“It was the people from the Four Seas Gang who framed me!”

“This disciple never took anything from them, not from start to finish! It’s impossible that I have something like the Earth Cloud Sprout. Everything is a frame-up by the Four Seas Gang!”

“If this disciple had the Earth Cloud Sprout, how could I possibly keep it for myself? I would have definitely taken it out immediately…”

Qin Meran anxiously explained, her voice trembling. But after speaking for a long time, she saw her Master just coldly watching her, silent as a statue.

This made Qin Meran even more desperate. “Master, this disciple has read the books of sages since childhood and has always believed that a gentleman is not a mere vessel. If the Earth Cloud Sprout were truly in this disciple’s hands, I would never dare to hide it privately, let alone deceive Master!”

“Are you telling the truth? You really didn’t take the Earth Cloud Sprout?” Guan Xuelan frowned, her gaze piercing.

“Absolutely true! This disciple did not take it!”

“Then do you have any evidence to prove it?”

What?

Qin Meran was stunned. Not taking it meant not taking it. How is one supposed to prove a negative?

Guan Xuelan looked deeply at her disciple. “The Four Seas Gang has already extracted the soul of the little demoness from the Joyous Union Sect. This Master has also probed it. Within her soul, it is confirmed beyond doubt that the object they plotted to seize was the Earth Cloud Sprout.”

“And the Earth Cloud Sprout was hidden inside a Storage Ring. That Storage Ring was the one from which the Earth Cloud Sprout disappeared after you looked at it.”

“How do you explain this matter?”

“This disciple…” Qin Meran felt wronged, tears welling up. She was completely unsure how to defend herself. She could only repeat, over and over, “Master, every word this disciple says is true, without any falsehood. Master, you must believe me. This disciple truly did not take it.”

“Is that really true?”

“Absolutely true!”

This time, Guan Xuelan finally stopped pressing. She just looked deeply at her disciple once more before turning and leaving.

Qin Meran’s heart sank. She could see that her Master still didn’t believe her.

But looking back, she noticed another gaze, also filled with suspicion.

That was… Sixth Junior Sister, He Mengyun!

Compared to the soul damage of Little Junior Brother, Sixth Junior Sister’s soul was the one truly and severely injured. She was the one who most needed the Earth Cloud Sprout!

Thinking of this, Qin Meran hurriedly asked, “Mengyun, do… do you believe me?”

“Mengyun…” He Mengyun lowered her head, avoiding eye contact. Then she turned away. “Mengyun still needs to go back and find materials to treat Little Junior Brother, so… I’ll take my leave first.”

After saying this, He Mengyun quickly departed.

Leaving Qin Meran alone, filled with grievance.

She… had actually been slandered!

She, too, could be slandered!

More importantly, how was she going to prove her innocence from now on?

…

While Qin Meran was racking her brains about how to prove her innocence, and the Azure Mystic Sacred Land was thrown into complete chaos, at this very moment, in the Azure Mystic City at the foot of the mountain…

In that same teahouse:

“Today at the Azure Mystic Sacred Land, the Annihilation Heavenly Tribulation descended!”

“This tribulation lasted for a long time, wandering around within the Azure Mystic’s territory, yet the Sect Protection Grand Formation did not appear. I suspect something major has happened at Azure Mystic!”

“Did Gu Xiu die?”

“Perhaps Azure Mystic is cultivating some demonic technique. I faintly saw that when the Annihilation Heavenly Tribulation descended, a large number of vengeful spirits soared into the sky. Could they have sacrificed their own Sect disciples to cultivate a demonic technique?”

“Investigate immediately!”

“Azure Mystic has sealed the mountain, not allowing anyone to approach. A Supreme Being is stationed there, making it impossible to investigate. I’m afraid we need the Patriarch to come personally.”

“The Patriarch is busy. It’s said a Buddha Venerable from the west is crossing east. Wherever he passes, Buddha’s light shines upon all. Many experts have already tried to test him, but all were defeated. The Patriarch is guarding against that Buddha Venerable.”

“What is the origin of that Buddha Venerable? What does he intend to do?”

“Only know he comes from the west, don’t know his specific origin or his purpose. However, that Buddha Venerable seems to cultivate an Indestructible Golden Body. Swords and spears cannot harm him. He keeps heading east. He might come here eventually.”

“Regardless of that Buddha Venerable, our most urgent matter is still the Azure Mystic Sacred Land. With such big movements from Azure Mystic now, something must have happened. Find a way to investigate clearly. If necessary, we can perform a Soul Search on Azure Mystic disciples!”

“But the Azure Mystic disciples are not coming out. What should we do?”

“Falling Rain Valley, if I remember correctly, should be open now. Divide into two groups. We will surely get the answers we want!”

“…”

A Sacred Land represents power.

But equally, it also represents wealth.

There will always be some gazes fixed upon it, waiting for an opportunity to act, wanting to nibble it away.

…

And at this very moment, the Azure Mystic disciples in front of the Falling Rain Valley had no idea that their group had already been targeted.

At this moment, the expressions of the disciples were extremely ugly.

“Just received news, Little Martial Uncle has matters to attend to and won’t be coming to the Falling Rain Valley for now.”

“Others from the Sect are also all busy.”

“No one else will come.”

“Which means, for this trip to the Falling Rain Valley, we will have no external support. Everything will have to rely on ourselves…”

When they came, they were all high-spirited, thinking they could swallow all the spots in the Falling Rain Valley in one go, monopolizing all the resources.

They never expected this.

Forget the 250 spots they coveted; even the original fixed 30 spots were now reduced to only ten.

And these ten were only won because the third Azure Mystic disciple to take the stage fought desperately for them. Otherwise, this time, the Azure Mystic Sacred Land might have only been able to stand outside the Falling Rain Valley and watch.

They had encountered an unprecedented crisis.

For the prestigious Azure Mystic Sacred Land, this was a great humiliation. Naturally, they wanted to break the agreement and negate the arena rules.

Unfortunately…

Although the other Sects were more or less afraid of the Azure Mystic Sacred Land, here at the entrance of the Falling Rain Valley, although Azure Mystic had brought many people, the strongest were only at the Golden Core level.

Not to mention anything else. At least the two major forces, the Golden Saber Sect and the Sha Family, had secured more spots than before this time, so they naturally gave them no chance to go back on their word.

The Azure Mystic group suffered a setback and naturally wanted to flip the table. The best way was to call for reinforcements from Azure Mystic!

But…

Unexpectedly.

The Little Martial Uncle who had previously agreed to come suddenly wasn’t coming, and even all other Sect assistance was cut off.

They didn’t know what major event had happened in the Sect.

But they knew.

This time… they were in trouble!

“We came with so many people this time, but in the end, only ten can enter. When the Sect holds us accountable, we will all be punished!”

“Although the other families haven’t said it outright, they probably already see us as a joke now. Everyone is watching us become a laughingstock.”

“Damn it, what do we do next?”

Listening to everyone’s discussion, the leading disciple, Bian Yifei, now gritted his teeth and asked: “Has that Foundation Establishment cultivator from the Ten Thousand Treasures Pavilion been investigated clearly?”

“We investigated. He’s said to be a guest elder of the Ten Thousand Treasures Pavilion.”

“This person is named Feng Bugui. He was brought to Cloud Firmament City by Su Rumei of the Ten Thousand Treasures Pavilion. We don’t know more than that.”

“This person must have used some method. It’s possible the Ten Thousand Treasures Pavilion gave him some Dharma Treasure. Otherwise, it’s absolutely impossible for him to be that powerful.”

“Right. If there really was such a heaven-defying genius, it would have spread everywhere long ago. It’s absolutely impossible for him to be unknown.”

“The Elder also said he couldn’t understand Feng Bugui’s methods. It definitely wasn’t his own strength. He must have borrowed external power, but it was too well hidden to be detected.”

These answers slightly eased Bian Yifei’s expression.

He was defeated by Feng Bugui with one sword strike, and even the Little Martial Uncle’s strongest Falling Blossom Sword was defeated. The more he thought about it, the more something felt off. He felt there must be a problem here.

And now.

Everyone agreed that this matter must be related to some Dharma Treasure or even talisman given by the Ten Thousand Treasures Pavilion.

If not… how could he, Bian Yifei, lose without even knowing what happened?

Absolutely impossible!

Just at that moment, a voice came from outside.

It was the voice of the Golden Saber Sect’s prodigy, Fan Yangtai: “Have the ten Fellow Daoists from the Azure Mystic Sacred Land prepared? We should set off!”

The words “ten Fellow Daoists” were deliberately emphasized, as if afraid others wouldn’t catch the meaning.

This made the group of Azure Mystic disciples’ faces turn dark. They all looked at Bian Yifei, waiting for him to decide.

“Although ten spots aren’t many, we are already familiar with the situation in the Falling Rain Valley. Our strongest ten will enter, bringing along the means we prepared earlier…”

Bian Yifei’s expression was cold. “This time, the opportunities in the Falling Rain Valley, our Azure Mystic will take them all!”

“If anyone is dissatisfied…”

“Then kill them all!”

He had suffered a setback, and because there were no powerful senior figures from the Sect to back him up, he could only swallow his anger for now. He was eager to enter the Falling Rain Valley.

Secret realms.

Are places where people die!

If these people die inside later, even if the experts outside want to find fault, without evidence, everyone can only accept it!

Suddenly.

Bian Yifei’s gaze turned towards the Ten Thousand Treasures Pavilion side, and with one glance, he saw that figure clad in black robes, wearing a bamboo hat.

Especially this person.

He. Must be killed!

Regardless of whether that sword strike that defeated him used a magic tool, talisman, or if he truly had the strength. He was confident that within the Falling Rain Valley, he would kill him!

After all, the methods of a Sacred Land disciple are not limited to just their own strength!

Gu Xiu seemed to sense something.

At that very moment, he also looked up towards the Azure Mystic Sacred Land’s camp, but after a brief, indifferent glance, he withdrew his gaze again.

He was currently busy with more important matters.

Although he was physically following Wan Xiaobei’s group, waiting to enter the secret realm when the Falling Rain Valley opened, most of his mind was already completely focused within his Dantian and Qi Sea.

Or rather.

Focused on the ancient book within his Dantian Qi Sea. He was currently writing a large amount of text on it, stroke by stroke:

“In ancient times, those performing sacrificial dances held cymbals; the Emperor’s bell cymbals are the smaller ones…”

“Insert peach branches by the door, with ashes beneath; children do not fear them, but ghosts do…”

“With one sound of the thunder command, ghosts and gods for ten thousand miles are startled…”

“Horn, Neck, Root, Room, Heart, Tail, Winnowing Basket…”

What he was writing was the content from the ancient book he had just obtained from the Green Bamboo Rod. This was an ancient book with extremely complex and varied content.

Its name: Divine Record of Artifact Forging!

This book is rarely heard of, but if the Artifact Forgers within the Artifact Forging path heard of this book, they would likely find it hard to remain calm, even willing to stir up massive conflicts.

Because the status of this book…

Is the same as the Heavenly Book of Talismans in the Talisman path!