"Very well," Nan Long Hou gazed at the modest stone gate, his expression thoughtful, but finally exhaled a long breath. "The qi on this gate seems rather strong in its magical essence. Won't there be any issues?" Lu Weiying studied it for a moment, still somewhat uneasy. "This gate was sealed by an ancient cultivator using his entire life essence. Naturally, it differs from ordinary seals—this is entirely normal. So, Lu brother, are you now considering backing out?" Nan Long Hou glanced at him calmly. "Backing out? We've already reached this point—how could I possibly do such a foolish thing? Though, to be safe, perhaps we should proceed with greater caution." The elder shook his head, speaking seriously. "Lu brother, your suggestion does make sense. Indeed, this gate feels rather unsettling. Then, how about we first establish several layers of seals outside the gate? That way, should anything go wrong, we'll still have a solid retreat." Nan Long Hou thought for a moment, his expression easing. "That's a good plan indeed." "As the esteemed friend has mentioned." Lu Weiying nodded without hesitation, readily agreeing. Thus, the Nanzhong Marquis and the elder retrieved several sets of array tools and began setting up the magical array at the bottom of the water pond. ... However, just as the Nanzhong Marquis and his companion were preparing to unlock the gate of the blood curse, at another part of the inner valley, within a massive mountain covered in dark stone, a group of several people were slowly making their way toward the summit. Leading the group was a middle-aged cultivator with a stern, severe expression, beside whom stood an elderly man in a green robe—none other than the Master of the Gui Ling Sect and Wei Wuyi. Wang Tiangu, meanwhile, trailed behind the two by about a zhang. Behind them, four junior disciples of the Gui Ling Sect, all at the Jiedan stage, followed closely. "This place truly seems strange—so remote, yet hundreds of li away, there are already sealing spells restricting the sky, making even flight several feet above the ground impossible," Wang Tiangu murmured, gazing up at the distant crimson clouds. "The more so, the more we've found the right place." If I were an ancient cultivator, I would also choose such a location for my most vital grounds. After all, with such a seal in place, I can hardly imagine many cultivators willing to walk for one or two days just to reach here." The Master of Gui Ling Sect spoke calmly, his expression unchanged. "We've invested so much effort—hopefully we haven't chosen the wrong place. Along the way, we've already lost three disciples." Wang Tiangu expressed a touch of resignation. The Master of Gui Ling Sect smiled slightly, saying nothing in reply. Yet at that moment, Wei Wuya glanced toward the summit, his face expressionless, and said, "Since entering the inner valley, we've traveled for three days and two nights—by now, we should have arrived, shouldn't we? Don't tell me we still have to walk for several more days!" "Please rest assured, Master Wei. Once we cross this mountain, we'll reach our destination. There's no need to rush. Should this matter succeed, not only will our Gui Ling Sect become the foremost sect of the demonic path, but Master Wei's breakthrough to the stage of Huashen cultivation is also within reach." The Master of Gui Ling Sect treated Wei Wuyi with great respect, and after a moment of easing his expression, said, "Hmph! To be honest, I never truly believed the legends of Ling Miao Garden. Most likely, it's just a rumor passed down through generations of ancient cultivators. If such a space truly existed at the boundary between the Spirit Realm and our human realm, it should have been discovered by other cultivators long ago and would have been preserved by now." Wei Wuyi paused, delivering this remark with a touch of irony. "Then, if you don't believe it, why did you initially accept our Sect's invitation so readily?" The Master of Gui Ling Sect showed no surprise, instead asking with genuine interest. "Since Wang Dao-you has made such a serious commitment, bringing nearly half of our elite cultivators along, it clearly indicates that he has strong confidence in this journey to the Valley of the Fallen Demon. I suspect the place he's seeking—though perhaps not exactly Ling Miao Garden—must be an ancient cultivator's hidden sanctuary. Since I now know of this matter, I naturally wish to be involved as well." You've used my name to calm the other cultivators entering the valley. In return, I'll bestow some of my treasures—shouldn't that be fair?" Wei Wuya spoke without hesitation, bluntly. "Hah! Brother Wei is indeed direct and to the point. Yet, there's one matter you've overlooked. Our sect has invested so much effort precisely in pursuit of the Ling Miao Garden. This garden is no mere fiction—it is very real. In fact, the entire Jue Mo Valley was constructed centuries ago specifically to guard the Ling Miao Garden. All we need to do is cross this mountain and wait a few more hours, and then we shall be able to see it firsthand. At that point, opening this space will surely require your further assistance." The Master of Gui Ling Sect laughed heartily, his expression tinged with a touch of pride. Wei Wuya, upon hearing this, was somewhat surprised, his face now showing genuine interest. "From the way Master Wang speaks, it seems as though you already possess tangible evidence confirming the existence of the Ling Miao Garden." "Indeed, our sect has about seven or eight out of ten confidence in verifying the garden's existence." As for the evidence, once we arrive, Friend Wei will naturally know. The middle-aged man in black spoke these words, his face now glowing with an air of mystery. Indeed, he showed the qualities of a true leader—though himself only at the initial stage of Yuan Ying cultivation, he faced Friend Wei, a grand Yuan Ying cultivator of the late stage, with complete composure. Wei Wuyi nodded, his expression returning to its usual calm, though a quiet smile of contempt stirred within him. No matter how dazzling the claims of the current Master of Gui Ling Sect might be, he would never believe a word unless he personally saw the traces of Ling Miao Garden. Of course, Wei Wuyi would not directly voice these thoughts. Instead, he smiled gently and shifted the topic, suddenly mentioning another matter. "Since Elder Zhong of your sect entered the valley, he has been acting independently from us. After such a long time, we still haven't heard any news of him. Could Master Wang kindly inform us of Elder Zhong's current whereabouts? Surely, your sect wouldn't allow such a Yuan Ying mid-stage elder to simply wander around the Fuzhema Valley, like other cultivators?" "Friend Wei is jesting." Not to mention my esteemed friend, Elder Zhong has actually gone to another secret location within the valley to seek out another treasure from a different sect. Of course, though this treasure is rare, it undoubtedly cannot compare with Ling Miao Garden. The Master of Gui Ling Sect seemed entirely unconcerned by this, calmly responding. Hearing such an open and straightforward admission, Wei Wuyi managed a weak smile, and found himself unable to press further questions. The group fell silent once again, continuing their steady, quiet progress toward the mountain peak. ...At a certain exit of the great gully deep within the inner valley, a sudden thunderous roar echoed through the gully, where vibrant hues of five colors shimmered. Then, a brilliant burst of light erupted, followed by flashes of lightning and thunder. Suddenly, a group of cultivators surged forth from the gully. Leading them were an elderly master and an elder dressed in green robes. Though neither appeared injured, their appearances were notably disheveled—dusty and pale, as though they had weathered a storm. These were Tianjing True Person and Dongmen Tu, the Grand Elder of Yuling Sect. The other five green-robed cultivators trailing behind them were similarly clad in tattered garments, their faces pale, clearly having endured hardships. In contrast, the two evil spirit puppets remained unchanged, exactly as they had been before. "At last, we've broken through the seal and entered the inner valley. I never expected Tianjing's two puppets to be so formidable—almost on par with early-stage top-tier cultivators. Truly admirable!" Only after Dongmen Tu had surged forward several dozen zhang beyond the valley's mouth did his evasive light finally settle. Turning back, he glanced at the rugged gorge behind him and then at the two grim-faced evil spirit puppets, his eyes gleaming with surprise. "Puppets are merely puppets. No matter how formidable, how could they possibly match the strength of Dongmen Brother's own disciples? Each of these five has mastered one of the Five Elements' cultivation techniques; together, they might hold their own against a Yuan婴后期 cultivator for a while, at least." Tianjing, clearly harboring deep reservations toward Dongmen Tu, had deliberately stayed behind after emerging from the valley, maintaining a measured distance. As the two mechanical puppets now flickered and stepped to stand behind the elder monk. Observing this, Dongmen Tu's expression darkened momentarily, before he sighed and offered a weary smile. "Tianjing Brother truly is most cautious of me. I had thought, after these two days of joint efforts in breaking the array, that you would have no lingering bias. Perhaps you might reconsider the alliance." "If we work together to seek the treasure, it would surely be more reliable than if we each pursued it separately," said Dongmen Tu. "What a notion!" the Tianjing Master exclaimed, showing no bias toward his companion. "I truly enjoy traveling alone. Let's not even discuss joining forces. Now that both of us have entered the inner valley, I shall be off." With a casual laugh, Tianjing Master politely declined, bowed, and then fixed his gaze steadily on Dongmen Tu's face, never shifting it. Upon seeing this, Dongmen Tu furrowed his brows slightly, then smiled warmly. "Should Master Tianjing truly prefer to go alone, then I shall have no further hesitation. Let us part ways then. I sincerely hope Master Tianjing achieves great success!" He spoke calmly and gently. "Ah, well, then, I shall be grateful for many kind words from Master Dongmen," replied Tianjing Master, his expression instantly relaxing and composed. Then the old monk led the two puppets, slightly oriented themselves in direction, and immediately departed at a steady, unhurried pace. As the Tianjing Trueperson's figure gradually receded into the distance, the elder in green robes suddenly grew gloom-faced. "This old man is truly cautious. After two days of coexistence, he has shown not a single flaw. Otherwise, if those two puppets had been revealed during the treasure-hunting expedition within the inner valley, I would have felt even safer." Dongmen Tu sighed, seemingly unconvinced, glanced around, and then tapped his spiritual beast pouch at the waist. A sudden "whoosh"—a magnificent, silvery bat, glowing with radiant light, shot out from the pouch and landed before Dongmen Tu. He raised his hand, and a dark pill shot into the air. The silver bat caught the pill in mid-air and swallowed it whole, then spiraled once before suddenly taking off in a new direction. Seeing this, Dongmen Tu quickly called out to the five disciples behind him, leading them as a streak of green light toward the scene. The five cultivators of Yuling Sect followed closely behind. To one's surprise, the traces of human presence at the valley entrance had vanished entirely.