My best friend asked me if I was still doing system tasks.

As everyone spread their divine senses, they saw three arrays in operation. In the center of the arrays was a pitch-black Refining Cauldron. From time to time, human arms and heads would emerge from the cauldron, floating and sinking, struggling bitterly.

Outside the Refining Yuan Cauldron lay cultivators covered in blood, some consciously clutching their wounds and groaning pitifully, others unconsciously dragging their broken bodies slowly toward the cauldron. The bloody scene looked quite bizarre.

Sixty or seventy cultivators dressed in black robes surrounded the formation, while two enormous demonic beasts were tearing apart the crippled cultivators.

One of the mantis-like monsters pierced the human's chest with its forelimbs and bit off the human's head, causing blood to splatter everywhere.

Another serpentine monster with horns on its head used its tail to wrap around the human, crush him, and grind him into a pulp. Blood mist exploded in the air. It flicked its tail and threw him into the Refining Cauldron, its tongue licking the blood and flesh off its tail.

From afar, the two male cultivators who were leading the group sat on recliners, whispering to each other and laughing so hard they were doubled over.

An invisible wind blew through the secret realm, carrying with it red mist and the stench of blood.

Everyone finally understood why the eastern sky looked red; the drifting red mist was actually the blood of the brutally murdered cultivators.

Upon witnessing this scene, gasps of surprise rose and fell. They had intended to land and explore the surroundings, but now they all hovered in mid-air, too afraid to move.

Ruan Chayan's breath hitched, and Luo Hanying, on the verge of tears, grabbed Ruan Chayan's arm: "Holy crap! Such a big bug!"

Why is that snake so scraggly?! It's nothing like your master's green snake!

"Qingqing is a spirit beast, this thing..."

With so many people, and such demonic beasts and formations, no wonder their fates are uncertain.

Ruan Chayan gagged uncontrollably at the thought of what was in the air she was breathing.

Luo Hanying hurriedly patted Ruan Chayan's back. The two of them listened to the devastating cries and screams around them, their thoughts in turmoil.

The enemies who had been following closely behind Shirenmō, Hakuyō, and Hōmonji all wore mocking and satisfied smiles.

Rongzheng pointed at the group of people in a panic and shouted, "They...they did it on purpose! They want us to come here to die!"

Liu Yanfei, a cultivator from the Canghai Realm who had been following behind the group, put his arm around his fellow disciple and teased, "Hahaha~ It's too late to realize something's wrong now, isn't it?"

"Look at this group of people, they're absolutely ridiculous!"

The cultivator beside him burst into laughter, muttering a few curses in his dialect. Ruan Chayan and Luo Hanying only caught the word "ha-chuo-chuo".

Amidst the noise, Ruan Chayan and Luo Hanying scanned the people and formations with their divine senses again and again, trying to find an exit that would allow them to leave the secret realm.

Luo Hanying's lips tightened: "Did you figure something out?"

“No.” Ruan Chayan frowned. “I’m afraid we’ll have to go down and look for it.”

For once, the stringed instrument stopped playing dead and reminded the two of them: "Look at the nine o'clock direction. Do you see that half-person-high stone with the words 'beast bone' carved on it?"

That's the exit from the secret realm. If you can smear blood from your fingertips on the stone, you can be teleported out.

Ruan Chayan spoke quickly: [“Can we just tell them directly?”]

String Song: [“Permission.”]

Luo Hanying summoned her spirit sword and immediately split up with Ruan Chayan to secretly pass on the news.

Liu Yanfei gathered his spiritual power in his mouth and shouted at the cultivators in front of the formation, "Senior Brother Wang! There are so many newly arrived offerings, come and deal with them quickly!"

The two men on the recliner stood up with a laugh, and Wang Zuojun, who was called "Senior Brother Wang," reached out and summoned back the Exploding Scaled Dragon.

The Scaled Dragon lowered its head, allowing Wang Zuojun to leap onto its head. Following Wang Zuojun's command, it flew to the front of Shi Renzong and the others.

Song Kangnian wiped the sweat from his brow and asked Song Yingshi in a low voice, "Shall we do it?"

Song Ying hesitated and said, "So many people, and such a monster..."

"If Junior Sister Ruan and Junior Sister Luo's judgment is correct, we should be able to reach that stone if we give it our all."

I just don't know if they'll come out with us.

Ran Jie had already taken up her erhu, her fingertips turning white from gripping it so tightly.

Bai Yize said confidently, "It would be even better if we got out!"

"We've been trapped in this secret realm for so long without any news getting out. There must be a lot of fellow cultivators gathered outside. Wouldn't we be safe once we get out? We could even capture them and interrogate them!"

He is the third son of the Bai family, the eldest son of Yunliu Bai. He contacted his family before entering the secret realm. Since there has been no news for so long, the Bai family must have sent someone to the outside of the Guangxu secret realm to inquire about the news.

"I am willing to serve under you!"

As Rongzheng watched the approaching Scaled Dragon and the swarming enemy, he suddenly rushed out of the crowd, shouting, "I'm willing to surrender! I want to pledge allegiance!"

He prostrated himself on the spirit sword, pleading, "Please spare me! I am willing to join your ranks!"

I beg you, sir, to speak well of me before the celestial messenger! May I also be able to ascend to the upper realm!

The sudden turn of events left everyone stunned. Luo Hanying clutched her dantian, her expression blank: "He...he actually surrendered?!"

She was so angry that her blood boiled, and her already uncomfortable body felt even worse.

"Now I don't even know if I should have told you those things back then. I told you that your Canglan Realm couldn't deal with them."

Wenren Ya gave a bitter smile. She glanced at Rong Zheng, her eyes filled with disappointment that she had expected this.

Ruan Chayan's eyes widened in anger: "Disgusting! What a despicable bastard!"

After realizing what had happened, Bai Yuzhai's disciples were furious at Rongzheng's lack of resolve and cursed him for his sudden betrayal.

"Rongzheng! You are a despicable person! Your senior brothers have always taken good care of you!"

"How could you betray us?! How could you do such a thing?! Do you have any respect for the teachings of your teachers?!"

"You've completely forgotten all the virtues of benevolence, righteousness, propriety, wisdom, and trustworthiness that we've been learning!"

Bai Yize then shouted and accused, "How did you, Baiyuzhai, teach your disciples?! How could you produce such a traitorous wretch?!"

The farce unfolding before them amused the cultivators from Canghai Realm and Taibai Pavilion, who watched the spectacle with leisurely interest.

"Your surname is Rong, right?"

Wang Zuojun stroked the horn of the Scaled Flood Dragon and said, "Fellow Daoist Rong is truly pragmatic. Our Jueyuan Palace likes fellow Daoists like you who can recognize reality. I grant your request!"

He smiled and said, "I wonder if there are any other fellow Daoists who would like to join us?"

I dare not say I can guarantee you any great things, but it would not be difficult for me to arrange for you to meet the Immortal Envoy."

The owner of the Golden Mantis was Chen Yangfu, a cultivator from Taibai Pavilion. He followed up and said, "Don't you all want to seriously consider this?"

I'm sure Wenren Ya will tell you a lot of things, including the ascension of cultivators from the Canghai Realm.

You have cultivated diligently for thousands of years, but in the end, you may not even be able to overcome the tribulation required for advancement.

"But now, as long as you pledge allegiance to us and become a member of the Immortal Envoy's ranks, willing to die for the Immortal Envoy and the Canghai Realm, you can easily ascend to immortality."

Dou Xueran stroked the feathers of the Windwing Falcon, sobbing as she retorted, "Nonsense! Cultivators should follow the natural order in their practice. The immortal messengers you speak of are heretics and evil! You're lying to us!"

As soon as she finished speaking, she saw her junior brothers and sisters flying towards Wang Zuojun.

Kong Jiu and Bai Jing bowed and said, "We, husband and wife, are willing to surrender!"