Xuan Qingzi thought this to himself, cleared his throat a few times, and was about to say something to calm the two before him when he said, "Now, is it really the case that the Tianmo Sect and the Taimei Sect won't allow these several guests to enter? Do the several friends intend to force their way in?" As soon as these words reached the listeners, the elderly man with the surname Luo's face slightly changed. Suddenly, a streak of dark blue light shot from afar and arrived before them in a moment. When the light faded, a middle-aged scholar in a soot-colored robe with a sharp, hooked nose stepped forward. As soon as he appeared, his gaze swept over the elderly man with the surname Luo and the cultivator veiled in green mist, his expression immediately dark and stern. "Master Qiuli!" the elderly man instantly recognized the scholar, and unconsciously took a deep breath. This wasn't because Master Qiuli's powers surpassed those of Xuan Qingzi, but because the scholar, as the chief enforcer of the Tianmo Sect, was known for his particularly ruthless and severe tactics—renowned as one of the most formidable magistrates of the Great Jin Dynasty. Even a cultivator of mid Yuan- Since both your sect and the Taimei Sect have shown such seriousness, it seems the current fissure is indeed serious. My old self delaying a few days is nothing at all." The elderly man with the Luo surname chuckled, then stepped back into the crowd. The cultivators drifting through the green mist likewise remained silent and turned to depart. However, the other cultivators nearby, witnessing the unprecedented alliance between the two major sects of Zheng and Mo, grew visibly agitated. Even the most unimaginative now realized that whatever had been sealed must be of immense significance—otherwise, how could two such powerful sects have taken such resolute stances? Yet, under the combined pressure of these two sects' formidable strength, the independent cultivators and smaller sect members could only express their frustration but dared not speak out. The cultivators from slightly larger sects, on the other hand, were unwilling to be the first to take the lead. At that moment, seven or eight cultivators from the Tianmo Sect arrived from afar, all of them at the Yuan Ying stage. As soon as they arrived, they immediately drew out their array discs and banners, setting up a grand sealing array within a flash, transforming the area into a thick white mist that completely concealed the fissure's entrance. Even Xuanqing Zi and Qi Miao the True Person turned around and stepped into the array, vanishing from sight. This time, both of us have come at the behest of our superiors, and there's no choice but to do so. Just now, upon listening from a distance to what Master mentioned, I heard that members of Yin Luo Sect have already entered the seal—those very individuals. Could it be that Qian Lao Mo has come himself? Otherwise, how would Master have allowed them to enter? Wen Shi frowned slightly. "When I arrived, Qian Lao Mo had already entered the seal along with several independent practitioners. Later, Yin Luo Sect and several members from Tian Lan Grassland also entered, one of whom was a senior master from Tian Lan Grassland. At that time, I didn't fully realize the significance of this seal, so I didn't strongly resist their entry." Xuan Qingzi also grew serious. Yet, for some reason, he made no mention at all of the two young ladies from Hua Xian Sect. "Hmph! I never thought that the Ye family would employ a feint strategy—publicly presenting a replica of a celestial treasure to draw our two sects' attention, while secretly aiming to seize the genuine celestial treasure." "If it weren't for our well-placed agents within the Ye family long ago, they would still be completely unaware of what's been going on," said the Seventh Master in a solemn tone. "Unfortunately, the Ye family has been remarkably thorough this time. Though their agent had known about the matter long before, he was unable to deliver the news in advance. He could only manage to escape by partially disrupting their magical array during the chaos. Otherwise, if he had received the information earlier, they would never have had the chance to break the seal. The Heavenly Immortal Treasure is indeed rare, but if the ancient demon sage's incarnation were to be released, that would be a real loss. The Dry Elder has been inside for such a long time—perhaps he has already located the site of the seal." Xuan Qingzi sighed. "The Dry Elder is no fool; he wouldn't make such a self-sacrificing move. On the other hand, I'm not entirely confident in the cultivators from the Tianlan Grasslands. They aren't from the Great Jin sect, and therefore don't share the same level of caution." The Seventh Master shook his head. "Oh, I've heard that your sect has some connections with the Tianlan Temple—unexpectedly, your friend seems to hold such strong reservations toward them." Upon hearing this, Xuanqing Zi smiled gently. "What kind of connections? Merely some exchanges of mutual benefits, that's all." The Qi Miao True Person seemed unconvinced. "The ancient seals placed by the immortals of old are hardly so easily broken. As long as those people still uphold the ancient demon prohibitions, with our two sects working together, we should be able to contain their ambitions. Should they have already released that ancient demon avatar, however—having been imprisoned for so many years, the demon surely would have suffered significant depletion of its vital energy. With our combined efforts and the five Demon-Containment Rings I've brought, we would be more than capable of subduing it once again." Qi Miao True Person spoke calmly. "The Demon-Containment Rings? Precisely the ancient artifacts from the Spirit Realm, specifically designed to confine and restrain demons!" Xuanqing Zi's eyes lit up instantly upon hearing the name. "Indeed—these were the very treasures brought by the Spirit Realm cultivators during the ancient invasion of the Demon Realm, Even if the one sealed were a fragment of the ancient魔 Saint Ancestor, with five Ban-Magical Rings upon him, he could only be subdued and helpless. "Master Qiuyi chuckled. "That's good. I was initially concerned about some risks on this journey, but it seems Master Qiuyi has prepared thoroughly—finding such an ancient treasure." Xuan Qingzi's expression relaxed slightly. "As for me, I have no such rare treasure. These five Ban-Magical Rings were sent to us by our abbot, along with his official instructions. As for your Taomu Sect, did they not send you any accompanying treasures to aid in battle?" Wen Shi glanced sideways at the elder, his expression skeptical. "I departed rather hastily and didn't have time to prepare any special treasures. However, when we opened the gate this time, I carried the Tian A Divine Sword with me. I believe it might prove useful to assist you." Xuan Qingzi smiled slightly, with a touch of regret. "The Tian A Divine Sword? Indeed, this treasure is most suitable against demons and monsters." Upon hearing this, Wen Shi nodded in satisfaction, as if more pleased. "Nevertheless, I still find it somewhat puzzling. The message I received from the senior within the sect instructed us not to harm the ancient demon's life unless absolutely necessary, and preferably to reseal him rather than eliminate him. What could be the reasoning behind this? Wouldn't it be better to eradicate him once and for all?" Xuan Qingzi suddenly asked. After a graceful spiral before the two, it expanded upon the wind and soon grew into a great spiritual chariot several zhang in size, resembling a massive turtle shell. Xuan Qingzi smiled slightly at this. Then, the scholar and Xuan Qingzi each gave a few instructions to the accompanying cultivators, after which they both flickered and stepped into the chariot. The chariot transformed into a dark iridescent streak and directly flew into the fissure. Zhenshuan Mountain is one of the Four Great Spiritual Veins of the Great Jin Dynasty, and the Taiyuan Sect—renowned as the premier sect of the orthodox path—is located within this mountain range. The Taiyuan Sect is widely recognized as the foremost in the realm, with its influence rivalling only that of the Tianmo Sect and Wan Yao Valley. Thus, throughout the vast expanse of Zhenshuan Mountain, hundreds of large and small spiritual peaks are under the control of Taiyuan Sect cultivators. Ice Soul Valley, however, is merely an unremarkable valley within this mountain range. This valley differs greatly from other spiritually vibrant, ever-spring-like sacred sites and mountain sanctuaries in the region—not only is its spiritual energy scarce, but it is also plagued by persistent cold winds that bring a biting, icy chill. The entire valley remains year-round crystal-clear, veiled under a thick layer of snow and ice. Yet, despite being a place so unremarkable that even ordinary cultivators would scarcely glance at it, it is one of the lesser-known sealed sanctuaries of the Taimei Sect. Few disciples have even heard of this valley, let alone visited it. Outside the valley entrance, where a magical illusion array conceals it, there are no visible seals or defenses, and no Taimei cultivators are stationed beyond. In reality, no one dared enter the valley's interior for several centuries—only occasionally would senior elders arrive, and even then, they would merely speak respectfully from outside, never venturing within. But on this very day, as the Seven Marvels True Person of Nanjiang and Xuanqing Zi entered the seal's fissure, a gray-robed elder, pale and ill, appeared suddenly and ghost-like at the valley's entrance. He glanced at the illusionary array at the valley entrance, a trace of scorn flashing in his eyes. After a light cough, he dissolved into a streak of green light, as if the array at the mouth of the valley had never existed. In a short while, the green glow faded at the far end of the valley, and the elder stepped into view. He stared coldly at the massive ice wall before him, his expression suddenly darkening. "White Old Ghost," he said coldly, "you knew I had arrived. Why hide behind the coffin and refuse to receive guests?" Though his voice was quiet, a few moments later, the words echoed throughout the entire ice valley with a thunderous resonance, repeating one after another, like the sound of thunder. The ice wall trembled violently, as if it might collapse at any moment. Yet the gray-robed elder paid it no heed, his eyes half-closed, standing motionless before the wall. (First update!)