After the commotion between me and Dongguan, the two groups, who were not familiar with each other before, became much closer, as if they had been old friends for a long time. Through conversation, we also learned of Shana's true identity: she was the esteemed young mistress of the Dao Xuan Sect, famous throughout Cangyue. The bald giant's Heavenly Spider Gang was an affiliated faction under the Dao Xuan Sect, meaning Shana was essentially their master's daughter.

No wonder they had fought desperately to protect her earlier. Speaking of the Dao Xuan Sect, it was one of the foremost prestigious sects in Cangyue. Among the top ten young experts on the True Soul Ranking, the Dao Xuan Sect claimed three spots.

As its name suggested, the Dao Xuan Sect specialized in Daoist arts. For thousands of years, they had been the leading figures of the Daoist path within Cangyue’s martial world and were one of the three giants of the Vermilion Bird Alliance. Their ultimate technique was Enhanced Summoning.

Mastering this move allowed a Daoist, provided they were at least at the Middle Beginner stage, to forcibly summon a Holy Covenant Divine Beast. This skill could only be described as monstrous. Consequently, many in the Cangyue martial world referred to the Dao Xuan Sect as the Divine Beast Sect, because even a mere junior Daoist from their ranks could summon a powerful Holy Covenant Divine Beast.

This also explained how Shana, despite her young age, could summon such a beast; it wasn't because her cultivation had reached the level of a Crimson Moon Daoist, but rather through her sect's unique skill. As for why Shana was in the Bone Demon Cave and being hunted, that was a long story. Half a month ago, news that the young mistress had run away from home threw the entire Dao Xuan Sect into an uproar.

Shana’s elopement was linked to her older brother. A month prior, Shana's brother, Xia Ya, had responded to the Vermilion Bird Alliance's call and led elite disciples to explore the Yellow Springs world. Shana, who had always doted on her brother, slipped out while her family wasn't looking, intending to find him in the Bone Demon Cave.

Unexpectedly, she was discovered by members of the Heaven Sword Sect, the mortal enemies of the Xia family. They captured her, planning to use her as leverage against the Xia family. The feud between the Heaven Sword Sect and the Dao Xuan Sect was deeply entangled.

In short, whenever their forces met, it was a fight to the death; each side wished nothing more than to see the other annihilated. Now that they had finally caught this opportunity—capturing the young mistress of the Dao Xuan Sect—they certainly wouldn't let it slip away. Poor Shana was apprehended before she even had a chance to fight back.

Meanwhile, the Fang brothers, who were on a mission in the Bone Demon Cave, received word from the Dao Xuan Sect about the young mistress's escape. The bald giant and the others couldn't sit still and split up to search for Shana. The Fang brothers were intimately familiar with Shana’s personality; at a time like this, if she ran away, it was almost certain she was coming to the Bone Demon Cave to look for her brother.

Thus, they began their search in different directions. Heh! It seems wealthy young ladies are all equally naive, and they all love to run away from home.

This reminds me of Qian Yue, whom I met in the desert. These two girls seem quite similar. It was Shana’s good fortune that the Fang brothers happened to run into the Heaven Sword Sect members.

A fierce battle ensued, allowing the Fang brothers to rescue Shana. However, the Heaven Sword Sect outnumbered and clearly outmatched the Fang brothers. Thus, the Fang brothers had to fight desperately to cover Shana’s escape, resulting in them getting separated.

What followed was the scene where we encountered Shana. Bai Ling came from an official family; her father was the Lord of Fancheng. However, the Bai family had established the Phoenix Nest Gang 500 years ago and maintained it to this day, making them quite well-known in the martial world.

The current gang leader is Bai Ling. The Phoenix Nest Gang and the Dao Xuan Sect shared a deep friendship. It was purely coincidental that they encountered the Fang brothers besieged by the Heaven Sword Sect while trying to protect Shana, so they naturally could not stand by and watch.

As for our identities, besides keeping my status as the Blue Lightning secret, there was little else worth hiding. Upon learning that we were Bik Qi martial artists who had braved the ocean to cultivate here, Bai Ling and the Fang brothers were somewhat surprised. Few people their age dared to cross the sea.

Although Cangyue’s martial world harbored an inexplicable hostility toward martial artists from the Bik Qi Continent, we had, after all, saved Shana and the bald giant and the others. Consequently, the Phoenix Nest Gang naturally dropped any hostility they held toward us. After successfully rescuing Shana, the Fang brothers planned to escort her back to the Dao Xuan Sect, but Shana adamantly refused.

“Miss, why don’t you just come back with us?” The bald giant begged like a child, his pitiable expression causing the few of us to burst out laughing. “No! I have to find my brother,” Shana insisted with resolute firmness.

“I won’t go back until I find him.” “But the Bone Demon Cave is fraught with danger, and the Heaven Sword Sect people could reappear at any moment,” the bald giant worried. “We can’t let you take such risks.” “I must see my brother and bring him home,” Shana said with a serious face. “The Yellow Springs world is no place for fun.

Why did Grandpa send my brother there? What if something happens to him?” “Don’t worry, it’s just scouting; nothing will go wrong,” Bai Ling soothed. “I’m going!” Shana threw a tantrum like a spoiled young lady.

“There’s nothing we can do,” Fang Rou said helplessly. “Then we’ll just have to tie you up and take you back. The Old Master instructed us to bring you back no matter what.” “You dare!” Shana’s face changed drastically, staring in shock at the resolute Fang Rou.

“Miss, forgive my offense.” Although Fang Rou didn’t appear to have the exaggerated physique she once had, her strength was no joke. With one grab, she lifted Shana as easily as if she were a chick. “Let me go!” Shana struggled desperately after being lifted, but she couldn't break free from Fang Rou’s grip, crying in anger.

Her tearful, pitiful appearance made everyone feel a pang of sympathy. Everyone else stood there awkwardly, completely out of ideas facing the sobbing young mistress. “There’s no choice but to take her along,” Fang Rou said, though she was the softest-hearted despite her firm stance.

“That’s all we can do,” Bai Ling conceded. “We all need to be extra careful and protect Nana; it should be fine, right?” “That’s true,” the bald giant agreed. “Once we reach the third level and meet up with the main contingent, we won't have to worry even if the Heaven Sword Sect shows up again.” “Esteemed masters, are you interested in taking a look at the bottom of the Bone Demon Cave?” the bald giant inquired.

“Yes,” Long Xin and the others were greatly excited. “That would be wonderful! We’ve long wanted to see the Yellow Springs world beneath the Bone Demon Cave.

It would be best if you could take us.” “Boss, we are here to cultivate,” Jin Hong said with a solemn expression. “Furthermore, the Yellow Springs world is one of the legendary Ten Forbidden Zones; people who go in rarely return.” “You don’t need to worry about that,” Bai Ling assured them. “Our trip is just reconnaissance; we only need to find the entrance to the Yellow Springs world.

Truly delving in to deal with the Yellow Springs Cult Master is not our task.” “That’s strange. Hasn’t the exploration mission been posted for a long time?” Long Xin asked curiously. “Why are they still searching now?” “That’s a long story,” the bald giant explained.

“Originally, they thought sending forces from the three major factions of the Vermilion Bird Alliance would be enough to locate the entrance to the Yellow Springs world. However, only after entering the fifth level did they realize how astonishingly vast the fifth level is, and the density of undead creatures far exceeded everyone’s imagination. The Vermilion Bird Alliance has been engaged in fierce combat with the undead legions ever since entering, only just clearing the undead from the main thoroughfare.

But there are far too many side paths branching off the main route. Wiping out all the undead in those side passages and then finding the entrance to the Yellow Springs world is simply impossible with the manpower of the Vermilion Bird Alliance. That’s why the mission bulletin upgraded this exploration quest to an open-ended Tiger-rank mission.” According to the Martial Artist Handbook, the fifth level of the Bone Demon Cave was an extremely perilous place, where monsters were far more numerous and powerful than on the previous four levels.

Therefore, although the Martial Artist Guild hadn't classified it as a restricted area, they noted it as extremely dangerous. Consequently, for thousands of years, besides a few insane and reckless martial artists, no one dared to venture to the fifth level. Thus, information about the fifth level was limited to just those four words: extremely dangerous.

Other details were vague. As a result, despite making thorough preparations, the Vermilion Bird Alliance had not anticipated the sheer size of the fifth level. Plans truly could not keep up with changing realities.

“So, we’re here to try our luck,” Bai Ling continued. “If we are lucky enough to discover the passage, we’ll receive the reward for a Tiger-rank guild mission. Even if we don't find the passage, simply mapping out the complete search area will yield a considerable reward.” “What is the reward for this mission?” Dongguan asked curiously.

“If we find the entrance to the Yellow Springs world, the guild level will increase by fifty stars, plus a reward of ninety million gold coins and a guild residence,” Bai Ling said excitedly. “And just mapping out the search area will earn thirty million gold coins!” “Whoa, what generous rewards!” Long Zhan exclaimed in surprise. Whether it was the guild level increase, the gold coin bounty, or the guild residence, any one of these was enough to drive people wild.

“Tiger-rank, open-ended mission.” Long Xin and Long Qi’s eyes lit up. Such missions were exceedingly rare, perhaps only encountered once in a decade. A Tiger-rank mission was one that only Tiger-rank guilds could accept, and the highest rank for guilds on the continent was still below that.

God-rank missions were legendary, appearing perhaps once in a millennium. This wasn't to say such missions didn't exist, but rather that since the Martial Artist Guild was established, no one had ever completed one. To this day, three God-rank missions remained posted on the Guild’s God List.

The first was the Dark Demon Dragon God Spear, posted thirteen hundred years ago by the Demon Dragon Royal Family. The objective was to seize the Dark Demon Dragon God Spear from the hands of the Dark Demon Dragon Cult Master. By any means necessary, success would earn the individual or group a reward of ninety million gold bricks—equivalent to half the treasury of the Demon Dragon Empire.

Furthermore, the Demon Dragon Empire would bestow upon the successful martial artist the rank of First-Class Duke, with fiefdoms comprising the three islands of Suolan, Jincheng, and Luobu within the Demon Dragon Empire’s territory. The combined wealth from this reward could almost establish a small nation. It was a pity that this mission remained uncompleted since its posting.

The other two God-rank missions involved the Holy Word Church seeking the location of Wolong Villa, a quest posted for over three thousand years in the Martial Artist Guild, also never completed. Legend held that in ancient times, there existed a mysterious race whose origins were unknown, yet every member was exceptionally skilled; even the Church’s strongest Phoenix Sky Warriors could not defeat them. Many believed this race intended to invade the Mafa Continent.

Yet, despite their astonishing power, this nation never invaded any established country on the Mafa world. Concurrent with their appearance, a massive island suddenly materialized in the Flowing Ball Ocean—the habitat of this mysterious race, dubbed Wolong Villa by the people of Mafa. Strangely, the inhabitants of Wolong Villa neither invaded any Mafa nation nor waged war; instead, they taught the contemporary people various powerful combat skills and bestowed upon the era’s warriors their strongest companions: the Heroes, who became inseparable from the Phoenix Sky Warriors afterward.

It was rumored that the Heroes were created by the people of Wolong Villa using an extremely special secret art. They were humanoid summoned beasts, appearing identical to humans but possessing combat strength at least five times greater than the strongest Phoenix Sky Warriors of that age. One Hero could easily defeat five of the strongest Phoenix Sky Warriors.

With such powerful allies, the people of the Mafa world were immensely grateful to the people of Wolong Villa. In return, however, Wolong Villa requested that the people of the Mafa Continent help them find one specific person. Who this person was, the Source Records held no account, as it was too long ago.

The records only mentioned that warriors from the entire Mafa world were mobilized, searching everywhere for this individual. But after three years of fruitless searching, Wolong Villa vanished overnight, no one knowing where it went. Some speculated that Wolong Villa was actually a giant ship, and this mysterious race was perpetually searching for their deity.

The Mafa world was merely a stopover point on their journey. Perhaps having failed to find whom they sought on the Mafa Continent, they departed. Wolong Villa’s sudden disappearance left behind formidable martial arts and terrifyingly powerful Heroes, which became the ultimate guardian force of the Mafa world.

In a sense, Wolong Villa was the source of all martial arts on the Mafa Continent. Leveraging powerful martial arts and the aid of the Heroes, the Mafa world inhabitants launched an attack against the Beastmen, eventually defeating them and ending the stalemate between humans and beasts. This led to the establishment of a mighty empire—the most glorious and magnificent age recorded in the Source Records: the Divine Dragon Empire.

With its formidable military strength, the Divine Dragon Empire stood unshaken for five thousand years. However, five millennia later, internal strife within the royal family triggered an unprecedented decisive battle, referred to in the Source Records as the Phoenix Sky War. All Phoenix Sky Warriors and their Heroes participated in this conflict.

The carnage of the war exceeded all expectations. Only then did people realize with horror how terrifyingly powerful their Heroes truly were. Heroes only unleashed their inherent potential when facing opponents of equal or greater strength.

The duels between Heroes undoubtedly fulfilled these conditions perfectly. The situation spiraled completely out of control, culminating in a disastrous mutual destruction for the Heroes. All the Heroes perished in battle, and the surviving Phoenix Sky Warriors were left hanging by a thread.

Humanity in the Mafa world was thus stripped of its ultimate guardian force. However, before its death, one final Hero revealed an astonishing secret: other dormant Heroes existed in the Land of Heroes. If the Land of Heroes could be found, humanity might regain new Heroes.

The so-called Land of Heroes was the very place where the people of Wolong Villa had originally forged these Heroes, hidden somewhere on the continent. In the search for new Heroes, the stabilized Divine Dragon Empire sent people everywhere looking for the Land of Heroes, yet found nothing. This became the earliest God-rank mission in history, still uncompleted to this day: Searching for the Land of Heroes.

The Phoenix Sky War left humanity without its strongest protectors, the Heroes, and the previously defeated Beastmen seized the opportunity to resurge and launch a fierce counterattack. Facing their ancient enemies from five thousand years ago, the humans barely recognized these former equals; they had regressed to being little more than primitive humans, their civilization ruined and their culture lost, reducing the Beastmen to instinct-driven, mentally deficient beings. Despite losing their strongest defense, the Beastmen’s first counteroffensive was easily crushed.

People subsequently let down their guard against the Beastmen, but tragedy struck five hundred years after the first major assault. When the Beastmen attacked again, they were vastly different from five centuries prior, possessing solid armor, sharp weapons, formidable combat skills, and superior battlefield strategy. Against the powerful Beastman legions, human resistance seemed fragile and weak; they were ultimately defeated.

From then on, humanity plunged into the darkest and most painful era in its history. Humans were enslaved by the savage Beastmen, living lives worse than pigs and dogs, under a perpetual darkness that lasted over five thousand years. Five thousand years later, a genius human sage was born in Bik Qi: the Holy Word True Soul!

Under his leadership, humanity launched a counterattack. After more than ten generations and over three centuries of arduous fighting, humanity finally drove the Beastmen back to the Woma Forest and reclaimed their homeland. To commemorate the great Holy Word True Soul, the year victory was achieved was designated as the first year of the Holy Word Calendar, which is the calendar still used on the Mafa Continent today.

The historical records written after the establishment of the Holy Word Calendar are the Sand Chronicle that has been passed down. The historical records preceding the Holy Word Calendar, corresponding to the Sand Chronicle, are known as the Source Records. The people of the Mafa world finally turned the tide.

However, among the human armies at that time, due to regional and factional differences, they were divided into four major groups: Bik Qi, Demon Sealing, Cangyue, and the former Divine Dragon Empire, now the Demon Dragon Empire (the reason the Divine Dragon Empire was later renamed the Demon Dragon Empire was due to other specific reasons). The four major military groups eventually established their own nations based on their respective territories, which is the origin of the four great empires in the current Mafa world. Having overthrown the Beastmen's rule, humanity restored its order.

The mission to find the Land of Heroes, recorded in the Source Records, was retained by the later established Martial Artist Guild and has remained on the God-rank mission board to this day. The third God-rank mission is Searching for Wolong Villa! This mission was added later by the joint efforts of the four great empires of Bik Qi, Demon Dragon, Cangyue, and Demon Sealing.

After all, the cultural roots of the entire Mafa world stemmed largely from Wolong Villa. Everyone longed to see such a god-like, powerful race again, eager to receive their teachings once more—or perhaps, people wished to obtain powerful Heroes from them again. However, this mission seemed even more unattainable, as there was not a single clue.

The reward for completing either the Search for the Land of Heroes or the Search for Wolong Villa mission would be that each of the four great empires would contribute half of its national treasury and one-third of its territory. It was said that upon completing such a mission, the individual or group could instantly establish a great nation, perhaps even surpassing the scale of the Bik Qi Empire. But on second thought, if someone genuinely found the Land of Heroes or Wolong Villa, and gained their aid, conquering the continent and establishing their own nation might not be difficult at all.

Thus, these two missions held more symbolic meaning than practical significance. It was hard to imagine if the four nations would truly honor their commitments if someone actually completed them.