Cultivation: I can solidify equipment attributes

The guardian token lit up one morning.

Li Yuan opened his eyes from his cultivation and channeled his spiritual energy to receive the message.

Chen Yi's voice became a little more urgent.

"Something's happened deep within the Ghost Mist Forest. Several sect disciples and independent cultivators who frequent the depths have reported abnormal spiritual energy fluctuations, accompanied by heavy remnants of demonic energy. The fluctuations are located in the western part of the deepest part of the Ghost Mist Forest, at least two thousand feet away from the Mist Forest Market, a place almost no one goes to normally."

"The sect's initial assessment is that it's related to the Dark Abyss Society. The demonic cultivators may be carrying out some large-scale activity deep within, possibly excavating or opening some kind of ancient ruins."

"The sect is organizing a force to conduct an in-depth investigation and is summoning Foundation Establishment cultivators to participate in the operation. As the garrison leader of the Ghost Mist Forest region, you are most familiar with the terrain deep within, and the sect hopes you will participate in this operation."

Chen Yi paused for a moment.

"You will be rewarded with contribution points after the operation is completed, and the resources found during the operation will also be distributed according to your contribution."

Li Yuan carefully put the token away.

The Dark Abyss operates in the deepest part of the Ghost Mist Forest, which matches the information previously reported by the elders. If the treasure trove of the previous Demonic Sect and the legacy of a Nascent Soul level sect are indeed hidden deep within the Ghost Mist Forest, then it makes perfect sense that the Dark Abyss would be digging there.

Moreover, one of the three people with demonic energy in his own market was inquiring about the Fiend Mine area. The Fiend Mine is located deep in the Ghost Mist Forest, slightly to the south, while the Ruins are located in the deepest part, slightly to the west. The two are in different directions, but the distance between them is not too far.

Even if I don't go, this market might still become a target for demonic cultivators.

Li Yuan took out a talisman from his storage bag.

This was made a few days ago using a newly purchased technique, and it looks quite good.

Using the talisman is very simple. Infuse it with spiritual energy to activate it, and the talisman will sense the general direction that is most suitable for you to go.

If the target is very close, the runes will rotate rapidly, making it difficult to determine the exact location.

Li Yuan infused his spiritual power.

The spiritual patterns on the surface of the talisman glowed with a pale golden light, and the sensing core in the center of the ring structure rotated slightly, eventually pointing in one direction.

Southwest.

The direction of the deepest part of the Ghost Mist Forest.

The location of the abnormal fluctuations roughly matches what Chen Yi described.

The talisman's luster lasted for a few breaths before dimming, the spiritual patterns dissipated, and the talisman paper turned to ashes.

The signpost can only be used as a reference, but it is enough for Li Yuan to make a judgment.

Two days later, the team assembled at Wulinfang Market.

Chen Yi brought seven Foundation Establishment cultivators, making a total of nine people including himself and Li Yuan. Several familiar faces were among them, including Li Ze'an and a female cultivator surnamed Zhao. The others were formal disciples of the Yuan Yang Sect, all at the early Foundation Establishment stage.

Before setting off, Chen Yi briefly explained the action plan.

"The objective is to identify the source of the abnormal fluctuations and confirm whether it is a Dark Abyss Society stronghold or an entrance to the ruins. If we encounter demonic cultivators, we will decide whether to engage them based on the situation. If we are outnumbered or the enemy is too strong, we will retreat and not fight them head-on."

"The route follows the main path of Ghost Mist Forest southwards, then turns southwestwards upon reaching its depths. Fellow Daoist Li is most familiar with the terrain of Ghost Mist Forest, so he will lead the way."

Li Yuan nodded.

The team sets off.

Nine Foundation Establishment cultivators ventured deeper into the Ghost Mist Forest along its main path. The deeper they went, the thicker the fog became, and the higher the concentration of malevolent energy. Most of the Foundation Establishment cultivators needed to circulate their spiritual power to resist the erosion of the malevolent energy, but Li Yuan and Sha Yuan Guiyi were unaffected and were actively absorbing the surrounding malevolent energy.

After walking for about half a day, the terrain began to change.

The dead trees grew taller and denser, their trunks as thick as buckets, their intertwined branches blocking out the sky. The ground had changed from gravel to black mud, soft and spongy underfoot, carrying a putrid smell.

The fog changed color from grayish-white to dark purple, and visibility was less than five zhang (approximately 10 meters).

Li Yuan walked at the front of the group, his passive perception, which was clear and bright, covered fifty feet, while his senses, which were sharp and powerful, extended into the ground, and his divine sense protruded a hundred feet forward.

They continued deeper into the area for about two hours.

Li Yuan stopped in his tracks.

The concentration of malevolent energy ahead suddenly decreased.

The concentration of malevolent energy should increase the further one goes into the Ghost Mist Forest, but in a certain area ahead, the malevolent energy becomes thinner. It's as if something is absorbing or dispersing a large amount of malevolent energy in that area.

At the same time, an unusual fluctuation of spiritual energy came from ahead.

It's neither spiritual energy nor malevolent energy.

It was a complex fluctuation that mixed spiritual energy and demonic energy, with an unstable frequency, like a large formation malfunctioning during operation.

"There's something going on up ahead."

Li Yuan said in a low voice.

The team slowed down and pressed their breaths as they moved forward.

After walking about three hundred feet, the thick fog suddenly dissipated ahead.

A cleared area appeared before everyone.

The open space was about a hundred feet square. The surrounding dead trees had been cut down to the roots, and the stumps bore the marks of spiritual energy cutting. The ground had been turned over, and the black soil was mixed with gravel and slag.

In the center of the open space was a huge pit, and Li Yuan sensed demonic energy within it.

The pit is about ten zhang in diameter, with regular edges, and was not formed naturally. There are obvious traces of human excavation on the pit walls, with neat and uniform cuts made by tools.

The pit is about ten zhang in diameter, with regular edges, and was not formed naturally. There are obvious traces of human excavation on the pit walls, with neat and uniform cuts made by tools.

A section of grayish-white stone structure was exposed at the bottom of the pit.

It is architecture.

A corner of the underground structure was unearthed, and the gray-white stone walls were covered with densely packed spirit patterns. The style of the spirit patterns was ancient and profound, and was significantly different from the spirit pattern system commonly used by cultivators today.

There is a half-open stone door on the rock wall, with traces of dark purple demonic energy remaining on the door.

Entrance to the ruins.

Chen Yi walked to the edge of the pit and probed downwards with his divine sense.

"There are residual fluctuations of formations and restrictions inside the stone gate."

He frowned.

"Part of it has already been triggered or destroyed; someone has already gone in."

He crouched down and touched the remaining traces of demonic energy on the stone wall with his finger.

"Demonic energy. The concentration is not low, and it will remain for about ten days to half a month."

The members of the Dark Abyss Society have already entered the ruins.

Chen Yi stood up and looked at the other people in the group.

"Most of the arrays and restrictions surrounding the ruins have been destroyed, and it's uncertain whether the remaining parts are dangerous."

He pondered for a moment.

"First, check the remaining array formations on the outer perimeter. Only enter after confirming it's safe."

Nine Foundation Establishment cultivators spread out around the pit, each probing the surrounding arrays and restrictions.

Li Yuan stood beside the stone gate, probing inside with his divine sense.

Behind the stone gate was a stone passageway extending downwards, about two zhang wide and one and a half zhang high. The walls of the passageway were covered with spiritual patterns, most of which had faded and become ineffective, with only a few places still gleaming faintly.

The passageway was filled with a thick, lingering demonic aura, consistent with the marks on the stone gate.

There were footprints on the ground. Not just one person's footprints, but at least three or four people's footprints, heading towards the depths of the passageway.

The passive perception of the demonic avatar detected fluctuations of demonic energy in the passageway, with a concentration dozens of times higher than the residue on the three people in the market.

The Dark Abyss Society members did indeed go in, and there were quite a few of them.

Chen Yi walked over and glanced at the situation inside the passageway.

"Prepare to enter."