Recaps

After Fang Shu killed Ling Bai Lang, the Lone Pavilion Master secured Guling Town and began rooting out the halls’ conspirators. Fang Shu discovered the fates of Lü Daoist and Yin Xiaojian, killed Aunt Yin, and left the town’s remaining cleanup to Solitary Gu Hall.

• The Lone Pavilion Master arrived, praised Fang Shu’s survival, and ordered a sweeping hunt for Mountainbreaker Hall and Scorched-Tail Hall suspects.
• Fang Shu left the gathering at Solitary Gu Hall after learning that someone he knew had been found in Scorched-Tail Hall.
• Fang Shu found Lü Daoist chained in a residence and discovered Yin Xiaojian’s corpse and Aunt Yin cultivating in an underground chamber.
• Aunt Yin recognized Fang Shu after he introduced himself, and he killed her before ordering the residence’s corpse ground and remains destroyed.
• Lü Daoist told Fang Shu that Yin Xiaojian had lured him to Aunt Yin, who restored his root with a donkey’s and kept him captive; Fang Shu realized Yin Xiaojian had been used as medicine material.

Fang Shu reunited with his second uncle, learned that Black Mouse had secretly killed the Black Tiger Hall Master with a snake demon, and postponed his welcoming banquet to focus on crossing the Fifth Tribulation. With the Lone Pavilion Master and Yu Le gathering resources for him, Fang Shu entered seclusion and began the All Evils Shun It tribulation.

• Fang Shu returned to Solitary Gu Hall and reunited with Yu Le, who had recovered his cultivation and become a Three-Tribulation immortal cultivator.
• Yu Le told Fang Shu that a demon calamity had destroyed Black Tiger Hall and a snake demon had swallowed its hall master; Fang Shu deduced that Black Mouse had arranged the attack.
• Fang Shu decided to delay the welcoming banquet until after he crossed the Fifth Tribulation, and the Lone Pavilion Master agreed to help prepare his breakthrough.
• Fang Shu handed the Lone Pavilion Master the damaged storage pouches from Ling Bai Lang and Old Man Ling, while she and Yu Le gathered resources for his seclusion.
• After a spirit-gathering formation and abundant medicines were prepared, Fang Shu entered the quiet chamber and began the All Evils Shun It tribulation.

Fang Shu prepared and endured a dangerous tribulation using six kinds of Killing Intent to temper his six viscera. He emerged as an immortal who had passed the Fifth Tribulation, ready to seek a method for refining Killing Intent.

• Fang Shu assessed several kinds of Killing Intent, mixed six of them with his true qi, and prepared the chamber for tribulation.
• Fang Shu used six silver knives to channel the poisonous Killing Intent directly into his six viscera.
• Fang Shu endured the Killing Intent for thirty hours inside a cocoon of Divine Silk, then expelled it as a gray-black breath that destroyed the cocoon and the chamber’s contents.
• Fang Shu confirmed that his six viscera had been tempered and that he had passed the Fifth Tribulation.
• Fang Shu declared that he would refine great Killing Intent next and burst through the chamber door.

After Fang Shu emerged from seclusion as a Five-Tribulation Immortal cultivator, the Solitary Gu Hall celebrated his breakthrough and the town’s pavilion masters pledged their support for his inner sect ambitions. After the banquet, Fang Shu returned to his old home and went to meet a familiar figure.

• Fang Shu emerged after five days of seclusion and told the Lone Pavilion Master and Second Uncle Yu Le that he had successfully advanced to the fifth tribulation.
• News of Fang Shu’s breakthrough spread through Guling Town, and local cultivators arrived at the Solitary Gu Hall with gifts and organized a banquet.
• Fang Shu hosted the town’s pavilion masters, who promised to support his efforts and help him gather resources.
• At the feast, the mistress and daughters of Seven Fragrance Tower regretted their past choices as Fang Shu drew the attention of the town’s merchants.
• After the banquet dispersed, Fang Shu returned to his old courtyard, found his room unchanged and well maintained, and headed toward a familiar figure.

Fang Shu returned the Hu Family Treasure Book and other belongings to Dou Sufu, who mistook him for her long-lost husband, Brother Hu. After leaving her, Fang Shu discovered that the red cord she had given him carried a talisman seal that appeared to be a Tomb-Raiding Token.

• Fang Shu entered Dou Sufu’s room invisibly to return the Hu Family Treasure Book and leave her several bottles of pills and spirit stones.
• Dou Sufu mistook Fang Shu for Brother Hu and embraced him, but he concealed his identity and gently refused to promise he would stay.
• Fang Shu left the belongings and departed, while Dou Sufu tried to stop him and then pleaded for him to take back the red cord she had kept safe.
• Fang Shu accepted the red cord with its hidden object, leaving Dou Sufu alone to grieve and finally cry out her accumulated sorrow.
• Back in his room, Fang Shu examined the cord’s beast-shaped talisman seal, saw the words “Ancient Moon,” and recognized it as a possible Tomb-Raiding Token.

Dou Sufu mourned the husband whose ghost may have visited her, then resolved to move on as Fang Shu prepared to leave Guling Town. After saying farewell, Fang Shu returned to Lead Mountain Mine to search for the Hu Family ancestors’ resting place and explore the mountain’s dragon vein.

• Dou Sufu joined Fang Shu and the courtyard residents for breakfast dressed in mourning and explained what had happened the previous night.
• Dou Sufu said she would treat her husband as truly dead and end the matter, while Fang Shu and the others comforted her.
• Fang Shu learned that Jiao Lulu had joined Beauty Palace and chose not to question Old Madam Jiao about her past.
• Fang Shu spent his remaining days in Guling Town before bidding farewell to Yu Le and the Lone Pavilion Master.
• Fang Shu left town and returned to Lead Mountain Mine to seek dragons, plunder gold, and locate the Hu Family ancestors’ place of passing.

Fang Shu followed the Tomb-Raiding Token through the Lead Mountain Mine’s quicksand formation and entered the Hu Family ancestor’s cave abode. He recovered the ancestor’s remains and discovered a quasi-Foundation Establishment formation artifact, leaving with a weapon capable of unleashing power comparable to Foundation Establishment.

• Fang Shu used the Tomb-Raiding Token to locate and cross the Hu Family ancestor’s quicksand formation.
• Fang Shu traced the proper runes to open the cave abode without triggering the formation’s backlash.
• Fang Shu found the Hu Family ancestor’s skeleton and collected the Killing Intent that had gathered around it.
• Fang Shu honored the ancestor, gathered his remains, and discovered that the bone rod was a quasi-Foundation Establishment dharma artifact.
• Fang Shu tested the Flood-Dragon Bone Formation Rod and used it to freeze the cave’s dust, the quicksand, and his own true qi.

Fang Shu studied how to combine his formation flag with his Yin-Yang Venom Worms to create mobile gu formations. By using his Divine Silk talent to link the worms and the artifact, he found a promising way to make the formations work together.

• Fang Shu considered learning the Dao of formations so he could use his newly acquired formation flag to kill enemies.
• Fang Shu brought out three pairs of Yin-Yang Venom Worms and arranged them into a rough Nine Palaces Eight Trigrams formation.
• Fang Shu chose the cave dwelling as a safe place for seclusion and began refining the formation flag while studying the Hu Family ancestor's formation insights.
• Fang Shu learned that formation practitioners usually fixed their materials in place or bound them to a formation diagram, but he wanted a more flexible method.
• Fang Shu connected the formation flag and his Yin-Yang Venom Worms with his Divine Silk, strengthening their link and confirming that gu formations were possible.

Fang Shu completed the Flood Dragon Spine Hundred-Gu Banner, a portable treasure that let him deploy Gu formations, and left the Quicksand Cave Abode after honoring the Hu Family ancestor. At the Monster Market, he found no stones containing Dragon Qi and instead climbed the mountain to visit the Old Mountain Lord, who welcomed him to a feast.

• Fang Shu used Divine Silk to bind Gu insects into a formation banner, named it the Flood Dragon Spine Hundred-Gu Banner, and wore it as a hairpin.
• Fang Shu left Ling Bai Lang's wolf's head in the cave abode to be nourished by its spiritual energy, then departed with the banner.
• Fang Shu emerged near the Lead Mountain Mine and went to the Monster Market, where he searched gambling stones for Dragon Qi but found none.
• Fang Shu climbed the mountain to visit the Old Mountain Lord and asked for a cup of wine.
• The Old Mountain Lord recognized Fang Shu, and Fang Shu joined the monsters and plant spirits at the feast.

At Old Mountain Lord’s feast, Fang Shu learned that inner sect status could protect him from being casually expelled or killed, strengthening his resolve to compete for it. He traded three pairs of gu insects for three evil-tainted ancient treasures, then collected the feast’s leftover wine.

• Fang Shu recognized Brocade-Furred Lord at the feast and learned that he had lost his Little West Mountain post and was being dismissed from his wandering god position.
• Brocade-Furred Lord advised Fang Shu to seek inner sect status, while Old Mountain Lord explained that it offered protection and urged him to earn Dao Merit.
• Fang Shu drank with the monsters for days, increasing his magical power by a toad and collecting the remaining wine.
• Fang Shu asked Old Mountain Lord to trade him books and evil-tainted ancient treasures, then exchanged three pairs of gu insects for three ancient treasures.
• Fang Shu returned to Ganoderma Terrace and gathered the leftover wine while Brocade-Furred Lord secretly poured it into a gourd.

After leaving Old Mountain Lord’s feast, Fang Shu befriended Tian Jinmao and returned to the Five Viscera Temple, where he settled the matters from his time away and secured his freedom from disciplinary trouble. He then headed to the Treasure Hall to have three purified ancient treasures appraised.

• Fang Shu walked down the mountain with Brocade-Furred Lord, learned that it was a six-calamity demon named Tian Jinmao, and shared cultivation knowledge that helped it understand its practice.
• Tian Jinmao gave Fang Shu a locating whisker, then swam toward Floating Mountain while Fang Shu drifted downriver and fought off demons that attacked him.
• Fang Shu returned to the Five Viscera Temple, completed his paperwork, and learned that the Pan family had already been raided and that several temple disciples had been arrested.
• Fang Shu reported Ling Bai Lang’s crimes and submitted the corpse, waist token, and supporting documents; the Household Hall quickly processed the case and cleared Fang Shu of trouble.
• Fang Shu went to the Treasure Hall to have the three ancient treasures he had obtained from Old Mountain Lord appraised.

Fang Shu had three ancient Daoist treasures appraised at the Jin Family Treasure Hall, sold two, and kept a thumb ring that protected his soul from spiritual attacks. After studying a book on treasure appraisal for more than ten days, he received a summons to the Venom Hall and arrived with matters to discuss with his nominal master.

• Fang Shu brought three ancient Daoist treasures to Tong Cou, and Elder Qian appraised them while explaining how the hall could buy or auction them.
• Fang Shu sold the bowl-shaped treasure and jade hook, kept the thumb ring, and paid ten taels of spirit stones for Elder Qian's book on treasure appraisal.
• Fang Shu activated the thumb ring and found that it steadied his mind and shielded his soul from spiritual pressure and attacks.
• Fang Shu used the Dao Register to make sense of the appraisal book and spent more than ten days reading, cultivating, and training his venomous insects.
• Fang Shu received a summons from the Venom Hall, hurried there, and prepared to discuss the yin and yang venom pits controlled by his Fifth Senior Brother.
• Immortal Long Gu questioned those present, and Fang Shu stepped forward to speak just as she was about to dismiss everyone.

Fang Shu asked Immortal Long Gu for Huai Liangxing’s Yin-Yang Gu Pits, then accepted Huai Liangxing’s challenge for a year’s delay. Fang Shu defeated him with the Yin-Yang Twin-Worm Locking Formation and killed him, leaving Long Gu’s disciples stunned.

• Fang Shu asked Immortal Long Gu to grant him one of the Yin-Yang Gu Pits so he could pursue entry into the inner sect.
• Huai Liangxing offered both pits but challenged Fang Shu to a contest, asking for another year if he won; Fang Shu accepted a duel decided by magic power.
• Huai Liangxing attacked with his Five-Poison Soul-Eroding Sand Curse, while Fang Shu revealed his fifth-tribulation cultivation and fought back with spells and Gu insects.
• Fang Shu used his banner to form the Yin-Yang Twin-Worm Locking Formation, trapping Huai Liangxing and overwhelming him with Yin-Yang Desire Fire.
• Fang Shu pierced Huai Liangxing’s skull with the banner pole and let the formation’s fire consume him, while the other disciples stood stunned.

Fang Shu killed Huai Liangxing during their Dao contest, then defended himself by presenting evidence that Huai Liangxing may have hired assassins and colluded with an outside sect. Immortal Long Gu let the matter end as an accident, gave Fang Shu Huai Liangxing’s Gu pit, and confined him to the mountain for a year; afterward, Fang Shu discovered encrypted content in Huai Liangxing’s notebook suggesting he had deliberately damaged his cultivation.

• Fang Shu killed Huai Liangxing in the Dao contest and apologized to Immortal Long Gu, who criticized his claim that the killing had been accidental.
• Fang Shu presented a recording of Deng Lixing’s dying testimony and explained the ambush and suspected ties to Withered Bone Abbey, turning Huai Liangxing from an aggrieved duelist into a suspected conspirator.
• Immortal Long Gu ended the matter as an accidental death in a Dao contest, awarded Fang Shu the Yin-Yang Gu pit, and confined him to the mountain for one year.
• Hao Junliang explained that Fang Shu could not claim Huai Liangxing’s corpse or estate, but secretly lent him Huai Liangxing’s cultivation notebook.
• Fang Shu analyzed the notebook and discovered encrypted content connected to the Life-and-Death Yin-Yang Lesser Bliss Rhapsody, leading him to suspect Huai Liangxing had deliberately damaged his cultivation.

After deciphering Huai Liangxing’s notebook, Fang Shu learned that temple disciples were cultivated as resources, but he refused to let the revelation shake him. Immortal Long Gu summoned him, accepted him as a disciple, and bestowed a Killing Intent method, while hinting at Huai Liangxing’s death.

• Fang Shu pieced together Huai Liangxing’s coded writings and concluded that disciples in the Five Viscera Temple were treated as materials for cultivation and harvesting.
• Fang Shu studied Huai Liangxing’s gu techniques and formulas in his cave until the Venom Hall urgently summoned him.
• Immortal Long Gu questioned Fang Shu about the notebook, and he handed it over rather than pretending he had found nothing.
• Long Gu restored her appearance, assured Fang Shu she did not intend to harvest him before he reached Foundation Establishment, and accepted him as her disciple.
• Long Gu gave Fang Shu the Six Desires Baleful Method, a modified secret technique for merging up to six kinds of Killing Intent.
• After Fang Shu left, Long Gu gathered Huai Liangxing’s notebook pages and remarked that he had died at his own brother’s hands with his corpse intact.

Fang Shu studied his cultivation methods, gathered allies from Guling Town, and took control of the Yin-Label and Yang-Label Gu Pits. After removing former workers who had harassed him and reorganizing both pits, he left their old illicit side dealings alone and began earning far more Dao merits.

• Fang Shu reviewed Long Gu’s promise not to act against him before foundation establishment, then studied her baleful-condensing method and the Sixth Calamity.
• Fang Shu restored his Long-Tongue Sword and decided to seek another artifact for his Object-Driving Technique later.
• Fang Shu gathered Fang Lu, Lu Renjia, other friends, and disciples from Guling Town to help staff the two gu pits.
• Fang Shu killed several familiar servants at the Yin-Label Gu Pit, then had his allies take over its staff and inspect its arrangements.
• Fang Shu took control of the Yang-Label Gu Pit as well and uncovered old schemes involving supplies and gu insects, but chose not to pursue them.
• Fang Shu organized both pits, received more assignments from Long Gu, and began earning roughly one hundred Dao merits a year.

Fang Shu pursued Dao merits by secretly developing a Gu-refined Dao soldier method, while continuing to refine Poison-Sand Centipedes. After he refused Er Daiyang’s request to use his Gu pit, the Er Family began to retaliate.

• Fang Shu learned that he needed far more Dao merits to secure inner disciple status and investigated the Scripture Hall’s contribution tasks.
• Hao Junliang explained the protections and limitations of contributing cultivation methods, and Fang Shu chose to work on a Qi Refinement-level Dao soldier method.
• Fang Shu studied damaged manuals and human-body chain-form methods, then researched Gu-refined Dao soldiers in secret while consolidating his True Qi.
• Fang Shu refined Four-Tribulation Poison-Sand Centipedes designed to replace a living body’s spine and develop into spirit roots.
• Fang Shu dismissed Er Daiyang’s repeated visits and refused her request to open the Gu pit’s Yin Qi source for Pei to condense Killing Intent.
• Several days later, the Er Family retaliated against Fang Shu.

Er Daiyuan failed to persuade the Er Family head to restore Fang Shu’s benefits, so Fang Shu returned his Immortal Seed Token and ended the contract. As the inner sect competition grew more intense, Fang Shu secluded himself for a month, then emerged with barely contained anticipation.

• Er Daiyuan confronted the Er Family head over the family’s treatment of Fang Shu, but the head dismissed her and used a spell to send her away.
• Fang Shu reassured Er Daiyuan that the gu pits could obtain supplies through the Venom Hall, then gave her his Immortal Seed Token and declared the contract over.
• Er Daiyuan delivered Fang Shu’s token to the Er Family head, who angrily demanded the contract; she and Er Daiyang realized it contained no binding terms beyond a future bloodline if the parties remained on good terms.
• The Gambling Hall’s public rankings and the approaching competition stirred the temple’s disciples, while Fang Shu withdrew into seclusion at his gu pit.
• After nearly a month in seclusion, Fang Shu emerged looking intensely eager and excited.

Fang Shu tested his gu-refining method on two servants and successfully created a female dao soldier, completing a formula that could let the Venom Hall refine dao soldiers. As he took his findings to Immortal Long Gu, Pei Zhongshan rose into the top three of the Five Viscera Temple’s merit rankings.

• Fang Shu used Poison-Sand Centipedes to test his gu-refining method on an elderly man and a young woman from the Solitary Gu Hall.
• Five days later, the woman emerged as a qi-refining dao soldier, while the elderly man’s transformation failed and left him with at most ten years to live.
• Fang Shu gave the elderly servant a pill and a letter to Hao Junliang so he could safely leave the mountain, then examined the woman and confirmed the gu insect had replaced her spine.
• Fang Shu concluded that his dao-soldier formula was perfected, wrote down the process, and hurried to the Venom Hall with the female dao soldier to meet Immortal Long Gu.
• Pei Zhongshan reached 304 dao merit and rose into the top three, prompting members of the Er Family to celebrate his prospects in the inner sect struggle.

Fang Shu presented Long Gu with his Gu-Refined Dao Soldier method and earned enough Dao merit to secure a strong chance of entering the inner sect. His sudden rise on the Gambling Hall rankings drew attention across the temple, including the alarmed head of the Er Family.

• Long Gu examined Fang Shu's servant Dao Soldier and praised his Gu-Refined Dao Soldier method, which Fang Shu had developed using Senior Brother Huai's notes.
• Fang Shu asked to contribute the method in exchange for Dao merit so he could enter the inner sect, and Long Gu awarded him two hundred Dao merit.
• Fang Shu saw his remaining balance rise to two hundred and forty-three Dao merit, thanked Long Gu, and discussed the method's arrangements with Hao Junliang.
• Fang Shu's name climbed to third place on the Gambling Hall rankings, prompting temple disciples and immortals to question the sudden increase.
• The Scripture Hall recognized Fang Shu's contributed secret art, confirming his Dao merit award and quieting suspicions that Long Gu had broken the rules.
• The head of the Er Family stared anxiously at the new Gambling Hall list, unsettled by Fang Shu's name.

After Fang Shu surged into third place in the inner sect rankings, the Er Family and Pei Zhongshan tried to repair their ties with him, while Er Daiyuan investigated his rise. Fang Shu stayed in seclusion to master Killing Intent, and a month later he was ready to transform his true qi once he obtained the Six Viscera Nurturing Baleful Method.

• The Er Family head ordered Er Daiyang and Er Daiyuan to apologize to Fang Shu and offer reparations after learning he had earned two hundred Dao merits.
• Er Daiyang told Pei Zhongshan that Fang Shu had risen above him in the rankings, and Pei Zhongshan asked her to make peace with Fang Shu while privately blaming the Er Family for their dispute.
• Er Daiyuan saw Fang Shu ranked third with 314 merits and heard disciples discuss how the top ranks reflected power, wealth, and talent.
• Er Daiyuan went to Venom Hall to question Fang Shu but found both venomous insect pits sealed and could not reach him.
• Fang Shu remained in seclusion, overseeing the pits while practicing Killing Intent, and after a month he had mastered its nature and prepared to transform his true qi once he obtained the Six Viscera Nurturing Baleful Method.

Fang Shu held onto third place in the inner sect selection and joined the eight other successful disciples as they ascended to the Five Viscera Temple. Inside, the nine newcomers found their powers suppressed and were greeted by strange, beast-headed statues that called them newly ripened fruit.

• Fang Shu sealed away the Killing Intent in the venom pit rather than refining it before the competition ended.
• Fang Shu learned that his 349 Dao Merits kept him in third place, ahead of Pei Zhongshan's 336, as the final bell announced the selection results.
• The Household Hall posted the nine new inner sect disciples, including Fang Shu, Pei Zhongshan, and Black Mouse.
• Fang Shu and the other newly promoted disciples ascended the Azure Cloud Ladder to the mountain summit while their acquaintances watched them depart.
• The nine entered the Five Viscera Temple, where their powers were suppressed and beast-headed statues spoke of them as newly ripened fruit.

Fang Shu and eight others were promoted to inner disciples of the Five Viscera Temple, where they received its baleful-nurturing method and cultivated in its dense spiritual qi. After combining the temple’s method with Immortal Long Gu’s teachings, Fang Shu refined Unattainable Baleful Qi into his true qi and withdrew to cultivate, while the other new disciples pursued their own affairs.

• Immortal Deer Cart promoted Fang Shu and the other eight disciples to the inner sect and sent their tokens the temple’s baleful-nurturing method and other teachings.
• The nine lingered outside the Five Viscera Temple for nearly half a month to cultivate before a Foundation Establishment immortal swept them off the mountain.
• The nine attended a banquet at the Jin Family hall, and Fang Shu returned to his cave abode to purge the wine from his body.
• Fang Shu discovered that his magical power had reached Thirty-Three Toads and that his true qi had become yin-yang true Sha after he refined Unattainable Baleful Qi.
• Fang Shu combined the Six Desires Baleful Method with the temple’s original method, then decided to cultivate in seclusion while considering how he might obtain more Killing Intent.
• Black Mouse killed servants and an outer disciple at Beast Hall, Pei Zhongshan killed a maid, and Fang Shu kept a low profile and continued cultivating.

Fang Shu celebrated the tenth anniversary of his arrival at the mountain with Fang Lu, who praised his mastery of Peach Blossom Baleful Qi and discussed his cultivation. At year’s end, Long Gu revealed that the Five Viscera Temple was preparing for a battle with Withered Bone Abbey and ordered Fang Shu and Hao Junliang to decide whether to descend the mountain or risk their lives.

• Fang Lu surprised Fang Shu with longevity noodles to mark the anniversary of his arrival at the mountain, which he had reached at age twenty.
• Fang Shu demonstrated his Peach Blossom Baleful Qi, and Fang Lu confirmed that he had mastered it; he also told her his true qi had grown from thirty-four toads to forty.
• Fang Lu discussed the need to refine more Killing Intents and asked whether Fang Shu planned to descend the mountain to seek one, and he said he was considering it.
• Fang Shu returned to his cave dwelling and decided not to rush into descending the mountain, considering other ways to obtain a suitable Killing Intent.
• Long Gu told Fang Shu and Hao Junliang that the Five Viscera Temple planned to fight Withered Bone Abbey for earth veins and more Foundation Establishment opportunities, and ordered them to descend the mountain or prepare to risk their lives.

Fang Shu prepared to leave the Five Viscera Temple after learning that its war with the Withered Bone Abbey would make Qi Refinement disciples targets, while Hao Junliang explained that Foundation Establishment required an earth vein. Fang Shu escaped before the mountain gate was sealed, but Er Daiyuan and other disciples were trapped inside when the temple raised its formation half a day later.

• Hao Junliang told Fang Shu to descend the mountain and explained how Earth Immortals relied on earth veins to achieve Foundation Establishment.
• Fang Shu gathered supplies from his Gu pits, warned their workers to hold their positions, and entrusted Fang Lu with managing the pits because she could not leave the mountain as an outer sect disciple.
• Fang Shu sealed his cave abode, spent his Dao merits on resources and incomplete Astral Refinement arts, and prepared enough provisions for years of cultivation.
• Fang Shu sent messages to friends and Er Daiyuan, then left the temple without obstruction when she failed to meet him.
• Half a day later, Er Daiyuan hurried to the mountain gate after reading Fang Shu's letter but found the formation raised; Pei Zhongshan and other disciples were also trapped inside as news of the war spread.