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

"Ghost King!" Xuanzhenzi exclaimed in a low voice, alarmed.

The Ghost King coldly surveyed his domain: "Having entered my territory and stolen the spirit flower, don't blame me for being ruthless!"

Ying Zheng calmly bowed and said, "We are passing through your esteemed land and are borrowing these flowers for the great cause of eliminating demons. If we have offended you, we are willing to make amends."

"Compensation?" The Ghost King scoffed. "Those who wish to leave the Netherworld Valley must undergo my trial!"

Yang Ling glared angrily: "If you want war, then let's fight!"

As the Ghost King waved his hand, dozens of demons emerged from the mist. Ying Zheng immediately transmitted his voice, "Form a circular formation to defend against the enemy!"

A fierce battle suddenly broke out. The group leaned back to back, holding their formation firmly amidst the surging waves of demons. As the battle raged on, Ying Zheng spotted the Ghost King wandering at the edge of the battlefield and immediately devised a plan.

He deliberately feigned an opening, and the Ghost King pounced swiftly. In a flash, Ying Zheng spun around and thrust back, his sword energy piercing the Ghost King's chest like a rainbow.

"Agh—" The Ghost King retreated violently in pain, filled with shock and rage.

Taking advantage of the situation, Ying Zheng pleaded, "We have come to stop the evil forces of the world; we hope Your Excellency will show leniency."

The Ghost King silently surveyed the crowd, finally waving his sleeve to dismiss the demons: "Since you harbor a heart to save the world, I will not stand in your way. But remember, the Valley of the Netherworld is not a place for you."

Everyone breathed a sigh of relief. Ying Zheng bowed solemnly: "I will remember your teachings."

After leaving the Valley of the Netherworld, they followed the map to the Sky Ridge. Reflecting on the perilous journey, Ying Zheng said with deep emotion, "The hardships we've faced have only highlighted the value of our unity. As long as we remain steadfast in our resolve, we will surely overcome all difficulties."

Xuanzhenzi nodded: "When righteousness resides in the heart, evil cannot invade."

Several days later, a majestic mountain range came into view. The peaks stretched to the sky, shrouded in clouds and mist, resembling a giant dragon lying prone. Ying Zheng gazed at the summit: "The Qiongguang Stone must be within this mountain; only after obtaining it can we strengthen the seal."

The climb was fraught with danger. Just as they were traversing the dense forest, a deafening roar echoed through the valley, and a colossal shadow emerged from the trees—it was a giant ape, several meters tall, with fierce eyes and menacing fangs.

"This is the guardian spirit beast of Tianqiong Ridge, be extremely careful!" Xuanzhenzi cried out urgently.

Ying Zheng, sword in hand, declared: "To obtain the spirit stone, you must first pass this barrier. All of you, hold your positions!"

The ape roared and pounced, its palm strikes snapping trees. The crowd dodged and weaved, weapons and spells weaving into a net. After a long and fierce battle, Ying Zheng spotted an opening and swiftly thrust his weapon into a vital spot.

The giant ape howled and collapsed, billowing dust. Once it was confirmed that the ape was no longer alive, the group exchanged relieved glances.

"Though difficult, victory was ultimately achieved." Ying Zheng sheathed his sword. "Continue the search for stones."

Upon reaching the summit, a platform appears amidst the surging sea of ​​clouds, with a giant rock in the center inlaid with dazzling spiritual stones, shimmering with light and resonating with the heavens and earth.

"This is the Celestial Stone!" Xu Fu exclaimed in amazement, "It is perfectly integrated with the spiritual energy of the universe."

After much difficulty, they finally retrieved several spirit stones. Xuanzhenzi carefully wrapped the spirit stones, saying, "These are matters concerning the lives of all living beings; they must be kept safe."

Ying Zheng carefully kept the spirit stone close to his body: "Return immediately to report back and complete the seal."

Bathed in the glow of the setting sun, the group embarked on their journey home. Though weary, their eyes burned with hope. They firmly believed that as long as they upheld righteousness and light, they could eventually dispel the gloom of the world.

After leaving Tianqiong Ridge, Ying Zheng led his people on their return journey. The joy of success swelled in their hearts, but a sense of anticipation for the road ahead also quietly grew. Unbeknownst to them, unknown dangers still awaited them ahead.

One day, after passing through a lush bamboo forest, a wide valley came into view. In the valley stood an ancient temple, its entrance guarded by two imposing stone lions, as if protecting some mysterious power. "How could there be such an ancient temple in this desolate wilderness?" Zhao Gao wondered, peering around curiously.

Xu Fu stroked his beard and pondered, "Judging from its structure, it should be an ancient relic. Legend has it that such temples often seal away powerful forces or hide ancient secrets."

Upon hearing this, Ying Zheng stepped forward, his fingertips lightly touching the ancient inscriptions on the stone gate. The shimmering runes seemed to possess a life of their own, rippling as he touched them. "These runes... seem to be guiding us."

“Guidance?” Li Si stepped forward to examine them closely. “What can these ancient symbols guide us to?”

Ying Zheng took a deep breath: "If I'm not mistaken, this should be the entrance to another world. This temple is very likely connecting the boundary between reality and illusion."

"Another world?" The group exchanged bewildered glances. Despite their many extraordinary adventures, this statement still shocked them.

“Indeed.” Ying Zheng nodded. “Ancient texts record the existence of many parallel worlds, intertwined with our world yet each independent. This ancient temple may be a passage to one of them.”

"Then we..." Zhao Gao swallowed hard, his eyes gleaming with anticipation.

"Now that we're here, how can we miss this opportunity?" Ying Zheng's gaze was resolute. "The temple may hold the power we ultimately need; we must explore it thoroughly."

"But what would we encounter if we truly reached another world?" Xuanzhenzi asked worriedly. "Would there be hidden dangers?"

"Crisis often brings opportunity," Xu Fu replied. "Now that we've come this far, how can we back down because of the unknown? As long as we work together, we can overcome any difficulty."

Everyone agreed. It was precisely through mutual trust that they had overcome numerous difficulties along the way. Faced with the mysterious temple, they once again chose to forge ahead.

As the stone gate slowly opened, the group stepped into a bizarre and fantastical realm. Countless streams of light danced like colorful ribbons, illuminating the space in a dreamlike and surreal way.

"Is this another world?" Zhao Gao exclaimed in amazement, reaching out to touch the band of light. A slight tremor ran through his fingertips, as if he were touching a void dream.

"Incredible!" Li Si exclaimed sincerely. "These bands of light seem to be conveying a message."

Ying Zheng observed the changes and discovered that the bands of light were not drifting randomly, but moving slowly according to specific rules, forming a complex and mysterious array pattern.

"This is a formation!" Xuanzhenzi exclaimed in surprise. As a Taoist master, he immediately recognized it as an extremely ingenious formation.

“Indeed,” Xu Fu nodded. “This is the legendary ‘Thousand Illusions Array.’ It is said to be able to conjure endless illusions to confuse the mind; those who are not steadfast in their Dao will be forever trapped in its illusions.”

Everyone gasped. Though all were resolute, they couldn't help but feel a chill in the face of such a mysterious formation. But having entered this realm, their only option was to press forward and seek a way to break the formation.

In the time that followed, the group attempted to communicate with the light band. They closed their eyes, concentrated, and tried to sense the messages it conveyed, striving to connect their minds with it. After countless attempts, they finally discerned some patterns and began to try to guide the light band's movement.

Breaking through the enemy lines was no easy feat, and they frequently encountered obstacles. But whenever they faced difficulties, they encouraged each other, discussed solutions together, and gradually moved towards success.

With everyone's combined efforts, the Illusionary Thousand Illusions Array was gradually broken. The originally chaotic light bands gradually returned to their positions, following their predetermined trajectories, and finally formed a complete array.

As the last ray of light returned to its place, the space trembled violently, as if a long-dormant power had been suddenly awakened. A powerful aura surged from the center of the formation, inspiring awe in everyone present.

"We've succeeded!" Ying Zheng shouted, raising his arms in triumph. "We've broken the Thousand Illusion Array!"

The crowd embraced in celebration, overjoyed. However, a sudden change occurred! The complete array suddenly erupted with blinding light, violently distorting the entire space, as if to devour everything. (End of Chapter)