In the Divine Domain, a land covered with maple forests.
Hidden within the maple woods was a massive valley named “Huangxuan.”
Huangxuan Valley, as a first-grade sect, had numerous disciples who had carved out cave dwellings throughout the valley.
Figures could occasionally be seen flying in and out of the valley.
In a corner of the valley, inside a cave dwelling, a middle-aged cultivator was in secluded cultivation when he suddenly furrowed his brows and opened his eyes.
Soon, hurried footsteps sounded outside the seclusion chamber.
“Ancestor!”
A deep voice rang out beyond the door.
“What is it?”
The middle-aged cultivator looked toward the stone door, his eyes profound, as if he could see through it to the cultivator outside. His tone was calm.
“Report to Ancestor—disaster! The life tablets of the Second, Third, and Fourth Elders have all shattered!” the cultivator outside said urgently.
The middle-aged cultivator furrowed his brows, then pinched his fingers in calculation. A shadow passed through his eyes as he said solemnly: “They went to Dragon Ruins?”
“Yes, Ancestor!”
“Who led the team?”
“The Grand Elder, Uncle-Master Yunshan!”
“This ancestor understands. Do not spread this news for now. You may go!” the middle-aged cultivator said indifferently.
“Ancestor, what about avenging the elders?”
The cultivator outside frowned, making his already aged face look even older.
“This ancestor has plans. You need not worry!”
A voice sounded in the old cultivator’s ear. He turned to see his ancestor had appeared behind him at some point, startling him into a bow.
“Pay respects to Ancestor!”
The middle-aged cultivator showed no reaction, his tone calm: “I am going out. Manage sect affairs well. If there are difficulties, consult the elders—but tell them they must not start conflicts again!”
With that, the middle-aged cultivator stepped outside the cave and murmured: “Huangxuan Sect can no longer withstand major conflicts…”
“Dragon Ruins… no matter who, they will pay the price!”
…
In a dense forest, Mo Fan had just shaken off Cang Gu when he suddenly felt an inexplicable palpitation.
This feeling made him uncomfortable, as if some crisis was approaching from the unseen.
He instinctively looked up to see that the array barrier sealing the island from Huangxuan Valley had vanished.
“Huangxuan Valley completely wiped out?”
Mo Fan frowned, then muttered: “Could the danger be related to this?”
After thinking, he leaped onto a large tree and looked around. In the distance, battles still raged.
Faint golden light bloomed in his eyes, enhancing his vision for clearer distant sight.
The battlefield was shrouded in ghostly winds and endless mist, covering dozens of li. Occasional shouts and chilling screams could be heard.
Mo Fan’s pupils shrank. He did not understand what was happening there, but it seemed even more intense than before!
“Fellow Daoist Yunshan, why struggle? Surrender your soul to this seat and witness the glory of the immortal path together—wouldn’t that be wonderful?!”
At that moment, a sneering voice came from the ghost mist, accompanied by Elder Yunshan’s angry roar.
“I never expected a demon from Soul Refining Sect to come here, trying to pick scraps while this old man is injured? Ridiculous!”
“This old man is Huangxuan Valley’s Grand Elder, one step from Great Perfection—how could a demon like you assassinate me?”
“Even if I risk this old life today, I will slay you here!”
“Old thing, your Huangxuan Valley disciples have all been killed by others, yet you ignore that and tangle with this seat—do you think I cannot kill you!”
“You can try!”
A series of exchanges led to intense clashes, making Mo Fan realize something.
As expected, Elder Yunshan was still alive!
The one tangling with him was likely the demonic cultivator seen earlier—unexpectedly strong enough to fight Elder Yunshan!
But what puzzled Mo Fan was the vanished island-sealing barrier.
“It seems not a Huangxuan Valley issue—someone broke the barrier from outside.”
Mo Fan’s brows tightened. The sense of crisis grew stronger, making him anxious. He closed his eyes.
Since starting cultivation, he occasionally had such premonitions—a kind of perception, like a sixth sense.
It was inexplicable but real.
Like sensing someone watching from behind without seeing them, then turning around.
As his cultivation deepened, this perception became clearer and more frequent.
Closing his eyes calmed his anxiety. He began deducing from recent events.
The crisis started after the barrier vanished, meaning the breaker was the source—purpose obvious.
But who?
Soon, Mo Fan opened his eyes, a cold light flashing.
He finally understood!
Jiang Wu!
Since entering, before the island, he had only captured Tianlu Holy Land’s female cultivator Lu Yuyao—no other disputes.
Later conflicts all started on the island, targeting Huangxuan Valley cultivators.
Now, with Huangxuan Valley cultivators nearly dead, the only major threat was Elder Yunshan—but he was occupied by the Soul Refining Sect demon, with no time to hunt Mo Fan.
So the crisis was not from Huangxuan Valley—it had to relate to Lu Yuyao.
From Lu Yuyao’s memories, only Tianlu Holy Land’s direct disciple Jiang Wu cared so much about her!
“It seems I missed something important…”
Mo Fan murmured, then dropped to the ground and used Earth Escape, diving frantically deep underground.
From Lu Yuyao’s memories, Jiang Wu was an extremely powerful Core Formation cultivator with a record of slaying late-stage demonic cultivators.
Mo Fan knew without all his trump cards, he was no match—so he had to escape before Jiang Wu arrived!
The best way: dive deep underground!
Earth Escape was not minor; not every cultivator knew it, even powerful ones might not have practiced it!
Of course, Earth Escape was not absolutely safe. Some cultivators could not escape but could use treasures to split the earth. If powerful enough and locked by divine sense, escape was impossible under treasure might!
Mo Fan needed to dive deep enough so divine sense could not lock him—then Jiang Wu would not know his location.
But shortly after diving, the entire earth trembled. A sharp Geng Metal qi spread from above.
Here!
Mo Fan’s pupils shrank. His divine sense looked up to see a treasure spinning rapidly, blooming golden light, drilling a massive hole through the earth, chasing him!
At the same time, terrifying divine sense locked him brutally!
“A mere little Demon General dares touch my Jiang Wu’s person?”
“Demon, you are dead!”
