Chapter 864: Discovering the Truth

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Only the One Yuan Secret Realm in the entire Eastern Desolation is considered a fifth-tier location. So, when Qing Nü measured the spiritual energy, Chen Mobai immediately guessed their location: Yellow Dragon Grotto!

Could that teleportation array actually allow access to and from this place? In his shock, Chen Mobai quickly recalled the teleportation array's restriction: it could only transport cultivators below the Core Formation stage.

Instantly, he remembered his experience defending against demon beasts near Qingguang Island when he first arrived in the Eastern Desolation. During that great tide, a demon beast that had broken through to the third-tier suddenly appeared, destroying the market's grand array outside Fengyu Dock and slaughtering numerous cultivators. Thinking back now, it must have gone out through that ancient teleportation array. It then hid, cultivated to the third-tier, and subsequently organized numerous demon beasts from Yunmeng Marsh to attack, breaking through the market and annihilating the Eastern Desolation cultivators' vital forces.

At this moment, Chen Mobai also felt fortunate that the ancient teleportation array could only transport cultivators below the Core Formation stage. If the Poison Dragon could also freely enter and exit through it, he certainly wouldn't have been able to develop in the Eastern Desolation.

After he shared his suspicions with Qing Nü and she learned that this was a fourth-tier demon beast's territory, she was also greatly surprised. Only then did she understand why Chen Mobai remained so cautious even after reaching the Nascent Soul stage. The Heavenly River Realm is indeed very dangerous!

The two quickly replaced the prime-grade spirit stone. Only after the Faceless Puppet gained Core Formation stage power did they feel slightly more at ease. However, it would still be insufficient if the Poison Dragon discovered them. Therefore, they activated the stealth mode to one hundred percent and also initiated the surface environmental mimicry function. The Faceless Puppet suddenly became transparent, appearing as if it had merged into the water. They moved like two currents, silently sweeping past coral reefs and swimming fish, undetected by any of them.

Since they could clearly see the traces of Daoist Yuji and others who had recently entered, they stealthily moved towards a golden palace on the east side. During this process, a hint of unease flashed through Chen Mobai's mind. He had never imagined that Daoist Yuji's purpose in leading this group of Foundation Establishment cultivators was to come here, nor did he know how she had discovered this ancient teleportation array. Was it simply her daring nature, hoping to obtain treasures and opportunities from the Yellow Dragon Grotto? Or were devil cultivators behind this, planning to release this fourth-tier Poison Dragon that had been sealed for hundreds of years?

If it were the former, it would be acceptable, but if it were the latter, it would undoubtedly be directed at the Five Elements Sect. After all, once a fourth-tier Poison Dragon emerged, the first to bear the brunt would be the Eastern Desolation and Eastern Wu, which bordered Yunmeng Marsh. Although the Five Elements Sect's current strength could withstand it, this would undoubtedly result in significant loss of disciples and even harm to the common people along the coast. For Chen Mobai, who was about to implement new regulations, this was unacceptable. If devil cultivators truly harbored such intentions, perhaps it would be time to let the people here witness the Pure Yang Demon-Slaying techniques.

As Chen Mobai was thinking this, the Faceless Puppet also sent a signal, detecting traces of Daoist Yuji and her group in front of a golden palace in the distance. They were gathered in one spot, seemingly studying something. Chen Mobai and Qing Nü stopped. The latter immediately cast Water Mirror Projection, beginning to observe their every move.

Daoist Yuji's group of Foundation Establishment cultivators were examining a stone stele in front of the palace entrance. The stele was covered with various runes, emitting a faint glow. They surrounded the stele, apparently trying to decipher the writings, occasionally taking out jade slips to compare with the runes on the monument.

Chen Mobai's heart stirred. He knew they must have been deceived. They didn't know this was the Yellow Dragon Grotto, instead believing they had stumbled upon an aquatic manor left by a powerful cultivator and were attempting to break the seals to open the palace gates. This was normal, however. After all, these Foundation Establishment cultivators had likely only experienced at most third-tier spiritual veins. Although they found the spiritual energy in the Yellow Dragon Grotto somewhat excessively dense, they probably assumed it was merely high-grade fourth-tier.

Chen Mobai did not see Hong He among the group. At that moment, a bearded Foundation Establishment cultivator raised a talisman in his hand, aiming it at the stone stele, clearly preparing to break the seal. This action was undoubtedly very dangerous. Although it was unclear why no powerful demon beasts had appeared yet, once the seal was violently broken, the intense spiritual energy fluctuations would certainly alert the Poison Dragon. However, after thinking it over carefully, Chen Mobai decided it was better to remain still. Because he also wanted to see the true power of this Poison Dragon, which was considered the greatest threat to the Eastern Desolation and Eastern Wu. After all, he and Qing Nü had only sent two puppet bodies here. Even if they were lost here, it would only be a wisp of divine sense.

He didn't know the origin of the bearded man's talisman. After it landed on the stone stele, the runes began to change, and their light gradually dimmed. Before long, a crack opened in the door of the golden palace. Daoist Yuji and the others were overjoyed. After discussing, they left two people guarding outside, and the rest began to walk into the palace.

Chen Mobai and Qing Nü waited outside for a long time, but the group did not emerge. The two Foundation Establishment cultivators guarding outside also sensed that something was wrong; the agreed-upon time had passed. They took out communication talismans, attempting to make contact. However, after the communication talismans entered the palace door's crack, there was no response.

The two showed hesitation. After a brief discussion, they actually disregarded the situation entirely, turned, and headed towards the ancient teleportation array, clearly intending to retreat immediately. "As expected of locals, they could maintain their composure at this critical moment," Chen Mobai couldn't help but praise them.

Qing Nü split the Water Mirror Projection's view into two, one focused on the palace door and the other on the two cultivators, but soon discovered a tricky issue. The ancient teleportation array they used to enter could not be activated from inside. In other words, it was a one-way entrance from the outside only! "This isn't right. If that's the case, how did the demon beasts from the Yellow Dragon Grotto get out?"

As Chen Mobai pondered in surprise, the two Foundation Establishment cultivators returned, their faces ashen. Soon after, Hong He and two other Foundation Establishment cultivators also arrived. It turned out their group had split into two, but the palace Hong He's party went to couldn't be opened due to its seals, so they had returned.

“Daoist Yuji must know how to get out from inside; we still need to find her,” Hong He suddenly spoke, causing the expressions of the remaining four Foundation Establishment cultivators to subtly change. For caution, they wanted to search nearby again, but quickly retreated, their expressions drastically changing, because two powerful surges of demonic qi were rapidly flying towards them, clearly belonging to third-tier beings. Directly confronting third-tier existences, they certainly wouldn't be a match. Out of desperation, the palace behind them became their only hope of survival. Everyone no longer hesitated and followed Hong He, entering it one after another.

Chen Mobai also realized at this point that Daoist Yuji had brought this group here precisely to make them enter the palace. What was inside? Just as he was pondering in surprise, the two surges of third-tier demonic qi finally arrived before the palace. One was a single-horned, half-human demon beast, and the other was actually a cultivator. Chen Mobai couldn't help but show surprise upon seeing the cultivator, because he recognized her: Zhu Jun from Bathing Sun Sea.

Why was she here? Is Bathing Sun Sea going to release the Poison Dragon?! Chen Mobai quickly realized this, and his killing intent instantly surged.

Just then, two figures flew out from the golden palace door's crack, landing in front of Zhu Jun. They were Daoist Yuji and Hong He. Upon seeing Zhu Jun and the demon beast, both bowed respectfully.

Daoist Yuji said, “True Person Zhu, these Foundation Establishment cultivators were chosen according to your requirements, cultivators of Yin Water attribute techniques.”

Zhu Jun nodded expressionlessly upon hearing this, then handed a bottle of spirit liquid to Daoist Yuji. The latter took it, opened it, and her face filled with joy.

“Thank you, True Person Zhu. My junior brother and I will take our leave now,” Daoist Yuji said, then glanced warily at the single-horned, half-human demon beast beside Zhu Jun, then turned and left with Hong He without any hesitation.

Zhu Jun watched their retreating figures, a cold glint flashing in her eyes. However, for mutual trust, she had previously made a Dao Heart Vow to ensure their safety within the year and never attack them herself in this lifetime. But it didn't matter. After a year, she could just find any junior brother to eliminate the two of them.

“True Person Zhu, let's proceed. Adoptive Father has been waiting for a long time,” the single-horned, half-human demon beast said. “Once the essence, qi, and spirit of these Foundation Establishment cultivators are refined by the grand array, they can weaken some of the Bathing Fire Seal's power.”

“Please don't forget what the King promised then,” Zhu Jun said, then raised her palm, about to strike the stone stele in front of the golden palace entrance.

But at that moment, a dazzling golden fiery light slashed forth, forcing Zhu Jun to intercept it first. “Who's there?” Zhu Jun coldly looked at the two hidden Faceless Puppets. After their attack, the intense spiritual energy fluctuations could no longer be concealed.

“True Person Zhu, are you declaring war on my Five Elements Sect?!” Chen Mobai manifested his form through the Faceless Puppet, his gaze sharp.

“How could you be here?!” Zhu Jun was greatly startled to see Chen Mobai appear, but she quickly noticed something was amiss. “It's just a puppet avatar!”

At that moment, the single-horned, half-human demon beast had already produced a snake-spear, arrogantly and confidently blocking Chen Mobai and Qing Nü. “True Person Zhu, go ahead and break the seal. Leave these two to me!” The single-horned, half-human demon beast was the Poison Dragon's adopted son. Having refined a drop of the latter's essence blood, its cultivation was so powerful that even Zhu Jun dared not underestimate it.

“Then I shall trouble you…” Upon hearing this, Zhu Jun was about to observe the strength of Chen Mobai's puppet avatar when she suddenly saw a faint white gleam that had already swept past the demon beast's body. Subsequently, the demon beast, along with the snake-spear in its hand, was cleanly split into two halves. Blood and internal organs splattered across the ground.