“Let’s go.”

Jian Chou paid no attention to whether the others had heard anything unusual, floating through the air toward the cave entrance. However, upon entering the cave, her feet clearly did not touch the ground, maintaining a suspended state throughout.

She made this movement quite obvious, and the several people behind her noticed it almost immediately, though they were somewhat puzzled by it.

As if guessing their confusion, Jian Chou smiled and said, “Now that Fellow Daoist Xie is also among the demonic cultivators, those in the demonic path likely don’t yet know he has infiltrated their ranks. So along this path, they will probably leave us quite a few traps. Fellow Daoists, we must all be careful.”

Previously, she had relaxed and judged that there were no more traps ahead, because she had discovered that Xie Buchen and those demonic cultivators were in a pursuit relationship—neither side would have time to set traps.

But now, Xie Buchen was one of the Shanyin Sect’s people in the demonic path. Given the Shanyin Sect’s usual methods of creating obstacles for those who came after, and with Xie Buchen being exceptionally skilled in formations…

No matter how she looked at it, their path ahead could not be easy.

In just a few words, Jian Chou had no psychological burden whatsoever, easily and smoothly framing Xie Buchen, yet it was completely reasonable.

Everyone listened and exchanged glances.

When descending into the cave, the several people tacitly allowed their feet to hover three inches above the ground.

When viewed from outside, the cave appeared quite dim.

But once inside, they discovered it was actually brightly lit and exceptionally spacious, as if a section had been hollowed out within the mountain’s belly. The rough ground was covered with crude carvings.

There were eight long corridors extending from this hollowed-out section of the mountain, penetrating deeper and deeper into darkness.

“Visitors are guests, but you are uninvited guests who came without invitation.”

A voice, almost seductive in its beauty, suddenly came from overhead.

Someone there?

Jian Chou frowned, gripping her Ghost Axe tighter while looking up.

It turned out not to be a person.

On the high dome of the mountain cavity, there was actually a crimson butterfly clinging to it. The butterfly’s wings bore exquisite silver patterns, with flowing light that projected mysterious aura.

As she spoke, the butterfly wings gently trembled, then wrapped around her body, instantly transforming into a gorgeous red dress. The mysterious silver patterns subtly twisted, becoming silver butterfly patterns across the red dress.

A red butterfly transformed into human form.

When Jian Chou and the others looked up, it was still a large red butterfly, but in the blink of an eye, it had become a seductive beauty gracefully landing on the ground. Though her features were clearly pure and innocent, they were adorned with brilliantly colored makeup—coral lips, delicate nose, enchanting eyes with painted brows.

Even though Jian Chou was a female cultivator, upon seeing her, she couldn’t help but feel her heart skip a beat.

Behind her, Zuoliu and Xiao Jin gaped with wide eyes, staring at the red butterfly beauty, completely stunned.

Young Master Ruhua frowned with displeasure, his gaze naturally falling on the red butterfly beauty’s exquisite dress.

Xia Houshe and Lu Xiangleng quietly moved closer to Jian Chou’s side, ready to fight at any moment.

Seeing everyone so on guard, the red butterfly beauty giggled, “You don’t need to be afraid. Lijun has commanded that this elder sister hasn’t eaten people for many years.”

“You you you you you want to eat people?!”

Xiao Jin was so frightened he quickly hid behind Zuoliu, while Zuoliu unhesitatingly hid behind Jian Chou. For a moment, they looked like chicks hiding behind a mother hen when an eagle strikes.

Young Master Ruhua watched this almost comical scene and nearly broke character laughing.

“Mother hen” Jian Chou’s mouth twitched, feeling extremely speechless inside, wanting to throw these two fellows with great abilities but small courage far away.

However, with a “great enemy” before them, it wouldn’t be good to have internal strife. Jian Chou forcibly endured it, wearing a somewhat stiff smile on her face as she bowed to this enchanting mysterious woman: “We wish to enter the Hidden Realm to explore the secrets of the ‘Nine Bends River Map.’ We bear no ill will toward the Hidden Realm or you all. May we trouble the fairy to let us pass through here?”

“Oh my, you uninvited guests from outside have increasingly impressive methods, yet your sweet little mouths are getting sweeter too. You even call this one a fairy—how can I not let you pass?”

As she spoke, she actually threw a flirtatious glance at Jian Chou.

That charm was absolutely enchanting!

Jian Chou looked at her silently, her face showing no excess expression.

The red butterfly beauty looked at her twice, immediately finding it boring. Muttering “doesn’t understand romance,” she then said with a hum, “Of course you can pass through, but Lijun has said you are uninvited guests. This entire Hidden Realm is the handiwork of the Master. For uninvited guests, we have our own way of treating uninvited guests. Lijun is merciful and doesn’t wish to harm anyone, but if you die under our Hidden Realm’s way of treating guests, you absolutely cannot blame us.”

This “Lijun” again?

Earlier, when they were outside the Hidden Realm’s gate, they had heard the gatekeeper pig shout this name once.

Jian Chou carefully considered what they had encountered and seen since entering the Hidden Realm. Nothing else was abundant except various demon creatures, seemingly appearing at every important location. This didn’t seem like entering a great cultivator’s blessed land, but rather like entering a den of ten thousand demons.

A strange speculation immediately appeared in Jian Chou’s mind.

She glanced at the red butterfly, saying calmly, “Life and death are fated. If the fairy is willing to let us pass, we are already infinitely grateful.”

“Good, it’s best that you have this understanding.”

The red butterfly fairy’s slender willow-like waist swayed gently, her smile deepening as she actually made way.

“This path is called Yi Zhizhu. It passes through the mountain, and beyond this mountain lies the courtyard where the Master usually receives guests. These eight paths can only accommodate one person at a time, and only one person can be present at the same time. Earlier, four uninvited guests passed through these paths.”

As she spoke, the red butterfly fairy pointed to four of the paths.

Jian Chou and the others looked in that direction, only then discovering that four of the eight corridors were indeed different, with red lights at the top and a membrane barrier outside, very similar to what they had seen on the Sentient and Heartless Path.

The red butterfly said, “They haven’t been able to get out yet, so you six might have to wait a while.”

Wait a while?

Jian Chou’s eyes narrowed slightly, thinking of the several black and white chess pieces left on the mountain wall earlier.

Staring at those four corridors that already had people in them, she asked, “Four people passed through earlier and haven’t come out yet?”

“Indeed, it was four… hmm?”

The red butterfly smiled as she answered, but while speaking, she suddenly sensed something and looked up.

At the rightmost corridor, the red light above actually shattered with a soft “pop,” and the membrane barrier in front of the corridor suddenly disappeared as well.

The red butterfly was startled, then covered her mouth and laughed charmingly, “Oh my, how embarrassing. Now there are only three left.”

Needless to say, one more had died.

Everyone remained silent, exchanging glances, already guessing the dangers along this so-called “Yi Zhizhu” path.

One person per path also eliminated the possibility of companions betraying each other. This unlucky fellow could only have died from whatever he encountered along the way.

Jian Chou hoped in her heart that this person was Xie Buchen, but she also knew that if Xie Buchen died so easily, he wouldn’t be Xie Buchen.

In a state where his injuries hadn’t fully healed, he could still kill a Shanyin Sect member and opportunistically infiltrate their ranks—he must still possess considerable strength.

Looking up, the three red lights in the mountain cavity corridors were still there, proving these people were still advancing…

A string of thoughts flashed through her mind. Jian Chou ignored whatever expression the red butterfly had and directly turned to address everyone: “The Central Domain and the demonic path are irreconcilable. Whether we want to pursue the secrets of the Hidden Realm or avoid falling behind and being constantly constrained, we must get ahead of these people. Since Fellow Daoist Xie has already infiltrated their ranks, if we can catch up to them in Yi Zhizhu and pass through quickly, we might be able to coordinate with Fellow Daoist Xie from inside and outside to fight a beautiful battle of encirclement.”

Everyone was startled.

Jian Chou didn’t explain much more, continuing, “So right now, I’ll choose a path first to pursue the demonic cultivators with all my might. Fellow Daoists, please remain behind. It’s best not to act separately, so you can respond to various situations in this Hidden Realm. How about waiting until someone passes through, then several of you set out together?”

Lu Xiangleng’s brows immediately furrowed slightly, “Fellow Daoist Jian Chou going alone, but the Shanyin Sect…”

“Fellow Daoist Xie is a spy planted in the Shanyin Sect. We’ll be two against two. Please don’t worry, Fellow Daoist Xiangleng.”

Jian Chou spoke with a calm expression, not feeling guilty at all. She just gave a reassuring smile before directly walking around the red butterfly toward those corridors.

The red butterfly immediately watched Jian Chou with a strange gaze.

Having stayed in the Hidden Realm for so long, she had no idea that the outside world had become so exciting. This female cultivator’s cultivation wasn’t particularly high, but her words contained an indescribable sharpness.

For her, it made no difference who entered first.

After all…

Lijun had grown tired of everything related to the “Nine Bends River Map.”

Otherwise, how would these people have had the chance to enter?

With a cold laugh in her heart, the red butterfly’s smile on her face became even more enchanting. She watched Jian Chou’s back without speaking.

Jian Chou’s steps seemed unhurried, but she was actually riding the wind, reaching the rightmost corridor where the red light had just shattered in just two breaths. Without looking back, she directly entered.

“Buzz.”

Outside the corridor, the red light that had just shattered actually lit up again.

An invisible ripple spread out from the red light, once again enveloping the entire corridor.

Jian Chou’s figure flashed once, then disappeared into the corridor.

At the original spot, Young Master Ruhua immediately sighed melancholically, “How is this coordinating from inside and outside to encircle the Shanyin Sect? This is clearly seizing the opportunity to go encircle that Fellow Daoist Xie. Tell me, between our Fellow Daoist Jian Chou and this peerless genius from Kunwu, is there a grudge of wife-killing or a hatred of husband-stealing?”

In the rightmost corridor.

Jian Chou naturally hadn’t heard Young Master Ruhua’s thoroughly melancholic sigh. She wasn’t worried about the safety of that group behind her, even with the possibility of a “spy” among them.

A Shanyin Sect cultivator infiltrating their group was inherently dangerous and required exceptional courage.

If Jian Chou were to infiltrate others, it would also be to save effort in certain matters—for example, waiting for others to discover something before striking to seize it, which was obviously much simpler than fighting alone.

Without clear benefits, this spy probably wouldn’t be eager to openly break with them.

At the same time, Young Master Ruhua and the others were all intelligent people who wouldn’t easily separate and act alone, so the possibility of being calculated against was reduced to a minimum.

“Tap tap, tap tap.”

Jian Chou’s footsteps were steady.

The entire corridor was about ten feet wide, quite spacious, but walking inside still gave one a sense of oppression. Added to the exceptional darkness within the passage, which could only be illuminated by the crimson light emanating from Jian Chou’s Ghost Axe, it created an almost bloody, eerie atmosphere.

She was careful yet bold, heightening her five senses to the extreme, riding the wind at great speed, while the breeze brought her the information she needed.

Whoosh.

Her entire being was like a gust of wind, swiftly passing through the corridor. Even when occasionally sharp stones jutted out at angles, Jian Chou would smoothly avoid them as if she had anticipated them.

The corridor curved to the right, and Jian Chou naturally followed the corridor’s arc, continuing deeper inside.

Jian Chou was taking the rightmost corridor, one that someone had entered before. If the judgment given by Xiao Jin, Ruhua, and the others was correct, it was most likely a Shanyin Sect cultivator.

Why take a path someone had already walked?

Jian Chou naturally had her reasons.

The person who died was definitely not Xie Buchen, which meant the possibility of Xie Buchen laying traps for her here was zero. And if she was lucky, she might discover the corpse of the previous intruder here, possibly obtaining some useful information.

Jian Chou was crystal clear in her mind, and the first half of the journey encountered almost no obstacles, passing through directly.

But when the entire corridor turned from right to left again, the situation became different.

“Swish!”

As she passed the point where the corridor changed from turning right to turning left, a blinding light suddenly lit up from the corridor wall, illuminating the entire corridor.

Jian Chou, who was still moving at high speed, almost immediately stopped.

Her control over wind had reached a level of perfection, allowing her to stop with just a thought without any awkwardness.

She frowned, looking ahead.

The source of the light was a three-foot stone sword held in the hand of a seven-foot-tall human statue.

Five zhang away from Jian Chou, on the right side of the corridor wall, there was a carved opening two zhang high, inside which stood a seven-foot-tall human statue. The base was connected to the entire corridor wall, carved directly into the corridor wall.

The stone statue wore simple Daoist robes, with a qiankun bag hanging at its waist and holding that long sword. Its face was ordinary and unremarkable, with the appearance of a young man.

“It’s the same technique…”

Jian Chou still remembered the wall paintings she had seen outside earlier.

Every line on this stone statue’s body was identical to those on the wall paintings from before, likely from the same hand—Master Buyu.

There had been no danger ahead, then this thing suddenly appeared. It must be where this path’s perils lay.

The path definitely had to be walked, but what mystery did this stone statue hold?

Jian Chou’s eyes flickered slightly, and a misty azure light spread from her body, enveloping her entire form as a simple protection. Then she tentatively took a step forward—

“Buzz!”

The instant Jian Chou took this step, the entire area illuminated by the stone sword’s light suddenly resonated.

Then white light blazed brightly, and a figure actually walked out from the stone statue, wearing identical Daoist robes to those on the statue. Though his features were ordinary, there was a somewhat demonic quality about them, and the stone sword in his hand had become a simple wooden sword.

He stood five zhang away from Jian Chou, raised his eyes to look at her, his voice carrying a touch of youthful inexperience: “The path of cultivation is long and endless, my mind hesitates… To pass my road, you must battle my inner demon… Do you dare to fight?”

Inner demon?

Do you dare to fight?

In that instant, inspiration flashed through Jian Chou’s mind, and she immediately cursed inwardly: Master Buyu is truly unethical!

She finally understood how the three characters “Yi Zhizhu” came to be!

When cultivators experience hesitation of the mind, they are often troubled by various obsessions and inner demons that hinder their practice. Cultivators with too heavy inner demons cannot sever their own karma and cannot attain immortality due to entanglements with human emotions and desires.

It could be said that inner demons, obsessions, and other intangible things were great taboos in a cultivator’s practice!

This path named “Yi Zhizhu” represented all the uncertainties, temptations, and troubles that Master Buyu faced during his cultivation!

Jian Chou’s expression had become grave.

She briefly investigated and discovered that this phantom before her wasn’t particularly powerful in cultivation, seemingly only at the Foundation Establishment level.

Without much talk, Jian Chou raised her Ghost Axe and directly launched a Splitting Sky Slash across the five-zhang distance.

“Boom!”

Pure spiritual power instantly exploded.

The young cultivator also raised his sword, seemingly wanting to resist Jian Chou.

However, the moment the Ghost Axe’s shadow arrived, his entire body couldn’t withstand the violent pressure of this strike and instantly crumbled.

Rustle…

There seemed to be a gust of wind blowing from the end of the corridor, with slight dust rising from the ground.

That shadow had completely dissipated.

The white light that had illuminated the entire corridor also suddenly extinguished.

The stone statue still stood quietly in its original place. The figure that had just manifested seemed to have never appeared at all, and even the stone sword in the statue’s hand had become like the surrounding mountain rock.

Having successfully resolved the trouble with one strike, Jian Chou’s brows didn’t relax but furrowed even tighter.

She walked up step by step, standing in front of the stone statue, examining it carefully.

After looking around, her gaze suddenly fixed on the left side of the statue, where there was a line of small characters: “One hundred thirty-six days of Foundation Establishment, inner demon appears.”

It came true.

Bad thoughts always come true.

Jian Chou looked at this line of small characters and smiled bitterly, then looked toward her forward path, suddenly feeling that countless inner demons of Master Buyu lurked in those shadows.

Generally, a cultivator’s inner demons won’t be particularly powerful, especially rarely exceeding the cultivator himself. Most of the time, they’re just a thought, a trouble, rather than becoming substantial.

Jian Chou could easily eliminate that inner demon with one axe strike, first because she was now at the Golden Core stage, and second because Master Buyu’s inner demon’s strength was definitely inferior to his actual self.

It was just the inner demon from the 136th day of Foundation Establishment.

But…

Who knew about the path ahead?

Master Buyu had already comprehended the mysteries of the “Nine Bends River Map” and ascended to immortality as a great cultivator.

Thinking of this, Jian Chou felt her scalp tingle.

Qingfeng Nunnery’s Hidden Realm’s treatment of “uninvited guests” was truly formidable.

But Xie Buchen was still in this “Yi Zhizhu.” Even if there were a thousand difficulties ahead, how could she retreat?

Immediately, Jian Chou collected her thoughts, summoned all her attention, and continued forward.

Sure enough, after walking only fifty zhang, another new stone statue appeared five zhang ahead.

This time, the statue’s features seemed more mature, and the stone sword in its hand had become a broad sword a full palm’s width, with a more profound and condensed aura.

A figure condensed from the stone sword again, blocking Jian Chou’s path.

“The path of cultivation is long and endless, my mind hesitates… To pass my road, you must battle my inner demon… Do you dare to fight?”

“Not even changing a single line of this chant?”

Finding humor in adversity, Jian Chou made a quip but without further ado, raised her axe and charged forward!

“Boom!”

Still a Splitting Sky Slash!

But this time, the inner demon’s sword speed was several times faster, almost the instant Jian Chou struck with her axe, it raised its sword to slash. A brilliant sword light immediately exploded in the corridor, colliding with Jian Chou’s axe shadow!

Enormous air waves immediately expanded, stirring up dust throughout the corridor.

That figure disappeared.

Jian Chou still stood in place. This time she didn’t linger, only glancing at the stone statue as she passed: “Thirty-six days of Golden Core, inner demon reappears.”

Master Buyu’s inner demon from the Golden Core stage was roughly equivalent to an ordinary Foundation Establishment cultivator’s cultivation level.

Just calculating combat power from intangible inner demons was already terrifying enough.

Jian Chou had roughly guessed the situation of Yi Zhizhu, and immediately proceeded smoothly and efficiently toward the next statue.

Third statue, fourth statue…

When passing the first two, Jian Chou could still easily defeat the inner demons with Splitting Sky Slash, but by the third, it was already extremely dangerous, forcing her to throw out an additional Black Wind Blade Lotus to resolve the matter.

By the fourth statue, Jian Chou learned her lesson, preparing the blade lotus early and directly throwing out two, passing the fourth statue with some danger but no mishaps: “Thirteen days of Spirit Severing, inner demon appears…”

From initially having inner demons appear after more than a hundred days of Foundation Establishment, to now having inner demons appear after just thirteen days of Spirit Severing…

Generally, when cultivators break through realms, having inner demons means failure.

So once a realm is successfully broken through, the inner demons have been “severed.”

But the inner demons Jian Chou had seen along the way all had the same face, and their age was continuously increasing, their aura continuously climbing, as if these inner demons had never died but continued to grow stronger along with Master Buyu’s cultivation advancement.

Her heart suddenly trembled for that instant.

Jian Chou moved her gaze from the small characters, refocusing on the stone statue. The eyes carved from mountain rock were somewhat lifeless, yet carried an eerie quality.

Beneath her feet, a chill suddenly emerged…

This stone statue’s posture and movements were identical to Master Buyu on the wall paintings!

Master Buyu’s inner demon was himself!

As long as the person doesn’t die, the inner demon doesn’t die!

How did such a Master Buyu attain the Dao and become immortal?

Jian Chou couldn’t help but feel cold, yet couldn’t help but be curious.

Forcing herself to look away, Jian Chou refocused on the darkness ahead, and finally, that trace of bloody scent drifted over.

She smelled it.

Moving forward, she continued deeper.

Jian Chou walked about thirty zhang, and the blood-red light of her Ghost Axe illuminated a corpse lying on the ground not far ahead, with a sword wound through the throat that had stopped bleeding and was somewhat dried.

It was a man in his twenties, wearing clothes similar in style to the dead cultivator on the White Jade Long Path, with a jade pendant hanging at his waist.

Jian Chou walked over, knowing this was the demonic cultivator who had previously chosen this path.

When they were still in the mountain cavity, she and the others had personally witnessed that red light outside extinguish.

After roughly examining the cause of this person’s death, Jian Chou felt no fear whatsoever.

She searched through this person’s belongings, first seeing the jade pendant at his waist. Upon picking it up, the front indeed bore the character “Yin,” though in an ancient script style from ancient times—most likely the “Shanyin Sect” from the southeastern wilderness that everyone had mentioned.

Next, she found a qiankun bag in this person’s sleeve.

This demonic cultivator was dead, so the qiankun bag naturally became ownerless, bearing only residual spiritual consciousness imprints.

Jian Chou extended her hand and squeezed forcefully, releasing her spiritual consciousness to scatter the imprint on the qiankun bag while simultaneously branding her own imprint. This way, the qiankun bag became hers.

Opening the qiankun bag, she discovered it contained some simple magical artifacts, talismans of various functions, and over a hundred spirit stones—a considerable “fortune” for an ordinary Golden Core cultivator.

Of course, there were also quite a few basic cultivation methods from the Shanyin Sect and several dao seals.

Besides these, there was actually a jade slip.

Jian Chou picked it up and placed it against her brow to examine it, her eyes immediately lighting up with excitement.

“Shanyin Sect White Bone Branch Hall Elder Chen Fang’s disciple, Zhou Yin, ranked eighteenth.”

This was actually an identity jade slip!

It recorded all the important experiences of this cultivator named “Zhou Yin” since joining the Shanyin Sect, including entering the outer sect, various testing missions, becoming an inner sect disciple, and joining Elder Chen Fang’s tutelage…

Everything was extremely clear.

“No wonder…”

If she could discover this jade slip, Xie Buchen couldn’t have missed it.

Being able to successfully infiltrate these Shanyin Sect cultivators probably owed some credit to this jade slip.

Jian Chou looked at the jade slip in her palm and finally smiled.

Xie Buchen had left black and white chess pieces on the mountain wall as information for her to see. It was possible that, as a Kunwu disciple, he thought she would cooperate with him to eliminate the demonic cultivators, but it was also possible…

He was just trying to set her up.

After all, Xie Buchen’s information also mentioned that someone among Jian Chou’s group was suspicious.

If she caused internal strife among her companions because of this, wouldn’t Xie Buchen be able to reap the benefits?

Having doubts in her heart, Jian Chou only said that Xie Buchen had infiltrated the demonic cultivators but didn’t mention anything about having a spy on their side: after all, no one would die from it.

Jian Chou wasn’t clear about Xie Buchen’s true intentions, nor could she be certain that Xie Buchen had definitely infiltrated the demonic cultivators, but…

With the jade slip in hand, she now had a completely new plan.

Clenching her fingers, Jian Chou casually put the jade slip back into the qiankun bag, then actually stripped the blood-stained clothes from the unlucky Zhou Yin’s corpse and put them on herself, along with the jade pendant and all other items.

Then, she carefully observed this person’s features and retrieved a deep red pill from her own qiankun bag to consume.

In the blink of an eye, Jian Chou’s gentle and mild features suddenly changed—her brows became thicker and harder, her nose bridge higher, and her entire facial contours immediately became more rugged. Even her body instantly grew taller.

A completely new “Zhou Yin” appeared perfectly in the corridor.

A “youth” in his twenties, with pale skin and a gloomy, violent aura between his brows, wearing the Shanyin Sect’s jade pendant and carrying a crimson “Xishan Demon Sword” taken from the qiankun bag, while still shouldering the massive Ghost Axe.

In this darkness, “he” revealed a sinister and calculating smile.

“Heh heh, even if we meet, you surely won’t recognize me…”

Using his own methods against him…

When the voice emerged, it was already an unrecognizable rasp.