"There aren't that many what-ifs."
The withered demonic cultivator's hands never stopped moving.
"This place is extremely remote, over a thousand li from the nearest Immortal City.
Besides, Ancestor Murong is the third elder of the Nine Nether Devil Sect, a Nascent Soul Middle Stage powerhouse.
Even if we really are discovered, would the Cultivator Association truly fall out with a Nascent Soul powerhouse over a mere small Spirit Vein?"
"Even so..." The fair-faced demonic cultivator hesitated, leaving his words unfinished.
The two spoke no more and focused on setting up the formation.
Eighteen Array Flags were planted around the mountain, each flag painted with strange blood-red runes.
As the two formed Spell Techniques, the runes on the flags lit up one by one, linking together to form a vast net of demonic qi that covered the entire mountain.
The net slowly descended and sank into the mountain.
A moment later, the mountain was still the same mountain, the trees still the same trees; even that slightly denser trace of Spirit Energy had vanished without a trace—
the entire mountain's aura had been completely concealed, as though it had become an ordinary rock.
"The Heaven-Sealing Earth-Locking Formation is complete." The withered demonic cultivator wiped the sweat from his brow.
"Even if a late-stage Golden Core cultivator passes by, they won't discover anything unusual unless they deliberately investigate."
The two sat cross-legged, guarding the formation core.
Time trickled by.
At some point, the cicadas in the forest fell silent.
Half a day later, the withered demonic cultivator suddenly opened his eyes, his brow creasing slightly.
"The Spirit Energy in the Spirit Vein... is beginning to weaken."
"The Young Master has begun extracting it."
The fair-faced demonic cultivator sensed it as well.
At first, the weakening had been almost imperceptible, but as