Chapter 443: Indeed a Loss to Our Tianqi Sect

"Liu Xidi, you're back?"

A voice tinged with surprise rang out.

The speaker was a man around thirty, with a stern face and dressed in the attire of the Tianqi Sect, his waist adorned with several bulging leather pouches—clearly a disciple assigned to vigilance.

His gaze swept over Chen Mu, then glanced behind him, "Where is Xiankang? And are all the materials ready?"

Chen Mu halted, his face showing just the right blend of exhaustion and solemn sorrow, lowering his voice: "Brother Wang… we… we ran into trouble. On the way back, we were ambushed by Changsheng Sect disciples! Xiankang sacrificed himself to cover my escape and the materials!"

He patted the pack on his back, indicating the items were still there.

"What? Changsheng Sect?"

Brother Wang's face changed, his voice rising in shock.

The commotion immediately drew the attention of others on the platform.

Several pairs of eyes turned toward them at once.

Chen Mu swiftly scanned the area.

Besides Brother Wang, there were two other Tianqi Sect disciples, one man and one woman, both at the peak of the Primordial Realm.

By the tent, two burly men stood clad in dark purple robes embroidered with ferocious beast heads, their aura steady and eyes sharp—they were of the Earth Altar Realm's Three Flowers Converging peak, clearly from the Seven Fiend Valleys.

They merely cast a cold glance at Chen Mu before turning away, showing no further interest.

The greatest pressure came from the two men seated beside the bonfire.

To the left, a man wore the silver-gray robe unique to Tianqi Sect elders, his face gaunt, three long whiskers, his eyes flashing with piercing light as he idly turned several delicate metal parts in his hands—it was Elder Han of the Tianqi Sect.

He appeared casual, but Chen Mu sensed a subtle yet powerful spiritual sense sweeping over him, scrutinizing.

To the right, a man wore a loose, ink-green robe embroidered with seven different venomous insect patterns in dark gold thread.

His face was sinister, his eye sockets sunken, his lips a strange purplish-black, and a faint, sweetly cloying odor clung to him, inducing dizziness.

This man was Elder Wan of the Seven Fiend Valleys.

His gaze, like a venomous snake, settled on Chen Mu, sending a chill across his skin.

"Xianbo, come forward and explain." Elder Han spoke calmly, gently setting down the metal parts in his hand.

Chen Mu hurried forward, stopping a few zhang away from the two elders, bowing deeply: "Disciple Liu Xianbo, greetings to Elder Han and Elder Wan."

He then repeated his prepared story, emphasizing the perilous ambush by "Mo Sect experts," Liu Xiankang's "heroic sacrifice," and how he had barely escaped with the materials and pills.

His words were earnest, rich in detail, his expression sorrowful yet trembling with lingering fear—he portrayed the image of a survivor with flawless precision.

"The Changsheng Sect still dares to lurk nearby? Haven't they been scared off by the Juling Sect?"

Elder Wan spoke in a rasping, sinister tone, "It seems the news of this ancient ruin isn't being kept secret enough."

His words carried hidden meaning, his eyes flicking toward Elder Han.

"After losing one of their branches, the Changsheng Sect naturally won't give up so easily—lying in wait nearby to spy on the Juling Sect is only natural."

Elder Han's expression remained unchanged as he stroked his beard, "Moreover, the Mo Sect has countless spies; leaks are inevitable. Fortunately, Xianbo brought back the critical materials and pills—this won't affect tomorrow's exploration."

"The untimely death of Brother Xiankang is indeed a loss to the Tianqi Sect; the sect will certainly provide compensation afterward."

He turned to Chen Mu, his tone softening, "Xianbo, you've endured great hardship and trauma—go rest now. Hand the pills over to Wang Qi for registration and safekeeping."

"Yes, Elder."

Chen Mu bowed respectfully, unslung his pack, handed it to Brother Wang, then silently retreated to the Tianqi Sect disciples' resting area, found a corner, sat down, closed his eyes to meditate, and secretly observed everyone on the platform—especially the two elders' movements.

Elder Han and Elder Wan exchanged a few low words, irrelevant content—apparently discussing tomorrow's specific assignments for entering the ruin.

The two Seven Fiend Valleys men remained silent, still on guard.

The two Tianqi Sect disciples, under Wang Qi's direction, inventoried the items Chen Mu had brought back, especially the pills, inspecting them with great care.

Chen Mu smiled inwardly.

Inspect all you want—those pills I tampered with, unless Elder Wan personally uses his secret method to probe them, these disciples will never detect a thing.

And Elder Wan, seemingly supremely confident in his poison arts, did not personally inspect these "auxiliary" items.

Time passed slowly in the waiting.

The mist in the valley grew thicker, churning unpredictably; occasionally, the dull roar of water crashing against rocks from the deep ravine below added to the eerie atmosphere.

At dusk, a streak of light descended from the horizon, revealing an elderly Tianqi Sect man, tall and thin, with a sallow complexion, carrying a massive metal chest on his back.

His aura was also of the Celestial Palace Realm, though unstable—he had clearly just entered it recently.

He was another key figure of this expedition, known as Elder Mo, skilled in mechanism disarming and trap-setting.

After greeting Elder Han and Elder Wan, he began calibrating the strange tools inside his metal chest.

Thus, the core members of the exploration team had all arrived.

On the surface, the Tianqi Sect held a slight advantage. In reality, it depended on the specifics.

…

Night fell once more.

The wind in the valley grew colder, carrying a bone-chilling damp chill and a faint stench.

The bonfire on the platform flickered, casting shifting light over the varied expressions of the gathered.

Aside from the necessary night-watchers, most had retreated into their tents to rest and conserve their strength, awaiting the arrival of Zi Shi.

Chen Mu sat cross-legged in the corner, like a meditating monk.

Part of his mind remained locked on Elder Han and Elder Wan's tents, as well as the unfathomable, mist-churning depths of Duan Chang Valley.

As Zi Shi neared, the full moon rose to the zenith; its cold radiance barely pierced the thick mist, casting mottled, blurred shadows on the platform.

Elder Mo, who had been sitting with closed eyes, suddenly opened them and murmured, "The hour has come—the forbidden barrier's fluctuations are weakening."

Elder Han and Elder Wan stepped out of their tents almost simultaneously, their gazes fixed intently on the depths of the gorge.

The once impenetrable white mist now seemed stirred by an invisible hand, slowly swirling; at its center, a faint, ancient blue glow began to emerge—as if a portal to another world was opening.

"Go!"

Elder Han gave a solemn order.

The assembled group immediately moved into action.

Other disciples of the Heavenly Appliance Sect pushed forward the assembled mechanical fish, "Deep-Dwelling Serpent," from another hidden location.

Elder Mo opened a metal case and took out several oddly shaped instruments, beginning to scout the path ahead.

The two from Seven Demon Valley each swallowed a pungent pill; a faint black glow spread over their skin—clearly their own antidote method.

Chen Mu also stood up and followed behind the Heavenly Appliance Sect disciples.

His gaze swept over the faint blue-hued mist vortex, then flicked to Elder Han's calm-looking profile, where a cold glint flashed deep in his eyes, and to Elder Wan's sharp, greedy, yet wary gaze.

Without showing any sign, he subtly touched the hidden, truly effective antidote pill he had secretly swapped from Liu Xianbo's pack, then stepped with the others into the churning mist.

…

The faint blue aura spun within the thick fog, like an ancient eye slowly opening.

As the needle of Elder Mo's compass-like instrument spun wildly before finally pointing to the vortex's center, a faint but distinct spatial ripple spread outward from there.

"The entrance is right here!"