Chapter 104: Cutting Through the Ranks

“Truly, it’s thanks to the help of our senior that we found this place! Otherwise, even if we searched for a lifetime, I’m afraid we wouldn’t have found it. Sigh! This place is just too well hidden!” As soon as the Patriarch of the Xuanyuan Clan arrived, he trailed behind Zixuan, flattering him endlessly. The others quickly chimed in, echoing the patriarch’s praise and competing to flatter the two.

“It’s not that we’re particularly capable; it was this white fox that led us here. Luckily, Xiao Xuan recognized that this was an illusion formation, so he figured this must be the place you all were looking for!” Tang Wei explained to the group while holding Xiao Xue. She felt a bit uneasy, as if they were being misunderstood with ulterior motives, so she thought it best to clarify.

“What a beautiful little white fox! Senior, where did you catch it?” Perhaps thinking that fellow women would be more understanding, the Mistress of the Hundred Flowers Valley, Hua Jinxin, approached sincerely praising the fox and reached out her hand to pet Xiao Xue. She paid no attention to Tang Wei’s explanation, as if she simply didn’t believe they could do such a thing, which only increased Tang Wei’s dislike for her.

Seeing her approach, Xiao Xue bared her teeth and let out little squeaks, clearly warning her to keep away. The expression on the little white fox’s face was unmistakable—it was angry. This made Hua Jinxin’s hand freeze awkwardly in midair; she didn’t know whether to retract it or continue. She could only force a smile and say, “Such a little one with quite the temper!”

Tang Wei felt embarrassed and could only smile as she explained, “Don’t mind her, Sister Hua. This little one has only just become familiar with me! She’s lived here all her life without contact with humans, so she’s probably still a bit afraid.” Faced with such a beauty, not only men but women too can’t help but feel a pang of sympathy. Tang Wei was certainly one to respond better to softness than force.

Seeing Tang Wei take the initiative to talk, Hua Jinxin smiled even more brightly and asked repeatedly, “Senior, were you staying there just to tame her?”

“Yes! She had been following us for quite some time, and I hadn’t noticed! If I hadn’t accidentally glanced back, we might have missed her altogether.” Tang Wei grew animated as she began to recount the first encounter with the little white fox. One person tried to please, the other to show off, and soon they found a common topic, chatting back and forth as they warmed to each other.

Meanwhile, the others paid no attention to their conversation but were focused on the formation ahead. Since this kind of legacy had mostly been lost, none of them were very familiar with it; they scanned the area left and right but couldn’t identify any semblance of an illusion formation. Naturally, breaking the formation was out of the question, so they stood there, wide-eyed and at a loss. It was Zixuan who finally couldn’t bear it and spoke up, giving instructions: “At a thirty-degree angle, three steps left, five steps right, one step back, two steps right, then six steps forward. Once inside, place the token to break the formation.”

“What does senior mean by that…?” The others had never studied formations, so they didn’t understand Zixuan’s words.

Zixuan pointed ahead and drew in the dirt with a stick patiently explaining, “Enter here, at a thirty-degree angle. First three steps to the left, then five to the right, one step back, two steps right, and finally six steps forward. That’s where the formation’s core is. Just place the token into that groove, and it will break.”

“Thank you for your guidance, senior!” Regardless of whether they fully understood, the group, young and old, reddened and bowed in unison to express their gratitude.

They gathered to discuss, and the four elders of the great clans each brought their tokens forward, blushing as they asked, “Senior, which token should we use to pass this stage?” Stone Zaitian held a red eagle-shaped jade pendant, Ouyang Patriarch a yellow double-ring circle, the Xuanyuan Patriarch a green Qilin seal, and the Chen Patriarch a purple mountain-shaped jade pendant.

Zixuan took them one by one, examining each carefully, then waved the purple mountain-shaped pendant and said, “This should be the one. You don’t need to worry anymore about how to enter! Look, the steps for entry are even inscribed on it. I think you’ve been worrying for nothing!”

“Really? How did I not notice that?” Upon hearing that the pendant bears the method of entry, the elders, their faces flushed, came over to ask. They had held these tokens for so long without ever noticing such marks; Zixuan understood immediately, so how could they not be embarrassed?

Zixuan pointed to several tiny black dots on it. “See these? These little dots mark your steps inside. They connect in a line, so follow these marks exactly, and you will find the core of the formation.” He pointed to a small groove. “Here! That’s the formation’s core.”

They each took the purple pendant, examined it, nodded in agreement, and began discussing who should break the formation.

Zixuan shook his head in disbelief, thinking to himself, “These people really are something—such a simple task yet it takes them so long to decide. They’re hardly destined for greatness!” But he did not interfere, turning his gaze instead to Tang Wei, who was chatting animatedly with Hua Jinxin, a faint smile playing on his lips.

After some discussion, the treasure-seeking party decided that whoever held the token would be the one to break the formation. Thus, Elder Chen, outnumbered, had no choice but to accept reality. He looked down at the path he was to take, resigned, and stepped into the formation as Zixuan indicated. Facing the sheer cliff, Elder Chen took a deep breath, closed his eyes, and charged forward. The cliff remained solid, but he himself disappeared.

In less than five minutes, the shadow of the cliff flickered several times before vanishing altogether, revealing a vast meadow. The lush wild grass covered the entire mountaintop, swaying with the gentle breeze, forming waves across the grassland. Elder Chen stood bewildered in the center, nervously looking around. When he saw members of the other great clans approach him, he finally relaxed, heart pounding with excitement as he awaited their arrival. The meadow stretched hundreds of square meters, ending at the foot of a mountain where a cave entrance was faintly visible, though its door was closed—presumably requiring a token to open.

The two ladies, caught up in their lively conversation, paused as they took in the breathtaking scene, gazing at the wild grasses swaying in the breeze with disbelief and admiration. As they watched the group hasten toward the cave, they too stepped onto the undulating grass.

Walking and observing, they soon reached the mouth of the cave at the mountain’s base. Zixuan stepped forward, touching the stone door and assessing its strength. Using his spiritual sense, he confirmed that though the door had been refined, ordinary cultivators in the Dantian Refinement stage would struggle to force it open. But if Tang Jun—diligently trained by Tang Wei and others—attacked it with full strength, it would likely open within a few strikes. As for Zixuan himself, at the Golden Core stage, breaking it would be even easier.

Touching the twin-ring seal in the center, Zixuan casually remarked, “Brother Ouyang, this door’s in your hands.” He tapped the seal, making his intentions clear.

Without hesitation, the Ouyang Patriarch took out his pendant and pressed it against the stone door. The double-ring jade was drawn in by a surge of unseen power, disappearing into the door’s inner layers. After the door’s confirmation, a “click” sounded as it slowly slid open from both sides, revealing a pitch-black cavern.

When the door opened fully, a “pop” echoed from within, and countless torches along the cave walls lit up, illuminating the interior brightly. The group cautiously stepped inside, observing the spacious and brightly lit cavern. The light resembled daylight, starkly contrasting with the night outside—a clear opposition of darkness and light.

They carefully followed the narrow path inside until they reached a vast chasm with winding turns, its end unseen. The cliff walls bristled with countless sword tips, and stone pillars lined a narrow path stretching deep into the cave. The abyss below was bottomless, and its secrets unknown. The sight was daunting; no one dared venture forward first—not wanting to risk their lives, especially with those countless sword tips aimed at them.

Seeing no one brave enough to test the path, Tang Wei’s eyes flickered as she concocted a mischievous idea. She looked around, spotted a fist-sized stone near the cliff, picked it up, returned to the spot, and raised her hand to toss the stone inside.

Fortunately, Zixuan reacted quickly, waving his hand to stop her and laughing, “Senior Sister, be careful. If you throw that, we might dodge it, but these others won’t be so lucky.”

“Ah! Is it really that serious? Won’t the swords shoot out and be blocked?” Tang Wei asked curiously, recalling similar traps depicted on television.

Zixuan wanted to roll his eyes and said, “Big sis, that’s all fake on TV, designed for ordinary people. It’s not that formidable. But this is different—this is a formation set by cultivators. It’s not so easy to break!”

Still maintaining his composure, he explained patiently, “Senior Sister, this is a sword formation. Its greatest feature is that it can sense a person’s life force. As long as the life force remains, the swords will follow and attack until you move beyond the formation’s sensing range. Only then will the swords return to their original positions.”

Hearing how fierce the formation was, Tang Wei blushed and quietly argued, “Then after I throw it, we’ll just run.”

“Senior Sister, the swords fly very fast. You might escape, but they won’t!” Zixuan glanced at the sword formation and teased without a care.

Tang Wei was even more embarrassed, blushing deeply and falling silent. Seeing this, Zixuan turned to look at her and realized he had misspoken. He quickly apologized, “Senior Sister, you’re an alchemist; this isn’t your specialty. It’s normal not to understand. If I had to make pills, who knows what I’d come up with!”

Seeing everyone nod in agreement, Tang Wei’s expression improved, and she sheepishly asked, “So, how do you think this formation should be broken?”