With one sword strike, Bai Jiangmu was finished. Beside him, Wai Lingqi collapsed onto the ground, staring blankly at Gu Xiechen.

"It's over, it's utterly over... Killing Old Immortal Hei Man was already a disaster of colossal proportions, and now we've killed the direct kin of Immortal Lord Taibai." The light in Wai Lingqi's eyes abruptly dimmed. He gazed at Gu Xiechen like a walking corpse, all spirit and energy seemingly drained away. He was utterly terrified by the mere reputation of Immortal Lord Taibai.

Gu Xiechen looked at Wai Lingqi and said coldly, "If we hadn't killed him, he would have killed us. There is no logic in being the thief for a thousand days while perpetually guarding against the thief! To constantly worry about him plotting in the shadows is worse than making a clean break now. Even if he is the blood kin of Immortal Lord Taibai, he still deserved to die!" "What if Immortal Lord Taibai seeks revenge?" Wai Lingqi asked Gu Xiechen foolishly. Gu Xiechen chuckled faintly and gently shook his head. "The die is cast. With the boat already burned, what other choice is there? We can only press on!"

A fierce glint flashed in Wai Lingqi's eyes, and he tightly gripped the tassel of his sword, nodding firmly.

"Bai Jiangmu intended to annihilate the entire sect of my Spirit Artifact Sect; this was an unprovoked calamity to begin with. If the Taibai Immortal Sect refuses reason, then we will fight them to the bitter end!"

A quarter of an hour later, Wai Lingqi issued orders throughout the Spirit Artifact Sect: 'Wai Chenzi is promoted to the position of Vice Sect Master of the Spirit Artifact Sect, fully responsible for all daily affairs. The entire Spirit Artifact Sect will immediately evacuate Wanhua City and proceed to the other mountain gate left behind by the Founding Ancestor of the Spirit Artifact Sect, Tianqiao Jun.'

More than half of the Sword Forging Hall in the Spirit Artifact Sect's Sword Hall had collapsed; only the solid ground where the Nine Abyss Chilled Earth Furnace rested remained intact.

Wai Lingqi led the high-ranking officials of the Spirit Artifact Sect into the Sword Forging Hall. Carefully and with deep reverence, he unclasped a thin alloy chain from his neck and removed a thumb-sized, exquisitely crafted miniature seal, perfectly mirroring the shape of the Nine Abyss Chilled Earth Furnace.

Glancing around at the other high-ranking elders, Wai Lingqi stated in a deep voice, "The Spirit Artifact Sect has suffered a massive upheaval; there is no need for excessive words! This Tianqiao Seal was left by our Ancestor as the token of the Sect Master. From today forward, it shall be held by Chen'er. Unless a major unforeseen event occurs, all sect elders shall enter strict seclusion starting today, striving to improve their Dao cultivation and magic power, ready to respond at any moment."

Wai Qianji, Wai Linghu, and the others solemnly agreed. Wai Lingqi then took a deep breath and shook his head. "I never expected that we would have to resort to the life-saving method left by our Ancestor, I truly never thought it would come to this!"

With a flick of his finger, the Tianqiao Seal shot towards the Nine Abyss Chilled Earth Furnace with a flash of firelight. A beast head on the surface of the cauldron, facing Wai Lingqi, suddenly opened its maw and swallowed the seal whole. Instantly, the entire Sword Forging Hall shook violently. The surrounding lava lakes began to churn wildly, and the magma, capable of melting metal, surged upward to heights of over a hundred zhang.

The Nine Abyss Chilled Earth Furnace slowly ascended. Suddenly, its body began to writhe like flowing water. In just a few breaths, the furnace, previously used for artifact refining, transformed into a streamlined shuttle, a hundred zhang long and ten zhang in diameter, with sharply pointed ends.

The shuttle was deep cyan-black, threaded with countless fine, shimmering red firelights, densely packed like fireflies on a summer night.

Several beast faces suddenly materialized on the shuttle's surface. They opened their mouths and let out a silent roar, spitting out a streak of crimson firelight. This shaft of firelight, thick as a zhang, circled the flying shuttle several times. Several streams of light converged into one massive beam, hundreds of zhang wide, which shot straight down into the ground.

The ground split open silently, forming a massive crater hundreds of zhang in diameter. The flying shuttle spun rapidly, spewing out red light and smoke, quickly burrowing into the earth. Wai Lingqi shoved Gu Xiechen forward. He snorted, "Chen'er, lead the disciples ahead. We elders will cover the rear."

As Wai Lingqi pushed Gu Xiechen, a tiny jade slip was pressed into Gu Xiechen's palm. Gu Xiechen swept his divine sense over the slip, and a mass of information flooded his mind. The data within the jade slip was partially damaged, clearly having been lost and then somehow rediscovered and collated later. However, it contained records of a backup dwelling for the Spirit Artifact Sect and the formation diagrams for seventy to eighty percent of its defenses.

Under Wai Lingqi's sharp command, a large contingent of Spirit Artifact Sect disciples activated their escape lights and rushed into the tunnel carved out by the flying shuttle, closely following Gu Xiechen.

Following the descending order of cultivation and the descending order of aptitude, a total of over three hundred thousand Spirit Artifact Sect disciples rushed into the passage on their swords. Every disciple was bulging with storage rings and magic bags filled with various stored items. All the materials and wealth accumulated by the Spirit Artifact Sect over the years were taken away; there wasn't even a speck of leftover ash in the original sect's storerooms.

Especially the elders and managing disciples from the various halls—they even used their divine abilities to carry away the large cauldrons used for forging artifacts. The cauldrons, varying in size and weight, soared through the air with faint sounds of breaking the air, still stuffed with spirit stones and all sorts of household goods. Some conscientious disciples even packed bedding and pillows into the cauldrons. The Spirit Artifact Sect had completely abandoned its original mountain gate; every single possession had been emptied out.

The flying shuttle sped forward. After tunneling over a hundred thousand li underground, it sharply changed direction and followed a subterranean lava river, traveling parallel to the surface. Gu Xiechen, riding his sword light, guided the vast, surging force of the Spirit Artifact Sect disciples closely behind the shuttle.

The disciples of the Spirit Artifact Sect were always well-trained; artifact refining itself requires precision, and all disciples had long cultivated a standard, precise demeanor, almost mechanical. Therefore, even though it was a large-scale operation involving over three hundred thousand people, it only took them two hours to get everyone through the tunnel, swiftly evacuating with all the sect's valuable and worthless belongings along the passage.

After Wai Lingqi and the other elders had also entered the tunnel, Wai Lingqi swiftly cast a hand seal behind him. The tunnel carved by the flying shuttle began to collapse section by section, and the magma from the surrounding earth-vein fire immediately surged out, completely sealing the passage.

Less than a quarter of an hour after evacuating the original mountain gate, the large-scale illusion array set up by Old Immortal Hei Yan to deceive observers, having lost its controller and being violently shaken during the confrontation between Wai Lingqi and Old Immortal Hei Liang, gradually disintegrated. This exposed the fragmented remains of the Spirit Artifact Sect's mountain gate.

The original mountain gate of the Spirit Artifact Sect, which once connected to the adjacent ravines, had completely collapsed, leaving behind a vast pit, perhaps thousands of li across and of unknown depth. Streams of black smoke continuously shot up from the profound depths below, carrying a scorched smell into the distance.

Wanhua City was the largest city on Misha Star, and the location of the mountain gates for several of the largest sects on the planet. The sudden changes at the Spirit Artifact Sect's gate were immediately noticed. Almost simultaneously with the collapse of the illusion array, dozens of figures materialized in the sky above the ruins. Among these people were the current Sect Master of Qingtian Cliff, Qingcang Peak transformed into Siren, and naturally, Ku Sha'er, the transformation of Mohe.

The latter two had already exchanged the full account of events with Gu Xiechen via divine sense. Thus, looking upon the utterly ruined mountain gate of the Spirit Artifact Sect, they merely narrowed their eyes and remained silent. The others, however, stared in shock at the sudden ruins, their powerful divine senses weaving back and forth through the void, continuously analyzing and speculating about the scene before them.

Suddenly, from the core location of Wanhua City—the largest cultivator plaza—a dozen dazzling white lights, too brilliant to look at directly, shot rapidly toward this spot. These white lights carried a piercing chill and sharpness, cutting through the air like sharp blades. Even from a distance, they caused an uncomfortable throbbing sensation across the body, as if countless fine knives were hacking at them.

This unique sword light was instantly recognizable: it was the 'Taibai Golden Light Evasion Technique,' exclusive to the Inner Sect disciples of the Taibai Immortal Sect. This technique involves tempering the body with Tai Bai Golden Qi, refined from the stellar power of the starry sky, turning the self into a sharp blade. Using the gravitational pull between stars as a bridge, it pulls the Golden Qi to propel the body through the air—it is the most famous light-based escape technique in this starry region!

The Taibai Golden Light Evasion Technique was not the fastest escape method; compared to the 'Lesser Heavenly Cycle Blazing Spirit Splitting Escape' used by Immortal Lord Chixian’s disciples, its speed was slightly inferior. However, the Taibai Golden Light Evasion Technique possessed the strongest offensive power. While flying, the physical body acted as a sword, and the escaping light was also a sword. The body and the light merged into one invincible, sharp weapon, against which few could withstand the edge. Upon seeing this distinct light, Lan Qingtian, the Sect Master of Qingtian Cliff, frowned involuntarily.

On Misha Star, before Elder Jianxin broke through to the Grand Unity Golden Immortal realm, Qingtian Cliff had always maintained a posture like a 'sitting earth tiger,' watching all directions, truly the foremost power on Misha Star. Lan Qingtian was accustomed to being the unrivaled hegemon of Misha Star.

But when the disciples of the Taibai Immortal Sect arrived on Misha Star, the overlord Lan Qingtian's side suddenly felt reduced from a tiger to an inconspicuous kitten. Consequently, Lan Qingtian was far from welcoming the arrival of the Taibai disciples! But what choice did he have? Tall and dignified, Lan Qingtian forced a brilliant smile and cheerfully went to greet the dozen white lights. "May I ask the esteemed Dao friends of the Taibai Immortal Sect, what brings you traveling from afar?"

Lan Qingtian's words were still hanging in the air when a furious shout erupted from within the cluster of white lights: "Quick, quick, quick! There is a trace of the Young Sovereign's residual aura here! Yes! The Young Sovereign was struck down here until his soul was scattered!" Lan Qingtian's smile instantly froze, and he instinctively retreated a considerable distance. The surrounding experts and venerable figures of Misha Star all rapidly retreated far back.

Among the Taibai Immortal Sect, those titled 'Young Sovereign' were the direct great-grandsons of Immortal Lord Taibai. To the cultivators of this starry domain, these Young Sovereigns were absolutely untouchable incarnations of the living hell. Any cultivator who provoked them invariably ended up utterly shattered or wishing for death.

But what did the voices in the white light say? A Young Sovereign of the Taibai Immortal Sect had been killed until his soul was scattered? This was a sky-falling disaster! And it happened right here, at the Spirit Artifact Sect's grounds?

Everyone recalled the commotion when the illusion array collapsed. Clearly, a Young Sovereign of the Taibai Immortal Sect had been killed nearby, and the last wisp of his aura only leaked out when the array broke, drawing these people from the Taibai Immortal Sect!

The white light suddenly converged, revealing a dozen agitated and sweaty cultivators, old and young, suspended in mid-air. The oldest among them appeared to be over a hundred, their long white beards nearly trailing to their abdomens; the youngest seemed like a cute, handsome child of seven or eight.

Regardless of their outward appearance, the magical fluctuations emanating from their bodies were all at the Golden Immortal level. And their expressions were identical: panic and despair, as if their entire families had been wiped out and their own deaths were imminent.

Especially the two most aged cultivators, cold sweat poured down their faces, sliding along their beards until the damp whiskers clumped together like dead snakes stuck to their robes. They paid no heed, staring blankly at the completely ruined mountain gate of the Spirit Artifact Sect, their bodies trembling continuously.

After a long pause, a middle-aged man slowly raised his right hand. In his palm was a scarlet jade piece. The exquisitely carved jade was etched with several runes, and several cracks ran across its surface. If the man hadn't gripped it tightly, it might have shattered long ago.

The numerous Misha Star cultivators present recognized this as a Soul Restriction Plaque, presumably belonging to the slain Taibai Immortal Sect Young Sovereign. When the plaque shattered, the primordial spirit dissipated; this Young Sovereign had indeed been utterly obliterated.

Judging by the retinue of the Young Sovereign—a dozen Golden Immortals accompanying him—there could only be one such individual, right? The eldest direct grandson of Immortal Lord Taibai, deeply favored, the one mentioned as the future successor to the Taibai Immortal Sect? Bai Jiangmu, the eldest direct grandson of the Bai family of the Taibai Immortal Sect, the direct great-grandson of Immortal Lord Taibai. A trace of malicious glee suddenly appeared on Lan Qingtian's face. If Bai Jiangmu was truly dead, this would be infinitely amusing!

The Taibai Immortal Sect cultivators stood in stunned silence for a moment, then the two oldest cultivators began to howl hysterically. Following their cries, several cultivators activated the Taibai Golden Light Evasion Technique, transforming into a streak of white light that dove into the deep ravine. Countless thread-like white lights zipped through the chasm, and in the blink of an eye, several cultivators had scoured the pit below.

Then, a child cultivator, seemingly no older than eight or nine, hurriedly pulled out a cyan ancient mirror. He spat a mouthful of his vital essence onto the mirror surface. The mirror spewed out a vast expanse of bright light. The child quickly aimed the mirror downward, and immediately, countless wisps of smoke and cloud surged out from the former site of the Spirit Artifact Sect's gate.

The rolling smoke and clouds condensed and twisted under the illumination, gradually forming a jet-black, crystal-like, shimmering cloud mass several li in diameter.

Images gradually flickered within the cloud mass, replaying everything that had transpired within the Spirit Artifact Sect gate over the past few hours—from Old Immortal Hei Yan setting up the illusion array to Gu Xiechen slaying Bai Jiangmu with a single sword strike. Siren and Mohe exchanged a look across the distance and both chuckled internally.

This ancient mirror was excellent, quite miraculous. Both of them had their eyes on it; they needed to find a way to keep it. The first rule of traveling the world is never to flaunt one's wealth—yet this child dared to display such a treasure in front of Siren and Mohe. Misfortune was certain! The child holding the ancient mirror suddenly shivered. He looked around in surprise, sensing no hostility directed toward him. Ignoring the feeling, he urgently pointed at the image in the cloud mass and shouted sharply, "It was the Spirit Artifact Sect! The thieves of the Spirit Artifact Sect killed the Young Sovereign!" The two elderly cultivators, nearly maddened, gesticulated wildly as they yelled.

"Curse the Spirit Artifact Sect to a thousand deaths! Our Young Sovereign intended to wipe out their entire lineage for retribution, and they should have let him! Now, they haven't lost many people, but our Young Sovereign is dead! Our Young Sovereign is dead!" "Curse the Spirit Artifact Sect to a thousand deaths! Damn Wuchenzi to ten thousand cuts! They killed the Young Sovereign, and now we are finished too!"

The Taibai Immortal Sect cultivators wept bitterly for a while. The two elderly cultivators whispered together, then hastily dispatched a middle-aged cultivator to return to the Taibai Immortal Sect to report the devastating news.

The middle-aged cultivator chosen for the mission turned ghastly pale, looking as if he were already dead. He stared mournfully at his companions, but every single Taibai Immortal Sect cultivator turned their heads away, refusing to look at him.

The messenger sighed to the heavens, bowed to his fellow disciples, and said mournfully, "Brothers, my family..."

The child holding the ancient mirror sighed deeply. "If we manage to survive this, your family... we will certainly take care of them..." After a slight pause, the child said quietly, "You go back and deliver the message. Find the Elder of Foreign Affairs first; perhaps you can still save your life and not be executed. As for us... whether we can save our lives is still uncertain." The middle-aged cultivator showed a flash of joy and immediately shot off in a streak of light, vanishing swiftly.

The remaining Taibai Immortal Sect cultivators exchanged glances. An elder cultivator turned toward Lan Qingtian and the others, cupping his hands respectfully. "Esteemed sirs, the audacity of the Spirit Artifact Sect in harming our Young Sovereign is a capital offense! The various sects of Misha Star have signed an alliance for mutual assistance. However... however, given the viciousness and madness of the Spirit Artifact Sect's actions against our Young Sovereign, I trust you all will not aid them against the Taibai Immortal Sect?"

Lan Qingtian paused for a moment, then cupped his hands toward the Taibai Immortal Sect cultivators, turned, and fled with his people on the wind. The other Misha Star cultivators looked at each other and also departed like the wind.

Before leaving, Mi Zhenren, the renowned ascetic cultivator of Misha Star and master of Mohe (in the guise of Ku Sha'er), couldn't help but let out a strange, sharp cry: "We cannot afford to provoke the Taibai Immortal Sect, so we choose not to get involved. But frankly speaking, your Young Sovereign sought to annihilate an entire sect without cause—such behavior, hmph." After a few cold snorts, Mi Zhenren took Mohe and instantly vanished into the distance.

The Taibai Immortal Sect cultivators looked at one another and sighed simultaneously. "Bai Jiangmu looking for trouble with the Spirit Artifact Sect was somewhat inexplicable to begin with. If he had succeeded, fine; it would have been an unsolved case, and who could intervene? But not only did he fail to harm the Spirit Artifact Sect, he was actually killed by them. What was the point of it all?"

If this news spread, the Taibai Immortal Sect would certainly earn a reputation for bullying the weak and failing to discipline its disciples properly. The prestige of the Taibai Immortal Sect in this starry region would inevitably diminish in the eyes of others.

Shaking his head, the child holding the ancient mirror flipped his palm. A rosy radiance shot out from the mirror surface. The cloud mass condensed in the air suddenly shattered, and the rosy light sprinkled onto the ground, instantly penetrating tens of thousands of li deep. Starting from the Spirit Artifact Sect's Sword Forging Hall, a faint, almost imperceptible red line traced the path of the tunnel carved by the Nine Abyss Chilled Earth Furnace. The red line burrowed nearly a hundred thousand li underground, then swiftly extended in a straight line toward the distance.

The dozen or so Golden Immortals of the Taibai Immortal Sect snorted coldly, simultaneously activating the Taibai Golden Light Evasion Technique, condensing into a streak of white light several li long, and rapidly tracking forward along the red line marked by the ancient mirror's radiance.

Gu Xiechen led the Spirit Artifact Sect disciples speeding through the passage. They flew for at least three million li, passing over vast deserts and arriving beneath the only great ocean on Misha Star. The flying shuttle, transformed from the Nine Abyss Chilled Earth Furnace, continued to spin and bore forward rapidly. Soon, it traversed a large expanse of the sea and finally arrived beneath a desolate, small island.

The seawater here was nearly twenty thousand li deep, and the water pressure beneath the surface was astonishingly immense. Unless one was a Golden Immortal or above, even a Heavenly Immortal accidentally reaching this seabed would be crushed into a sheet of flesh by the water pressure.

The seawater here was condensed to the extreme, exuding a dark purple metallic sheen. In some places where the water pressure was especially intense, the essence of the seawater had crystallized into antler-like 'Water Coral.' Clusters of Water Coral, each at least a li high, extended in all directions. The dense Water Coral shimmered with a dark purple light, faintly illuminating the sunless seabed. Gu Xiechen was shocked by this sight; in his previous universe, how could such a scene exist?

Because of the immense pressure, the seawater had taken on a metallic texture, and under the influence of the world's spiritual energy, it had crystallized, forming tangible Water Coral.

This seemingly unremarkable Water Coral was condensed from the purest water essence—extremely Yin, frigid, immensely soft, and tough. Its nature was tens of thousands of times more potent than the Profound Condensation Freezing Air from the Hell of Cold Ice.

If placed in the hands of a Grandmaster of Artifact Forging like Gu Xiechen, this Water Coral could easily be used to create top-tier Innate Magic Treasures. But here, at the bottom of the sea, it lay silently, like mere refuse.

With a silent shake of his head, Gu Xichen cautiously pointed a finger, and the Origin Yin Profound Pearl slipped into the boundless water coral beneath the sea without alerting anyone, beginning its frenzied plunder. This rare treasure, condensed from water essence, was precisely what the Pearl currently lacked the inherent power to forge itself; collecting it externally was far more convenient.

Once absorbed into the Origin Yin Profound Pearl, the water coral rapidly merged with the Origin Yin Qi. The internal space of the Pearl underwent subtle shifts; the Pearl body itself became denser, tougher, and the chilling aura emanating from it grew increasingly biting.

With Gu Xichen’s current divine abilities, the Origin Yin Profound Pearl traversed the entire seabed in an instant, harvesting nearly seventy percent of the water coral. Were it not for the fear of someone noticing irregularities, he would have stripped the seabed clean.

Having acquired such bounty, Gu Xichen immediately used his divine sense to communicate with Mao E and the Yin Immortals forged by the Yin specters within the Origin Yin Profound Pearl. He instructed them to gather a portion of the water coral and cast it into a set of seven flying swords, which were then placed within the Pearl’s core for nurturing.

The flying shuttle, manifested from the Nine Abyss Underworld Furnace, arrived at the bottom of the small island, abruptly turned, and drilled into an underground grotto beneath it.

The numerous disciples of the Spirit Artifact Sect followed the shuttle into the grotto. The area ahead suddenly brightened, revealing a vast underground sanctuary before them.

This grotto spanned over a hundred li in circumference, its scale no smaller than the Spirit Artifact Sect’s original mountain gate headquarters. Moreover, the sanctuary was divided into nine levels; the combined area of all levels far surpassed that of the old sect headquarters, presenting a truly magnificent spectacle.

The bottom three levels plunged deep underground, connecting directly with the underground fire veins. Hot vapors and molten lava vents were everywhere—an ideal location for the Spirit Artifact Sect members to refine various magical implements. Yet, in the uppermost levels, despite being deep underwater, the cycle of sun and moon could still be observed, starlight penetrating the depths. Countless rare flora and exotic grasses grew throughout the sanctuary. On the right side of the grotto, a sprawling field had even been cultivated, planted with countless fruit-bearing trees and crops. The founder of the Spirit Artifact Sect, Lord Tianqiao, was truly an intriguing figure! Gazing upon that lush expanse of farmland, Gu Xichen felt a complicated mix of amusement and exasperation.

Sweeping his divine sense across the grotto, Gu Xichen discerned the sanctuary's origin from the faint residual aura. In his time studying under Yunzhongzi, Tianqiao had befriended one of Yunzhongzi's direct inner disciples. On one occasion, Tianqiao had provided this friend with a great favor, and when he returned to Misha Star to establish his own dojo, that friend gifted him this grotto.

At that time, however, the grotto had only just been refined; it required absorbing the essence of heaven and earth and vast amounts of spiritual energy to automatically perfect its internal arrays and restrictions, and activate its integrated functions.

Tianqiao thus concealed the grotto beneath the sea, precisely at the junction of earth fire and seawater, utilizing the power of water and fire to temper it, allowing it to continuously absorb the heat from the earth fire and the Yin energy from the ocean. After establishing the Spirit Artifact lineage in Wanhe City on Misha Star, this 'Hidden Truth Palace' became the sect's contingency plan—their final fallback in times of dire need.

Above the grotto was a massive crystal, a li thick and a hundred li in diameter. Through it, one could observe the tiny plankton in the seabed, occasionally disturbed by gigantic, ferocious shapes winding past the crystal above—some of which appeared several times larger than the crystal itself, emitting an aura far surpassing that of ordinary Golden Immortals.

The multitude of Spirit Artifact Sect disciples flew out of the tunnels. After arriving, the flying shuttle, which was the Nine Abyssal Underworld Furnace, swiftly ceased its rotation. Its body slowly undulated and melted, finally reverting to the original appearance of the Nine Abyss Underworld Furnace.

A crisp sound echoed as the Tianqiao Seal flew out from the Nine Abyss Underworld Furnace. Just then, Wai Lingqi zipped out from the tunnel, catching the Seal and solemnly presenting it to Gu Xichen. “As previously stated, from this day forward, Chen'er, you are the acting Sect Master of the Spirit Artifact Sect.”

Wai Lingqi gravely cautioned, “Although your performance over the years has been excellent, you lack experience in leading a sect. When facing matters, do not be rash; always discuss things extensively with the many senior stewards and disciples within the sect.” He offered a torrent of detailed advice to Gu Xichen, who nodded in acknowledgment of every point.

Wai Lingqi finished his extensive instructions after a full quarter of an hour, then loudly addressed the assembled Spirit Artifact Sect disciples: “The sect has suffered misfortune; disaster has found us without cause. We must respond actively. With the exception of Gu Chenzi, all other sect elders will enter secluded meditation to strive for breakthroughs, preparing to face our formidable foe.”

Pointing toward the 'Hidden Truth Palace' behind him, Wai Lingqi roared, “This location is secret, safe from the Tai Bai Immortal Gate’s intrusion. Until we emerge from seclusion, all sect affairs will be decided by Chen'er’s word. Any disobedience will be punished without mercy!” The assembled Spirit Artifact Sect members listened in awe, daring not show the slightest defiance.

The Spirit Artifact Sect had over three hundred thousand disciples, but only the immediate relatives of the Wai family and certain affiliated small families who had intermarried with them received the true core inheritance. The position of Sect Master had always passed down exclusively among the direct descendants of the Wai family, without exception. Therefore, no disciple of the Spirit Artifact Sect would raise an objection to Gu Xichen, disguised as Gu Chenzi, assuming the authority of the acting Sect Master.

Having settled the sect's internal affairs, Wai Lingqi and the other elders of the Wai family retreated into the bottom three levels of the grotto. Each selected a magma vent, set up their most prized artifact-refining cauldrons, and prepared to devote themselves wholeheartedly to forging artifacts while rigorously cultivating their own power.

Specifically, the Nine Abyss Underworld Furnace became Wai Lingqi’s personal refining cauldron. Having learned the Qiankun Indexing Art from Gu Xichen, Wai Lingqi could now control the Furnace, and he naturally intended to use it to forge several superior Immortal Artifacts, both to bolster the sect’s strength and enhance his own cultivation.

After all, the cultivation method of the Spirit Artifact Sect involved continually strengthening oneself and elevating one's realm through artifact refinement. For the sect members, forging excellent magical tools held a very practical significance.

Currently, Wai Lingqi, Wai Linghu, and several other Wai family elders were at the peak of the Golden Immortal realm, while the others were at the seventeenth and eighteenth grades of Golden Immortal. If they could forge a Celestial-grade Immortal Artifact, the spiritual shockwave produced at the moment of its completion might allow them to break through to the Taiyi Golden Immortal realm. The Spirit Artifact Sect needed one or two Taiyi Golden Immortals to have the standing to negotiate fairly with the Tai Bai Immortal Gate.

The Spirit Artifact Sect required one or two Taiyi Golden Immortals to escape their current predicament and re-emerge in the world.

The Spirit Artifact Sect needed one or two Taiyi Golden Immortals to gain the protection of the upper echelons of the cultivation world, preventing arbitrary retaliation from the Tai Bai Immortal Gate.

Thus, Wai Lingqi and the others wasted no time. All the elders quickly selected their secluded chambers and single-mindedly began preparations for closed-door refinement. Vast quantities of refining materials were continuously delivered to their respective domains, and their trusted disciples were prepared for every contingency.

Gu Xichen, while using his divine sense to monitor the Tai Bai Immortal Sect cultivators tracking them, was busy directing the disciples of the Spirit Artifact Sect to move the transported equipment into the grotto and deposit the mountains of accumulated materials into various storerooms. He also assigned a contingent of disciples proficient in formations to the central control points of the grotto arrays, instructing them on how to manage the defensive mechanisms within.

This grotto was created by an inner disciple of Yunzhongzi; its inherent arrays and restrictions far surpassed the mountain protection formation that Tianqiao had originally laid down for the Spirit Artifact Sect. Although the Spirit Artifact Sect only retained seventy to eighty percent of the original formation maps for the Hidden Truth Palace, this partial strength already made the protection three-tenths stronger than the original sect barrier.

According to Gu Xichen’s estimation, if the current formations of the Hidden Truth Palace were deployed at full capacity, no Immortal below the mid-grade Taiyi Golden Immortal level could likely approach. If one hundred percent of the palace's arrays could be activated, unless one was a Great Overarching Golden Immortal, stepping into the Hidden Truth Palace would be impossible.

It was a pity that the formation diagrams inherited by the Spirit Artifact Sect were so incomplete. Several core formation diagrams within the Hidden Truth Palace possessed profound mysteries that, despite Gu Xichen’s insight and knowledge, he could not immediately decipher, nor could he activate all the arrays quickly. His divine sense swept over the Hidden Truth Palace in waves as Gu Xichen grew ever more cautious.

If a mere inner disciple of Yunzhongzi could command such advanced formations, this universe was indeed far more powerful than the previous one. It was difficult to imagine the profound heights of formation Dao that Yunzhongzi himself had mastered, let alone the Sage standing behind Yunzhongzi.

They had been in this universe for many, many years; what they had gained and mastered far exceeded what Gu Xichen possessed at this moment. He had to be careful, careful, and cautious, cautious, and ever more cautious.

Gu Xichen secretly clenched his fists. He took a deep breath, pouring all the divine sense from his Origin Yang Primordial Spirit into the Hidden Truth Palace, beginning the arduous task of deciphering the secrets of its arrays and restrictions.

All the attention of his Origin Yin Primordial Spirit was focused within the Origin Yin Profound Pearl, wholly dedicated to nurturing and refining the seven flying swords cast from the water coral.

Observing the busy Spirit Artifact Sect disciples, Gu Xichen suddenly smiled. He pointed deliberately toward a cluster of water coral, nearly a hundred li tall, situated just beyond the massive crystal overhead, and remarked, “This thing appears extraordinary, seemingly a treasure condensed from the essence of the sea. If used for forging, it should yield excellent artifacts!”

As he spoke, he gestured, and a restriction somewhere within the Hidden Truth Palace shifted. A ray of cold light shot out from the crystal, severing that cluster of water coral and translocating it into the grotto. Gu Xichen immediately assigned a group of over a hundred Spirit Artifact Sect disciples, ordering them to cut up the water coral and transport it to the refining chamber he had designated.

At this time, Gu Xichen occupied the position of the Spirit Artifact Sect’s Deputy Sect Master, so the disciples dared not disobey in the slightest and immediately proceeded according to his instructions.

Gu Xichen nodded to himself. He had already performed this play for the sect members; later, when the seven flying swords forged from the water coral within the Origin Yin Profound Pearl were complete, he could claim that he had deliberately refined them himself. Every step required caution; not a single flaw could be revealed. On the sea surface, more than a dozen streaks of white light streaked through the void, arriving above the small island housing the Hidden Truth Palace in the blink of an eye.

The dozen Golden Immortals from the Tai Bai Immortal Gate saw the red line tracing their quarry in the dark mirror light end precisely here. The entire Spirit Artifact Sect seemed hidden beneath the island. They had no inclination to knock. A dozen hands rose simultaneously, and the void above instantly erupted with blazing white light.

With a sharp crack, twelve stars in the midday sky flashed with cold light, and white energy surged from all directions. The Tai Bai Golden Immortals chanted in unison; the starlight and white energy instantly merged, pouring into their bodies. The dozen figures spun rapidly, and in an instant, a dazzling, fierce cold light erupted from them. This intense white radiance illuminated the surroundings, making the sea surface appear cut by countless bayonets, cleaving deep watery fissures.

“The Spirit Artifact Sect is to be exterminated here today!” the dozen Tai Bai Golden Immortals roared in unison. They plummeted like meteors from the high sky.

Twelve massive white stars trailed white cold light stretching for a hundred li as they blasted downwards, accompanied by a grating shearing sound. The earth and stone of the small island shattered instantly, rock flying everywhere. The twelve white stars pierced through the island from top to bottom and plunged into the deep seabed.

Descending twenty thousand li into the depths in an instant, the momentum of the Tai Bai Golden Immortals had not yet faded when they slammed headlong into the colossal crystal atop the Hidden Truth Palace.

With a deafening boom, a blast of intense white light erupted from the seabed. The crystal above the Hidden Truth Palace spewed forth a flexible water wave, blocking the path of the Tai Bai Golden Immortals. The white light was eroded and dissolved layer by layer by the water wave, and the fiercely charging Golden Immortals grunted, all being thrown back by the wave’s rebound.

The Tai Bai Golden Immortals all spat blood. The counter-force of the water wave was incredibly soft and resilient, yet relentlessly continuous. It penetrated their protective white light, striking their internal organs. As they were thrown back, the soft energy, carrying a chilling frost, obstructed vital meridians within their viscera, disrupting the flow of Immortal Essence and injuring their internal organs. The giant crystal emitted a soft white glow, which penetrated downwards, illuminating the entirety of the Hidden Truth Palace.

Gu Xichen, accompanied by a few Spirit Artifact Sect stewards, soared upward and stood beneath the crystal, separated by a li of thick crystal, quietly watching the Tai Bai Golden Immortals. Seeing them awkwardly swallowing pills to stabilize their injuries, Gu Xichen suddenly sneered mockingly. “Tai Bai Immortal Gate? Bai Jiangmu’s dogs? Hmph, what a pathetic pack of lapdogs! What punishment will you face now that your master is dead?”

Gu Xichen’s words were sharp and cutting, especially since they pierced the raw, bleeding wounds in the hearts of these Golden Immortals—having failed to protect Bai Jiangmu when he was killed was a capital offense. Even if Bai Jiangmu had deliberately abandoned them and acted independently, the crime of inadequate protection could not be escaped.

Gu Xichen’s words were a direct slap in the face, making the dozen Golden Immortals leap up like cats whose tails had been trodden on, all yelling madly.

The internal and external restrictions of the Hidden Truth Palace were wondrous; despite the li of crystal separating them, the two sides were as if face-to-face, able to hear each other’s breaths clearly. The enraged curses from the Tai Bai Golden Immortals were met only with Gu Xichen’s disdainful laughter. “Besides cursing, what else can you do? Huh? Think about this first: will you be executed now that Bai Jiangmu is dead?” Gu Xichen twisted the knife again into the hearts of these Golden Immortals.

Several Golden Immortals jumped up in fury and shrieked, “Insolent fool! Is your Spirit Artifact Sect insane to dare harm our Young Master? This is a crime punishable by death—death by a thousand cuts for the entire sect! Why don’t you quickly surrender yourselves and present yourselves for punishment?” Looking at the furious Tai Bai Golden Immortals, Gu Xichen repeatedly shook his head. “Your mothers must have given birth to you while sitting with your legs spread wide!”

Sighing, Gu Xichen sneered, “If they hadn't squeezed your brains while you were born, how could you utter such idiotic words? Ask us to wrap ourselves up and surrender? Ugh, why don’t you strip all the women in your families bare and send them over here instead?”

Although the Spirit Artifact Sect disciples felt a chill hearing the Tai Bai Golden Immortals, upon hearing Gu Xichen’s witty retorts, they could not suppress their laughter, roaring with what seemed like madness. Once they quieted down, these disciples realized that the Tai Bai Golden Immortals didn't seem so terrifying after all. Gu Xichen taunted them with every sentence, driving the Tai Bai Golden Immortals to the brink of vomiting blood with sheer anger.

Just as these Golden Immortals were chaotically cursing Gu Xichen and preparing to launch an assault on the Hidden Truth Palace, another flash of white light streaked across the sea surface. Bai Muwei, his face as still as water, descended with over ten thousand cultivators in tow, arriving directly above the sea. Looking at Gu Xichen, Bai Muwei coldly uttered two words: “Open the gate!”