I rely on learning to achieve immortality.

About two weeks later.

Xu Zhou obtained a spot in the secret realm from the sect, and the group arrived at Sunset Valley.

Sunset Valley appears to be nothing more than a desolate rocky valley, with nothing particularly special about it except for a few strange wild animals.

The Golden Flame Sect did not build a base in the valley because the unstable secret realm would eventually collapse, and the aftershocks would affect the surrounding area and cause great damage, so there was no need to spend time guarding this place.

Even after entering Sunset Valley, the group only found a few temporary houses used by previous inhabitants, without a single disciple on duty.

The Golden Flame Sect is not afraid of anyone coveting the secret realm.

The secret realm was left behind by a Nascent Soul cultivator, and even cultivators of the same level cannot take it away.

To enter, one must possess a Sunset Token issued by the sect; otherwise, one will have no idea where the entrance is.

"Senior Brother Ouyang, this order is now entrusted to you."

Xu Zhou handed the sunset order he had applied for to Ouyang Ming.

The other party had entered the secret realm with Li Zelei once before and had ample experience. Everyone agreed that he should lead the group.

Ouyang Ming carefully accepted the Sunset Token and said sincerely, "I will certainly live up to your expectations."

Xu Zhou didn't say much, but nodded solemnly.

Subsequently, Ouyang Ming activated the Sunset Token, opening the secret realm gate deep within Sunset Valley.

He and the others stepped forward and slowly walked inside.

Then the door shook and disappeared from sight.

"It's finally starting."

Xu Zhou took a deep breath and turned to look at his fellow disciples: "The aura of the Sunset Order will only last for three months, which means they will return sometime within the next three months."

"I will trouble you all to wait here with me for some time so that I can receive them."

The others immediately laughed and said, "Not at all, not at all."

"The secret realm is fraught with danger. When they go in to take risks, someone always needs to come and help them when they leave."

"Since the sect did not arrange anyone to be stationed in Sunset Valley, and we were not qualified to enter, we should still stay here and help Master Xu, to do our part."

Xu Zhou bowed to everyone again to express his gratitude.

Of course, one reason these people were willing to stay was because Xu Zhou promised each of them five hundred spirit stones.

Although it's not as much as the two thousand per person for entering the secret realm, it's still a considerable reward.

The group chatted idly and then went to find a few abandoned houses nearby, intending to clean them up so they could live there for the next two months.

...

Xu Zhou's lifestyle remains unchanged.

Although the environment has changed and I can no longer practice alchemy, I can still maintain my daily reading routine.

After everyone finished cleaning the house, he chose a small, detached cabin in the center and secluded himself there to read and meditate every day.

Of course, he did not let his guard down.

Outside their house, Xu Zhou quietly set up several sensing arrays. He also set up a protective array outside his own hut.

The former can issue a warning when there are external enemies, while the latter can be activated instantly to withstand the full-force attack of a Qi Refining cultivator.

Juan was dead, and no one else could see the formation.

Only after doing all this did he feel at ease.

Time flies, and a month and a half has passed.

The group lived there every day, each busy with their own cultivation. Those who had no interest in cultivation would visit each other, and they lived a rather relaxed life.

One day, there was a knock on Xu Zhou's door.

Hearing the noise outside the door, Xu Zhousu woke up and couldn't help but frown slightly.

He thought it was an attack by an enemy, so he immediately used his divine sense to connect with the outer detection array, but found nothing unusual.

"Strange, didn't I say there were no external enemies and I didn't need to be called?"

He was puzzled, but he still got up and opened the door.

Outside the door stood a fellow cultivator who lived nearby, his expression grave.

"Master Xu, something has happened that I needed to tell you."

The other person's tone was strange, as if they were confused or uncertain about something.

Xu Zhou hesitated for a moment, then asked, "Junior Brother Zhao Cheng, what exactly happened?"

Zhao Cheng considered his words for a moment before whispering, "Just yesterday, when Senior Brother Lu went to check if there was any movement at the entrance to the secret realm, he discovered a strange mark."

The mark wasn't a footprint; it looked more like a tail mark left by a python.

"A python's tail mark?"

Xu Zhou's thoughts raced, and he gestured for him to continue.

Zhao Cheng continued, "Senior Brother Lu checks every few days and clearly remembers that there wasn't this mark last time."

Fearing it might be a snake demon, he gathered a few people to search the surrounding area. If it really was a snake demon, they would hunt it down and kill it.

As a result, they found a black snakeskin in a cave in the valley.

"Black snakeskin!?"

Xu Zhou's pupils suddenly contracted.

Normally, he wouldn't have reacted if he heard they had found black snakeskin.

After all, there are many kinds of snake-like monsters, and quite a few of them have jet-black scales, so there's nothing to be surprised about.

But things are different now.

It is said that Song Wubai, who brutally murdered a late-stage Qi Refining disciple of the sect a few months ago, was raising a black snake demon beast!

Zhao Cheng came to see him specifically, his tone serious, clearly not just for an ordinary snake demon, but with a hidden meaning.

He immediately asked, "You suspect that Song Wubai is hiding nearby?"

Zhao Cheng nodded slightly.

"Although we thought it was just a coincidence, Senior Brother Yang had raised demonic beasts before and knew some knowledge about beast taming. He noticed that the length of the black snake skin was a bit exaggerated and suspected that a first-level peak snake demon was living nearby."

Everyone thought that since Song Wubai had disappeared for so long, he might really be hiding in Sunset Valley. Just to be on the safe side, they wanted to search the surrounding area, so they sent me to inform Master Xu about this.”

Xu Zhou pondered for a moment.

What Zhao Cheng said was true; a first-tier peak demonic beast roaming around here could indeed pose a threat to them.

Out of caution, he should indeed be killed.

But he still said, "No problem, but you should be careful. If this molting python really is the one next to Song Wubai, you need to proceed with caution."

Zhao Cheng smiled slightly: "Don't worry, Master Xu. Even if that python belongs to Song Wubai, he was injured by the sect elders before, and he is probably not fully recovered yet."

With our large numbers of people on this side, and with careful vigilance, we will never give him an opportunity.

If we really find him, we must seize the opportunity to kill him here and avenge Senior Brother He and the others!

Xu Zhou hummed in agreement.

The disciples of the sect were shocked by the murder of He Zhang and his wife, thinking that Song Wubai really had some kind of ruthless methods.

But it was later learned that Song Wubai had taken advantage of the fact that Senior Brother He and his companion were off guard, approached them with a smile, and then suddenly launched a sneak attack.

Their combat abilities may not be weak, but they are not beyond imagination.

On their side, including Xu Zhou, there were a total of six late-stage Qi Refining cultivators. If even one or two of them joined forces, and they took precautions in advance, they theoretically wouldn't be afraid of Song Wubai.

"In that case, you should still be careful."

Xu Zhou pondered for a while and then asked, "Should I come along too? There are more of us, so we'll have a better chance of winning."

Zhao Cheng quickly replied, "That's not necessary."

"Master Xu, just stay here peacefully. No matter how powerful Song Wubai is, he's still just a Qi Refining cultivator. We have our own ways of dealing with him."

Xu Zhou could tell from his expression that the other party was afraid that he was not good at fighting and would drag them down.

However, seeing the other party's confident demeanor, he nodded and said, "Alright."

...

With Xu Zhou's permission, Zhao Cheng and two others went together to search for the python's whereabouts.

The remaining two stayed at the camp to protect Xu Zhou's safety.

No one was worried about this arrangement.

Don't underestimate these individuals just because they failed to secure entry into the secret realm; they are all renowned figures within their sects. Any two of them working together could easily defeat Li Zelei at his peak.

With the three of them together, it can be said that no one below the Foundation Establishment stage can defeat them.

Song Wubai was infamous, but he was ultimately just an ordinary disciple within the Liang Kingdom's sect, and there were no rumors about him.

Although people were wary of him, they were not too afraid of him.

After all, what truly terrified the other side was that sneak attack.

If they were to fight head-on, both being at the late stage of Qi Refining, they might not necessarily lose.

As for the ferocious python, this kind of low-intelligence beast is invincible against low-level cultivators, but in the eyes of the group, it is not difficult to deal with.

Xu Zhou couldn't find any fault with it either.

Just to be on the safe side, after the three left, he used the excuse of looking at them to take out several spirit trees from the Wenling Bag and place them around the house.

If something unexpected happens to them, he can immediately use the Five Fiends Formation to prepare for any unforeseen circumstances.

After the three set off, Xu Zhou and the other two lost their focus on cultivation and waited patiently outside.

About two hours later, the sun began to set in the west.

Seeing that his three fellow disciples had not returned for a long time, Xu Zhou couldn't help but turn his head to look at the white-bearded cultivator who was accompanying them.

Seeing this, the senior brother immediately said with a smile, "Master Xu, don't be anxious. Although the black python demon beast is not a threat, as a demon beast, its ability to escape is still not weak. It will take some time to hunt it down."

Another cultivator in green robes nodded in agreement: "That's right, maybe. They're already fighting right now. They should be back in another hour or two."

Xu Zhou nodded.

For some reason, he still felt vaguely irritated.

Just then, his pupils twitched slightly.

Suddenly, his divine sense reacted, sensing that the detection array he had set up on the periphery was now responding.

A moment later, a familiar figure appeared before everyone.

Zhao Cheng staggered over, covered in blood and grime, his face filled with terror and disarray.

His voice sounded weak, probably from shouting for too long, making it sound hollow.

"Something terrible has happened! Something terrible has happened!"

He seemed terrified, half-crawling and half-rolling as he came over, his right leg limping, clearly indicating a serious injury.

"Senior Brother Lu and the others... are still behind..."

"Quick! That thing is catching up..."

Upon seeing this, the white-bearded cultivator's expression immediately turned serious. He quickly stepped forward to help the other person up, saying, "Tell me slowly, what exactly happened?"

Zhao Cheng did not answer immediately.

Upon seeing the white-bearded monk, a glimmer of hope rose in his previously empty eyes, and he reached out as if grasping at a straw: "They..."

In that instant, Xu Zhou felt a chill run down his spine.

"Be careful!"

He immediately offered a reminder.

But by then, it was too late.

Zhao Cheng, who had just appeared to be on the verge of fainting, suddenly had a fierce glint in his eyes.

Facing the white-bearded cultivator before him, he slightly moved his lips and exhaled a beam of white light.

The white light arrived in an instant.

It had already reached between the white-bearded monk's eyebrows.