Chapter 47: The True Heir of Taiyi Sect Has Arrived

Xiong Mountain fell within the jurisdiction of the Central Action Team. As a member of the Central Action Team, Ye Dan had visited Xiong Mountain before.

After disembarking at the Badong dock, Ye Dan drove Zhu Shian and Zhu Lan in a car to the town near Xiong Mountain, then continued on foot. It was past five in the afternoon when they finally reached their destination.

"Master Zhu, there are three paths into Xiong Mountain. The most convenient one is through the canyon outside Xiong Mountain."

Ye Dan pointed it out to Zhu Shian: "Those who have been inside say to follow the path on the right side of the canyon inward until you reach a large banyan tree. There's a small path beneath the banyan tree—turn right and walk for about half an hour, and you'll reach the mountain valley of Xiong Mountain."

Zhu Lan gazed at the steep cliff face and asked curiously: "What mountain is this?"

"This is the back of Xiong Mountain."

The Action Team had built a wooden house outside the canyon, with a squad of soldiers stationed there. After introducing everyone, Ye Dan led Zhu Shian inside.

Ye Dan pointed to a map hanging on the wall: "This map was drawn by Daoist Li Qingyuan. He said the valley is full of dead trees, and the ground is completely barren. The higher you go up the mountain from the valley, the better the vegetation grows."

Zhu Shian studied the map. Two low ridges flanked a tall mountain in the center. The shape of that central mountain looked familiar, but then she noticed two more mountains on the western side connected to the ridges in an encircling formation, which made it look different.

Ye Dan added another note about the valley's environment: "Daoist Li said the reason nothing grows in the valley might be due to the heavy Yin Qi and death energy accumulated there."

Zhu Shian hummed in acknowledgment.

This terrain, surrounded on all sides, naturally prevented beneficial energy from circulating freely. Combined with the complex formations within, the Yin spirits trapped inside couldn't leave. The accumulating Yin Qi and Resentful Qi created a vicious cycle, gradually killing all the trees and grass in the valley.

What Ye Dan had said earlier—how vegetation grew better the closer to the mountaintop—was because the higher you climbed, the farther you got from the valley. The influence of Yin Qi and death energy diminished, allowing vegetation to grow.

Ye Dan said: "Ding Mao entered Xiong Mountain with Daoist Li last time. They stayed inside for ten days. Ding Mao said there were no wild chickens or rabbits in the valley—not even a single living ant. When their provisions ran out, they couldn't hunt any wild game to fill their stomachs."

Zhu Shian nodded: "If plants can't survive, naturally they can't sustain wild animals either."

Zhu Lan worried: "Then the young lady must bring more food."

Zhu Shian stared at the map: "Ding Mao's group only reached the outer valley last time. Where exactly is the outer valley?"

Ye Dan pointed to the map: "Right here. Ding Mao only reached the stone platform near the valley entrance. He didn't dare go further inside. However, Daoist Li Qingyuan walked deeper into the valley and retrieved the bodies of several Action Team comrades."

"Where is the village that was wiped out? Where did the Central Action Team members die?"

"The village is right where the banyan tree is. The Central Action Team members died in different places—some outside the valley, some inside."

Zhu Lan was astonished: "How could those herb gatherers dare to live in such a dangerous place?"

"It is dangerous indeed. Those who make their living gathering herbs have no choice but to try to avoid it as much as possible."

Xiong Mountain was not a good place. People had frequently gone missing near Xiong Mountain in the past, and various bizarre legends about Xiong Mountain circulated endlessly. This made the herb gatherers who made their living in the mountains deeply reverent of Xiong Mountain. Whenever new herb gatherers came to the area, they would burn incense and make offerings outside the canyon before daring to enter the mountain.

"Before the tragedy at the banyan tree village, there was no path leading into Xiong Mountain's valley—herb gatherers couldn't enter even if they wanted to. Daoist Li said there should have been a formation concealing the valley entrance, but for some reason the formation disappeared, which is how such a major disaster occurred."

"After Daoist Li emerged from the valley last time, he set up a formation to conceal the valley entrance. Now ordinary people shouldn't be able to find it."

Wang Qing, the small squad leader managing this route, heard Ye Dan and Zhu Shian discussing this in such detail and asked Zhu Shian: "Is this master going to Xiong Mountain?"

"Yes, I'm planning to enter the mountain tomorrow."

On the way, Zhu Shian had checked the weather—clear skies for the next few days, so there shouldn't be any rain.

Wang Qing's expression was serious: "Comrade, I must warn you—Xiong Mountain is extremely dangerous. If something happens to you inside, no one can rescue you."

"I'm aware of the consequences. Thank you for the warning."

Zhu Shian's tone was calm when she said this, and her gaze was firm. It was clear she wasn't someone who could be dissuaded.

Wang Qing then said: "Since you've decided, we'll prepare everything for your mountain entry."

The temperature inside the valley was colder than outside. If Zhu Shian was entering the mountain, she would need to prepare an extra thick cotton jacket. Additionally, since the terrain inside the valley was complex and dangerous, one trip would certainly take no less than seven or eight days.

Wang Qing and the others prepared a military coat, food, and water for Zhu Shian, packing everything into a large backpack.

Zhu Shian rested for the night in the wooden house where Wang Qing's team was stationed. The next morning, she saw the large backpack they had prepared and lifted it—must be several dozen jin, she thought.

The backpack was heavy mainly because it contained several water bottles. The bulkiness came from the military coat taking up so much space.

Ye Dan said: "The military coat is excellent. You can wear it when cold, and at night when it gets dark, you can find a safe spot to curl up and use it as a blanket. The water bottles are military-issue, good quality. After you finish the water, you can get more outside, fill the bottles, and boil it before drinking."

Besides dry cakes that could be stored for a long time, Wang Qing also prepared a large bag of fried noodles for Zhu Shian. Given her appetite, eating for over ten days wouldn't be a problem.

In addition to the large backpack they had packed for Zhu Shian, Wang Qing's team also gave her a military messenger bag and told her: "This bag is specially made, waterproof."

Waterproof was easy to understand. Xuan Sect practitioners often used yellow paper to draw various Talismans, and yellow paper couldn't get wet.

"Thank you."

Zhu Lan got up early in the morning to help Wang Qing's team make breakfast. After asking Wang Qing, she specifically used their supplies to make a bowl of egg noodle soup for the young lady.

"Young lady, come eat quickly. After this meal, you won't get another soupy meal like this until you emerge from the valley."

Zhu Shian smiled: "Don't worry. I'll emerge safely."

Zhu Lan nodded solemnly. The young lady must emerge safely.

In their Zhu Family, the young lady was the sole heir. If the young lady lost her life in this place, the Zhu Family's future would be more than half destroyed.

After breakfast, Zhu Shian put her Magic Implements and Talismans into the messenger bag, then shouldered the large backpack. She waved to Ye Dan, Zhu Lan, and Wang Qing, and said: "Goodbye. Don't see me off."

Zhu Shian walked along the narrow mountain path carved out by herb gatherers beside the canyon. The stream flowing from the distant mountains rushed and churned in the canyon below. Zhu Shian carefully watched her footing while recalling the map on the wall.

After walking along this dangerous narrow path for over two hours, Zhu Shian saw in the distance a large banyan tree swaying in the wind at a winding point.

It looked close, but Zhu Shian walked for another half hour before reaching the spot.

Zhu Shian circled around the large banyan tree. The banyan tree was exceptionally lush, just lacking a bit of human vitality.

Today was a clear spring day. Sunshine spilled down, and the small vegetable plots cleared beside the banyan tree still grew vegetables, full of vitality.

Behind the vegetable plots was the village entrance. The doors and windows of the wooden houses in the village were all open. Drug-drying racks and winnowing baskets were piled in the corners. Through the windows, one could see old clothes and bedding messily piled on the beds, as if the owners had just left.

Everything here was fine, except that the people had all died.

Li Qingyuan's team should have performed rites for this village—it looked quite clean, with no traces of Yin spirits.

Zhu Shian set down the backpack beneath the large banyan tree, ate half a dry cake, drank some water, and rested briefly. Then she shouldered the backpack and entered the valley from the path on the right.

Ye Dan said it took half an hour to walk from the banyan tree to the valley. Zhu Shian looked at the watch Ye Dan had lent her—she had already walked over twenty minutes, so she must be almost there.

Both sides of the path were blocked by brambles and various scrub trees, preventing Zhu Shian from seeing the path ahead.

At that moment, Zhu Shian's right foot touched the ground, and she sensed something was wrong. Her movements slowed immediately.

A formation!

Zhu Shian planted her right foot firmly, didn't advance with her left foot, but instead stepped to the left, then walked three steps to the right, stepping on the formation's eye with one foot.

The path in front of her disappeared. Before her was an endless forest. She turned in place and smiled. Li Qingyuan's formation was quite sophisticated. If she weren't a Xuan Sect practitioner who understood formations, no matter which direction she walked, she would return to her original spot within three steps—commonly known as a ghost maze.

Having such a formation at the entrance was also good, to prevent anyone from accidentally entering and losing their life.

Zhu Shian didn't activate the formation's eye. She bypassed it and walked through the middle of the path. A few minutes later, she reached the other side of the formation.

"Huu, huu!"

Yin wind carrying death energy came head-on. Zhu Shian instinctively closed her eyes. The wind刮过 her face, and she felt the vital energy being carried away by the wind, leaving only withering death energy.

Zhu Shian had never seen such a powerful Yin wind. Every breath she took made her feel her own life force draining away. This feeling was like a juicy orange hanging on a branch, being blown until it wrinkled and shriveled.

"Hmph, indeed formidable!"

Zhu Shian gently shook the Soul-Suppressing Handbell, and the Yin Qi was driven away. Only then did Zhu Shian have time to look around and see where she was.

After walking a dozen steps, the dispersed Yin Qi surged back. The handbell rang again, clearing a clean space for her.

Zhu Shian walked slowly inward. The handbell's chime slowly drifted into the valley. The old ghosts and fragmented spirits hiding under the damp rotting leaves and in dark caves were all awakened by the familiar chime. The valley that was peaceful in the daytime quietly stirred.

Zhu Shian saw the large stone platforms Ye Dan had mentioned, on both sides of the road.

The stone platforms reached her shoulders. The outer sides of the platforms were covered with moss and vines, but for some reason, the moss and vines had withered and died, leaving only a dry skin wrapped around the platforms.

Zhu Shian only glanced at the stone platforms twice before walking past. After walking a few steps, she felt something was wrong. She turned back to look at the stone platforms and felt their shape looked familiar.

The dried vines and moss had obscured the stone platforms' original shape. Zhu Shian reached out and pulled away the vines and moss, and the cloud patterns engraved in intaglio on the platforms were suddenly revealed.

Zhu Shian couldn't help but blink, suspecting she had seen incorrectly. She quickly cleaned away all the surrounding vines and moss. Finally, she saw the incantation beneath the stone platform.

Zhu Shian slowly crouched down, her body curled into a ball, hands holding her knees, unable to control her trembling.

This was the mountain gate of Taiyi Sect!

How could this be Taiyi Sect's mountain gate? This mountain, this valley, didn't look anything like Taiyi Sect once was.

Taiyi Sect had been the foremost sect in the Xuan Sect, the leader of all Xuan Sect under heaven, a place of awe-inspiring inviolability—there could never have been any demonic energy here.

Impossible!

She must have seen wrong!

Zhu Shian's eyes turned red as she refused to believe. She supported herself on the stone platform and slowly stood up.

The pervasive Yin Qi and death energy closed in around her. Zhu Shian was provoked. An Evil-Dissolving Talisman was ignited with Spiritual Energy, and instantly, several li of Yin evil energy around her was cleared.

Zhu Shian anxiously turned to look around. She saw what appeared to be several fallen pillars not far away. She hurried over and pulled away the weeds and vines hanging from the pillars, only to see several characters carved on the pillars: Heaven And Earth Are Impartial, Dharma Flourishes For Ten Thousand Generations!

Similar door couplers didn't prove anything—Daoist door couplers always involved the Three Pure Ones, Heaven and Earth, and such things.

Not necessarily Taiyi Sect.

Zhu Shian was unwilling to believe, forcefully suppressing the sadness in her heart. She cleaned up two more broken pillars beside them. The characters on the two pillars combined: Righteous Path Of Humanity, Expelling Evil And Stabilizing The Cosmos!

She dug out a plaque from beneath the rotting leaves. It was engraved with: Taiyi Sect.

Her throat rolled twice. Zhu Shian could no longer hold back her grief, and tears fell.

This was actually Taiyi Sect's mountain gate!

How could Taiyi Sect have become like this?

Taiyi Sect's Mountain Protecting Grand Array was the most fortified—how could it have been breached?

Back then, she clearly remembered her master leading the senior brothers, senior sisters, junior brothers, and junior sisters, fighting the enemy a hundred li away. The battlefield was still far from Taiyi Sect.

Tears in her eyes, Zhu Shian looked around. The mountain wasn't the one she was familiar with, and the terrain had changed.

What had happened after her death?

Taiyi Sect's mountain gate was built on the mountainside. Entering from the mountain gate, there were clean stone steps, extending from the mountain gate all the way to Taiyi Sect's main hall.

Now, the stone steps were gone, leaving only a desolate path. The mountain road had become flat ground.

Distant death energy slowly drifted over. Zhu Shian mercilessly threw out another Evil-Dissolving Talisman to ignite, clearing another several li of clean space.

Zhu Shian looked to the right. Beneath two dead pine trees, there was an opened stone tomb. Outside the tomb was a stone monument, inscribed: "In gratitude for the great kindness of saving all living beings, I am unwilling to let loyal martyrs' bodies be exposed in the wild. Unfortunately, my cultivation is insufficient to enter the mountain to collect the remains of all heroes. I can only do my best, gathering clothing, Magic Implements, and such, to make this tomb in their memory."

The monument didn't write who the tomb was built to commemorate, and the person who erected the monument didn't leave their name. Zhu Shian guessed it must have been a later generation of Xuan Sect practitioners doing a good deed.

Zhu Shian searched nearby and found two more tombs. One had a monument with similar words to the previous one. The other tomb had no monument—just a earthen mound.

Zhu Shian thought of the hairpin Zhu Jin had given her—that was Senior Sister's thing. Ding Mao said that hairpin was found in the ancient tomb outside Xiong Mountain and brought out.

This was Taiyi Sect, the place where Senior Brother and Senior Sister finally died. Their Magic Implements appearing here was only natural.

Zhu Shian was angry seeing these three empty tombs. Had Ding Mao's team dug up Taiyi Sect's graves and then given the items to her?

After the anger passed, the grief eased slightly. Zhu Shian let out a long breath, turned, and walked deeper into the valley with her Peach Wood Sword and Soul-Suppressing Handbell.

Zhu Shian looked at the dead trees in the valley. After a thousand years of changes, she couldn't tell what this place had originally been. However, when she saw a stone two people tall to the right diagonal front, she knew this was where the junior brothers and junior sisters had practiced their skills.

That stone was originally a stone carving, probably showing a snake coiled on the mountain rock. After a thousand years of wind, frost, rain, and snow erosion, the carving was no longer visible, leaving only a smooth large stone.

Zhu Shian still remembered when Master took Liu Xuan in as a spiritual beast. It performed quite proudly for a while—that period it was diligent in its cultivation and liked to compete with the junior brothers and junior sisters, competing over who received the master's praise more.

While competing for favor, Liu Xuan was also actively seizing territory. The cave used for communal practice by everyone, it insisted on occupying one entirely. To show everyone that this cave was exclusively its own, it brought a large stone, wrapped its tail around an iron clamp, and carved its own shape bit by bit.

No one had ever seen a snake that could carve stone. Liu Xuan caused a huge sensation. Zhu Shian had gone to watch the excitement and was very disdainful of its crude craftsmanship, which was why she still remembered that ugly stone carving so vividly.

Recalling the good old days, the corners of Zhu Shian's mouth slightly rose.

Zhu Shian stared at the direction of the stone, anxious to take two steps. Suddenly, the scene changed. The ground beneath her feet cracked open. She fell into the huge fissure and before she could react, the crack above her head instantly closed. Before her was darkness, and her breathing became rapid and labored.

Zhu Shian cast the Golden Light Incantation, turned twice in succession, and silently recited the Purification of Lands Spirit Incantation. Relying on intuition, she sensed that the diagonal rear should be the southwest direction.

The southwest direction belonged to the element earth in the Five Elements. Earth generates metal, and metal then dissipates earth energy. Zhu Shian immediately threw a copper coin toward the diagonal rear. Where the copper coin landed, a stream of energy appeared, and Zhu Shian knew she had guessed correctly.

The southwest direction was the life gate!

"Go!"

She forcefully threw the Soul-Suppressing Handbell toward the southwest. An opening immediately broke in the southwest direction, and light streamed in. Zhu Shian dove out from her original position.

Not good—there was a protruding branch in front, its sharp tip directly facing her face. She dodged with a sideways roll, her body violently撞击 beside the gravel. The branch's sharp tip dangerously grazed the right sleeve of her coat.

Temporarily safe, Zhu Shian took a sharp breath.

Had she been even a moment slower, she would have been suffocated in that Mountain-Overturning Evil-Suppressing Array.

Zhu Shian remembered that Senior Brother liked to use this formation before. He said demons and ghosts shouldn't remain in the mortal world and should go underground—this formation was most suitable for dealing with demons and evils.

She hadn't seen Senior Brother use this formation to deal with demons and evils. The remnant formation he left behind had nearly suffocated his junior sister to death in the formation.

Zhu Shian got up and turned. Her gaze fixed on that stone carving, not daring to move her feet easily again.

After observing for a few minutes, she threw a copper coin to test. When the copper coin landed, black flames suddenly rose, instantly reducing the copper coin to ashes.

Zhu Shian recognized it—this was the Thunderfire Purgatory Formation that Senior Sister was skilled at using. It was most useful against demons and evils that feared thunder and fire.

This formation was a top-tier formation. Though not as powerful as the Nine Heavens Godslaying Formation, this formation was also extremely formidable. Even a Underworld Yin deity who wasn't careful would have difficulty extricating themselves from this formation.

A top-tier wizard's signature technique—once deployed, it sought to slay gods!

How did one break the Thunderfire Purgatory Formation?

The best way to break the Thunderfire Purgatory Formation was with the Seven Stars Sword—the Seven Stars and Big Dipper belonged to metal, governing killing and slaughter. But she hadn't brought the Seven Stars Sword today. Among the Magic Implements in her hand, the only one that could somewhat restrain this formation was still the Soul-Suppressing Handbell.

No matter—it was just a remnant formation. She could break it!

"Western Geng Xin, White Tiger Divine Lord. Gold spits auspicious flames, severing the thunder root! Urgent as decree!"

The Five Thunders Talisman combined with the Soul-Suppressing Handbell immediately broke the eastern Zhen position. The Thunderfire Purgatory Formation was broken!

From the moment Zhu Shian accidentally stepped into the Mountain-Overturning Evil-Suppressing Array, she maneuvered through the valley, several times her life hanging by a thread. It was only by relying on her to find the method to break the formations that she was saved.

From around ten in the morning until four in the afternoon when the sun was obscured by clouds, she had only walked over three hundred meters. By the time she was exhausted and her whole body ached that day, she had just reached that broken stone.

Zhu Shian rested against the stone. When everything quieted down, she noticed the Yin Qi and death energy around her had grown heavier. In places where light didn't reach, where her eyes couldn't see, something was already stirring.

She couldn't spend the night here. She had to find a place to hide.

Zhu Shian shouldered her bag and stood. Instead of hurrying to leave, she first tested whether the surrounding paths were safe. After battling formations all day, she had already developed a conditioned reflex.

Zhu Shian went toward the cave behind the stone. It was十几 meters away, but she tested twice before reaching the cave entrance.

Many dry vines hung at the cave entrance. As Zhu Shian pulled away the vines, she thought: After Taiyi Sect fell, there was a long period when the mountain's condition was normal. Perhaps later, when the Yin Qi and death energy in the valley couldn't escape, it gradually caused the trees in the valley to wither and die, leaving nothing growing.

After pulling away the vines, she tested—the cave entrance had no formation.

In the past, to prevent others from accidentally entering and disturbing the senior and junior brothers' practice in the cave, whenever someone was inside, a formation would be set at the cave entrance to warn people that someone was inside.

Setting a formation at the cave entrance was for practice. Thinking of how this cave was exclusively occupied by that lazy thing Liu Xuan, it wasn't surprising there was no formation at the cave entrance.

Zhu Shian stepped inside. Seeing the skeletal remains at the corner of the cave entrance, she couldn't help but tremble—was that Liu Xuan?

That was indeed a snake's body. A sword was inserted at the snake's vital spot—seven inches from the head. The snake's head—

Zhu Shian hurried over, trembling as she brushed away the dust on the bones. On the skull were two characters: Clear Wind.

Clear Wind—Master's Daoist name!

Liu Xuan died here?

If it died a thousand years ago, then what were the Divine Dragon Sect formation and Mind Control Spell she saw at the Ye family villa in Port City?

Could it have mated with an external female snake before dying? Passed on its signature techniques to someone else? Could she have wronged it?

Zhu Shian patted its skull: "Since that Divine Dragon Sect leader isn't you, I will definitely go kill that Divine Dragon Sect leader to clear your name."

Zhu Shian stood up and sighed softly: "You, an ignorant spiritual beast, died for the world's righteous path. It can be considered a worthy death. I hope the accumulated merit allows you to have a good Reincarnation next life."

Even as a dried corpse, one could see its belly section's ribs were particularly wide. Seeing its remains, one could imagine what a pot-bellied appearance it had in life.

Zhu Shian pulled the sword from its remains. The sword was stuck on the bone and wouldn't come out. She gripped it with both hands before pulling it out. Fortunately, she didn't damage the remains.

Zhu Shian habitually kicked it: "Don't be lazy in your next life. At least try a little. Learn from me—when someone wants to kill you, even if you can't beat them, at least have the ability to die with them. Look at your situation—how ignominious your death was."

"Sigh. Even if you wanted to rely on others, other people aren't like Master, who was kind enough to keep a lazy worm like you."

Zhu Shian's voice echoed in the cave. She talked to herself. After finishing, she couldn't help but raise her head toward the wall. After a long while, tears streamed down her cheeks.

Knowing that all of Taiyi Sect had died in battle was one thing; seeing their remains with her own eyes was another.

She had Reincarnated back a thousand years later, but the heartache was still unbearable.

What made Zhu Shian even more heartbroken was yet to come. She discovered five skeletal remains lying inside the cave. Among them, three were unrecognizable. The other two skeletal remains Zhu Shian knew extremely well.

That jade bracelet was what Senior Sister always wore, shattered into several pieces and thrown beside her wrist.

That bone token was made from a bone of a demonized black wolf that Senior Brother had slain on his first mission. He personally polished the bone into a token and carved his Daoist name on it, always keeping it on him.

Zhu Shian slowly crouched down. She took out a peach blossom hairpin from her bag to show Senior Sister. With red eyes, she said: "Sigh, I wanted to return this to you, but your skull is too smooth—not a single hair. Even if I return the hairpin, you can't wear it. I'll just help you use it. Thank you for the gift, Senior Sister."

She stuffed the peach blossom hairpin into her bag. Then she took out the Golden Thunder Whip from her bag and poked Senior Brother's bones with the whip: "Since Senior Sister gave me a hairpin, Senior Brother can't be stingy either. Your Golden Thunder Whip is given to me. Maybe I can earn some merit for you by using your Golden Thunder Whip to fight demons and exorcise ghosts."

Zhu Shian wiped her tears: "Why don't you all talk? Only I keep chattering. It's quite boring."

Zhu Shian sat between Senior Sister and Senior Brother, not wanting to speak. She took out the Soul-Chasing Incense to summon souls. However, as the incense burned out, the souls she wanted to summon didn't come.

Senior Brother and Senior Sister must be in the Underworld. She was right at their remains—why couldn't she summon them?

Zru Shian wasn't willing to give up. She made a hand sign to summon the local Soul-Hooking Ghost. The ghost official couldn't either.

It was already dark outside.

The fierce ghosts and demon spirits that had been暗中 watching Zhu Shian drifted out from every corner of the valley. The great demon named Meng Yao instantly moved from the forest to in front of Zhu Shian. It coldly laughed: "Ten安 Daoist, a thousand years not seen—you've become so weak. Truly, heaven's wheel turns."

Zhu Shian stood up holding the Golden Thunder Whip. Even with red eyes, it didn't diminish her imposing manner. She looked at it disdainfully: "Meng Yao, I'm not what I used to be. But I think you're even worse than me. Guess how many more times your remaining fragmented soul can withstand my whip?"

"Zhu Shian, don't be so arrogant. Back then you could kill this lord only because you and your senior and junior sisters surrounded me. One-on-one, you would definitely lose to this lord. You don't play fair—you won through unfair means!"

"You, a man-eating demon, are talking to me about fairness? What a joke!"

Zhu Shian whipped it without warning. Meng Yao stumbled backward: "Zhu Shian, what kind of righteous sect are you? You're a petty person!"

"Back then I killed you but let your fragmented soul escape. That was my mistake. I'm here now to mend the fold!"

Zhu Shian didn't waste words with it. The Golden Thunder Whip in her hand swung with虎虎生风. Meng Yao floated backward to dodge and dared not enter the cave again.

Zhu Shian rushed out with the whip. All the fierce ghosts and demon spirits at the entrance lunged at her. Zhu Shian leaned back in a retreat, and at the same time, the Five Thunders Talisman in her hand flew out. The fierce ghosts and demon spirits crowded at the entrance, wanting to bite off a piece of her flesh, couldn't dodge in time, and were instantly blown to spiritual destruction.

After the Five Thunders Talisman exploded, Zhu Shian immediately pursued. One sweep of the Five Thunders Whip covered a large area—those touched died instantly!

Swing, sweep, entangle, hook!

Those who misjudged the situation and couldn't escape in time all became victims under Zhu Shian's whip!

Zhu Shian rushed to that broken stone. Afraid of accidentally stepping on the chaotic formations outside, she didn't go further. She stood in place, confronting the demon spirits and fierce ghosts in the valley.

Tonight's moonlight was bright. The demon spirits and fierce ghosts in the valley emerged in full force, covering the sky like darkness. These old things were ten times more powerful than ordinary Ghost Generals and Yin Soldiers.

Zhu Shian looked up and saw Meng Yao floating behind several great demons. She coldly smiled: "What are you running for? Come here if you have the guts!"

Meng Yao revealed a sinister smile: "Ten安 Daoist, Celestial Master! This is your Taiyi Sect's old lair. What are you afraid of? Come here if you have the guts!"

Zhu Shian coldly looked at those several powerful demon spirits with strong soul bodies. Her previous life's self was barely their match. Her current self still lacked a bit of skill.

Though she lacked a bit of skill, she was a Xuan Sect practitioner. They only had souls left. As long as she fought them separately, attacking one by one, she could also kill them.

However, she could kill them only if there weren't formations all over the valley blocking her path.

If she accidentally fell into a formation, at night they could freely move through the valley. If she was injured in the formation, as soon as she showed herself, they would rush over to tear her apart.

Obviously, both sides understood their own advantages and weaknesses.

Zhu Shian wouldn't step out of the safe zone. They also didn't dare rashly test their Yin spirits against the Magic Implements in Zhu Shian's hands.

Zhu Shian looked at these ghost things in the sky and waited. When she reached Taiyi Sect's Golden Summit, she would definitely activate Taiyi Sect's Mountain Protecting Grand Array, causing them to be destroyed and vanish between heaven and earth.

Nighttime wasn't a good time for Zhu Shian to act. She didn't tangle with them. She returned to the cave, sealed the cave with a formation, ate her food, and rested.

Zhu Shian took the military coat from her backpack and put it on. She found a relatively clean spot, lay down on the ground, and closed her eyes: "Senior Sister, I'm sleeping. You must protect me."

The demon spirits and fierce ghosts in the valley floated all night. Some bold ghosts drifted to the cave entrance, trying to break through the formation. As soon as their soul bodies touched the formation, they were burned to ashes.

In the cave, the skeletal remains lying on the ground faced the cave entrance. The dark eye sockets appeared even more terrifying in the moonlight.

Zhu Shian felt at ease sleeping in such a dangerous place. She slept until daylight. When she woke up, the ghost things floating in the valley had hidden themselves.

Sunlight poured into the cave. Zhu Shian thought she had chosen a good day to enter the mountain.

The stronger the sun, the more abundant the Yang energy. The things hiding in the dark would be even less daring to show their heads.

Zhu Shian took off the military coat, changed into thinner clothes more convenient for movement, took dry cakes to fill her stomach, drank some water to moisten her mouth, shouldered her messenger bag, and walked out.

"Senior Brother, Senior Sister, I'm going out to work!"

Out of habit, she gave a report. She walked out of the cave. Before leaving, she also kicked Liu Xuan's remains: "I'm leaving."

Under the bright sun, Zhu Shian charged in and out of the remnant formations, risking her life to break through formations and clear safe areas bit by bit.

She did physical work during the day and mental work at night in the cave, writing and drawing in a notebook, recording and summarizing her experiences.

Sometimes when she really couldn't figure something out, she threw the pen and notebook on the ground and called out: "Senior Sister, remember to come teach me in my dreams tonight."

Xuan Sect practitioners rarely dreamed. When Zhu Shian slept, no one came to teach her in her dreams. But miraculously, things she hadn't figured out at night were suddenly understood in the morning.

Afraid of forgetting, as soon as she opened her eyes, she recorded the formation-breaking method. She also muttered two sentences: "Senior Sister must be protecting me."

Zhu Shian had been in the valley for two weeks. The remnant formations in the valley had been cleared by her. Her next step was to climb Taiyi Sect's main peak, Ox Head Mountain, and activate the Mountain Protecting Grand Array.

Zhu Shian shouldered her packed backpack. She said to the rows of skeletal remains in the cave: "Senior brothers, senior sisters, junior brothers, junior sisters, and fat snake, I'm going up the mountain. You must bless me so everything goes smoothly and Taiyi Sect can be restored to peace soon."

During the past two weeks of breaking formations, Zhu Shian had collected many skeletal remains. However, only those with Taiyi Sect jade tokens hanging on them did she bring back to the cave. Now the cave held one hundred and thirty-four skeletal remains.

The entire Taiyi Sect, excluding the master and elders, had only three hundred and seventy-two disciples.

When Zhu Shian was about to leave, she suddenly thought of a question: Where did Taiyi Sect's elders go? Why hadn't she found any of their remains?

Zhu Shian held the Peach Wood Sword in one hand and the Soul-Suppressing Handbell in the other, stepping on dead branches and rotting leaves to the foot of the steps. She looked up at the green trees on the summit. Perhaps the master and elders' remains were up there.

The formations in the valley had been cleared, but there were also remnant formations on the mountain path.

The path was difficult, but Zhu Shian wasn't in a hurry. Over the past two weeks of constantly breaking formations and learning, her attainment in formations now could be called the foremost in the world.

No formation could block her path. She would definitely reach the Golden Summit.

Zhu Shian left footprints one by one on the mountain. Outside the valley, Zhu Lan, Ye Dan, and the others were going crazy.

They had agreed she would come out in ten days at most. Why had half a month passed and there was still no sign of her?

Ye Dan went out to Badong to find a phone and contacted headquarters. The headquarters transferred the call to Zhu Jin.

On the morning of March 17th, Ding Mao had just celebrated with his comrades the great news of the war ending and the border defense troops withdrawing. He thought he could finally sleep soundly. But the next morning he was called up and told to go to Xiong Mountain.

Ding Mao found it inexplicable: "Why go to Xiong Mountain at this time?"

While packing, Li Qingyuan urgently said: "Ye Dan contacted headquarters. Zhu Shian has been in Xiong Mountain for over ten days and hasn't come out. She's requesting headquarters support."

"What? Is Zhu Shian still in Xiong Mountain? I thought she went back long ago."

Ding Mao was suddenly awakened. He flipped over and got dressed. He quickly asked: "Who has headquarters arranged to go to Xiong Mountain?"

"Everyone. We're not needed here. Our Southwest Action Team, Central Action Team, and Southeast Action Team were originally leaving today anyway. We might as well all go to Xiong Mountain today for convenient arrangement."

All the Action Team personnel here had used the Talismans provided by Zhu Shian and benefited from her kindness. Even if they hadn't met her, there was some karmic connection. If something happened to Zhu Shian, they should help out both for sentiment and justice.

Central Action Team leader Xiang Baihu, Southeast Action Team leader Long Yan, and Southwest Action Team leader Li Qingyuan quickly gathered their team members. They drove to the military airport. At noon, the plane arrived in Chongqing. They took a fast boat from Chongqing to Badong, hurrying to reach Xiong Mountain before evening.

It was too dangerous at night to enter the mountain. But to not waste time the next morning, they supplemented provisions and water from Wang Qing, then immediately set off for the banyan tree, planning to rest there for the night and enter the valley early the next morning.

Zhu Jin said to the group: "Master Zhu's safety is in your hands."

"Team leader, rest assured. We'll do our best."

Zhu Jin watched Li Qingyuan and the others walk away. She turned to comfort Zhu Lan: "Don't worry. Nothing will happen."

"Yes, nothing will happen."

Zhu Lan echoed that nothing would happen, but the worry in her eyes was impossible to hide.

Li Qingyuan said to Long Yan: "Outside the valley is still very safe. No need to worry."

Long Yan asked him: "Since outside the valley is safe, how did the people in that village die?"

Ding Mao said: "They died because of the formation."

Li Qingyuan said it wasn't.

Ding Mao was shocked: "Didn't you say there were traces of formations in the village?"

"I thought so originally, but later I discovered it wasn't. It's possible the formation sealing the valley entrance broke. The herb gatherers in the village accidentally walked into the valley, and something possessed them and came out, killing the entire village."

"Is there evidence?"

No evidence—just speculation. As for the basis of the speculation, it came from the Central Action Team members."

"What basis?"

Li Qingyuan said heavily: "With their cultivation, they couldn't have gotten in at all. Even if they accidentally entered, they might have died at the valley entrance from the formations. For them to get inside the valley, something must have possessed them and brought them in."

Ding Mao suddenly remembered the terrifying expressions on the victims' faces, and the marks left on their bodies—it did look like something had bitten them.

Ding Mao's flesh crept. Apart from the formations that killed people, what else was hidden in the valley?

Southeast Action Team leader Long Yan said: "We'll take shifts tonight. Not everyone can sleep."

Xiang Baihu nodded. In such a place, if no one was standing guard, even if asked to sleep, he couldn't.

Li Qingyuan's team moved quickly and arrived under the banyan tree before dark. They didn't stay in the village. They spread out the military coats around the banyan tree and prepared to rest.

At this time, Zhu Shian was only a short distance from the Golden Summit. She looked back. The last bit of daylight was about to disappear. Without stopping, she continued climbing toward the Golden Summit.

The demon spirits and fierce ghosts hiding in the forest all watched Zhu Shian. They all knew what it would mean for them when Zhu Shian climbed to the Golden Summit.

It wasn't fully dark yet, but they couldn't wait any longer.

Meng Yao anxiously floated toward the mountain. At that moment, a claw reached over and grabbed its throat, crumpled it up, and stuffed it into its mouth to swallow.

After swallowing Meng Yao in one bite, the great demon Yan Shan's soul body instantly expanded by one-third.

Back then, those old things of Taiyi Sect used their last breath to press them here and forbid them from leaving. For over a thousand years, they had finally waited for the true Taiyi Sect descendant.

When the Taiyi Sect descendant restarted the Mountain Protecting Grand Array, it would certainly purge them, but the moment the Mountain Protecting Grand Array was activated was also their chance to escape.

Yan Shan was a bird demon. It flapped its wings and looked back. Great demons and fierce ghosts of equal strength were swallowing other Yin spirits, their power instantly increasing greatly.

The great demons' merciless actions frightened away other weaker Yin spirits. Yan Shan didn't put them in its eyes. It and several dozen great demons slowly rose into the air. Wherever darkness covered, they went.

When night completely swallowed Ox Head Mountain, Yan Shan and the great demons had risen to the same height as Zhu Shian. Yan Shan stared at that invisible door that had pressed them for over a thousand years—about to open before its eyes.

Yan Shan's gaze gradually became manic.

Zhu Shian ignored them. She threw away her backpack and rushed toward the Golden Summit.

Fifty meters!

Twenty meters!

Ten meters...

The great demons like Yan Shan had already killed to the front. Zhu Shian immediately threw out the last two Five Thunders Talismans. But Yan Shan didn't dodge—it instead accelerated to rush over.

Zhu Shian made a hand sign to open the Golden Summit seal. Yan Shan and several great demons followed Zhu Shian through the formation in an instant, floating toward the Golden Summit.

The great demons who were a step too late crashed into the formation and were instantly burned to flying ashes.

Yan Shan rose into the air, spread its wings, and circled in the sky, letting out a sharp bird cry.

"This lord is free! This lord is finally free!"

"Hahaha! Li Qingfeng, that old thief, pressed this lord in this damned place for over a thousand years! This lord is free!"

The demon spirits who had regained freedom were all going mad, enjoying the moment of freedom without formation oppression.

Zhu Shian ignored them. She rushed at the fastest speed to the very center of the Golden Summit's Mountain Protecting Grand Array and stabbed her palm with a knife. Blood flowed along her fingers into the formation's eye. Along with the blood, the Spiritual Energy in her body was frantically draining away.

Taiyi Sect's Mountain Protecting Grand Array was too large. Activating the Mountain Protecting Grand Array required extremely powerful force. Even in the past, it required at least the combined power of eight elders to accomplish.

Now only Zhu Shian remained of Taiyi Sect. To restart the Mountain Protecting Grand Array to purge the demons, she would have to pay an even greater price.

Zhu Shian comforted herself: It's fine. Taiyi Sect only has this little territory left. The Mountain Protecting Grand Array isn't large. It won't drain me completely.

Yan Shan's madness wasn't enough. It hovered in the air and roared in all directions: "Li Qingfeng! Wait for this lord! No matter whether you've Reincarnated or are hiding somewhere, one day this lord will seek revenge on you!"

Zhu Shian's face was pale, barely holding onto one breath: "Yan Shan, you're rejoicing too early! Go to hell!"

Yan Shan, who had gone mad with joy at regaining freedom, saw the situation was wrong. When it saw the blood on Zhu Shian's hand, its expression changed. It flapped its wings with all its might to fly toward outside the Taiyi Sect's Mountain Protecting Grand Array.

The other great demons were the same as Yan Shan—flew away crazily.

But it was too late!

The moment before Zhu Shian was about to faint, Taiyi Sect's remnant Mountain Protecting Grand Array was activated. Pale golden light spread outward from the Golden Summit.

Yan Shan's flying speed was already its limit. But it discovered despairingly that it couldn't escape.

At Taiyi Sect's abandoned mountain gate, among the weeds and rotting leaves, the door couplers from a thousand years ago remained.

Heaven And Earth Are Impartial, Dharma Flourishes For Ten Thousand Generations!

Righteous Path Of Humanity, Expelling Evil And Stabilizing The Cosmos!