A glint of respect shone in Li Yuan’s eyes as awe washed over him at Wang Lin’s audacious proposition. The disparity in their cultivation was vast, a chasm few dared to cross. Any other, even Li Yuan himself, would have chosen flight as their first recourse.

They would flee to the edges of the world, conceal themselves for centuries if need be, so long as they could evade the pursuit of such a powerful cultivator.

The thought of resistance was preposterous, like a gnat challenging a dragon.

Wang Lin’s plan, in Li Yuan’s estimation, bordered on madness, yet held a certain cunning. If the stars aligned, success might be within their grasp.

The prospect ignited a fire within Li Yuan. To slay a cultivator of the lowest Jue Nirvana stage—the audacity and reward sent his blood coursing through his veins, his heart hammering in his chest.

“Brother Xu,” he exclaimed, “we are embarking on naught but deicide!”

Indeed, as Li Yuan stated, such an act was akin to slaying a god. The Blood Ancestor’s power, even before the sundering of the Thunder Celestial Realm, rivaled a sovereign of the heavens.

No lower realm mortal had ever dared confront such a being!

Wang Lin licked his lips, his voice grave. “Your assistance is crucial in this endeavor, Brother Li. If we succeed, my gratitude shall be boundless.”

Li Yuan pondered for a moment, the intoxicating allure of god-slaying drying his throat. He raised his head to meet Wang Lin’s gaze. “Brother Xu, speak not of gratitude. You have saved not only me but the future generations of my lineage. Deicide it is! How could I refuse such an enthralling prospect!”

A chilling gleam sparked in Wang Lin’s eyes. “The Blood Ancestor is no easy prey. We must meticulously consider every aspect. Before the final strike, Brother Li, feel free to withdraw.”

“That is easily decided. However, Brother Xu, before we proceed, let us scour this storage space for treasures lest we overlook some rare gem. I shall also plant a few disruption points within the space’s enchantments!” Li Yuan suggested, a thoughtful expression on his face.

They exchanged knowing smiles and, without further ado, advanced into the unknown.

Not only did cracks occasionally rip through the sky, but fissures also marred the ground. Yet, with cautious steps, they navigated the perilous terrain toward the first valley.

Mountains of stone guarded the valley, adorned with scattered trees. Wang Lin halted, his gaze fixed on the nearby rocks, a contemplative look in his eyes. He approached the stone, placing his right hand upon its surface, and briefly extended his divine sense before withdrawing it.

During his ascent, Li Yuan had spotted two mountain ranges and three valleys within this storage space. As Wang Lin studied the rock, he sensed a faint resonance, a whisper of the celestial stone from his own storage pouch.

With newfound resolve, Wang Lin retracted his hand. Soon, the first valley materialized before them.

Its entrance was wide, easily spanning several yards. The interior was clear save for a thin, ethereal mist that clung to the air.

At the valley’s edge, Wang Lin and Li Yuan paused to survey the scene.

“A simple enchantment guards this place, easily dispelled!” Li Yuan declared, his hands weaving arcane signs. Several beams of light shot forth, piercing the fog and merging with its essence.

A rustling sound filled the air as the mist rapidly dissipated, vanishing without a trace. Li Yuan smiled and prepared to step forward.

But in that instant, Wang Lin’s eyes flashed, and he seized Li Yuan’s arm, his voice low and urgent. “Hold, Brother Li!”

Li Yuan was taken aback, turning to Wang Lin in confusion.

Without a word, Wang Lin’s immortal guard sprang forth, entering the valley without hesitation. As soon as it crossed the threshold, the mist surged once more, coalescing into a torrent of arrows. With a piercing screech, they hurtled toward the immortal guard.

A series of deafening booms reverberated through the valley. Even with the guard’s formidable physique, it was forced to retreat, staggering back out of the valley. Only then did the fog subside.

Li Yuan felt a pang of shame. It wasn’t that he was reckless, but he was perhaps overly confident in his command of enchantments. He offered a wry smile. “The master of this storage space was cunning indeed. This trap was designed to ensnare those who would dare to rely solely on their knowledge of enchantments.”

Wang Lin’s eyes narrowed. He gestured with a thought, and the immortal guard strode forward once more. This time, its entire body radiated a brilliant golden light. Upon entering the valley, it unleashed a mighty fist, the resulting gale force creating a massive vortex that swallowed the incoming fog arrows.

Wang Lin followed without delay, with Li Yuan close behind. As Li Yuan entered, his hands began to weave, casting enchantment after enchantment that adhered to the valley’s stone walls.

He paused every so often, calculating in his mind for a moment before pinpointing a location and releasing another enchantment.

Wang Lin ignored Li Yuan, instead directing his right hand forward. A surge of thunderous power erupted from his nascent soul, coalescing into a crackling sphere of lightning in his palm. He hurled it toward the swirling vortex created by the immortal guard’s fist.

With a thunderous roar, the lightning sphere plunged into the vortex. tendrils of lightning snaked outward, freezing the vortex in mid-spin, and the torrent of fog was sucked in and consumed by the electrical energy.

“Brother Xu, the southeast corners. Once my enchantments are in place, the leyline of this valley will collapse, shattering the enchantment!” Li Yuan declared, extending both arms and weaving incantations. Two beams of light shot forth, targeting the stone walls to the southeast.

Wang Lin’s thoughts raced. The immortal guard moved like a phantom, darting toward the south. The instant Li Yuan’s enchantment struck the stone, the guard slammed a fist directly into the hidden leyline.

At the same time, Wang Lin channeled lightning into his right hand and pressed it into the stone wall on the east side, striking the hidden leyline precisely before Li Yuan’s enchantment could land.
## The Whispering Skull Valley

The mountain valley shuddered twice, a sound like the cracking of the earth itself: *BOOM*. *BOOM*. Inside, the warding runes李方 had meticulously etched into the earth flared to life. A furious whirlwind erupted, a maelstrom of power that devoured the lingering mists, leaving a scene starkly different from what had been before.

There, driven into the valley floor, stood a short sword of darkest obsidian. Around its base lay eight bestial skulls, each emanating a thin tendril of ghostly fog that swirled and coalesced around the weapon in spectral rings.

“It seems this valley’s first treasure presents itself,”李元 remarked, his gaze fixed on the ebony blade. “Friend许, will you claim the sword or the surrounding ossuary?”

王林 studied the artifacts, sensing the power that pulsed within the sword. Yet, grateful for 李元’s assistance, he hesitated to usurp his claim. “The sword possesses an undeniable allure,” 王林 conceded, “but it was your hand that dispelled the valley’s defenses, 李兄. My part was merely to lend my strength. I shall take the eight skulls.” With a sweep of his sleeve, the skulls levitated, drawn to 王林’s grasp. As his spirit probed their depths, a subtle tremor ran through him, though his face remained impassive as he secreted them away.

李元 laughed, stepping forward to claim the sword. “My thanks, 许兄!” he called out.

Passing through the first valley, they soon glimpsed the entrance to the second. This passage was significantly narrower, hinting at a more treacherous path ahead.

The closer they drew to the second valley, the more frequent and erratic the fissures that riddled the ground became. Every step demanded caution. Yet, despite their vigilance, they found themselves halted ten leagues from the entrance.

Before them lay a chasm of madness: an ever-shifting web of cracks that danced and flickered across the earth, swallowing the very path itself. Passage was impossible.

李元’s brow furrowed. He could unravel wards and bindings, but these fissures defied his expertise. “许兄,” he spoke, his voice low, “these rifts… they prevent any form of spatial displacement. Even the confines of my enchanted satchel offer no escape.”

王林’s gaze lingered on the valley entrance, a glint of determination in his eyes. “Wait here, 李兄,” he declared, his voice calm. “I possess a means to traverse this cursed ground.”

Taking a deep breath, 王林 sank to the earth. With practiced precision, his fingers, shaped like swords, stabbed at specific points along his meridian pathways. Each touch brought a flush to his face, deepening until, with the ninth and final strike, his features were ablaze with crimson energy. As quickly as it appeared, the color vanished as 王林 inhaled deeply.

Then, he reached into his satchel and unfurled the *Scroll of Mountains and Rivers*. As it billowed open, it enveloped the land for thousands of feet around, and the chaotic fissures were instantly rendered still, stitched together with the magic of the painting.

The moment the scroll took hold, the Celestial Guardian sprang into action. With a grunt, the construct gathered 王林 into its arms, golden light flaring as it flung him forward with all its might.

The force of the launch carried 王林 nearly five leagues, but the relentless fissures were already tearing at the edges of the scroll’s illusion. Like gaping maws, they clawed at the painted reality, threatening to consume him.

Borrowing the Celestial Guardian’s strength, 王林 pushed onward, even as his borrowed power waned. Just before it failed, he unleashed the arcane art he had cultivated: the *Bloodlight Escape*. A crimson aura pulsed around him, granting him a burst of speed beyond imagination.

Once, then again, and again – the bloodlight flashed nine times, accelerating his form to a speed akin to teleportation.

This bloodlight escape technique, discovered within the soul of an ancient spirit from the Demon Realm, offered unparalleled swiftness. However, it demanded mastery of the Soul Transformation stage, lest the practitioner be torn apart by the overwhelming energies.

In the blink of an eye, 王林 stood before the mouth of the second valley. He staggered, pale and breathless, and summoned the *Scroll of Mountains and Rivers* back to his hand.

Turning, he saw the distant figure of 李元, still ten leagues away, witnessing the impossible feat.