“I… I can move!”

“Me too! The array isn’t affecting me anymore!”

“We aren’t being sacrificed!”

As Ding Daoan vanished, the cultivators trapped outside the gate felt the invisible shackles shatter.

Relief washed over them, quickly followed by confusion. What just happened?

But their bewilderment vanished the moment they realized the truth.

“The Azure Mystic disciples are trapped!”

The Myriad Spirit Sacrifice Array, once feeding on their Qi, had turned its fangs on the five remaining Azure Mystic disciples.

The tables had turned. The fish on the chopping block had become the butchers!

“Is this… infighting?”

“How is this possible?”

“Ding Daoan modified the array! It seems to only target those who practice Azure Mystic techniques!”

“Infighting or not, this is our chance!”

The crowd, having plummeted from hope to despair and back again, stared in disbelief. Then, a voice cut through the chaos.

“Everyone, whether the dogs of Azure Mystic bite each other is irrelevant. The question is… how do we deal with them?”

Instantly, every eye locked onto the six trapped disciples.

They had endured arrogance, insults, and betrayal. These people had planned to drain them dry like cattle!

Mercy was not an option.

…

Inside the inner courtyard, the architect of this chaos, “Ding Daoan,” strode forward, unconcerned.

Gu Xiu didn’t care about the fate of the Azure Mystic disciples or the vengeance of the other sects.

Ding Daoan had done this. Feng Bugui, tied to the broken bridge, had nothing to do with it. And Gu Xiu? Even less so.

Besides, even if the mob didn’t tear them apart, the six disciples were doomed. Gu Xiu’s modification to the array was subtle but fatal. It would drain their Qi, then their foundation, and finally, their life essence.

They were dead men walking.

“Ding Daoan! What are you doing here?”

Bian Yifei’s voice rang out, sharp with surprise. He and two others had already breached the inner courtyard. “I told you to guard the gate! Why are you here causing trouble?”

“The situation outside is settled. I thought you might need help,” Gu Xiu replied, his tone earnest.

Bian Yifei frowned but nodded. “Since you’re here, help us break these formations!”

The inner courtyard was a maze of restrictions. Every few steps brought a new barrier. It was infuriating. An extra pair of hands would be useful.

“What is so special about this damn place? The restrictions are endless! If the three of us weren’t strong enough to force our way through, we’d never reach the main house before the valley closes.”

“Exactly. With this much security, I’m starting to doubt if this is even the core. This courtyard is… too ordinary.”

The two disciples grumbled. They had expected treasures, but the inner courtyard was stark. Compared to the outer grounds, where every weed was a spirit herb and every stone a gem, this place was mundane. Ordinary stone slabs, ordinary tables, ordinary grass.

Nothing precious at all.

“The master of Falling Rain Valley must have valued this place deeply. The restrictions are here to preserve it, not protect treasures. Focus on the task,” Bian Yifei snapped.

Though arrogant, Bian Yifei respected the power of the valley’s master. The methods Azure Mystic used to break these arrays were the result of generations of study, costing five hundred years of effort.

Yet, progress was agonizingly slow.

A mere ten zhang took them nearly an hour, even with “Ding Daoan” assisting.

“Senior Brother Ding, wasn’t your Qi chaotic from your injuries? Why does it feel so profound now?” one disciple asked, suspicious.

“Don’t get distracted! Speed up!” Bian Yifei barked before Gu Xiu could answer.

The four pressed on. The closer they got to the side rooms, the stronger the restrictions became.

Even Gu Xiu had to focus. The arrays here were powerful. Without the Seven-Star Jade Pendant revealing their weaknesses, he would have struggled to break them alone.

Fortunately, he had three Azure Mystic prodigies to do the heavy lifting.

Finally, they reached a simple house.

It looked like a mortal dwelling, plain and unadorned. Yet the air around it hummed with terrifying power.

“Can we even break this?”

“Why is such a powerful array protecting a common house?”

“Let’s try. If it fails, we’ll call the others.”

Bian Yifei’s expression was grim. The restrictive force was suffocating.

Just as they prepared to attack the array…

Creak…

The door opened.

Everyone froze. Even Gu Xiu raised an eyebrow.

A man in white robes stepped out. He was handsome, imposing, with eyes full of spirit.

He was identical to the man in the murals.

The master of Falling Rain Valley.

He looked at the four intruders and smiled gently. “You’ve come?”

Before they could react, a soft, gentle voice drifted from behind them.

“Yes. I have come.”

The four spun around.

Behind them stood a woman in a green dress, holding a paper umbrella. It was the woman from the lingering images scattered throughout the valley.

“Wait… they’re images!” someone realized.

Indeed, both figures were translucent, remnants of the past playing out a memory.

“The pine flower wine will be ready soon. Must you go?” the woman asked softly.

The man was silent for a moment. “You know this is my Dao.”

“Dao, Dao, Dao! If you go, you may never return!”

“Your wine is here. I cannot bear to leave it forever. I will return.”

“…”

“Trust me.”

“…”

“I must go. Wait for me.”

The man sighed and stepped forward, passing through one of the Azure Mystic disciples as if he were smoke.

The woman watched his back, tears streaming down her face. She did not stop him.

As he reached the gate, she cried out, “I will wait for you! If you die, I will bury them all with you!”

The man paused but did not turn back. He waved a hand.

“Silly girl. Just for that sip of pine flower wine, I could never bear to leave this world.”

“Wait for me.”

He stepped out and vanished.

The woman collapsed to the ground, weeping uncontrollably.

It was a tragic scene, but Bian Yifei and his group only had eyes for the open door.

The restriction was broken!

This was a heavenly opportunity!

Just as they prepared to rush in, the woman murmured again.

“Could you do me a favor?”

The voice was so sudden, so real, that Bian Yifei and the others stopped mid-step.

They turned to see the woman looking directly at them, tears staining her face.

She was an image, a remnant of the past. Yet her gaze felt alive, unsettlingly aware.

And then, her eyes shifted, locking onto one person.

“Gu Xiu.”