A female Outer Disciple of the Qingxu Sect flew out from the forest on her sword, heading straight for Li Meng. Several vengeful spirits burst from the woods in close pursuit.

“Don’t panic, Junior Sister!”

Li Meng formed a hand seal with one hand. A talisman glowing with golden light flew out from the storage pouch at his waist. A flash of brilliant golden Spiritual Light erupted as the talisman transformed into a spiritual sword nearly a hundred feet long.

The massive golden spiritual sword descended with an overwhelming aura. The Qingxu Sect Outer Disciple flying toward Li Meng was startled and hastily put distance between herself and the colossal blade. The giant golden sword swept past her. The three vengeful spirits chasing her were merely grazed by the sword energy radiating from the spiritual sword, yet they were utterly annihilated, reduced to dust.

The enormous golden spiritual sword crashed into the Ghost Mist Forest.

BOOM!

A thunderous roar echoed as golden Spiritual Light swept out in all directions. A large swath of mist was instantly dispersed. Violent Spiritual Power tore up earth and vegetation, sending them flying. A hundred-foot-long golden spiritual sword now stood embedded in the forest, a third of its blade buried in the ground.

“Senior… Senior Brother’s technique is truly divine! This Junior Sister is in awe!” The Qingxu Sect Outer Disciple hovering on her sword beside Li Meng spoke, a flicker of astonishment in her eyes.

Is Senior Brother also a Talisman Master?

Li Meng smiled amiably as he assessed the Qingxu Sect Outer Disciple before him. “It was nothing, nothing at all. Junior Sister, those chasing you didn’t seem to be disciples of the Five Great Sects. What exactly happened?”

The Outer Disciple shook her head. “I don’t know either. I didn’t recognize them at all. There have been many unfamiliar faces within our Qingxu Sect contingent this time. They gave me a strange feeling. Earlier, I encountered a fellow sect brother. Thankfully, I was cautious enough to avoid being ambushed by him. That person used ghostly artifacts; he must be a Demonic Cultivator!”

Li Meng had only asked deliberately to maintain the illusion for this Qingxu Sect disciple that he knew nothing.

He formed another hand seal with one hand. The spiritual sword in the Ghost Mist Forest tore free from the earth and shot skyward, heading straight for Li Meng and the Qingxu Sect Outer Disciple in the air. When it was less than a hundred meters away, the massive golden spiritual sword suddenly dissipated, transforming back into a talisman that flew toward Li Meng. The talisman turned into a streak of golden light and vanished into his storage pouch.

“A second-grade Superior Spirit Sword Talisman?” A trace of surprise flashed in the Qingxu Outer Disciple’s eyes. Only Superior-grade talismans and Talisman Treasures could be used multiple times. The sole difference between a Superior talisman and a Talisman Treasure was that the latter could be refined into a Life-bound Talisman and stored within one’s body.

The Qingxu Outer Disciple quickly bowed with her hands clasped. “This humble one is Xiao E, an Outer Disciple of the Qingxu Sect. Many thanks for Senior Brother’s assistance!”

Li Meng returned the bow. “Li Meng, Outer Disciple of the Joyous Union Sect. We are both of the Righteous Path, Junior Sister; there’s no need for such formality!”

Xiao E looked at the Senior Brother before her with a bright smile. He is a bit old, shrouded in an aura of decay with his Lifespan Limit approaching… but he gives off a very kind feeling.

Li Meng chuckled softly, stroking his beard. “I still need to search for several spirit plants for alchemy purposes. Please feel free to go about your business, Junior Sister.” With that, he flew off into the distance on his sword.

Xiao E was indeed a beauty, but now was not the time for romance or dalliance. He hadn’t entered the Scarlet Forbidden Ground to cultivate.

Seeing Senior Brother Li depart just like that, Xiao E hurriedly gave chase. “Senior Brother Li! Wait! Please wait!”

She caught up to Li Meng.

“Is there something else, Junior Sister?” Li Meng asked with benevolent eyes as he looked at Xiao E, who had followed him.

“Senior Brother,” Xiao E began earnestly, “the appearance of Demonic Cultivators within the contingents of Zhao’s Five Great Sects is surely an ill omen. Who knows how many disciples have already fallen victim? The enemy’s situation is unclear. At present, we should gather Righteous Path disciples and work together to eradicate these Demonic Cultivators!”

Li Meng barely resisted the urge to roll his eyes internally. You can’t even protect yourself properly, yet you’re thinking about managing others?

“Junior Sister,” he asked calmly, “how would you distinguish between Righteous Path cultivators and Demonic Path cultivators?”

His question made Xiao E’s expression freeze momentarily. She found herself unable to answer Senior Brother Li’s query. Yes… how would one tell if a gathered cultivator is righteous or demonic? Hmm… That is indeed a significant problem.

“Junior Sister,” Li Meng said gently but firmly, “at times like these, one must first look after oneself.”

Having left those words behind, Li Meng flew away on his sword once more.

Xiao E did not pursue him again this time. She watched as Senior Brother Li gradually vanished into the distance.

After a long while, she finally turned and flew back into the Ghost Mist Forest on her sword. Xiao E descended from the sky and landed on the forest floor. The moment her feet touched the ground, her form shimmered and transformed into that of a young Daoist child dressed in cyan robes. The child carried an enormous purple gourd on its back. Its face was rosy and plump, looking utterly adorable.

“Hmph! Senior Brother is such a coward!” The Daoist child pouted angrily, setting down the large purple gourd from its back before sitting on it somewhat sulkily, lost in thought. “But… Senior Brother seems to know how to create talismans too?”

The child pursed its lips into a smile as if it had discovered an incredible secret.

Elsewhere, high above the Ghost Mist Forest…

An elderly figure was flying on his sword. His speed wasn’t particularly fast; he drifted leisurely across the canopy of the Ghost Mist Forest.

“How strange… Why has Junior Sister Qi Wei come here too?” Li Meng muttered to himself while stroking his long beard.

Although his Junior Sister’s disguise was excellent—her transformation technique could be called divine—he possessed his system’s Heavenly Eye. No matter what form Junior Sister took, she couldn’t hide from him.

“Could it be that Junior Sister isn’t actually a disciple of the Joyous Union Sect?”

If she were a Joyous Union Sect disciple, wouldn’t disguising herself as one be more convenient?

“Never mind; it’s none of my concern.”

Whether it was deliberate or a chance encounter didn’t matter. What mattered was that he needed to find more—many more—spirit plants. He couldn’t waste this single opportunity to enter the Scarlet Forbidden Ground.

Three days later, Ghost Mist Forest…

Li Meng flew on his sword above the forest canopy. The Ghost Mist Forest was vast indeed; after flying in one direction for three whole days, he still hadn’t left its territory.

“This is… a Spiritual Power tide?”

A wave of rich Spiritual Power washed over him against his flight path. Standing on his flying sword, Li Meng’s spirits lifted instantly. Only spirit plants over a thousand years old could trigger such an anomaly—a Spiritual Power tide phenomenon!

“And this Yin evil aura is so concentrated… It must be Mystic Yin Grass!”

High above the forest on his sword, Li Meng suddenly changed direction and flew northwest.

After flying for roughly the time it takes an incense stick to burn…

A frozen lake appeared ahead within the Ghost Mist Forest. In the center of this icy lake lay a small island. Upon this island grew an enormous ice tree. Its branches were laden with clusters of blue ice-fruits that emitted dazzling azure Spiritual Light!

“Is this… Ten-thousand-year Mystic Yin Fruit?!”

Li Meng descended swiftly and landed on the lakeshore. His gaze burned with intensity as he stared at the ice tree on the island in the lake’s center.

That was Mystic Yin Fruit! Many ninth-grade elixirs required ten-thousand-year Mystic Yin Fruit as their primary ingredient! Even Great Vehicle stage cultivators would covet such a treasure!

“No… wait…”

Li Meng exhaled slowly through parted lips. His eyes narrowed slightly as he scrutinized the island in detail.

How could ten-thousand-year Mystic Yin Fruit appear in a place like Scarlet Forbidden Ground?

If it truly were ten-thousand-year Mystic Yin Fruit, the resulting Spiritual Power tide phenomenon would be far more violent.