On these walls, surprisingly, remnants of some aura were present, strong like an ancient dragon lying low, impossible to gauge its depth.

Within these energies, he keenly sensed some dao patterns, already battered and dilapidated, yet seemingly brewing the great power of heaven and earth upon them.

Could these dao patterns be the clues to the Qi Refiner transcending the ordinary?

But seeing the white mist above thinning increasingly, Xu Guang retracted his arm, having no choice but to retreat for now.

He swiftly withdrew, arriving at the ice crevice where white mist billowed, sprouting talismans overhead.

Upon arriving here, he discovered that this was a gigantic palm print!

Such an enormous palm print, over thirty thousand meters!

The pit of the palm print was filled with endless white mist, fathomlessly deep. His gaze suddenly paused, staring intently at something on the cliff wall— the Bronze Blood Gate.

Could this gate move on its own?

Luckily, he ventured to the snow mountain; otherwise, waiting for the Bronze Blood Gate to reappear here would be unknown, and once the talisman suppressing the eerie power of the snow mountain dissipated, he wasn't sure if he could completely endure relying on the Extreme Soul Power.

This snow mountain was too perilous, and Xu Guang had lost interest in exploring further, deploying some mechanism puppets to ascertain whether danger lay below.

After confirming, he didn't hesitate and flew directly downward.

Soon, he arrived before the Bronze Blood Gate.

Xu Guang seemingly saw at the bottom of the palm print a gigantic corpse! Or maybe it was something else because the corpse was so immense.

He had already lost interest in exploration and moved towards the Bronze Blood Gate.

As he was about to pass through, he saw the Bronze Blood Sword he had previously glimpsed and reached out to grab it.

With one step forward!

...

In the mine.

Jin Buhuan's expression was grave; Zhuge Wuliang was already planning to enter.

Neither Cao Ku nor Xu Guang sent out any information after entering, and the Bronze Blood Gate seemed increasingly ominous.

They pondered what encounters the two might have had inside—did they find unfathomable fortune? Or encounter inescapable danger?

They hadn't gone in themselves only because Huan Songzi stopped them.

Huan Songzi's eyes were bloodshot.

The Bronze Blood Gate felt exceedingly dangerous; knowing Xu Guang had already entered drove him a bit frantic.

Young geniuses with outstanding talent often seek death in their youth; he originally thought people like Xu Guang and Zhuge Wuliang, who emerged from the shadow of the Ancient God, would be more cautious.

Being a guardian for these two seemed an uncomplicated task.

Indeed, it was quite straightforward.

But alas, luck…

Who would've thought something like this would appear right under the nose of Beiji City?

Zhuge Wuliang and Jin Buhuan, with insufficient cultivation, couldn't sense the aura on the Bronze Blood Gate, but he was different; having attained the Dharmic Aspect and roamed the outer seas before, he could clearly feel the terrifying aura above a saint emanating from the Bronze Blood Gate.

And that aura seemed to have awareness, carrying an intense malice.

"Elder, since Junior Brother Xu Guang and Cao Ku have been inside for ten days, why not let me go in?"

Zhuge Wuliang suggested.

Huan Songzi couldn't help but snort coldly, "Why would you go in? Isn't the trouble big enough already?"

It's one thing for Xu Guang to go missing; if Zhuge Wuliang also fell in, he couldn't fathom how furious Tianwu True King would be.

No wonder the treatment for guardians in the six Northern Institutes had improved in recent years, allowing contact with saints and their disciples, which greatly benefited networking.

These disciples of the true kings and saints truly had no sense of peace.

This was his first time acting as a guardian, yet he had already decided that after this ordeal, whoever wanted to take on such tasks could do it, as he had no intention of doing so again.

"Let's wait first, until my friend arrives. I'll go find them personally."

Huan Songzi said to Zhuge Wuliang.

His tone wasn't pleasant.

Bai Xiaozhu was also worried about Xu Guang, but seeing Huan Songzi's demeanor, the words she wanted to say were swallowed back, turning instead to comfort the increasingly restless General Wei.

'The boss's guardian really has a bad temper.'

She muttered softly to herself.

Two more days passed.

Vast lotus light shone down, faint, wonderful sounds emanating, as a palanquin appeared silently, with myriad umbrella-like glows surging above.

"Junior Brother Huan Songzi, you truly are in a plight."

A charming, gentle female voice came from within the palanquin.

The sternness on Huan Songzi's face dissipated, forcing a smile, while Jin Buhuan subtly noticed a hint of sycophancy.

"Greetings, Senior Sister Yuanshuang!"

Zhuge Wuliang had no reaction to the name, but Jin Buhuan's expression changed instantly.

Senior Sister Yuanshuang of the Xuanzhen Institute, with Divine Cavity Cultivation in the Fifth Secret Realm as a Qi Refiner, known as the First Inspection Envoy of the Six Northern Institutes.

With such a senior sister involved, Huan Songzi's attitude was understandable.

This person was truly formidable. Jin Buhuan recalled the affairs of Yuanshuang, who gained fame at the age of twenty-five, entered the North Emperor Institute, and with her mother's introduction, apprenticed under the Lingchuan Saint of the Xuanzhen Institute to seek Daoist techniques.

During her time at the North Emperor Institute, she participated in four major evaluations, ranking first in three consecutive assessments except for the Third Grade Realm, rumored to possess the Ten Thousand Laws Spiritual Body, comprehending Daoist techniques as effortlessly as eating and drinking.

The Martial Artists of the North Emperor Institute possessed unparalleled divine techniques, yet ultimately fell to the ever-emerging Daoist techniques of Yuanshuang.

She later entered the Xuanzhen Institute, disappearing for ten years, then seventy years ago re-emerged, as an apprentice sister in the Xuanzhen Institute, went to the North Sea Xuanhong Palace to inquire about Dao, beheaded three fourth-realm Qi Refiners with her sword, and left with ease.

The following year, she broke through the Fifth Secret Realm.