Shang Mengchun led the group onward through the rocky mountain terrain, sometimes squeezing through narrow crevices, sometimes scaling steep cliffs. The cultivators, normally dignified, had long abandoned any semblance of decorum in this arduous journey.
Wei Zhong tapped a nearby boulder, discovering it was as hard as iron, clearly a mountain stone permeated with spiritual energy. Looking up at the massive rocks leaning precariously against each other overhead, he understood why Shang Mengchun had guided them through the narrow fissures between them. Disturbing the precarious balance of these stacked rocks could jeopardize their ability to locate the secret realm, even if they could escape using their cultivation prowess.
"We'll be there soon after we climb over this pile of boulders," Shang Mengchun announced, pointing to a towering stack of rocks nearly thirty feet high.
The group carefully clambered over the rocky mound, avoiding loose stones that threatened to dislodge. Upon reaching the summit, Wei Zhong gazed down into a mist-shrouded valley. Looking back, it seemed as if they had emerged from a narrow crevice within the heart of the mountain.
Bathed in the sunlight, Tan Bo asked, "Fellow Daoist Shang, couldn't we have simply flown over the mountain peak using our magic tools?"
Just then, a shrill cry echoed through the sky as a flock of crimson Blazing Fire Crows soared overhead.
"If Fellow Daoist Tan has a technique to deal with those Blazing Fire Crows, then yes, we could," Shang Mengchun replied.
The latter flushed and fell silent.
Wei Zhong observed that among the Blazing Fire Crows they had just encountered, seven or eight radiated Second-Tier auras. If the group had flown through the area, they would inevitably have clashed with them. Engaging these Spirit Crows in aerial combat would have been profoundly unwise.
Shang Mengchun immediately steered his Flying Sword downward into the mist-shrouded valley, with Wei Zhong and the other three following closely behind.
Emerging from the mist, they discovered that the valley was only about thirty meters deep. Before them stood a mountain gate composed of two half-collapsed stone pillars, beyond which stretched a long stone staircase leading skyward.
Shang Mengchun led the group up the steps, explaining as they climbed, "The mist we just passed through was an illusion formation, a manifestation of the Grand Formation protecting this place."
Wei Zhong nodded, his gaze fixed on the increasingly steep staircase. No wonder we've been climbing for so long without seeing any sign of exiting the mist.
"There aren't many steps left, Fellow Daoists. Please bear with it," Shang Mengchun said, pointing upward. "Also, there's a Flight Restriction here, so I advise against attempting to fly."
"Fellow Daoist Shang," Wei Zhong asked doubtfully, "if even the restriction at the mountain gate remains intact, is the formation guarding the Profound Bright Spirit Grass truly as damaged as we thought?"
His question drew the attention of the others.
"Fellow Daoist Song will understand once he crosses this step," Lan Fangyi explained.
With a mix of curiosity and apprehension, the group ascended the stone staircase to its highest point and passed through a thin, grayish-white membrane that blocked divine sense.
The sight that greeted them made Wei Zhong gasp.
Compared to the relatively intact mountain gate staircase, this area was utterly devastated.
It wasn't the decay of time, but the ravages of a violent battle.
Stone bricks lay scattered as rubble, flung about by unknown attacks. The distant grand hall had been cleaved in half horizontally, its roof torn away.
What kind of cataclysmic battle transpired here?
A caw echoed overhead as a flock of Blazing Fire Crows swooped down and landed nearby.
"These Blazing Fire Crows nest in the southeast corner of the ruins. Please avoid disturbing these demonic beasts as much as possible," Lan Fangyi warned.
"The Profound Bright Spirit Grass is this way. Follow me."
Crunching over the rubble, the group followed a narrow, winding path.
Unfamiliar trees lined the road, their slender branches brushing against their heads, their verdant leaves emitting a unique, refreshing fragrance.
At their feet, tenacious plants pushed through the rubble, stubbornly reaching for the light.
"We'll reach the bend ahead shortly," Lan Fangyi announced after they had walked for some time.
Passing a towering, withered tree, Wei Zhong finally beheld the scene beyond.
The formation's restriction hung in the air like a shattered bowl, its gaps revealing the pale green tip of the Profound Bright Spirit Grass.
"One, two... eleven! It definitely has more than ten nodes. It truly deserves to be called a thousand-year-old spiritual herb."
The others simultaneously noticed the herb, their hearts pounding with excitement.
"Fellow Daoist Tan and I will begin dismantling the formation," Shang Mengchun announced to Tan Bo, then turned to address the rest. "We'll need two more Fellow Daoists to assist. The process might create a disturbance, so Fellow Daoist Xugu, please keep watch for any nearby threats."
"No problem," Lan Fangyi replied. He produced a Second-Tier Breath Concealing Talisman, slapped it on himself, and dissolved into a wisp of smoke, fleeing into the distance.
Though he hid well, Wei Zhong's divine sense easily detected his presence. Still, it should be enough to evade unintelligent spirit beasts.
Shang Mengchun produced three yellow Formation Flags. He handed two to Mou Yuanfeng and Wei Zhong, keeping the third for himself. Turning to Tan Bo beside him, he urged, "Fellow Daoist Tan, please show us your true skill. With demon beasts lurking nearby, we don't have much time."
Tan Bo nodded and pulled a palm-sized tortoise shell from his sleeve. The dark green shell was etched with black talismanic patterns—clearly his formation-breaking artifact.
"Fellow Daoists, I would be grateful for your assistance."
"It is only right."
While Wei Zhong and his companions discussed how to break the formation, the spirit monkeys in the Autumn Maple Forest grew restless.
Drawn by an unknown sound, they began to converge in a single location.
Four yellow-browed spirit monkeys took the lead, followed by countless white-browed red monkeys. Leaping from branch to branch, they made their way toward the stone forest at the rear of the woods.
Soon, guided by the golden-eyebrowed red monkey, a hundred spirit monkeys set off along the path Wei Zhong and his group had taken.
The golden-eyebrowed leader narrowed its nostrils, tracking the lingering scent of Beast Repelling Incense left by the humans.
Unbeknownst to Wei Zhong and his companions, the very incense designed to deter these spirit monkeys had become a beacon for this extraordinary primate.
Though the monkeys behind him clearly disliked the lingering aroma, the golden-eyebrowed leader's imposing presence quickly silenced their protests.
Finally, the hundred spirit monkeys emerged from the stone forest into the mountain valley.
Gazing down at the swirling mist below, the golden-eyebrowed red monkey let out a triumphant roar before leaping into the abyss. One by one, the yellow-browed and white-browed monkeys followed, plunging into the cloud-shrouded depths like dumplings into boiling water.
Led by the Golden-Eyebrowed Red Monkey, a large troop of monkeys surged up the towering stone steps that climbed straight into the sky, forming a grand procession.
...
Wei Zhong channeled spiritual energy into the Formation Chess Piece in his hand. As Shang Mengchun thrust the Main Formation Chess Piece into place, a node in the formation exploded with a resounding "boom," shattering instantly.
Wei Zhong observed that Shang Mengchun's method of breaking formations relied on brute force. He used divination sticks to pinpoint the weakest points in the array, then forcefully destroyed them with three Formation Flags.
Tan Bo's approach, on the other hand, appeared far more sophisticated.
The turtle-shell magic tool he carried emitted a shimmering spiritual light. At regular intervals, it precisely located the array's vulnerabilities. With a few strategically placed Formation Flags and a minimal infusion of spiritual energy, he could dismantle entire sections of the formation without assistance.
No wonder Lan Fangyi chose to partner with him, Wei Zhong thought. Despite his foul temper, he's undeniably skilled.
After dismantling several nodes, Shang Mengchun began scratching his head in frustration, clearly reaching the limits of his limited knowledge of the Formation Dao—or perhaps simply needing more time.
Lan Fangyi's voice echoed in their minds: "Fellow Daoists, hurry! Blazing Fire Crows are closing in."
Shang Mengchun sighed and pulled out a palm-sized, finger-thick cone—a Second-Tier Barrier-Breaking Cone he had prepared. He hurled it into the formation ahead. The cone struck the formation's spiritual light, triggering a series of thunderous booms as a large section of the formation's nodes shattered.
Normally, a mere Second-Tier Barrier-Breaking Cone would be useless against a Fourth-Tier Array. However, the formation before them was inexplicably dilapidated, riddled with gaping holes that allowed the cone to achieve a breakthrough with a single strike.
As they drew closer to the spiritual herb, Wei Zhong noticed their breathing quicken. A thousand-year-old spiritual herb was a rare sight, even at auctions. And this was no ordinary herb; it was the Profound Bright Spirit Grass, essential for refining the Dustfall Pill.
Seeing their progress, Tan Bo grew impatient. His hand slipped, causing the spiritual light on his tortoise shell to clash, releasing a wisp of cyan smoke—clear evidence of a failed divination.
Meanwhile, Shang Mengchun, having breached the formation with a single Formation-Breaking Cone, now faced an even more intricate section of the formation.
Wei Zhong spoke with resignation, "Fellow Daoist Tan, wouldn't it be better if we collaborated to break this formation? With your divination skills and Fellow Daoist Shang's formation-breaking treasures, this barrier should be no match for us."
Mou Yuanfeng chimed in, "Fellow Daoist Song is right. If we continue like this, we'll be discovered by the Blazing Fire Crows before we can succeed. Let's combine our efforts, retrieve the spiritual herb, and divide it later."
Tan Bo and Shang Mengchun understood the gravity of the situation. After exchanging a glance, they nodded in agreement.
With their combined efforts, their progress in breaking the formation noticeably accelerated. Occasionally, when they encountered obstacles they couldn't handle alone, Shang Mengchun would simply deploy his Formation-Breaking Cone to brute-force his way through.
"Fellow Daoists, this is urgent! The Spirit Monkeys... somehow they've arrived here!"
Lan Fangyi's urgent telepathic message shattered the air, instantly blanching the four cultivators' faces.
"How could the Spirit Monkeys possibly be here?"
They exchanged bewildered glances, their hands freezing mid-action.
Could they have followed our trail? Impossible! Ordinary Spirit Monkeys lack such cunning.
Before they could decide, Lan Fangyi rushed over.
"Damn it! Those Spirit Monkeys have stirred up the Blazing Fire Crows nearby. How's the formation-breaking going, Fellow Daoists?"
All five turned to look at the Profound Bright Spirit Grass within the formation. The spiritual herb was now just a hand's breadth away, separated by a shimmering Five-Colored Restriction.
Despite Ren Tanbo and Shang Mengchun's best efforts, they couldn't find a way to break the formation. Even their Second-Tier Barrier-Breaking Cones proved useless.
Roar!
The bestial roar instantly paled the faces of the five cultivators.
Wei Zhongfei soared into the sky, landing on a withered tree branch. Scanning the horizon, he spotted a dense mass of Spirit Monkeys and Blazing Fire Crows locked in fierce combat.
One particularly burly Spirit Monkey seized a Spirit Crow by the neck and casually snapped it, extinguishing the light in its eyes.
Observing the monkey's muscular frame and its distinctive golden eyebrows, Wei Zhongfei's expression darkened.
He descended and announced, "Trouble. It looks like there's a Third-Tier Spirit Monkey among them."
The news sent a shockwave through the group. After verifying Wei Zhongfei's claim themselves, their faces turned grim.
Staring at the final layer of the Five-Colored Restriction, their eyes burned with unconcealed frustration.
Roar!
The ground trembled beneath their feet as the beastly roar echoed through the air.
Extending their divine senses, they discovered that the Second-Tier Blazing Fire Crows were already losing ground against the relentless onslaught of the Third-Tier Spirit Monkey.
The Golden-Eyebrowed Spirit Monkey had torn a bloody path through the flock of crows and was charging toward the five cultivators.
Wei Zhong sighed. With a slight lift of his hand, a small golden cone materialized in his palm.
"A Third-Tier Restriction-Breaking Cone!" Shang Mengchun exclaimed, his face lighting up with delight. "Fellow Daoist Song, you've been holding out on us! If you'd produced this sooner, we wouldn't have had to delay breaking the formation until now."
Wei Zhong shook his head. "This is my life-saving treasure," he explained. "It cannot be used lightly. I hope you'll forgive my caution."
The golden cone levitated from Wei Zhong's hand, streaking toward the Five-Colored Restriction with a faint afterimage.
A layer of golden radiance emanated from the cone, merging with the multicolored barrier and dissolving it layer by layer until a small breach formed.
Shang Mengchun swiftly planted his Formation Flags around the perimeter of the weakened Restriction. With a thunderous boom, the barrier shattered completely.
He grabbed the Profound Bright Spirit Grass from within and casually retrieved his flags.
The group glanced inside the shattered barrier, their eyes flickering with disappointment at the absence of other spiritual herbs. But when they caught sight of the blurry figures looming further beyond, their spirits lifted once more.
Further within the shattered Restriction, more treasures awaited.
Shang Mengchun's acquisition of the spiritual herb brought joy to the group's faces, but their elation was short-lived as the roars of approaching beasts grew louder and closer.
"Everyone, the Third-Tier Spirit Monkey is coming! We need to leave now!" Lan Fangyi shouted, grabbing Shang Mengchun by the arm and pulling him back the way they had come. Tan Bo and Mou Yuanfeng followed suit.
Hearing the approaching roars, Wei Zhong approached the shattered remains of the Five-Colored Restriction.
His Spirit-Seeking Art-enhanced vision suddenly detected a patch of black spiritual soil in a small pit emitting a five-colored spiritual light. This was precisely where the Profound Bright Spirit Grass had grown moments before.
This spiritual soil is a treasure!
Wei Zhong conjured a massive hand of spiritual energy, scooped up a large handful of the black soil, and stuffed it into his Grotto-Heaven. Then, he hurried after the others.
"Faster! Faster!"
The group slid down the stone steps. Before they even reached the mountain gate, a cacophony of roars erupted from all directions.
"Are these monkeys getting smarter? Are they trying to block the exit now?" Lan Fangyi grumbled in frustration.
"It's likely the Third-Tier Spirit Monkey coordinating them," Wei Zhong replied, turning to Shang Mengchun. "Fellow Daoist Shang, will there be any more Restrictions beyond this mountain gate?"
"Not at all, Fellow Daoist Song. What did you have in mind?" Shang Mengchun asked.
Wei Zhong nodded. "With Spirit Monkeys blocking the gate, our original path is impassable. Let's fly straight out of this valley, over that mountain ridge, and escape. The Blazing Fire Crow suffered heavy losses from those monkeys; it likely won't bother with us now."
The others agreed. After passing through the mountain gate formed by two crumbling pillars, Wei Zhong casually dispatched a Spirit Monkey that lunged at him.
Noticing Tan Bo struggling with a Second-Tier Spirit Monkey, Wei Zhong tapped his wine gourd. Instantly, several golden miniature swords shot forth, aimed at the monkey's vital points.
Sensing the danger, the Golden-Eyebrowed Red Monkey retreated to dodge, but Tan Bo seized the opportunity and decapitated it with a swift sword strike.
After stowing the monkey's corpse, Tan Bo stepped onto his Flying Sword and soared into the sky alongside Wei Zhong.
He cupped his fist in salute toward Wei Zhong. "Many thanks, Fellow Daoist Song."
Wei Zhong shook his head, dismissing the formality.
As they ascended, the ground-bound Spirit Monkeys posed no further threat. Even the Blazing Fire Crow, which usually patrolled the skies, had vanished.
Finally, we're safe, they thought.
But just as their guard began to relax, the Golden-Eyebrowed Red Monkey arrived, unleashing a furious roar at the airborne intruders.
The monkey grabbed a rock the size of a human head. Red fur around the stone ignited, engulfing it in flames, and with a mighty heave, the monkey hurled the blazing projectile into the air.
A strike from a Third-Tier Spirit Beast was blindingly fast. In the blink of an eye, the burning rock was upon them.
Wei Zhong's expression paled as he realized the attack was aimed directly at him.
He activated the Dao of Time, instantly advancing to the Late-Stage Foundation Establishment.
The Blackwater Spirit Garment, which had been clinging to his body, expanded rapidly as it was infused with the spiritual energy of his new cultivation stage. A shield formed entirely of spiritual energy materialized before him.
Time was running out. By the time Wei Zhong completed these actions, the flaming rock had already slammed into the shield created by the Blackwater Spirit Garment.
Wei Zhong felt a tremendous impact. The water shield, formed by the Blackwater Spirit Garment, crumbled after barely two breaths.
A Spirit Shield instantly unfolded before him, and he simultaneously activated his Second-Tier Magic Robe.
The undiminished force of the Third-Tier Spirit Monkey's attack slammed into Wei Zhong's Spirit Shield and magic robe, driving him into the adjacent mountainside and creating a massive crater several dozen feet wide in the rock face.
"Fellow Daoist Song!"
The group gasped and rushed to Wei Zhong's side.
Wei Zhong pushed aside the shattered fragments of his Second-Tier Spirit Shield and spat out a mouthful of blood.
Before them stood "Song Zhong," his robes torn and disheveled.
Without pausing to rest, Wei Zhong hastily swallowed a Spirit Pill and soared back into the sky on his magic sword.
"Let's go!"
Seeing Wei Zhong was unharmed, the others breathed a collective sigh of relief and flew toward the mountain peak.
Below, the Golden-Eyebrowed Red Monkey watched them grow smaller in the distance. Enraged, it beat its chest and roared, its imposing aura forcing the surrounding Spirit Monkeys to lower their heads in submission.
"Good thing that Third-Tier Spirit Monkeys can't fly, or we'd be in serious trouble," Lan Fangyi said, relieved that the monkeys weren't pursuing them.
Turning to Wei Zhong, he exclaimed in awe, "I never imagined Fellow Daoist Song could withstand an attack from a Third-Tier Demonic Beast. It's truly eye-opening!"
Lan Fangyi's words immediately drew the attention of the other three to Wei Zhong.
"Cough, cough!" Wei Zhong spat out a few streaks of blood. "It was just luck on my part." He then subtly revealed the aura of his Mid-Stage Foundation Establishment cultivation base.
The others looked surprised, but wisely refrained from asking further questions.
Loose cultivators often concealed their true cultivation base, and it wasn't uncommon for individuals like Song Zhong to hide a minor breakthrough in their cultivation.
However, it was rare to withstand a Third-Tier Demonic Beast's attack in such a hasty manner, escape with minimal injuries, and still maintain composure.
The group traversed the mountain peak and soared above the Autumn Maple Forest.
Wei Zhong suddenly proposed, "Since the Third-Tier Spirit Monkey and its entire troop have left, shall we seize this opportunity to raid their lair?"
After a quick exchange of glances, the others nodded in agreement and collectively descended into the forest below.
The two Second-Tier Spirit Monkeys and the remaining First-Tier Spirit Monkeys guarding the territory were no match for the five Foundation Establishment cultivators led by Wei Zhong.
Working in pairs, the cultivators swiftly dispatched the Second-Tier Spirit Monkeys. The leaderless First-Tier White-Browed Red Monkeys scattered in panic.
The group thoroughly plundered the lair, acquiring a wealth of spiritual treasures and spirit stones, including several spiritual herbs over five hundred years old.
Wei Zhong discovered a pool filled with crimson spirit wine. After tasting it, he felt a refreshing coolness permeate his divine sense.
Could this be spirit wine specifically for enhancing divine sense?
The realization sent a thrill through Wei Zhong. His own Warm Human Tears spirit wine had reached a bottleneck, and he never expected to find a breakthrough opportunity here.
Wei Zhong dredged the sediment from the bottom of the pool, remnants of the spiritual treasures used to brew the spirit wine. If he could identify each ingredient back home and compare it with a sample of the finished product, he stood a good chance of reverse-engineering the wine recipe.
The group divided the remaining spirit wine equally, thoroughly scavenged the area, and swiftly departed on their Flying Swords.
Some time later, the Golden-Eyebrowed Red Monkey finally arrived, discovering its ravaged settlement. A furious roar erupted from its throat. Entering the cave and finding the spirit wine pool completely drained, it pounded the surrounding rocks in uncontrollable rage.
Unbeknownst to Wei Zhong, this spirit wine was precisely what the Spirit Monkeys used to cultivate their intelligence—their tribe's most precious treasure.
The five cultivators returned to the cultivator settlement near the Teleportation Formation on their Flying Swords and immediately departed.
...
On a small island in the lake, the group reconvened. While the others radiated joy, Wei Zhong looked pale and coughed occasionally.
Apart from provoking a Third-Tier Demonic Beast, their expedition had been remarkably successful. They had not only secured the thousand-year-old Spirit Medicine, Profound Clarity Grass, but had also thoroughly plundered the territory of the Third-Tier Demonic Beast's tribe, amassing a substantial fortune.
"Fellow Daoist Song contributed the most to this expedition. Shouldn't he be given the first choice?" Lan Fangyi proposed.
"I have no objections," someone replied.
...
Seeing no opposition, Wei Zhong spoke directly: "I only want the Profound Clarity Grass and a portion of the spirit wine. I'll take nothing else."
This proposal immediately plunged the group into a dilemma.
The millennium-old spiritual herb had been the primary motivation for their joint exploration of the secret realm and was by far the most valuable treasure they had obtained. Even the hoards of Third-Tier Spirit Beasts paled in comparison.
"Fellow Daoist Song may have worked the hardest, but claiming sole possession of this treasure would be presumptuous," Tan Bo stated, his tone utterly devoid of emotion. Wei Zhong's earlier assistance in rescuing him had clearly earned him a measure of goodwill.
Mou Yuanfeng, Shang Mengchun, and Lan Fangyi shared the same sentiment.
"In that case, how about I add another bottle of High-Grade Qi Harmonizing Pills for each of you?" Wei Zhong offered.
These cultivation pills, designed for Foundation Establishment cultivators, typically cost at least 1,500 spirit stones per bottle. Four bottles would amount to 6,000 spirit stones.
The Profound Clarity Grass, a millennium-old spirit medicine, would likely fetch only around 15,000 spirit stones at auction. The value of the four bottles of High-Grade Qi Harmonizing Pills nearly covered half that amount, making Wei Zhong's offer undeniably sincere.
Moreover, the Profound Bright Spirit Grass was just one of several millennium-old spiritual herbs required to refine the Dustfall Pill, so no one considered pooling their resources for alchemy. They figured it would be better to use the time spent gathering spiritual herbs to advance their cultivation to the Late-Stage Foundation Establishment.
"Then we accept your proposal, Fellow Daoist," someone concluded.