Deep within the earth, some twenty miles east of Xiaohubei, hundreds of cultivators still gathered at the entrance of the sealing fissure. The explosive burst of the illusion array had made the fissure, several zhang wide, clearly visible to all, yet it had simultaneously rendered this passage more perilous. Silver light flashed incessantly, surging forth like waves of silver. At the entrance, cultivators from smaller sects and independent practitioners who felt they could not participate in the contest had retreated to a safe distance. Besides them, three groups of cultivators remained gathered there, seemingly in a stalemate. One group consisted entirely of young, elegant female cultivators dressed in emerald robes—each of them youthful and graceful, native to the southern region. However, only two of them held leadership roles: one a mid-Stage Yuan Ying cultivator with an ordinary appearance, and the other a young woman at the initial Yuan Ying stage, exceptionally beautiful and refined. Facing them directly were a group of thirty or so cultivators. Yet it was strange that these people seemed to be divided into two distinct groups—some dressed in black robes, others in snowy white long gowns. Before them stood five Yuan-Ence cultivators. Ge Tianhao and the celestial maiden Tian Lan, Lin Yinping, were clearly among them. But what truly caught the eye was a young, elegant man standing beside the celestial maiden, whose aura of spiritual energy indicated he was a late-stage Yuan-Ence cultivator—none other than the great master Xu from the Tian Lan Grasslands. The final group consisted of only three young Daoists in green robes, led by an elderly Daoist with white hair and a red face, possessing a noble bearing and a refined aura—also a late-stage great cultivator. "Madam Mu, why does your sect feel compelled to become involved in this matter? It's not that I hold any slight against you, but the journey is exceptionally perilous. A single misstep could severely damage the Hua Xian Sect's strength. I've only been able to urge you to stay back out of deep personal regard for our past friendship," the elderly Daoist said, speaking earnestly to the woman. From the tone of voice, it was clear that the Daoist "Xuanqingzi, even though the Taigong Sect is said to be the foremost orthodox sect, could it really be this domineering? The seal is clearly within our own domain—how then can our HuaXian Sect not enter? As for danger, our disciples hardly give it a second thought." The woman replied calmly. These female cultivators were actually from another major sect in the Nanjiang region—the HuaXian Sect—located closest to the seal. Indeed, the HuaXian Sect's reputation in the cultivation world is even more renowned than that of the Du Sheng Sect. This is due to the nature of their cultivation techniques, which result in the majority of their disciples being female, and their senior high-ranking elders also being women. Yet, the sect's dominance over the Nanjiang region stems from its relentless array of curses and toxic spells—some of which can even kill someone unseen, even from thousands of miles away. Consequently, it is frequently reported in the cultivation world that cultivators from other sects, far removed and seemingly unrelated, suddenly perish without any apparent cause. As a result, cultivators from other sects often harbor deep apprehension and hesitation when encountering the HuaXian Sect's female members, rarely The "Wood Lady" of Huaxian Sect once had a legendary tale of simultaneously cursing and killing three peers from different locations in a single day—so astonishing that even the venerable elder had an unresolved grudge with her from their past. Thus, despite being one of the foremost elders of the Dajin's most prestigious sects, the elder maintained a courteous and reserved demeanor. Though I don't know what lies below, I can already tell it's no good thing. Furthermore, I shall not interfere in this matter. This fissure has now taken on such a form that it's unclear how the several of you could possibly pass through. Indeed, even I, the old Master, would hesitate to venture through it at this moment." Hearing these words, the elder Xuanqing Master did not grow angry but instead turned his gaze toward the silver glow at the entrance, remaining silent and noncommittal. Upon hearing the old master's words, the green-robed lady and the others, including Ge Tianhao, all fell silent. This was indeed a difficult problem. The current fluctuations of the seals within the fissure are so intense that entering it truly presents an extremely hazardous undertaking. "Our Huaxian Sect has recently acquired a rare artifact known as the Sun-Moon Loom—a rare piece of equipment that combines both offensive and defensive capabilities. If I work together with my sister, I would be willing to attempt the passage." The lady gently brushed back her forelock, speaking calmly. "The Sun-Moon Loom? That is one of the Three Spirit Looms. It is truly remarkable that the lady possesses such an artifact!" "There's nothing special about it. Our sect has only just secured this treasure, and we're planning to make it our Huaxian Sect's heritage treasure!" The Lady Mu spoke calmly, showing no hesitation. "Since the Lady has this treasure, I won't say much more. I'll simply leave it to Master Mu. I'll also enter the seal two days from now." The old monk nodded, indeed saying no more. "Two days from now? Didn't the Master just say he couldn't pass through it either? What's changed now?" Guo Tianhao sensed something was off. "Didn't I mention it? Two days from now, the Qiuli True Person of the Tianmo Sect will arrive. With Qiuli Master's divine turtle chariot, passing through this crack will be no problem." The old monk said, gently stroking his beard. "The Qiuli True Person as well?" Guo Tianhao and the others were astonished. "Very well. The confidential report we received originally involved matters between the righteous and the demonic sects—precisely the domain of both myself and my esteemed colleague, the Seventh Master of the Heavenly Demon Sect. We had just begun our separate missions in the southern regions not long ago. Now that the leads have been found, it is natural to summon our Seventh Master to lend a hand. It is not that I am timid, but if the report proves true, I believe I would be of little use alone. It would be more secure to enter the seal together with the Seventh Master." The elder monk spoke calmly. Ge Tianhao's expression finally relaxed, then he firmly declared to Xuanqing: "From the tone of your words, Master Xuanqing, it seems the seal below indeed has serious issues. Yet since our Grand Elder has already descended, I cannot simply stand by. Though we lack precious artifacts such as the Day-Moon Sling or the Spirit Turtle Flying Car, we must still make a try." "Ha! Master Xuanqing has explained so clearly, and Brother Ge seems to have confidence in his own strength. I won't be the one holding back. Please go ahead and demonstrate whatever powers you have through the crack." Xuanqing remained unsurprised, glanced calmly at Xu's Xuan-shen Master, and maintained a composed demeanor. It appears that this old master is well-informed about the origins of Xu's disciples. "Then, we shall not hesitate. Master Xu, your assistance will be greatly appreciated." Upon hearing this, Ge Tianhao chuckled and said, turning to face Xuanqing. "Well, since Brother Ge has insisted, I shall give it a try—let's see how it goes with the two of you." The young man struck his palm against a spirit-beast satchel at his waist, and instantly a cascade of colorful mist surged out from the opening. A flash of light revealed a five-colored peacock materializing in the air, its feathers several feet long radiating shimmering halos—stunning and radiant. "This is indeed the Lingxi Peacock!" Xuan Qingzi's eyes narrowed slightly, his face subtly changing in expression. "Correct. The five-toned spiritual glow emitted by the Lingxi Peacock naturally blocks the ambient celestial qi. With it leading the way, we too can proceed. Master Xuan Qing, let us go first." Upon seeing the Xu-family youth summon the spirit bird, the others immediately made no further hesitation. As the peacock emitted a clear, resonant call, they plunged into the silver light, swiftly releasing their protective talismans and following one after another. In a moment, only Tian Lan and Yin Luo Sect's junior disciples remained outside. These individuals appeared to have received prior instructions. Upon seeing Gu Tianhao and the others enter safely without any immediate issues, they immediately took their departure, each summoning their celestial light and vanishing toward the ground. In a short while, only Xuan Qingzi and the female disciples of Hua Xian Sect remained at the entrance. The wood-named woman observed this, paused thoughtfully, and then turned to issue a few instructions. Instantly, her female disciples scattered and departed. Only after seeing her disciples move away did the woman nod gently to the graceful young woman and say: "Sibling, release the spiritual shuttle!" "Understood!" the young woman replied, then touched her jade hand to her waist, producing a shimmering, double-pointed object of silver. She tossed it into the air. At the very same moment, the woman shook her fragrant sleeve, launching a golden object that was identical in appearance. At that moment, two beams of silver and gold light met in the air, intertwining and flashing—instead of bursting and scattering, they instantly fused into a single, magnificent, luminous shuttle, about one zhang in size, radiating an impressive presence. "Go!" The woman cried out with a delicate voice, then, together with the graceful lady, transformed into two streaks of brilliant light, vanishing swiftly into the shuttle. The shuttle's surface shimmered with alternating silver and gold glimmers, spinning smoothly before suddenly propelling forward and darting into the fissure. "Old Master spent so much time explaining—yet you still insisted on entering. Should anything happen, don't blame me for not warning you!" Pye Qingzi murmured, his expression slightly puzzled, as the shuttle disappeared entirely. He then gestured to the two Daoists behind him, and the three of them immediately settled into meditation, sitting cross-legged at the entrance, closing their eyes and calming their minds. With such a high-ranking cultivator stationed at the entrance, the other cultivators at a distance could only gaze at one another, speechless. Within a dim, enclosed space inside the sealed mountain of Kunwu, a colossal creature of astonishing size hovers motionless in midair, its body adorned with countless sealing talismans and encrusted with dense, interwoven chains. The talismans glow with vibrant luminescence, clearly indicating their exceptionally high rank. In contrast, the chains appear dark and lifeless, yet subtly seep with faint traces of blood.