After escaping from the cat demon swarm, the six of them were thoroughly exhausted.
With their Core Formation cultivation, they shouldn't have been reduced to such a state, but within this Carefree Valley, with all manner of energies mixed together, while their cultivation base hadn't decreased, their actual combat strength had been greatly suppressed.
Mo Tiange glanced at Tian Zhiqian, whose forehead was already beaded with sweat, and asked Ling Yunhe, "Fellow Daoist Ling, is this place safe?"
Ling Yunhe looked around and nodded. "It's fine. Let's rest for a while."
Ling Yunfei and Tian Zhiqian both breathed sighs of relief. Both of them were barely holding on. Ling Yunfei had the lowest cultivation base, while Tian Zhiqian needed to maintain a formation, consuming the most spiritual power. Upon hearing they could rest, the two of them practically collapsed on the spot.
Tian Zhiqian forced himself to hold on, handing a formation plate to Ling Yunhe. "I must trouble Brother Ling to set up this formation."
Ling Yunhe nodded. "Brother Tian, just rest." Taking the formation plate, he skillfully deployed the formation and called out to the other three, "The three Fellow Daoists should also rest. I'll keep watch."
Mo Tiange and the other two also felt weary, each finding a spot within the formation to rest.
Though they were resting, none of them were completely relaxed. At the very least, Mo Tiange noticed a glint of vigilance in the eyes of Yang Chengji and Tian Can.
She smiled inwardly. This group of theirs had been invited by Ling Yunhe to help. They had agreed to lend a hand because Ling Yunhe had promised them certain conditions. However, there was also the unspoken intention of taking the opportunity to enter Carefree Valley and search for some spiritual treasures. Initially, they had thought Ling Yunhe's two helpers were slightly weaker, and thus hadn't been too wary of them. Only now did they discover Tian Zhiqian possessed such methods, naturally causing them great apprehension.
Tian Zhiqian and Ling Yunfei were Ling Yunhe's truly reliable companions. Although Ling Yunhe had deliberately found three people with cultivation levels similar to theirs to create mutual restraint and achieve balance, putting everyone at ease, they were unfamiliar with each other. Comparatively speaking, they were already at a disadvantage. Now, discovering that Tian Zhiqian wasn't as weak as imagined, they naturally became even more cautious.
However, Mo Tiange pondered, when Ling Yunhe had Tian Zhiqian display his strength earlier, it might have been to intimidate them.
After meditating for a while, her spiritual qi had completely recovered, and her spirits were much better. Mo Tiange stopped her seated cultivation and opened her eyes. She cultivated the Hunyuan Heart Method and had also received Qin Xi's Pure Yang energy. Now, she had a small Hunyuan within her body that could continuously replenish spiritual qi, so her recovery time was shorter than the others.
"Fellow Daoist Qin." Ling Yunhe's voice sounded by her ear.
Mo Tiange stopped and turned her head, seeing Ling Yunhe walking towards her and sitting down beside her. She smiled. "Is there something, Fellow Daoist Ling?"
Ling Yunhe returned the smile, looking at her with an assessing gaze. "Has Fellow Daoist Qin's spiritual qi already fully recovered?"
Mo Tiange nodded.
"So quickly..." Ling Yunhe gazed at her for a good while. "Fellow Daoist truly keeps her abilities hidden."
"Fellow Daoist Ling, don't misunderstand," Mo Tiange said calmly. "This one merely has a special cultivation method that allows for faster spiritual qi recovery. In terms of cultivation base, I am not stronger than you."
"Is that so?" Ling Yunhe didn't ask further, but judging by his expression, he didn't seem entirely convinced.
Mo Tiange couldn't be bothered to explain further. She picked up the map of Carefree Valley and lowered her head to examine it carefully.
After a while, Mo Tiange asked, "Fellow Daoist Ling, you said the Carefree Tree doesn't grow in a fixed location. This Carefree Valley is so vast. How are we to search for it?"
Ling Yunhe smiled. "Has Fellow Daoist Qin forgotten the characteristics of my cultivation method?"
Mo Tiange was taken aback. "You mean... your method is highly sensitive to the aura of spiritual treasures, allowing you to detect them?"
"Mhm." Ling Yunhe nodded. "Since the Carefree Fruit is such a spiritual treasure, no matter where it is, it will inevitably cause changes in the surrounding spiritual qi. As long as I approach within a certain range, I can sense it."
"So that's how it is." No wonder he had never mentioned how to find the treasure before.
By this time, Tian Can had finished his meditation and opened his eyes.
Ling Yunhe nodded to the two of them. "I'll go rest as well. I must trouble you two Fellow Daoists to remain vigilant."
Seeing both of them nod, Ling Yunhe turned and found a corner, sitting cross-legged to meditate.
Mo Tiange had nothing to say to Tian Can. They merely nodded at each other in greeting before each kept to their own watch.
At this moment, Mo Tiange suddenly felt her Spirit Beast Bag stir.
She looked down. It was the bag containing Feifei.
Now, all three spirit beasts had reached the Fifth-Rank. Xiaohuo and Xiaofan were not lacking in strength and could be of great help in critical moments. As for Feifei, although its Dharma Combat skills were lacking, it possessed special abilities. Knowing this journey wouldn't be easy, Mo Tiange had simply brought all three of them with her.
This movement... could it be Feifei had something to say?
She quietly opened the mouth of the Spirit Beast Bag, not letting Feifei out, but communicating via divine sense. "Feifei, is something the matter?"
After a moment, Feifei's voice sounded in her mind. They shared a Spirit Beast Contract, and Feifei had already learned to speak, making divine sense communication very convenient.
"Master, what is this place? The spiritual qi is so dense."
Mo Tiange said, "Of course. This is a blessed land from the Ancient Era. Unfortunately, with the passage of time, this place has undergone mutations. No matter how dense the spiritual qi is, it's of little use now."
"Hmm... I find the spiritual qi here a bit strange. It seems like there are many good things."
Mo Tiange was startled, suddenly remembering. Besides calming the mind and spirit, and being able to coexist peacefully with almost all demonic beasts, Feifei was also very sensitive to spiritual qi and could seek treasures.
"What do you sense? Is there an aura of spiritual treasures?"
Feifei was quiet for a while before saying, "Not sure. I'm not very familiar with these things, can't say for certain. Master, don't close the Spirit Beast Bag. Let me sense a bit more. I feel the spiritual qi here is very... familiar."
"Alright." Ever since forming the Spirit Beast Contract with her, Feifei had mostly been left to roam freely in the Void Heaven Realm, rarely going outside. Its perception of spiritual qi wasn't that strong. Thinking of this, Mo Tiange agreed to its request.
A short while later, Ling Yunhe and the others finished their meditation and stopped their seated cultivation. The group prepared to set off again.
Mo Tiange sensed a subtle change in the atmosphere within the team. Initially, Tian Can and Yang Chengji had both been somewhat nonchalant. Although they kept their promises and followed Ling Yunhe's lead in everything, it was clear they didn't take him too seriously. Now, their attitudes were noticeably much more cautious.
Whether it was because they were now wary of Ling Yunhe's group of three, or because they had witnessed Tian Zhiqian's methods and shed their underestimation, in any case, Ling Yunhe's objective had likely been achieved. They had both been intimidated.
As for Mo Tiange, she wasn't too worried. She had brought three Fifth-Rank spirit beasts with her. Even if Feifei's Dharma Combat skills were lacking, with Xiaofan and Xiaohuo around, protecting herself shouldn't be difficult.
"Fellow Daoist Ling." Tian Can suddenly spoke up. "This Carefree Valley is so vast. How do you plan to find the Carefree Fruit you mentioned?"
Mo Tiange had already asked Ling Yunhe this question privately earlier. Now, Ling Yunhe replied, "Fellow Daoist Tian Can, there's no need to be anxious. We are still only in the outer valley. The Carefree Fruit only grows in the inner valley of Carefree Valley. We still have several obstacles to pass."
"Is that so?" Tian Can surveyed their surroundings, questioning, "The spiritual qi here is already astonishingly dense. Moreover, as soon as we entered the valley, we encountered those cat demons. If there are still several obstacles, wouldn't it be extremely dangerous?"
Ling Yunhe paused for a long moment before sighing and saying, "If it weren't dangerous, why would I have paid such a high price to invite you all to accompany me? I might as well be frank. The conditions each of you requested are not easy to fulfill. If it weren't for the fact that my Ling family's Nascent Soul ancestor has given his word this time, even I wouldn't be able to obtain those spiritual treasures."
Spiritual treasures? Mo Tiange's gaze swept over Tian Can and Yang Chengji. What kind of conditions had these two requested that even a major sect elder like Ling Yunhe found difficult to fulfill? Come to think of it, her own conditions weren't easy either. Her grudge with Han Shizhi was one thing; given Ling Yunhe's status, the other party probably wouldn't refuse to give him face. But obtaining the complete version of the Plain Maiden Art was not so simple.
Cultivation methods and Spirit Veins were the foundation of a sect. Spirit Veins couldn't be stolen or lost, so major sects would focus their efforts on preserving their cultivation methods. Every sect, even a small one with just a hundred members, placed utmost importance on the library housing their cultivation methods. Not only were they protected by formation restrictions, but they were also mostly guarded by high-level cultivators. Even disciples entering had to pass through layers of security and couldn't browse books beyond their cultivation realm. Mo Tiange had also been unable to think of a solution, which was why she agreed to Ling Yunhe's conditions. But whether he could actually obtain the Plain Maiden Art, she didn't hold out much hope.
Thinking of this, she felt she had gotten a bit of a raw deal. Her two conditions couldn't be fulfilled immediately. It could be said that by following Ling Yunhe into Carefree Valley, she couldn't demand something like a "deposit." If she were unlucky and Ling Yunhe didn't make it out of Carefree Valley safely, she would be left empty-handed, gaining nothing. In the end, it was because she was too inexperienced. She had never worked for others before and hadn't even thought of this. Otherwise, asking Ling Yunhe for some benefits upfront, he probably wouldn't have refused.
"However," Ling Yunhe continued, "the few Fellow Daoists need not worry too much. As I said before, I have over a seventy percent certainty of leaving safely. This is not an empty boast. Within our Nine Sages Sect, there have been seniors who entered before. How to break through these obstacles, I have long been prepared."
Tian Can gave Ling Yunhe a deep look and nodded. "I hope Fellow Daoist Ling keeps his word."
The six of them proceeded, with Ling Yunhe and Mo Tiange walking at the front, Tian Zhiqian and Ling Yunfei in the middle, and Tian Can and Yang Chengji bringing up the rear. Tian Zhiqian held his jade plate, periodically observing the changes in the surrounding five elements' auras.
The sky in Carefree Valley was perpetually gloomy. Mo Tiange looked up and saw towering cliffs on all sides, revealing only a narrow strip of sky. The air was filled with dust and mist visible to the naked eye, everything before them hazy.
The six advanced in silence. Surrounded by chaotic energies, they constantly needed to maintain their spiritual qi protection, isolating the foul energies outside.
After most of a day, Ling Yunhe finally stopped. "Everyone, past here is the Inner Valley."
Mo Tiange leaned forward to look and was startled. It was a narrow valley entrance, only wide enough for two people to walk side-by-side. At the entrance lay a fissure, dark and deep, like a greedy maw waiting to devour any passerby.