"Excellent! Though this magical form falls short of my true body, the fact that you've survived my single strike indicates you're no mere novice. I shall then offer you as a blood sacrifice!" The "Nanlong Marquis" said, his voice solemn. His black aura had grown even denser than before, and his pair of silver-white eyes, now icy cold, fixed upon the elder with unblinking, lifeless intensity. The elder felt a deep chill spreading through him. Immediately after speaking, the Marquis moved with sudden fluidity, leaving a trail of shimmering phantom imprints behind him as he surged toward the elder, making no further ado. The elder was utterly stunned, trying to break free from the stone wall, but time simply wasn't on his side. The Marquis's movements were so swift that he reached the elder in an instant, appearing like a ghost, and already a claw wrapped in black mist was driving straight for the elder's head. Panicked, the elder decided to press on, channeling all his remaining inner energy into the glowing crimson silk robe. At that moment, the crimson light curtain before him surged upward by half a foot. The black claw, under the impassive gaze of the "Nanlong Marquis," drove straight through with force. A strange, sharp sound resonated. The light curtain blazed brilliantly. With the elder's growing anxiety, the ghostly claw finally halted after penetrating the curtain by several inches. Relieved, the elder exhaled deeply, his complexion regaining a touch of color. His body shimmered once more, and he summoned his protective aura, ready to break through the rigid, iron-like sealing stone walls. The "Nanlong Marquis," however, gave a slight upward curve to his mouth, a hint of scorn evident. A tremendous crash followed as the Marquis raised his other arm and struck the crimson curtain. The aura the elder had just projected instantly began to dissipate in half, despite his puzzlement over the Marquis's intent. Before the elder could comprehend the reason, the Marquis's arm, now deeply embedded in the curtain, suddenly pulled back, and then swiftly delivered another lightning-fast punch. The light curtain trembled once more, and the residual protective glow on the elder’s body was completely dispersed under the impact. At the same time, his form sank further, plunging several inches into the stone wall. "Unfortunate!" The elder, now seeing this, finally recalled something, his face turning pale with alarm. He quickly shook the white magical banner in his hands, eager to summon its power. Yet, "Nanlong Marquis" raised both fists, calmly delivering one punch after another, refusing to grant the elder any chance to deploy the banner. Each punch precisely shattered the half-portion of spiritual energy the elder had just infused into the banner, scattering it with increasing speed and force, the thunderous sounds of impact rising continuously. In his astonishment, the elder attempted other secret techniques, but again, the energy he had just begun to gather was dispersed before it could coalesce, leaving him unable to accumulate sufficient power. Thus, Lu and Wei Ying, though possessing immense magical prowess and divine abilities, were completely trapped within the stone wall, unable to unleash a single spell or move, and could only watch helplessly as the crimson light curtain before them gradually thinned and faded, their faces revealing deep despair. The elder of the Lu family, his complexion turning as pale as paper, felt an even sharper chill when he met the cold, silver gaze of the "Nanlong Marquis." Undoubtedly, if the situation persisted, he would surely have his treasure shatter and be crushed into pulp. With this thought, the elder clenched his teeth and suddenly roared. Above him, white mist shimmered, and a Yuan-Embryo resembling him instantly materialized atop his forehead. This Yuan-Embryo, though visibly startled, tightly clutched a small blue-hazy sword in both hands. At the same moment, the light curtain formed by the ancient treasure, the Huangyang Sha, began to crack. The last trace of hesitation from the Yuan Ying also vanished without a trace. It suddenly stomped its foot, and in an instant, the Yuan Ying disappeared mid-air, reappearing directly at the entrance. Then, it prepared to summon its sword and vanish into the passage, fleeing for safety. At that moment, the elder cultivator had only just cast out the sword he carried in his arms, preparing to soar upward and merge with his life-support artifact in a final, desperate effort—when suddenly, he seemed to hear a faint wind, followed by a sudden warmth spreading through his mind. Something within his brow and foreheads surged forth, extending prominently. The ghost-faced figure saw the Yuan Ying fall to the ground and suddenly grinned fiercely. The long-tongued beast expanded its mouth and, in one swift motion, drew the elder’s Yuan Ying into its mouth, chewing it several times before swallowing it whole. Only then did the ghost-faced figure reveal a satisfied expression and slowly close his eyes. At that moment, the "Nanlong Marquis" finally turned around. He glanced impassively at the blue sword, now bereft of its master, a flash of sternness passing through his eyes. Reaching out, he swiftly extracted the heart of the Lu-named elder from his body and gently squeezed it, transforming it into a swirling mist of blood. The body’s vitality was instantly severed. After completing these actions, the "Nanlong Marquis" scanned the scene with an expressionless gaze before fading into a dark mist and vanishing into the corridor. A moment later, he appeared at the bottom of the pond. Surveying the several spell arrays now left unattended, a cold smile played upon his face. He then swiftly ascended, flying straight toward the surface of the pond. In the time it takes to brew a cup of tea, the Marquis of Nanlong appeared atop a stone mountain, floating hundreds of zhang above the mountain's surface and surveying the surroundings. By ascending to such a height, he naturally triggered the prohibitive spells of ZuiMo Valley, causing countless blood-red lightning bolts to descend continuously, all aimed directly at him. Yet before these lightning bolts reached within a zhang of his body, they suddenly veered aside, bending gracefully around him, allowing him to remain undisturbed and steadfast amidst the thunder and flashes. After carefully observing the landscape for a long while, the Marquis finally identified the direction. His eyes then narrowed intently toward a particular direction, with silver light flickering constantly within them. Suddenly, his form transformed into a stream of dark energy, shooting forward through the air, and soon vanished without a trace at the horizon. Meanwhile, within the basin, the Master of Gui Ling Sect, Wei Wuyi, and others were engaged in battle beside the altar, lifting their heads to gaze at the nearly endless staircase, marveling at what they saw. They should have arrived here long ago, but as they drew near the altar over a dozen li, a wide-ranging seal began to manifest. Only by breaking this seal could they proceed further. This delay naturally consumed half a day, and it wasn't until then that the group finally reached the altar. Now that they were close, they could see clearly—the altar, though magnificent in appearance, had stood for an unknown length of time. Wild grasses covered the steps, and in some areas, the structure had begun to show signs of decay. "Come on! As soon as we reach the top of the altar, we'll be able to trace the whereabouts of the Ling Miao Garden and find a way in," said the headmaster of the Gui Ling Sect, after carefully inspecting the scene and finally speaking up. He then stepped forward and took the first step onto the altar. Yet immediately, the headmaster couldn't help but loudly curse, causing everyone else to pause in surprise. "Everyone—be careful!" There are still other restrictions on this staircase—it seems quite difficult to reach the top of the altar. Gazing up at the staircase that stretches almost to the horizon, the ghostly gate master, whose surroundings now glow with yellow light, grits her teeth in frustration. Wei Wuyi hears this and frowns slightly. Though he doesn't mind the restrictions himself, this means their journey to the altar's summit will now be delayed, which leaves him quite helpless. In fact, not only Wei Wuyi, but everyone else's expressions are equally strained. Since learning of Ling Miao Garden, they've been eager to reach it, and now find themselves growing increasingly impatient with the various restrictions appearing recently. "Let's go!" Wang Tian Gu sighs, and steps onto the staircase himself. A flash of yellow light nearby, and suddenly he feels his body grow heavier, as though his shoulders now weigh a thousand pounds. At this moment, the others follow suit, each encountering the same experience. Wei Wuyi remained motionless, as if completely unconcerned. The three Dan-stage disciples of the Gui Ling Sect, however, shook slightly, their faces growing pale. The group slowly made their way upward toward the altar's summit. This plant stands about several feet tall, its upper part densely covered with elliptical leaves the size of a thumb. At the very top, however, four unusual fruits grow solitary and distinct. These fruits are entirely crimson, slender at the top and broader at the base, with a faint red glow at their apex—resembling a single red candle lit on a candlestand—and emit a strong, medicinal fragrance. Han Li, already certain that these were the Ling Zhu Guo, only smiled slightly upon hearing Zi Ling's description. "I'll go right away and harvest this fruit," Zi Ling said, taking a deep breath and turning her graceful head to suggest it to Han Li.