Chapter 373: Holy Maiden Plan

Dead end!

When the elderly man with half-white hair revealed the mystery and self-destruct mechanism of the Nine Locks Heart Array, a desolate silence of despair instantly engulfed this scorching prison zone.

After a brief silence, muffled sobs rose from several prison cells in the corners—helplessness and terror after the shattering of hope after survival.

Others could no longer contain themselves, beginning to curse the Mo Sect's treacherous cruelty with the vilest language, or pounding the unbreakable bars with dull, futile "thud-thud" sounds, mixed with the clanking of dragging chains, adding to the agitation.

Chen Mu's expression grew as still and cold as water.

Forcibly breaking the array meant dragging everyone to their deaths—this was something he could never do.

The key was on the unknown Mo Sect Lord; searching for it in this chaotic battlefield was like looking for a needle in a sea, and time simply did not permit it.

Suppressing his inner agitation swiftly, Chen Mu turned his gaze once more toward the elderly man with profound knowledge, bowed, and asked in a low voice, "May I ask, Elder, besides this 'Flame Long Dong,' does the Mo Sect have any other places in this valley where prisoners are held? Especially places that might hold children or young women?"

The old man, his cloudy yet still clear eyes fixed on Chen Mu, replied, "Young friend, you ventured deep into this perilous place—what are you searching for?"

"A little girl, seven or eight years old," Chen Mu answered plainly, without concealment.

"A seven- or eight-year-old girl?"

The old man's snow-white eyebrows lifted slightly as he pondered, "Does this girl possess exceptional talent in some way? For instance, extraordinary root quality, or a special bloodline, or innate gift?"

Chen Mu's heart stirred instantly; he nodded sharply, "Exactly! Elder, do you know where she is?"

The old man slowly shook his head, "I do not know precisely where she is held. But based on years of understanding the Mo Sect, a girl of your described age with special talent would almost certainly not be imprisoned like us in such filthy, hazardous dungeons."

He paused, lowered his voice, and a flicker of revulsion and Solemn passed through his eyes, "Within the Mo Sect, there has long been a secret, evil scheme known as the Holy Maiden Plan."

"They scour the land, capturing young women of outstanding talent who have not lost their virginity—especially young girls—for some kind of secret 'experiment' or 'cultivation,' aiming to artificially create a so-called 'Holy Maiden' that meets their requirements."

"These captured women, though deprived of freedom, are treated in stark contrast to ordinary prisoners—they are often placed in relatively comfortable, heavily guarded environments, with dedicated personnel 'caring for' and even 'teaching' them."

"Given the scale of this branch, a girl meeting the criteria of the Holy Maiden Plan would most likely be housed in the area where the Mo Sect's core personnel reside—where defenses may be even tighter, but the environment is nothing like a dungeon."

"Holy Maiden Plan?"

Chen Mu raised an eyebrow.

Though he had long known the Mo Sect's perverse and evil ways, he had never imagined such a vile scheme targeting children.

Long Tutu's extraordinary talent, combined with her status as a member of the Long family, made her the perfect candidate for their target!

"Thank you for your guidance, Elder."

Chen Mu no longer hesitated; he bowed deeply, "If I manage to find the key to break this array, or devise another method, I will return to rescue you all! Hold on for now!"

With that, he did not linger; his figure flickered and shot swiftly down the passage he had come from.

Time was critical; every moment delayed increased Long Tutu's danger.

The passage twisted; the scorching air warped his vision. Chen Mu pushed his body technique to its limit, his feet nearly brushing the ground.

Just as he was about to round a bend, his sharp hearing caught the chaotic footsteps and urgent voices ahead.

"Hurry! Hurry! Above orders—the Flame Long Dong must not fall! The Lord has commanded: defend the cave entrance at all costs! Anyone who deserts will be executed!"

"But… but the righteous forces are attacking too fiercely—Master Li and the others have gone up to the heavens…"

"No more excuses! Execute the order! Send more men to recheck the lower prison zones—make sure no rats have slipped in!"

"..."

Chen Mu's heart tightened; he instantly stopped, pulled out his Invisibility Card again, and activated it. That cool, strange energy once more enveloped his entire body, perfectly concealing his form, aura, and even body temperature within the scorching air and dim light.

In an instant, Chen Mu became a true phantom, silently clinging to the shadowed rock wall at the corner.

Almost the moment he vanished, a squad of roughly seven or eight Mo Sect disciples rushed past the opposite side of the corner.

Each carried weapons, faces twisted with panic and forced ferocity; their leader was a master whose aura hovered at the Third Bloom of Earth Altar Realm.

Clearly ordered to defend the Flame Long Dong at all costs, their steps betrayed haste—fueled by the distant screams of battle and the occasional violent tremors.

The group paid no attention to the cold eyes watching them from the shadow mere steps away.

Only after their footsteps faded into the passage leading to the cave entrance did Chen Mu silently glide out of the shadows and continue forward.

Soon, Chen Mu returned near the entrance of the Flame Long Dong.

The guards at the entrance had indeed been reinforced—but all had hidden themselves behind rock cover on either side, peering warily outward, utterly preoccupied with the outside and having no time to inspect the cave's interior.

Still in his Invisibility Card state, Chen Mu slipped like a whisper of wind hugging the ground, effortlessly gliding past their blind spots and out of the cave, returning to the valley.

"Boom! Crack—!"

High above, the battle between the Tiangong Realm experts continued, now entering an even more intense phase.

The terrifying explosions and the piercing shrieks of colliding energy were denser than before.

Chen Mu glanced upward briefly; above, light and shadow flashed wildly, as sword qi, demonic qi, and gang qi tangled and clashed furiously.

The original three-on-three battle had shifted.

A thick, foul-smelling black demonic energy orb, tinged with a sweet metallic stench, had clearly dimmed and scattered, falling helplessly from the sky—evidently, one Mo Sect Tiangong expert had perished!

On the righteous side, a new golden aura—vast, pure, and faintly resonating with Buddhist chants—had joined the fray, joining Li Tianjun's blue sword light and Yan Bairei's metallic golden brilliance to surround the last remaining, most solid, and terrifyingly powerful crimson shadow.

Two against one—the advantage had clearly shifted to the righteous side!

"It seems the battle above will be decided soon," Chen Mu thought, slightly relieved—but this did not mean he could relax.

With Mo Sect masters tied down or slain, this was his perfect opportunity—he must find Long Tutu before the battle fully settled and all factions began sweeping and securing the area.