I'm in Yellow Maple Valley, and I have one equipment slot!

"Hehe, you weren't like this just now."

Upon hearing this, Zhou Yuan couldn't help but let out a cold laugh, his gaze falling on the emerald green figure with a hint of mockery.

The green-clad figure's demeanor was completely different from his arrogant and conceited appearance just moments before.

His entire body trembled slightly with a green aura, clearly indicating that he was terrified.

"Times have changed."

The man in green was quite straightforward, his voice tinged with bitterness, "The three of you are all extraordinary individuals. I know I am no match for you, so I dare not act rashly again."

Its blood-red eyes swept over Zhou Yuan, Xue Ye, and Ling Yuling.

Finally, the gaze fell upon Ti Hun, who was standing beside Zhou Yuan, his eyes filled with apprehension.

The small figure of the Soul-Crying Beast was nothing less than a death knell in its eyes at this moment.

"It's too late."

Ling Yuling spoke coldly, her phoenix eyes carrying a hint of icy intent.

She still remembered the green-clad figure who had ambushed her earlier. If that ghostly claw had been even a fraction faster, she would probably be dead by now.

"You were just trying to possess the three of us, and now you want to give up? There's no such thing as a free lunch!"

While the group was talking, Zhou Yuan had already silently approached the pile of bones on the ground.

He held the white mirror in his left hand, channeling his magic into it, and a layer of white light enveloped his entire body.

The light shield was as white as jade, shimmering with a warm glow.

He was already wearing the golden inner armor that he had obtained from the young master of Qingyang Sect. It was soft to the touch, yet indestructible.

In his right hand, he gripped the ancient silver shield, ready to be activated for protection at any moment.

This is precisely Zhou Yuan's consistent caution—even when facing skeletons that are powerless to fight back, he never lets his guard down.

"What do you want to do?!"

Upon seeing this, the green-clad figure was immediately terrified!

How could it not be anxious? Its final secret lies hidden within that pile of bones!

It suddenly waved its hand—

The small emerald arrow stuck in the skull suddenly transformed into a beam of green light and shot towards Zhou Yuan at an astonishing speed!

"Bang!"

Zhou Yuan was prepared. With a flick of his right hand, the silver ancient shield was instantly summoned!

The shield grew longer in the wind, becoming about ten feet in size, blocking his way!

A surge of immense magical power, far exceeding that of the mid-stage Core Formation realm, erupted from Zhou Yuan's body and flowed into the ancient shield.

He knew that the small arrow was no ordinary weapon—it was a magical treasure forged from Golden Thunder Bamboo, and its power was extraordinary. He dared not be careless!

"when!"

The emerald green arrow struck the ancient shield with a crisp sound, sending sparks flying!

The ancient shield remained completely still, but the small arrow was sent flying backward by the impact!

Ling Yuling's pupils suddenly contracted!

She clearly sensed that the aura Zhou Yuan had unleashed just now was comparable to that of Xue Ye, a fake infant cultivator!

"He had been concealing his cultivation level..."

Ling Yuling was shocked.

This alchemist, whom she had always thought was only at the mid-stage of Core Formation, turned out to be at least at the late-stage of Core Formation.

Xue Ye wasn't surprised at all.

She looked at Zhou Yuan's composed figure, her eyes sparkling.

"It really was him."

If before she was only 99% certain that Zhou Yuan was the one who saved her, now she is 100% certain.

That familiar composure, that calm demeanor in every gesture, that unfathomable strength…

She looks exactly like the mysterious person who saved her that day!

Zhou Yuan ignored the two women's thoughts and lightly flicked his finger—

A beam of azure sword light shot out instantly, slashing fiercely towards the pile of bones!

"Snap!"

The sword light fell, shattering several more of the already scattered bones, sending bone fragments flying everywhere!

"stop!"

The green-clad figure roared and tried to rush forward to stop him.

However, the moment it moved—

Under Zhou Yuan's mental control, the Soul-Crying Beast transformed into a streak of black light and pounced straight at it!

That tiny figure was more terrifying than any magical weapon in the eyes of the Green Shadow Man!

At the same time, Xueye also made her move!

The moon-white flying wheel transformed into a streak of silver light, slashing at the green-shadowed man from the side!

Caught between two attacks, the green-clad figure had no time to attend to Zhou Yuan's side and could only fight desperately!

"Break it!"

With no further obstacles on Zhou Yuan's side, he unleashed a continuous stream of Azure Yuan Sword Light with a flick of his fingertips!

The bones shattered amidst the sword's light, sending bone fragments flying everywhere!

Sudden--

One of the ribs caught Zhou Yuan's attention.

The rib was about a foot long, and its entire body was as white as jade. Under the bombardment of Zhou Yuan's sword light, it actually withstood several blows without breaking!

A glint of light flashed in Zhou Yuan's eyes.

His divine sense surged forth, instantly enveloping the rib and forcibly erasing the remaining divine sense imprint with his powerful divine sense!

Then, he reached out and grabbed the rib!

This item could not possibly be as simple as a piece of the Xuan Gu Old Demon's rib.

Its current shape is merely a trick by the old devil to deceive people.

Otherwise, how could an ordinary rib withstand the bombardment of the Azure Yuan Sword's light without shattering?

Putting aside its special material, the faint spiritual energy fluctuations emanating from it are enough to show that even if it is not a magic weapon, it must be a special item that has been refined!

Zhou Yuan, being a time traveler, naturally knew the secrets involved.

This is not a rib at all, but a special jade slip!

Zhou Yuan, being a time traveler, naturally knew the secrets involved.

This is not a rib at all, but a special jade slip!

It contains the most complete Xuan Yin Scripture, including all the secret techniques that made Xuan Gu famous!

Back then, Xuan Gu was sealed here by two traitorous disciples. Knowing that there was no hope of escaping and unwilling to let his unique skills be lost, he used a special method to seal all his life's learning here, leaving it for someone with the right destiny.

However, this special jade slip cannot be viewed with divine sense at present; it requires the power of a yin spirit to open.

Zhou Yuan temporarily put it into his storage bag, his gaze remaining fixed on the pile of wreckage.

He raised his hand, unleashing another sword beam—

"Snap!"

Another rib fractured!

This time, a small black insect, resembling a cricket, flew out from the shattered ribs!

The little insect flapped its wings as if to fly away, but Zhou Yuan caught it with lightning speed!

Where the insect had been hiding, a slightly yellowed old handkerchief was now clearly visible!

The handkerchief was about the size of a palm, its edges worn, with faint patterns of mountains and rivers on it, radiating a faint spiritual light.

"This is... a fragment of the Void Heaven Palace map?!"

Ling Yuling recognized the item at a glance and exclaimed in surprise!

As the young master of the Star Palace, how could she not recognize this item?

The Void Heaven Palace appears only once every three hundred years, and entering it requires a fragment of the Void Heaven Map as a guide.

Each fragment of the map is a priceless treasure coveted by countless cultivators!

"Damn it! They destroyed my remains and stole my fragments of the map—!"

On the Green Shadow Man's side, under the siege of Ti Hun and Xue Ye, he was already in dire straits, his green light dimming, and he clearly couldn't hold out for much longer.

Upon seeing Zhou Yuan take away the fragment of the Void Heaven Map, it let out a fierce roar, its voice filled with resentment and venom!

"I, Xiao Cha, will remember this grudge!"

As soon as it finished speaking, a large amount of black energy surged out of its body. Under the cover of the black energy, it transformed into a green light and fled frantically!

Did I let you leave?

Zhou Yuan spoke coldly.

A thought flashed through his mind—

The Soul-Crying Beast's unusually large nostrils suddenly opened, and a thick beam of yellow light shot out!

Soul-Absorbing Divine Light!

The yellow light was extremely fast, instantly catching up with the fleeing green light and rushing into the black mist!

Immediately afterwards, hundreds of thin, earthy-yellow threads shot out from the yellow glow, quickly wrapping around the green figure in the black mist as if they were alive!

"No--!"

The green-clad figure screamed in terror!

Those yellow threads were incredibly tough; no matter how much it struggled, it couldn't break free even a fraction of the way!

Then, all the yellow lines were pulled outwards simultaneously—

A green light was forcibly pulled out of the black mist!

Entangled with the yellow lines, the green light kept transforming into various shapes of insects, fish, birds, and beasts, even swelling and shrinking in an attempt to break free from the yellow lines!

But those yellow threads seemed to have taken root, directly piercing into the green light, and they couldn't get rid of them at all!

The yellow line slowly dragged the green light towards the Soul-Crying Beast's large nose!

Now, the green light group was completely panicked!

After a violent flash, the green light revealed the face of an old man with a gloomy expression!

Its face was lined with wrinkles, and its eyes were sinister; it was clearly a cunning and scheming person. At this moment, bathed in the yellow glow of the sunset, it cried out in terror to Zhou Yuan for mercy!

"Fellow Daoist, please spare my life! I am the former master of Xuan Yin Island, Master Xuan Gu, from four hundred years ago! If you spare my life, I am willing to serve you as your ghost servant for the rest of my life!"

"I possess countless extraordinary skills and secret techniques, which I am willing to impart to you, fellow Daoist!"

"Moreover, this old servant once possessed several secret caves, containing numerous hidden treasures! This old servant is willing to offer them all to my master!"

The man spoke faster and faster, his expression growing increasingly panicked.

Because at this moment, it was only a few feet away from the large nose of the Soul-Crying Beast!

It even took the initiative to call itself "old slave" and "master," adopting an extremely humble attitude!