The sound drifted on the underground breeze, likely still twenty li away, judging by the distance. Who knew how many Blazing Talismans had been used to blast the path, creating such a tremendous roar.

The speed of their approach was considerable. In mere moments, they had advanced nearly a hundred zhang closer.

Zong Shou’s expression remained unchanged, maintaining his calm composure as he quietly waited for the Midnight Dark Lotus before him to wither.

When the very last petal shriveled and fell, three black fruits, resembling small strawberries, finally emerged tentatively from the flower’s core.

It was precisely as these three Black Lotus Fruits were about to drop to the ground that Zong Shou caught them.

The Midnight Dark Lotus was highly venomous, but these spirit fruits were entirely non-toxic. Instead, they exuded an intoxicating fragrance and possessed an alluring sheen.

As soon as he secured them, Zong Shou immediately placed the fruits into a porcelain vial. Without hesitation, he cast two specialized spirit techniques designed to dispel vibrations and mask scents, then turned and fled with Chu Xue.

Yet, after traveling only five or six li, not yet reaching the deep pit he had excavated, the voices they had previously heard were suddenly right upon them. Another branch tunnel, scoured out by the underground stream, was rapidly closing in—the distance was now barely two li.

Hearing the increasingly near footfalls, Zong Shou raised an eyebrow, followed by a sigh of resignation.

At their current speed, evasion was impossible. Continuing along this path, discovery was only a matter of time.

The approaching auras were entirely unrestrained.

There were many experts among them. Besides several Xiantian martial artists, there were even spirit masters of the Chuqiao Realm and experts at the Wuzong level.

He was currently in possession of great treasures; engaging them would clearly be unwise.

Glancing around, Zong Shou’s heart suddenly stirred. He looked upward, where the cavern ceiling featured a distinct, natural depression.

After a brief moment of thought, Zong Shou once again executed a Sound Nullification Art and affixed a Spirit Silencing Talisman, temporarily rendering the spiritual energy fluctuations and sounds in the area utterly silent. He then snatched Chu Xue and leaped vertically toward the ceiling. The three stone puppets followed, driving their hands and feet into the earth and rock above. Their forms then shifted, and in moments, they became indistinguishable from ordinary granite, securely concealing the pair.

The two had barely hidden themselves and masked their vital energy when, peering through a deliberately left narrow gap, they saw a group of figures emerge sequentially from the turn in the adjacent tunnel.

The foremost pair wore heavy iron armor, resembling military commanders. Their steps were tremendously weighty, yet both were Xiantian experts.

Behind them followed a middle-aged man dressed in a green robe. Faint black spirit markings traced paths along his arms and neck; observing the pattern, they seemed to form a spirit array that extended all the way to his cheeks.

A pale blue flame hovered above his head, illuminating the cavern as brightly as midday, yet suffusing it with a faint, eerie chill.

Beside this man stood an elderly gentleman in his fifties. His hair was deep crimson, and his eyes seemed to crackle with latent electricity, giving him a fierce, ruffian-like air.

Trailing behind these few were twenty Nine-Meridian Secret Martial Masters. Next came a group of people in miserable disarray, being dragged along by chains held by these martial masters.

Most exhibited characteristics of demonic beasts to varying degrees—some had animal ears, others tails, or excessively dense fur. All were covered in wounds, clad only in scraps of cloth, and heavily shackled at their wrists and ankles. Some of the sturdier ones had steel spikes driven through their joints and bones, or their hand and foot tendons had been deliberately severed.

Most were forced to move by crawling on all fours, and any slight delay resulted in vicious whipping from the Secret Martial Masters.

Chu Xue’s body instantly tensed. Zong Shou’s brow furrowed; all those bound by chains were of the Yao (Demon/Beast-kin) race.

His gaze then shifted to the figures leading the group. The two Xiantian martial masters were unremarkable.

They were not comparable to the Hundred Thousand Blood Kill, Li Xieling, and were significantly inferior to figures like the 'Ghastly Sword,' Ren Qianchou.

At best, they were on par with the nameless elder surnamed Mi from Corpse Mountain in Blood Spirit Valley.

Only the Wuzong expert and the spirit master required a modicum of caution. The former's vital energy was fierce yet steady, his blood formidable, indicating a definite level of martial attainment.

As for the spirit master, he must have hailed from a renowned sect, or his mentor must be a contemporary powerhouse.

The spirit array drawn on his body was clearly the work of a spirit master above the Riyou Realm. By painting the Heavenly Talismans onto his flesh, he could grasp certain Heavenly Talisman spirit arts ahead of time upon reaching the Yeyou Realm.

This shared a similar principle with the Heavenly Talisman Spirit Seed left by Ancestor Lingyun, though the latter's technique was far more refined.

Moreover, painting such an external spirit array onto someone's body was something one would only entrust to a person held in the highest trust and intimacy! It had to be either their mentor or a family member.

These two would be difficult opponents, and the twenty Secret Martial Masters following them moved with synchronized precision, their armor and weaponry exquisitely crafted.

While he had managed to slay Li Xieling previously, he had little confidence in surviving an encirclement by these people.

As the middle-aged spirit master emerged from the side passage, he abruptly stopped, glancing around with a hint of confusion.

The elder also paused, his face showing a look of expectation. "Master Mingjue, why the halt? Have you detected something?..."

The man named Mingjue shook his head, continuing to observe the surroundings intently. After a moment, he finally said, "Perhaps it is my illusion, but the spiritual energy fluctuations here seem unnatural. The convergence point of the air currents in this junction is altogether too still..."

The elder looked somewhat disappointed, then thoughtful. "Now that you mention it, my spiritual sense did detect something amiss here earlier. But upon careful remote sensing with my divine, aside from the spiritual silence, there was no other anomaly. It is likely a natural formation; judging by the distribution of spirit stones here, they seem rather scarce as well."

Mingjue remained unconvinced, his brow still tightly furrowed, seemingly extending his consciousness to scan the vicinity. Then the elder’s tone shifted, laced with profound emotion: "However, this time, we truly owe a debt to Master Mingjue. If you hadn't cast that Blood Origin Finger Spirit Art, I, Dou Lingzhen, would have been kept in the dark, nearly believing this was just a small, first-tier mine. Heh heh, no wonder that Shi Lianhai was willing to pay such a steep price to contend with me! Amassing an army of over five hundred thousand, bringing in dozens of Xiantian experts to attack my Fenghua City! We truly must thank Master Mingjue this time!"

Hearing this, Mingjue allowed a slight parting of his composure, smiling thinly. "No thanks are necessary. Our Demon Banner Sect does not offer aid to a City Lord for nothing. Lord Dou merely needs to recall our previous agreement!"

Zong Shou’s gaze flickered. Since this elder calling himself Dou Lingzhen was the City Lord of Fenghua City, then the Shi Lianhai mentioned in his words must be the City Lord of Lianhai City.

The Demon Banner Sect carried some weight. Although not counted among the Ten Sacred Grounds or the Nineteen Spirit Mansions, their sect strength was far from weak. The spiritual lands they occupied, combined, were comparable to the lowest-ranked among the Nineteen Spirit Mansions. The sect also boasted several Spirit Masters of the Suturing Body Realm and experts at the Martial Venerable level.

However, this sect was one of the most authentically demonic factions. Dou Lingzhen chuckled, his laughter hearty and unrestrained: "Naturally! This spirit stone mine should be above second-tier, a medium-sized vein. All future yields will be split eight-two. My Fenghua City takes two, your Demon Banner Sect takes eight! I give my word. However, we will require your esteemed sect’s assistance in repelling Lianhai City, and later, the Hidden Sword Manor, from this territory."

The last few sentences clearly carried a probing intent. Mingjue sneered dismissively. Suddenly, he snatched several Yao with tiger markings before them. A few clawed chains shot out from his sleeve; with a click and a flick, the skulls of these Yao were split open.

Within their brains, blood-colored worms were visibly writhing.

Mingjue guided a spiritual command, and flames of blood instantly ignited on the heads of these Yao. The cavern filled momentarily with agonizing screams.

But in a brief moment, the blood flames spread across their entire bodies. And in the hand of the Daoist Mingjue now rested a ball of blood-red light, coiling restlessly in his palm.

Several breaths later, disappointment clouded Mingjue's eyes: "Strange. I previously scouted that the mineral core was nearby. But after probing several times here with the Blood Origin Finger Spirit Art, I can no longer determine the direction."

He glanced behind him, and a line of worry creased Mingjue's brow. "My raw materials are running low; I can only cast this twice more. If we cannot find it, we will have to abandon the search for now."

Dou Lingzhen also frowned. "If you require Blood Spirits, City Lord Fenghua has plenty of desperate, starving people outside our walls. You are welcome to take whomever you need, Sir."

"City Lord Dou’s generous offer is appreciated, but my Blood Origin Finger Spirit Art is not that simple," Mingjue stated calmly. "The Blood Spirit sacrifices required for this method must possess a certain level of cultivation. The more spiritual the material, the more effective the spell. Therefore, choosing these Yao is optimal. These individuals have perfectly preserved fusions of ancient divine beast bloodlines; they are the best candidates for enacting the Blood Origin Finger Spirit Art!"

"I see!" Dou Lingzhen looked enlightened, then let out a sudden, mocking laugh. "Speaking of these Yao, they truly are ridiculous. Instead of living properly as humans, they insist on consorting with beasts, merging with the blood essence of divine beasts. Are they not no different from livestock? Even their temperament is similar to wild beasts—savage and brutal. I have always wondered why the various sects do not join forces to completely exterminate these Yao."

Before his words died away, the surrounding Secret Martial Masters all let out soft, mocking chuckles.

Chu Xue, who was already trembling uncontrollably, was nearly bursting with rage.

Flames burned in her eyes, mixed with a sense of sorrowful powerlessness.

Zong Shou also fell into silence. According to fragmented historical records, in the Cloud Barren Era, the ancient human race held no inherent advantage. Countless beasts roamed the wilderness, and alien races invaded from other realms.

In the early stages of the Cloud Barren, humanity was nearly extinguished. Some powerful human figures, refusing to accept this fate, voluntarily merged with the essence blood of various divine beasts, only then barely tipping the scales back.

After scores of generations, the descendants of these people, along with the strong individuals who later joined them, endured casualties numbering in the hundreds of millions. Through conquering in all directions, they eventually established the dominant position of the human race.