On a moonless, late night, several faint, ghostly shadows drifted near the foot of Jin Tie Mountain, passing by without the slightest sound, like weightless specters floating past.

At the entrance of a pitch-black cave, four Sancai Tian Realm Heavenly Masters stood languidly guarding the opening, their eyes narrowly squinted, breathing steady as they concentrated on their cultivation.

From deep within the cave entrance, the sound of metal striking metal echoed intermittently. In the profound silence of the night, although the noise originated deep inside, its reverberation still carried out. A faint, ghostly shadow halted abruptly beneath an ancient tree not far from the cave mouth, while several other shadows quietly closed in, merging seamlessly with the darkness.

"Sect Master, there are guards at the entrance. Shall I dispatch them?" Mu Luo's voice sounded as if it were dredged from the Nine Nether Hells—cold, desolate, and utterly devoid of warmth.

Ji Changkong smiled and shook his head. "Tu Bazi is deep inside the mountain belly. The moment any fighting erupts at the entrance, he will instantly perceive it. Over a decade ago, Tu Bazi had already reached the peak of the Qixing Tian Realm. For years, he has been cultivating intensely within Jin Tie Mountain. According to the Chen family’s conjecture, Tu Bazi's realm may have advanced further."

Glancing at Mu Luo, he continued softly, "The Tu family of Tai'an City possesses formidable strength, not much weaker than the Seven Great Families. Before we secure the item, it is best that we do not alert Tu Bazi prematurely."

Mu Luo obeyed implicitly, nodding to show his understanding. He then instructed Ayiguli, "Go and lure those four guarding the entrance away." Ayiguli pulled down the veil from her face, offering a captivating smile, her eyes soul-seizingly beautiful. She silently emerged from behind the ancient tree and gracefully moved toward the cave entrance not far away.

A thick shoulder cloak slipped down to her waist, revealing her moon-like, fair shoulder. In the deepening night, Ayiguli looked like a spirit from the deep mountains; even the darkness could not conceal her breathtaking allure. With a soft exclamation, Ayiguli stopped at the cave mouth, covering her mouth with a look of feigned surprise, as if she had discovered something strange.

The four Tu family Heavenly Masters guarding the cave, who had been quietly cultivating with half-closed eyes, snapped them wide open at the sound of the soul-stirring delicate cry, immediately becoming highly alert.

However, when their gazes fell upon Ayiguli, all four froze instantly. They rubbed their eyes in disbelief, as if the peerless beauty before them were merely a hallucination.

Once they confirmed that Ayiguli was truly real, the four exchanged a look, simultaneously exhibiting expressions of intoxication. They stared blankly at Ayiguli, motionless, utterly bewitched.

"Follow me..." Ayiguli's crimson lips uttered a few languid words. A smile that could enchant all living beings curved at the corner of her mouth. She lightly lifted a beautiful leg and walked toward the side. The four Tu family Heavenly Masters at the cave entrance followed her, their eyes vacant and dazed, as if their souls had been stolen.

Under the ancient tree, Ji Changkong lightly shook his head. The momentary look of bewilderment in his eyes vanished without a trace. He chuckled softly, "Impressive! Mu Luo, the Divine Cult's 'Heavenly Charm Technique,' Ayiguli has attained profound mastery!"

"Ayiguli possesses natural aptitude in this area. She achieved twice the result with half the effort in cultivating the 'Heavenly Charm Technique.' However, she usually disdains using it to face enemies. If you hadn't forced her, she likely wouldn't even agree to practice it," Mu Luo explained in a low voice.

"Oh? Why is that?" The 'Heavenly Charm Technique' was one of the Divine Cult's most miraculous secret arts, best suited for beautiful women to cultivate from a young age. When mastered to the extreme, every gesture and movement could make all the men in the world prostrate themselves, permanently extinguishing any thought of resistance. Ayiguli was devastatingly beautiful; the 'Heavenly Charm Technique' seemed tailor-made for her. Why would she be unwilling to cultivate it? Ji Changkong was puzzled.

"She says the 'Heavenly Charm Technique' is not the righteous path, and she disdains relying on such seductive arts to deal with foes," Mu Luo explained helplessly, hesitating slightly. Mu Luo continued, "Sect Master, what the Manichaean Cult currently calls the 'Unbounded Enchantment' seductive art was created by Youlan using a damaged manuscript of our Cult's 'Heavenly Charm Technique.' Back then, Youlan caused quite a stir in the Central Lands using the 'Unbounded Enchantment' art."

Youlan's 'Unbounded Enchantment' art was created from a damaged manuscript of our Cult's 'Heavenly Charm Technique'? Ji Changkong was unaware of this hidden secret and immediately pressed for details.

Back when Youlan was the Saintess of the Manichaean Cult, she once traveled alone to the Central Lands. Using her peerless beauty and seductive arts, she instigated intense jealousy and vicious fights among many Heavenly Master experts there, stirring up waves of bloodshed. Many famous local heroes who had sworn to crusade against her lost their bearings upon seeing her, unable to distinguish their own loyalties, and instead became her subjugated servants.

If it weren't for the young Cao Xuanqi, who was not swayed by Youlan's charms and expelled her from the Central Lands, one cannot imagine the magnitude of chaos she would have sown there.

"Although she is an enemy, I must admit Youlan is indeed an astonishing prodigy. She only obtained one damaged scroll of our Cult's 'Heavenly Charm Technique,' yet at such a young age, she forged a new path to create the 'Unbounded Enchantment' art. Now, the 'Unbounded Enchantment' is a mandatory secret technique for the Manichaean Cult's Saintess. The reason Ayiguli is reluctant to deeply cultivate the 'Heavenly Charm Technique' is also because of this: she dislikes being compared to the Manichaean Saintess," Mu Luo explained quietly.

"Let's go." Nodding, Ji Changkong ordered Tali in simple Western Regions dialect, "You stay outside. Don't let Ayiguli come in later." Tali paused, then quickly bowed in understanding. He was surprised by how quickly Ji Changkong had managed to speak the Western Regions tongue. At that moment, Ayiguli had only led the four Tu family guards to their location. The four walked with vacant stares, still following her mechanically, having long forgotten their duty.

Ji Changkong, Mu Luo, Dagan, and Daji—four figures like fleeting ghosts—darted soundlessly toward the pitch-dark stone cave, flashing past the entrance and vanishing in an instant.

Once inside, the four donned deep cyan ghoul masks, concealed their auras completely, and quietly crept toward the depths of the stone cave. According to Chen Yihui, the Tu family mine on Jin Tie Mountain contained a place deep in the mountain belly where the spiritual energy of Gold and Earth was overwhelmingly dense, capable of nurturing the Gold Yuan Crystal and Earth Yuan Crystal—two of the Five Element Yuan Crystals condensed from the primal energies of Gold and Earth. Yuan Crystals condensed from pure Five Element energy were immensely valuable to Heavenly Masters of the Wuxing Tian Realm.

The Wuxing Tian Realm required not only the embedding of Five Element energy into the soul but also the use of Five Element vital essence and Yuan Stones to refine the skeletal structure and meridians, imbuing the body with Five Element essence. Only then could one truly master and apply the power of the Five Elements, making movement through mountains and earth an effortless task.

Chen Yihui had gifted him the Water Yuan Crystal and Wood Yuan Crystal, the best for tempering the physical body, as she heard he intended to cultivate all Five Elements. However, the Tu family did not currently possess the Fire, Gold, or Earth Yuan Crystals. But Chen Yihui had pointed him toward a path—to seek them from the Tu family.

The Tu family had once entered into a marriage alliance with the Ji family. Unfortunately, after Ji Wanyun arrived at the Tu family, not only did she fail to use the Tu family's strength to empower the Ji family, but she suffered deep humiliation there. Zhao Meilan slashed several hideous scars across her face before the Tu family drove her out.

Ji Changkong had already exacted revenge for Zhao Meilan's atrocity, but his hatred for the Tu family had not lessened. When he heard Chen Yihui mention that the rare Gold Yuan Crystal and Earth Yuan Crystal were produced deep within the Jin Tie Mountain belly, he immediately harbored malicious intent. Chen Yihui heard that Mu Luo possessed the cultivation of the Bagua Tian Realm and smiled without saying much, tacitly approving his actions, merely cautioning him to proceed carefully.

Clang! Clang-clang!

The sound of metal striking metal suddenly erupted from a nearby cavern. This mountain belly was riddled with entrances, each pitch-black. Upon entering, they felt as if they were lost. Hearing the sound of metal collision, the group did not hesitate and drilled toward the cavern from which the sound originated.

A hazy light appeared ahead, blocking the passage like a net. Beyond the faint golden glimmer were several lean, strong men dressed in the servant attire of the Tu family, each tapping the stone walls with iron picks, muttering curses under their breath.

"Damn it, I traveled all the way from Luohe City to seek refuge with the Tu family, expecting warm hospitality. Who knew I'd be digging mines, and for over a year! If I had known this, I wouldn't have come."

Several dark, oily faces were visible. One of them grumbled in a low voice.

"We can only leave this mine after digging up enough Yuan Stones. Alas, our cultivation is too low; we haven't even reached the Sancai Tian Realm. If you had the cultivation of the Wuxing Tian or Liuhe Tian Realm, you wouldn't need to suffer here after joining the Tu family. You would immediately be treated as an honored guest, with all sorts of Yuan Stones and cultivation materials sent to you without you having to lift a finger," another man sighed helplessly, shaking his head.

"If I had the cultivation of the Liuhe Tian Realm, where couldn't I enjoy myself? Why would I stoop to serving the Tu family?"

"Hmph! Rogue Heavenly Masters at the Liuhe Tian Realm would long ago have found comfort within the Six Great Sects or the Seven Great Families!" the first man retorted resentfully.

"Shh! You two, keep your voices down," a short figure who had been silent made a gesture for quiet and lowered his voice. "I've told you, rumor has it that the Tu family patriarch is cultivating deep within the Jin Tie Mountain belly. If you speak so loudly, aren't you afraid he'll hear?"

"How could the Tu family patriarch be cultivating in such a dark, hidden place? We've been here over a year, and we've never seen a shadow of the patriarch. You must be talking nonsense."

The first speaker looked unconvinced, but he did lower his voice slightly.

"We haven't seen him, but that doesn't mean others haven't," the short figure said, his voice growing quieter and more secretive. "A friend of mine dug here for three years. Once, he saw the Tu family patriarch emerging from that forbidden area. That forbidden area is rumored to produce Gold Yuan Crystals and Earth Yuan Crystals. The Tu family patriarch is cultivating in a secret chamber directly beneath the forbidden area!"

Ji Changkong and Mu Luo quietly retreated. Following the location described by those men, the four advanced toward a tunnel sloping straight down into the earth.

The mountain belly was filled with crisscrossing tunnels. Dozens of low-ranking Heavenly Masters dressed as Tu family servants were digging for Yuan Stones in various tunnels. Perhaps due to that subterranean treasure trove, the opened tunnels in this mountain belly did indeed contain some low-quality Gold and Earth elemental spirit stones.

The reason those servants lingered, digging in the mountain belly, was precisely for those low-grade Gold and Earth Yuan Stones. Although the quality was poor, they still held considerable appeal for Heavenly Masters of the Wuxing Tian Realm specializing in Gold and Earth primal energy.

If low-grade Gold and Earth spirit stones could be found outside the mountain belly, then the area near the core forbidden zone of Jin Tie Mountain certainly had a chance of nurturing Gold and Earth Yuan Crystals. The Heaven and Earth primal energy in that forbidden zone must be extremely dense, making it entirely reasonable for Tu Bazi to cultivate there.

"Although we don't fear Tu Bazi, it is still best not to disturb him. If he truly possesses Bagua Tian Realm cultivation, once he awakens from his cultivation, it will certainly ruin our endeavor," Ji Changkong murmured to Mu Luo and the other two as they sped toward the forbidden zone.

"Dagan, Daji, you two stay outside. If the person below truly has Bagua Tian Realm cultivation, the moment you approach that area, he will immediately sense your soul fluctuations."

Mu Luo suddenly stopped and quietly instructed Dagan and Daji.

Hesitantly, Mu Luo looked at Ji Changkong, a hint of doubt in his voice. "Sect Master, are you truly confident he won't sense your aura?"

Taking a deep breath, Ji Changkong suddenly entered the State of 'Having No Self' (You Wo Zhi Jing). His entire aura silently vanished, even his soul ceased its fluctuation. In that instant, he seemed to become a part of the darkness, or perhaps a genuine wisp of a ghost, without the slightest trace of life-force fluctuation.

Mu Luo stared blankly at him, then nodded after a long moment. "If I weren't pressed so closely against you, Sect Master, even I might not feel your presence. As long as you are not within his line of sight, I believe he truly won't be able to detect you."

Pausing, Mu Luo exclaimed in admiration, "No wonder the Sect Master was unwilling to abandon the secret methods of arduous cultivation to switch to the Divine Cult's 'Aura of Oro Divine Grace Perfection' technique. The Sect Master's secret method is clearly not inferior to the Divine Cult's secret arts!"

With Mu Luo's confirmation, Ji Changkong was certain that in the State of 'Having No Self,' even a Bagua Tian Realm Heavenly Master could not perceive his presence from a distance. This greatly boosted his confidence and affirmed his belief that the Taixu Secret Record was a divine art incomparable to any miraculous technique in the world. "Let's go." Without further thought, his figure flickered, and he floated toward the bottomless core of the mountain belly, his feet seeming to rest on the downward sloping rock walls like a feather falling, making no sound at all.

Mu Luo moved like a ghost in the deep night, floating entirely in mid-air, never touching the ground, clinging tightly behind him, never straying more than a meter from his body.

A faint golden-yellow light suddenly appeared in the distance, manifesting like a luminous shield blocking the forward passage solid. Beyond this soft golden glimmer was an extremely wide open space, and in the depths, it seemed that currents of light drifted within the cavern like slow-flowing streams. In front of this faint golden light, Ji Changkong and Mu Luo halted simultaneously.

"Such dense Gold and Earth primal energy!" Upon stopping, Ji Changkong couldn't help but breathe out softly, his eyes shining with wonder.

Highly sensitive to the energies of Heaven and Earth, he instantly perceived the uniqueness of the spacious stone chamber ahead. The dense Gold and Earth primal energy had coalesced into a flowing, liquid state, slowly circulating within the chamber. This thin layer of golden-yellow light, resembling a barrier, was clearly man-made.

With this golden barrier in place, not a single wisp of the Gold and Earth primal energy in the spacious stone chamber could escape; all of it was concentrated within.

At a glance, the depths of the chamber were filled with glittering stones. Gold and silver, the most circulated currencies in the mortal world, were scattered everywhere. Even rare materials used for forging divine weapons—such as secret silver, black iron, and gold dust—were present, astonishing Ji Changkong and stirring an impulse within him to collect them.

The converged Gold and Earth primal energies of Heaven and Earth, over long ages, had nurtured numerous spiritual treasures. The most eye-catching were several fist-sized stones hanging above, crystal clear like jade yet radiating a yellow light—the Earth Yuan Crystals—and the Gold Yuan Crystals, naturally formed into rough shapes, giving an impression of indestructible power.

Strands of golden and yellow liquid-like Heaven and Earth primal energy flowed along a specific trajectory, bit by bit, toward the Gold Yuan Crystals and Earth Yuan Crystals suspended high on the stone wall. Looking at them, these crystals seemed like the fruits born from this natural treasure land, creating a strange and marvelous illusion of vitality. Ji Changkong stared intently at the Gold Yuan Crystals, Earth Yuan Crystals, and the various rare forging materials scattered throughout the stone chamber. For the first time, he truly understood the immense benefit such a treasure land provided to a family. With such a resource, it was no wonder the Tu family could rise to prominence. Setting aside the Gold and Earth Yuan Crystals, just these rare materials like secret silver, black iron, and gold dust would allow the Tu family to exchange for sufficient Yuan Stones from other families. A family sitting atop a treasure mountain, provided they could guard it, could hardly fail to prosper!

"Sect Master, this golden barrier must have been set up by that Tu Bazi." Seeing Ji Changkong staring greedily at the various rare spirit stones in the chamber, frozen as if stupefied, Mu Luo had to raise a voice of caution. "Sect Master, to enter, we must destroy this golden barrier. The moment the barrier breaks, Tu Bazi will sense it. It seems quietly entering is no longer an option."

"Mu Luo, summon Dagan and Daji. We will force our way in! Once Tu Bazi appears, Mu Luo, you engage him directly. Dagan and I will collect the rare spirit stones in the chamber while you fight Tu Bazi. As soon as we finish collecting, we retreat immediately!" Ji Changkong snapped back to alertness, pondered for a moment, and decisively issued the order.

Within a certain range, Mu Luo had a method to connect his soul with Dagan and the others using the unique profound mysteries of the Oro Divine Cult. Mu Luo closed his eyes and sent out a wisp of his soul energy.

Moments later, Dagan and Daji walked in from the outside.

"Who goes there!" As the Dagan and Daji brothers approached, an extremely sharp shout suddenly echoed from the depths of the stone chamber ahead.

Dagan and Daji were both at the Qixing Tian Realm. They had not cultivated the profound mysteries of the magical Taixu Secret Record. The moment they neared this area, they were immediately detected by Tu Bazi in the stone chamber depths. "Break!" Mu Luo roared, initiating the forceful breach.

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