"Something's gone wrong?"

A sense of unease became reality, and Qi Xiu couldn't help but think of his sixth senior brother, Gan Xingba, who was still locked at the Think-Over Cliff. Could it be that some Sect Aristocracy was pulling strings from behind again? But considering Ge's character, and with the lesson learned from the sixth senior brother's past mistake, how could he fall for it again?

"Once you disciples have officially joined the sect records, a Longevity Candle will be lit for you in the Longevity Hall. But just moments ago, Ge Ping's Longevity Candle suddenly went out," Daoist Priest Yunqing said slowly.

"What?"

Thinking of Bai Ling's sudden fainting, Qi Xiu's heart lurched.

"Could it be that Ge has run into disaster?"

"That should not be the case."

The moment Daoist Yunxiong stepped out from Guanlan Cliff with a dragon's stride and a tiger's stance, the whole world seemed to fall into silence. His eyebrows were knitted, his face dark and gloomy, revealing a powerful sense of dissatisfaction and anger. With the appearance of this Dao Expert, layers of thick, dark thunderclouds gathered in the sky above Yunti Peak, brewing a terrifyingly immense storm. The previously tranquil forest was suddenly besieged by howling winds, and the leaves rustled loudly, as if the apocalypse was imminent.

"Though Ping'er's Longevity Candle has gone out, there are still faint embers swirling around it. This means he has likely suffered a fatal injury but still retains a glimmer of life."

"Can we pinpoint Ge Ping's location? I'm going to ask Yunyao for help right now."

In the face of important matters, the two old rascals rarely refrained from bickering. Daoist Priest Yunqing was even about to ask the senior sister in the sect skilled in divination and heavenly secrets for help.

"I have already sent word to Yunyao. She is currently coordinating with three senior brothers to calculate Ping'er's location. However, it is already certain that the one who attacked Ping'er is not a Demonic Evil Cultivator!"

Daoist Yunxiong's fists CREAKED as he clenched them, his eyes flashing with thunderous light, his rage surging.

Ge Ping descended the mountain to face his tribulation. If he were injured by Demonic Evil Cultivators, it would be due to his inadequate skill and insufficient Cultivation; he would only have himself to blame. But Yunyao had just sent him a message. The one who had grievously injured Ge Ping, bringing him to the brink of death, was not a Demonic Evil Cultivator. The assailant's aura was majestic and imposing—undoubtedly someone from a righteous sect!

"Ge has a gentle, honest, and quiet disposition; he isn't one to stir up trouble. It wasn't a deliberate ambush by Demonic Evil Cultivators. Could it be that someone attacked him from behind?"

Frowning, Qi Xiu glanced at Bai Ling, who lay unconscious and pale in his arms. There must be some connection between this little tree spirit and Ge. Ge is grievously injured and near death, which in turn caused this little tree spirit to faint.

"Regardless of the reason, the priority is to bring Ge Ping back. We can investigate the specific cause later."

Compared to Daoist Yunxiong's anger, Daoist Priest Yunqing was much calmer. Ge Ping was gravely injured and in critical condition. If they delayed too long, his life would be at risk.

"If I find out who ambushed my disciple, I'll make them experience what it truly means to be struck down by the Five Thunder Orthodox Skill!"

First, Gan Xingba was schemed against by the Gao Family and nearly became a scapegoat. Then, Ge Ping descended the mountain for his tribulation, only to be ambushed by a supposed ally from a righteous sect. This string of bad news nearly made the already hot-tempered Daoist Yunxiong completely lose control, wanting to burst out of the Mountain Gate and unleash his thunder for thirty thousand li!

To prevent the highly unstable Daoist Yunxiong from doing something rash, Daoist Priest Yunqing and Qi Xiu both stayed at Guanlan Cliff, accompanying Daoist Yunxiong while waiting for Ge Ping's location to be divined. During this time, Daoist Priest Yunqing, fearing he wouldn't be able to hold back the furious Daoist Yunxiong, also called Taoist Yun Yang over as a precaution.

「Three days later.」

A letter arrived at Guanlan Cliff on Yunti Peak.

"Divine Sorrow Ridge?!"

Seeing Ge Ping's location, both Daoist Priest Yunqing and Taoist Yun Yang frowned deeply. Daoist Yunxiong, standing to the side, felt his mouth twitch. He abruptly stood up, ready to charge out, wielding thunder.

"Yunxiong!"

Having anticipated this move from Daoist Yunxiong, Taoist Yun Yang and Daoist Priest Yunqing shot to their feet. They joined forces, casting a mystical net that enveloped the entire Yunti Peak, firmly blocking the furious Daoist Yunxiong from charging out.

"Yunxiong, calm down! Can you truly save Ge Ping by yourself? That's Divine Sorrow Ridge! If you go, you'll stir up even greater turmoil!" Taoist Yun Yang said gravely, pressing a hand on Daoist Yunxiong's shoulder to restrain him.

"Yes, you absolutely mustn't go to Divine Sorrow Ridge alone," Daoist Priest Yunqing chimed in, grabbing one of Daoist Yunxiong's sleeves and holding on tightly, refusing to let go.

"Then are we supposed to just watch Ping'er die there?" Daoist Yunxiong demanded, his face flushed with anger, his eyes sharp. "Divine Sorrow Ridge is so perilous that even a Dao Expert would be skinned alive entering it, let alone Ping'er, a mere Cultivator of Dao!"

"That's precisely why you need to calm down. The eight Demon Kings of Divine Sorrow Ridge are all at the Dao Body Realm. If you go, you'll just give them the perfect excuse to attack," Taoist Yun Yang said gravely.

"In my opinion, we can let young Wei and his companions go first to scout things out. Although Divine Sorrow Ridge is dangerous, young Wei and his group have been traveling out in the world for so long, they have their own ways to survive. Not long ago, I heard that lad made a bet, stole a personal item from a Dao Expert, was hunted for half a year, and still miraculously escaped. That boy is full of cunning tricks; entrusting this to him might yield surprising results."

The "young Wei" Daoist Priest Yunqing mentioned was Daoist Yunxiong's eldest disciple—Wei Wujie.

True to his name, Wuji, he acted with reckless abandon, never considering the consequences. Yet, he possessed numerous strange methods and always managed to turn misfortune into good fortune. After reaching the Blood-Stained Realm, he became even more audacious, constantly traveling abroad and hadn't returned to the sect for over a hundred years. If not for his occasional letters and the fact that his Longevity Candle remained lit, Daoist Yunxiong would have almost believed he had died out there.

The repeated persuasion from Daoist Priest Yunqing and Taoist Yun Yang gradually calmed Daoist Yunxiong.

Divine Sorrow Ridge was currently the largest demonic territory in Dianchuan Province, formed by the merger of eight original prefectures. It housed nearly a million Demonic Evil Cultivators, presided over by eight Demon Kings at the Dao Body Realm. There were even rumors of a Primordial Spirit Realm Demon Lord hibernating within. Human Cultivators, even Dao Experts, dared not enter lightly, lest they be besieged by hordes of Demons and unable to escape.

"If that's the case…"

"Master, I can also make this journey," Qi Xiu said, slowly raising his hand. His words instantly caught the attention of the three Dao Experts.

"Nephew, Divine Sorrow Ridge is a den of Demons, a Demon Cave, teeming with Great Demons of the Initiate Realm and even the Blood-Stained Realm. You are still at the Dao-Entering Realm; you mustn't get involved in this," Daoist Priest Yunqing explained.

"The two Martial Uncles also just said that Divine Sorrow Ridge is a gathering place for all sorts of Demons, where good and evil are mixed. A high Cultivation level would attract too much attention, whereas a junior cultivator at the Dao-Entering Realm wouldn't be so conspicuous. Besides… my disguise skills aren't too shabby."

With a flicker of transformation, Qi Xiu's aura abruptly turned cold and demonic. His originally handsome and scholarly face now bore a beautiful yet sinister allure, identical to the appearance of the Daoist of the Taiyin.

The Daoist of the Taiyin had abandoned "The Secret of the Primordial Dragon-Tiger Scripture" to cultivate "Taiyin's Infinite True Scripture." As the original entity, Qi Xiu was naturally familiar with the contents of this True Scripture Volume. Although he couldn't cultivate this True Scripture or use its Dharma Gates, he could still follow its principles to conceal yang and transform yin, reversing his own aura to take on the appearance of a Demonic Cultivator.

"But even so, it's too…"

Daoist Priest Yunqing wanted to say more, but Daoist Yunxiong raised a hand to stop him. He turned and looked earnestly at Qi Xiu. "Are you really determined to go?"

"I must."

Qi Xiu nodded. Ge had treated him well. When Qi Xiu first joined the sect, he often had questions, and it was always Ge who patiently answered them. Upon learning about Qi Xiu's troubles with his Heart Demon, Ge had expended great effort to plant and cultivate the Tranquil Heart Illuminating Bamboo for him. When he first began his cultivation path, Qi Xiu had sworn an oath: in this life of Cultivation, he sought neither to be recorded in history nor to achieve fame. He only wished for a clear conscience. If he were unaware of Ge's current predicament, it might be different. But now he knew. Not doing everything in his power would leave him with a guilty conscience. In the future, this would undoubtedly become a knot in his heart, a regret that would plague him for eternity.

"Good! Truly worthy of being my disciple! Go with an easy mind. Whether you can rescue Ping'er or not, I, your Master, will not blame you. If any harm comes to you, I, your Master, even at the cost of this old life, will wreak havoc in Divine Sorrow Ridge and make those Demons pay with their lives!"

His hair and beard bristling, Daoist Yunxiong's aura surged, climbing continuously. "I've lived for nearly a thousand years! To die a glorious death in battle wouldn't be a waste of my time in this world!"

The Shenxiao Sect is warlike! Unyielding!

Seemingly inspired by Daoist Yunxiong's aura, Daoist Priest Yunqing, hands tucked in his sleeves, winked at Qi Xiu. "Don't worry. If those Demons dare harm a single hair on your heads, your Master and I will go together. The people of the Shenxiao Sect may fear many things... Heh, but death isn't one of them!"

「…」

After briefly settling on a plan to go to Divine Sorrow Ridge, Daoist Yunxiong pressed five palm-sized copper bells into Qi Xiu's hand before his departure. "If you encounter a deadly situation, strike these bells hard. Each contains three charges of the Five Thunder Orthodox Skill, which might help you escape."

Daoist Yunxiong wasn't a professional Artifact Refiner; even Dao Experts couldn't easily craft Magic Artifacts. Besides, Shenxiao Sect cultivators relied on their Thunder Magic to roam the world and seldom used Magic Artifacts. Moreover, Qi Xiu couldn't use Magic Artifacts meant for the Dao Body Realm anyway. Therefore, Daoist Yunxiong had stayed up all night to hastily craft these five Thunder Bells for Qi Xiu's protection.

"Thank you, Master."

Accepting the five Thunder Bells, Qi Xiu handed the unconscious Bai Ling to Daoist Yunxiong. "This little tree spirit's life is linked with Ge's. Please, Master, take care of her so Ge won't be heartbroken upon his return."

"Rest assured. I've already sent word to Wuji. He'll go to Divine Sorrow Ridge ahead of you and will arrange to contact and meet you when you arrive. Both of you must prioritize your safety on this trip. We need to save Ping'er, but absolutely not at the cost of your lives. Understand?"

His tone solemn, Daoist Yunxiong looked intently at Qi Xiu.

"Master, rest assured. I understand."

After settling everything, Qi Xiu turned and transformed into a streak of lightning, heading towards the Mountain Gate.

After Qi Xiu left, Daoist Priest Yunqing patted Daoist Yunxiong, who was still gazing into the distance. "Don't worry. Young Qi Xiu may seem reserved, but he's actually incredibly sharp, resourceful, and quick-witted. He also possesses deep fortune and an extraordinary destiny. Perhaps sending him this time will indeed lead to Ge Ping's successful rescue."

"Let's hope so."

Withdrawing his gaze, Daoist Yunxiong grabbed Daoist Priest Yunqing and flew towards the Shenxiao Jade Disk. "Come with me to see the Sect Master. If Xiuer and the others don't succeed, I, this old man, will personally call down Heavenly Thunder and obliterate that damn Divine Sorrow Ridge!"

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