"Three Golden Core Masters!"
Everyone turned pale with shock, but then the Supreme Sect Master revealed an even more staggering piece of news. "I just contacted Junior Brother Gu. When he emerged from seclusion, he discovered that the Eight Trigrams Forbidden Ground has been sealed off by a peculiar restriction. The restriction is bizarre and difficult to unravel; he likely will not be able to break through and come to our aid in the short term."
Seeing their panic, the Supreme Sect Master smiled. "There is no need to fear. The grand formation protecting our sect was laid down by two Nascent Soul cultivators invited by the patriarch. It is not something a mere few Core Formation cultivators can breach. Go ring the Evil-Quelling Bell now, summon all Foundation Establishment disciples up the mountain, and operate the grand formation together to repel the enemy. I have already sent out word requesting aid. Once several fellow Daoists arrive, the crisis will resolve itself."
Once Xuan Chengzi and the others departed the cave dwelling in trepidation, the smile on the Supreme Sect Master's face vanished instantly. His expression turned incomparably solemn. His figure gradually faded, disappearing from the cave dwelling and reappearing high above the sect-protecting grand formation.
Demonic flames surged. Following the appearance of Yuanzhao Sect's Supreme Sect Master, Yi Tiannie's figure also manifested from within the demonic flames.
...
At this moment, Zhao Yan led Qin Sang and the three others down from Sect Master Peak, leaping straight into the lake.
The earth continued to shake incessantly. Silt and sand churned from the lakebed, and waves rocked violently, turning the water utterly murky. Sheltered by the underwater chaos, the five quickly dove toward the bottom of the lake.
Within sight, there was only turbid water. Having dived down to an unknown depth, a glimmer of light suddenly appeared ahead. Zhao Yan immediately ordered them to slow down and silently close in on the source of light.
When they finally drew near the light, a breathtaking scene greeted their eyes.
A clam shell as large as a house lay quietly on the lakebed with its giant mouth open. Around the shell, exotic blooms vied for splendor, aquatic grasses swayed gently, and a layer of white sand covered the ground, dotted with countless glittering gemstones like an underwater celestial palace.
An invisible barrier seemed to exist; the silt churning around them could not penetrate this space at all, leaving it as tranquil as ever.
Zhao Yan signaled to stop. Concealed beneath the Four Clouds Divine Restriction, the five stood motionless within the murky lake water.
Looking at the magnificent sight before him, Qin Sang was secretly astounded. When Senior Brother Zhu had introduced the various forbidden grounds within Yuanzhao Sect, he had never mentioned that there was such a mysterious place beneath the lake as well.
This giant clam shell was clearly no ordinary object. What could possibly be inside to make it worth Zhao Yan risking his life for a visit?
Before Qin Sang could ponder further, two figures suddenly darted out of the clam shell—one tall and one short, both of them Foundation Establishment cultivators.
The moment these two appeared, all five of them, including Zhao Yan, grew extremely tense. The two sides were practically within arm's reach; could this set of the Four Clouds Divine Restriction truly conceal their presence?
While they were feeling anxious and uneasy, the two Foundation Establishment cultivators stood outside the clam shell, looking up toward the surface.
At this moment, Qin Sang and the others also heard the faint tolling of a bell, realizing that Yuanzhao Sect's Evil-Quelling Bell was being rung once more.
The Evil-Quelling Bell tolled nine consecutive times, causing both of their expressions to shift.
The short cultivator said anxiously, "Senior Brother Miao, the Evil-Quelling Bell has struck nine times! It seems the incoming enemy is formidable, and the sect is summoning all Foundation Establishment cultivators to man the grand formation and repel the foe. What should we do?"
Senior Brother Miao frowned slightly and hesitated. "Once the Evil-Quelling Bell sounds, no disciple may disobey, on pain of sect punishment. Since we were not specifically instructed otherwise, we can only obey orders. However, this place cannot be left unattended either. Junior Brother, hold the fort here for now. I will head up to see what is happening and explain our situation to Senior Brother Sect Master. He will surely understand."
The two exchanged a few more whispered words before Senior Brother Miao stepped onto his magic tool, parted the water, and sped away.
After watching Senior Brother Miao's figure disappear, the short cultivator returned to the clam shell, laden with worry.
Zhao Yan knitted his brows tightly. After pondering for a moment, he ordered Qin Sang and the others to stay put, then retrieved a massive ghost banner from his mustard seed bag. The ghost banner was fully as tall as a man. At first, Qin Sang thought it was an oversized Yanluo Banner, but on closer inspection, he found it markedly different from the Yanluo Banner. Inscribed upon this ghost banner were countless ferocious, menacing evil ghosts, vivid and lifelike, exceedingly sinister and uncanny.
What surprised Qin Sang even more was that this ghost banner was not a magic tool, but seemed to be... a magic treasure?
Without Core Formation stage cultivation, one could not wield a magic treasure. Qin Sang could only use the ebony sword because it was a magic treasure fragment that had been reforged by an artifact refiner.
Could Zhao Yan actually control a magic treasure?
Qin Sang could not help feeling secretly fortunate that he had not acted rashly. While maintaining control over his triangular cloud banner, his eyes covertly watched Zhao Yan's every move.
Zhao Yan held the precious jade in one hand and gripped the magic treasure ghost banner firmly with the other. Pressing the jade close to the banner, he chanted under his breath. Then, the evil ghosts upon the ghost banner all came to life, brandishing fangs and claws, yearning to tear free of the banner and burst into the mortal world.
Whoosh!
A sinister wind abruptly arose. Incalculable ghostly mist poured out from the ghost banner, and the evil ghosts broke through their confines alongside it. Zhao Yan was instantly enveloped in ghostly mist so thick one could not see one's own outstretched fingers, completely obscuring his figure.
Only a muffled grunt could be heard from Zhao Yan. Whatever he did inside, the evil ghosts gradually settled down.
Immediately following that, Zhao Yan barked, "Go!"
Carrying countless evil ghosts, the ghost banner flew straight out of the Four Clouds Divine Restriction, heading directly toward the clam shell. The commotion was so massive that the short cultivator inside detected it the instant it appeared.
"Who's there?!"
The short cultivator flashed forward and appeared in front of the clam shell. Spotting the ghost banner flying straight at him, he cried out in shock, "A magic treasure?!"
Naturally, he understood what a magic treasure signified. Deep terror surfaced on his face. In haste, he brought out a golden alms bowl magic tool, stimulating a layer of golden light to block what lay in front of him.
At the same time, a flying sword materialized in his palm, pointed upward. He frantically poured spiritual power into it, preparing to launch it to send a message.
Unexpectedly, as the ghost banner hurtled before him, the ghostly mist abruptly expanded severalfold. The golden light from the bowl offered no impediment whatsoever, and both it and the short cultivator were swallowed within.
The ghost banner planted itself firmly into the ground. Layers of ghostly mist circled around it as countless evil ghosts poured out in endless waves, instantly forming a domain of ghosts. Trapped within this ghostly domain, the short cultivator made not another sound.
Zhao Yan caught his breath and barked in a low voice, "Move!"
Passing by the edge of the ghostly mist, Qin Sang remained utterly astounded. Trapped by this ghost banner, not even a Foundation Establishment cultivator could break free; even if Qin Sang were to unleash his sword qi, he would be no match for Zhao Yan.
The space inside the clam shell was not large. Shielded by a water-repelling restriction, it was dry and refreshing inside. The furnishings were exceedingly simple—only two water-heart bamboo cushions were set out.
Most striking of all was a burrow deep within the clam shell, where a flight of stone stairs led into the subterranean depths, gloomy and bottomless.
Urged on by Zhao Yan, they followed the stone stairs all the way down, finally reaching the bottom of the burrow. A vast subterranean cavern opened before them, filled with endless grayish-white vapors.
One could tell at a glance that these grayish-white vapors were not to be taken lightly; perhaps dangerous formations were hidden within. Qin Sang and the others all looked at Zhao Yan, wondering what other methods he had up his sleeve.
Chapter 92