Mortal: Fairy Song Yu has issued you a task.

Chapter 17 The Heavenly Fiend Sect's Scheme

This stunningly beautiful young woman, dressed in a moon-white long dress, is none other than the Peak Master of White Phoenix Peak, the matriarch of the Song family of the Falling Cloud Sect, and the birth mother of Song Yu.

When Song Fengzhu's gaze fell on his daughter, he immediately noticed that Song Yu, who was usually calm and composed, was now slightly agitated.

"But what happened during this trip?"

Feeling her mother's concern, Song Yu calmed herself down and followed Song Fengzhu into the main hall of the pavilion.

The interior furnishings are simple yet elegant, with wisps of smoke rising from an incense burner on one side, filling the room with the tranquil and soothing aroma of sandalwood.

Song Yu sat down in the rosewood chair below Song Fengzhu and began to speak:

"The trip went smoothly, but on the way back to the peak, we encountered two Foundation Establishment senior brothers acting suspiciously... The eerie chill they exuded, detected by the Insightful Rhinoceros, was suspected to be malevolent energy!"

"Oh?" Peak Master Song's expression shifted slightly upon hearing this. "Did you get a clear look at those two people? And where did you find them?"

"At the time, they were still far away. After that person sensed my daughter nearby, he and his accomplice immediately fled. My daughter was wary of his Foundation Establishment cultivation level and dared not pursue him rashly. The location was northeast of the South Mountain Gate..."

Song Yu told his mother everything that happened on his way back to the peak.

"It's good that you didn't rush after them. Always prioritize your own safety." Peak Master Song nodded slightly, a thoughtful look flashing in her eyes. "You don't need to worry about this matter anymore; leave it to me to handle."

She changed the subject: "You are cultivating the family's secret water-based cultivation technique, the Jade Pot Ice Soul Technique. Although it can help you master supernatural abilities such as the Insightful Spiritual Connection, and will greatly benefit your cultivation after condensing your Nascent Soul, before that, you will need a lot of spiritual energy to break through any bottleneck, no matter how big or small, otherwise you will easily develop inner demons."

"Fortunately, you possess a Heavenly Spiritual Root, so the bottleneck before Core Formation is basically negligible. However, to ensure everything goes smoothly, since the Cloud Misty Secret Realm is about to open, you should go inside and begin your Foundation Establishment."

Song Yu was taken aback: "The Cloud Mist Secret Realm? The ancient secret realm discovered by the founding patriarch?"

Peak Master Song nodded: "That's right. This secret realm is rich in spiritual energy, but unfortunately, due to its age, the restrictions on the realm are not very stable and cannot be open for a long time. This time, the entrance will remain open for about three months, which is enough time."

Song Yu had no objection to this arrangement and nodded in agreement.

"In that case, you will come with me to the main peak to enter the secret realm. I also need to report what you just said to your Grandmaster Uncle Lü."

Song Yu was slightly taken aback: "Now?"

"But are there still important matters to be taken care of?"

"Nothing urgent, just some things about my daughter..."

"If you only have minor matters to attend to, then hurry back; I'll be waiting for you here."

Song Yu bowed to Peak Master Song, then turned and went to find Senior Sister Meng Yao.

She wanted to entrust Xueyun Hu Xiaoyun, as well as the matter of the Purple Frost Fruit, to her senior sister.

On the other side, as soon as Lin Jingchu and his companion returned to the small courtyard with blue bricks at the foot of Tianquan Peak, Zhou Qinghe couldn't wait to ask:

"Junior Brother Lin, why did you insist on stopping Senior Sister Song from continuing to capture that Snow Cloud Fox? Do you perhaps have other clues about the Snow Cloud Fox?"

Upon hearing this, Lin Jingchu couldn't help but roll his eyes: "Senior brother, do you think I raised this Snow Cloud Fox? And other clues..."

He forced an explanation: "That Snow Cloud Fox is too strange. For the sake of a little over a hundred spirit stones, it caused a serious accident to our personal disciple. We can't afford to take the blame."

They couldn't very well tell Zhou Qinghe that behind this was a Nascent Soul level monster who had developed a problem while practicing an ancient profound technique and ultimately became a corpse demon.

After thinking it over, Zhou Qinghe nodded in agreement: "Indeed, it's better to avoid trouble."

"Alright, today's work was all for nothing. I'm going back to my room to cultivate." Lin Jingchu waved his hand and returned to his room.

He had a premonition that he was about to break through to the twelfth level of Qi Refining.

……

In a secluded and spacious secret chamber, the scattered bronze pillar lamps could not dispel the darkness in the corners, and the surrounding stone walls, floor and dome were all engraved with magic arrays that isolated divine sense.

Two figures stood separately, one with his back to the main table, and the other standing on a stone platform in the center of the room.

The gray-robed elder on the stone platform slowly spoke, "Senior brother, it's not too late to stop now. One of the two Grand Elders of the Falling Cloud Sect is old and frail, and the other only knows how to flee. Once the 'Shadow Guards' advance further, won't the Falling Cloud Sect be our sect's for the taking?"

The figure behind the desk turned and emerged from the darkness; it was a middle-aged man with a sinister face.

The sinister man sneered coldly, "Wait for him to advance another step? A hundred years? Two hundred years? Not to mention the hurdle of overcoming the inner demons that hinder his Nascent Soul formation!"

"The 'Heavenly Fiend Seed' on 'Fu Ying' was only successfully implanted after the loss of hundreds of disciples. Even so, the seed can only last for six months. I am determined to obtain it this time!"

"Senior brother, once this operation begins, the sect's two-hundred-year plan will be in vain!" The gray-robed elder's tone was cold yet tinged with worry.

"The information obtained from those ruins is hard to verify. Even if the cave of the Venerable Cangkun is hidden in a secret realm, it may not be the place where he passed away, let alone whether there is the secret of the 'Fallen Demon Valley'. This move is too risky."

The Kingdom of Dongyu borders the Kingdom of Xi to the north. Within its borders lies a valley called Fallen Demon Valley, which is the most precious land in the south and also the most dangerous place in the south.

The valley is filled with countless treasures and opportunities, but the number of Nascent Soul cultivators who have perished there is also innumerable.

For thousands of years, it has been a deadly place that cultivators fear to even mention, and no one dares to set foot there easily.

Only the Venerable Cangkun, who once roamed the southern region, is the only great cultivator in thousands of years who has been able to escape unscathed after entering the Fallen Demon Valley.

Despite the old man's repeated attempts to dissuade him, the sinister man sneered, "Junior brother, is it that your mastery of the 'Purple Luo Mystic Art' is insufficient, or... have you truly developed feelings for the Shadow Guard as your master?"

The old man in gray waved his sleeve and turned to leave, leaving behind the words: "Whether there's any affection or not is another matter. Senior brother, you'll regret this."

The sinister-looking man stood with his hands behind his back, his icy voice echoing in the room: "Junior brother, I am the Heavenly Fiend True Lord!"

The old man in gray continued walking, seemingly oblivious to what was happening, and left the secret room.

"Boom—!"

The heavy stone door slammed shut with a deafening roar, completely isolating the inside from the outside, leaving only the Heavenly Fiend True Lord standing behind the stone table.

Which is more important, the possible secrets of the Fallen Demon Valley or the sect's two-hundred-year-old plan? He didn't know.

His true desire was for the Daoist companion of Venerable Cangkun, the "Netherworld Killing Technique" cultivated by the number one female cultivator in Yunmeng back then!

The "Netherworld Killing Technique" is a lost ancient esoteric skill that gathers and refines malevolent energy, restricts physical body, and bewitches the mind.

He had been stuck in the mid-Nascent Soul stage for too long, having focused on the Heavenly Fiend Technique. The path to immortality was long, but how many centuries could one afford to waste?

If one can obtain this ancient and profound skill, and by referring to and complementing the two techniques, and integrating them, one might be able to break through the shackles in one fell swoop and enter the late stage of the Nascent Soul realm.

At that time, the Heavenly Fiend Sect will also rise to prominence, and it might even be able to compete for the title of the number one sect in the demonic path.

As he pondered for a long time and prepared to leave, a magic circle suddenly lit up on the stone table.

A communication talisman bearing a cloud pattern emerged from the formation.

The communication talisman transformed into a cluster of flames, from which an aged voice emerged: "True Lord, Marquis Nanlong is unwilling to participate in this operation. Should the plan proceed as scheduled?"