II. The second target explored by the Daoist contingent after the casualties in the Han Lie path lay within a valley, deep-set among towering mountains. The valley's contours were magnificent and winding, stretching for nearly a thousand li. From the mouth of the valley to its lowest floor, it was overgrown with every conceivable variety of purple bamboo. Pale lavender, blush pink, cyan, indigo—and even shades where purple was tinged with red, white, gold, or silver. There were also varieties patterned with splotches of crimson on a purple base, green on a skull-like base, white spots, or auspicious gold markings, each coloration and pattern distinct.

Initially, the restrictions within the valley were mundane, nothing more than the simplest Minor Five Elements Yi Wood restrictions. After advancing nearly a hundred li, they encountered dozens of such restrictions, each easily shattered by the disciples of the Wei Ji Sect. They even acquired several magical artifacts crafted from deeply aged purple bamboo—a flute, a xiao, a fan, a pillow—each possessing unique and marvelous uses. Having benefited and noting the simplicity of the barriers, the group's apprehension eased considerably. They focused solely on breaking the formations and plunged another three hundred li deeper into the valley.

It was then that an exceedingly complex and profound Grand Array erupted from the flat earth. First, seventy-two blasts of Yi Wood Thunderclap pulverized two disciples of the Ji Ji Sect into dust. Following this, a strange gale, towering and shimmering violet, rich with spiritual energy yet heavy as a mountain, rose from the ground, blowing two bloody souls into absolute annihilation, scattering their spirits to nothingness.

Hearing the report from the Dao Alliance disciples on that path via the communicator, Little Daoist Zhang’s heart sank. Instinctively, he glanced toward Zhao Yi, who stood beside Gu Xiechen.

Gu Xiechen smiled, nodding toward Zhao Yi. Zhao Yi immediately spoke: "The number of formations I know capable of emitting Yi Wood Thunderclap is twenty-eight thousand, nine hundred, and seventy-two. Among those accompanying the Yi Wood Thunderclap that can disperse souls with Yi Wood Spiritual Wind, I know of only three. And of those three, the Grand Array capable of harmonizing with the Spirit Root Purple Bamboo to produce the 'Purple Bamboo Soul-Scattering Radiance' is only the 'Reversal and Forward Three Talents Minor Sumeru Soul-Scattering Array'."

Little Daoist Zhang urgently inquired, "Is there a method to break the formation?"

The disciples from the Ban Xian Sect and the Mi Luo Sect standing nearby watched Zhao Yi with unblinking intensity. This so-called Reversal and Forward Three Talents Minor Sumeru Soul-Scattering Array was something they had never even heard mentioned. While they understood Yi Wood Thunderclap, they had absolutely no clue what Yi Wood Spiritual Wind was. As for the even more esoteric 'Purple Bamboo Soul-Scattering Radiance'?

Let alone the two of them, even the most senior elders in their Wei Ji Sect or Mi Luo Sect likely had never heard of it.

Zhao Yi replied calmly, "The method to break the array is not complicated. One must invoke the power of the Six Ding and Six Jia Spirits, condense the Qi of Western Great White Gold Essence, and use the 'Gold Axe Art' to manifest the Divine Axe of Grand Unity Pure Gold, cleaving the eye of the formation—a ten-thousand-year purple bamboo—and the array will disperse on its own. However, be cautious after breaking it. The Purple Bamboo Soul-Scattering Radiance is a naturally generated spiritual object; if contained using an Earth-attributed magical treasure, it can refine a potent artifact."

Upon hearing Zhao Yi's explanation, a young Daoist in an apricot-yellow robe hesitantly raised his right hand: "Invoking the power of the Six Ding and Six Jia Spirits—our Little Mao Shan lineage does retain a few fragmented scriptures... However, the complete incantation has been lost for nearly a thousand years."

A Daoist in a white robe also raised his right hand, offering a wry smile: "Condensing the Qi of Western Great White Gold Essence—my Tai Bai Sect has some minor understanding of that. As for the 'Gold Axe Art,' this humble Daoist faintly recalls senior members of my sect mentioning it, but it too has been lost for several hundred years."

Little Daoist Zhang’s gaze upon Gu Xiechen became noticeably brighter. He opened his mouth as if to speak, but Peng Hua was quicker, agilely positioning himself in front of Gu Xiechen. He thumped his chest forcefully, his eyes blazing with crimson light, and bellowed with a tone radiating ultimate, unwavering righteousness: "If you wish to plot against my junior brother, you must first ask if my Nine Nether Path permits it! All junior brothers!"

As Peng Hua roared, over a dozen Dao Alliance disciples rushed out, surrounding Gu Xiechen. These disciples possessed bizarre and grotesque appearances, their bodies shrouded in dense, sinister energy; they were Peng Hua's sect mates from the Nine Nether Path. There were corpses, specters, enchantresses, spirits, demons, devils, monsters, and sprites—in short, every conceivable type of uncanny being, enough to compile a complete compendium of 'Earth’s Exotic Life Forms.' Peng Hua was their senior apprentice brother, and when he called out, they naturally responded as one.

Those who cultivate the Dao are rarely fools. Zhao Yi's effortless dismantling of the restrictions in the Hidden Dragon Pool proved his value surpassed that of all disciples from the Wei Ji Sect and Mi Luo Sect combined. Furthermore, he could break the peerless Reversal and Forward Three Talents Minor Sumeru Soul-Scattering Array, and he was proficient in the lost Mao Shan invocation of the Six Ding and Six Jia technique, as well as the Tai Bai Sect's lost Gold Axe Art. Zhao Yi's value was simply incalculable.

And yet, Zhao Yi was merely a Bound Soul Puppet summoned by Gu Xiechen!

The profound mystery behind this warranted deep contemplation. But regardless of the reason, Gu Xiechen himself was a treasure! A living treasure!

Little Daoist Zhang sighed, giving Peng Hua a pained look. "Peng Hua, given our friendship, must you resort to this?"

Peng Hua’s face hardened, and he sneered, "Friendship is friendship; do not mix it with official business. If you fancy any of the serving maids by my side, I can give them to you. But if you try to scheme against Junior Brother Gu, I will not permit it!"

Little Daoist Zhang’s face turned purple, nearly spitting blood from anger. "Those serving maids of yours—I lack the capacity to enjoy them; you may keep them for yourself! Quickly ascertain the situation within the Water Palace and then reinforce that other Dao Vanguard team." Little Daoist Zhang performed a ritual salute toward Gu Xiechen and stated solemnly, "Gu Wuhe has given the order!"

Gu Xiechen nodded, smiling faintly as he observed Peng Hua closely, who had adopted an expression of loving concern. He then issued an order to Zhao Yi.

Zhao Yi shot out of the transport vessel and strode toward the Water Palace. The bottom of the Hidden Dragon Pool was densely carpeted with various corals—red, blue, indigo, white, all colors imaginable. As Zhao Yi approached the Water Palace, countless strands of multicolored light shot out from the corals. Tentacles of coral polyps unfurled, revealing innumerable five-colored pearls nestled within them like dense constellations. Each pearl flared with brilliant light, and with a "hissing" sound, countless rays of colorful light enveloped Zhao Yi completely.

The Dao Alliance disciples, who had reported losses and were cautiously awaiting aid via the communicator, snapped their heads up. Gazing at the sky filled with multicolored light, Little Daoist Zhang exclaimed in horror, "Heavens, that is the Acquired Spiritual Magnetic Life-Ending Ray! This, this, this—my goodness!"

Peng Hua and the others’ faces turned ashen. The Acquired Spiritual Magnetic Life-Ending Ray was also a legendary item within the Asian Dao Alliance. This treasure, generated by heaven and earth, specialized in destroying everything belonging to the Five Metals, while simultaneously eroding vital blood and damaging the primordial spirit—it was the most vicious restriction in the world. Unless one were an Immortal who had transcended the Five Elements, even a physical body protected by the strongest artifacts would, after a short time, melt into a pool of viscous blood.

Zhao Yi strode forward through the immeasurable Acquired Spiritual Magnetic Life-Ending Rays, treating the onslaught as if it were a broad, clear thoroughfare. Each multicolored ray swept across his body but caused him no harm whatsoever. Gu Xiechen shared a mental link with Zhao Yi, and he vaguely perceived that whenever a ray pierced Zhao Yi’s body, an inexplicable force within Zhao Yi would naturally neutralize the ray’s killing power, rendering his body elusive and untouchable to the colored light, as if it were mere phantom vapor.

In just a few steps, Zhao Yi reached the entrance of the Water Palace. He reached out and snatched the plaque hanging above the door. The plaque, carved from translucent white jade, was instantly crushed into fragments by Zhao Yi's grasp, and from within rolled out a fist-sized pearl completely enveloped in five-colored light. Zhao Yi hastily drew a talisman on the pearl, and billions of multicolored rays streaming from the sky instantly shot into the pearl like birds returning to their nests. The pearls on every coral simultaneously burst, similarly dissolving into millions of beams of colored light that flowed into the central pearl.

Tossing it casually over his shoulder, the five-colored pearl landed accurately in Little Daoist Zhang’s embrace. Little Daoist Zhang shuddered violently, nearly dropping the treasure.

Gu Xiechen, already understanding everything through his mental connection with Zhao Yi, smiled at Little Daoist Zhang: "Daoist Zhang, according to our alliance agreement, this pearl should be kept by you, to be allocated later."

The heads of Peng Hua and the others snapped in unison toward Little Daoist Zhang, their eyeballs once again spitting out a sinister green glow. Little Daoist Zhang’s very heart and organs quivered. He hastily swept up the front of his Daoist robe, stuffed the pearl inside, and repeatedly bowed to the assembled Dao Alliance disciples: "Fellow Daoists, esteemed Daoists, these treasures are not for me, Little Zhang, to divide! Let our senior sect elders debate the distribution of these treasures! Let us quickly search the three hundred and sixty grotto-heavens and blessed lands, and then we shall depart Paradise Star!"

Hearing Little Daoist Zhang’s words, the green glow in the eyes of the Dao Alliance disciples slightly subsided.

With no further words needed, under Zhao Yi’s guidance, the Dao Alliance disciples swept through the three hundred and sixty grotto-heavens and blessed lands in just half a month, unstoppable. Of the three hundred and sixty celestial domains, more than one hundred and thirty were empty, retaining nothing. In the remaining two hundred-plus domains, some held dozens of treasures, like the Six Harmony Odd Gate Array of the Brocade Fairy, while others held only one or two.

When the final grotto-heaven, "Jade Essence Cliff," was thoroughly plundered, Little Daoist Zhang inventoried the haul. In total, the group had confiscated nine hundred and ninety-three artifacts of various kinds, over four thousand nine hundred bottles of pills and powders whose usability was unknown, thirty-odd scrolls of strange and obscure incantations and formulae, and thirty-seven thousand volumes of assorted spiritual herbs and medicines.

Because the restrictions guarding each grotto-heaven and blessed land were abstruse and mysterious, the disciples of the Wei Ji Sect and Mi Luo Sect were utterly incapable of dealing with them. Consequently, Zhao Yi broke every single restriction and array.

Before Jade Essence Cliff, Little Daoist Zhang read out the inventory figures for the various treasures. With every number announced, the nearly thousand Dao Alliance disciples present invariably let out a cheer.

Finally, Little Daoist Zhang suddenly turned toward Gu Xiechen: "According to our covenant, one-tenth of these treasures shall belong to Brother Gu."

Gu Xiechen waved his sleeve with effortless grace, laughing lightly: "Never mind. Senior Brother Peng Hua, let this tenth share of the treasures serve as my apprenticeship gift!"