Mortal: Starting with the Falling Cloud Sect, I proved my Dao through gacha pulls.

"Fellow Daoist Xiao, Old Hu, look! If this truly is the legacy of an ancient cultivator, then it is an immense stroke of luck for us. This place is desolate and deserted; it's likely no cultivator has ever set foot here. Let's quickly discuss and make a decision!"

After a moment of contemplation, Jin Qing was the first to ask for the opinions of the other two.

Hu Yue rubbed her hands together with a smile, her eyes resolute.

"There must be many treasures hidden in these ruins. No matter what you two plan to do, I, Old Hu, am determined to go in and explore. We can't let such an opportunity slip by."

Jin Qing was delighted to see Hu Yue agree and immediately looked at Su Mu with him.

Although Su Mu was wary of the unknown dangers behind the restriction, he was also full of curiosity.

He possesses many trump cards and secret techniques, so even if he encounters a dangerous situation, he can escape by activating the Qiankun Disc without any worries.

Having made up his mind, he nodded slightly.

"I am also willing to go in and explore. However, the inside is dangerous and unpredictable. You two should first adjust your breathing and recover your strength. Furthermore, we need to collect the life essence of this Mirage Demon as soon as possible so that we can refine it into a Divine Essence Pill."

The group reached a consensus. Jin Qing and Hu Yue immediately sat down cross-legged to meditate and regulate their breathing, while Su Mu stepped forward to collect the Mirage Demon's life-bound mirage energy and mirage pearl, intending to refine pills on the spot.

As for the demon core and other materials of the Mirage Demon, the two of them entrusted them to Su Mu for temporary storage, to be sold for spirit stones upon returning to Tianxing City, and then the three of them would split the proceeds equally.

Su Mu landed on the deserted island, instructed his clone to protect him, and then took out the alchemy furnace, put all the materials needed for the Divine Soul Pill into the furnace, and slowly refined them with the strange fire.

Jin Qing had suffered very little damage and finished recuperating in a short while. Seeing that Su Mu was refining pills, he got up and patrolled the perimeter of the deserted island.

Three days passed in the blink of an eye.

Suddenly, a wisp of light pink mist rose from the deserted island. Su Mu opened his mouth and drew the flames back into his body. Immediately, four pink pills flew out of the alchemy furnace.

Jin Qing and Hu Yue were overjoyed to see this and quickly went forward to see what was happening.

This pill was completely different from ordinary pills. It resembled condensed smoke, with spiritual energy flowing around it, making it ethereal and extraordinary.

"This is the Divine Separation Pill? Truly extraordinary!"

The two exclaimed in admiration, their eyes filled with wonder.

Su Mu put away the alchemy furnace, flicked his fingertips, and sent two Divine Transformation Pills flying straight to Jin Qing and Hu Yue, while keeping the remaining two safe.

"This elixir thrives on the wood element, so it is best stored in a wooden box."

The two quickly took out the wooden box and put away the pills, their expressions full of gratitude.

"Thank you, Brother Xiao! Just obtaining this miraculous pill alone makes this trip worthwhile!"

Su Mu waved his hand dismissively, his gaze falling on the hidden restriction, and spoke in a deep voice.

"Let's not stand on ceremony. Let's discuss how to explore the ancient ruins behind this barrier."

Upon hearing this, Hu Yue fiddled with the throwing knife in her hand and stepped forward.

"How about I, Old Hu, go ahead and scout ahead? If there are any traps, I can at least block them so that we don't all get into danger together."

Jin Qing immediately shook her head in rejection.

"Absolutely not! The dangers inside are unknown, and it would be too risky for you to go alone, Lao Hu. It would be better if we went in together, so we could look after each other and be more confident in dealing with the dangers."

Su Mu chuckled and summoned his clone to his side.

"What you two say makes sense. Why don't we send my clone in first to scout out the way and find out the truth before we enter one by one? This is the safest way."

Jin Qing and Hu Yue exchanged a glance, both agreeing that the plan was thorough and immediately nodded in approval.

With a slight thought, Su Mu's clone swayed and flew straight into the underwater reef. When it passed through the restriction, it only created a barely perceptible spatial ripple.

The moment the clone stepped into the barrier, Su Mu connected with it through the divine sense of the clone that had taken over the main body. He realized that the clone was in a huge underwater cave, dark and gloomy all around, with only a faint light coming through the water above.

He immediately manipulated his clone to float to the surface, and in an instant, he burst out of the water and landed inside a dilapidated stone hall.

Inside the hall, stone pillars had collapsed, and the floor was a mess, a testament to the decay of time. Several lustrous, luminous pearls were embedded in the ceiling of the stone hall, their light shimmering and dazzling; the ray of light from earlier had come from these pearls.

Su Mu surveyed his surroundings from the perspective of his clone and discovered that the water that had just broken through the surface was located in a dilapidated cave in the corner of the stone hall. The seawater reached the floor inside the hall, but was blocked by an invisible force, preventing it from overflowing further.

Su Mu manipulated his clone to carefully investigate the hall and found traces of the Mirage Demons everywhere. Apart from that, there was no danger, and the level 5 Mirage Demon had long since disappeared.

Following the tracks on the ground, it was clear that the demon had passed through the dilapidated stone door of the main hall and gone outside. Looking through the doorway, one could see rows of crumbling pavilions and palaces outside, all displaying their ancient age and decay.

Once he confirmed that the interior was safe, Su Mu ordered his clone to remain in place and wait for everyone to regroup.

Su Mu's expression changed slightly as he looked at Jin Qing and Hu Yue.

"Beyond the barrier lies a water cave, beyond which is a harmless stone palace. Outside the palace are numerous ruins, yet to be explored."

The two were overjoyed upon hearing this, and Hu Yue, being particularly impatient, burst into loud laughter.

"In that case, what are we waiting for? Let's go in quickly, I'll go first!"

Before he finished speaking, he flashed into the barrier.

Jin Qing chuckled helplessly, already used to her friend's decisive and efficient nature.

After several dozen breaths, Su Mu nodded to indicate that Hu Yue had reunited with his clone. Jin Qing immediately activated the water-avoiding spell and went straight through the restriction.

Once Su Mu was the only one left, he did not rush inside. Instead, he looked up at a certain spot behind him, a cold smile playing on his lips.

"Fellow Daoist, you've been hiding for so long, how much longer do you intend to remain hidden?"

As soon as he finished speaking, an old man in a red robe slowly appeared from the void. The old man's face was covered with hideous scars, and he carried a black umbrella on his back. His eyes were full of surprise and doubt as he looked at Su Mu.

He was both surprised that Su Mu could detect his concealment and puzzled as to why the other party, who was all alone at the time, had the confidence to take the initiative to reveal himself.

"As expected of Alchemist Xiao, you truly possess some skill. Now that you are alone, are you perhaps seeking cooperation with me? If so, then..."

Before the old man finished speaking, he tossed the dark, luminous umbrella behind him into the air. The umbrella spun rapidly in the air, its dark light suddenly intensifying, instantly sealing off the entire space.

Having done all this, the old man was certain that no matter what plans Su Mu had, once sealed by the Uro Umbrella, he was already trapped and had no chance of escaping.

Upon hearing the voice, Su Mu felt a sense of familiarity and instantly remembered that this person was the remnant of the Thousand Hearts Sect who had sold the Beast Taming and Spirit Communication Technique at the auction.

He narrowed his eyes, feeling as if the space around him was so confined that he could hardly move an inch, and his breath was sluggish. He couldn't help but take another look at the treasure umbrella, his tone somewhat surprised.

"It's an ancient treasure?"

Ancient treasures are always rare. Although their function is singular, their power far surpasses that of ordinary magical artifacts. It is a pity that they cannot be bound to the body by blood and can only be stored in a storage bag and carried with the body.

"It seems this treasure's function is to seal off space. Excellent! Truly a rare and precious artifact!"

Despite being trapped, Su Mu showed no panic. Instead, he looked at the dark, luminous umbrella in mid-air with delight, his eyes gradually shining.

The old man in the red robe was taken aback by what he saw, his face full of astonishment, and he secretly wondered what was going on in his heart.

"Has this person gone mad?"