Who could tell whether those eyes were originally blood-red, or if everything appeared tinted by the crimson glass light?

Jian Chou’s entire mind was captured by this pair of eyes.

These emotionless eyes revealed a kind of ancient weariness.

This feeling was no longer foreign to her.

She stared at the cave entrance without blinking.

The presence within the cave blinked once.

The bright red blood light suddenly extinguished, and when it reopened, it had become a dim, dark red.

Gone was the brilliant and blazing color from before. Her tightly gripped mind finally began to relax slowly.

As the glass light grew increasingly transparent, the situation inside the cave became clearer.

It was a giant falcon whose size far exceeded the ordinary, standing over ten feet tall, yet gaunt and skeletal.

Its hooked upper beak carried a naturally fierce appearance. The feathers on its back were azure-black, its belly yellow, and the tip of its tail was white.

Perhaps from dwelling in this cave for too long, all its feathers—whether azure-black, yellow, or white—bore a murky, dark luster, as if unwashed, or covered with age spots like those on an old person’s face.

The sight was shocking.

Perhaps her gaze carried some unspeakable amazement at getting a clear look at this ancient giant falcon, for it slowly flapped its wings once and shifted its body in that space which, despite being thirty feet high, seemed cramped.

“An outsider?”

Ancient, hoarse, and rough.

Like a blade scraping against stone, the sound sent chills through one’s heart.

Yet Jian Chou felt no fear at all.

She clasped her hands together and bowed respectfully, speaking with utmost courtesy: “Forgive my presumptuous intrusion, Senior Falcon. I come from the Central Domain, seeking the Hidden Realm. Just now, in the labyrinth array, I received guidance from Lord Bookworm, who said that Senior knows the way out of this Ten Thousand Beasts Maze. Might I trouble Senior for some guidance?”

“Bookworm?”

The eyeballs slowly turned, seeming sluggish.

The giant falcon appeared to be searching through its distant memories. After a long while, it slowly spoke: “How is it faring?”

Little Bookworm had recommended the giant falcon to her, so they must have been old acquaintances.

The falcon’s question was perfectly natural.

Jian Chou recalled Little Bookworm’s lively appearance, and a smile involuntarily appeared at the corner of her lips. But then she wondered how to answer this question: did that state count as good, or bad?

Seeing Jian Chou’s silence, the giant falcon suddenly laughed.

Its withered wings were sharp and narrow, like lonely peaks jutting into the sky, carrying an otherworldly coldness.

“It always loved to show off how many books it had read. Trapped in that cave dwelling all these years, I imagine no one has taught it to read, and no one is there for it to show off to. How could it possibly be well?”

This sudden sigh carried a mocking tone in the falcon’s voice.

A chilling mockery.

This falcon was different from all the other beings Jian Chou had encountered in the cave dwellings within the walls.

In this voice tinged with teasing laughter, there was clearly suppressed resentment…

“Senior…”

“I was raised by my master, who named me ‘Wu E’ (No Evil). Since you come here guided by Bookworm, you may call me ‘Mr. Wu E.'”

The giant falcon had some acquaintance with Bookworm. After a sigh, it appeared quite amiable.

“You come from the Central Domain—which sect’s cultivator are you?”

“This junior is from Yashan.”

Mr. Wu E—this title didn’t quite match the falcon’s appearance.

But who could know what Master Buyu Shangren of the Qingfeng Nunnery Hidden Realm truly thought?

Since asked, Jian Chou honestly reported her background. At the same time, she glanced down—the layer of light on the Budong Bell was growing increasingly intense.

Someone was constantly approaching this place.

Her eyes flickered slightly as Jian Chou raised her head, meeting the giant falcon Wu E’s gaze.

After glancing at the bell hanging at Jian Chou’s waist, Mr. Wu E didn’t seem particularly concerned, continuing: “When Master was here, though he had dealings with many Central Domain cultivators, they were never close. By rights, I shouldn’t help you, but times have changed, and all the old grudges have turned to dust…”

Master Buyu Shangren had killed heavily. In the Central Domain, whether from Yashan or Kunwu, whether truly good or falsely virtuous, they would ultimately not have much contact with such a person.

Mr. Wu E’s words made sense.

Jian Chou knew he still had more to say, so she didn’t respond.

“You came from Little Bookworm’s place, which means you came through the Life Gate.”

Mr. Wu E’s wings trembled slightly, then he continued: “The Ten Thousand Beasts Maze has three levels total. To reach the core from the outside requires passing through four major gates. Since you’ve entered the first level, you must have the Array Diagram Secret Seals.”

Array Diagram Secret Seals?

These must be what she had obtained—the four Dao Seals—as they were called within the Qingfeng Nunnery Hidden Realm.

Understanding this, Jian Chou nodded.

“My location is to the east. The second gate of the second level is on your return path. Going west from here for one hundred sixty feet, you’ll see an ancient tree like a canopy, with a tree hollow and a yellow warbler—that’s where the second gate is located.”

When mentioning the yellow warbler, Mr. Wu E’s voice paused slightly, hoarse and unpleasant, as if recalling something.

But…

Jian Chou’s brow suddenly furrowed.

The giant falcon Mr. Wu E in the cave noticed this, his decrepit body swaying as he asked: “Is something amiss?”

“To be honest with Mr. Wu E, this junior just came from that direction.” Though Jian Chou had been chasing Song Lin all the way here, she could still clearly recall everything she’d seen along the path. “Where I came from, even one hundred sixty feet west of here, there was no ancient tree, much less a tree hollow or yellow warbler.”

“What?”

Shock was hidden in that hoarse voice.

Then came a long silence.

Jian Chou gazed into the cave.

Mr. Wu E’s massive body was hidden in shadow, with only a section of his sharp, narrow wings visible, his dark red eyes squinting.

Then she saw a sharp claw step through the thick dust in the cave, emerging.

It was a hunched body, aged posture, with dull, murky feathers covering it—thick in some places, sparse in others.

A pair of keen eyes that had once gazed down upon mountains and rivers were now surrounded by dust-filled wrinkles.

“It’s different now…”

The giant falcon moved somewhat unsteadily.

Standing beneath the high wall, Jian Chou appeared so small even while holding the Ghost Axe.

The falcon looked at everything outside without glancing down at her.

How many years had passed?

Master Buyu Shangren had ascended, leaving behind the Qingfeng Nunnery Hidden Realm.

Though no one knew why Master Buyu Shangren, who had killed so heavily and had no ties to this world, would leave this Hidden Realm in the mortal realm.

But he had indeed left.

The falcon could no longer remember exactly how many years ago that was, how many years ago those routes had been established.

Facing Jian Chou who had come asking for directions, it seemed confused as well, looking at everything around it. After a long time, it said to Jian Chou: “I no longer recognize the way.”

Then, without waiting for Jian Chou to respond, it continued: “Help me smash that last carving, on the left side of this cave.”

Carving?

Jian Chou was startled, instinctively looking toward the left side of the cave—it was what she had seen when she first arrived here, the only remaining carving, showing the giant falcon’s spirited pose standing on a human arm.

“Smash it?”

“Master ascended years ago. This glass light is both our protection and our bondage. If you smash this carving, the glass light will shatter, and I can come out to help you identify the path.”

“The Hidden Realm is a small world with rules different from the outside world. The heaven and earth spiritual energy depends on array formations for supply. But these past years, even in this cave, I can feel that the heaven and earth spiritual energy has been depleted. If I leave this cave, I’m afraid…”

The heaven and earth spiritual energy in the cave was already at the limit of what the array formations could provide.

At this moment, even without the falcon’s explanation, Jian Chou understood clearly—

She was right outside this cave and naturally knew that the spiritual energy in the Hidden Realm was much thinner than the outside world, barely perceptible.

So when they came to the Hidden Realm from the Central Domain, they had already prepared sufficient spirit stones.

But…

The falcon now looked no different from the other spirit beasts she had seen in the caves.

They were all trapped in this Hidden Realm, waiting for that person to come take them…

Staying in the cave, there was still a thread of hope. But if they came out…

“I’m just a bag of old bones—what do I care? What are you worried about?”

A laugh.

The falcon seemed quite accepting of its fate.

“Master ascended so many years ago and hasn’t returned. Taking us to the upper realm is just the wishful thinking of the many spirit beasts in this Hidden Realm. Go ahead and smash it—I want to see the outside.”

Its two wings folded at its sides remained motionless.

Jian Chou’s gaze lingered on them for a while, her eyes flickering slightly, her fingers moving slightly as if still hesitating. But finally, she nodded.

The left side of the cave was where the carving stood.

Years of weathering had made the edges of the carving somewhat blurred, but Jian Chou didn’t need to think to know who had left such vigorous strokes.

She walked before the carving and said softly: “Forgive my offense.”

Raising her right hand, the battle disc beneath her feet spun open, brilliant starlight dazzling. Within the Tianyuan, a pill the size of a small inch gleamed like molten gold, with streams of golden light shuttling around it like guards.

The moment she raised her hand, a golden stream of light shot out from the Tianyuan into her palm.

Instantly, light blazed forth!

Jian Chou’s palm seemed coated with red gold, the original lustrous white completely disappearing, entirely covered by brilliant gold.

She held her breath and calmed her mind.

The carving left by Master Buyu Shangren, even if casually made, gave her tremendous pressure at this moment.

This was, after all, left by a great cultivator.

When observing it, it hadn’t seemed like much, but when about to destroy it, there was a sharp aura that wove together, slashing toward Jian Chou like random blades.

In an instant, Jian Chou felt as if countless blade lights and sword shadows spread before her eyes, with overwhelming killing intent surging forth.

She almost suffocated under this aura, struggling to open her eyes wide, seeking a single gap among these countless blades and swords—

That tiny breach in the dam!

Her mind steadied!

Jian Chou’s gaze suddenly focused. Among the siege of countless qi mechanisms, she found an extremely tricky angle and struck with her palm!

“Crash!”

The entire stone carving, under her gentle palm strike, collapsed like an avalanche on a mountain peak, instantly breaking away and falling.

All the blades and swords rushing toward her suddenly froze in mid-air, then scattered completely in the wind.

Jian Chou maintained her striking pose, stone carving fragments scattered around her feet, dust flying up and staining the hem of her robes gray-white.

“Screech—”

A high-pitched, sharp cry suddenly rang out from the cave beside Jian Chou, soaring skyward like a sharp spike trying to tear the heavens apart!

Jian Chou felt her ears ringing, filled only with this vicious screech.

She frowned and looked back.

The glass light had shattered thunderously the moment the stone carving broke.

The giant falcon Wu E, trapped in the cave, stepped out with a single stride.

Leaving that cramped space, it could finally raise its head, straighten its body, spread its wings, and as if releasing years of suppressed emotions all at once, it cried out loudly!

Filthy feathers scattered in all directions, then were shattered by that terrible cry, becoming countless fragments!

The cry created waves of sound that swept outward in all directions with the giant falcon at the center.

The towering walls all suffered its impact, dust flying everywhere.

In this area, there were still many other caves.

The falcon’s location was just one of them.

When its cry arose, the glass light on those caves suddenly blazed brightly as if under attack, startling the many spirit beasts dwelling within.

There were poisonous snakes covered in azure patterns, thin cats with pure white fur, scorpions with black-gold tails, cicadas clinging to cave walls, ancient-looking large turtles…

So many, so many.

This single glance was far more shocking than when Jian Chou had looked through the caves one by one.

Everywhere she looked, there were caves, glass light, and spirit beasts!

But each one was behind glass light—some puzzled, some confused, some showing sorrow in their eyes, others motionless like old monks in meditation…

Various spirit beasts in countless poses.

But…

Every single pose gave one a sense of heavy, sorrowful twilight.

The Ten Thousand Beasts Maze Array?

So this was it…

A strange bitterness rose from Jian Chou’s throat, choking her so she couldn’t speak for a moment.

Little Marten on Jian Chou’s shoulder had nearly tumbled down earlier, now just blinking at the surroundings. Guyu’s two eyes, one large and one small, were wide with amazement.

The giant falcon’s massive body cast a huge shadow behind it.

Its high-pitched, passionate cry continued for a long time before gradually becoming lower, slowly weakening.

Jian Chou’s tightly furrowed brow did not relax.

When she heard the cry gradually subside, she stepped back, seemingly casually leaning against the wall, avoiding the fallen carving fragments at her feet.

“Mr. Wu E…”

“How long has Buyu been ascended?”

The falcon didn’t wait for Jian Chou to finish before suddenly asking this question calmly.

In that instant, all the hair on Jian Chou’s back stood up!

Buyu!

Before, he had called him “Master,” but immediately after coming out, he changed the title!

Before Jian Chou could react, the falcon standing with his back to her suddenly folded his wings and turned around.

A pair of bright, blood-red eyes!

Just as Jian Chou had first seen behind the glass light!

Then this giant falcon’s form suddenly wavered.

Its sharp bird head retracted inward, actually transforming into a human head. Its folded wings changed with the body, instantly becoming a human body and arms. Even the claws on the ground became a pair of bare feet.

The black feathers became a black robe.

The azure-black on its back became embroidered patterns on the back, the yellow on its belly became long rows of ancient thunder patterns on both sides of the chest, and that white spot on its tail tip became several white feather embroidery patterns adorning the robe’s hem.

In just a blink, standing before Jian Chou was no longer the aged giant falcon, but a young man radiating sinister energy!

Blood-red eyes carried cold cruelty and bloodthirst!

These were not human eyes—the irises contained two pupils, extremely close together, only distinguishable upon careful observation, both deep dark black.

He gazed at Jian Chou, locking onto her with these cold, eerie eyes, his lips curving in a smile, radiating evil energy: “I ask you, how long has Buyu been ascended?”

“Nearly a thousand years.”

The situation was wrong.

By this point, how could Jian Chou not know she had probably released a troublesome entity?

Could it be that she had truly walked too many dark paths and encountered a ghost? Had she misjudged?

Or perhaps even Little Bookworm didn’t know this falcon was like this?

Doubt and wariness appeared simultaneously in her eyes.

This young man—or rather, the giant falcon Wu E—naturally saw everything clearly. His tall stature far exceeded ordinary people, a full head taller than Jian Chou. Upon hearing her surprisingly cooperative answer, he smiled.

“Ah… it’s been so long…”

Nearly a thousand years.

Trapped in that cave.

Whenever sunlight fell, it only reached three inches to his feet, warming his cold toes…

Day after day.

He no longer knew how many sunsets and sunrises he had counted, how many springs, summers, autumns, and winters…

Nearly a thousand years of waiting!

Hope turned to despair, love turned to hate!

Unable to soar again, even cultivation becoming extremely difficult.

He didn’t know when it started, but the small world’s rules could no longer function due to lack of heaven and earth spiritual energy support, and even sunrise and sunset disappeared from the Hidden Realm.

Thus began days where he no longer knew the passage of time…

Waiting for nearly a thousand years!

Master Buyu Shangren…

“Hahahaha…”

What a wait!

What a fool’s paradise!

Wu E laughed loudly, desolation tinged with hidden madness.

Countless spirit beasts still alive in countless caves all watched him, their gazes perhaps sad, perhaps sympathetic, perhaps something else…

But none of it mattered now!

None of it mattered!

After laughing enough, he looked at Jian Chou standing before him.

A weak cultivator claiming to be from the Central Domain.

“You smashed that last carving and released me—I should thank you properly. Let me think, how should I thank you…”

Jian Chou stared at him without speaking.

Little Marten’s soft body immediately stiffened, fur standing on end in extreme alertness.

“How about…” His voice paused, double pupils contracting. Wu E’s smiling face suddenly became ferocious, radiating terrifying killing intent. “I leave you a complete corpse!”

The moment he finished speaking, a shadow suddenly lunged toward Jian Chou!

Wu E remained standing in place, but his arm suddenly rose, grasping for Jian Chou’s neck!

“Ding!”

In that split second, a crisp sound!

Just as his palm grasped for Jian Chou’s neck, several stone fragments on the ground quickly shifted, raising a light screen that blocked Wu E’s clawed hand like hard diamond.

A trace of blood light burst forth.

Then the light screen immediately collapsed.

When she smashed the carving, Jian Chou had already realized something was wrong.

All the spirit beasts living in the caves suffered under Master Buyu Shangren’s promise. Regardless of the reason, Jian Chou shouldn’t doubt a victim’s intentions.

But in that instant, she couldn’t suppress that tiny doubt in her heart.

Therefore, when dropping the carving fragments, Jian Chou had manipulated them, forming a simple protective array around herself, and upon discovering Wu E’s emergence, she had immediately stepped into the array.

Though Wu E’s instant attack was beyond Jian Chou’s expectations, her earlier preparation, despite the array’s insufficient power to block him, still bought her a precious moment’s breathing space!

It was a soul-chilling feeling.

As if someone held a blade to her spine, about to pierce through the next moment.

Too fast!

Swift as rushing thunder, quick as lightning!

When spirit beasts and demon beasts cultivated to the Golden Core stage, they could all take human form, though they couldn’t maintain it long. Once they reached the Nascent Soul stage, they could maintain human form for extended periods, with attack power in human form not much different from their original state.

Since Jian Chou couldn’t see through the falcon’s cultivation level, she knew he was at least late Golden Core stage, if not Nascent Soul stage!

This was already the result of long-term weakening from the Hidden Realm’s lack of spiritual energy.

She dared not imagine what kind of opponent she would face if he were at full strength!

Five sharp fingers formed claws, striking toward Jian Chou.

In this instant, Jian Chou had no time to think, no time to counterattack.

She had only one choice—

The Budong Bell!

“Ring ring ring…”

Brushing her hand across her waist, she immediately grasped the Budong Bell between her fingers and crushed it hard!

“Pop!”

Like bursting a bubble, the moment her finger technique fell, the symbols on the bell were instantly activated.

With a “hum” sound that didn’t last long, a bronze-green light emerged from the Budong Bell.

“Whoosh!”

The light turned and spread like a folding fan opening.

“Click click click…”

The bronze-green light constantly condensed, becoming substantial. Each fan bone became a thick bronze shield, centered on the Budong Bell in Jian Chou’s hand, like a blooming flower, instantly assembling into a complete circle!

Jian Chou held the Budong Bell, utterly amazed by this instantaneous transformation.

She seemed to be holding a giant circular shield ten feet tall, completely concealing herself behind it, safe to the extreme.

“Clang!”

The moment the circular shield formed, Wu E’s five claws struck heavily upon it.

Though one was a falcon’s claw and the other merely a shield condensed from light, at the moment of collision, they produced the crisp sound of metal striking metal.

Wu E’s expression changed drastically. As if struck by lightning, he quickly withdrew his hand from the shield.

A trail of blood was drawn through the air.

When Wu E pulled back his hand, his cracked five fingers were bleeding profusely, dripping onto the ground.

His handsome features immediately darkened with storm clouds and the fury of being calculated against.

He had thought everything was under control—how could he have known this female cultivator was already prepared!

“Hah, when saving people, you’re still thinking of calculating against others… human nature is truly evil…”

Flicking his palm, blood drops flew out, actually transforming into five blood-red sharp blades flying directly at Jian Chou!

Jian Chou couldn’t help but curse inwardly.

Little Bookworm’s information was probably inaccurate.

This falcon was no longer the one it had known in the past.

Still talking about human nature being evil?

If not for her sudden vigilance then, she probably wouldn’t have had the chance to activate the Budong Bell and would already be dead on the spot!

Evil?

Who was more evil?

If it were any other time, Jian Chou would certainly argue with him extensively.

But now…

Escape was the priority!

Currently just an early Golden Core stage cultivator, even though she was about to enter mid-Golden Core stage and could battle Xie Buchen and Song Lin, that didn’t mean she could fight a late Golden Core, or possibly Nascent Soul stage demon cultivator!

Having just barely activated the Budong Bell, the shield retracted into the bell after one strike. Seeing another attack coming, she unhesitatingly pushed off the ground, leaping up and instantly merging with the wind.

The five blood-red blades suddenly lost Jian Chou’s trace, actually spinning in mid-air.

“Oh?”

This movement technique was interesting.

To comprehend nature at mere Golden Core stage, merging with wind, becoming one with wind—this was rarely seen talent in the human world.

Even he, a demon cultivator naturally gifted with affinity for nature, couldn’t achieve such comprehension at such a low cultivation level.

It seemed…

Those entering the Hidden Realm this time were truly geniuses?

Wu E’s lips curved in a cold smile. After surveying the surroundings, he casually flicked his hand, and the five blood-red blades resumed chasing Jian Chou’s shadow.

There’s always a higher mountain.

In that instant, Jian Chou again felt that terrifying qi mechanism locking onto her.

She gritted her teeth. Seeing a gap in the high wall ahead, she drilled inside without hesitation!

“Bang!”

Because she suddenly changed direction, two of the five blood blades crashed into the wall, becoming scattered blood flowers and destroying half the wall.

The remaining three were unaffected, still pursuing Jian Chou.

Jian Chou raced forward at maximum speed.

Seeing another gap ahead, she unhesitatingly repeated her tactic, flashing along another high wall like lightning.

“Bang bang!”

Two more consecutive crashes behind her.

Without looking back, Jian Chou knew only one blood-red blade remained pursuing her.

But this final blade was also a deadly one!

She could even clearly feel the sharp blade tip already at the back of her head. Whether she slowed down slightly, stopped to turn around, or raised her hand to counterattack, she would be a fraction slower, just enough to be pierced by this blood blade formed from a drop of blood!

Almost unavoidable…

What to do?

In that moment, even Jian Chou, who could be called resourceful, was at a loss, watching helplessly as the blood blade approached.

Wind passed through the Budong Bell tightly held in Jian Chou’s hand, but it no longer made any sound.

Only a brilliant light, surpassing any previous instance, shone dazzlingly bright.

It was bright…

After delivering that defensive strike, the Budong Bell had lost its defensive function, now only serving to indicate companions’ directions.

This brightness—she had only seen it when still together with others!

This meant at this very moment, someone was definitely near her, almost right beside her!

Lightning-fast thoughts flashed through her mind.

Jian Chou’s gaze instantly swept over the entire surrounding environment.

She had unconsciously run back toward where she came from, passing through places she had already been.

At first glance, everything looked the same.

But with closer observation, one would notice fine grass on the ground, small stones buried in the earth, and pitted marks on the high walls…

It was an extremely familiar yet extremely puzzling feeling.

In that moment, Jian Chou remembered the Seventy-Two Linked Killing Array she had left on the white jade passage!

Who would follow here after her passage?

Who could trigger the Budong Bell’s response to people?

Who could arrange relevant defensive arrays in such a short time?

She was betting on it!

Jian Chou gritted her teeth. With no other choice, knowing the blood-red blade was right behind her head, as she rapidly passed through that array area, she struck out with her palm!

“Boom!”

Even such a hasty palm strike carried surging palm force, instantly toppling half a wall. However, those “stones” embedded in the wall remained suspended in mid-air.

“Hum!”

Almost the instant Jian Chou passed through, countless threads extended from numerous spirit stones, interconnecting to form an enormous net.

Spiritual energy fluctuations immediately created ripples in the air.

After the ripples, a blood-stained figure in azure robes suddenly appeared.

At this moment, Jian Chou had already thrown herself into the array, the blood blade close behind. Just as it was about to follow, Jian Chou had forcibly activated the array, blocking the blood blade outside!

This series of changes occurred in just an instant.

Xie Buchen had originally been observing from a distance, watching secretly. Being severely injured with temporarily unrecoverable cultivation, he had simply focused on array work, setting up various arrays here for “emergencies.”

Who would have thought Jian Chou would so easily see through his actions and dare take such risks, entering his array just to shake off that blood blade!

“Bang!”

The blood blade struck the light barrier with a tremendous crash.

Scattered blood flew everywhere!

As the array’s controller, Xie Buchen immediately suffered unexpected disaster. With already weakened qi and blood, the shock left his face deathly pale, blood staining his lips.

His features remained coldly indifferent, not sparing a glance at the scattered blood light, only turning back—

Jian Chou lightly brushed dust from her robes and smiled slightly, refined and courteous: “My, human nature is truly evil. When a fellow cultivator is in trouble, Friend Xie draws his blade to help. Jian Chou thanks you for this.”