Immortality and cultivation begin with drawing talismans.

Chapter 481 Breaking the Forbidden Barrier: Ancient Wilderness Beast [10,000 words, seeking monthly votes]

On a desolate mountain on the border between good and evil.

The two demons, Xuan Yin and Mo Yan, had been confronting the infamous Qing Yang Demon for a full month before finally seeing the streak of light approaching.

"Fellow Daoist Qingyang!"

After the burly Tiger Demon Lord landed, he immediately clasped his hands in a hearty gesture, while the Bat Demon Lord, whose face was pale, nodded coldly.

The four Nascent Soul cultivators from the demonic path gathered together, their combined strength equivalent to that of three mid-stage Nascent Soul cultivators.

At this moment, Lu Zhenjun also arrived with Lin Chang'an, which made Xuan Yin Old Demon and Demon Flame Old Monster secretly breathe a sigh of relief.

The pressure from Qingyang the Old Demon alone is immense.

"Fellow Daoist Demon Flame."

As soon as they landed, Lin Chang'an smiled and cupped his hands in greeting. After exchanging glances with Xuan Yin Old Demon, both of them suppressed their displeasure and forced a smile.

After everyone had gathered, the two sides clearly began exchanging information discreetly.

……

The Demonic Path.

“Fellow Daoist Qingyang, my lifespan is coming to an end, unlike your talent. There is not much difference between us regarding the relics and treasures.”

The Old Monster Shangyuan secretly transmitted his voice, and the Old Demon Qingyang nodded in agreement, confirming that what the other party said was true.

For Nascent Soul cultivators whose lifespan is about to end, no treasure or supernatural power is as important as life-extending spiritual objects.

"Alright, let's join forces and see if there's a chance after we retrieve the treasure, or even in the end..."

Old Demon Qingyang glanced at the two Nascent Soul cultivators, Tiger Fiend and Bat Fiend, out of the corner of his eye. Although they both belonged to the demonic path, there were often conflicts among the six sects of the demonic path, and the struggle for interests was all too normal.

The Old Monster Shangyuan nodded with a smile, then turned around and secretly contacted Tiger Demon and Bat Demon.

“Fellow Daoists, although we are not weak, we are still a bit inferior to Fellow Daoist Qingyang. If we drive away our opponent in the end, we will have to stick together.”

"Yes, Fellow Daoist Shangyuan is right."

The two Nascent Soul cultivators, Tiger Fiend and Bat Fiend, nodded in agreement, but also exchanged whispers with each other.

"You and I are the weakest, so be careful we don't end up turning against each other."

“That’s right. With the two of us working together, this Old Monster Shangyuan can only believe half of what he says.”

The four Nascent Soul cultivators—Qingyang Old Demon, Shangyuan Old Monster, Tiger Fiend, and Bat Fiend—appear to be a group, but in reality, they are secretly colluding with each other.

……

And the other side.

The unrestrained Demon Flame Old Monster was sending a telepathic message to Lin Chang'an with a broad smile on his face.

"Fellow Daoist Lin, you have just formed your Nascent Soul and have a long lifespan. I only have a little over a hundred years left. Even if there are any breakthrough pills, my strength has declined, so they won't be very effective."

Therefore, this longevity-enhancing spiritual object is of utmost importance to me. There is no conflict between us. While those of the demonic path are certainly untrustworthy, these two, both from the Abyss Sea, are even less trustworthy..."

Lin Chang'an nodded in agreement after hearing this.

“That’s right. We have no conflict of interest and belong to the same camp, so we should form an alliance.”

Just as the two were exchanging whispers, the Old Demon Xuan Yin also secretly whispered back with a sinister laugh.

"Lu Turtle, you see? This old monster Demon Flame is finally relieved. If he didn't need this person, I would never have agreed."

Aside from those who follow the demonic path, the two of them are members of the Protectorate Alliance; you and I are the true outsiders.

Lu Zhenjun stroked his white beard and helplessly transmitted his voice:
"How could I not know? But the decision to identify this kid Lin was only made because the old monster Demon Flame forced me. If we hadn't found someone from the Protector Alliance, that old monster would have risked everything, and none of us would have had a chance."

"We're both outsiders, so if we join forces, we can help each other out. If things go wrong, we can just run away."

The Xuan Yin Old Demon spoke in a sinister, hoarse voice, his slender eyes gleaming with a dark light. Although he was only at the peak of the early Nascent Soul stage, his Xuan Yin Corpse Fire Divine Power was not weak.

Moreover, he also possesses his own 'Soul-Devouring Serpent,' which he has kept hidden for hundreds of years. This serpent is a barbaric and exotic species, which he has carefully cultivated. Anyone who is poisoned by this serpent will perish, even if they are in the mid-stage of the Nascent Soul realm.

Thinking of this, the Old Demon Xuan Yin gave a sinister smile.

"Of course, don't worry. Compared to opportunity, what is this kid Lin?"

Lu Zhenjun nodded with a smile, as if they were the only ones on the family and everyone else was an outsider. However, he then turned around and began to communicate telepathically with Lin Chang'an.

"Young man Lin, this jade pendant of yours is no ordinary thing. We are on the same side, and I am quite old now. I did you a favor back then, didn't I?"

And then there are Miaoyin and Wanwan, who often talk about you. The rest of you all have their own agendas this time, so there's no need for us to have any disagreements. If there really is a disagreement, I have the backing of the Bihai Palace, and I have plenty of treasures to exchange with you..."

Hearing Lu Zhenjun's words, Lin Chang'an nodded secretly. However, he couldn't trust anyone present, so he decided to rely more on the red-clothed woman and the phoenix bird in the shadows.

“Of course, True Lord Lu has done me a great favor, but does Fellow Daoist Lu know about Fellow Daoist Mingyue regarding this jade pendant?”

Taking this opportunity, Lin Chang'an naturally wanted to inquire about Mingyue Daoist, who had disappeared from the territory of the Protectorate Alliance since the last incident.

"True Lord Mingyue?"

Countless thoughts flashed through Lu Zhenjun's mind. He thought that this was probably the Second Palace Master's disguise, or perhaps the legendary Second Nascent Soul clone.

Over the years, he has also come into contact with some core members of the Bihai Palace because of his daughter's talent in formations, and has learned a lot.

Such scheming and manipulative tactics, including those used to establish plans in the depths of the ocean, are probably only something the Second Palace Master could pull off.

As for the cultivators hidden in the Azure Sea Palace? Lu Zhenjun had barely entertained this thought when it was abruptly cut off.

"Impossible. Even if there were something hidden, it would be impossible to place it in the territory of the Guardian Alliance to form a Nascent Soul. The Azure Sea Palace is not short of such resources, and this jade pendant is the Second Palace Master's personal possession."

All these thoughts passed in an instant, and the next moment, Lu Zhenjun revealed a sincere smile on his face, teasing Lin Chang'an:

"If I hadn't seen this jade pendant, I wouldn't have believed that Fellow Daoist Lin possessed such abilities. I certainly wouldn't be an enemy of Fellow Daoist Lin."

But Lin boy, don't act recklessly. If you really cause trouble, I'll simply go back to the Azure Sea Palace and have the two palace masters settle the matter."

Upon hearing this, Lin Chang'an's face immediately showed a hint of embarrassment.

If what he and Fellow Daoist Mingyue did back then were to be exposed, it would indeed be a bad thing.

However, judging from this, this fellow Daoist Mingyue's identity is indeed not simple.

It seems that for the time being, they can still secretly ally with Lu Zhenjun, while on the surface, they are naturally the Demon Flame Old Monster.

Lin Chang'an's embarrassed expression did not escape Lu Zhenjun's notice, and he immediately realized that his guess was correct.

For a moment, Lu Zhenjun felt no contempt, but rather envy and jealousy.

If he had had that ability back then, he wouldn't have had to hide and go into hiding.

No wonder this kid was so arrogant right after forming his Nascent Soul, daring to wipe out the Sima clan. He had so many trump cards up his sleeve; it turns out he had someone backing him up.

Sure enough, comparisons are odious; we're both independent cultivators, yet the difference is so vast.

……

From the moment the crowd arrived until they stood up, only a few breaths had passed, and they had already clearly divided themselves into factions, both openly and secretly.

The Demon Flame Old Monster stood silently with Lin Chang'an, while Lu Zhenjun silently protected the Profound Yin Old Demon in front of him.

The old demon Xuan Yin was furious, but knowing the old tortoise's personality, his face remained grim throughout.

Seeing this, the old demon Qingyang sneered. Just as he had expected, the Alliance of Protectors and the Abyss Sea were only temporarily allied.

It appears to be two forces, but in reality, there are three. However, because one of them is so powerful, they have no choice but to join forces.

"Fellow Daoists, now that we have arrived and are mutually restraining, let's act quickly."

The old monster Shangyuan chuckled and patted his belly. After glancing at Lin Chang'an, he suppressed his emotions. Lifespan was the most important thing; everything else could be given up.

"Not bad, not bad, but you should all exercise some restraint. You are all Nascent Soul cultivators. Unless you are confident of killing us with one blow, otherwise..."

Lu Zhenjun gave a sarcastic smile, then said sarcastically, with a hint of sarcasm:

"In case of any unexpected events, I'm sure everyone is confident that they can make a big fuss at all costs, and then both the righteous and the demonic forces will gather."

Or perhaps the righteous path arrives first; tsk tsk, we might all end up stuck here.

Although this place is at the border between the righteous and the demonic paths, the closest one is the Nine Heavens Sword Pavilion, the strongest righteous sect.

When the Nine Heavens Sword Pavilion was mentioned, even the most imposing Qingyang Old Demon couldn't help but change his expression and show a look of fear.

Lin Chang'an looked at everyone and secretly made some plans in his mind.

Judging from his cultivation level, this Qingyang Old Demon is undoubtedly the strongest, and he probably already has one foot in the late Nascent Soul stage.

However, his powerful senses allowed him to detect a dangerous aura emanating from many people.

"None of these old monsters are easy to deal with."

Lin Chang'an cursed inwardly. These were all old monsters who had lived for hundreds or thousands of years. They were indeed not comparable to ordinary Nascent Soul cultivators. They all had their trump cards up their sleeves.

Compared to this group of people, the Crimson Flame Old Monster was simply a naive Nascent Soul cultivator who had just started his career.

He had no powerful supernatural abilities, no top-tier magic weapons, and no top-tier cultivation techniques; he had to rely entirely on himself to slowly build up his wealth.

However, the Crimson Fire Old Monster is a true reflection of most ordinary Nascent Soul cultivators.

"Now that you're here, fellow Daoists, why don't you tell us about the situation inside the secret realm?"

As Qingyang Old Demon spoke, Demon Flame Old Monster and Xuanyin Old Demon exchanged a glance and nodded.

Although the current situation is sudden, even if they hadn't been discovered, they would still have to find outsiders and would eventually have to be wary of each other. For now, things are not too bad.

"The ancient restrictions within these ruins are the Ten Directions Restrictions of Buddhism, requiring ten Nascent Soul cultivators to work together to break them..."

Listening to their explanations along the way, Lin Chang'an nodded secretly, realizing that these two old monsters had indeed done their research over the years.

He didn't underestimate these old monsters just because he was a fourth-tier array master.

Led by the two old demons, Xuan Yin and Mo Yan, they stealthily made their way through the border region and eventually even entered the territory of the righteous path, causing their companions to frown secretly.

It seems this is going to be really difficult.

They changed direction several times along the way, and everyone was on guard against each other, checking to see if they were being followed and if the other side had left any tricks.

Three days later, the group finally arrived at a scorched earth, where a pungent smell filled the air.

"It's here!"

In the distance, there are still towering, steaming lava flows. If they were to expose themselves here, they would face an attack from the righteous path.

"The ruins are just below us. It took us two a long time to find them."

The old monster Demon Flame spoke with a solemn expression.

"Fellow Daoists, please allow the two of us to open the passage."

The Demon Lord Xuanyin gave a sinister smile, his throat bobbing as he spat out a dark bead from his mouth.

Although the old monster Demon Flame looked down on it, he still took out a bright bead.

The two joined forces to cast a spell, and the Yin-Yang Pearl glowed with spiritual light, causing faint ripples to appear beneath the inconspicuous scorched earth in the distance.

"open--"

As the two shouted in unison, the soil below trembled, as if it had come to life.

In just a few breaths, a cavern about ten feet in diameter, radiating terrifying heat and seemingly bottomless, came into view.

Upon seeing this, everyone's expressions changed, but after doing all this, the Old Demon Xuan Yin smiled sinisterly and swallowed the bead back into his stomach in front of everyone.

"Once you enter this ruin, it won't be so easy for you fellow cultivators to leave without the two of us working together to open it."

This statement practically tells you not to have any ulterior motives. Although he is not very strong, he could destroy the bead beforehand if he really wanted to fight.

When you emerge, you will cause a huge commotion, attracting the attention of the righteous path, and everyone will suffer.

After seeing this, no one said anything.

"Hehe, easy to say, after all, it's better to be safe than sorry, but I also need to keep a backup plan."

Lu Zhenjun chuckled and, with a wave of his hand, cast a warning spell around them in front of everyone.

"If any fellow Daoist secretly acts unethically, then don't blame me for smashing the pot."

Upon seeing this, Lin Chang'an understood immediately. Sure enough, these old monsters were all extremely cautious. He smiled calmly and cast a spell to set up a warning spell around them as well.

"Perfect timing, nobody wants to go home empty-handed."

The Old Monster Shangyuan was also hoping that nothing strange would happen, at least he hadn't seen the treasure yet.

Each of them used their own methods before disappearing into the underground cave.

……

The cave was bottomless. At first, the edges were clearly smooth, but after an unknown amount of time had passed, some carvings became clearly visible along the way.

These carvings, all dating back to ancient times, surprised Lin Chang'an.

These patterns seem to originate from Buddhism, yet they also seem to belong to something other than this world.

As they ventured deeper, the heat intensified, causing even Nascent Soul cultivators to frown and activate magical shields to cool down.

The cave was winding and twisting, not a straight line at all. They proceeded cautiously until they finally arrived at a huge stone gate.

As he felt the solid ground beneath his feet, Lin Chang'an stared in astonishment at the towering stone gate that stood a hundred feet tall.

"This is something that only cultivators from ancient times could have devised."

The stone gate was engraved with spiritual light, depicting ancient cultivators joining forces to fight against demons with three heads and six arms, or even three eyes and a ferocious face.

These scenes are not unfamiliar to Nascent Soul cultivators; many of them are remnants from ancient times.

"It was unbearably hot just now, but suddenly it has become cold and damp here."

Among the group, the old monster Shangyuan from the demonic path was full of wonder, but his small eyes were fixed on the huge stone gate, filled with greed and excitement.

Ancient relics, as long as some rare spiritual herbs were left in the cave of the ancient cultivator, even if they were not old enough, would be priceless treasures now.

The others were no better off, all becoming greedy.

"This is indeed the Buddhist Ten Directions Restriction. Fellow Daoist Lu, Fellow Daoist Lin, release your spirit pets."

As soon as the Old Monster Shangyuan spoke, Lu Zhenjun grinned and then patted his storage bag. Instantly, a burly woman with dark blue skin appeared.

"master."

As soon as it appeared, the fourth-tier Xuan Shui Turtle gave a silly smile, a scene that made many people envious.

It is extremely rare to find a fourth-tier transformed spirit pet with such a deep bond between master and servant.

Lin Chang'an, who was squatting on the ground examining the cold, damp soil, patted his spirit beast pouch, and a burly, towering Green Horned Ox appeared.

During this time, the Green Horned Ox naturally learned what had happened. After it came out, it was carrying a giant axe and was about to speak when suddenly its big, copper bell-sized eyes widened.

The next moment, the Green Horned Ox excitedly came directly to Lu Zhenjun.

"I am Lord Qingniu, a fourth-order mutated Qingniu demon. I am strong and have plenty of strength. I wonder if this fellow Daoist would be willing to have a litter of calves with me?"

Good guy!
This sudden turn of events left Lu Zhenjun speechless. The ox even waved its hand dismissively, clearly eyeing the Xuan Shui Turtle beside him.

"You stupid ox!"

Lin Chang'an felt extremely embarrassed after seeing this scene, staring wide-eyed, wondering when this cow had become so outrageous.

Compared to the reserved nature of human cultivators, demon beasts are mostly very direct, especially in matters like this.

The Green Horned Ox was attracted by the other's bloodline; the instinct of a demon beast, besides evolution, is to reproduce.

The burly Xuan Shui Turtle was also somewhat awkward, its small, beady eyes darting around as it sized up the bull demon before it.

"Lin boy, is this how you raise a bull?"

Lu Zhenjun's face turned green; the moment they met, he was trying to steal his spirit pet.

It is true that where there is favor, there is master.

"I……"

Lin Chang'an was speechless; at this moment, it seemed that any further explanation from him would be futile.

Some of the others sneered, some mocked, and some secretly wondered if the old man and the young boy were putting on a show for them.

"Ahem, let's break the barrier first."

The old monster Shangyuan had no time to care about these things, not even the war between the demonic and mortal realms. All he cared about now was his greed for the secret realm.

"Good, let's get started."

Lin Chang'an also took a deep breath and slowly stood up. The soil here was strange; others might just think it was caused by a restriction.

However, he sensed an extremely faint demonic aura emanating from the soil.

"This place is actually protected by the Buddhist Ten Directions Restriction. Could it be that this place is also a sealed entrance?"

Many thoughts flashed through Lin Chang'an's mind. He was no longer the shallow Core Formation cultivator he once was.

They also gained a deep understanding of the Sealed Demon Abyss. Over the past few thousand years, cultivators have been keen to break the seals, and the greatest temptation is the sealed treasures left behind by ancient cultivators.

Each one is a treasure.

“In larger sealed lands, such as the Demon Beast Sea Abyss Secret Realm, the Ice Lotus Frost Flame is a companion spirit of the sealed land, so you can imagine how tempting it is.”

Lin Chang'an pondered silently, while at this moment, the Green Horned Ox reluctantly took out two spiritual fruits and handed them to the Mysterious Water Turtle.

Seeing this, Lu Zhenjun grimaced and said irritably, "I have witnessed Fellow Daoist Lin's methods."

Lin Chang'an glared fiercely at the Green Horned Ox, but when the Green Horned Ox returned looking aggrieved, a cunning glint appeared deep in its large, copper-bell-shaped eyes.

“Master, what I just said is also true.”

Lin Chang'an was speechless for a moment, but he still didn't say anything.

Meanwhile, the Xuan Shui Turtle opposite him gave two spiritual fruits to its master in a simple manner. Upon seeing this, Lu Zhenjun snorted coldly and tossed them aside with a wave of his hand.

"You old bastard!"

Upon seeing this scene, the Green Horned Ox's eyes turned bloodshot, revealing the ferocity of a demonic beast. Similarly, the Xuan Water Turtle also showed a wary and warning expression, not to be outdone.

Only Lu Zhenjun, without making a sound, held the item secretly sent by Lin Chang'an between his fingers.

"Hehe, let's begin. We'll need to work together to create this Ten Directions Restriction."

Qingyang the Old Demon sneered as he walked over, seemingly slowly, but his footsteps crushed the two spiritual fruits.

However, after discovering nothing unusual when the spirit fruit was crushed, Qingyang Old Demon frowned secretly. Could it be that he guessed wrong?
Although the people present seemed to be forming cliques, they each had their own ulterior motives.

To put it bluntly, it was just a hastily assembled gang, and the reason they didn't succeed was because this place was in the heart of the righteous path.

……

"The ten directions in Buddhism refer to heaven, earth, east, west, south, north, the gate of life, the place of death, the past, and the future." Before the towering stone gate, the restrictions rippled, and Lin Chang'an spoke solemnly.

The Demon Flame Old Monster and the Profound Yin Old Monster had already studied this, so they naturally knew it too. With a wave of their hands, they pointed out the locations in all ten directions.

Meanwhile, the elder monster on the demonic path secretly observed for a long time and indeed found nothing unusual.

"Alright, let's work together to break the barrier."

Without a word, the eight Nascent Soul cultivators and the two fourth-order transformed demons instantly took up their respective positions.

"Everyone be careful. Under the Ten Directions Restriction, do not use your divine sense lightly, especially to transmit your voice secretly, or you will suffer a backlash."

This ancient restriction can suppress even the powerful divine sense of a Nascent Soul cultivator.

This is why Lin Chang'an used this method to remind Lu Zhenjun earlier, because he had already discovered the restrictions placed on this place.

"Do it!"

The eight humans and two demons acted simultaneously, instantly injecting a surge of magical power into the ten-directional restriction. This was not to break the restriction, but to open it.

It would take the combined efforts of ten Nascent Soul cultivators to achieve this.

As the surging magical power was poured in, the ancient stone gate, which had been sealed for countless years, finally began to tremble and emit a deep, propelling sound as the restrictions rippled violently.

Finally, a bright light appeared, followed by a burst of multicolored light. Upon seeing this, the first reaction of the crowd was not greed, but rather a solemn defense.

Only after the hundred-foot-wide stone gate was fully opened and the rosy light dissipated, did the scene inside bring joy to everyone's faces.

An ancient, simple palace covered in a layer of dust appeared in the distance, though it was somewhat dilapidated.

Due to the restriction, Lin Chang'an's divine sense, which was at the mid-stage of the Nascent Soul realm, could only extend about ten feet outward. Although the crowd could not see it clearly, they could vaguely make out the broken vertical plaque of the hall.

"This is... a demon..."

The vertical plaque with its gilded characters is now incomplete and covered in dust, with only the character for "demon" faintly visible.

"Could this place be a remnant of an ancient demonic sect?"

"This place is a Buddhist formation, yet it exudes a chilling aura. I have seen some of the seals of the Demon Sealing Abyss before, and this place may be an entrance to a seal from ancient times."

The Demon Flame Old Monster seemed to know a lot, and instantly sensed something, so he exclaimed and warned everyone.

"The entrance to the Sealed Demon Abyss?"

However, what was originally a place of fear instead caused everyone to show signs of greed.

Among them, the Old Monster Shangyuan, his face flushed with excitement, exclaimed:

"According to legend, in ancient times, countless powerful beings sealed the Demon Abyss in various places of the Immortal Realm, and in each of these sealed places, there were cultivators who guarded it back then."

Most of these cultivators were nearing the end of their lifespans, and in order to preserve the secret, they chose to pass away here. It can be said that every sealed location is a treasure trove.

This is no secret to Nascent Soul cultivators.

Lin Chang'an's eyes gleamed, recalling that the place where the high monk had passed away in the Demon Beast Sea Abyss seemed to be the same.

However, the secret realm of the Demon Beast Sea Abyss is a huge sealed place, and after thousands of years of exploration by generations of cultivators, most of the good stuff has been unearthed.

"It should be, but everyone, don't get carried away with your wild imaginations. If I'm not mistaken, there are only two ways to enter the main hall."

The first rule is that some fellow cultivator possesses astonishing power, capable of breaking through the restrictions with overwhelming force to obtain the treasure; otherwise, one must obediently take the lower passage, where there is also a Five Elements Heavenly Gang Formation.

Upon hearing Lin Chang'an's words, the others all looked ahead with solemn expressions.

There are five passages to the palace, each corresponding to one of the five elements.

Moreover, these five massive stone gate corridors clearly exude a terrifying aura.

"This is an ancient, savage beast!"

Qingyang the Old Demon instantly sensed something, and his expression changed, revealing a solemn look.

The auras of these ancient, savage beasts are all at the fourth rank.

Upon seeing this, Lu Zhenjun nodded solemnly and said in a deep voice:
"It should be that these ancient cultivators loved to use this kind of wild and ancient beast, and its form can be found in most of the Sealed Demon Abyss altars."

It is said that in the Upper Realm, these ancient, savage beasts were highly favored by ancient cultivators, and were rumored to be used to guard certain places or as spirit beasts for sects.

Indeed, the longer you live, the more you know, and much knowledge cannot be acquired simply by being powerful.

At the very least, Lin Chang'an learned a lot; the information he knew was only a superficial understanding.

"More than that."

Among the crowd, Qingyang the Old Demon comes from a top-tier demonic sect and is very knowledgeable. Lu Zhenjun needs no introduction; he is old and, being from the Bihai Palace, is equally impressive.

But to everyone's surprise, the Demon Flame Old Monster also said in a deep voice:
"The most distinctive feature of these ancient beasts is that, when spiritual energy is scarce or even in normal times, they possess a unique innate ability that allows them to enter a state of suspended animation while asleep."

This greatly extends their lifespan, which is why these ancient beasts can survive for thousands or even tens of thousands of years.

At this point, the Demon Flame Old Monster felt even more envious. When it comes to lifespan, every living being wants to live longer.

"Alright, everyone's here to collect treasures. What do these ancient trinkets have to do with us?"

The demonic Tiger Demon Lord gave a rough laugh and waved his hand to interrupt these ancient secrets.

"What you say is true, fellow Daoist. Let's hurry up and retrieve the treasure. I don't know why, but I feel a little uneasy about retrieving treasures in this righteous territory."

The Old Monster Shangyuan stroked his beard, a solemn expression on his face. This feeling was not good; he should hurry up and retrieve the treasure and leave.

If those lunatics from the Righteous Sword Pavilion find out, none of us will benefit.

"This place should be a savage ancient beast corresponding to the five elements. There are exactly ten of us, so let's each choose a passage."

To pass through this formation, all five gates must be used together.

The Demonic Path's Bat Demon True Lord, with a gloomy expression, spoke coldly, clearly including the two transformed great demons, the Green Horned Ox and the Mysterious Water Turtle, in his calculations.

However, Lin Chang'an and Lu Zhenjun did not object. When the treasures were divided, their spirit pets would naturally also receive a share.

"I have only recently formed my Nascent Soul and am only skilled in the Frost Flame Divine Power. So I chose this fire attribute passage, since there is the Five Elements Heavenly Gang Formation behind me."

Lin Chang'an made the choice that best suited him without hesitation.

The two Nascent Soul True Monarchs, Tiger Fiend and Bat Fiend, from the Demonic Path, immediately showed dissatisfaction. However, the old demon Qingyang's lips moved slightly, and in the end, the two of them both snorted coldly.

The two old demons, Xuan Yin and Mo Yan, remained silent.

At this moment, only Lin Chang'an had a faint smile on his lips.

This is where his importance as a fourth-tier array master becomes apparent. At least before breaking through the array to retrieve the treasure, no one wants to offend him.

The mentality is that "it's foolish not to take advantage of a bargain," but if you actually get in there, who knows what kind of fight will break out over interests.

If they actually see the treasure, no one will care about his status as a fourth-tier array master anymore.

"Hehe, I and the Xuan Shui Turtle will choose this water attribute one. I hope you all won't mind."

The second one was the cunning Lu Zhenjun, who grinned and revealed two rows of big white teeth, leaving everyone speechless.

If Lin Chang'an chose the fire attribute because of attribute advantage, then Lu Zhenjun was simply showing off that he had a Xuan Shui Turtle spirit pet.

As everyone knows, water's defensive power is second only to earth, and earth counters water. However, none of the people present were skilled in earth-attribute supernatural abilities.

"I choose gold!"

Qingyang the Old Demon snorted coldly, his extremely strong and yang fire was just the right thing to do with metal.

"I and Xuan Yin chose wood."

Not to be outdone, the Demon Flame Old Monster joined forces with the Profound Yin Old Monster and chose the wood attribute passage.

Ultimately, it is:
Lin Chang'an and Qingjiao Niu chose the fire attribute channel.

Lu Zhenjun and the Xuan Shui Turtle chose the water attribute channel.

The Demon Flame Old Monster and the Mysterious Yin Old Monster chose the Wood attribute channel.

Qingyang Old Demon and Tiger Fiend True Lord chose the metal element channel.

The Old Monster Shangyuan and the True Lord Fusha chose the Earth attribute channel.

……

Without the slightest hesitation, everyone quickly prepared to head towards the ancient cultivator's ruins.

The enormous and wide covered bridge, protected by restrictions, not only prevented divine sense from probing it, but was also exceptionally sturdy.

The passageway is inlaid with countless egg-sized, glowing crystals, illuminating it like starlight.

"Master, haven't you already seen the problem with this formation? Why do you still need to step in and make a choice?"

Qingniu Jun, with his imposing figure, walked in front, while Lin Chang'an walked solemnly behind. Just then, a voice in red came from within his body.

"Indeed, if my guess is correct, the array and restrictions here should be the Inverted Five Elements Heavenly Gang Array."

The five elements are unpredictable and ever-changing; no matter which path you choose, the final outcome is random.

"Then what are you doing, Master?"

Lin Chang'an smiled calmly, his eyes sparkling with spiritual light; his spiritual eye had been activated.

Although his vision was limited, his spiritual eyes could see through the mist-penetrating stone. He couldn't see through the thick walls around him, but he could still see very far into the distance.

"If we don't let these people suffer a bit, how will they realize the importance of having a fourth-tier formation master in the team?"

Lin Chang'an smiled calmly, knowing that once they discovered the problem, this group would definitely become more cautious.

It even requires him, the array master, to carefully examine the restriction.

At least before he got the treasure, no one wanted to harm him.

"Master, you're so naughty."

At this moment, a teasing laugh came from the woman in red, while Lin Chang'an simply smiled noncommittally.

He never said he was a good person.

"You and Jin Feng should be careful later."

"Don't worry, Master. With me here, you're the only one who can detect anything unusual. Otherwise, ordinary cultivators wouldn't be able to sense my presence at all."

Walking along the long covered bridge, the surroundings suddenly changed the moment you entered the main hall.

The initially terrifying heat suddenly turned into extreme cold.

"Oh no, this is water-type!"

The Inverted Five Elements Heavenly Gang Formation is unpredictable, and the moment one steps into the main hall, a terrifying chill rises up.

The Green Ox King's eyes widened, its hair stood on end, and it exhaled a cloud of white mist from its mouth and nose.

"It's actually a troublesome ice attribute."

Behind the enormous Azure Ox, Lin Chang'an's figure slowly appeared, and he couldn't help but frown.

It seems this formation is more troublesome than he imagined; no wonder he's an ancient cultivator.

"Cuck!"

Just then, a frog croaked from inside the huge stone hall, and suddenly the chill inside the hall became three times stronger.

Lin Chang'an and Qingniu's protective spiritual light were crackling, and frost was visibly condensing.

This chilling aura is no less intense than that of the Ice Butterfly Fairy.

"Don't panic!"

Lin Chang'an casually snapped his fingers, and with a soft "poof," a wisp of chilling white flame appeared at his fingertips.

The moment the icy flame appeared, the terrifying chill in the hall actually weakened, or rather, was being swallowed up by this wisp of icy flame.

Seemingly sensing a threat, the frogs inside the stone hall began to croak even more urgently.

"Sir, there's that blue toad over there!"

At this moment, the green ox glared and immediately spotted the toad inside the stone hall in the distance.

The terrifying toad, its entire body ice-blue and about three zhang tall, was lying prone on the ground, its back covered in dense bumps that emitted a chilling blue aura.

Clearly, this is not simply cold air, but rather a cold poison.

"Stupid ox, this isn't a toad, it's a Xuanming Ice Toad!"

"Toads and frogs are two different things," Lin Chang'an said irritably, while his pupils noticed some fallen shed skins around the ice toad.

It was obvious that these ancient beasts had awakened after they entered this secret realm.

Sometimes Lin Chang'an envied these ancient cultivators, as these savage ancient beasts were now extinct in the cultivation world.

This ancient, savage beast, the Xuanming Ice Toad, was now greedily gazing at Lin Chang'an, or rather, at the wisp of cold flame at his fingertips.

Seeing this, Lin Chang'an knew perfectly well that the Ice Lotus Frost Flame was, in essence, a spiritual object, which had a special attraction for ancient beasts.

"You beast, attack! Don't give this ice toad a chance."

Lin Chang'an gave a cold shout, almost without the slightest hesitation. Although the ancient beasts of the savage land were strong, they were also low in intelligence, so there was nothing to say about them.

"Master, the ox is about to come up!"

Upon receiving the call, the blue ox roared excitedly and charged forward, wielding its heavy giant axe.

However, the Xuanming Ice Toad, with its pair of icy eyes fixed on Lin Chang'an and the bull demon, suddenly opened its mouth and spewed out a terrifying icy blue aura the moment it launched its attack.

"careful!"

The moment the two made contact, the giant axe in the green ox's hand instantly emitted a terrifying chill.

The green ox glared angrily and a beam of light shot out from its mouth.

Even an old cow can spout nonsense!

boom!
The white beam of light touched the cold air, and the freezing and petrifying power of the cold air collided.

The next moment, the icy blue liquid filled the sky transformed into ice arrows, covering the entire stone palace. These were the chilling poison shot out from the back of the Xuanming Ice Toad.

At the same time, sword light flashed inside the stone hall, and thousands of sword shadows had already rushed in.

The moment the icy poison struck, the powerful magical shield was instantly cracked and pierced, its residual force continuing to fall.

It seemed to possess terrifying corrosiveness, and even emitted a hissing blue gas.

"Green Ox, put away the magic weapon. The ice toad's cold poison can not only freeze the primordial spirit imprint within the magic weapon, but also has a defilement effect."

Upon seeing this, Lin Chang'an immediately sensed something was wrong, and the next moment, as the cold poison descended, his figure became illusory.

Supernatural Power: Mysterious Light Transforms into Shadow

Three phantom clones, plus the main body, made up a total of four figures that flashed rapidly, each forming sword incantations with their hands, and terrifying sword light swept out.

"Quack!"

The Xuanming Ice Toad moved with the speed of blue lightning, leaping not to dodge, but to pounce on the Green Ox.

The terrifying sword light from Lin Chang'an was instantly covered in frost upon contact with the ice toad, cracking and shattering with a crackling sound.

"Moo!"

Seeing the Xuanming Ice Toad pounce, the Green Horned Ox roared and charged straight at it with its sharp horns.

Earth overcomes water, and its petrification ability is also quite remarkable.

"Cuck!"

However, the Xuanming Ice Toad let out a croak and suddenly spat out a disgusting, viscous, icy blue liquid from its mouth, showing that it was not there to fight the Green Horned Ox head-on.

"What a savage ancient beast!"

Lin Chang'an's eyes shone brightly. Although he was of low intelligence, his combat reaction was extremely terrifying.

"However, we still need to conserve our mana and finish this quickly!"

Although he recovers quickly, there's no need for him to expend his energy.

Lin Chang'an pinched his sword finger, and the sword that had just been frozen to the ground instantly emitted a terrifyingly hot aura.

The next moment, they all transformed into golden light and attacked the ice toad.

Seemingly sensing danger, the Xuanming Ice Toad croaked in fear and dodged repeatedly.

"They can even use sonic attacks to target the soul!"

Lin Chang'an smiled irritably, and with a wave of his hand, the ancient silver bell appeared in the sky above the stone hall.

This ancient treasure just so happens to be on my person, since Senior Sister Bingdie recently obtained some silver essence and asked me to continue repairing and enhancing its power.

With a loud clang and a buzzing sound, the Xuanming Ice Toad showed a look of pain and began to croak wildly, while terrifying icy blue poison shot out from its back.

The cold poison that should have been feared by everyone was instead met with excitement by Lin Chang'an, who appeared above the silver bell.

"Well done!"

Lin Chang'an's five fingers were like hooks, and terrifying, pale white flames appeared. In an instant, all the icy blue poison in the sky fell into his palm.

He is least afraid of poison.

"Moo!"

Just then, the Green Horned Bull roared and charged forward, its terrifyingly sharp horns piercing right through its body.

The two fourth-tier demons engaged in a frenzied close-quarters battle. Under the threat of death, the Xuanming Ice Toad croaked wildly, and its irritating cries made the Green Ox even more agitated.

The flowing, icy blue blood was also incredibly corrosive and chilling.

"go with!"

The twelve sun-piercing divine swords pierced the back of the ice toad, causing the Xuanming Ice Toad to scream in pain and spew out terrifying cold air.

In an instant, the stone hall was enveloped in a terrifying chill.

The Xuanming Ice Toad tried to escape, but the ancient silver bell, which had grown to ten zhang in size, crashed down and enveloped the ice toad, the green ox, and Lin Chang'an.

Then, a terrifying layer of frost visibly spread from the silver bell, and crashing sounds came from within.

"Don't tear this toad skin, it's top-quality material. And this tongue, be gentle..."

After a long while, the sound from the silver bell finally faded away.

　Thanks to: Fellow Daoist 'Difficulty in Naming' for the 1000 spirit stones and Fellow Daoist 'Spinning Potato' for the 200 spirit stones.

　　Thank you to all the fellow Daoists who have supported me.

　　[This is the last day of the month for double monthly votes! The author is updating with 10,000 words today, please vote! Please vote!]

　　
　
(End of this chapter)