Che Ning walked out of Ink Pool Forest, gazing at a distant cliff, deep in thought. 𝐟𝚛𝕖𝚎𝕨𝗲𝐛𝚗𝐨𝐯𝐞𝕝.𝐜𝗼𝗺

"Song Yesheng..."

"Shao and Song, these two did not appear in our Sect in my previous life, so logically, they should be excluded from suspicion..."

But now, there were simply too many uncertain factors before him.

He was seriously considering whether killing this Junior Brother would be a more stable approach... "Forget it..."

"Che Ning" pondered for a moment, his eyes narrowing.

"I’ve killed too many suspicious Disciples in the Sect recently. It’s better to slow down for now. If an Elder notices, it would be troublesome."

"Now that the Guizhen Brush is in my possession, the remaining spiritual power in this xian you scroll should not last much longer."

An ordinary Foundation Establishment Cultivator would simply not possess enough spiritual power or Realm to maintain the operation of a Small World; only the xian you scroll was somewhat special.

Now that the Spirit Brush had changed owners, after a moment, the world within this painting would dissipate on its own.

Che Ning secretly sighed with regret.

After all, it was drawn stroke by stroke by a Foundation Establishment Senior using spiritual power. Once the xian you scroll fell into his hands, this place would vanish like smoke, and everything would start from scratch.

"Wu Zheng..."

He mulled over another name.

"If Wei Dao still dies this time..."

"Then this person also has suspicion."

"..."

With the ink treasure in hand, "Che Ning" felt relieved, his thoughts clear.

"I have been benevolent and righteous to the Cave Abyss Sect. If fate cannot be defied, I can only flee far away..."

...At the foot of Fengyue Cliff, Song Yan and the other two were battling a Talisman Puppet.

Clang!

The Unmoored Boat shot through the air, pinning the Talisman Puppet to the wall, its sword edge piercing a few inches below the Talisman Puppet’s neck.

"Wind..."

"Thunder..."

Talisman Puppets had no intelligence. When their Talisman Spirit’s vital point was suppressed, all their spiritual power would be extinguished.

Moreover, the three of them had encountered three or four Talisman Puppets along the way, and their vital points were actually quite similar, making them extremely easy to deal with.

It was unclear if this was because the Talisman Puppet’s owner had been dead for many years.

"Life Breath!"

Wooden branches grew and spread from the ground, with small purple flowers blooming on the branches.

At first glance, it was beautiful.

But these flowers bloomed more and more densely, actually covering the entire body of the Talisman Puppet.

"Falling."

The spiritual light on the Talisman Puppet gradually merged into the petals. The petals continuously bloomed, and finally, withered from the branches.

Only a flower tree remained in place, with a broken Talisman and a Mid-Grade Spirit Stone hanging from one of its branches.

What a beautiful Spell... No matter how many times he saw it, Song Yan always found Wu Huaguo’s wood-element Spell to be quite elegant.

But the more beautiful, the more dangerous.

Recalling Bai Yu Lu from Peach Blossom Dock, Song Yan subconsciously scratched his forehead.

Now, Wu Huaguo, Rong Xiaofeng, and Song Yan had become familiar with each other’s basic offensive methods.

According to Wu Huaguo herself, she Cultivated a wood-element Cultivation Technique called "Pitying Flowers and Understanding Language Scripture," and primarily practiced the Spells recorded within it.

Rong Xiaofeng was an insect Cultivator, using spiritual insects in battle.

This style originated and flourished in other regions, but it was rarely seen in Chu State.

However, the power of spiritual insects was mysterious and unpredictable, and tiny insects were like quicksand, difficult to resist.

Spiritual insects often fed on spiritual power, and if swarms of spiritual insects were omnipresent, gnawing through a protective spiritual garment would only take a moment.

"..."

Song Yan was already considering how to react if these two Cultivators suddenly attacked and ganged up on him.

Himself, plus Xiao He.

Under the Zhen Dao Sword Mansion, there was also an unreleased Sword Yuan.

Even if he couldn’t win, running away should still be possible.

While Song Yan was worried, Wu Huaguo and Rong Xiaofeng were even more on high alert.

They thought, how could this Cultivator named Song, a mere Outer Sect Disciple at the fifth level of Qi Refining Realm, possess such exquisite sword manipulation skills?

Previously, when dealing with a Talisman Puppet, he could even simultaneously control a Flying Sword and a Sword Qi, managing to basically suppress the Talisman Puppet by himself.

"Do Disciples from large Sects, even ordinary Outer Sect Disciples, possess such strength?"

As Cultivators from a small Family, both couldn’t help but feel a touch of melancholy.

On this trip, the three of them collectively acquired five Mid-Grade Spirit Stones. Song Yan took two, and the couple took three.

"The black clouds on this cliff obscure the sky and sun; there might be some treasures up there."

Without further ado, they immediately ascended the steps and reached the cliff top.

"..."

The three of them looked into the distance, finally getting a general grasp of the full panorama of the world within the painting.

Below the abyss were swirling clouds and mist, and amidst the clouds were three huge valleys and peaks.

The foot of the mountains was covered by thick clouds and mist, making them look like floating islands.

What the three of them hadn’t expected was that this cliff top actually connected to another valley.

"Has anyone been here?"

"Probably not."

Rong Xiaofeng looked around: "If someone had been here, they would likely have descended the path we came from."

Wu Huaguo didn’t pay attention to these things, just felt a little disappointed that it was empty here, with nothing at all.

Only a broken stone tablet.

Fengyue Cliff.

"Eh? What’s that?"

Song Yan looked in the direction Wu Huaguo pointed, and at the very edge of the cliff, there was a strangely shaped shadow.

From time to time, a howling gale could be heard, with faint sounds of thunder.

As the clouds dispersed, it turned out to be a strange rock and a withered tree.

The withered tree grew above the strange rock, and faint golden lightning flickered among its branches.

"Supreme Spirit object?!"

Song Yan was startled.

But he had already begun to calculate in his mind.

Having previously learned that various Supreme Spirit Treasures could strengthen the Sword Dao Seed, he had naturally consulted many such ancient texts.

In the Cultivation World, apart from various well-known and extremely unique Supreme Spirit objects, other Supreme Spirits did not have a fixed appearance.

For example, although Song Yan couldn’t name the object before him, he could perceive the pure and surging wind and thunder spiritual power contained within it.

Actually, before coming here, he had thought that the Senior’s remaining Supreme Spirit object would most likely be fire-attributed.

Then, if he were to resume Alchemy in the future, it would be of great benefit.

However, simply possessing it was already fortunate enough.

Right now, strengthening the Sword Dao Seed was the proper business.

Rong Xiaofeng naturally also saw that this object was what Song Yan wanted, and immediately said: "Daoist Song, there’s no need to worry; you can go ahead and collect it."

Wu Huaguo nodded: "This place is secluded; there should be no one to disturb you."

To dispel Song Yan’s doubts, the couple even retreated several feet, almost returning to the place where they had ascended the cliff.

Their wary interactions along the way made Song Yan realize that the couple were probably not evil villains intent on robbing and killing.

However, to be careful, he still multitasked, quietly observing their movements as he walked towards the withered tree.

"Xiaofeng, he still seems very wary of us."

Wu Huaguo said calmly: "Sect Disciples, powerful in strength, have no intention of harming others, yet possess a defensive mindset."

"Compared to those profligate sons in the Family, they are truly far superior."

A faint sense of sorrow rose from the bottom of her heart.

"The Wu Family is in ruins, waiting to be rebuilt."

Rong Xiaofeng shrugged: "The Cultivation World devours people without spitting out their bones; such a person is indeed rare."

"Just try to befriend him."

At this moment, Song Yan had reached the withered tree.

"As expected of a ’Supreme Spirit’ object..."

Under the wind and thunder, the withered tree sprouted.

He was about to put it into his qiankun bag, but found that his spiritual power was like a stone sinking into the sea.

"It won’t work?"

Song Yan stood stunned.

To put it simply, Supreme Spirit objects were essentially pure, extremely refined elemental spiritual power in a mimetic form, and could inherently be stored in a qiankun bag.

For something like the withered tree before him, which possessed a "carrier," it should logically be even more convenient.

But now, he actually couldn’t put it into his qiankun bag... For a moment, he was completely baffled.

Frowning, he simply plunged the Unmoored Boat beside him and sat down cross-legged.

He remotely transmitted a message to the couple: "Please be patient, both of you. This Supreme Spirit object is unusual and requires a little more time."

Fortunately, directly refining the Supreme Spirit into the Dao Seed wouldn’t take much time, about the time it takes an incense stick to burn would be enough.

The prerequisite was no one disturbing him.

However.

What you fear most happens.

On the peak of another valley, amidst the clouds and mist, three figures of Cultivators emerged.