flowing osmanthus patterns on its surface, firmly protecting the three of them inside!
This is also a Nascent Soul level protective talisman!

boom!
The aristocratic family's jade seal slammed into the moonlight shield. The shield trembled violently, and cracks spread, but it did not shatter immediately, managing to withstand this fatal blow!
"Go!" she shouted hoarsely.

Taking advantage of the moment when the light barrier blocked their way, the three of them transformed into three streaks of light and narrowly escaped the gap in the Five Elements Annihilation Formation!
"Sect Leader! Save us!" Inside the formation, the disciples of the Myriad Spirits Sect cried out in anguish upon seeing the Myriad Beasts True Man freed.

The Beast Master paused, a hint of struggle and reluctance flashing across his face, as if he wanted to turn back to rescue them.

However, right now!

A mighty aura and the clear cry of a phoenix echoed from the horizon! A magnificent, colossal treasure ship, its prow adorned with a phoenix in flight and flying the imperial flag, pierced through the clouds and sped towards Ao Valley! The two characters "Runyu" on its sails gleamed in the sunlight!
"It's Princess Runyu's royal treasure ship! The imperial reinforcements have arrived!" Chief Ouyang exclaimed in delight.

The expression on Wan Shou Zhenren's face changed drastically, and the last trace of hesitation vanished completely.

The intervention of Princess Runyu's mansion means that they have no chance to rescue their disciples; leaving them only with certain death!
"Get on the ship!" Master Huanxi reacted the fastest. Despite his injuries and heartache, he summoned the Netherworld Treasure Ship once more. The ship shimmered with a ghostly light. Although it was not as solid as before, it was still capable of traversing and escaping.

Without further hesitation, Abbess Jingnian and Master Wanshou instantly boarded the treasure ship.

"Stop them!" Yue Zhenshan roared, directing the formation to gather an attack. At the same time, he leaped up, his spear like a dragon, thrusting straight forward! Fu Yongfan also activated the family's jade seal to press down again!

However, the Netherworld Treasure Ship was, after all, an ancient treasure. Though lacking in offensive capabilities, it possessed exceptional survivability. With a flash of eerie light, the ship moved with the nimbleness of a fish, narrowly avoiding most of the attacks. It withstood the aftershocks of the aristocratic family's jade seal, transforming into a dark streak of light and hurtling off in the opposite direction from the royal treasure ship!

"General Yue, Fellow Daoist Fu, do not pursue a desperate enemy!" A clear voice came from the royal treasure ship, and a communication talisman flew over, "The princess has ordered that the most urgent task is to wipe out the remaining enemy and stabilize the border defenses!"

Yue Zhenshan and Fu Yongfan watched the Netherworld Treasure Ship disappear into the distance in an instant. They knew that with the power of this treasure, they would indeed find it difficult to stop the three who were determined to escape. They could only give up in resentment.

The atmosphere inside the Netherworld Treasure Ship was terrifyingly oppressive.

All three were seriously injured and their breathing was disordered. In particular, Abbess Jingnian suffered severe damage to her vital essence due to the continuous activation of secret techniques and talismans, leaving her withered and emaciated.

Master Wanshou watched the Ao Valley recede into the distance behind him, listening to the faint screams of his disciples before their deaths. His eyes turned bloodshot, his fists clenched so tightly they cracked, and finally, he let out a low growl filled with pain and hatred.

While maneuvering the treasure ship, Master Huanxi swallowed pills to suppress his injuries, his face so gloomy it could drip water. This surprise attack was a complete failure; the elite forces of the three sects were almost entirely wiped out, with only the three of them escaping alone.

"Old ghost Huanxi! It's all your fault..." Master Wanshou suddenly looked up, his eyes surging with killing intent, almost unable to resist attacking Master Huanxi.

"What's the use of saying all this now!" Master Huanxi interrupted sharply, his eyes flashing with madness and resentment. "We haven't lost yet!"

"You didn't lose? The sect's elite forces were all wiped out, and you still say you lost?!" Master Wanshou roared.

"Of course not!" Master Huanxi stared intently ahead, his voice carrying a desperate ruthlessness. "Don't forget what our initial goal was! It was the Fu family's Water Cloud Cave Heaven! It was the Nascent Soul formation opportunity within!"

He glanced at the two men, his tone seductive: "Think about it! The Fu family mobilized almost their entire force to ambush us, even using their clan's most treasured artifacts and those terrifying spirit beasts! Right now, their stronghold, that dormant volcano in Huixi County, must be poorly defended!"

"As long as the three of us get there, with our Nascent Soul cultivation, we can easily break through their remaining forces, enter the Water Cloud Cave Heaven, and seize the Nascent Soul spiritual artifact!"

"As long as we can obtain the item for Nascent Soul formation and successfully condense our Nascent Soul, we can reclaim everything we've lost today, tenfold! Sect disciples? By then, we'll be Nascent Soul Ancestors; will we still have to worry about disciples flocking to us?"

A glimmer of light returned to Master Jingnian's cloudy eyes as she gasped, "Fellow Daoist Huanxi... what you say... makes sense. This moment... is indeed the weakest point for the Fu family."

Master Wanshou also calmed down, pondered for a moment, and then a greedy flame rekindled in his eyes: "That's right! As long as we form a Nascent Soul, we will make the Fu family pay back a hundredfold for today's grudge in the future! With their main force here, the dormant volcano is just an empty city!"

"That's right!" Seeing that he had persuaded the two, Master Huanxi felt a little more at ease. He then urged the Netherworld Treasure Ship to change direction and silently head towards the location of the extinct volcano in Huixi County.

...

...

The Netherworld Treasure Ship silently traversed the clouds, avoiding possible patrols, and finally arrived in Huixi County.

The iconic outline of the extinct volcano is already in sight, and one can feel the deep, scorching energy of the earth's veins from afar.

When the treasure ship approached the outer edge of the extinct volcano.

The greed and eagerness on the face of the Beast Master froze instantly, replaced by disbelief and discouragement.

A massive, translucent, crimson light barrier, like an inverted bowl, completely enveloped the extinct volcano and its surrounding area. Countless mysterious runes flowed slowly across the barrier like lava, emanating an aura of unwavering stability and intense heat, its strength reaching a staggering fifth-tier level!
"A...a fifth-tier protective array?!" Master Wanshou's voice was hoarse, filled with despair. "The Fu family...how could they have set up a fifth-tier array here?! How many resources would that have required?!"

Looking at the impregnable protective barrier, he finally understood completely:

"No wonder...no wonder the Fu family dared to come out in full force; their lair has such a formidable defense! We...we can't get in at all!"

Master Jingnian's face was also ashen.

With the combined strength of the three of them, there was absolutely no way they could forcefully break through this formation.

A look of anticipation flashed in Master Huanxi's eyes: "A fifth-order grand formation? Heh, I knew long ago that the Fu family would have something to rely on!"

Amidst their surprised and uncertain gazes, he carefully took out another item.

It was a bead about the size of a pigeon egg, perfectly round, with fine cracks on the surface, but seemingly containing a hint of extreme darkness inside.

"This is the [Boundary-Breaking Pearl]!" Venerable Huanxi's tone carried a hint of pride and heartache. "It is a one-time use treasure, specifically designed to break through all kinds of arrays and barriers! Although it cannot last, it is enough to temporarily open a passage in a fifth-order grand array! For this item, I have almost emptied most of my private collection!"

Master Jingnian gazed at the seemingly unremarkable bead that emanated a dangerous aura, a complex emotion flashing in her cloudy eyes:
"Fellow Daoist Huanxi... truly... thoughtfully prepared."

"There's no time to lose! The passage will only last for a very short time after this bead is activated, so we need to enter immediately!" Master Huanxi said no more, and channeled his remaining magic power into the Boundary-Breaking Bead.

hum!
The Boundary-Breaking Pearl trembled slightly, and the cracks on its surface suddenly lit up. The extreme darkness inside that point suddenly spread out, turning into a thin, twisted black ray of light, which silently shot towards the crimson light shield in the distance!
laugh--!
There was no earth-shattering explosion. The moment the black light touched the light shield, the crimson light shield rippled like the surface of water after a stone was thrown in. Wherever the light touched, the runes quickly dimmed and collapsed, and it was actually melted open to create an extremely unstable black hole that could only accommodate one person!

"go!"

Master Huanxi gave a low shout and was the first to transform into a stream of light and shoot into the cave entrance.

Master Jingnian and Master Wanshou followed closely behind.

As soon as the three of them passed through the cave entrance, the black passage behind them fluctuated violently and quickly closed up, while the Boundary-Breaking Pearl also turned into dust with a "click".

Successful infiltration!

The three landed and quickly looked around.

The interior of the extinct volcano appears to have been modified, with numerous caves and pathways created, but it is unusually empty and silent at this moment.

Soon, they discovered the Fu family members who had stayed behind.

There were only about twenty or thirty people, the highest level of cultivation of which was only at the Pseudo-Core stage. They were gathered together at the moment, seemingly conducting routine patrols or maintenance.

"Enemy attack! Retreat into the cave!" The fake Core cultivator reacted "extremely quickly," shouting loudly while simultaneously crushing a jade talisman.

Instantly, all the remaining clansmen, like startled rabbits, retreated swiftly without hesitation, rushing towards a cave entrance deep within the extinct volcano that emitted misty vapors and clouds. Their movements were perfectly synchronized, clearly a pre-planned move.

"Trying to run?!" The Beast Master's eyes flashed with ferocity, old and new grudges surging in his heart, his killing intent boiling instantly. "Stay here and die with me!"

He suddenly raised his palm, gathering violent spiritual energy, intending to smash these "weak" members of the Fu family into mincemeat with one blow to vent his hatred!
"Stop!" Master Huanxi shouted, grabbing his arm. "What's the use of killing these ants? It's just a waste of mana and time! Our target is the Nascent Soul cultivator in Shuiyun Cave! Every moment of delay increases the chances of things going wrong! Do you want the Fu family's main force to come back and trap us here?!"

The Beast Master angrily lowered his hand: "These ants got off too easily!"

"Let's go! Enter the cave!"

The Venerable Huanxi ignored the clansmen who were "fleeing in panic" and stared intently at the cave entrance that exuded an alluring aura, as if he could already see the endless treasures inside and the steps leading to the Nascent Soul Path.

The three transformed into three streaks of light and rushed into the Water Cloud Cave.

Unbeknownst to them, after they disappeared, the fake Core cultivator who had been the first to "escape" stopped, glanced back at the cave entrance, and his face showed no trace of panic, only a cold mockery.

他手中那枚被捏碎的玉符，并非求救信号，而是一道——“瓮已入，请关门。”

……

"The four elements revolve, the eight trigrams seal the heavens! Activate!"

A clear and calm female voice echoed within the cave, belonging to Yu Qingru, who had been lying in ambush there all along!

In an instant, the entire Shuiyun Cave changed color!

The originally peaceful and tranquil spiritual energy instantly turned violent, and countless pre-buried array bases lit up simultaneously on the ground, in the sky, in the water, and in the clouds!

The phantoms of the four sacred beasts—Azure Dragon, White Tiger, Vermilion Bird, and Black Tortoise—converged in the four directions of the sky, unleashing a deafening roar!

Immediately afterwards, the eight trigrams of Qian, Kun, Zhen, Xun, Kan, Li, Gen, and Dui seemed to come alive, intertwining and swirling in the air, evolving into endless variations! A Four Symbols Eight Trigrams Grand Array, more complex than the outer fifth-order protective array and more focused on trapping enemies and adapting to changes, instantly took shape, covering the entire core area of ​​the cave!

"An ambush?! How could the Fu family still have Golden Core cultivators and fifth-order formation masters left behind?!" The ecstasy on Huanxi Shangren's face instantly froze, turning into shock and anger.

He had planned everything, but he never expected that in addition to the main force, the Fu family would have an expert capable of controlling such a large formation stationed in their stronghold!

"Don't hold back! Finish this quickly, and retreat once you find the Nascent Soul artifact!" Master Huanxi roared fiercely, a strong sense of unease rising within him.

However, before he could finish speaking, the power of the great formation had already descended!
The three of them felt the space around them twist and pull, and the scene in front of them instantly blurred and changed!
Master Huanxi found himself in a vast, scorching desert, with the blazing sun overhead and scalding yellow sand beneath his feet. A fierce wind whipped up sand and gravel that lashed against his protective aura, making a crackling sound.

"My cultivation..."

He was actually suppressed to the late Golden Core stage!

"Damn!!"

Hundreds of kinds of strange and poisonous miasma attacked from all directions.

The poisonous miasma eroded his protective aura and even tried to penetrate his seven orifices, making him dizzy and hindering the flow of his magical power.

"Poison cultivator!"

Master Huanxi looked closely.

But Ouyang Fei's figure appeared and disappeared like a ghost within the poisonous miasma. His hands formed hand seals, and a colorful poisonous mist enveloped his body.
"A poisonous miasma that corrodes bones!"

In an instant, the seven-colored poisonous mist condensed into dozens of ferocious venomous pythons, which devoured from all directions, causing the air to sizzle and corrode.

The Venerable Master Huanxi was both surprised and furious, and slammed his hand on a leather pouch at his waist:
"Joyful and melodious sounds, dispelling evil and calming the soul!"

A string of bells carved from white bone flew out of the pouch, jingling and emitting disturbing sound waves in an attempt to dispel the poisonous miasma. At the same time, he summoned a Yin-Yang Harmony Mirror painted with a Yin-Yang intertwining pattern. The mirror shone with pink light, which shone on the venomous pythons, causing them to become sluggish and distorted.

Ouyang Fei snorted coldly, forcing out a drop of his own life-bound poisonous blood, as black as ink, from his fingertip and flicking it into the poisonous miasma:
"All poisons return to their source, condense!"

The poisonous miasma instantly contracted, transforming into an incomparably condensed Nether Poison Broken Yuan Shuttle. Ignoring the sound waves and the glowing light, it pierced straight at Master Huanxi's dantian at a tricky angle! Master Huanxi was horrified and hurriedly recalled the Yin-Yang Harmony Mirror to block in front of him.

"clang!"

The poisonous shuttle clashed violently with the precious mirror, corroding its surface and dimming its spiritual light! Joyful Heart, his mind and spirit intertwined, let out a muffled groan, blood trickling from the corner of his mouth. Before he could catch his breath, the yellow sand beneath his feet transformed into a quicksand trap, firmly gripping his legs; Ouyang Fei's new poisonous technique had already struck…
-
at the same time.

The nun was in a fiery hell, the heat causing the moonlight protecting her to flicker unpredictably.

Holding the Heaven-Burning Decree, Liu Meizhen was like a fire god descending to earth.

"Burning Heaven and Fiery Domain, Fire Phoenix Spreads Across the Plains!"

She let out a delicate shout, and the token shone brightly with crimson light. Flames rose within the domain, condensing into several enormous fire phoenixes that let out clear and melodious cries, rushing towards Abbess Jingnian with the power to burn the heavens.

Master Jingnian's face was withered and haggard. Forcing up her remaining magical power, she formed a hand seal:

"The moon's turbine spins, freezing thousands of miles!"

The illusory crescent moon above her head spun rapidly, radiating extreme cold. A massive icy blue vortex formed in front of her, attempting to freeze the fire phoenix. Ice and fire clashed, erupting into a cloud of steam that hissed and crackled.

Liu Meizhen's attacks continued relentlessly, and she threw the Heaven-Burning Token into the air:
"Fire Spirit, heed my command! Melt gold into iron!"

The early-stage Golden Core Burning Heaven Fire Spirit roared and charged out. It had no physical form and was purely composed of Burning Heaven Flame Essence. It directly pierced through the barrier of the ice vortex and rushed onto Master Jingnian's light shield, burning it wildly! At the same time, Liu Meizhen herself held a flaming longsword and moved with lightning speed, unleashing an exquisite sword technique - Flowing Fire Sword Dance. Streams of flaming sword energy, like meteor showers, slashed at Master Jingnian from all angles.

Master Jingnian was struggling to cope. Her moonlight shield fluctuated violently under the burning fire spirits and sword strikes, forcing her to burn her remaining essence once more.

"Mysterious Moon Protective Divine Light!"

A condensed, moon-white beam of light spread out from her center, temporarily forcing back the fire spirit and sword energy, but she also spat out another mouthful of blood, her aura growing increasingly weak.
-
the other side.

The True Man of Ten Thousand Beasts was trapped in the boundless ancient forest, where countless tough vines coiled around him like giant pythons, restricting his and his spirit beasts' movements.

Fu Molan concealed herself in the shadows of the forest, her divine sense as fine as silk, controlling hundreds of puppets.

"Puppet battle formation, annihilate!"

With a thought, dozens of powerful puppet warriors wielding giant axes and heavy hammers surged from the ground, charging fearlessly towards the Beast Master and his spirit beasts. Simultaneously, high above in the forest, twenty crossbow puppets fired simultaneously, their specially crafted armor-piercing crossbow bolts raining down like locusts!

"Roar! Myriad Beasts Mountain-Shaking Fist!" The Myriad Beasts Master roared, unleashing a punch that transformed into a ferocious tiger phantom, smashing the leading warrior puppets to pieces. His spirit beasts—an armored bear and a three-eyed wind wolf—also roared, tearing apart the approaching vines and puppets.

But there were too many puppets, and they were completely unafraid of death.

傅墨兰冷静地切换着指令：

"Formation change, trapped!"

The warrior golems ceased their offensive assaults and instead formed a solid defensive line, restricting their movement. The crossbow golems, on the other hand, continued to harass from a distance.

"burst!"

Without hesitation, she ordered several damaged puppets to rush to the spirit beast and self-destruct. The violent shockwave blasted the armored bear's scales off, causing it to howl in agony.

The Beast Master's eyes widened in horror. He bit his finger hard and drew a blood-red rune in the air:
"Blessed by the Beast God, Berserk!"

The runes merged into the bodies of the two spirit beasts, their eyes instantly turned blood red, their bodies swelled, and their aura surged. They temporarily broke free from the vines' restraints and frantically destroyed the surrounding puppets.

Master Wanshou looked in the other two directions. Although he was isolated by the formation and his senses were limited, he could imagine that Master Huanxi and Abbess Jingnian were in no better situation than he was.

"We can't drag this out any longer!" A glint of madness and determination flashed in the eyes of the Beast Master. "If this continues, the three of us will be worn down to death here! The Fu family... you forced me to this!"

His face contorted with a ferocious and cruel expression, and he roared at the void, a roar that seemed to penetrate the barrier of the array:
"Old Ghost Huanxi! Abbess Jingnian! I'm sorry! In order to save my life and for the sake of the sect's inheritance... I need to borrow your lives!"

(End of this chapter)