As everyone simultaneously launched their attacks against the large array surrounding the palace, the elegant young woman whispered to Mu Lady, expressing her growing concern. "Senior sister, are you truly going to help them break through this magical array? Isn't the palace simply the sealed sanctuary of the ancient demonic sage ancestor mentioned by Xiang Laoti? Otherwise, how could the Eight-Spirit Rulers have appeared here?" The matter was never fully explained to my younger sister at the outset, which is no wonder she has so many concerns. Master Fu responded with confidence. "Ah, now I understand—this is precisely why I didn't think it wise to summon magic to reinforce the seal, but instead insisted on coming here with you without hesitation. Yet regarding this Eight-Spirit Ruler, we..." The graceful woman suddenly realized. "Indeed, the Eight-Spirit Ruler is an heirloom passed down from our ancestors in the Huaxian Sect. It is only natural that we should reclaim it." Before the graceful woman could finish speaking, Master Fu interjected. "That's true, but I suspect we may find it difficult to secure this treasure." The graceful woman glanced around at the cultivators and silver-winged night demons, hesitating. "That's not certain. Don't forget that the Four-Element Ruler in your hands is actually a replica of the Eight-Spirit Ruler. When the time comes to compete for the treasure, if you activate this ruler, it might prove unexpectedly effective." Moreover, even if we fail, don't forget that Master Lao is always ready to arrive at any moment. Once the Celestial Immortal Artifact falls into anyone's hands, he'll surely insist on having it returned. With his longstanding ties to our Huaxian Sect, he'll surely be able to secure at least substantial benefits—even if he can't deliver the Eight-Spirit Ruler's Staff to us. Wood Lady spoke with a touch of cunning. "That's true. Still, we haven't yet determined where the black teleportation array in the stone chamber we brought over leads. Could it be that this very array marks the actual site of the ancient dragon-mage's sealing? It's a pity it failed. If only we had gone there first to inspect it!" The graceful lady recalled another matter, expressing her concern. "Who knows? It's very possible. In our sect's archives, there's no specific record of the ancient dragon-mage's sealing." Wood Lady paused, only able to respond thus. As the two girls were whispering and discussing in secret, they were unaware that within another nearby, dimly lit space, the ancient magical sage-ancestor they spoke of was currently breaking free from the layers of seals binding him. Five magical artifacts—the glasses, the jade lotus, the circular ring, the command arrow, and the small black vial—hovered above the two-headed giant wolf, projecting successive beams of black light downward, each beam sinking into the massive silver wolf’s body. This caused a solemn, eerie magical glow to spread across the wolf’s surface, pushing the talismans and chains clinging to its body away by several inches, as if forcibly dislodged. The talismans and black chains now flickered with vibrant luminescence, as though their internal enchantments had been awakened. Yet the most astonishing phenomenon lay not in this, but rather in the yellow copper mirrors arrayed on all four sides. At this moment, they all emitted a resonant hum, and the beams of golden-yellow light they projected were now several times thicker than before, making the enclosure they formed appear utterly unyielding and impregnable. The ancient demon, with two heads and four arms, hovers in midair, using his four hands to channel incantations that activate the five magical artifacts. Both faces are solemn, intently observing the silver wolf above. Beneath the wolf, the black teleportation array is temporarily halted, enveloped in a set of gray-lit banner flags to prevent any other cultivators from entering. Time passed gradually. When the black wolf-head finally dissolved the last scroll near its body, it roared lowly, and its already imposing form grew even larger within the flickering black light, as if transforming into a divine being who would fill the entire space with his presence. The cage composed of yellow light columns, which had barely contained the giant wolf for a moment, was forcibly stretched and burst, and hundreds of bronze mirrors shattered simultaneously, turning into scattered stars and vanishing without a trace. Yet the once-unimpressive great circumferential chain of stars, under the shifting glow, grew thicker and larger in tandem with the wolf's expanding form, still tightly binding it without loosening a single moment. Moreover, as the wolf struggled, a layer of milky-white flame suddenly ignited across the surface of the thick chain. The scent of charred flesh instantly filled the entire space. This white flame disregarded the protective magical glow on the giant wolf's body, directly igniting its silvery fur. A look of intense pain appeared on the black wolf's head. Clearly, this fire was no ordinary one. Below, the ancient demon, upon seeing the milky-white flame, showed a subtle expression of fear, murmuring softly: "Pure Yang White Bone Fire! I didn't expect those ancient cultivators to have incorporated this beast's flame into this chain. This is going to be troublesome." Yet at that moment, the black wolf suddenly snapped its massive head with a thunderous crash, causing black electrical arcs to coalesce into a spherical bolt that soared into the air—only to burst apart moments later. Countless black arcs then surged down from the sky, striking all the black chains. Instantly, the white flame and black electricity intertwined and flashed together, like two strange serpents locked in a fierce struggle, their eerie, resonant rumbling growing louder. Yet the black wolf-headed figure would not be satisfied. As its purple flame surged, a low, resonant incantation flowed from its mouth, casting out a wave of dark, hazy light that swept outward. Where it passed, surging black waves rose, sweeping away countless unknown seals at a distance—its momentum astonishing. Had the Taiguan Sect's reputation not been so towering, and had Xuanqing Zi not himself been a senior cultivator at the Metamorphic Immortal stage, it's likely that among these present guests, someone would have already grown impatient and attempted to breach the fissure behind them. Yet even thus, this Taiguan elder probably couldn't hold off the others for long—after all, many of these cultivators are now senior elders from major sects and great families, powers that even the Taiguan Sect itself is reluctant to provoke. "Xuanqing Zi, brother, how long exactly do you intend for us to wait? I came here not to waste time idly," finally someone in the crowd grew impatient and stepped forward, an elder with a radiant complexion, a cultivator at the Metamorphic Immortal Mid-stage. "Luo friend, haven't I already explained? The fissure is currently impassable—my presence here is not merely a matter of wanting to see you all perish without a trace." Xuanqing Zi sighed inwardly, yet still opened his eyes and replied calmly, his expression serene. "But how do I hear that disciples from Yin Luo Sect and Hua Xian Sect have already entered ahead? What could be the reason?" the elder named Luo asked, sounding dissatisfied. "That is because Lady Mu and Brother Qian have the Day-Moon Sails and the Spirit-Linked Peacock to pave the way, so they were able to take the risk and venture in. If Brother Luo also possessed one of the Three Spiritual Sails, I would absolutely have no hesitation in allowing him to proceed. In fact, all it would take is just a few more days of patience, and the crack would naturally heal itself." Xuan Qingzi spoke calmly. "Waiting a few more days—by then, I'm afraid the treasures inside will have already been completely plundered by Elder Qian and his companions!" A slightly impatient voice came next, and then a figure completely enveloped in a green mist stepped forward from among the crowd. "Ah, it's also Brother Yu from Bi Lin Yi who has arrived," Xuan Qingzi remarked, his brows furrowing slightly upon seeing the figure. Though not a disciple from a major sect or grand lineage, this person's mastery of toxic arts was renowned throughout Dajin, making him a particularly troublesome opponent even To be honest, he never truly cared about the lives of these people—should they all be lost within the fissure, he would not even raise an eyebrow. However, an earlier confidential report indicated that it was a cultivator from the Ye family who would be responsible for unlocking the seal. While pondering what motives the Ye family might have, he immediately received a mysterious command from within the sect: he and the Seventh Master of Tianmo Sect had to jointly enter the fissure, and in the meantime, he was to prevent other cultivators from entering. The identity of the person who issued this command was exceptionally unique within the Taiyi Sect—so much so that even he could not dare to disobey. Otherwise, how could someone of his standing undertake such an ungrateful and burdensome task? Moreover, since the command specifically required two late-stage cultivators to join forces in order to enter the sealed area, it was clear that whatever lay within the seal was far from ordinary. Indeed, not long ago he received another letter scroll, which contained information about this seal. Upon reading it, the elder monk was deeply astonished and regretted deeply his earlier decision to allow the old demon magi and others to enter. Now, he was even more hesitant to let any other cultivators enter the fissure. Otherwise, with so many cultivators entering, disturbances would surely arise. What if the sealed figure were released—then who in the human realm could stand against him? Moreover, there were even celestial immortality treasures inside, which naturally could not be shared with others. (Second update!)