These two figures in black robes were likely the “guards” of the Pine Grove Demonic Den. They conversed casually, their idle talk echoing through the wood, seeming to discuss the prominent young talents of their Xu Country.

Jiang Wang did not give their chatter much heed. He held his breath and focused his attention, always watchful of these two. Should he be discovered, he would have to act immediately to subdue them.

Frankly, resorting to the tactic of immediately seeking refuge within a tree the moment a situation arose was hardly fitting for his current cultivation level. However, the crude hiding techniques he had mastered were inferior to simply remaining still. Using them would only reveal fluctuations in his technique, betraying his presence.

The three uses of the Cloak of Concealment could even confound cultivators in the Divine Mansion realm. Employing it here would undoubtedly be overkill, like using a ox-slaughtering knife on a chicken.

Hiding within the Red Makeup Mirror was also a viable option, but Jiang Wang had not yet reached a level of trust with Yin Guan where he could expose all his trump cards. After all, he had not agreed to join the Gates of Hell, and even if he did, the few vacant positions of Yama were merely that – vacant.

Prudence averted mishap. At this juncture, he could afford the risk of being discovered.

Jiang Wang mulled over this internally, resolving to cultivate a hiding technique. He had entertained this idea long ago, but after obtaining the Cloak of Concealment, he had completely set it aside. Now, he realized that while the Cloak was useful, different situations demanded different approaches.

Perhaps it was Jiang Wang’s good fortune, or perhaps that of the two guards. They seemed not to have anticipated anyone infiltrating Pine Grove, and thus did not pay much attention to their surroundings. Jiang Wang was directly above them, yet neither of them spared a single upward glance.

After the two guards departed, Yin Guan reappeared.

From beginning to end, Jiang Wang had been unable to discern the method Yin Guan used; the disparity in their cultivation levels was simply too vast for the time being.

“Truly astonishing,” Yin Guan remarked, “that you possess not a single presentable hiding technique.”

Yin Guan, with his clear and handsome face, spoke in a manner that ill-suited his appearance – direct, blunt, and entirely devoid of pleasantries. Of course, with his strength, he had no need for eloquent speech.

“Oh, I rarely find myself in situations that necessitate hiding.” This was a veiled jab at Yin Guan, the killer who spent his days skulking and concealing himself. As he grew more familiar with Yin Guan, Jiang Wang would occasionally make such jests.

Yin Guan was momentarily taken aback by the retort. After all, not everyone possessed the audacity to joke with King Qin Guang.

“I had originally intended to impart my exclusive hiding secret technique to you. It seems you have no need for it,” Yin Guan said with indifference.

Jiang Wang curled his lip. He didn’t believe a word of it.

Yin Guan, such a person, would never exhibit unnecessary kindness or feign virtue. If he genuinely intended to pass on an exclusive hiding secret technique to Jiang Wang one day, it would undoubtedly be in exchange for Jiang Wang undertaking a task commensurate with the value of the technique.

Thus, Yin Guan was merely toying with him now, anticipating his apology and flattery, which he would then coldly reject. Perhaps he had gone too long without engaging in casual banter, resulting in this slightly unrealistic and stiff performance.

Though he saw through it internally, Jiang Wang outwardly cooperated with a show of ‘great shock.’ “Actually, I frequently find myself in need of a little concealment!”

Yin Guan gave him a brief glance, merely saying, “Follow.” Evidently, Jiang Wang’s “performance” was too transparent, causing him to lose his rare interest in playful banter.

Intelligent individuals were often this dull because they could see through the truth too easily. Sometimes, even when they wished to deceive themselves, they found it impossible.

Trailing the two guards from a distance towards the depths of Pine Grove, they proceeded without incident. A Divine Mansion realm cultivator’s methods were simply undetectable by these two guards.

Within this Pine Grove, ferocious beasts could be seen everywhere, their species numerous. Yet, every beast they encountered along the way, even those fiercely battling each other, treated the two guards as if they were invisible.

Beasts possessed no reason, only the instinct to kill. But humans still had many ways to control them. For instance, the items the two guards carried, or Yin Guan’s more direct and straightforward display of power.

For a considerable distance, the surroundings remained a primitive environment where ferocious beasts dwelled.

However, upon reaching the central area of Pine Grove, Jiang Wang noticed signs of human intervention.

It was a massive underground cave entrance. Groups of ferocious beasts were filing through the entrance and descending. These beasts, typically driven by bloodthirsty instinct, were at this moment remarkably well-behaved, following the “rules” with surprising docility.

Five cultivators, wielding peculiar long whips, stood guard outside the cave entrance. Occasionally, a restless beast would stir, and a whip would crack across its hide. The lashed beast would immediately become docile. These long whips had likely been imbued with some form of restriction.

Jiang Wang observed that the breaths of these ferocious beasts were all exceptionally full, far more potent than the scattered beasts elsewhere in Pine Grove. They had likely been carefully selected and driven here.

The two guards exchanged a few words with the whip-wielding cultivators. After all the beasts had entered the underground cavern, they followed inside.

“Two options,” Yin Guan said indifferently. “I kill them, or you knock them out.”

No sooner had the words left his lips than Jiang Wang had already formed a hand seal. From the void, a pitch-black chain snaked out, swift as a flash of lightning. With a single twist, it bound all five whip-wielding cultivators together.

This was precisely one of the ten chains obtained from Yue Leng’s Legalist secret technique, the Chain of Imprisonment.

Jiang Wang lunged forward, suppressing them with sheer power, forcibly sealing their Dao Yuan and their five senses. Throughout this entire process, these cultivators were utterly incapable of offering the slightest resistance.

“Taken an apprentice?” Yin Guan obviously recognized Yue Leng’s secret technique, his expression hinting at a smile.

“No,” Jiang Wang waved his hand. “A reward from the Green Card. For convenience, I didn’t return to Linzi.”

Yin Guan said nothing more and walked directly into the underground cave entrance.

Had this been earlier, knowing that the ferocious beasts causing great harm were artificially created, Jiang Wang might very well have harbored killing intent towards these guards. But now he understood. Demonic dens were resources, intrinsically linked to the creation of the Meridian Opening Pill. These guard cultivators were merely following orders. Even if they were performing their duties out of loyalty and devotion, it was difficult to judge the right and wrong of such actions.

One could say they were not entirely innocent, but there seemed to be no compelling reason for them to deserve death. When Yin Guan presented the two options, Jiang Wang’s subconscious action was also a kind of choice made by his heart.

The two followed the underground entrance deeper into the cavern, the path ahead intermittently illuminated by braziers.

This scene reminded Jiang Wang of the underground cave in Fulu, of Qing Huo Qi Ming, and of the star beasts within the Nether Realm. He even had a sudden thought: in the deep underground of the present world, could there also be a piece of the Nether Realm? Hiding many greedy, prying eyes…

Finally, trailing this group of ferocious beasts, they entered a colossal cavern. The majority of the cavern’s interior was covered by a large array inscribed with complex patterns.

The group of ferocious beasts sequentially entered the large array, lying down submissively. A cultivator in the Inner Mansion realm stood guard outside the large array. The two guards approached and reported something in a low voice.

Yin Guan and Jiang Wang remained hidden outside the cavern, not following inside. The cavern was vast and open, with nowhere to conceal themselves at a glance.

Jiang Wang looked at Yin Guan, his inquiring gaze clearly asking: What do we do now? Should we charge in directly?

Yin Guan did not speak, merely brought two fingers together. A flicker of green flame flashed and passed, visible to Jiang Wang. His eyes blurred, and the things he saw changed; he had gained a second perspective besides his own.

He saw the entire situation within the vast cavern, he saw the face of that Xu Country cultivator in the Inner Mansion realm, he saw the specific details of the entire large array, and he saw those violent ferocious beasts lying quietly within the array. Everything was so clear.

This was the perspective of one of the guards!

Such divine means!

But Jiang Wang had no time to express his admiration, for in the next moment he saw two cultivators pushing a prisoner cart from the other side of the cavern. Within the prisoner cart was an elderly old man.

He was not human.

He resembled the human race in most aspects, but on his forehead, a single, dark horn grew.

He was of the demon race!