The Eyes in the Shadows

"This is Soul Leaving the Body to explore the dungeon—" Lin Xu glanced at it and understood.

Once Soul Refining Daoist reaches level 7, they enter the Object Manipulation Realm. At this level, a cultivator's Soul Leaving the Body can leave their body and merge with a magical artifact or spirit sword, allowing them to fight within a hundred miles!

Therefore, although the elders were physically in the military camp, their spirits may have already flown out on their swords to fight against the monster legion in the dungeon.

Lin Xu placed the supplies in the warehouse and inspected the newly built camp.

It's clear that the dungeon didn't ambush the Daoist monks outside the entrance, and there were no signs of battle in the military camp or surrounding area.

On the contrary, in the military supply depot, there was a batch of abandoned weapons and equipment. Lin Xu glanced at it and knew that this was the standard equipment of the Dungeon Legion, which should have been captured in the previous battle.

Besides the equipment, there were also captured monsters—this was the first time Lin Xu had ever seen captured monsters.

The prisoners included a dark witch and a few goblins, not many in number. Apart from the witch, who had some value, the goblins were just cannon fodder to make up the numbers.

"It seems a major battle won't break out anytime soon—" Lin Xu mused, observing the preparations at the camp.

The Daoist cultivators had constructed a sturdy magic array at the entrance to the underground city, clearly intending to sever all communication between the inside and outside of the city. If he wasn't mistaken, the other entrances and exits of the city had also been blocked at this time.

The dungeon legion has suffered heavy losses, and it's hard to say how much strength it has left. Until it recovers, it can only lie low.

"Without external supplies, it's uncertain how long it will take for a single dungeon to recover."

Lin Xu led the injured and the convoy toward Azure Cloud Mountain.

After traveling for a while, the group soon arrived safely at the Azure Cloud Mountain.

"Finally back~" As soon as he entered the area of Azure Cloud Mountain, Lin Xu felt a familiar power supporting him.

Centered on the territory, a large amount of Spiritual Qi surged in like spring water, quickly entering his body. Within a few breaths, the mana and health points on the panel increased tenfold.

Only then did the turbulent storm of Spiritual Qi subside.

This is the Lord Authority!

Feeling the immense vitality and magical power, Lin Xu stretched comfortably. "It seems I'll have to stay in this territory permanently if I have the chance."

Only one day after the previous battle, the devastation on the mountainside has not yet been fully repaired, with charred logs and shattered rocks still clearly visible.

But on the hillside, new grass and trees have quietly broken through the soil, their tender shoots pushing through the scorched ash.

Lin Xu glanced at it and saw that, nourished by Spiritual Qi, the plants were recovering at a speed far exceeding normal. In at most a month, this mountain range would regain its lush and verdant splendor.

"Master!" Yan Jingshu, Black Tiger Demon, and Li Yingqiu, who had rushed over upon hearing the news, stepped forward and bowed.

"You've come at the right time. These prisoners are yours to guard." Lin Xu nodded. "Hu Da, you select suitable demon soldiers from these mountain spirits and monsters; the rest will be slaves."

"Yes, Master." Hu Da deeply, glancing at the dejected monster captives in the caravan. These spirits, which had spawned in the Xuanwei Monastery territory, were not all skilled in combat.

In particular, there are three plant spirits among them, which are not suitable for fighting, but only for farming and gathering herbs.

"My lord." Li Yingqiu stepped forward and bowed, followed by four respectful adventurers.

Lin Xu sensed the faint connection between the people in front of him and knew that they had been implanted with the Dharma Seed. A smile immediately appeared on his face, "These four are your former teammates?"

"Yes, sir. These are Dong Haochuan, Yang Hui, Wang Peng, Duan Wei..." Li Yingqiu introduced them to him one by one.

"Hmm?" Lin Xu frowned slightly upon seeing Duan Wei.

"My lord?" Li Yingqiu was startled and quickly asked.

Lin Xu's expression turned serious as his gaze fell on the pocket at the man's waist. His voice turned cold. "What's in your bag?"

"This... I..." Duan Wei was at a loss, and the others fell silent.

After the Dharma Seed was implanted, their thinking changed subtly, and of course they didn't think Lin Xu was just looking for trouble.

Li Yingqiu stepped forward, took the leather bag, and emptied its contents one by one in full view of everyone.

"Awei, what are you doing with this?" Li Yingqiu glanced at it carefully, picked out the stone fragment, and handed it to Lin Xu. "Lord, is this it?"

Lin Xu solemnly accepted the seemingly inconspicuous stone shard, noticing that the Shitou was slowly absorbing Spiritual Qi and continuously releasing some kind of information into its surroundings.

He had never seen anything like it before, but with the authority of the lord, he determined the purpose of the stone almost immediately.

"This is a positioning beacon that can strategically release the coordinates of a territory..." Lin Xu looked at the Shitou thoughtfully. It seemed that humanity had not wasted these past hundred years. This positioning beacon was designed very cleverly and was well hidden. If he hadn't been standing next to Duan Wei, he might have easily overlooked it.

"Awei, what are you up to?" Yang Hui said angrily, grabbing Duan Wei by the collar.

"Sir, I... I don't remember having this stone fragment..." Duan Wei hurriedly explained, looking anxious.

Lin Xu sensed his emotions. "Let him go. Don't resist!"

As she spoke, her spiritual sense, following the connection of the Dharma Seed, quietly probed into Duan Wei's sea of consciousness.

A moment later, he frowned and withdrew his spiritual sense. "Indeed, he was unaware. His memories were affected by magic, just before the Dharma Seed was implanted."

If a monk or Daoist priest has opened up their sea of consciousness, it is impossible for them to be completely unaware that their memories have been altered.

Yang Hui immediately breathed a sigh of relief.

"My lord, I..." Li Yingqiu looked annoyed and was about to explain when Lin Xu waved his hand, "It seems you've been targeted... Interesting. Looks like we're about to welcome a rather unpleasant guest."

His expression was solemn, but he was not afraid.

After acquiring Mountain Lord Authority, the entire Azure Cloud Mountain became bound to him.

As long as Azure Cloud Mountain is not destroyed, he can be reborn again and again, and this authority is almost inalienable.

"Let me see who you are..."

"Chirp chirp~ (Master, you're finally back)" The Dharma Protector Evil Eye slowly descended, its tone carrying a hint of joy.

As the leader of the Evil Eye, Qiuqiu is three times the size of its kind, and its pupils, which shimmer with an eerie light, seem to contain swirling nebulae.

"Take a team of Dharma Protector Evil Eye and come with me to the Xuanwei Monastery." Lin Xu stroked its head, feeling a soft yet slightly cool touch.

With a thought, he destroyed the coordinates and casually tossed the stone fragment away.

After figuring out how this thing worked, he made a note of it for the time being.

The rules of the Spirit Realm are chaotic. Without the continuous guidance of the location beacon, it will take a lot of effort for the other party to find the territory again. Azure Cloud Mountain is safe for the time being.

He must take advantage of this buffer period to improve his strength as soon as possible.