Mortal: I'm in Tianxing City, intelligence updates daily.

The one-eyed male cultivator reassured him, "Brother Gu, please calm down. The Illusion Heart Grass inside the formation is old enough. I estimate that the person who retrieves the medicine is already on their way."

"Brother Jiang, I remember you said the same thing last year. It's been five years, and I've been able to earn quite a few spirit stones by hunting demons."

"Since we've already waited five years, what's another year or two? Those who cultivate spiritual herbs in this outer sea are usually cultivation families. There will be at least two late-stage Foundation Establishment cultivators among those who collect the herbs. When the time comes, the spoils will be split 50/50, which is much more than what you would gain from hunting demons for five years."

After a moment of silence, the bald, burly man said, "Then I'll wait one more year. Once it's over, we'll break the formation, retrieve the medicine, and make up for the losses of the past few years."

After he finished speaking, he continued to meditate with his eyes closed.

"Then let's do as Brother Gu says and wait another year."

Having temporarily calmed the bald, burly man, the one-eyed male cultivator breathed a sigh of relief.

Five years ago, he was injured and passed by an island where "Illusionary Heart Grass" was cultivated to heal. He discovered that someone was cultivating spiritual herbs there and originally intended to break the formation to take them.

Upon closer inspection, it was discovered that what was being grown inside was the "Illusionary Heart Grass," used to refine the "Golden Elixir Inquiry Talisman," and it was nearing completion.

So he decided to wait for the person who would come to collect the medicine after he had recovered from his injury.

To this end, a set of ancestral formations was set up at the entrance of the medicinal herb cultivation area.

Once this formation is set up, it will be extremely difficult for even a Foundation Establishment cultivator to detect it with their divine sense.

Normally, only a portion of its power is activated, which can monitor the cultivation level of intruders. If activated at full power, it can also trap enemies.

He and his friend hid on a nearby island, so that they could escape if a Core Formation cultivator came, although the chances of that were slim.

But now, five years have passed, and there has been no movement at all.

The one-eyed cultivator couldn't help but waver. What if the person who retrieved the medicine was a Core Formation cultivator? Not only would the five years of waiting have been in vain, but the ancestral formation would also surely be destroyed.

Just as he was feeling worried, a treasure in his storage bag suddenly flashed with light.

"Brother Gu, they've arrived. There are three Foundation Establishment cultivators in total." The one-eyed male cultivator suddenly stood up and said excitedly.

The bald, burly man laughed twice: "Alright, alright, I've been suffocating. Let's go. We agreed before that we'd split the profits 50/50 after we succeed, so don't go back on your word."

After he finished speaking, he took out his flying artifact and prepared to leave.

The one-eyed male cultivator beside him replied, "Don't worry, with Brother Gu's cultivation level, do you think I'd turn my back on you afterward?"

"I bet you wouldn't dare."

......

at the same time.

On a small island thirty or forty miles away, where the "Illusion Grass" is cultivated.

Li Shizhou stood solemnly in front of a cave.

Just as he landed on his sword, he sensed a very faint fluctuation of the array, which quickly disappeared.

If he hadn't already reached the peak of Foundation Establishment and possessed a powerful divine sense, he wouldn't have been able to detect it.

Li Shizhou had previously inquired about the Gu family's defensive formation, which was located deep within a cave and would not fluctuate unless attacked.

In other words, there is another formation here.

After thinking for a moment, he said to Gu Ci, "Junior Brother Gu, your Gu family has only set up one formation on this island, right?"

Gu Ci replied, "There's only one set. What's wrong? Did you find something amiss?"

"It's nothing, you guys go get your medicine first, I'll wait for you outside."

Li Shizhou did not reveal his discovery. He was unsure who had set up the other set, but did not rule out the possibility that it was the Gu family.

"Alright, then we'll trouble you, Brother Li. We'll be right back, it won't take more than the time it takes for an incense stick to burn."

After Gu Ci finished speaking, he and his cousin Gu Linyuan headed towards the cave where the "Illusion Heart Grass" was cultivated.

Once the Gu family members had gone far away, Li Shizhou took to the air again, channeling his magical power into his eyes and unleashing the "Spirit-Seeking Technique."

After a short while, they indeed found the hidden array device nearby, and it was in the activated state.

He thought to himself, "Gu Ci, I hope this isn't your doing."

After completing the investigation, Li Shizhou did not destroy the array he had discovered.

Instead, he took out array-setting tools from his storage bag and began casting spells by making hand seals. Array flags flew in all directions and disappeared after landing on the ground.

After making preparations, Li Shizhou released his full spiritual power and stood on the ground, waiting patiently.

After about the time it takes to drink a cup of tea, Gu Ci and his companion emerged from the cave, their faces beaming with excitement.

"Brother Li, we've successfully retrieved the Illusionary Heart Grass. We can return to Tianxing City now."

At this moment, several miles away, two Foundation Establishment cultivators appeared within Li Shizhou's spiritual sense range.

He stared into the distance and said, "It's late. Someone's coming. Get ready for a battle."

Upon hearing this, the two members of the Gu family changed their expressions and each took out their offensive and defensive magical artifacts.

Li Shizhou didn't hold back either, unleashing his silver armor and twin shields.

Just then, a slight rumbling sound of arrays rang out all around, and a blue light screen, thirty or forty feet wide, suddenly appeared, enveloping the three of them.

After a short while, two figures flew over on their magical artifacts and hovered above the cyan light screen.

One of them was a bald, burly man with a fierce face and a rather imposing physique. His cultivation had already reached the peak of the Foundation Establishment stage.

Another middle-aged, one-eyed cultivator in a gray robe held an array plate in his right hand; he was at the late Foundation Establishment stage.

The bald, burly man appeared and shouted, "Who are you? Why are you forcing your way into my brother and mere burial place?"

Li Shizhou sneered and replied, "If you two want to kill and steal treasure, just say so. Don't be so coy."

The two members of the Gu family, who were initially somewhat flustered, relaxed considerably upon seeing his calm and composed demeanor.

Having his thoughts exposed, the bald, burly man was not angry. He said to Li Shizhou, "You detected both of us with your divine sense just now but didn't run away. It seems you have something to rely on. Show it to me and have a good fight with me today."

Li Shizhou ignored the loud, bald man and stared at the one-eyed cultivator. The man remained silent after appearing, his gaze sinister, like that of a venomous snake.

Ignored, the bald, burly man flew into a rage, glaring fiercely at Li Shizhou and saying, "Brother Jiang, make your move! You deal with those two late-stage Foundation Establishment cultivators, I'm going to chop this man to pieces!"

"Brother Gu, go ahead and do as you please; leave the rest to me."

After the one-eyed cultivator finished speaking, he cast a spell into the array plate in his hand. The light screen dome immediately flashed with spiritual light, and a moment later, ice spikes as thick as an arm shot towards Gu Ci and the other person.

The two members of the Gu family tried to dodge using their magical artifacts, but they fell to the ground with a thud after only a few feet off the ground. This formation actually had an anti-flying restriction. Fortunately, the defensive magical artifacts on their bodies were quite good and temporarily blocked the ice spikes that were being shot at them.

With a thought, the bald giant enveloped his entire body in a thick spiritual energy shield, then took out a black giant axe and infused it with magical power.

He entered the light curtain, gripped the axe handle with both hands, and leaped down to chop fiercely at Li Shizhou on the ground.