Mortal: Starting with the Seven Mysterious Sects, I proved my Dao through sacrifice.

The fact that Murong Fan had broken through to the Nascent Soul stage in just over six years greatly pleased Yuan Xiang and Yuan Zhi. After discussing it, the two decided to put Murong Fan in charge of all affairs of the outer sect of the Thunder Sound Sect, allowing him to manage the Thunder Listening Courtyard independently. They also allocated three additional courtyards on the Spirit Vein Peak, which made many people in the sect extremely envious.

Murong Fan understood that this was both an opportunity and a challenge for him, a situation where risk and reward coexisted. He didn't refuse Yuan Xiang; instead, he readily agreed. He had been in seclusion for over six years, and his cultivation resources were nearly depleted. Only by gaining greater authority within the Thunder Sound Sect and acquiring more of Yuan Xiang's trust and support could he exchange these resources. Naturally, Yuan Xiang was very satisfied with his straightforwardness.

Murong Fan was well aware that Yuan Xiang's move, seemingly a promotion, was actually pushing him into the open so that the Great Jin demonic spies hidden within the sect would expose themselves. In recent years, the borders of Great Jin have been unstable, and Leiyin Sect, as a major Buddhist sect, had long since discovered that demonic spies had infiltrated, but had not been able to uncover their true nature.

This appointment is both a sign of trust in him and a test for him. Only by fulfilling this entrustment to the best of his ability can he gain more opportunities in the future.

In the dark corners of the cultivation world of the Great Jin Kingdom, the Yinluo Sect is like a lurking ferocious beast, infamous for cultivating evil arts and plundering resources. They act mysteriously, are ruthless, greedy, and domineering.

The Yinluo Sect, which had long held sway over the Great Jin Dynasty, had already set its greedy sights on the renowned Leiyin Sect. They meticulously planned a conspiracy, sending a mid-stage Nascent Soul deacon skilled in stealth to infiltrate the sect—this person was adept at concealing his tracks and could move silently through various dangerous situations.

Yinluo Sect determined that the three Yuan-generation elders of Leiyin Sect were currently in seclusion, attempting to break through to the Nascent Soul realm, and had no time to attend to the mountain-protecting formation. The remaining Nascent Soul elders would also find it difficult to detect the hidden steward, especially with a long-placed traitor assisting them. To avoid attracting too much attention and exposing their presence, Yinluo Sect ultimately decided to send only a small number of personnel to participate in this operation.

The ancient evil treasure "Dragon-Eating Nascent Soul" carried by the Nascent Soul stage deacon of the Yinluo Sect has an extraordinary origin. It is said that this item was made from the spine of an ancient evil dragon and contains terrifying evil power, which is specially used to destroy various array seals.

The Yinluo Sect's deacon had planned this operation long ago. The sect's leaders, through spies planted in the Leiyin Sect for many years, had already thoroughly investigated the details of the mountain-protecting formation. The leaders specifically instructed that the energy conversion points at the formation's nodes were the weakest points, where the defensive restrictions were relatively sparse, and the energy fluctuation patterns offered opportunities for exploitation.

Using his exquisite stealth techniques, he secretly infiltrated a node in the protective array surrounding the Thunder Sound Sect. He carefully avoided the array's patrol restrictions, moving like a ghost between the nodes. Following the elder's guidance, he went straight to the energy conversion point, carefully observing the array's operational patterns, and then, seizing the opportune moment, began his sabotage plan. He thought he had gotten away with it undetected, unaware that a crisis was quietly approaching.

Within the Thunder Sound Sect, three late-stage Nascent Soul cultivators of the Yuan generation were at a crucial juncture, once again entering seclusion to attempt their breakthrough to the Divine Transformation realm. Inside the secluded cultivation room, the spiritual energy was abundant, and the three cultivators sat cross-legged, radiating powerful auras. However, breaking through to the Divine Transformation realm was no easy feat; despite years of attempts, each attempt had presented them with immense bottlenecks and risks.

Every attempt to break through is like a life-or-death struggle against the rules of heaven and earth; a slight misstep could lead to demonic possession and the complete destruction of one's cultivation.

At this crucial juncture in their breakthrough to the Nascent Soul stage, the three elders of the Yuan generation were simply unable to spare the time to deal with the sudden crisis. Therefore, the affairs of the Leiyin Sect during their seclusion were naturally entrusted to the other core elders in the mid-Nascent Soul stage. However, although these mid-Nascent Soul elders possessed considerable cultivation, the Yinluo Sect's steward's concealment technique was simply too superb—using the energy fluctuations of the mountain-protecting array as cover, he had completely concealed his aura, making him impossible to find.

The other elders were also patrolling around, but they still couldn't detect anything unusual. If the Yinluo Sect's stewards succeeded in inserting the "Dragon-Eating Nail" into the node, the great formation would break, and the Leiyin Sect would be doomed.

Abbot Yuan Xiang of the Leiyin Sect always paid close attention to the operation of the mountain-protecting array. Before going into seclusion, he routinely checked the energy fluctuations of the array as usual, and suddenly discovered a subtle anomaly in the flow of spiritual energy at one of the nodes. This anomaly was extremely subtle, and he would not have been able to detect it at all if he had not been experienced and had keen senses.

Yuan Xiang realized there might be an invasion by foreign enemies. However, he did not make a fuss, but instead began a covert investigation. After careful observation and analysis, he discovered that the enemy's cultivation was profound and their concealment methods were extremely sophisticated. He knew that sending other elders might not only fail to solve the problem, but would also alert the enemy.

At this moment, he thought of Murong Fan. Although Murong Fan was only a lay disciple at the early stage of the Nascent Soul realm on the surface, he always felt that Murong Fan was no ordinary person.

During his seclusion, Yuan Xiang decided to send the perceptive Murong Fan to patrol the area, hinting that if he encountered danger, he could crush the life-saving talisman to call for help. In reality, the abbot had other plans—he wanted to use this opportunity to test Murong Fan's true strength and loyalty, and also to assess the management abilities of the sect's core elders.

During a mission, Murong Fan accidentally intercepted a secret letter from a Yinluo Sect spy, learning of some of the sect's conspiracies and the weaknesses of their evil treasures. Using his keen senses and the previously intercepted letter, he anticipated the Yinluo Sect's plot against the mountain-protecting formation.

After receiving the abbot's mission, Murong Fan dared not slack off in the slightest. He knew that this matter was of great importance, so he immediately set off for the key area of ​​the mountain-protecting array.

Along the way, he carefully observed his surroundings, not missing a single clue. With his keen senses and rich experience, he quickly pinpointed the approximate location of the anomaly. When he found the Yinluo Sect deacon who was casting a spell, the deacon, seeing that he was just a Core Formation stage (disguised) lay disciple, revealed a contemptuous smile.

The Yinluo Sect steward, relying on his mid-stage Core Formation cultivation, didn't take Murong Fan seriously at all. He said contemptuously, "Little Master, this is none of your business. If you know what's good for you, get out of here. If you're looking for death, then let's have a showdown!" After saying that, he ignored Murong Fan and continued to focus on destroying the node.

However, his carelessness brought him utter destruction. Murong Fan was not intimidated by his imposing manner; instead, he sneered inwardly. He knew this was a golden opportunity to make this arrogant evil cultivator pay the price.

At that moment, Murong Fan's early Nascent Soul power surged within him. He knew that facing a mid-Nascent Soul Yinluo Sect deacon head-on was not the best strategy and would likely result in defeat. He looked around and discovered that this place, as a node of the Thunder Sound Sect's protective array, was filled with dense Buddhist power, which had a natural suppressive effect on evil cultivators.

The Yinluo Sect steward clearly noticed this as well, and his expression turned somewhat grim. He had already consumed a great deal of vital energy in order to activate the evil treasure "Dragon-Eating Nail," and now, under the suppression of Buddhist power, his aura was inevitably somewhat disordered.

Murong Fan had clearly already keenly grasped the enemy's weakness. Instead of launching an attack, he moved swiftly, like a ghost, darting around while continuously casting Buddhist seals to disrupt the Yinluo Sect's deacon's actions.

The deacon of the Yinluo Sect, who was at the mid-stage of the Nascent Soul realm, was annoyed by Murong Fan's harassment. He roared and brandished his magic weapon to attack Murong Fan, but Murong Fan's movement technique was extremely exquisite, and he always managed to dodge the attack at the last second.

After several rounds, the Yinluo Sect steward was exhausted and his breathing became increasingly unstable. Murong Fan keenly sensed that the enemy's internal energy was severely depleted due to prolonged use of the evil treasure, and the Buddhist power of the mountain-protecting formation was constantly eroding his evil skills, causing his movements to gradually slow down.

Murong Fan knew the time was right, so he stopped rushing to attack and instead used his exquisite movement techniques to constantly move around, while simultaneously using low-level Buddhist arts to disrupt the enemy's rhythm. The Yinluo Sect's mid-Nascent Soul cultivator was enraged by Murong Fan's tactics and frantically waved his magical weapon, but he still couldn't catch a glimpse of Murong Fan.

Murong Fan had learned from a secret letter he had intercepted a few days earlier from a Yinluo Sect spy that activating the evil treasure would temporarily trigger the circulation of evil power within the body, causing a gap in the chest defense. Therefore, the sabotage operation by the Yinluo Sect's mid-Nascent Soul stage deacon had to be dealt with swiftly.

While trying to stop them, Murong Fan observed the enemy's weaknesses. When he saw the patterns on the evil treasure on the enemy's chest, he immediately remembered the contents of the secret letter. Sure enough, every time the enemy activated the evil treasure, his chest would briefly reveal an opening.

Finally, after the enemy's all-out attack, Murong Fan seized the perfect opportunity when the opponent's old strength was exhausted and new strength had not yet been generated. His figure approached like lightning, and he wielded the Vajra Pestle, gathering pure Buddhist power, and accurately smashed it into the evil cultivator's chest. The Yinluo Sect deacon was caught off guard and was sent flying backward by this blow, spitting out blood.

Murong Fan pressed his advantage, unleashing a barrage of Buddhist techniques like a storm, each strike precisely hitting the Yinluo Sect deacon's weak points. The deacon had no time to react and was forced into a retreat. Finally, Murong Fan seized an opening, striking the deacon's vitals with his pestle, killing him instantly.

After the battle, Murong Fan slowly put away the Vajra Pestle. He felt that his control over Buddhist power had improved further, and his combat experience had become richer. A sense of accomplishment welled up in his heart. He knew that this was not only a victory in battle, but also a testament to his own growth.

Murong Fan picked up all the storage bags of the mid-stage Nascent Soul deacons of the Yinluo Sect and took stock of them. He not only obtained a mining contract for a mid-grade spiritual vein, but also several evil cultivation techniques and two decent magic weapons. The most precious item was the ancient evil treasure, the Corroding Dragon Nail. Although it was of yin and evil nature, it was still a rare treasure for breaking formations. Murong Fan kept it safe, as it might come in handy in the future.

Outsiders only saw a flash of golden light at the node, a dazzling light that seemed to illuminate the entire night sky. After the golden light faded, the evil cultivator vanished into thin air, as if he had been devoured by the great formation. The surrounding disciples were stunned; they didn't know what had happened and began to discuss it amongst themselves.

Murong Fan concealed his achievements and fame, silently withdrawing his aura as if nothing had happened. He returned to the Thunder Sound Sect and reported to the abbot, "The node has been repaired; it seems a powerful figure secretly assisted us." His expression was calm, and his tone indifferent, as if all of this had nothing to do with him.

Murong Fan knew that Sanyuan's seclusion might just be a staged performance, so he couldn't take all the credit for himself. That's why he humbly reported that a powerful figure had secretly helped him. The node had been repaired, and Sanyuan might already know everything. Overacting and being greedy for credit would only bring trouble upon himself.

Recalling the battle between the early-stage and mid-stage Nascent Soul cultivators, he secretly rejoiced that he had successfully completed his mission and protected the safety of the Thunder Sound Sect. Yuan Xiang looked at Murong Fan, a hint of approval flashing in his eyes, but he didn't point it out. He simply nodded slightly and said, "You've worked hard. Go and rest."

After Murong Fan left, Abbot Yuan Xiang slowly rose and walked to the window of the Scripture Pavilion, gazing thoughtfully at the direction of the protective array. Although the energy fluctuations from the battle just now were concealed by the array, they could not escape his perception as the abbot of the Thunder Sound Sect. Murong Fan's strength and temperament both amazed him.

After handling the funeral arrangements for the Yinluo Sect steward, Murong Fan returned to his Tinglei Courtyard. He closed the courtyard gate, carefully took out the storage bag he had taken from the Yinluo Sect steward, and scanned it with his divine sense. He discovered that the bag contained not only the Dragon-Eroding Nail that had not yet been embedded into the array node and a mid-grade spirit stone mining contract, but also a secret communication order from the Yinluo Sect to a traitor within the Leiyin Sect. Murong Fan twirled the secret order between his fingers, his gaze deep—just as he had expected, the Yinluo Sect's operation this time was a collaboration with a traitor within the sect.

The next day, under the pretext of inspecting the outer sect, Murong Fan secretly delivered the secret order to Abbot Yuan Xiang. Following the markings on the secret order, the two uncovered three demonic spies who had been lurking in the outer sect of Leiyin Sect for many years within three days. One of them even managed to rise to the position of a core elder.

Following the pre-arranged plan, Sanyuan pretended to know nothing about the matter and secretly laid a trap. Taking advantage of the opportunity when the traitor passed on false information to the Yinluo Sect, he turned the tables and captured all the traitors. The three evil cultivators sent by the Yinluo Sect to meet him were also captured.

After this incident, everyone in the Thunder Sound Sect had even greater faith in Murong Fan. Even those inner disciples who had envied his position dared not openly discuss it anymore. Ancestor Yuan Xiang trusted him even more, entrusting him with almost all the affairs of the outer sect. Murong Fan's cultivation also steadily improved during this period of peace, waiting only for the right opportunity to advance further.

Murong Fan picked up all the storage bags of the mid-stage Nascent Soul deacons of the Yinluo Sect and took stock of them. He not only obtained a mining contract for a mid-grade spiritual vein, but also several evil cultivation techniques and two decent magic weapons. The most precious item was the ancient evil treasure, the Corroding Dragon Nail. Although it was of yin and evil nature, it was still a rare treasure for breaking formations. Murong Fan kept it safe, as it might come in handy in the future.

Outsiders only saw a flash of golden light at the node, a dazzling light that seemed to illuminate the entire night sky. After the golden light faded, the evil cultivator vanished into thin air, as if he had been devoured by the great formation. The surrounding disciples were stunned; they didn't know what had happened and began to discuss it amongst themselves.

Murong Fan concealed his achievements and fame, silently withdrawing his aura as if nothing had happened. He returned to the Thunder Sound Sect and reported to the abbot, "The node has been repaired; it seems a powerful figure secretly assisted us." His expression was calm, and his tone indifferent, as if all of this had nothing to do with him.

Murong Fan knew that Sanyuan's seclusion might just be a staged performance, so he couldn't take all the credit for himself. That's why he humbly reported that a powerful figure had secretly helped him. The node had been repaired, and Sanyuan might already know everything. Overacting and being greedy for credit would only bring trouble upon himself.

Recalling the battle between the early-stage and mid-stage Nascent Soul cultivators, he secretly rejoiced that he had successfully completed his mission and protected the safety of the Thunder Sound Sect. Yuan Xiang looked at Murong Fan, a hint of approval flashing in his eyes, but he didn't point it out. He simply nodded slightly and said, "You've worked hard. Go and rest."

After Murong Fan left, Abbot Yuan Xiang slowly rose and walked to the window of the Scripture Pavilion, gazing thoughtfully at the direction of the protective array. Although the energy fluctuations from the battle just now were concealed by the array, they could not escape his perception as the abbot of the Thunder Sound Sect. Murong Fan's strength and temperament both amazed him.

After handling the funeral arrangements for the Yinluo Sect steward, Murong Fan returned to his Tinglei Courtyard. He closed the courtyard gate, carefully took out the storage bag he had taken from the Yinluo Sect steward, and scanned it with his divine sense. He discovered that the bag contained not only the Dragon-Eroding Nail that had not yet been embedded into the array node and a mid-grade spirit stone mining contract, but also a secret communication order from the Yinluo Sect to a traitor within the Leiyin Sect. Murong Fan twirled the secret order between his fingers, his gaze deep—just as he had expected, the Yinluo Sect's operation this time was a collaboration with a traitor within the sect.

The next day, under the pretext of inspecting the outer sect, Murong Fan secretly delivered the secret order to Abbot Yuan Xiang. Following the markings on the secret order, the two uncovered three demonic spies who had been lurking in the outer sect of Leiyin Sect for many years within three days. One of them even managed to rise to the position of a core elder.

Following the pre-arranged plan, Sanyuan pretended to know nothing about the matter and secretly laid a trap. Taking advantage of the opportunity when the traitor passed on false information to the Yinluo Sect, he turned the tables and captured all the traitors. The three evil cultivators sent by the Yinluo Sect to meet him were also captured.

After this incident, everyone in the Thunder Sound Sect had even greater faith in Murong Fan. Even those inner disciples who had envied his position dared not openly discuss it anymore. Ancestor Yuan Xiang trusted him even more, entrusting him with almost all the affairs of the outer sect. Murong Fan's cultivation also steadily improved during this period of peace, waiting only for the right opportunity to advance further.