The Cave Abode's Secret, the Demon Lands' Sights

---- Huangpi Circuit, Si Prefecture, Chenjiang County

Si Prefecture was, after all, under the jurisdiction of the Cloud Marsh Shaman Venerable Hall, the lord of the northern border of Huangpi Circuit. In terms of strength, this place could not match the "Three Administrations" under the jurisdiction of the Star-Picking Pavilion, but it was not easy to deal with either.

As Golden Core cultivator, Kang Dabao's arrival without prior notice is indeed a violation of the rules.

Therefore, when Sect Leader Kang Da and his entourage arrived with Kang Xiangyi, they remained stealthy and discreet throughout the entire process.

Chen Jiang was accompanied by no one except for a group of key figures from the Chongming Sect on this trip.

After all, given Kang Dabao's personality, he would never share the spoils of such a lucrative task as exploring cave abode and searching for treasure with outsiders unless absolutely necessary.

At his insistence, Kang Xiangyi did not even inform his family that he had returned.

Urged on by Kang Dabao, he led Chongming Sect and his entourage directly to the cave abode that was said to have been left by the Chenjiang Kang Clan, the previous two heads of the Kang family of Kang Changping.

Upon closer inspection, Sect Leader Kang Da realized that this was indeed a Daoist practice site chosen by Golden Core cultivator, and that the sect leader had his own methods.

An ordinary person, unless deliberately looking closely, would only think that this place is desolate and remote, with nothing worth mentioning. However, Kang Dabao's Delusion-Breaking Golden Eyes had reached perfection, so how could he not see through the Third Tier illusion array in front of him?

After landing, he didn't even need the old cultivator Kang Xiangyi to lead the way; he simply chose a place to escape. To the onlookers, it seemed as if he was just casually drawing a few lines in the air. A moment later, there was a soft sound all around, like a chicken egg hatching.

After the soft sound subsided, the remaining cultivators felt as if the scenery had changed completely. The mountains and rivers were all unrecognizable, with only a huge cave entrance running through the entire mountain and lying in front of them.

Upon seeing this, Kang Xiangyi had just prepared an exquisite jade talisman and was holding it in his hand, looked slightly embarrassed.

Their Kang Changping, died a violent death while away from home, so the Chenjiang Kang Clan never received a single word of explanation. As for the scandals such as internal strife and family division, they were nothing new. It was only natural that their vitality was severely damaged and people were filled with anxiety.

Therefore, Kang Xiangyi, this successor, did not know how much effort and resources he had spent to refine the jade talisman that could break the illusion array.

Seeing that Sect Leader Kang Da had broken it so easily, the old cultivator was naturally surprised again.

"It seems that this Ancestor Da Bao is indeed more capable than I previously thought."

Even though Kang Xiangyi was well aware of this before, it was true that the ancestral cave abode left by the Chenjiang Kang Clan was indeed very precious to them.

However, if they are truly ungrateful and unwilling to share even the slightest benefit, and cannot resolve the current crisis of the Fire Gang Sect, then even if Kang Changping left behind a Nascent Soul spirit in his cave abode before his death, it would all be in vain for the Chenjiang Kang Clan, which is about to be uprooted.

At least for now, exchanging this cave abode, which the Chenjiang Kang Clan had been unable to enter for hundreds of years, for the opportunity to merge with the Double Brightness Kang Household and gain the protection of the Sect Leader Kang Da seems like a worthwhile deal.

His trusted clan members had recently sent him messages. They said that since the Chongming Sect Talisman fell upon the Fire Gang Sect, the arrogance his family had shown due to the emergence of a superior cultivator had vanished completely.

Even the mines and Spirit Vein that they had previously seized from the Chenjiang Kang Clan's family, the Fire Gang Sect handed over intact.

The tense atmosphere between the two cultivators vanished in a single day. Even the vassal forces that had abandoned the Chenjiang Kang Clan in recent years and switched their allegiance to him changed their attitude to indifference, and petitions were sent from time to time.

And it goes without saying who deserves all this credit.

Although Kang Dabao has only recently achieved the Golden Core stage, he already possesses four genuine Golden Core heads, an achievement that many cultivators struggle to attain even after years of dedicated practice.

Therefore, while the cultivator from the Fire Gang Sect wouldn't immediately kneel down and worship after obtaining the talisman, it wasn't difficult for him to make the decision to temporarily abandon his dispute with the Chenjiang Kang Clan and seek some meat elsewhere.

Kang Xiangyi had never had any lofty ambitions, and he knew that he was lacking in both talent and ability.

After consuming most of the clan's resources, he could only achieve False Core, which was in line with his wishes. After all, since he saw that insurmountable barrier when he reached the Foundation Establishment Late Stage, he had never had the slightest thought of seeking to achieve a Golden Core.

Kang Xiangyi would have been content if he had just managed to keep the family business afloat.

Unexpectedly, he has now managed to attach himself to a so-called fellow cultivator. Although this is not enough to inspire any great ambitions in him, at least he will not be as timid and hesitant in his actions as before.

Sect Leader Kang Da led the disciples to the entrance of the cave abode, where he saw Kang Xiangyi finally come to her senses and follow. He then gave her a wink, signaling her to use the jade token to restart the illusion array and isolate the inside from the outside before turning his gaze back to the cave entrance.

But after Kang Dabao turned his gaze back and scrutinized the situation for a long time with a gleam in his eyes, he still found nothing.

This was to be expected. If the array and restrictions of this cave abode were not intact, the Chenjiang Kang Clan would not have been able to guard their Baoshan for hundreds of years and fall to the point of being bullied by their vassals.

The outer formation is quite ingenious. It's already quite remarkable that Kang Xiangyi was able to break through the outermost illusionary formation with her current False Core power.

This place is still under the jurisdiction of the Cloud Marsh Shaman Venerable Hall, so Sect Leader Kang Da naturally doesn't want to delay and risk any unforeseen complications.

Having received instructions from the former, Jiang Qing held his spirit sword and silently recited an incantation. A sharp sword light suddenly shot out, its target being the entrance to the cave abode.

To be honest, if we exclude Sect Leader Kang Da himself, Third Master Jiang can indeed be considered the only person in the history of the Chongming Sect who has surpassed all others.

He had created his own Swordsmanship some time ago, but he was ambitious and had high aspirations, so he had only made some progress before. However, since Lian Xuepu returned to the sect and taught the Heaven-Rending Sword Sect the principles of sword cultivation, Third Master Jiang, who had received excellent guidance, has made gratifying progress.

Otherwise, he wouldn't have been able to so casually and preemptively kill those two skilled False Core cultivators before Yuan Buwen.

However, this sword light, which was powerful enough to frighten the minds of ordinary Pill Master, failed to achieve its intended effect.

Before they even reached the entrance of the cave abode, they were completely obliterated by the protective array's mystical light, scattering into specks of light, which astonished all the cultivators present.

Hearing the whispers around him, Jiang Qing showed no unusual expression, but he also had no intention of launching another sword strike. This protective formation was clearly a Golden Core technique, which he was not capable of breaking at his current level, so it was better to conserve his energy.

Kang Dabao had only asked Jiang Qing to take action as a test, and he was not surprised that Jiang Qing had not succeeded.

He switched places with Jiang Qing and stood alone before the cave entrance. Suddenly, the Slaughter and Extermination in his hand flashed with light, and a large burst of black flame mixed with bright halberd light rushed towards the cave entrance.

Through the power of the jade pendant, the halberd technique "The Halberd Master's Teachings of the Wood Palace Star Lord" has made remarkable progress, surpassing even the nearly sixty years of arduous cultivation of Yuan Buwen, an old cultivator. Even among those at the Golden Core level, it can be considered a formidable Cultivation Method.

However, the array outside the cave entrance was quite impressive. Even under such immense pressure, the array's protective barrier only rippled slightly before returning to normal.

Upon seeing this, Sect Leader Kang Da was surprised and frowned. After all, according to what Kang Xiangyi had said before, his Kang Changping was only Lower-Grade Golden Core and his cultivation was only at the middle stage.

Judging from the current situation, the protective formation of the cave is at least Third-Tier Upper-Grade.

Even if Kang Changping was once Third Tier Alchemist, and the protective range of this formation is not large, it is still unreasonable for him to be willing to use Kang Changping here.

Kang Dabao casually beckoned, "Xiangyi, come here."

Kang Xiangyi was left at the end and was in a state of unease, had just seen that even the powerful Sect Leader Kang Da) had difficulty breaking through his grandfather's methods. He was torn Celestial Person joy and sorrow, not knowing whether to be happy or sad.

Suddenly, he heard the new patriarch summoning him from the front. He dared not delay and hurriedly rushed forward, bowing deeply in greeting:

"Ancestor,"

Kang Dabao glanced at him and asked in a low voice, "Well, after you guys studied and broke the illusion array outside, did you ever test the entrance to this cave abode?! So many years have passed, has anything changed?"

After hearing the voice, Kang Xiangyi pondered for a long time before respectfully replying, "Reporting to the Ancestor, I came here once more than a hundred years ago with my elders, but we failed to break this formation."

After obtaining the False Core, I led the men of my household to try again, but we still couldn't break the formation. Therefore, in my humble opinion, the formation remains unchanged.

"No change." Kang Dabao murmured a few times, his astonishment deepening. "Kang Changping really spared such a huge investment, and the formation he set up can remain intact for two or three hundred years without anyone maintaining it?!"

Upon hearing this, he did not rush to test the Delusion-Breaking Golden Eyes and the Eight Wastelands Suppress the Mountain- Suppressing Technique again. Instead, he used his spiritual eyes to carefully examine the array base in front of him.

In terms of array formations, Kang Dabao is merely a novice. Although he is Golden Core, when it comes to the essence of array formations, he is probably far inferior to even the likes of Wei Gu, who has only just become Second Tier array master.

However, the Delusion-Breaking Golden Eyes had a wonderful use. After the Sect Leader Kang Da carefully scanned the array base buried in the mountains and connected to the earth's veins, he discovered something strange about it.

Kang Dabao's divine eyes discerned that the spiritual light in several corners of the array base was slightly brighter than in other areas, almost imperceptibly!

This quickly caught the attention of Sect Leader Kang Da: "Something's not right. Has this array foundation been repaired?! Is it that Kang Changping is actually still alive, or has this place changed hands?!"

Kang Dabao suddenly became wary, and his gaze toward Kang Xiangyi held a hint of suspicion.

Even someone as shrewd as Sect Leader Kang Da could hardly predict whether the current changes were due to the latter's genuine ignorance or a deliberate attempt to lure him in and orchestrate a scheme to use one enemy against another.

However, with his methods and the combined strength of the sect's core members, this formation is not insurmountable. It's just that it will likely take years, which contradicts Sect Leader Kang Da's previous plan for a quick in-and-out operation.

Not to mention the Cloud Marsh Shaman Venerable Hall nearby, even if the owner of this place returned midway, he would probably be difficult to deal with. But if Kang Dabao really had to return empty-handed, that wouldn't be in his style.

After all, this cave abode was indeed left behind by Kang Changping before his death. Now, Kang Dabao can be considered the only Golden Core Ancestor of the Chenjiang Kang Clan. Unless Kang Changping really comes back, no one has any reason to compete with him for the ownership of this cave abode dwelling.

After pondering for a while, Sect Leader Kang Da quickly came up with another idea. He then spoke to Kang Rongquan behind him, saying, "Rongquan, take your fellow disciples back to the sect. Be careful not to reveal yourselves on the way, lest you be seen by someone with ulterior motives. Leave the matters here to me and Third."

After receiving the order, even though it was Kang Dabao's single word that made their hard work go to waste and their chances lost, Kang Rongquan did not show the slightest regret on his face. He then led his fellow disciples, who were equally obedient, back home.

In just a few breaths, only Sect Leader Kang Da, Third Master Jiang, and Kang Xiangyi remained in front of the cave entrance. Jiang Qing had always followed Kang Dabao's lead since childhood, so he didn't notice anything amiss and trusted him to the point of never questioning him.

But Kang Xiangyi, this old cultivator, was different. After seeing this, he felt uneasy again.

That's understandable. He and Sect Leader Kang Da are nominally grandfather and grandson, so they should be close, but in reality, they are like a stick trying to catch a wolf, wary of both sides.

With no one to check and balance him, Kang Xiangyi, due to his meager abilities, was naturally more uneasy. To make matters worse, the Sect Leader Kang Da remained silent and offered no explanation, which made him even more anxious. After a long while, he finally mustered his courage and asked, "Ancestor, what's going on here?"

"I cannot break this formation in a short time, and the younger generation is useless here. Do not rush, allow me to call a few friends over."

"Friend?"

Tengwen Prefecture and Star-Picking Pavilion

This was Daoist Peng's first time entering this Nascent Soul sect, but he didn't get to look around much before Xiang Tianxing assigned him a quiet room to recuperate and didn't allow him to leave.

It wasn't until more than a month later, when his injuries hadn't fully healed but at least didn't look as terrible from the outside, that Xiang Tianxing came to find him for the first time.

"Sect Leader Xiang?"

"I have already paid my respects to the True Person and received his permission. Shall we set off now?"

"Yes," Daoist Peng replied, feeling a little regretful. He hadn't expected to not even get to see Bai Canhong this time. It seemed that he, Daoist Peng, wasn't particularly important to Bai Canhong.

If keeping him around is useful now, then even if he's discarded like trash after he's done his job as a go-between for Xiang Tianxing, it won't be surprising.

Xiang Tianxing had no interest in what the Daoist was thinking. After hearing Daoist Peng's response, he immediately took the latter and urged the flying boat to leave the territory of the Star-Picking Pavilion sect.

When Daoist Peng arrived, he only caught a fleeting glimpse of this powerful Nascent Soul sect, which commanded respect across several realms. He left without even seeing its entirety, and was feeling a pang of regret when he suddenly heard Xiang Tianxing, who was steering the boat ahead, speak:

"Fellow Daoist, thank you for leading the way."

Daoist Peng spoke with utmost respect, his withered head tilting slightly forward as he spoke, "Yes, Sect Leader Xiang, rest assured, I am already intimately familiar with all the methods, and I will certainly not fail Sect Leader Xiang's trust."

That's good.

After Xiang Tianxing, Daoist Peng went to the bow of the boat and pointed out the direction to him.

For most cultivators with low cultivation levels, the so-called Cold Crow Mountain Range actually only refer to a part of the mountains and forests within the Demon-Suppressing Barrier established by the Great Ancestor.

Compared to the vast demon lands outside the barrier, the number of Demon Beast inside the barrier is much sparser than before. The Third Tier Demon Officer are even less noteworthy, and they are more or less related to the Demon Lieutenant outside the barrier.

Even though these Demon Lieutenant are currently restricted from entering the barrier, who can say for sure what the future holds?

Therefore, unless absolutely necessary, the high-ranking human cultivators would not covet the spiritual materials scattered across them, lest they invite some deadly trouble.

Fei Tianqin, who seized the Spirit Vein at Bearfall Peak back then, can be considered an exception, but it was only after selecting many Demon Officer that it finally decided to target an old bear with no background.

This was because, although it did not belong to the Li Mountain Lineage, it was still a member of the Demon Race, which prevented the surrounding Demon Officer from attacking it.

Of course, this was also thanks to the old bird's first-rate skills below the Nascent Soul Nascent Soul, which made those newly Spirit Awakening Third Tier Demon Officer wisely dispel their resentment.

When the Demon-Suppressing Barrier was first established, it was difficult for even Foundation Establishment True Cultivator and ignorant demon Demon Beast to pass through, let alone Demon Officer and advanced cultivators. After all, it had not been repaired or maintained for nearly two thousand years, and its effectiveness had long since diminished.

For at least a hundred years, Daoist Peng, who had befriended many Demon Officer within the barrier through a series of fortuitous encounters, was able to enter and exit the barrier repeatedly while still in his Golden Core form.

However, this was not without limitations. Daoist Peng led Xiang Tianxing in a flying boat across a vast river that stretched for thousands of miles. They killed several Second Tier giant turtles within the river, and used turtle tendons to string the turtle beads together, thus preserving their spiritual essence.

Following the complex watercourses of the river, they arrived at an abandoned water palace at the bottom of the river. The two waited for several months before they finally saw the "unpredictable, causally arising" fine cracks that Daoist Peng had described as floating on the barrier.

At this moment, Daoist Peng naturally took the lead, Xiang Tianxing, though not lacking in courage, only lagged half a step behind the former, even though it was his first time experiencing this.

Upon entering the barrier, Xiang Tianxing felt the soaring demonic Yao Qi about to cause his qi circulation to stagnate. However, after Daoist Peng entered, he seemed to adapt to the situation within just a few breaths, and even seemed to be quite at ease.

Inside and outside the barrier were the bottom of a great river, but this place was not as peaceful as the area around the abandoned water mansion. Several giant fish with sharp teeth, whose origins even Xiang Tianxing could not recall, were covered in scales and were extremely ugly. They opened their huge mouths filled with sharp teeth and pounced on the villains.

Xiang Tianxing looked disdainful. He could kill those brainless Second Tier Demon Beast in an instant, but Daoist Peng beat him to it, picking off the turtle pearls he had just obtained and scattering them over.

Upon seeing this creature, the enormous, foolish creatures ahead unanimously abandoned the two and began to fight over it. In an instant, the surrounding river water was stained crimson with blood, causing Xiang Tianxing to look displeased.

He was about to question Daoist Peng about his intentions when he heard the latter suddenly shout loudly, "Mo Yu, the Demon Officer, doesn't come out soon, all these turtle pearls that we managed to bring in will be devoured by your men!"

No sooner had these words been spoken than Xiang Tianxing saw a giant man with a fish head and a human body, covered in black scales, wielding a fork, stepping on a large, robust fish with sharp teeth, breaking through the walls of water and walking towards them.

Although it was a fish head, Xiang Tianxing could easily detect a hint of Buse on its face.

After giving Xiang Tianxing a careful look, the giant's eyes flashed with horror, and he exclaimed, "You surnamed Peng, are you really not afraid of being punished by the Demon Lieutenant?!"

Daoist Peng's expression remained unchanged. With a flick of his halberd finger, he pushed aside the swimming fish in front of him. The moment his eyes met those of the giant fish-headed man, the imposing aura of a peak cultivator forced the latter's gaze to soften, and his tone weakened. "What use is it for Fellow Daoist Peng to scare me? Even if I am useless, how can you explain this to the Demon Lieutenant?"

"I will handle things with Demon Lieutenant myself; you don't need to worry about Demon Officer Mo Yu."

As Daoist Peng spoke, he tossed over all the remaining turtle pearls he had. A flash of joy crossed the fish-headed giant's eyes, but he didn't budge. As he turned away, he muttered in a low voice, "Trying to fool me with these worthless things. Who doesn't know that when you passed by Old Xiong's place last time, you gave him a Golden Core Elixir Liver and Intestine?"

Fortunately, after speaking out, the giant fish-headed creature did not cause any more trouble. Still resentful, it stabbed the most mischievous, toothed giant fish with its steel fork, turning it into a bloody mess. Then it turned around and led the way.

The two followed him out of the river. As soon as Xiang Tianxing emerged from the water, he saw a fence along the riverbank with several layers of restrictions casually affixed, enclosing hundreds and thousands of naked "livestock" inside.

"Human sacrifice?" Xiang Tianxing's tone was chilling, and the short halberd in his hand flashed with a sharp light, startling the giant fish-headed man in front of him, who almost cried out in alarm.

"Sect Leader Xiang," Daoist Peng called out softly as he approached.

Xiang Tianxing was one of the most prominent figures in the Nascent Soul sect of the Star-Picking Pavilion, and the scene before him was not unfamiliar to him, having been recorded in many of the classic texts he had read.

Therefore, after only an initial moment of distraction, he quickly regained his composure and whispered to the Daoist Peng beside him:

"Relax, I know this scene is deliberately arranged by that stinking fish, so I won't panic. Hurry up and act, these hairy, horned beasts, I'll take their lives with my spear sooner or later!"