Daqin arrests alchemists, what does it matter to me as a qi refiner?

Pangu gripped his giant axe tightly, a confident smile spreading across his face: "No matter what difficulties and obstacles lie ahead, we are fully prepared. As long as the three of us work together, there is no obstacle we cannot overcome." His voice was firm and powerful, as if it could dispel all gloom and hardship.

Xu Fu, however, spoke in a low voice with a solemn expression: "We must proceed with caution. The mechanisms and formations in the Netherworld Valley are certainly not simple. The immortal formation diagram given to us by Senior Immortal Yunzhong will be the key to our success." His warning made the three of them even more vigilant, daring not to be careless or relaxed in the slightest.

After encouraging each other, the three entered the Valley of the Netherworld together. They followed the path, traversing dense forests and rugged rocks. Along the way, they encountered various dangers and challenges, but they overcame them all with their own strength and wisdom.

Finally, after overcoming countless hardships and difficulties, the three arrived at the outer perimeter of the ancient immortal abode. A faint light barrier enveloped the abode, upon which intricate runes and patterns flowed, clearly indicating a powerful defensive formation.

Ying Zheng stared at the light screen before him, pondered for a moment, and then said, "The runes on this light screen are somewhat similar to those on the Immortal Array Diagram given by the Cloud Immortal. Perhaps we can try to find a way to break it using the methods from the Immortal Array Diagram." His suggestion was agreed upon and supported by Pangu and Xu Fu.

Xu Fu took out the Immortal Array Diagram and carefully compared the runes and patterns on the light screen, searching for clues to decipher it. After careful observation and comparison, he finally discovered a rune that was almost identical to one on the Immortal Array Diagram. Pointing to that rune, he excitedly shouted, "Look here! This rune is almost exactly the same as the one on the Immortal Array Diagram! According to the Immortal Array Diagram's guidance, we should start with this rune and touch it with our true energy!"

Upon hearing this, Pangu immediately stepped forward and gently touched the rune with his concentrated true energy. The rune on the light screen flickered several times, and then the entire light screen gradually dissipated, revealing a path leading into the interior of the immortal palace. The three of them breathed a sigh of relief upon seeing this; they hadn't expected the immortal array diagram to be so miraculous, helping them easily break through the outer defensive formation.

Upon entering the immortal palace, the three were immediately awestruck by the sight before them. The palaces stretched out in a continuous chain, surrounded by ancient trees and babbling brooks, a scene of breathtaking beauty and tranquility, like a paradise on earth. However, they also knew that behind this beautiful landscape lay countless mechanisms and traps, waiting for them to explore and overcome. Therefore, they proceeded cautiously, frequently referring to the immortal array diagrams in their hands, avoiding many hidden traps and dangers.

They walked slowly through the immortal abode, each step taken with extreme caution, not daring to be careless in the slightest. Yang Ling, with his sharp eyes, noticed a stone chessboard placed at the entrance of the palace ahead, covered with black and white chess pieces.

"This seems to be a trap," Yang Ling warned in a low voice.

Ying Zheng stepped forward and carefully examined the chessboard, discovering that each piece was engraved with exquisite runes that resonated with the surrounding air currents. He turned to Pangu and said, "The mechanism of this chessboard is probably quite complex; we need to rely on the Immortal Array Diagram to solve it."

Pangu nodded in agreement, and the three gathered together, taking out the Immortal Array Diagram again to study it carefully. After some discussion and comparison, they finally found the array pattern that corresponded to the runes on the chessboard.

“By touching the pieces in this order, we should be able to solve the mechanism,” Ying Zheng said, pointing to the pattern on the Immortal Array Diagram.

Pangu took a deep breath and, following Ying Zheng's instructions, touched each piece on the chessboard one by one. Each time he touched a piece, a flash of light would appear on it, and the surrounding air currents would also change subtly.

When Pangu touched the last chess piece, the entire chessboard suddenly burst into a dazzling light. The three of them involuntarily closed their eyes, and when the light dissipated, they were overjoyed to find the palace gates slowly opening. "We succeeded!" Yang Ling shouted excitedly.

Ying Zheng and Pan Gu exchanged a smile, their hearts filled with a sense of accomplishment. However, they also knew that this was only the first mechanism in the immortal abode, and many more challenges awaited them.

The three stepped into the palace and were immediately awestruck by its interior. The hall was resplendent with gold and jade, filled with all sorts of rare treasures, and the ancient books displayed on the shelves emitted a faint glow, appearing mysterious and unfathomable.

"There are so many treasures here!" Pangu exclaimed. "We've really come to the right place."

Yang Ling walked to a row of ancient books, casually flipping through a few. He discovered that these were cultivation insights and magical manuals left behind by powerful ancient figures. A flicker of desire crossed his eyes, but he quickly suppressed it. He understood that while these treasures were valuable, he also needed the ability to protect them.

Ying Zheng arrived before the large magic array in the center of the palace, his gaze fixed on nine gems of different colors. These gems were arranged according to some mysterious pattern, each radiating a heart-pounding energy fluctuation. He took a deep breath, trying to calm his excitement, for he knew that the power contained within this magic array was the true treasure of this immortal palace.

Just as the three were still immersed in the awe of these priceless treasures, a piercing alarm suddenly shattered the silence, echoing throughout every corner of the palace. Immediately afterwards, the walls around the palace seemed to come alive, and numerous mechanical beasts emerged from the cracks in the stones, behind the pillars, and even on the ground.

These mechanical beasts varied in form, but each one possessed a fierce gaze, and its sharp claws gleamed coldly in the dim stone light. Without hesitation, they charged straight at the three of them as soon as they appeared, clearly programmed into an automatic attack mode to guard the palace.

"Oh no! We must have accidentally triggered some kind of trap!" Yang Ling exclaimed, quickly snapping out of his shock. As he spoke, he pulled out several talismans from his pocket, preparing to deal with the sudden attack.

Pangu was the first to react. He roared and swung his giant axe to meet the oncoming mechanical beasts head-on. Each strike carried the power to split mountains and shatter rocks, instantly cleaving the charging mechanical beasts into pieces. However, these mechanical beasts seemed endless, constantly emerging from all directions, their numbers showing no sign of decreasing.

Seeing this, Ying Zheng acted swiftly as well. He chanted an incantation, his hands rapidly tracing complex paths in the air. With his movements, the nine gems simultaneously emitted a dazzling light. Immediately afterwards, a powerful beam of energy shot out from the center of the magic array, carrying earth-shattering force that instantly blasted the horde of mechanical beasts away, sending them crashing into the wall and turning them into dust.

The three stood back to back, forming a defensive circle to jointly resist the relentless onslaught of mechanical beasts. Although they were incredibly strong, they were struggling against such a large number of enemies. However, they never considered giving up, for they knew that only by persevering to the end could they find the key to breaking through this predicament. (End of Chapter)