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In fact, Marquis Nanlong and the old man in white had indeed visited that so-called "ancient ruins" once.

However, the result was not as expected.

The ruins are located in the Mulan Grassland, a location that is already extremely dangerous. In addition, the protective barrier outside the ruins is the legendary and famous "Tai Miao Divine Barrier" from ancient times!

This restriction was incredibly profound. Even with the Southern Marquis's mid-Nascent Soul cultivation and the white-robed elder's equally mid-Nascent Soul strength, the two of them, working together for several days and using every means at their disposal, could not shake the core of the restriction in the slightest. They could only wander around the perimeter, helpless and frustrated.

If a direct assault fails, the only options are to outsmart the enemy or... seek further assistance.

This once-in-a-century Tiannan First Trade Fair is a perfect opportunity for Nascent Soul cultivators from all directions to secretly scout out and recruit suitable personnel.

After discussing with the old man surnamed Yun, Marquis Nanlong made a plan: during the trade fair, they would privately invite several rogue cultivators or elders of small sects who were at the early stage of the Nascent Soul stage, had not been very famous, and seemed "easy to control".

The number of people should be kept to around five or six. This way, we can pool our strength to try to break the barrier without having too many people around and making it difficult to control the distribution of treasures.

More importantly, even if cultivators at the early stage of the Nascent Soul realm join forces, they still pose a significant threat to the two mid-stage cultivators, so there's no fear of any trouble during the distribution of treasures.

They believed they had kept this matter discreet, and when they invited him, they only mentioned that they had discovered a secluded cave dwelling that appeared to be the final resting place of an ancient cultivator, without mentioning the name "Master Cangkun" or providing any details.

Logically, an invited person would not easily disclose information before receiving definite news and a profit-sharing commitment.

But now, this uninvited fellow Daoist "Zhou Yuan," whose cultivation level is the same as theirs, or even stronger, has not only come to their door, but has also revealed their secret operation of "still gathering manpower"!

There is only one possibility—a Nascent Soul cultivator they had privately invited before leaked the information to this Fellow Daoist Zhou!

Whether that person was actively trying to curry favor or was forced into it remains unknown.

However, the news had already been leaked, and the plan had become uncertain.

The faces of several invitees flashed through the Marquis of Nanlong's mind, and his expression darkened slightly.

A shadow crossed the old man's eyes, clearly indicating that he was also displeased.

"Brother Nanlong, since you've already invited so many fellow Daoists, surely one more won't make a difference?"

Zhou Yuan seemed oblivious to the subtle changes in their expressions, his face still bearing that faint smile as he spoke in a relaxed tone, "I am also quite interested in that ancient ruin. More people mean more strength, and as for the profit sharing, it will naturally be done according to the rules, and I will have no objections."

Marquis Nanlong's mind raced, but his face quickly regained its hearty smile as he chuckled and said, "Brother Zhou, what are you saying!"

"With Brother Zhou's cultivation and supernatural abilities, if he could join us, we would naturally be more than happy to have him; it would be like adding wings to a tiger!"

He changed the subject, looking at the white-robed elder beside him, "However... this matter wasn't decided by Nanlong alone. This is Fellow Daoist Yun, one of the initiators of this exploration. I wonder what Brother Yun's opinion is?"

He left the decision to the elderly man surnamed Yun, which was both a sign of respect and a test.

The old man surnamed Yun, named Yun Xiaotian, was a rogue cultivator who had achieved fame early on. He was arrogant and ruthless.

He gave Zhou Yuan a cold look, his gaze sharp as a knife, as if trying to see through Zhou Yuan. Zhou Yuan remained calm and met his gaze.

After a few breaths of silence, Yun Xiaotian finally spoke slowly, his voice dry: "I have no objection."

The situation is better than people.

The news has already been leaked. If we refuse Zhou Yuan outright now, there's no guarantee he won't hold a grudge and even spread the news further.

Or they might sabotage things behind the scenes.

Rather than having another unpredictable enemy, it's better to include them in the plan and keep them under close watch.

Moreover, the opponent is also in the mid-stage of the Nascent Soul realm, and their strength is unknown. Forcing a conflict would not guarantee victory.

Upon hearing this, Marquis Nanlong breathed a sigh of relief and smiled:

"Since Brother Yun has no objections, then this matter is settled! Welcome Brother Zhou to join us!"

"but,"

Yun Xiaotian changed the subject, his tone leaving no room for argument, "Fellow Daoist Zhou, let's be clear from the start. This exploration was first discovered by Brother Nanlong and me, who also provided the tools and entry method. Therefore, after breaking the barrier, we have priority in selecting the treasures. Only after we have finished our selections can Fellow Daoist Zhou discuss and distribute the remaining items with the other invited fellow Daoists according to their contributions. This is the rule, and I hope Fellow Daoist Zhou understands."

He is reaffirming his dominance and drawing a red line for the distribution of benefits.

Even when facing off against another mid-stage Nascent Soul cultivator, the two of them, working together, still held the advantage.

"Of course." Zhou Yuan nodded in agreement without hesitation, his expression calm and without the slightest dissatisfaction. "You two are the initiators, so it is only right. I have no objection."

This result was exactly what he expected, and even better than he anticipated.

Being able to join this core team, gain firsthand information, and qualify for entry already fulfills the primary objective.

As for the right of first choice... once we enter that treacherous "Relic Palace," who goes first and who goes last is anyone's guess.

Moreover, what he truly cares about may not be those "treasures" that are out in the open.

Seeing that Zhou Yuan was so "sensible," the expressions of Marquis Nanlong and Yun Xiaotian softened considerably.

Although there is now an additional variable, at least a superficial agreement has been reached for the time being.

"Alright, Brother Zhou, we'll set off after the trade fair."

Marquis Nanlong took out a blank jade slip, held it to his forehead for a moment, and handed it to Zhou Yuan.

"Here is the meeting place and time, Brother Zhou. We will meet there and then go to the ruins together. Remember, this must be kept absolutely secret, and you must not reveal it to anyone else."

"Don't worry, Brother Nanlong, I understand."

Zhou Yuan took the jade slip, scanned it with his divine sense, memorized the information inside, and then casually put the jade slip away.

The three chatted casually for a while, exchanging some trivial cultivation insights and observations from the trade fair, before Zhou Yuan took his leave.

"Brother Zhou, please take care." Marquis Nanlong personally escorted Zhou Yuan to the gate of Junhou Garden.

After leaving Junhou Garden, Zhou Yuan went straight back to the bamboo house in Juxian Garden.

When Yuan Yao and Yan Li saw him return, they both came to greet him.

"Brother Zhou, have you found out anything?" Yanli asked curiously.

"Hmm, we've got some leads."

Zhou Yuan nodded, without elaborating, "For the next period of time, you can cultivate peacefully in the pavilion, or wander around the Gathering Immortals Garden at your leisure, but do not leave the garden, and do not get into conflicts with anyone. I need to stay in this city for a while to attend the trade fair, and then I have to take care of an important matter."

"Don't worry, Brother Zhou, we know what's important," Yuan Yao said softly.

Yanli nodded obediently.

……

Half a month passed in the blink of an eye.

On this day, the atmosphere in Tiancheng reached an unprecedented climax.

The once-in-a-century Tiannan First Trade Fair has officially begun!

The main venue of the trade fair was located in the "Tianque Pavilion," a massive nine-story building in the city center that covered a vast area.

However, most transactions and activities are scattered throughout the city in hundreds of specialized auction houses, exhibition halls, and temporary trading areas.

Cultivators from the four major powers of Tiannan, as well as countless small and medium-sized sects and independent cultivator families, flooded into Tiantian City like a tide.

Low-level cultivators thronged the city, while mid- and high-level cultivators' escape lights traced paths across the sky before landing in the various auction houses. The clamor, discussions, and bidding nearly shook the giant city to its core.

The first day of auctions at the Tianque Pavilion main venue attracted countless eyes.

Rare materials, elixirs, magical artifacts, and jade slips containing cultivation techniques, which are rarely seen in ordinary times, were presented on the high platform, eliciting continuous exclamations from the audience and fierce bidding.

Zhou Yuan, along with Yuan Yao and Yan Li, arrived at a private room on the third floor of Tianque Pavilion.

The view here is excellent, with a clear view of the auction stage and most of the seats below.

Not long after the auction began, Zhou Yuan spotted a familiar figure in an inconspicuous corner—Han Li.

He sat alone in the back row, his breathing restrained, his gaze fixed intently on the auction stage, clearly waiting for something he desired.

Han Li seemed to sense something as well, and looked up, his gaze meeting Zhou Yuan's. The two nodded slightly across the distance as a greeting, and then looked away.

Han Li had a clear goal and limited spirit stones. He only planned to make a move when a key item like Geng Jing appeared.

Zhou Yuan, on the other hand, had no scruples whatsoever.

"Next item: a 3,000-year-old 'Mysterious Jade Fungus,' a main ingredient in many high-grade elixirs! Starting bid: 50,000 spirit stones!"

"Sixty thousand!"

"Seventy thousand!"

"Eighty-five thousand!"

"One hundred thousand."

Zhou Yuan's calm voice came through the barriers of the private room, directly increasing the price by 15,000.

A brief silence fell over the room.

Although the three-thousand-year-old elixir is excellent, the price of 100,000 spirit stones is already a bit too high.

In the end, no one else followed, and Zhou Yuan successfully won the bid.

"Next item, a two-thousand-year-old 'Earth Spirit Ginseng'..."

"Next item: a section of five-thousand-year-old ironwood, incredibly hard, an excellent material for crafting wood-attribute magical artifacts..."

"Next item, the ancient treasure 'Dragon-Binding Rope,' adept at trapping enemies and binding spirits..."

Before the first day of auction was even halfway through, Zhou Yuan had already made his bids, acquiring four items: a three-thousand-year-old jade marrow mushroom, a two-thousand-year-old earth spirit ginseng, a piece of five-thousand-year-old ironwood, and the ancient treasure, the Dragon-Trapping Rope. His total expenditure had already exceeded three hundred thousand spirit stones!

Each bid was decisive and substantial, displaying great wealth and attracting frequent glances from many private rooms and cultivators below, who secretly wondered who this person in the private room was.

"Senior Brother Zhou's spending spree... is far too extravagant."

Han Li, watching from a distance, was secretly astonished, but also somewhat relieved.

Although the things Zhou Yuan bought were precious, they were not the Geng Essence he urgently needed.

Moreover, with Senior Brother Zhou spending spirit stones so lavishly, perhaps when the Geng Jing actually appears... he won't have enough spirit stones left?

A sense of anticipation rose in Han Li's heart. If Senior Brother Zhou ran out of funds, then the pressure on him to compete for Geng Essence would be much less.

The atmosphere at the auction grew increasingly heated over the next few days.

Rare and exotic treasures appeared one after another, and bidding was incessant. Zhou Yuan did not stop his "shopping spree," buying anything that was useful to him or those around him for cultivation, including pills, materials, magic weapons, and techniques.

As long as the price isn't too outrageous, he usually just places the order.

Over the course of a few days, he spent another five or six hundred thousand spirit stones!

This terrifying rate of consumption not only left Han Li dumbfounded, but also caused many prominent Nascent Soul cultivators in the Heavenly Pavilion to secretly inquire about the identity of this mysterious buyer of the "B-7" VIP room.

In just a few days, he spent a million spirit stones without batting an eye!

Even the elders of major sects like Tai Zhen Sect and Tian Ji Sect would feel the pinch for a long time if they had to use their sect's resources.

Yuan Yao and Yan Li quietly stayed by Zhou Yuan's side, already used to his extravagant spending.

The mountain of spirit stones on Biling Island gave them enough confidence.

They simply helped Zhou Yuan record the auction items and served him spiritual tea when appropriate.

Finally, on the fifth day of the auction, an item that simultaneously invigorated Zhou Yuan and Han Li was presented.

It was a jade plate no bigger than the palm of your hand. In the center of the plate lay a walnut-sized piece of dark gold metal, pure and deep, as if it could absorb all light.

The surface of the metal block seemed to have natural, fine lines, and it exuded a heavy, sharp, and extremely refined aura, causing some cultivators near the auction stage to feel a slight stinging sensation on their skin.

"Geng Essence! The next item is one of the most precious refining materials in this auction—Geng Essence!" The auctioneer, an elderly man in white robes at the early Nascent Soul stage, raised his voice with excitement. "The value of this item is self-evident. Starting price: 300,000 spirit stones! Each bid must be at least 10,000 spirit stones!"

"Three hundred and one thousand!"

"Three hundred and fifty thousand!"

"Four hundred thousand!"

Prices skyrocketed!

Almost all of those participating in the bidding were Nascent Soul cultivators, and most of them were sword cultivators or weapon-refining masters who urgently needed top-quality refining materials.

The allure of Geng Jing is irresistible to these people.

Han Li also joined the bidding, but he was quite cautious in raising his bid, only adding the minimum of 10,000 spirit stones each time, clearly indicating that he did not have a large supply of spirit stones.

The price quickly broke through the 500,000 mark.

"Five hundred and twenty thousand!" Han Li announced a price, his palms already slightly sweaty. This was close to the limit he could currently afford.

"Five hundred and fifty thousand!" A cold voice came from another private room.

Han Li's face paled, he sighed, shook his head helplessly, and gave up.

More than 500,000 spirit stones was an astronomical figure for him. If he continued to bid, even if he won the bid, he would not be able to pay it.

"Senior Brother Zhou... he probably doesn't have any extra spirit stones left, right?"

Han Li thought to himself, his gaze involuntarily drifting toward the private room where Zhou Yuan was.

Zhou Yuan has spent a huge amount of money these past few days, and has probably already emptied his savings.

He then began to plan that after the auction ended, he would secretly seek out the cultivator who had won the bid for the Geng Essence and see if he could try to exchange it with some of his rare materials or treasures.

The bidding is still ongoing, but the number of participants has decreased significantly.

In the end, only two voices remained in the struggle.

"Seven hundred thousand!"

"Seven hundred and one thousand!"

"Seven hundred and thirty thousand!"

"Seven hundred and forty thousand!"

When the price climbed to 740,000, one of them seemed to have reached his limit, his voice tinged with reluctance.

Just as the elderly host was about to call out the price—

"Eight hundred thousand."

A calm and clear voice came from the "B27" VIP box, resounding throughout the entire room.

One-time price increase of 60,000!

The entire auction hall fell silent instantly. Everyone stared in astonishment in that direction.

It is him again!

That guy who's been spending money like water these past few days! He actually still has so many spirit stones?!

Eight hundred thousand! Including his previous expenses, he has already spent nearly two million spirit stones at this auction!

What does this mean? Many sects in Tiannan, even if they pooled all their resources and accumulated wealth over a century, probably couldn't come up with this many readily available spirit stones!

Han Li was completely dumbfounded.

His mouth was slightly open, in disbelief.

Did Senior Brother Zhou's spirit stones fall from the sky?

Why does it feel like I can never run out of money?

The two cultivators who were bidding against Zhou Yuan were also shocked by this unreasonable price increase. After a moment of silence, they both chose to give up.

Eight hundred thousand spirit stones is far more than the actual value of this piece of Geng essence. It's not worth it for the sake of pride.

"Eight hundred thousand spirit stones once! Eight hundred thousand twice! Eight hundred thousand three times! Sold! Congratulations to the senior in Box 7, Class B!"

The elderly man in white robes excitedly brought down the gavel.

Zhou Yuan remained calm, as if he had only done a trivial matter.

With this piece of Geng essence, he can also infuse the remaining thirty-six Green Bamboo Bee Cloud Swords with Geng metal energy.

At that time, all seventy-two Geng metal flying swords will be unleashed to form the complete "Great Geng Sword Formation," and its power will likely undergo a qualitative leap, making it one of his trump cards!

After acquiring the Geng Essence, Zhou Yuan fell completely silent, ceasing all further bidding and simply watching quietly.

Although some good treasures appeared later, they no longer aroused his great interest.

Several days later, the Tiannan First Trade Fair, which lasted for half a month, finally came to a close amidst the hustle and bustle and the lingering sense of excitement.

As the trade fair ended, the crowds in Tiancheng began to slowly disperse, but the city remained bustling.

Zhou Yuan summoned Yuan Yao and Yan Li to his side and solemnly instructed them, "The trade fair is over, but Marquis Nanlong and I have important matters to attend to and need to leave Tiantian City. This journey may take some time, so you two should stay in this pavilion for now and not go out. Focus on your cultivation. This place is protected by the Juxian Garden's restrictions, so it is relatively safe. If there is any emergency, you can activate the communication talisman I left for you..."

"Brother Zhou, how long are you going to be gone? Is it dangerous?" Yanli asked with concern.

"Don't worry, I know what I'm doing. I'll definitely be back in a few months, or at most a year or two," Zhou Yuan reassured them. "Just take good care of yourselves."

Although Yuan Yao was also worried, she knew that Zhou Yuan's decision was hard to change, so she said softly, "Brother Zhou, please be careful. We'll wait for you to come back."

After settling the two women in, Zhou Yuan followed the instructions in the jade slip of the Marquis of Nanlong and left Juxian Garden. He wandered through the complex streets and alleys of Tiantian City and finally arrived at a rather secluded corner in the northeast of the city.

The buildings here are low and old, standing out from the bustling city center.

Zhou Yuan stopped in front of a seemingly unremarkable stone house consisting of two connected rooms made of ordinary bluestone.

The stone house had its doors and windows tightly shut, and there was no sound, as if it had been uninhabited for a long time.

Zhou Yuan stepped forward and tapped the wooden door three times with his fingers, neither too hard nor too soft.

A moment later, the wooden door creaked open from the inside, revealing the face of the Marquis of Nanlong.

"Brother Zhou, please come in." Marquis Nanlong stepped aside.

Zhou Yuan stepped into the stone house, and sure enough, the house was empty, covered with a thin layer of dust.

Marquis Nanlong closed the door behind him, then walked to the center of the room, lightly stepped on a floor tile, and cast several spells.

"Buzz..."

The ground trembled slightly, and the seemingly ordinary floor tiles slid apart to the sides, revealing a dark, downward-pointing hole with stone steps leading down.

"Brother Zhou, come with me." Marquis Nanlong stepped forward first. Zhou Yuan followed closely behind.

The stone steps were short; after descending about twenty steps, one arrived at an underground hall. The hall was about ten zhang square, with several moonstones embedded in the ceiling for illumination, casting a soft light.

There were now six people in the hall.

Besides the elderly man surnamed Yun (Yun Xiaotian) sitting at the head of the table with his eyes closed, there were five other people sitting on the stone benches around him.

Upon seeing Marquis Nanlong bring Zhou Yuan in, all eyes turned to them.

"Fellow Daoists, this is Fellow Daoist Zhou Yuan, who is also traveling with us this time."

A brief introduction to the Marquis of Nanlong.

Among the five, a middle-aged man dressed in a black robe, with a refined appearance and three long wisps of beard, carefully examined Zhou Yuan for a few moments. Suddenly, he exclaimed "Eh!" and a look of realization dawned on his face. He cupped his hands and smiled, "So it's Fellow Daoist Zhou! A few days ago at the Heavenly Pavilion auction, Fellow Daoist Zhou spent nearly two million spirit stones, leaving a deep impression on me. It's hard for me not to remember you!"

This person is none other than Wang Tiangu, the deputy sect leader of the Ghost Spirit Sect, one of the six major sects of the demonic path, with a cultivation level of the early Nascent Soul stage.

"What?! Nearly two million spirit stones?!"

"That mysterious buyer from Tianque Pavilion, is he him?"

"Wow...what incredible financial resources!"

Upon hearing this, the other four people's expressions changed, and their gazes towards Zhou Yuan were filled with shock and solemnity.

The four were: a cold-faced male cultivator in blue robes (a rogue cultivator surnamed You); a dark-skinned, stocky man with a black face (a rogue cultivator surnamed Bing); an old woman with a full head of silver hair and holding a dragon-headed cane (Madam Tai, a rogue cultivator); and a plump, kind-faced old man (a rogue cultivator surnamed Hu) who looked like a wealthy man.

These four people were all at the early stage of the Nascent Soul realm.

To be able to produce nearly two million spirit stones at once, one must either have experienced an extraordinary adventure or have an unfathomable background.

Either way, it means that this person is no ordinary individual.

I originally thought he was just an ordinary mid-stage helper that Marquis Nanlong had found, but I never expected him to be such a person.

"Fellow Daoist Wang, you flatter me. A few spirit stones are nothing to mention."

Zhou Yuan cupped his hands in greeting to Wang Tiangu, his expression calm, showing no sign of being recognized.

Taking the opportunity, Marquis Nanlong introduced Zhou Yuan to the other four people and also briefly explained the origins of their names.

The cold-faced, blue-robed cultivator was named You Gang, the dark-faced giant was named Bing Kun, the old woman was Madam Tai, and the fat old man was named Hu San.

After exchanging greetings, Marquis Nanlong walked to the head of the hall and stood beside Yun Xiaotian. His expression was solemn as he spoke, "Now that all fellow Daoists are present, I will speak frankly. The place we are going to explore is not within Tiannan territory, but rather… the Mulan Grassland!"

"Mulan Grassland?!"

"Brother Nanlong, you're not joking, are you? That's the territory of the sorcerers!"

"If we cultivators from Tiannan venture deep into this place and are discovered, we will face certain death!"

Apart from Zhou Yuan and Yun Xiaotian, who already knew the truth, Wang Tiangu, You Gang, Bingkun, Madam Tai, and Hu San all changed their expressions drastically and spoke up one after another, their tone filled with surprise and dissatisfaction.

The Mulan Grassland and Tiannan are sworn enemies. When cultivators (mages) from both sides meet, they are always ready to fight to the death. Going deep into enemy territory increases the danger factor significantly.

"Please be patient, everyone."

Marquis Nanlong raised his hand and said in a deep voice, "It is precisely because of the danger that we Nascent Soul cultivators need to join forces, and our actions must be kept strictly confidential. As for why we need to go there..."

He paused, his gaze sweeping over the crowd, and said, word by word, "Because what we are about to explore is the cave dwelling left behind by the first rogue cultivator of Tiannan, the Venerable Cangkun, who was renowned ten thousand years ago!"

"Master Cangkun?!"

"Is that really true?!"

"How come his cave is in the Mulan Grassland?"

This name is clearly very impactful.

The surprise and doubt on Wang Tiangu and the others' faces were instantly replaced by disbelief and burning greed.

The treasures left behind by Master Cangkun are enough to make people take risks!

"Absolutely true."

Marquis Nanlong affirmed, "Moreover, according to what Brother Yun and I investigated before, Venerable Cangkun once successfully entered the most dangerous place in Tiannan, 'Fallen Demon Valley,' and survived!"

Its cave likely contains clues about the Fallen Demon Valley, and perhaps even... a great treasure brought out of the valley!

Fallen Demon Valley!

The most dangerous place in the south, but also the most precious place!

Legend has it that countless ancient powerful beings perished there, and treasures are everywhere, but it is also extremely dangerous; even Nascent Soul cultivators face a nine-out-of-ten chance of death if they enter.

How could Master Cangkun have come out from inside?

The value of his cave dwelling instantly rose several levels!

Wang Tiangu and the others breathed heavily, their hesitation replaced by intense longing.

"but,"

Madam Tai, being an experienced and shrewd woman, suppressed her excitement and asked, "Fellow Daoist Nanlong, Fellow Daoist Yun, since you two have already discovered the location of the ruins, why did you need to invite so many of us to go together? What insurmountable obstacle lies outside that cave?"

"Lady Tai has hit the nail on the head." Marquis Nanlong sighed, his expression grave. "Outside the Cangkun Cave, there is an ancient and wondrous array—the 'Supreme Mysterious Restriction'!"

"A wondrous and divine formation?! One of the legendary ten great ancient formations?"

"Wasn't this formation lost to history long ago?"

"Indeed, this is the formation."

Marquis Nanlong nodded. "This formation is incredibly profound. Even if we all combine our strength and bombard it day and night, it would probably take several months to barely tear a gap in it. But the Mulan Grassland is not uninhabited. Such a commotion will surely be noticed by the sorcerers, and then we will be surrounded and die without a burial place!"

"What should we do?"

Bingkun asked urgently.

"Therefore, we need another method," Yun Xiaotian interjected, his voice dry. "According to ancient records, to break the 'Supreme Mystery Divine Restriction,' eight Nascent Soul cultivators need to join forces and use their pure divine sense to create a temporary passage in the restriction within a day without causing too much of a disturbance."

"This method requires extremely high levels of spiritual strength and control, and all eight people must work together in unison; none can be missing. This is why Brother Nanlong invited you fellow Daoists to come."

Everyone suddenly realized.

It turned out that they weren't meant to fight head-on, but rather to use a clever, multi-person, secret method of spiritual awareness that could break the seal while minimizing the risk of alerting the Mulan people.

"I see."

Wang Tiangu pondered, "However, venturing deep into the Mulan Grassland remains extremely risky. We must be extremely careful along the way and avoid areas where magicians gather. Moreover, after breaking the seal and entering the cave, the interior will likely not be a smooth path either."

"That's natural."

Marquis Nanlong said, "Risk and opportunity coexist. If no one is willing to go, it's not too late to withdraw now..."

A moment of silence fell over the hall.

The risks are indeed high, but the allure of the Cangkun Relics and the clues to the Fallen Demon Valley is even greater.

After a moment, Wang Tiangu spoke first: "I, Wang, am willing to go!"

"I, You, am also willing to go."

Count me in!

"At my age, I'll take this one gamble!"

"Mr. Hu also joined in the fun."

Ultimately, no one withdrew.

"good!"

Marquis Nanlong's spirits lifted. "In that case, fellow Daoists, please return first and make preparations within two days. Prepare elixirs, talismans, and especially treasures to restore spiritual consciousness and magical power."

Two days later at midnight, we will meet at 'Falling Star Mountain,' a thousand miles south of Tiancheng, and set off together!

"yes!"

The group agreed, discussed some details, and then got up one after another, leaving the underground hall quietly through different exits.

Two days passed in a flash.

At midnight, atop a desolate mountain peak called "Falling Star Mountain," a thousand miles south of Tiancheng.

The night wind howled, and the starlight was dim.

Eight streaks of light, each a different color but all having reduced their brilliance, landed on the mountaintop almost simultaneously.

The radiance faded, revealing eight figures: Marquis Nanlong, Yun Xiaotian, Zhou Yuan, Wang Tiangu, You Gang, Bingkun, Madam Tai, and Hu San.

All eight were dressed casually, their auras restrained. Their gazes met in the night, they nodded to each other, and said nothing more.

Marquis Nanlong surveyed the crowd and said in a deep voice, "Everyone is here. This journey is perilous; I hope all fellow Daoists will remember our oath and remain of one mind and one heart. Let's depart!"

As soon as he finished speaking, he transformed into an inconspicuous gray light and shot towards the dark, boundless grassland horizon to the south.

Yun Xiaotian followed closely behind.

Zhou Yuan's eyes flickered slightly, and with a sway of his body, he too transformed into a faint green shadow, merging into the night.

Wang Tiangu and the others exchanged glances, then, without further hesitation, they all mounted their escape lights and followed silently.

Eight ghostly streaks of light streaked across the sky under the cover of the deep night, rapidly moving away from the territory of the Tiannan cultivators and heading towards the Mulan Grassland, a hostile land full of unknowns and dangers.