The second night descended, the moon brilliant and clear, signaling the height of the full moon. Under the guidance of the Heart-Snatching Ancestor, the group made their preparations, standing ready. Feng Zikang observed from the side; there was no doubt that the Heart-Snatching Ancestor possessed the highest cultivation.

Below him was Old Man Fang the Third, while the cultivation levels of the others were roughly comparable to those of Ghost King Tu.

Including Feng Zikang and Zong Li’er, there were ten Foundation Establishment cultivators in total. Led by a Core Condensation master, under normal circumstances, overcoming the ordinary mechanisms of a hidden manor should have been trivial.

However, the Heart-Snatching Ancestor’s expression remained unchanged, clearly showing considerable tension.

“For even a Core Condensation master to treat this with such seriousness, this place is no simple matter.”

Feng Zikang mused inwardly, intensifying his focus, daring not to be careless.

The Heart-Snatching Ancestor summoned Old Man Fang the Third over. After a few instructions, Old Man Fang the Third allocated personnel: a few stayed closely by the Heart-Snatching Ancestor’s side, while the rest split up, entering the island from different directions on the outside.

Ghost King Tu, Feng Zikang, and Yu Li’er were assigned to enter from the west.

“Hmm?”

Ghost King Tu was startled and asked cautiously, “Master, we should have revealed the White Eagle King’s name, which should have given the Heart-Snatching Ancestor some pause. Why didn't he let us stay by his side?”

If the island was indeed fraught with danger, having a Core Condensation expert nearby for assistance would naturally offer much greater security.

Feng Zikang let out a cold laugh. “This is consideration. Clearly, those accompanying the Heart-Snatching Ancestor are in even greater danger. I suspect he intended for you to follow him initially, but only because we mentioned the White Eagle King did we earn the chance to storm the West Gate.”

Feng Zikang observed clearly: this group was merely a temporary assembly. Aside from Old Man Fang the Third, who seemed to enjoy the Heart-Snatching Ancestor’s trust, the others had been hastily pulled in to accompany the Ancestor from the east—the three individuals with the most distant relationships with the core group.

“It seems the Heart-Snatching Ancestor truly doesn't trust them. Otherwise, why keep three people close by who are ready to be sacrificed at any moment?”

The Ancestor was leading those three along clearly as fodder for sacrifice. Feng Zikang smiled faintly. Had he not invoked the White Eagle King’s name yesterday, those three might have been the ones shadowing the Heart-Snatching Ancestor instead.

“What do we do now?”

Old Man Fang the Third had taken the south route, and the others dispersed, positioning themselves around the periphery. Ghost King Tu inquired of Feng Zikang.

Feng Zikang’s curiosity was piqued. If a Core Condensation master regarded this place with such caution, there must be excellent treasures inside. But he wasn't one to push; he decided to observe the situation first.

“Yes!”

Ghost King Tu acknowledged, stepping behind Feng Zikang.

Before long, midnight arrived!

“Poison!”

Feng Zikang shouted and charged out first. Ghost King Tu and Yu Li’er followed close behind, rushing toward the island’s poison fields. Numerous sea demons erupted from the sea between them, but all were slain by the trio.

Not long after, they set foot upon the island.

“Ghost King Tu, examine this island. How does it differ from the last time we were here? Pay close attention!”

Feng Zikang commanded. The Heart-Snatching Ancestor insisted on waiting until the full moon at midnight to ascend, meaning the mechanisms must harbor some strange anomaly.

Before Ghost King Tu could reply, the island’s mechanisms activated simultaneously from all directions with a resounding boom, unleashing formidable power. She gave a wry smile. “Master, as it stands, there seems to be no difference!”

The last time they arrived, they triggered countless unavoidable mechanisms, barely surviving by a thread. Today seemed to present a similar scenario.

“However…”

Ghost King Tu unleashed the Styx River, repelling the incoming Profound Fire, then suddenly laughed. “Master, although these mechanisms still appear incredibly formidable, their destructive power is significantly less than that day!”

Though Ghost King Tu’s cultivation had improved over the decades, she was still only at the Foundation Establishment stage. The mechanisms that had nearly killed her back then could now be handled with relative composure. Clearly, the power of the traps had been substantially weakened.

“Oh? In that case, the Heart-Snatching Ancestor does have some skill!”

Being able to calculate the weakest moment for the formation’s mechanisms showed the Ancestor was not without his talents.

“Since the traps aren't strong, we should reach the vicinity of that well relatively quickly?”

Ghost King Tu had been here before and was familiar with the path. Moreover, she had mentioned the well was in a hidden location; with her guidance, the journey should be swift.

Ghost King Tu nodded. “Master is absolutely correct. I shall lead the way; please follow me!”

She moved forward first, twisting and turning. Although the mechanisms and formations were endless, relying on their combined attacks from the Styx River, they managed to block nearly all assaults. For the occasional stray attack that slipped through, Feng Zikang would unleash his sword light and eliminate it.

Following this path of turns and windings, they indeed arrived at the entrance to a cavern.

Ghost King Tu still felt a pang of lingering fear when she looked at the cave. After all, on their previous visit with many people, she was the sole survivor. Recalling the terrifying situation from before, she could not help but be moved.

“Is this the place?”

Feng Zikang noticed her hesitation, chuckled lightly, and strode confidently into the cavern. Ghost King Tu and Yu Li’er hurriedly followed, realizing the cave was extremely dry, completely devoid of any moisture.

“This is convenient for me!”

Feng Zikang smiled slightly, conjuring several luminous pearls to illuminate the cave’s interior.

“Since there is so much of it, I can collect more.”

Feng Zikang was keenly aware of the danger of the Myriad Transformation Yin Water within the well, but this location was still far from it. Collecting more Xirang (Subsiding Earth) would accelerate the growth of his Mysterious Realm.

Just as he had collected more than half, his expression suddenly changed. He reached into the soil and touched something icy cold!

He hastily rolled back, just as a sharp claw shot out from beneath the earth, aiming for Feng Zikang’s throat!

“Court death!”

Without Feng Zikang needing to act, Ghost King Tu and Yu Li’er instantly knew their duty was to protect their master. The mother and daughter conjured several Heavenly Rivers, successfully blocking the claw from reaching him.

A series of muffled, strange cries erupted as a monster burst forth from the ground!

“What is that thing?”

The creature was entirely golden, covered in scales, sporting horns on its head and hair on its face. Based on its form, it resembled a Gold Armored Zombie, yet its features were not quite the same.

Even the well-traveled Ghost King Tu and the widely read Feng Zikang could not identify this entity.

“Roar!”

The thing roared in fury and lunged. Feng Zikang sneered, unleashing a flash of his sword light that cleaved the creature in two.

“This thing is very strange,”

Ghost King Tu frowned. This unknown entity, whose origin was a mystery, appearing in this cave made the situation even more unsettling.

Feng Zikang’s gaze swept the surroundings, and he gave a slight smile.

Indeed, before his words had faded, over a dozen more of the same monsters emerged, encircling them with their muffled cries.

Although these monsters looked menacing, their strength was not great. Ghost King Tu and Yu Li’er showed no fear, merely whirling their Styx Rivers, preparing to shred them.

While their combined efforts were not as swift and clean as Feng Zikang’s, they managed to kill several of the creatures.

At this point, however, Feng Zikang frowned slightly.

“Where are so many monsters coming from, and they are all adept at subterranean movement. For now, don’t kill them. The more you kill, the more will come. Soon, all the monsters on the island will be drawn to this cave!”

Puzzled, he walked over to the first monster he had slain and examined it closely.

“Strange, this thing doesn’t seem like a living being!”

The creature lacked any blood or internal organs. It was indeed similar to a Gold Armored Zombie, yet there were many significant differences. Feng Zikang had a strong feeling of familiarity with it but couldn't quite grasp the riddle yet.

“Not a living being?”

Ghost King Tu retreated, using only a few Styx River strands to prevent the horde of monsters from advancing. She then examined the remains of the slain creatures for a long time.

“Master, the more I look at its aura, the more it resembles a Long Que!”

“Long Que?”

Feng Zikang knitted his brows, and suddenly a realization struck him.

That was right. Aside from the addition of skin and muscle, these things were identical to the Long Que. The interior was also hollow! Could it be that these things were mechanical beasts?

Feng Zikang gasped.

He knew that even creating mechanical beasts from the skeletons of living things, like the Long Que, was one of the Mohist School’s greatest taboos, strictly forbidden.

But this new form—it seemed to be made by directly removing the internal organs and draining the blood of a living creature, then turning it into a spiritualized mechanical beast. Could the Mohists possibly permit such a cruel method?

Yet, aside from the Mohists, who else possessed the ability to create such formidable mechanical beasts?

Feng Zikang’s expression shifted subtly as he surveyed his surroundings.

“These mechanical beasts are exquisitely crafted and truly powerful. May I ask which Mohist master is present? Please reveal yourself!”

He shouted loudly, and sure enough, a long, echoing laugh came from the depths of the cavern.

“Brat, you have some discernment, actually recognizing my presence. However, you are mistaken about one thing!”

The voice was ethereal and terrifying. The cave was small, amplifying the echoes. Feng Zikang gave a cold smile. “May I ask, Senior, where have I erred?”

“Those are not mechanical beasts; they are mechanical people!”

The voice in the cave sneered chillingly.