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The setting sun cast long shadows of the distant mountain peaks, and three sword lights pierced the twilight, speeding towards Yellow Maple Valley.

Han Li stood on his flying sword, his fingers unconsciously rubbing the storage bag at his waist, which contained various magical artifacts and talismans he had purchased at the market that day.

"This time, we are well prepared, and the trip to the Crimson Forbidden Land should be..." Han Li was about to speak when a sudden warning signal went off in his mind.

He abruptly raised his hand to signal a halt, his gaze shooting like lightning towards the dense forest on the left.

"What's wrong?" Li Feiyu pressed down on the hilt of his sword and looked in the direction Han Li was looking.

Thirty feet away in a clearing in the woods, Chen Qiaoqian, dressed in white, staggered forward. Her usually neat clothes were covered in mud, and her hair was disheveled.

Three steps behind her, Senior Brother Lu held a short blade that gleamed with a cold, eerie blue light, his eyes flashing with a sinister glint, like a venomous snake eyeing its prey.

"It's that bastard surnamed Lu!" Li Feiyu gritted his teeth and was about to draw his sword and charge, but Su Ning grabbed his wrist.

"Wait a minute." Su Ning narrowed his eyes, a strange light flashing in his pupils. "Chen Qiaoqian's face is flushed, her breathing is rapid, and her steps are unsteady. She has probably been poisoned by the aphrodisiac."

As if confirming his judgment, Senior Brother Lu suddenly quickened his pace and grabbed Chen Qiaoqian's sleeve: "Junior Sister Chen, why force yourself? In this desolate wilderness, let your senior brother help you detoxify..."

"Get out of the way!" Chen Qiaoqian threw out a talisman, and a fireball roared out, but Senior Brother Lu easily dodged it by sidestepping.

She staggered backward, and the jade pendant at her waist suddenly made a crisp cracking sound—a sign that the protective magic artifact had run out of spiritual power.

Senior Brother Lu grinned maliciously and pounced forward: "Without your protective magic artifact, let's see how you manage to..."

Han Li and his two companions in the bushes held their breath.

Han Li's fingers twitched slightly, about to make a move, but he saw Senior Brother Lu suddenly freeze in his tracks, turn around and shout sharply: "Who's there!"

It turned out that Han Li had accidentally broken a dry branch while adjusting his posture.

Senior Brother Lu's cultivation has reached the peak of Qi Refining, and his spiritual senses are exceptionally sharp.

"We've been discovered." Han Li's heart sank.

Before he could react, a silver light had already pierced through the air and arrived!

"Ding!"

The Xuan Tie Flying Shield automatically appeared, blocking the sneak attack.

Han Li was forced to reveal himself, his face ashen.

"It's you, you piece of trash?" Senior Brother Lu was taken aback at first, then burst into laughter. "You managed to escape when we first entered the sect, today we'll settle both our old and new scores!"

With a flick of his sleeve, a small blue flag unfurled in the wind, transforming into a three-zhang-long illusory dragon that lunged straight at Han Li.

Wherever the dragon passed, vegetation was broken, and its power was astonishing.

Li Feiyu drew his sword, ready to strike, but then heard Su Ning's voice transmission: "Let Junior Brother Han handle this himself."

"That's not a good idea!" Li Feiyu said anxiously.

“I believe in Junior Brother Han.” Su Ning’s gaze was steady. “Besides, he was the one who was humiliated last time, and he needs to resolve this issue himself.”

Li Feiyu reluctantly released the sword hilt: "Sigh! Fine!"

In the center of the battlefield, Han Li suddenly changed his technique in the face of the approaching phantom dragon.

Eight beams of golden light shot out from the sleeve, which turned out to be eight uniquely shaped golden cicada mother and child blades, forming a net in the air.

This is the complete set of ritual implements that I purchased at a high price at Wanbaolou today.

The phantom of the dragon collided with the golden net, instantly producing a piercing friction sound and sparks flying everywhere.

"A complete set of magical artifacts?" Senior Brother Lu's expression changed slightly, and he hurriedly made hand seals to change his move.

As the Azure Dragon Banner turned, the illusory dragon image suddenly dispersed into dozens of tiny wind blades, attacking Han Li from different angles.

Han Li remained calm and composed. With a flick of his left hand, seven Xuan Yin needles silently attacked Senior Brother Lu's back. At the same time, with a flick of his right hand, a dusty, round bead rolled to the ground.

"boom!"

The deafening explosion of the Heavenly Thunder was so loud that the spiritual light shield that Senior Brother Lu had hastily erected shook violently.

Before he could even catch his breath, twelve indistinguishable figures of Han Li suddenly appeared before him...

It's a perfect combination of "Phantom Step" and "Clone Technique"!

"puff!"

A golden dragon-shaped blade pierced his dantian with pinpoint accuracy.

Senior Brother Lu looked down in disbelief, watching blood gushing from his abdomen: "You... how could this be..."

Han Li expressionlessly withdrew his magic weapon, casually took the storage bag from the other party's waist, scanned it with his divine sense, and took out two Foundation Establishment Pills from it.

He carefully examined the pills, and after confirming that they were correct, he used a fireball spell to turn the corpse and the storage bag into ashes, and then sprinkled concealing powder to cover up the traces.

"Clap clap clap..."

Applause came from the woods.

Su Ning and Li Feiyu walked out slowly, the former with approval in his eyes: "Clean and efficient, Junior Brother Han has made great progress."

Li Feiyu kicked at the ashes on the ground and grinned, "When this bastard was showing off in the sect last time, did he ever think he'd end up like this?"

Just as Han Li was about to respond, he suddenly heard a soft, sweet moan.

The three turned their heads and saw Chen Qiaoqian leaning against a tree with her clothes half undone, her fair skin glowing with an alluring pink, and her originally clear eyes now misty with tears.

"Ugh...it's hot..." She unconsciously pulled open her collar, revealing her delicate collarbone.

Chen Qiaoqian's dazed gaze suddenly locked onto Su Ning, and she staggered and lunged towards him.

The moment the warm, soft body entered his arms, Su Ning felt a moist touch on his neck, and a faint fragrance entered his nostrils.

“This…” Li Feiyu’s eyes widened, and he was speechless for a moment.

Han Li coughed lightly and turned around, his ears slightly red: "It should be the effect of the Hehuan Decoction. It requires... requires the balance of Yin and Yang to be neutralized, or..."

Su Ning raised an eyebrow at the woman in his arms who was in a daze, and suddenly picked her up in his arms: "Junior brothers, please return to the sect first. I will help Senior Sister Chen detoxify first, and then we will arrive."

Li Feiyu's jaw nearly dropped to the ground: "Senior Brother Su, you..."

"A doctor's heart is benevolent." Su Ning said righteously, but as he turned and walked towards the cave not far away, a meaningful smile appeared on his lips. "We can't let our fellow disciple explode and die, can we?"

"Junior Brother Han, what should we do next?" Li Feiyu looked at Han Li with a strange expression.

Han Li silently took out the array flags and began to set up a soundproof barrier: "Senior Brother Li, Senior Brother Su has treated us well, we cannot let Senior Brother take risks."

Li Feiyu scratched his head, finally sighed, and stood guard at the cave entrance with Han Li.

As night fell, faint sounds that would make anyone blush could be heard coming from inside the cave. Han Li stared intently at the magic weapon in his hand, pretending not to hear it; Li Feiyu, on the other hand, would wink and make faces from time to time, looking like he was enjoying the show.

Three hours later, the moon hung high in the sky.

Su Ning walked out of the cave feeling refreshed, followed by Chen Qiaoqian, who had regained consciousness but looked completely bewildered.

She looked around in confusion, her gaze finally settling on Su Ning: "Junior brother, we..."

"Junior Sister Chen was injured by a poisonous insect, but fortunately she is fine now." Su Ning smiled gently and handed over a bottle of pills. "This is a Heart-Clearing Pill. Taking it for three consecutive days will remove any remaining poison."

Chen Qiaoqian subconsciously took the medicine bottle, knowing full well that Su Ning was spouting nonsense, but she still accepted Su Ning's explanation in a daze.

Chen Qiaoqian frowned because of her physical discomfort and the disappearance of her senior brother Lu, but the way Su Ning offered her was really appropriate.

Chen Qiaoqian frowned and pondered for a moment, then gave a graceful bow: "Thank you for saving me, Junior Brother."

After saying that, he boarded his flying magical artifact and quickly disappeared into the night.

After she left, Li Feiyu finally couldn't help but come over and say, "Senior Brother Su, your 'detoxification' method is truly refreshing and unconventional."

“Excellent.” Su Ning interrupted seriously, taking out a jade slip from his bosom. “However, the biggest gain from this trip is this—the forbidden area map in Junior Sister Chen’s storage bag, which marks several hidden medicinal gardens unknown to the Seven Sects.”

Upon hearing this, Han Li immediately stepped forward and saw a small plum blossom mark drawn in one corner of the map—the unique symbol of the Chen family.

Li Feiyu whistled: "No wonder Senior Brother was so... energetic just now."

Su Ning smiled without saying a word, his gaze sweeping over his two junior brothers.

Han Li appeared calm, but his ears were still flushed; Li Feiyu winked and made faces, looking like he was enjoying the show.

He suddenly became serious and said, "There's no need to mention this matter again. But Junior Brother Han, one of the two Foundation Establishment Pills you took is probably problematic."

Han Li's heart skipped a beat: "Senior brother, you mean..."

“The Lu family has a close relationship with Uncle Ye.” Su Ning narrowed his eyes. “I suspect that one of them has been tampered with. I need to examine it carefully when I get back.”

"Don't worry, senior! I've already checked it many times."

"That's good."

The night breeze rustled through the treetops, and the three of them silently gazed toward the direction of Yellow Maple Valley.

The secret of this night, like the enchanting spring scenery in that cave, will be forever sealed in the misty haze of the blood-red forbidden land.

Han Li touched the Foundation Establishment Pill in his pocket, thinking to himself: The path of cultivation is fraught with danger, and a slight mistake could lead to annihilation.

Although we won today's battle, the road ahead remains fraught with danger.

He gazed at the distant, faintly visible mountain gate, his eyes growing increasingly resolute.

……

At the entrance to the Crimson Forbidden Land, disciples from the seven factions gathered.

Dark clouds filled the sky, and the distant rumble of thunder seemed to foreshadow an impending bloodbath. At the head of the Yellow Maple Valley group stood Li Huayuan, a Core Formation cultivator, his hands clasped behind his back, his long, grey beard fluttering in the wind.

His gaze swept across the twenty-odd disciples before him like lightning: "The Crimson Forbidden Land is extremely dangerous. You must remember three things: First, the teleportation location is random. Once inside, immediately use the Teleportation Technique to find your fellow disciples; second, there is no return from the central area of ​​the forbidden land, so do not be greedy; third..."

He paused for a moment, then said, "If you encounter a life-or-death crisis, remember to prioritize saving your life."

Han Li stood in the middle of the group, observing his surroundings discreetly.

He noticed that Chen Qiaoqian was occasionally glancing at Su Ning from a distance, while Su Ning remained calm and even nodded and smiled at Chen Qiaoqian, causing the usually arrogant senior sister Chen to blush.

"It seems that what happened in the cave that night..." Li Feiyu leaned close to Han Li's ear, but before he could finish speaking, Han Li stopped him with a look.

"Keep quiet," Han Li said in a low voice. "The matter of Senior Brother Lu's disappearance has not yet been resolved. Let's not create any unnecessary trouble."

Li Feiyu pursed his lips and said no more.

Just then, the seven Core Formation cultivators attacked simultaneously, unleashing seven streams of spiritual energy of different colors that struck the barrier at the entrance to the forbidden area.

The barrier rippled like water, gradually revealing a blood-red vortex.

"Come in!"

At a command, disciples from the seven factions filed in.

Han Li felt dizzy and disoriented. When he opened his eyes again, he found himself in an unfamiliar jungle.

The towering ancient trees blocked out the sun, and a faint smell of blood permeated the air.

He immediately used the "Connecting Mechanisms" technique taught by Li Huayuan, and several points of light appeared in his consciousness...

The nearest fellow disciple was three miles to the northeast. Han Li did not act rashly, but first checked his magical artifacts to make sure that the Golden Cicada Mother-Child Blade, the Black Iron Shield, and other items were still there before proceeding cautiously.

They hadn't gone half a mile when a woman's voice suddenly called out from ahead: "Are there any fellow disciples from Yellow Maple Valley?"

Han Li paused, recognizing Chen Qiaoqian's voice.

He was hesitating whether to show himself when he heard another familiar voice: "Senior Sister Chen, it seems we are really destined to meet."

A man in a yellow silk shirt emerged from behind the bushes; it was Su Ning.

He smiled, but his eyes held a scrutinizing gaze.

Upon seeing Su Ning, Chen Qiaoqian's pretty face instantly flushed red, and her fingers unconsciously twisted the hem of her clothes: "Su... Junior Brother."

"Senior sister, would you like to team up with me?" Su Ning asked directly.

"This..." Chen Qiaoqian couldn't help but show a hesitant expression.

"Is Senior Sister willing to follow my arrangements?" Su Ning added, her tone gentle yet leaving no room for argument.

Chen Qiaoqian's expression changed.

As the eldest daughter of the Chen family, a prodigy, she has always been the leader of the team. When has she ever been asked to do this before?
"If you're not willing to listen to me, then let's break up." Su Ning saw her hesitation and offered a direct choice.

As proud as Chen Qiaoqian was, she ultimately could not accept being commanded by an outer disciple.

She gave Su Ning a deep look: "Take care."

After saying that, he turned and left, his back view slightly stiff.

Su Ning watched her leave, shook his head and chuckled, then turned to where Han Li was hiding: "Junior Brother Han, have you seen enough?"

Han Li's heart skipped a beat, and he slowly stepped forward: "Senior Brother Su has a keen sense of perception."

“It’s not a spiritual sense.” Su Ning pointed to the ground. “Your boots stepped on a blood vine flower; the sap has a peculiar smell.”

Han Li looked down and saw that the soles of his shoes were stained with dark red flower juice.

He was about to speak when his expression suddenly changed slightly: "Senior Brother Li's signal has disappeared!"

Su Ning frowned: "There are two possibilities—either he entered a region that isolates divine sense, or..."

Before he could finish speaking, a deafening explosion came from afar.

The two exchanged a glance and simultaneously rushed toward the source of the sound.

……

Meanwhile, on the other side of the forbidden area.

Li Feiyu was cautiously traversing the jungle when he suddenly sensed a fluctuation of spiritual energy ahead.

He concealed his presence and approached using the vegetation as cover, only to find Xiang Zhili gathered with five disciples from different sects, exchanging fragments of maps.

"Senior Brother Xiang?" Li Feiyu couldn't help but show himself.

Xiang Zhili turned his head, his face devoid of its usual timidity, instead displaying a detached composure: "Junior Brother Li, what a coincidence! Why haven't I seen Junior Brother Han and Junior Brother Su?"

"Uh? I haven't met them yet."

"Junior brother, the maps provided by each sect have different focuses." Xiang Zhili waved the assembled map in his hand. "Only by exchanging information with disciples from other sects can we gain a more comprehensive understanding of the forbidden area. Junior brother Li, would you like to join?"

Han Li scanned the group with his divine sense—two disciples from the Spirit Beast Mountain had bulging spirit beast pouches at their waists, a cultivator from the Blade Transformation Valley had a long sword gleaming coldly on his back, and there were also disciples from the Hidden Moon Sect and the Heavenly Palace Fortress, each with a powerful aura.

"Thank you for your kindness, Senior Brother, but my strength is too weak, so it's safer for me to act alone." Li Feiyu immediately remembered Su Ning's reminder, so he cupped his hands in farewell and turned away, his back already soaked with sweat.

The kind and timid senior brother Xiang seemed even more unfathomable to him than a Core Formation cultivator.

After leaving Xiang Zhili and his group, Li Feiyu became even more cautious.

He found several places where spiritual herbs grew by following the markings on the sect map, but unfortunately none of them were the materials needed for the Foundation Establishment Pill.

As darkness fell, the sky above the Crimson Forbidden Land turned an eerie dark red, as if it had been soaked in blood.

"I need to find a safe place to spend the night," Li Feiyu muttered to himself.

He remembered Li Huayuan's warning—the forbidden area at night was ten times more dangerous than during the day.

Finally, at the foot of a cliff, Li Feiyu discovered a hidden cave.

The entrance to the cave was covered by vines, but the interior was dry and spacious.

He set up a simple early warning array and breathed a sigh of relief when he suddenly heard the sound of water dripping.

The rainwater seeping from the cave ceiling was a pale red color, and it stung when it fell on my arm.

Li Feiyu hurriedly channeled his inner energy to defend himself, only to discover that the rainwater contained corrosive spiritual power that could erode the protective aura around him.

“No wonder it’s called the Crimson Forbidden Land…” Li Feiyu secretly rejoiced that he had found a place to stay.

Just as he was about to sit down and regulate his breathing, he caught a glimpse of metallic reflection in the cracks of the cave wall out of the corner of his eye.

Pushing aside the rubble, a half-rotted skeleton came into view.

A broken sword was stuck in the skeleton's chest, and a tattered storage bag hung at its waist.

Li Feiyu carefully examined the jade slip and found it in the bag. It had a partial map engraved on it, with a skull pattern marked in the center and a small note next to it: Condensed Gold...

"Condensing the Golden Core?" Li Feiyu's heart raced.

Could this be the ancient cultivator's cave that Xiang Zhili mentioned?

He continued searching and found another jade identification token in the skeleton's hand...

The disciple of Huangfeng Valley died in the previous trial sixty years ago.

“Strange…” Li Feiyu compared the maps of the two sects and found that the location of the skeleton was marked as a “safe zone” on the map provided by the sect.

Even more suspiciously, the skeletal wounds indicated he was killed by a sneak attack from behind, and the patterns on the broken sword were clearly...

"A standard magical artifact of the Hidden Moon Sect." Li Feiyu's pupils contracted.

The seven major sects appear to be on good terms, but in reality, they are killing each other in the forbidden area.

They even went so far as to poison their own fellow disciples?

He kept these discoveries in mind, destroyed the jade tablet and the broken sword, leaving only the incomplete map.

Outside the cave, the blood rain fell harder and harder, as if countless wronged souls were weeping.

Li Feiyu sat cross-legged, with the Crimson Flame Sword hovering around him, ready to deal with any sudden crisis.

This night is destined to be long.

……

Meanwhile, in another part of the forbidden area, Su Ning stood beneath a towering ancient tree, with three corpses lying before him...

Two disciples from Spirit Beast Mountain and one cultivator from Blade Transformation Valley.

He toyed with a blood-stained fragment of a map in his hand, gazing thoughtfully toward the center of the forbidden area.

"It seems this trial is much more interesting than I imagined..."

The Crimson Forbidden Land is far more complex than it appears on the surface; in fact, what Han Li encountered was merely the tip of the iceberg.

After all, the fact that Xiang Zhili, a Nascent Soul cultivator, could enter the Crimson Forbidden Land multiple times while concealing his cultivation level suggests that there are definitely more secrets hidden within it.

Having previously experienced the Blood Forbidden Zone trial, Su Ning began exploring it, and even planned to have the spatial world devour this small space.

Under the blood-red moonlight, his shadow was stretched long, like a ferocious beast ready to devour its prey.

In the distance, the faint roars of monsters could be heard, mingling with the sounds of wind and rain, creating a symphony of death.

...(End of chapter)