I forge immortality with a pagoda.

"My lord should know that I am not from Dongling Prefecture, but from Mixu Kingdom in the northern region of Dongmi Prefecture."

Cui Youxin bowed slightly and said in a low voice, "My arrival in Dongling Prefecture this time was also due to a series of coincidences. Let's not go into the details for now."

Shen Yu's eyes flashed, and he replied, "I naturally know that this map points to the territory of Dongmi Prefecture. I vaguely remember that you once mentioned a dangerous and treacherous place to me. Its terrain and layout are quite similar to the incomplete map sent back by Fairy Yue Ling."

"Your Majesty remembers correctly." Cui Youxin nodded, but his expression grew increasingly solemn. "However, the location shown on this map is not entirely within the territory of Dongmi Province."

"Oh? What do you mean by that?" Shen Yu frowned slightly, and Gu Feizheng and Wei Qingjun were equally puzzled.

Cui Youxin cleared his throat. "This matter must be traced back to the catastrophe thousands of years ago. At that time, the human race of Dongmi Prefecture and the sea race of the East Sea were constantly at war, and the prefecture was in complete chaos. The sea race even colluded with the land demon race to fight against the human race. The human race was weak and suffered defeat after defeat, and the vast Dongmi Prefecture was about to become a demon land."

"Does the Nine Heavens Immortal Sect just sit idly by and watch a great state fall?" Gu Feizheng couldn't help but interject.

"Of course, we cannot stand idly by." Cui Youxin shook his head. "This conflict between humans and demons is actually a manifestation of the covert power struggle between the two races. Our lord may know that in the ancient times of Yuanding Heaven, the true protagonists of the world were the demon and monster races. At that time, the human race was weak. Not to mention fighting against the demon race, they were far inferior to the fierce demon race. It was not until after countless cycles of time that the human race's sages created the path of immortal cultivation, and they gradually rose to prominence. Only after the Dao Court established its rule did the demon race officially withdraw from the center stage."

Shen Yu nodded slowly. He had heard about these ancient secrets when he was cultivating with Daoist Yunhui.

"Although the demon race has temporarily retreated, it has not disappeared." Cui Youxin's tone shifted, "Afterwards, there were many demons with great wisdom and intelligence who turned to study the immortal path. As time went by, the immortal path became more and more prosperous, and with education for all, many sects also began to accept demon disciples. Over time, the demon race, with the help of the immortal path, actually showed signs of revival."

"A thousand years ago, some high-ranking demon saints, their ambitions rekindled, secretly regarded the human race as their mortal enemy and plotted a counterattack. This matter had been brewing for a long time, and the human race's high-ranking officials were initially unaware of it. It wasn't until a True Monarch with the Daoist name 'Swallowing Jade' gave a signal within the Shaotian Palace, which belonged to the orthodox Xuanmen sect, that the demon race of Dongmi Prefecture suddenly launched an attack. With thunderous force, they simultaneously attacked several major human sects in Dongmi Prefecture, including the Yimu Sect and the Linghui Sect, intending to annihilate the human race's lineage in one fell swoop and completely transform Dongmi Prefecture into a demon kingdom!"

His voice was deep and resonant. "Although Dongmi Prefecture is not the largest prefecture in the Yuan Dynasty, it is an important gateway for controlling the East Sea and monitoring the sea races. How can it be lost? The human giants such as the Yuheng Sect and Zhaoguang Sect were shocked by this and immediately joined forces to respond, sending Nascent Soul stage experts to intercept them. Strangely, Shaotian Palace, which caused the incident, chose to stand by and watch."

"In the final battle, several True Monarchs of the Void Refinement Realm fought a desperate battle in the skies above Dongmi Prefecture. The battle caused the heavens and earth to collapse, the laws to be disordered, and the sun and moon to lose their light! Under the calamity, nearly half of Dongmi Prefecture sank, the seawater overflowed, and all living beings perished, as if it were the end of the world."

Cui Youxin sighed, "In the end, it was only by the joint intervention of several reclusive immortal sects that the fighting was stopped. After the war, these great beings used immense magical power to move mountains and fill seas, and to reforge the earth, fire, wind, and water, so that the destroyed Dongmi Prefecture could be barely repaired and returned to the rule of the human race."

After hearing this history, everyone in the room fell silent.

Wei Qingjun was the first to lose his composure, "Junior Brother Cui, but what is the connection between this and the map that Senior Sister Yueling sent?"

Shen Yu and Gu Feizheng also cast questioning glances at them.

"The connection lies in what happened after Dongmi Prefecture was submerged," Cui Youxin explained. "The prefecture was repaired by a powerful being, and for a thousand years, all was peaceful. However, just over a hundred years ago, in a desolate area at the border of Dongmi Prefecture and Donghun Prefecture, a 'geyser' suddenly appeared in the world."

"The entrance to this abyss was initially extremely narrow, but it contained a hidden world within. As the exploration deepened, it was discovered that not only were there endless mountain ranges and spiritual peaks, but also a dark and desolate ocean! According to some great cultivators who ventured deep into it, that ocean was very likely the water from the East Sea that poured in when Dongmi Prefecture sank a thousand years ago."

"This abyss seems to have had its aura concealed by some kind of secret technique, so much so that even the great lords who participated in repairing the continent back then could not detect its existence. Perhaps it was due to the erosion caused by the aftershocks of that great battle in the past that the seal gradually loosened, allowing this abyss to reappear in the light of day."

He pointed to the shimmering, fragmented image in the air and declared with certainty, "The mountain range depicted in the image transmitted by Fairy Yue Ling almost perfectly matches the trajectory of one of the branch veins within the Abyss!"

Cui Youxin looked at Shen Yu: "My lord finds this place familiar precisely because I did describe it before. The reason I have such a strong impression of this place is not because of its perilous nature, but because of a long-standing secret: deep within that mountain range lies an opportunity coveted by countless Qi Refining cultivators—a rare Dao Seed of supreme quality!"

"A supreme Dao seed?!"

Upon hearing this, Gu Feizheng and Wei Qingjun almost simultaneously gasped in shock.

The quality of the Dao Seed is crucial to the foundation of foundation building; the highest quality Dao Seeds are legendary to them.

"Fairy Yue Ling has probably gone to this Abyss to seek an opportunity to establish her foundation," Shen Yu said in a deep voice.

"Indeed," Cui Youxin affirmed. "Although this Abyss is secluded, it's not a closely guarded secret among high-level cultivators. While it may not contain any ancient divine artifacts capable of defying fate, it offers a wealth of useful natural treasures for us low-level cultivators. There are even rumors that a Golden Core cultivator once ventured deep within for decades in search of a breakthrough opportunity, emerging to form a Nascent Soul in one fell swoop, shaking the entire region!"

"In that case, this Abyss is indeed a treasure trove of opportunities," Shen Yu mused.

"What you say, my lord, is true; fortune may be a harbinger of misfortune." Cui Youxin's tone suddenly shifted. "While this place holds great opportunities, it also harbors great terrors. It is said that deep within the abyss, ancient demons may dwell!"

"Demons?!"

Gu Feizheng and Wei Qingjun immediately turned pale.

They were well aware of the fundamental difference between demons and demonic cultivators.

The demon race is a malevolent spirit born from heaven and earth. In the ancient times, they shared heaven and earth with the demon race. They are violent and bloodthirsty, with naturally strong physiques. They grow by devouring all things, and even their own kind can be used as food.

The strongest among them can even rival true immortals in the immortal path!

However, the demonic cultivators are ultimately of the immortal path, only their concepts and techniques are more bizarre and domineering, completely different from these ferocious creatures of heaven and earth.

Upon hearing that demons might exist in the abyss, the three felt a chill in their hearts and were even more worried about Yue Ling's current situation.

Cui Youxin sighed deeply: "Starting from my Lujing Sect, if one wants to reach the border between Dongmi Prefecture and Donghun Prefecture, even if a Golden Core cultivator flew through the air without sleep, it would take several years."

"Several years?!" Wei Qingjun exclaimed anxiously, "How can that be possible! By then, Senior Sister Yueling will probably already be..."

"The only way forward is to use the inter-state teleportation array to reach Dongmi State first, and then devise a plan. Only in this way can we have a glimmer of hope."

A glint of light flashed in Shen Yu's eyes.

……

……