CHAPTER 329: CHAPTER 308: TRAPPED!_2

By then, hardly a few might return alive.

"My old man has already set up the Great Formation for us; if there’s nothing else to prepare, we can set off right now. After all, it’s better to carry out this mission sooner rather than later. The longer we delay, the more dangerous it becomes."

The five of them nodded upon hearing this.

"Good, let’s set off then!"

With a flick of his wrist, Zhao Zaiyang summoned a long hemp rope braid. With a casual throw, a loud SNAP sounded, and the void before the six of them suddenly whirled dizzyingly, as if they had embarked on a journey of rapid movement.

"The Move Heaven and Earth Formation?"

Feeling the subtle changes in the Cosmic Bi around them, Qi Xiu’s eyes shone with a hint of sharpness. This was a long-lost ancient Great Formation. Once activated, it could directly sweep up a vast range of objects for ultra-long-distance teleportation. Traversing provinces was the most basic of its maneuvers. Many grand Sects and families had once offered high rewards, hoping to acquire this ancient Great Formation, yet there had been no response, as if their offers had sunk into the sea without a trace. Unbelievably, the secluded Nature Banner Sect actually possessed it, and judging by their display, they used it quite proficiently.

"You’ve got a sharp eye. This Great Formation was personally arranged by my old man and can send us directly to our destination."

Less than a quarter of an hour later, the surrounding void suddenly solidified. The ever-changing scene in front of Qi Xiu and the others also came to a halt.

As the group stepped out of the Great Formation, a gentle breeze wafted by.

Before them lay a massive mountain range, entirely purplish-gray, stretching across the horizon like a colossal beast. It emanated an oppressive and chilling aura that involuntarily sent shivers down their spines.

Upon the mountain, tens of thousands of caverns resembled the gaping maws of a giant beast, devouring all vitality. Eerie wails and roars echoed from within, making hearts pound with unease.

Thick demonic clouds churned and gathered, like ink spilled across the sky, forming a dense shadow that obscured the brilliance of the sun, moon, and stars.

Bones littered the entire mountain range—some piled into mounds, others scattered in the crevices of rocks—resembling a massive altar of death, instilling a deep dread of the terrifying power held within.

"Ten Thousand Caves Mountain."

Gazing at the mountain range before him, which made no attempt to conceal its horror and dread, Qi Xiu quietly rubbed the Golden Cry Jade Beads in his hand. The "Dianchuan Travelogue" recorded it: Ten Thousand Caves Mountain, the source of the Earth Veins in Dianchuan Province, where eighteen vertical and eighteen horizontal, a total of thirty-six primary Earth Veins, converged. A land of great Yin!

"Summoning an Outer Realm Evil God... those Demonic Evil Cultivators must be truly blinded by ambition. Do they genuinely believe they can command an Outer Realm Evil God? The instant it descends, it will likely annihilate the very Demonic Evil Cultivators who invited it!"

Scratching his brow, Zhao Zaiyang gazed at Ten Thousand Caves Mountain, his eyes filled with intense disdain and repulsion. All the clansmen within the Nature Banner cultivated the Natural Dao, achieving harmony between heaven and man. Right now, the surroundings of Ten Thousand Caves Mountain were permeated with an aura from Outside the Domain. To Zhao Zaiyang, standing here felt as viscerally uncomfortable and irritating as being in a cesspool.

"The place where the Outer Realm Evil God is being summoned must be concealed among these tens of thousands of caves. Shall we split up?"

Her gaze swept over Ten Thousand Caves Mountain, which resembled a honeycomb. Xia Wan, hands clasped behind her back, took light, graceful steps as she surveyed the fiendish mountain before her.

"Yes," Zhou Wen nodded in agreement. "Moving together makes us too large a target, and splitting up would be more efficient."

"Then let’s split up. Elder Brother Kongwen and Sister Song Nian will stay here, and the rest of us will each take a direction. How does that sound?" Zhao Zaiyang proposed, rubbing his nose.

This operation, thanks to the efforts of the old Banner Master Zhao Gengyun, was temporarily being led by the Nature Banner. That was why their departure point had been Cuiyan Valley, rather than the territory of any of the other Sects.

Kongwen, the Chief Monk of Veda Court at Dachan Temple, was publicly acknowledged as the most formidable combatant among them. His staying behind meant that if any situation arose, he could provide immediate support and also protect Song Nian.

Song Nian, from Star Mansion Sea Cliff, was a master of both the Star-Gazing Moon-Watching Skill and the Seven Stars Illuminating Divine Skill, her abilities bordering on the miraculous. The Star-Gazing Moon-Watching Skill could monitor real-time changes in aura over thousands of miles. The Seven Stars Illuminating Divine Skill, on the other hand, allowed them to communicate mentally at any time, making her a veritable human pager. Sending her into Ten Thousand Caves Mountain would be a waste of her talents; staying outside would allow her to maximize her abilities.

"Agreed."

Qi Xiu, Zhou Wen, and Xia Wan nodded; they had no objections. Zhao Zaiyang’s arrangements were quite sensible.

Kongwen, at their side, also uttered a Buddhist phrase and agreed to stay behind with Song Nian.

"Alright then. I’ll head east, Brother Zhou will go south, Sister Xia will go north, and Qi, you go west. Contact each other immediately if you find anything. This is a treasure leaf from my old man. Wear it on your person, and it will conceal your aura; unless you’re faced with a Dao Expert, no one will be able to detect you."

Zhao Zaiyang produced six treasure leaves, exquisitely delicate and appearing as if carved from the finest jade, and distributed one to each of them.

As soon as Qi Xiu took his treasure leaf, he felt an extremely thin yet remarkably resilient layer of Divine Marvel Power cling tightly to his skin. It locked his aura firmly, preventing even the slightest trace from leaking out. Indeed, every item from a Primordial Spirit Boss was a masterpiece.

After securing their treasure leaves, the four of them transformed into dim, subtle Escape Lights and charged straight into the great Ten Thousand Caves Mountain before them.

「 」

Riding his Escape Light to the western side of Ten Thousand Caves Mountain, Qi Xiu landed. Instantly, an incredibly dense, chilling, and baleful aura rushed at his face. It even seemed as if blackened ice shards floated in the void.

The concentration of Yin energy in the Earth Vein here is almost comparable to that of the Yellow Springs.

With a wave of his sleeve, Qi Xiu dispersed the encroaching chilling and baleful aura, then looked up at Ten Thousand Caves Mountain before him.