Jian Yin nervously nodded without daring to lie, "Yes."

Chu Tian looked down at the black mist below before turning to Jian Yin with a smile and asking, "How did you know about these ruins?"

Jian Yin uneasily took out an animal skin from his pocket. The skin was slightly blackened. He handed it to Chu Tian nervously, saying, "This."

Chu Tian took the animal skin and saw that it indeed had a map on it, ending at a location labeled as Black Mist Valley. Puzzled, Chu Tian asked, "Where did you get this map?"

"I found it while hunting spiritual beasts in the Cloud Mist Mountains. It was inside the stomach of a beast. I think it might have been left behind by some master before their death."

Chu Tian stared at the animal skin for a while, then put it away with a smile. "Alright, let’s go down."

With that, Chu Tian grabbed Jian Yin and used his Flying Cloud Step to glide downward. This shocked Jian Yin greatly. Chu Tian passed through layers of black mist and landed in a field of shattered stones. However, he noticed something strange about the black mist. Moments later, his hands began to feel numb.

Jian Yin immediately stepped back and sneered coldly, "Are you starting to feel numb?"

Jian Yin’s sudden change in demeanor made Chu Tian suspicious. "What’s going on?"

Jian Yin smirked with pride. "The black mist in Black Mist Valley is a famous poison gas. Even a Golden Core master would feel numb stepping here, let alone a Foundation Establishment cultivator like you!"

Hearing this, Chu Tian asked in confusion, "Then why are you unaffected?"

Jian Yin pulled out a green leaf from his pocket. "I bought a Hundred-Cleanse Leaf. It protects me from the poison gas."

Chu Tian suddenly understood. "So you deliberately lured me here to kill me?"

Jian Yin laughed triumphantly. "Exactly. Once I kill you, I can take the Demon Soul Stone and all your treasures, spirit stones, and the auction house tokens!"

Now that Jian Yin had revealed his true nature, Chu Tian pulled out a Supreme Ten-Spirit Pill, swallowed it, and sneered. "You’re courting death, making me waste a Supreme Ten-Spirit Pill just to kill you."

Just as Jian Yin was about to mock Chu Tian for taking the pill in vain, Chu Tian neutralized the poison in his body. At the same time, he summoned his Flame Sword, releasing a sword aura that pierced Jian Yin’s body.

Jian Yin’s face turned pale as he shouted, "No!"

His body exploded on the spot, leaving only the Hundred-Cleanse Leaf fluttering to the ground. Chu Tian picked it up and sneered. "Daring to poison me? Do you even know your limits?"

A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.

At that moment, a faint breeze swept past, accompanied by a weak voice from a nearby cave. Chu Tian quickly pocketed the leaf to prevent further poisoning and stared at the cave with a heavy expression. "What was that sound?"

"Come! Enter!" The voice was eerie, like a ghostly summons. Chu Tian was startled. "Could it be... that master?"

With curiosity and caution, Chu Tian approached the cave. Thick grass grew around its entrance. Using his sharp sword, Chu Tian cleared the grass, revealing a dark cave.

After a moment of hesitation, Chu Tian couldn’t resist the temptation and entered the cave with his Flame Sword. The sword’s red glow illuminated his surroundings, dispelling any fear.

Drip, drip. A faint sound echoed in the darkness, prompting Chu Tian to wonder, "Is that the sound of water?"

He pressed onward, and the dripping sound grew louder. Soon, Chu Tian saw a small pool. But instead of water, the pool was filled with blood. He gasped. "What…?"

A breeze swept across the pool, and Chu Tian raised his sword, illuminating the wall above the pool. There, a man with disheveled hair covering his face was perched, staring down at him. Startled, Chu Tian took a few steps back and demanded, "Who are you?"

The man sat silently in a recess of the wall, his body pierced with numerous long golden needles. The exposed parts of the needles glowed faintly, forming a protective light around him. The man finally spoke in a unique, ethereal voice, "Me? I’ve almost forgotten who I am."

Chu Tian, sensing the voice but no trace of the man’s aura, asked in shock, "Are you alive or dead?"

"Half-dead, half-alive," the man replied.

"What does that mean?" Chu Tian asked, puzzled.

The man did not elaborate but instead asked, "Who are you, and why are you here?"

Chu Tian explained his purpose for coming. The man chuckled bitterly. "Does fate wish to destroy me?"

Confused, Chu Tian asked, "Senior, what do you mean?"

The man sighed and continued, "Before I was sealed, I carved this map onto a spiritual beast. My intention was for other beasts to carry it out and attract powerful cultivators here to rescue me."

Chu Tian was stunned. "Are you… the great spirit inscriber Qiong Feng?"

The man let out a weary hum of affirmation. Chu Tian frowned. "How did you end up like this?"

Qiong Feng recounted his story. He had been framed and fled to the Cloud Mist Mountains, only to have his body and soul sealed here, unable to leave for eternity.

After hearing this, Chu Tian inhaled sharply. "Who would be so ruthless? Why not just kill you outright?"

Qiong Feng sighed. "It was my junior brother. He wanted to torture me and use these sealing needles to refine me completely. After my death, my memories and spirit-inscription techniques would be sealed in these needles for him to steal."

Chu Tian was shocked. "Then why didn’t he take you away directly?"

Qiong Feng sneered. "Before sealing me, I set up a Blood-Siphoning Formation here. As long as I’m alive, the formation will persist. If he tries to move me, the formation will drain his blood into that pool."

Chu Tian glanced at the blood-filled pool and asked, "So, this blood isn’t his?"

"Of course not. It belongs to the beasts that wandered in and tried to approach me."

Chu Tian suddenly understood. "So that’s how it is."

Qiong Feng sighed. "You should leave quickly. If he finds you, you’re as good as dead."

Chu Tian replied, "Senior, since I’m already here, I’ll try to find a way to free you."

Qiong Feng sighed. "The map I created was meant to guide powerful cultivators here. Only someone strong enough to break my Blood-Siphoning Formation can move me. Anyone weaker will be consumed by the formation."

Chu Tian examined the bloodstained walls, noticing the strange, glowing runes. He hesitated, but at that moment, the system prompt sounded.

Ding! Breaking the Blood-Siphoning Formation to save Qiong Feng will grant you a mysterious spatial treasure.

"Are you kidding me? Forcing me to take risks now?" Chu Tian muttered in frustration.

Qiong Feng, noticing Chu Tian’s hesitation, sighed. "Leave now. Don’t linger too long, or he’ll find you."