White Bone Cavern

Shen Ji glanced up at the sky and said, "Senior Brother Xie, there's no time to lose. Let's hurry and follow the luminous phosphorus and the Tracking Spell to White Bone Cavern."

Xie Lingchuan nodded.

Besides Liu Er, two others had argued their case insistently and demanded to come along to find Xiuzhi.

At first, Shen Ji had warned them of the danger. Instead of appreciating it, they had spoken outrageously, still convinced that the group was bullying a good demon.

In the end, Shen Ji had merely smiled and said nothing more.

The group followed the scattered specks of luminous phosphorus on the ground without trouble, but bringing several villagers along slowed their progress far too much.

"Once daylight comes, we won't be able to see the luminous phosphorus. If it rains too, won't all our efforts go to waste?" Song Wensheng lamented, looking at the gray clouds.

"You and your crow's mouth! We've been walking so long, we might find it any moment. Have faith in Senior Brother Xie!" Jiang Tingxue glanced toward Xie Lingchuan, then muttered, "Still, honestly, they just had to follow us somewhere like this. Otherwise, we might have already wiped out that moth demon's lair."

The Tracking Spell Xie Lingchuan had cast earlier had now stopped working completely. They could only rely on the luminous phosphorus to find their way.

After they crossed another small hill, a deep, shadowy gorge suddenly appeared before them.

Xie Lingchuan formed hand seals with both hands, and several ink-black, rune-like characters returned from the distance to his palm.

"This is where the Tracking Spell stopped working. White Bone Cavern should be just beyond this gorge."

Shen Ji peered into the narrow cleft between the mountains, which gave off an eerie chill, then turned to caution the others. "We still don't know how dangerous White Bone Cavern is. Wensheng, Tingxue, Yan Qing, stay close. Don't get lost."

"Understood, Senior Brother. We promise to keep our eyes fixed on you! I only feel safe following you."

Zhu Lianqing toyed with a stalk of foxtail grass she had casually plucked by the roadside, following close behind Xie Lingchuan without falling a single step behind.

She couldn't make moves freely now, so it was better to follow her young disciple to stay alive. If danger struck, that group of four from the same sect might not be able to spare her any attention.

Just as they reached the gorge entrance, a gust of sinister wind rushed at them. Despite cultivators' strong physiques, the juniors couldn't help breaking out in goosebumps.

The villagers who had insisted on coming along went weak at the knees and dropped straight to the ground.

"There must be monsters in there... I... I'm not going!"

Song Wensheng said irritably, "Yes, isn't that what we're here to find? You've been calling for Xiuzhi the whole way. I've heard it so much my ears are growing calluses. Now she's right ahead of us. How can you not go in and look?"

"Xiuzhi isn't a monster! I think you brought us here on purpose! Why would Xiuzhi be somewhere like this? I want to go back!"

"You want to leave? Too late." Xie Lingchuan curled his fingers, and the ropes of spiritual energy attached to the villagers yanked those trying to flee back.

Those who fell to the ground cried angrily, "You actually cast spells on mortals! What have you tied around us?"

"Stop making baseless accusations against Senior Brother Xie! Those are there to protect you. Otherwise, with all the dangerous cliffs we passed earlier, you'd have fallen to your deaths without even knowing how!"

Xie Lingchuan swept his gaze over them and said coldly, "Since you insisted on coming, I advise you all to stay close. Out here in the wild mountains, those demons are far more dangerous than cliffs."

Just then, a powerful gust of sinister wind swept out of the gorge. The chill in their hearts deepened, and none dared mention going back again, afraid these cultivators would abandon them.

Only Liu Er puffed out his chest. "I'm not afraid. I came to find Xiuzhi. Until I see her, I absolutely won't go back!"

Shen Ji glanced at him and said with a faint smile, "Then let's go."

They split into two groups. Xie Lingchuan led Zhu Lianqing and the villagers along the right side, while Shen Ji led his junior brothers and sister.

The farther they went into the gorge, the stronger the yin energy grew.

The gorge was long. By the time they finally saw a moss-covered cave entrance, dawn had broken.

"This is White Bone Cavern?"

Zhu Lianqing nodded. She had wiped out several ghoul and moth demon lairs before. Judging by its dark, damp exterior, this was undoubtedly White Bone Cavern.

Xie Lingchuan stopped Song Wensheng from approaching. "Careful. Caves like this usually have formations at their entrances."

He glanced at Shen Ji, who nodded in understanding. The two used their lightness skills to fly over and thrust their swords into the open ground before the cave entrance.

Standing at opposite corners, they formed seals and chanted incantations. The two swords began trembling and humming almost simultaneously, then spun rapidly clockwise, forcing a blood-colored shadow out of the center of the rotating sword formation.

At the sight, Xie Lingchuan drew his sword and thrust it at the bloody shadow, his movements flowing like clouds and running water.

The bloody shadow burst into a cloud of blood mist under his strike and settled on the ground. Any moss it touched withered at a speed visible to the naked eye.

At the same time, a previously invisible barrier at the cave entrance shattered like glass and fell away.

Zhu Lianqing watched the entire process from behind, not forgetting to nod in approval.

Very good. This was part of the Luoyu Sword Sect's advanced curriculum, an advanced formation-breaking method. Back then, she'd only had time to teach Xie Lingchuan the basic version. To think he'd already figured out the advanced version himself.

The formation there had been a Soul-Seizing Formation. That bloody shadow was its core, a living Soul-Seizing Monster.

This formation was difficult to detect. If someone walked into it unaware, their three souls and five spirits would immediately be sucked dry. Even if the Heavenly King himself came, reincarnation would be their only option.

"Senior Brother Xie, you're amazing! When can we learn this formation-breaking spell?"

Shen Ji thought for a moment and said, "You were originally supposed to learn it at the start of this spring."

Jiang Tingxue said, "The start of this spring? Did something delay it?"

Shen Ji glanced at Xie Lingchuan and shook his head. "Nothing much. It's just that Martial Aunt Zhu created this formation, so lessons on it were suspended. But you've already learned other formation-breaking methods."

Song Wensheng and Jiang Tingxue both shook their heads. "But they're so hard. That long incantation is so difficult to memorize, and the cultivation requirements are so high. Martial Aunt's method looks simple and useful."

Shen Ji said, "Naturally. After all, it's a formation-breaking method improved by Martial Aunt Zhu. But if you diligently practice the methods you've learned, practice will make perfect all the same."

Martial Aunt Zhu herself, mentioned yet again, rubbed her nose and followed everyone into the cavern without a word.

The instant they stepped into the cavern, everyone was stunned by the sight before them.