Departing from the Tingtao Residence cave dwelling, the group continued deeper into the core region of the secret realm. The surrounding spiritual energy grew increasingly dense, almost condensing into a tangible mist that carried a refreshing clarity with every breath. The trees grew taller and more ruggedly magnificent, many spiritual herbs that were rare in the outside world served here merely as ordinary embellishments. However, the hidden perils beneath this splendor grew in tandem—low-tier demon beasts had almost vanished, replaced by existences with more concealed yet powerful auras. Occasional roars echoing from deep within the dense forest carried a heart-shaking pressure.
Senior Brother Mu Qingfeng's expression grew graver than before. He constantly adjusted their advance route based on the jade slip map and his own perceptions, doing his utmost to avoid areas exuding dangerous auras. Third Senior Sister Liu Yun held her longsword; though unsheathed, sharp sword intent already coiled around her, ready to respond to any sudden situation. Xiao Qi followed closely in the middle of the formation, one hand gripping his wok handle while the other occasionally brushed over his chest. The continuous warmth from that jade pendant felt not like a warning but more like a gentle guidance, as if cleansing the slight sluggishness brought by the overly rich spiritual energy around him.
Arriving at the entrance of a secluded valley nestled between two mountains, mist swirled within, obscuring the interior. Only an exceptionally pure and ancient spiritual energy drifted out from within. The valley mouth showed no traces of artificial carving; only a massive bluish stone resembling a reclining ox lay across the path, its surface covered in mottled moss.
"The map indicates that passing through this 'Sinking Star Valley' will bring us to the periphery of the core region." Mu Qingfeng halted, scrutinizing the valley entrance. "The spiritual energy here is abnormal; there might be something peculiar. Everyone, be careful."
Just as his words fell, the mottled moss on the reclining ox stone suddenly seemed to come alive, emitting a hazy glow. Immediately afterward, the entire scene at the valley entrance rippled like water, light distorted, and scenery transformed. Everyone felt their vision blur; when they refocused, the deep valley mouth had vanished, replaced by a boundless, starry expanse of vast emptiness!
"Formation!" Mu Qingfeng exclaimed sharply, his sword half-unsheathed in an instant, cold light flashing.
Everyone's heart tightened; instinctively, they drew together, forming a back-to-back defensive formation. However, the anticipated attack did not arrive. They seemed to be adrift in cosmic space—their feet on nothingness, surrounded by slowly rotating stars, distant and cold. An intangible pressure surged from all directions, not acting on the physical body but directly assailing the mind, involuntarily evoking feelings of insignificance, loneliness, even fear.
"It's an illusion formation, and an extremely sophisticated one at that, targeting the very Dao-heart." Mu Qingfeng said gravely. He attempted to steady his mind with his own steadfast sword intent, but his brow remained tightly furrowed; clearly, the formation's power exceeded expectations. Beside him, a fellow disciple with slightly weaker cultivation had already begun turning pale, his eyes momentarily unfocused, muttering, "We… how did we get here… can we not go back?"
Xiao Qi initially also felt a heart-palpitating dread; that vast starry expanse seemed about to devour him. But just as his mind wavered, the jade pendant on his chest abruptly grew scalding hot. A surge of cool, pure energy far more vast and refined than ever before rushed into his limbs and bones, charging straight into his sea of consciousness!
In that instant, he felt his spiritual platform become utterly clear, as if washed by the purest spring water. The suffocating starry illusion around him still existed, but in his perception, it now had an additional layer of illusory "film." He could clearly "see" that this starry expanse was composed of countless intricate, flowing talisman characters and spiritual energy threads. Its core operational patterns faintly connected to the reclining ox stone at the valley mouth.
That cool energy not only protected his mind but also seemed to grant him a transcendent insight. He "saw" Senior Brother Mu enveloped in swirling sword energy, resisting the "loneliness" sword-heart provoked by the formation; saw Third Senior Sister firmly guarding a point of clarity in her spiritual platform, resisting the "loss" sensation with sheer willpower; also saw other fellow disciples struggling within their own inner demon illusions—some witnessing the sect's destruction, some seeing loved ones die tragically, others consumed by endless lust for power...
As for himself, layered illusions surfaced before his eyes. The soaring flames and demonic shadows of Xulan Mountain Manor, his father Xu Zhan's blood-soaked figure, his mother's reluctant gaze at her final moments... These deeply buried wounds were mercilessly dredged up and amplified by the formation, crashing against his mind like tidal waves.
In the past, Xiao Qi would surely have sunk into boundless grief and rage. But now, protected by that cool energy, he felt like a calm observer. He clearly recognized these as illusions, the past, obstacles created by the formation exploiting his inner weaknesses. The true enemy lay not in the past but ahead; true protection was not wallowing in sorrow but living better, moving forward, carrying the hopes of the departed.
"Shatter delusions!" Xiao Qi inwardly shouted. Not mobilizing spiritual energy, but merging that lucid intent originating from the jade pendant with his steadfast understanding of the "protection" Dao, he abruptly expanded it outward.
Soundlessly, the tragic illusions before him melted away like ice and snow, rapidly fading in color, reverting to those spiritual energy threads constituting the illusion formation. He was no longer a passive recipient of the formation; instead, he seemed to have grasped the thread end that untangled the chaos.
"Senior Brother, Third Senior Sister, focus your minds! This formation confuses the heart; its pivot lies in 'emptiness' and 'fear'! Guard your true heart, unmoved by external appearances, and you may glimpse reality!" Xiao Qi's voice, though not loud, carried a strange soothing power, clearly reaching everyone struggling against their inner demons.
Hearing this, Mu Qingfeng and Liu Yun shuddered. They were originally individuals of firm will; earlier, they had merely been caught off guard by the formation. Now, with Xiao Qi's reminder, they immediately seized the key, fully withdrawing their minds and solidifying their Dao-hearts. The sword energy around Mu Qingfeng, previously somewhat agitated from resisting "loneliness," regained its steadfast, mountain-like stability; the trace of confusion in Liu Yun's eyes induced by "loss" swiftly gave way to sharpness.
Though other disciples could not match them, guided by Xiao Qi's voice imbued with peculiar purifying effects, they also steadied themselves, beginning the arduous fight against their own inner demons.
Xiao Qi then began walking within this starry illusion. His steps seemed casual, yet each footfall landed precisely on the nodes or gaps of those spiritual energy threads' operation. Wherever he passed, the dazzling stars rippled, distorted, then dimmed, revealing glimpses of the real secluded valley scenery behind. He was like a brush, boldly drawing a path toward reality across this starry canvas.
After roughly a hundred steps, the starry expanse ahead abruptly grew intensely distorted. An especially massive "star" blocked the path's center, emanating powerful disorientation and pressure. Xiao Qi could sense that this was a core node of the entire illusion formation.
He halted, not forcibly charging it, but closed his eyes, sinking his entire mind into the jade pendant on his chest. Guiding that cool energy to merge with his own yearning for "reality," he slowly raised his hand, index finger tip gathering a faint, barely visible yet supremely pure gleam, gently pointing toward that "star's" core.
"Pop—"
A soft sound like a bursting bubble. That massive "star" shattered accordingly, dissolving into countless firefly-like specks of light, swiftly dispersing. Simultaneously, the entire starry illusion violently fluctuated, fragmenting and peeling away like a shattered mirror.
As the light dissipated, everyone found themselves still standing at the secluded valley entrance. The reclining ox stone lay quietly ahead, moss mottled, as if the thrilling events just experienced were but a fleeting dream. Yet the fine sweat beads on everyone's foreheads and the lingering apprehension in their eyes testified to the reality of what they had just endured.
"We… we're out?" A fellow disciple looked disbelievingly at his own hands, then at his companions.
Mu Qingfeng let out a long sigh, his gaze toward Xiao Qi filled with complexity and astonishment. "Xiao Qi, we owe you greatly this time." Had it not been for Xiao Qi seeing through the delusions at the critical moment and guiding the path, their team might truly have been crippled within this trial of mind and disposition. Even if they eventually escaped, their minds would surely be wounded, leaving flaws in their Dao-hearts.
Liu Yun also sheathed her sword, walking over to Xiao Qi, giving his shoulder a firm pat. Though she said nothing more, the admiration and gratification in her eyes were evident.
Xiao Qi scratched his head somewhat embarrassedly. "I just got lucky. This jade pendant…" He instinctively began explaining the pendant's role again.
Mu Qingfeng waved his hand, interrupting him. "Opportunity is also part of one's strength. That you gained this object's recognition and use it skillfully is your own fortune." He did not probe further, instead turning his gaze to the reclining ox stone.
Now that the illusion formation was broken, the glowing moss on the bluish stone had dimmed. But atop the stone, a shallow groove had quietly appeared. Within it lay an ancient jade slip, deep purple in color, its surface bearing natural cloud patterns.
Mu Qingfeng stepped forward, carefully retrieving the jade slip, slightly probing it with his spiritual sense. His face immediately showed surprise. "This… isn't a cultivation method inheritance. It records some ancient-era miscellaneous knowledge, including partly lost spiritual plant cultivation methods, mineral identification techniques, and some… scattered records about celestial phenomena and ancient restrictions."
He handed the jade slip to Xiao Qi. "Since you obtained this by breaking the formation, it rightly belongs to you. This knowledge might seem disorderly, but it often unexpectedly proves crucial at critical moments."
Xiao Qi received the jade slip; it felt warm and smooth to the touch. Sinking his spiritual sense into it, he was instantly captivated by the vast, profound knowledge within. Especially the records linking characteristics of some rare spiritual plants to purification techniques faintly related to his own; he felt as if a new door had opened.
"Thank you, Senior Brother." Xiao Qi solemnly stored the jade slip. In his view, its value perhaps matched that of a powerful offensive spell.
The rabbit spirit, having slipped over at some point, curiously sniffed the jade slip in Xiao Qi's hand, then gave a small sneeze, seemingly unappreciative of its ancient aura, and burrowed back into his lapel.
After this trial, the team faced no further obstacles crossing Sinking Star Valley. The valley's spiritual energy remained abundant, its scenery serene and beautiful. Yet everyone maintained utmost vigilance, daring no slackness. The trials of the secret realm's core region had clearly only just begun. And Tang Xiaoqi's astonishing performance in the formation trial subtly shifted his standing within the team—no longer merely the "junior brother" needing protection, he had become a trusted, even relied-upon, vital force.