Three hundred li north of Ironwire Mountain, three figures approached, each riding a flying magic tool. Leading them was Li Xuanming, the great disciple of the Extreme Yin Cave, dressed in flowing white robes and strikingly handsome. Following him were Liu Zhenxiong, the second disciple of the Extreme Yin Cave, and Zhou Yu, a cultivator from the Heavenly Seal Sect.

Liu Zhenxiong's flying magic tool carried a securely bound cultivator at the Foundation Establishment stage, who appeared utterly terrified and devoid of any will to resist, his face etched with despair. As they moved forward, Li Xuanming queried, "Zhou Yu, tell us in detail, what capabilities do the Gu Masters of Ironwire Mountain possess?"

Zhou Yu forced a smile, "Senior Brother Li, I barely escaped with my life; it was pure luck. I don't know what methods the Gu Masters of Ironwire Mountain employ."

Liu Zhenxiong coldly threatened, "Speak now, or I'll kill you this instant. Who would know how a mere Foundation Establishment cultivator died?"

Zhou Yu's face twitched. He had heard that these disciples of the Extreme Yin Cave were no easy fellows. Now, he was even more fearful upon discovering that they dared to kidnap and possibly kill a Foundation Establishment cultivator from the Heavenly Seal Sect's Flying Mountain Hall.

Reluctantly, Zhou Yu recounted everything that had happened, "I was here with Zhao Luan and Chu Xuan. Unexpectedly, Zhao Luan was infested by Ironwire Worms, and white Gu worms burrowed out of his eyes. Realizing the danger, Chu Xuan and I decided to retreat immediately. But just as we turned to leave, the Gu Master appeared suddenly and struck us each in the back. I was severely injured, but fortunately, my life-saving Flying Talisman sped up my escape."

"As for Chu Xuan's whereabouts, I am unaware. If anything happened to him, it's not my fault... After all, it was an intelligence failure by the sect... Who knew the Gu Master of Ironwire Mountain was a mid-stage Foundation Establishment..." Zhou Yu shrank as he spoke, fearing a fatal slap from his captors.

Li Xuanming's expression showed little change, but he sighed. Chu Xuan had been missing for too long. As the great disciple of the Extreme Yin Cave, he felt obligated to investigate and provide an explanation to his master.

After some inquiries, he and Liu Zhenxiong learned that the intelligence received by the Heavenly Seal Sect had been gravely erroneous. The Gu Master of Ironwire Mountain was not a novice at the Foundation stage but a mid-stage cultivator.

The pervasive fog on Ironwire Mountain was far from ordinary, teeming with worm eggs!

At the time, Chu Xuan had only reached the second level of Foundation Establishment, no match for the Gu Master of Ironwire Mountain. Over the months, there had been no word from Chu Xuan, and it was highly likely that his body had been dragged away by the Gu Master, and used as a nursery for Gu worms.

Li Xuanming had initially been reluctant to venture into Ironwire Mountain. His cultivation was only marginally equal to that of the Ironwire Mountain Gu Master, who also had the advantage of the terrain. It was uncertain who would prevail.

However, upon hearing that Chen Zhaofeng, a new disciple of the Extreme Yin Cave, had also been captured by the Gu Master of Ironwire Mountain—and that Chen Zhaofeng possessed a top-grade magic tool—Li Xuanming felt compelled to intervene. His primary motive was to avenge his junior brother; the top-grade magic tool was only secondary.

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Liu Zhenxiong's face was filled with rage. He kicked the Foundation Establishment stage cultivator in the stomach, eliciting a pained scream and a mouthful of blood. Liu Zhenxiong growled, "You cur, do you realize your false information has cost the lives of my two junior brothers? Once I kill the Gu Master of Ironwire Mountain, I'll sever your head to guard their graves!"

The Foundation Establishment cultivator, overwhelmed with fear, attempted to beg for mercy. However, Liu Zhenxiong had already sewn his mouth shut, leaving him only able to make muffled sounds.

Soon, the trio arrived outside Ironwire Mountain, which was still shrouded in swirling white mist. This fog, pregnant with grave dangers, promised to turn all unwitting intruders into its sustenance.

"What's the plan?" Zhou Yu asked, swallowing nervously and instinctively stepping back. "Just to be clear, I'm not strong enough to deal with this fog."

Li Xuanming responded calmly, "You won't need to lift a finger; just cover our rear when the time comes." He turned to Liu Zhenxiong, "Junior brother, it's on you. Clear the fog, and I'll lead the way."

Liu Zhenxiong nodded vigorously and pulled two talismans from his storage bag.

Zhou Yu's eyes widened at the sight. Array-breaking talismans! These talismans were high-grade items for those at the Foundation Establishment stage, designed specifically to break through formations.

Although they were consumable, their value could rival that of a high-grade magic tool. Many cultivators, especially those without substantial resources, wouldn't even consider buying such talismans. Zhou Yu had scarcely seen them before, but here Liu Zhenxiong produced two without hesitation.

Indeed, this was the boldness of a demonic cultivator from the Extreme Yin Cave, unhesitant in action, which surely played a part in their capacity to amass wealth.

Unknowingly, Zhou Yu's perception shifted slightly.

"Go!" Liu Zhenxiong infused one of the talismans with his spiritual qi. The talisman flew into the mist and ignited instantly.

Boom!

The fog dissipated, and a path was explosively cleared.

"Follow me!"

Li Xuanming charged ahead, his palm emitting a yellow flame that crackled fiercely, incinerating the floating worm eggs in the air as it passed. This was none other than the Corpse Refining Blood Fire!

Without a second thought, Liu Zhenxiong flicked his wrist, and four long nails pinned the limbs of the Foundation Establishment cultivator firmly into the rocks. "I'll deal with you when I return," he said with a cold huff, then followed Li Xuanming into the mist alongside Zhou Yu.

Zhou Yu, astonished by the blazing flames, inquired, "Senior Brother Li, what fire is this?"

Li Xuanming responded emotionlessly, "Corpse Refining Blood Fire."

Zhou Yu was about to ask more, but upon hearing the name, he immediately clamped his mouth shut. The name alone hinted at demonic practices.

Recently, as the Heavenly Seal Sect warred with the native sects of Wu Province, the toll on both cultivators and mortals had been heavy. Many resorted to demonic means in secret, slaughtering mortals.

Zhou Yu had more than once seen cultivators of the Heavenly Seal Sect, outwardly respectable, committing mass murders, blatantly ignoring the righteous sects' prohibition against slaughtering mortals.

The Corpse Refining Blood Fire, no doubt, was cultivated from the burning of numerous mortals and cultivators.

Moments later, the mist surged once more.

Without hesitation, Liu Zhenxiong activated another array-breaking talisman.

Boom!

The fog was blasted away again.

The trio quickened their pace, breaking through the mist in one fell swoop to reach the foot of Ironwire Mountain. Below this peak was a sight too ghastly to behold.

The ground was littered with corpses, some riddled with holes from Gu worms, others still fresh. Blood mixed with mud, staining the ground a dark red.

Zhou Yu felt his stomach churn, nearly vomiting. Yet, Li Xuanming and Liu Zhenxiong seemed unaffected, indifferent to the macabre scene.

"Demonic cultivators... truly steadfast in resolve," Zhou Yu muttered under his breath, suppressing the urge to retch.

"Hehehe, you brazen cultivators of the Heavenly Seal Sect really dare to come here," a piercing voice suddenly echoed from all directions. "Those who trespass Ironwire Mountain shall die!"

Immediately following, countless thumb-sized black Gu worms swarmed towards them!