After the time it took an incense stick to burn, Wang Weiming opened his eyes.

Another sixth-level disciple from Solitary Moon Mountain approached. “Senior Brother Wang truly lives up to his reputation,” he said. “You can meditate undisturbed even in such chaos.”

Though both were at the same cultivation level and this disciple was older, he still addressed Wang Weiming as senior brother. Their statuses within the sect differed greatly despite their equal strength.

The difference showed in their robes. Wang Weiming’s sleeves, collar, and moon emblem gleamed snow-white, while the other disciple’s bore azure hues. Only elders’ direct disciples wore white in Solitary Moon Mountain.

Their cultivation methods also differed. Ordinary disciples practiced the Early Stage of Condensing Essence-level “Long River Moonlight Method.” But direct disciples like Wang Weiming cultivated the early-stage Spirit Communication secret method called “Solitary Moon Reflects Sky Technique.” When Feng Lingyue first met Yang Lingrui, the “spiritual resonance” she sensed in her thoughts could faintly be detected in Wang Weiming too.

“Hm.”

Wang Weiming gave only this curt reply before turning his cold gaze toward the treasure land’s entrance. The disciple retreated obediently, hiding any resentment. Senior Brother Wang’s recent rise in the sect left no room for disrespect.

Rumors said the sect had prepared three sixth-level Gathering Qi disciples as Dao Stones for his breakthrough. Yet all three fell to Wang Weiming’s blade in single strikes.

Advancing the Solitary Moon Reflects Sky Technique required constant hunting for suitable Dao Stones. Only through bloodshed and mortal peril could its power awaken. This explained why outsiders whispered of Solitary Moon Mountain’s vicious customs – disciples competing, friends becoming stepping stones.

Li Yuande had once been the perfect Dao Stone for the sect’s current senior brother. But when Li Yuande defected to join a royal court, Solitary Moon Mountain had to send Wang Weiming’s group to the Mayfly Treasure Land instead. Without Dao Stones, the senior brother needed Mayfly Essence to forge Primordial Dan for his breakthrough.

Wang Weiming glared at the glowing entrance, irritation flashing across his face. He too had reached a bottleneck. Though he’d begged his master repeatedly, no fitting Dao Stone candidate appeared. His stagnant cultivation gnawed at him.

“Enough. The sect’s will prevails.” He clenched his jaw. “If I secure this Mayfly Essence, perhaps they’ll grant me a Dao Stone.”

Suddenly, an idea struck him. His eyes swept across the crowd of cultivators gathered nearby. A slow smile spread.

Why wait? Plenty of potential Dao Stones stood right before him.

Once inside the treasure land where external detection was impossible, he decided to eliminate them one by other, certain he’d eventually find a suitable Dao Stone.

The Solitary Moon Mountain disciple standing beside Wang Weiming suddenly shivered as an inexplicable chill crawled up his spine.

When he turned and caught sight of Wang Weiming’s faint smile, he gulped nervously.

“Let’s hope this killing star doesn’t go berserk in the treasure land and take my head along with others…”

While crowds awaited the Mayfly Treasure Land’s opening, the Black Snake Secret Treasure had already been accessed elsewhere.

Given the overwhelming number of early-stage Gathering Qi cultivators, Yang Linghu prudently waited until the third wave before entering the hidden treasure with Liang Yi and Zhao Qi.

True to expectations, early arrivals were already clashing for various reasons.

The trio detoured around these conflicts, heading deeper into the treasure site.

Soon they encountered cultivators hesitating before a mist-filled valley.

“Shouldn’t a spiritual power barrier protect us from this poisonous mist?”

“How should I know? You volunteer to test it?”

None dared take the first step until a second-level Gathering Qi martial cultivator spat in irritation and strode forward with spiritual energy flaring.

“Fearsome my ass! See? Perfectly fine!”

The burly man marched into the mist unharmed. Encouraged, others followed.

Within moments, the lead martial cultivator collapsed without warning.

“Back! Retreat now!”

Panicked cultivators found their legs entangled by barbed grass. Though fragile individually, the plants’ sheer numbers slowed escape attempts. Thick drowsiness overwhelmed them before they could reach the Safe Area.

The fallen were soon covered by creeping plants that pierced their skin with root-spikes, draining their flesh. Survivors and observers alike trembled with delayed terror.

As Yang Lingrui often said – information meant survival. But most early-stage cultivators here were Loose cultivators barely scraping together cultivation resources, let alone affording secret treasure site intelligence with spiritual crystals. Many had come based on rumors about the Black Snake Secret Treasure.

After this mass death, many abandoned the toxic valley. The crowd’s tension broke when sect cultivators swallowed elixirs and entered unscathed.

“So pills are needed!”

“Now what? Nobody warned us!”

Yang Linghu observed before choosing an alternate route. This main path would attract crowds – even if they found a molting black snake, conflict was inevitable. While confident in his own strength, he needed to consider Zhao Qi and Liang Yi. With ample time remaining in the treasure site’s opening period, exploration could proceed leisurely.

Two days later, they found an overlooked descending poison valley. As Yang Linghu and Liang Yi prepared antidote pills, Zhao Qi tripped and smashed his forehead against a protruding rock in the Rock Wall.

*Click*

A stone door ground open in the valley’s midsection, revealing a dark cave.

“Junior Zhao! Only you could find hidden areas like this!”

“Legends pale before reality!” Yang Linghu and Liang Yi marveled.

Rubbing his swelling forehead, Zhao Qi chuckled ruefully. “Brother Linghu, Elder Liang… I should mention my luck usually skews bad. This cave might hold opportunities, but danger surely lurks within.”

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep