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

At this moment, Xu Fu walked to Yang Ling's side and asked in a low voice, "Brother Yang, what is our next plan? This attack by the monsters seems unusual, and there may be a bigger conspiracy behind it."

Yang Ling turned to look at Xu Fu, a sharp glint in his eyes: "I have the same feeling. The monsters' actions this time were too organized, unlike the behavior of simple wild beasts. We need to investigate the reasons behind it to prevent similar incidents from happening again."

Hearing this, Li Si quickly walked over and interjected, "Brother Yang, perhaps we should explore the nearby mountains. I sensed a strange fluctuation there while cultivating, which may be related to the recent monster attack."

Yang Ling nodded and replied seriously, "Good idea. We'll set off first thing tomorrow morning. Everyone should get some rest tonight and recover their strength."

Ying Zheng and Ziya joined the discussion. Ziya patted Ying Zheng on the shoulder and laughed, "Tomorrow's itinerary sounds challenging, Brother Ying, you'd better hone your swordsmanship tonight."

Ying Zheng smiled back, drew his longsword from his waist, the blade gleaming with a faint blue light in the moonlight: "This sword has been with me for many years, and each battle has made it sharper. Tomorrow, it will once again prove its unstoppable power."

In the stillness of the night, Yang Ling and his companions each found a quiet place to cultivate and meditate. Moonlight shone on the tranquil village, adding a touch of mystery and solemnity to their practice.

The next morning, the group packed their belongings and set off towards the mountains Li Si had mentioned. Traveling along the winding mountain paths, the surrounding scenery gradually became desolate, with the occasional roar of wild beasts in the distance adding to the atmosphere of danger.

After walking for several hours, Li Si suddenly stopped, frowned, and pointed to a dense forest ahead: "Can you feel it there? There is a strong demonic energy fluctuating."

Xu Fu quickly unfolded the talisman and began chanting incantations. The runes on the talisman flickered with light, as if probing something. A few seconds later, Xu Fu's expression changed slightly: "There is indeed a problem. The demonic energy here is not naturally formed; it seems to have been artificially gathered and manipulated."

Yang Ling frowned, his gaze sharp as he looked into the dense forest: "It seems we've found the root of the problem. Everyone get ready, we're going in to investigate."

The group silently entered the dense forest. The trees grew thicker, and the light gradually dimmed. Suddenly, shadowy figures darted out from all sides, surrounding them. These figures were of various shapes; some resembled enormous wolves, others humanoid beasts. Their eyes glowed red, their hostility evident.

Yang Ling calmly observed his surroundings and whispered to the others, "It seems this is a pre-planned ambush. Don't panic, use your most proficient spells to deal with it."

The battle erupted immediately. Ying Zheng's sword flashed like lightning, Jiang Ziya's whip moved like a dragon, Li Si's talismans rained down, while Xu Fu's magic formed protective shields to protect everyone. Yang Ling, on the other hand, displayed his leadership skills, directing everyone to resist the attacks in an orderly manner while searching for a breakthrough.

After a fierce battle, the group gradually gained the upper hand over the enemy, breaking through the shadowy figures' attacks one by one. When the last enemy figure was eliminated, the forest returned to a moment of tranquility.

Yang Ling stood still, took a deep breath, and then said to everyone, "This opponent has clearly undergone special training. We must find the mastermind behind it. Let's move forward."

Deep within the forest, a sense of oppression filled the air. The surrounding trees appeared and disappeared, forming a dark, misty veil, as if each tree was watching their every move. Yang Ling walked at the front, his steps steady and firm, his sharp gaze scanning the surroundings, trying to spot any possible ambush.

Xu Fu followed closely behind, his talisman ready to be activated at any moment. He whispered to Yang Ling, "Brother Yang, this forest seems to be protected by some kind of powerful magic. With each step we take, the surrounding energy becomes more and more chaotic."

Yang Ling nodded in agreement, "Indeed, we must be careful. Such magic is beyond the capabilities of ordinary cultivators; we may face a challenge from a high-level mage." Ying Zheng drew his longsword, the tip lightly touching the ground and creating a ripple. He turned to Li Si and Ziya, "Stay vigilant; we may be attacked at any time."

Li Si nodded, his hands constantly drawing complex incantations in the air, each rune shimmering faintly, adding extra protection to him. Ziya, on the other hand, gripped the whip handle tightly, the whip coiled around his waist, ready to strike at any moment.

As they ventured deeper into the forest, the light grew increasingly dim, the dense trees and vines forming an impenetrable barrier. Suddenly, a faint light shone from ahead, seemingly an invitation or a trap.

Yang Ling stopped and gestured for the others to approach. "Look, there's light ahead. It could be the place we're looking for, or it could be a trap. We must be careful."

Xu Fu softly chanted an incantation, and the talisman in his hand transformed into a transparent bird that flew towards the light. The bird scattered golden powder along its path, attempting to detect any danger ahead.

Everyone held their breath as the bird flew. As it approached the light source, a violent storm suddenly erupted from the light, engulfing the bird.

Yang Ling frowned: "It seems the guardians here don't welcome us. Xu Fu, try again, use a stronger protective spell."

Xu Fu nodded and quickly prepared another, more complex talisman. This time, the bird, surrounded by an even more dazzling halo, flew towards the light once more. This time, it successfully pierced through the storm and disappeared into the light.

A moment later, the bird returned, bringing back a slightly charred leaf. "This is a high-level protective spell, but it's not foolproof," Xu Fu analyzed.

Yang Ling made a decision: "We need to concentrate our efforts to break through this magic. Ying Zheng, you and Ziya will coordinate to bombard the light source with the strongest attacks. Li Si, you and Xu Fu will be responsible for auxiliary defense."

Ying Zheng and Ziya nodded, each preparing their ultimate skills. Rolling clouds of lightning gathered around Ying Zheng's longsword, while Ziya's whip unleashed a howling storm. Their power surged rapidly for a short time, then they unleashed their attacks almost simultaneously.

Li Si and Xu Fu were not lax either; they used talismans and spells to build a solid defense against possible counterattacks.

With a deafening roar, Ying Zheng and Ziya's attacks struck the light source. The entire forest trembled, and the intense light flashed before gradually dissipating, revealing an ancient stone gate hidden behind the trees.

Yang Ling led the way to the stone gate, took a deep breath, and pushed it open. Behind the gate were winding stone steps leading down into an unknown abyss. He turned to the others and said, "This is very likely the secret we are searching for, but it is also fraught with unknown dangers. We must proceed with caution."

Everyone nodded and stepped through the stone gate together, embarking on a new adventure.

As the stone gate slowly closed, Yang Ling and his companions entered a narrow, descending stone staircase. The steps were covered in ancient moss, and the air was thick with a damp, musty smell. The staircase wound its way down the mountainside, illuminated only by the faint glow of the orb in Yang Ling's hand. (End of Chapter)