I am in Yellow Maple Valley, and I have a demonic beast clone!

In the quiet room, Zhou Ding sat cross-legged, with the treasures he had brought back from the Crimson Forbidden Zone laid out before him.

The soft light of the luminous pearl shone down, illuminating these treasures and giving them a faint glow, making the entire quiet room look like a treasure trove.

He carefully sorted and categorized the talismans one by one.

Besides these talismans, this ancient cultivator from the Heavenly Talisman Sect also had several magical artifacts and ancient treasures in his storage bag.

He took them out and examined them one by one.

A cyan flying sword, about three feet long, with a slender blade covered in fine runes. The runes were layered upon each other, faintly shimmering with spiritual light, exuding a sharp aura.

He gently flicked the blade, producing a clear dragon's roar that echoed for a long time in the quiet room.

A small white shield, about the size of a palm, with a smooth, mirror-like surface and a faint, shimmering light.

The shield was engraved with a complex rune, an ancient defensive rune.

He held it in his hand and could feel a warm spiritual energy seeping out from the shield, nourishing his palm.

A black seal, only the size of an egg, exudes a heavy sense of oppression.

The bottom of the seal is engraved with the character "镇" (zhen), written with vigorous strokes and a majestic presence.

He tried placing the seal in his palm and felt its weight, as if he were holding a small mountain.

There was also a golden rope, made of some unknown material, which was incredibly flexible.

He tried to pull on it, but the rope didn't budge; instead, it tightened the more he pulled.

He loosened the rope, and it returned to its original state, soft as silk.

Each piece exudes a powerful spiritual pressure, far surpassing that of magical artifacts.

However, these magical treasures and ancient artifacts cannot be used before breaking through to the Core Formation stage.

Without the magical power of a Core Formation stage cultivator, it is impossible to activate.

Forcing its use will only drain your mana and may even damage your foundation.

Just like the azure bead we got from Qingyangzi's cave, we can only look at it, we can't use it.

He sighed, carefully put away these treasures, and kept them as a temporary keepsake.

After finishing his inventory, Zhou Ding thought of the impending chaos in the Yue Kingdom.

His gaze fell on the scroll of the Void Heaven Relic on the table.

The ancient brocade handkerchief lay quietly on the table, its palace patterns glowing faintly in the darkness, as soft as moonlight.

He reached out and stroked the handkerchief, feeling a warm, smooth texture—the scent of time.

Now, the Crimson Forbidden Land has already been visited.

They've taken everything they were entitled to, and gotten everything they were supposed to get.

Now, it's time to focus on dealing with the impending chaos.

The most crucial thing left is the ancient teleportation array in the spirit stone mine.

That is the only way to reach the Chaotic Star Sea.

Without it, he could not leave the Yue Kingdom, nor escape the impending war.

However, the Yue Kingdom has many spirit stone mines, all of which are guarded by disciples of the seven sects.

Zhou Ding didn't know exactly which spirit stone mine the ancient teleportation array was located in.

All he knew was that the original story mentioned that the spirit stone mine was located in a canyon in a vast plain, and that it was guarded by cultivators from Tianque Fortress.

With these two pieces of information, as long as we obtain the distribution map of the Yue Kingdom's spirit stone mines, we should be able to determine the location quickly.

The next day.

The morning sun shines on Huangfeng Valley, casting a golden halo over the mountains.

The clouds and mist swirl among the mountains like a white veil, flowing slowly.

Occasionally, a few streaks of light would flash across the sky; these were disciples who had risen early to cultivate. Their various colors of light shimmered in the morning light, like shooting stars.

Zhou Ding left the cave, piloted the Divine Wind Boat, and flew straight into the Yellow Maple Valley.

His target was a mountain called "Wujun Mountain" on the west side of Huangfeng Valley.

It was a steep mountain peak, towering into the clouds, its body a dark gray color, barren of any vegetation, a stark contrast to the lush green mountains surrounding it. From a distance, it looked like a giant stone pillar piercing the sky.

The mountain peak is protected by an array, with faint spiritual light flowing around it. These are the restrictions set up by the ancestors of Huangfeng Valley, and their power is astonishing.

Halfway up the mountain, there is a wide platform paved with huge rocks.

The platform was several tens of feet square, with a smooth, mirror-like surface paved with fine bluestone slabs.

The stone slab was covered with runes, and faint spiritual light flowed around it; it was a protective array to prevent external damage.

At the end of the platform was a huge cavern completely covered by a thick light curtain.

Above the cave dwelling, three ancient characters are carved in a flowing, elegant style.

Yuelu Hall.

The three characters are written with vigorous strokes and a majestic momentum. It is said that they were written by the founder of Huangfeng Valley.

Each word contains powerful spiritual energy, inspiring awe and fear.

This place is a key location in Huangfeng Valley, where sects collect cultivation techniques, secret arts, magic weapons, and elixir recipes, and provide a place for alchemy and weapon crafting. It can be said to be one of the most heavily guarded places in the entire Huangfeng Valley.

Only those who have reached the Foundation Establishment stage in their cultivation can enter Yuelu Hall, and Zhou Ding naturally has the qualification to do so.

He stepped inside.

The interior of Yuelu Hall is extremely spacious, measuring several tens of feet square, with a dome several tens of feet high, inlaid with dozens of luminous pearls, illuminating the entire space as if it were daytime.

Zhou Ding went straight to the book section and found the steward in charge of managing the books.

The steward was an elderly man in the mid-Foundation Establishment stage, with gray hair, a gaunt face, wearing a gray Taoist robe, and a storage bag hanging from his waist.

He was sitting behind a desk, flipping through a jade scroll, his expression focused, his brows slightly furrowed, as if he were studying some difficult problem.

When Zhou Ding came in, he looked up and his gaze swept over him.

Although those eyes were somewhat cloudy, they were still sharp, as if they could see through people's hearts.

"Junior brother, what do you need?" His voice was hoarse, with a hint of languor.

Zhou Ding cupped his hands and said, "Senior brother, I need a map showing the distribution of spirit stone mines in Yue Kingdom."

The old man was taken aback, a look of doubt flashing in his eyes. He put down the jade slip in his hand and looked Zhou Ding up and down.

"A map showing the distribution of spirit stone mines? What does Junior Brother need this for?"

Zhou Ding was prepared, his expression remained unchanged, and he said calmly, "My sect has ordered that I need to go out on business."

The old man nodded without asking further questions. Such things were not uncommon within the sect.

He got up, walked to a wooden shelf, took down a jade slip from it, and handed it to Zhou Ding.

It was a pale blue jade slip, about a foot long, with a smooth, mirror-like surface and a faint glow.

A label was affixed to the jade slip, which read "Distribution Map of Spirit Stone Mines in Yue Kingdom".

"Here is the distribution map for the replica. Junior brother, you can take it."

Zhou Ding took the jade slip, then took out a spirit stone from his storage bag and handed it over. He then thanked him, put the jade slip into his pocket, and turned to leave.

Back in his cave, Zhou Ding immediately took out the jade slip and began to examine the distribution map.

It was a huge map that clearly marked all the mountains, rivers, cities, and mineral veins in the entire Yue Kingdom.

The map was drawn with great detail, and every mountain, river, and city was marked with its name and location.

The locations of the spirit stone mines are marked with red markers, numbering in the dozens and scattered throughout the Yue Kingdom.

He sat cross-legged in front of the table, unfolded the map, and carefully examined each mark.

The Great Plains... the Canyon... the Heavenly Fortress guarded by cultivators...

His gaze swept across the map, ruling out spirit stone mines located in the mountains.

Exclude spirit stone mines that are close to other sects.

Exclude spirit stone mines that do not conform to the characteristics of a "canyon".

One mark, two marks, three marks...

He eliminated them one by one, his gaze slowly moving across the map.

Write down each one you eliminate on paper to avoid missing any.

Half an hour later, his gaze settled on one spot.

Gale Plains, Luo Hun Canyon.

It was a vast plain located in the northeast of the Yue Kingdom, flat and boundless.

The map shows that the area is frequently windy, with sandstorms and stones flying everywhere, and is rarely visited by people.

In the center of the plain, there is a deep canyon, like a crack in the earth, winding for dozens of miles, with the widest part being several miles wide and the narrowest part only a few feet wide.

The canyon is flanked by steep cliffs, barren of any vegetation, with only the wind howling through it, creating a sound like ghosts wailing and wolves howling, hence the name "Luo Hun Canyon" (meaning "Canyon of the Souls").

This spirit stone mine is located right next to the territory of Tianque Fortress.

Tianque Fort is located in the northeast, less than a hundred miles from this plain.

According to the original work, it should be guarded by the cultivators of Tianque Fortress.

All the conditions were met.

The Great Plains, the Canyon, and Tianque Fortress are guarded by monks.

A glint of light flashed in Zhou Ding's eyes.

right here.

He circled the location on the map, then looked at it carefully again to make sure he hadn't missed anything.

The goal has been set.

He immediately planned to set off for the spirit stone mine in the next few days.

…………

The next day.

Zhou Ding was discussing formations with Xin Ruyin in the hall.

The two sat around a stone table, on which were several scrolls of array diagrams spread out.

Xin Ruyin was explaining a formation from the "Tianyuan Formation Manual." Her fingers lightly traced the formation diagram, indicating the direction of the runes.

Zhou Ding listened attentively, nodding occasionally.

Just then, Nongfu Spring 123's new work arrived, and Cola Novels updated it first on the entire network! A pale yellow talisman flew in from outside the cave, passed through layers of restrictions, and hovered steadily in front of him like a swallow returning to its nest.

He reached out and took it, then probed it with his divine sense.

Li Huayuan's voice came from the talisman, calm and brief, yet carrying an undeniable authority.

"Zhou Ding, come to Green Wave Cave."

Zhou Ding was taken aback.

Why did Master call him at this time?

He was puzzled, but dared not delay. He put away the talisman and said to Xin Ruyin, "Ruyin, Master has summoned me. I'll go."

Xin Ruyin raised her head, a look of concern flashing in her eyes.

She put down the array diagram in her hand and said softly, "Go. Come back soon."

Zhou Ding nodded, got up and left the cave, heading towards Green Wave Cave.

……

A moment later, Green Wave Cave.

Passing through the array of light, we entered the cave.

In the hall, Li Huayuan and his wife remained seated, like two statues.

Li Huayuan, dressed in a blue Daoist robe, looked relaxed, holding a cup of spiritual tea in his hands, slowly sipping it. The fragrant aroma of the tea filled the hall. Beside him sat a graceful female cultivator, his Daoist partner.

Upon seeing Zhou Ding enter, Li Huayuan put down his teacup and carefully examined him.

Those seemingly gentle eyes seemed to pierce through illusion. The gaze moved from Zhou Ding's face to his body, then back to his face, lingering for a moment.

The gaze wasn't sharp, but it gave Zhou Ding the feeling that he had been seen through, as if all his secrets were exposed under those eyes.

"Zhou Ding... in just a few years, you've progressed from the early to late stages of Foundation Establishment. Your cultivation speed truly astonishes me!"

Li Huayuan spoke slowly, his tone revealing neither joy nor anger.

His voice was calm, but Zhou Ding could sense that those eyes were observing his reaction and judging his every subtle expression.

Zhou Ding felt a chill run down his spine, but his face remained impassive. He knew that at this moment, any unusual behavior could arouse Li Huayuan's suspicion.

He bowed deeply, speaking respectfully and cautiously, keeping himself very humble.

"It is all thanks to Master's excellent teaching that I dare not slack off."

Upon hearing this, Li Huayuan remained silent for a moment. His gaze lingered on Zhou Ding for a while, as if trying to determine the truth of the statement.

Those eyes were like two deep pools of water, their bottoms unseen.

A moment later, he waved his hand, a faint smile appearing on his face.

Although the smile was faint, it put Zhou Ding at ease.

"You don't need to be nervous."

His voice softened, and his tone became more casual, no longer as authoritative as before.

"We cultivators each have our own destiny and path, some opportunities and some secrets—that's perfectly normal. As your master, I have no penchant for prying into my disciples' privacy or stealing their good fortune!"

His words were blunt, serving as both reassurance and a warning.

His meaning was very clear.

As long as Zhou Ding does not harm the interests of his sect or violate the sect rules, he will not inquire about the origin of the opportunity.

But if one day he does something that betrays his sect, he will never be lenient.

Zhou Ding felt a slight sense of relief, but maintained a respectful demeanor.

"Disciple understands, thank you for your understanding, Master."

"Um."

Li Huayuan nodded, no longer dwelling on the matter of cultivation, and instead said, "I called you in because I have a task for you to handle."

"Master, please give your instructions."

"Soon, the Yan family will be holding a 'Treasure Hunt Tournament,' inviting Foundation Establishment cultivators from Yue Kingdom and neighboring countries to participate. My Huangfeng Valley is among those invited. You will represent Huangfeng Valley and go to Yanling Fortress."

As Li Huayuan spoke, he took out a gold-embossed invitation from his sleeve and handed it over.

The invitation was entirely gold, embroidered with exquisite patterns in silver thread, radiating a faint, ethereal glow. On the front were the four large characters "Treasure Hunt Event," below which was a line of smaller characters—"Respectfully Invited by the Yan Family." The handwriting was neat and vigorous, clearly the work of a renowned calligrapher.

Zhou Ding accepted the invitation, his fingers pausing slightly.

In that instant, he felt as if the invitation in his hand weighed a ton.

The Yan Family Treasure Hunt!

He certainly knew what that meant.

In the original story, this was a place of great misfortune!

All the Foundation Establishment cultivators from Yue Kingdom who went to the conference, except for Han Li and Dong Xuan'er who managed to escape by chance, were all sacrificed by Wang Chan, the young master of the Ghost Spirit Sect, and his men to cultivate demonic arts!

That was a complete massacre!

Those cultivators who went to the meeting full of expectations, those young faces, those vibrant lives, all ultimately became sacrifices for blood.

They thought they were going to participate in a fair competition to compete for treasures, but in reality they became fish on someone else's chopping board.

They waited in Yanling Fortress, awaiting their death.

The Yan family, ostensibly a cultivation family from the Yue Kingdom, had in fact long since pledged allegiance to the Ghost Spirit Sect.

The so-called "Treasure Hunt" was nothing but a trap, a trap targeting the Foundation Establishment elites of the seven factions of the Yue Kingdom.

Danger! Extreme danger!

However, he simply could not refuse the task personally assigned by Li Huayuan.

Making excuses? What reason could you give?

Saying you had a premonition of danger?

That will only lead to deeper suspicion.

Zhou Ding's mind raced, but he remained calm on the surface.

He knew that any hesitation or unusual behavior at this moment could attract Li Huayuan's attention.

He had to act normally, as if he were accepting a normal task.

He accepted the invitation and bowed.

"Yes, disciple obeys."

His voice was calm and normal, as if he were talking about something very ordinary.

Li Huayuan nodded and waved his hand in satisfaction.

He picked up his teacup and took another sip.

"Go ahead. Prepare well."

Zhou Ding bowed again, then turned and left.

His expression darkened the moment he stepped out of Green Wave Cave.

……

Back in his cave, Zhou Ding looked solemn.

He placed the invitation on the table, and a chill ran through him as he looked at the words "Treasure Hunt" on it.

The four characters gleamed golden under the light, almost blindingly so.

The task of "Yan Family Treasure Hunt" weighed heavily on my mind.

Yanling Fortress... Ghost Spirit Gate... Blood Sacrifice...

The cruel conspiracy in the original work targeting the Foundation Establishment elites of the seven sects of Yue Kingdom surfaced in his mind like a dark cloud.

Seeing that his expression was off, Xin Ruyin walked over and asked softly, "Zhou Lang, what's wrong?"

Her voice was gentle and concerned. She noticed that Zhou Ding was upset, so she put down the array diagram in her hand and went to his side.

Zhou Ding handed her the invitation and briefly explained what had happened.

Xin Ruyin took the invitation and read it carefully.

Her brows furrowed, and a thoughtful look flashed in her eyes.

"The Yan family...the treasure hunt..." she murmured to herself, "What concerns does Zhou Lang have?"

Zhou Ding shook his head.

"I'm not quite sure. But I have a feeling of unease."

He naturally couldn't just tell the truth directly.

Xin Ruyin looked at him, a look of worry flashing in her eyes.

Although she didn't know the specifics of the danger, she trusted Zhou Ding's judgment.

"Zhou Lang, if you feel this is inappropriate, why don't you decline?"

Zhou Ding gave a wry smile.

"I cannot disobey my master's orders. He personally instructed me; how can I refuse?"

He certainly wanted to decline.

But since Li Huayuan spoke up himself, how could a Foundation Establishment disciple like him have the right to refuse?

If he makes excuses, what will Li Huayuan think?

Xin Ruyin was silent for a moment, then said softly, "So what do you plan to do?"

She didn't press him further, but simply looked at him quietly, waiting for his answer.

Zhou Ding did not answer immediately.

He walked to the window and looked at the distant mountains.

As the sun sets, the evening glow paints half the sky red, turning the mountains a golden-red hue.

The distant mountain peaks, illuminated by the setting sun, resembled burning torches.

Zhou Ding's mind raced with thoughts.

go with?

That's suicide.

It's foolish to knowingly jump into a trap.

He has worked so hard to cultivate himself to this point, not to go and die.

If you don't go...

Suddenly, his eyes lit up.

A plan quickly took shape in his mind.

Since going or not going means certain death, why not choose a way to complete the sect's mission while also saving your life?

He can go, but he won't attend the meeting.

He can go to the spirit stone mine to find the ancient teleportation array.

After the incident has passed, go back and report that you were ambushed but managed to escape.

Everyone else is dead, so who can prove that he never entered Yanling Fort?

What could Li Huayuan say?

His disciple was ambushed and barely escaped with his life. How could he possibly punish him?

Instead of punishing them, they would be happy that their disciple was lucky to survive.