At the City Lord's Mansion in Yuanshan City, within the bright and spacious hall.
"City Lord Qi Yuan, in accordance with your instructions, I have dispatched underling cultivators to search the area around Yuanshan City vigorously, but to no avail," City Lord Luo Yan looked helplessly at Qi Yuan.
Qi Yuan waved his hand and said, "On that day, the Heavenly Secret Mirror alerted me that a calamitous event would occur within Zhenjiang Prefecture. I immediately used 'Observing Heaven' to detect the Heavenly Secrets.
In the Heavenly Secret Mirror, I saw a blood red Blood Pool and the scenery of Yuanshan City. It is beyond doubt that the Underworld has some plans within the region of Yuanshan City."
Luo Yan's face became solemn, "The ability of the Heavenly Secret Mirror to detect the Heavenly Secrets is known to all in Great Xia; of course, I wouldn't doubt what City Lord Qi Yuan has said."
"It's just..." Luo Yan ventured cautiously, "Being such a significant object, the Blood Pool would surely be protected by stringent defenses from the Underworld. So it is indeed difficult for us to achieve any findings. Didn't even the Yuanshan Tower fail to detect the slightest clue?"
Qi Yuan pondered for a few seconds, agreeing, "I believe the same. The area of Yuanshan City is so vast; if the Underworld cultivators set up a concealed Formation to hide the Blood Pool, making you look for it by manpower is undoubtedly like looking for a needle in the ocean.
Therefore, today I am prepared to use 'Observing Heaven' again in an attempt to locate the Blood Pool."
Luo Yan's face revealed a hint of joy, "The Heavenly Secret Mirror possesses the ability to reach the heavens; I suppose the Underworld can't escape its scrutiny, no matter how secretive they are."
Qi Yuan nodded slightly, his thoughts turning into action.
A flash of golden light passed.
An ancient mirror floated in front of Qi Yuan.
It was the splinter mirror of the Heavenly Secret Mirror.
The Heavenly Secret Mirror was divided into two sides, Yin and Yang. The back side appeared as if cast from ancient bronze, engraved with mysterious patterns.
The front was a glaze mirror surface, free of any dust; one look and it was hazy, nothing in sight.
This mirror doesn't reflect people, but it can observe the heavens.
The scenes shown on the glaze mirror surface can only be seen by the owner of the Heavenly Secret Mirror, Qi Yuan.
Qi Yuan clasped his hands into a strange hand seal.
In the void, a faintly discernible line appeared, starting from Qi Yuan's hand and connecting to the Heavenly Secret Mirror.
This was the line of Qi Yuan's life force.
A greenish light flowed along that line, continuously surging out from Qi Yuan's hands before pouring into the Heavenly Secret Mirror.
'Observing Heaven', trading lifespan for Heavenly Secrets.
The greenish light was none other than Qi Yuan's lifespan.
The art of 'Observing Heaven' had many restrictions.
The stronger the object you wanted to investigate and the more precise the information was, the greater the price you had to pay accordingly.
The Blood Pool Qi Yuan wanted to investigate could only be considered a Low Grade Blood Pool, but to pinpoint its exact location, even as a Nascent Soul cultivator, he had to sacrifice a portion of his lifespan.
It was visible during the process of the greenish light flowing towards the Heavenly Secret Mirror.
A few strands of Qi Yuan's black hair were quickly fading in color, gradually turning gray, and finally becoming white.
Qi Yuan seemed unaware.
—From the moment he took charge of the splinter mirror of the Heavenly Secret Mirror, he was already prepared mentally.
To protect the peace of the Human Race, none in the Heavenly Secret Pavillion who guarded the mirror were reluctant to give their lives.
A haze of white light gradually covered Qi Yuan's pupils.
Through this white light, Qi Yuan gazed at the glaze mirror of the Heavenly Secret Mirror.
To onlookers, the mirror surface seemed shrouded in fog, but in Qi Yuan's eyes, the mist was slowly dissipating.
Clearing the mist to see the light.
Just as Qi Yuan was about to see the scene hidden behind the fog—
Boom—
An immensely loud roaring sound.
A black Spirit Light soared into the sky.
Directly breaking through the roof.
Once the Spirit Light reached a certain height, it instantly transformed into a vast curtain, enveloping the entire City Lord's Mansion within it.
At the same time.
Numerous streams of black mist appeared out of thin air, twisting and merging together in midair, coiling into three exceptionally large black serpents.
The black serpents, tens of meters long, their bodies overflowing with black mist, constantly rolling.
Third Grade Formation: 'Three Spirits Demon Formation'.
The Demon Formation could transform into three Spirit Snakes.
The Spirit Snakes possessed three abilities: to form a Barrier, to Attack, and to Confine the enemy.
These are the Three Spirits.
Unbeknownst to when, within the black mist, three figures in black robes emerged, their faces similarly shrouded in swirling mist.
All three black-robed cultivators held a small black flag in hand.
In the blink of an eye, the three black-robed cultivators manipulated the black flags in their hands.
——This is the banner that controls the three black snakes.
Hiss——
Hiss——
Hiss——
Driven by the black banner, the black snakes simultaneously raised their heads and let out piercing hisses.
Qi Yuan's face turned pale.
Embedded within the hisses of the black snakes was a sonic attack that targeted the divine soul.
Qi Yuan, who was using the "Observing Heaven" divine skill without any guard up, was caught off guard and was momentarily stunned.
The Underworld Cultivators naturally would not miss such an opportunity.
Under their manipulation, the three black snakes swiftly lunged towards Qi Yuan, tightly binding him.
As the three black snakes, each several tens of meters thick, coiled around Qi Yuan, his entire figure was engulfed by the black mist, making him completely invisible from the outside. The only thing visible was the golden light of the Heavenly Secret Mirror shimmering dazzlingly within the black fog.
Upon witnessing this scene, Luo Yan let out a sinister laugh.
His big plan had succeeded.
Even the Mirror Master of the Heavenly Secret Pavillion, who had access to the heavenly secrets, couldn't escape my schemes.
Right then!
Clang——
The clear ringing of a sword reverberated through the air.
Dozens of refreshing cyan sword lights surged forth.
Like an army bearing down.
They glowed faintly within the black curtain.
The sword lights charged directly at the three black-robed Cultivators holding the banners amidst the black fog.
Their presence was domineering.
All three black-robed Cultivators' faces changed.
They each promptly activated secret techniques, either defensive artifacts or defensive spells, in an attempt to block the overwhelming sword lights.
However, all their efforts were in vain.
Under the cyan sword lights, the three black-robed Cultivators, along with their defensive spells and spiritual artifacts,
Melted away like ice and snow.
They disintegrated in an instant.
The might of the sword lights was evident for all to see!
With the death of the three black-robed Cultivators, the black snakes that were binding Qi Yuan could no longer hold him.
"Golden Core Sword Cultivator, Sword Light Differentiation, Dantai Qingrun!" Luo Yan's eyes bulged with anger.
These dozens of cyan sword lights belonged to the unique Sword Technique of the Dantai House, the "Crescent Moon Sword Technique"!
Within Yuanshan City, the only one capable of executing the "Crescent Moon Sword Technique" was the Tower Master of Yuanshan Tower, Dantai Qingrun.
Indeed, beneath the black curtain, high in the sky.
It was as if a door had been opened.
A mystic golden square aura spread out, and a woman in white appeared, floating in midair.
It was the Tower Master of Yuanshan Tower, Dantai Qingrun herself!
Dantai Qingrun's pair of cold eyes scanned the City Lord's Mansion engulfed in black fog.
"Rakshasa, your methods are indeed grand," said Dantai Qingrun, her voice serene and chilling.
No wonder since she took over Yuanshan Tower, she always felt as if an invisible hand was blocking their efforts to probe the Underworld, causing them all kinds of misfortune.
Who would have thought that a Rakshasa from the Underworld would turn out to be Luo Yan, a City Lord of Yuanshan City!
Dantai Qingrun's murderous intent soared, tinged with a bit of worry.
Has the Underworld's infiltration within the Human Race reached this extent?
The Rakshasa's face changed.
Originally bound by the black snakes, Qi Yuan had already quietly escaped after Dantai Qingrun had slain the three Underworld Cultivators controlling the snakes.
Outside the black curtain, many Cultivators from Yuanshan Tower had already gathered, assaulting the Three Spirits Demon Formation.
Even though the Three Spirits Demon Formation was a Third Grade formation, it couldn't possibly withstand the combined attack of so many Cultivators for too long.
Inside the formation were Nascent Soul Spiritual Cultivators and a Golden Core Sword Cultivator skilled in killing. Meanwhile, these Underworld Cultivators and their allies at best had reached the Golden Core stage.
They could neither fight nor escape.
A situation with no chance of survival!