Chapter 140: Black-clothed Person Appears

Wang Shan's spiritual sense, through the system, like an invisible eye, closely watched the activity around Ghost Sorrow Cliff.

"System, magnify the situation of those black-clothed people for me to see. These guys are hiding even deeper than that Wan Tianjue brat."

【Command Confirmation. Target area dynamic monitoring in progress.】

In the image, dozens of black shadows, like well-trained hounds, were shuttling through the rugged mountains at astonishing speed. They split into several squads, with no verbal communication among them, yet their movements were extraordinarily coordinated, as if an invisible thread linked them together.

"Boss, do you see something glowing on their hands?" Li Hu lowered his voice, leaned close to Wang Shan, eyes wide.

Wang Shan focused his gaze, and indeed, those black-clothed would occasionally raise a hand, a faint rune light flashing briefly in their palms.

"They're using specially made rune communication, silent and soundless, quite professional." Wang Shan evaluated.

"The way these people walk and choose their routes—tsk tsk, they're all veterans." Li Hu clicked his tongue, "They seem to know Ghost Sorrow Cliff like the back of their hand, picking hidden trails where demon beasts rarely go, heading straight in several directions."

Wang Shan grunted: "They've avoided all known demon beast nests and patrol routes; their goal is clear, their action decisive. This definitely isn't something ordinary loose cultivators or some insignificant minor clan could cultivate."

The more he looked, the tighter his brow furrowed.

【System Warning: Detected abnormal overall aura of the target black-clothed unit.】

"Abnormal? How so abnormal?" Wang Shan immediately asked.

【Target unit members' individual energy fluctuations are mixed, but overall they show a highly unified yin-cold quality. Within their spiritual power aura, faint but clear traces of 'curse' and 'sacrifice' class power are detected. Judgment: not orthodox cultivators.】

"Curse? Sacrifice?" Wang Shan's heart jumped, "Good grief, this isn't any good path. Demonic cultivators? Or perhaps the Ten Thousand Beasts Gate is secretly doing these shady things?"

Li Hu half-understood, but the words "curse" and "sacrifice" also gave him a chill down his neck. "Boss, they... they wouldn't be coming for us, would they?"

"Not likely." Wang Shan shook his head, "Their target is probably worth far more than what we carry. Purple Monkey Flower? Hmph, maybe just a side benefit. For Ghost Sorrow Cliff to provoke such a massive move, not hesitating to reveal this eerie power, it's likely only a deep secret of the Beast Taming Sect."

Zhang Mei, who had been in charge of outer perimeter watch, couldn't help but speak up: "Boss, the leader of those people seems to have stopped."

Wang Shan immediately had the system switch viewpoint.

In an extremely concealed mountain hollow, a black-clothed person who was exceptionally tall and had the deepest aura stopped his steps. He rummaged in his waist storage bag for a moment, then took out a palm-sized plate, entirely black, engraved with intricate patterns. Afterwards, he also took out several kinds of sigil materials that flickered with various faint lights.

"He's setting up an array!" Wang Shan's eyes narrowed.

Only saw the black-clad leader skillfully place each sigil material into its preset position, muttering incantations, the black array plate hovering before him, emitting a faint dark light. As one after another magical gesture was cast, a visible complex forbidden array prototype gradually formed; at the array's center, a faint yet continuous suction could be felt.

"Boss, this array... feels weird." Li Hu scratched his head.

"System, analyze the purpose of this array."

【Array structure analysis in progress…… Preliminary judgment: this is a guidance-type forbidden array, core function being to draw and gather specific-attribute earth vein energy. Based on node layout and energy flow direction, its target points to an abnormal energy-rich area deep beneath Ghost Sorrow Cliff. Estimated purpose: attempting to activate or forcefully open some sealed existence, or to blast open a passage to an unknown region.】

"Drawing earth vein energy? Activating a seal? Opening a passage?" Wang Shan, hearing the system's analysis, felt suddenly enlightened yet heavier, "Indeed! These people's schemes are even grander than that Wan Tianjue brat's! They're not here for treasure; they're here to… pick the lock!"

Ghost Sorrow Cliff has practically become a chessboard where various forces contend.

"Boss, why aren't they making a move now? Wan Tianjue and that big lizard aren't they fighting fiercely? Why don't they go loot in the chaos?" Li Hu was somewhat puzzled.

"They're waiting." Wang Shan's voice carried a hint of coldness, "Waiting for Wan Tianjue and that Red Flame Flying Lizard King to fight to the death, both losing; or waiting for their eerie array to be fully completed, opening the 'door' they want. These people are more cunning than foxes, more patient than starving wolves."

The situation is even more complicated than he had anticipated.

"Li Hu, Zhang Mei!" Wang Shan's tone suddenly turned stern, "All of you, perk up your ears and sharpen your eyes! I previously had you set up the layered array concealment runes; now check them thoroughly once more, ensure foolproof! At times like this, whoever shows their head first gets hit first! We must hide ourselves completely, not letting even a hint of wind leak out!"

"Understood!" Li Hu and Zhang Mei's expressions turned serious, they immediately replied. They also knew that now Ghost Sorrow Cliff is no longer something their modest cultivation can casually meddle in; a slight mistake would mean eternal doom.

Wang Shan took a deep breath, forcing himself to calm down. He once again sank his mind into the system: "System, give me full-power simulation and deduction of the array those black-clothed are setting up. I need to know all its parameters, possible effects, and…… whether there's any weakness we can turn to our advantage, or rather, what impact its activation would have on the entire Ghost Sorrow Cliff."

【Command received. Array simulation deduction program activated. Performing modeling analysis based on existing data……】

The wind at Ghost Sorrow Cliff grew increasingly eerie.

On the core battlefield side, the clash between Wan Tianjue and the Red Flame Flying Lizard King still shook heaven and earth, while here in the outskirts, another force, even more gloomy and inscrutable, was quietly accumulating.

Wang Shan leaned against the cold stone wall, feeling the steady breaths of his two grandsons, his gaze growing ever sharper.

"Wan Tianjue…… Red Flame Flying Lizard King…… now another bunch of mysterious black-clothed have popped up…… Ghost Sorrow Cliff is really getting livelier." He muttered softly, the corner of his mouth curling up in a barely perceptible arc, "But when the water's muddied, that's when it's easy to scoop fish……"

He must find a fleeting sliver of life among these colossal beings. Not only for the Purple Monkey Flower, to detoxify Zhitao, but also to uncover what astonishing secret lies deep within Ghost Sorrow Cliff.

Time flowed by second by second. Each faction seemed to be waiting for the arrival of some critical juncture.

And Wang Shan, like the most patient hunter, lurked in the deepest darkness, silently observing, calculating, waiting for the moment of that fatal strike.