77: Is this Zizhu Peak?

The white-robed man hovered in the clouds above the Azure Profound Sect's mountain gate, his gaze sweeping over the Sect's outline, hidden in the night.

His fingertips gently twirled, and a wisp of Saint Realm Spiritual Qi, condensed to its extreme, subtly extended, silently piercing through the original Sect-protecting Formation like a sharp blade cutting through thin paper.

That was the Sect-protecting Formation Xuan Yangzi had reinforced at the Peak of the King Realm. Now, before a Saint-Grade Peak Cultivator, it cracked open a fissure silently, like thin ice melting in warm water.

He flickered, already stepping into Azure Profound Sect territory, the Saint Dao halo around his body becoming increasingly faint, almost merging with the night.

Immediately, an invisible Divine Sense spread out like a tide, meticulously sweeping over every inch of the Sect's land.

Wherever his Divine Sense passed, whether it was sleeping Disciples or Elders in seclusion, none were aware, as if this Divine Sense was merely a part of the night wind.

“Is this the Azure Profound Sect? Nothing more than this, it doesn't even have decent defenses.”

A moment later, his Divine Sense touched a mountain Peak covered in Purple Bamboo.

In his Divine Sense perception, this mountain Peak, apart from the Purple Bamboo covering the mountains and plains, only had the faint Spiritual Qi of the spirit fields, and even the aura of the guarding Cultivators was so weak it was almost nonexistent. It looked no different from an ordinary mountain Peak.

At this moment, Little Black Bird, who was resting on the tip of the Eternal Heavens Pride Tower with its wings tucked in, was swept by this unfamiliar Divine Sense and instantly opened its round eyes, a fierce glint flashing in its black bean-like pupils.

It flapped its wings and flew to the edge of the pagoda eaves, looking in the direction from which the Divine Sense came, its small head slightly tilted, as if muttering.

“Where did this old thing come from? Daring to sweep its Divine Sense wildly in the Azure Profound Sect, it truly doesn't know what's good for it!”

The Azure Sky Python Ox in the spirit field was dozing, holding a porcelain bottle containing Innate Spirit Marrow. The moment the Divine Sense swept over, it abruptly opened its ox eyes, and a few strands of its greenish-gold ox hair bristled.

But it quickly relaxed again, changed its posture, and continued to doze.

Its ox mouth moved, as if gloating: “Tsk tsk, a Saint-Grade Peak dares to act wild on Gu Changge's territory? Just wait, you're going to be unlucky!”

It knew Gu Changge's methods too well. Back when it was in the Saint King Realm, wasn't it easily “invited” to Zizhu Peak?

This white-robed man probably still didn't know who he had provoked.

He was completely unaware of all this. His Divine Sense lingered on Zizhu Peak for a moment. This mountain Peak was indeed ordinary, with neither heavy guard nor high-level Formation protection. It seemed like a forgotten corner of the Sect.

Yet, a confident smile played on his lips, and he thought to himself: “Purple Bamboo... I've finally found you.”

He no longer hesitated, his figure transforming into a faint shadow, and he swept towards Zizhu Peak.

His steps were light, yet carried the unique steadiness of a Saint-Grade Cultivator, each step seemingly treading upon the Void Realm.

The Saint Dao halo around his body slowly circulated with his movements, emitting a faint white glow in the night.

He secretly calculated in his heart: Once I find that thing, I'll directly take it. With my Saint-Grade Peak cultivation, no one in the Azure Profound Sect can stop me.

However, he hadn't expected that his secret visit had not escaped the eyes of Zizhu Peak's owner from the very beginning.

The white-robed man had just stepped into Zizhu Peak's territory, and before the Purple Bamboo at his feet even had a chance to sway, a voice, carrying a hint of laziness, suddenly came from ahead.

“You're here, brother!”

The voice was neither loud nor slow, as casual as an acquaintance greeting him, yet it made the white-robed man stiffen all over, his hair almost standing on end.

His Saint-Grade Peak Divine Sense had swept all the way, yet he hadn't detected anyone hiding on this mountain Peak!

Not even a ripple of Spiritual Qi, not a wisp of aura was captured!

“Who?!”

He abruptly stopped, his ancient longsword instantly unsheathed, Saint-Grade Peak Spiritual Qi erupting suddenly, the Saint Dao halo around him blindingly bright, as he vigilantly stared in the direction of the voice.

In his heart, however, a storm had already surged: To be able to hide so deeply right under my nose, he must be an peerless expert! At least Saint King Realm cultivation! When did the Azure Profound Sect have such a figure?

He hadn't even clearly seen the other party's face, yet his instinct for self-preservation had already overridden all other thoughts.

Having mingled in the Xuanhuang Great World for so many years, he had climbed from the Foundation Establishment Realm to the Saint-Grade Peak by adhering to the principle of avoiding any danger.

Whenever he encountered an opponent he might not be able to defeat, run, he must run, not a second of hesitation!

“Farewell!”

The white-robed man tossed out a polite remark, turned, and swept towards the mountain gate, his speed more than three times faster than when he arrived.

The night wind stirred by his robes rustled the Purple Bamboo leaves, and even his earlier determination to find the treasure was squeezed out of his mind by the words “save my life.”

But just as he darted out two steps, a sharp whooshing sound suddenly came from above his head, and a golden light swept down from the tip of the Eternal Heavens Pride Tower.

It instantly transformed into a Golden-Winged Roc with a wingspan of several zhang, its black beak gleaming with cold light. With a flap of its massive wings, it blocked his path.

“Trying to run?”

The Golden-Winged Roc's voice carried the unique crispness of Little Black Bird, yet it exuded a domineering pressure.

“Acting wild on Azure Profound Sect's territory, did you ask me first?”

The white-robed man's pupils constricted—Golden-Winged Roc!

A legendary ancient Divine Beast!

How many hidden cards did this Azure Profound Sect truly possess?

Without even hesitating, he stomped his foot, abruptly changing direction, and charged towards the spirit fields.

He had only one thought: find another way to run! As long as he could get out of Zizhu Peak, with his Saint-Grade Peak speed, he could surely shake off his pursuers!

But after only a few steps, with a dull thud, he seemed to hit an invisible wall of bronze and iron. He was bounced back, falling to the ground, disoriented, his chest feeling stuffy, and his grip on his sword loosening slightly.

When he rubbed his forehead and looked up, he saw an azure-gold old ox standing before him, its hooves on the soil of the spirit field, still chewing on half a stalk of spirit rice. It was the Azure Sky Python Ox.

The old ox squinted its ox eyes at him, its tone tinged with schadenfreude: “Oh, isn't this the great Saint-Grade Peak figure? Why are you bumping into me, an ox?”

“Saint... Saint King Realm, no, Great Saint Realm Yao Beast?!”

The white-robed man, seeing the faint Great Saint Realm pressure emanating from the Azure Sky Python Ox, completely panicked.

First, a peerless expert capable of concealing his aura, then the ancient Divine Beast Golden-Winged Roc, and now a Saint King Realm Python Ox!

They said Zizhu Peak was just an ordinary mountain Peak?

Why is it different? Did I open it the wrong way?

Ignoring the pain in his chest, he struggled to get up, still wanting to dart into the nearby bamboo forest.

But suddenly, he felt a heaviness all around him, an oppressive force far beyond his imagination descended from the sky, like an invisible giant hand pressing him down, making him unable to move even a fingertip.

Gu Changge's figure slowly walked out from the bamboo forest, still holding a handful of sunflower seeds, his tone carrying a hint of helplessness.

“Stop running, I'm getting tired just watching you. I mean, you, breaking into someone else's Sect in the middle of the night, sweeping your Divine Sense, and then trying to run? How can there be such a convenient thing?”

The white-robed man's knees went weak under the pressure, cold sweat streamed down his cheeks, as he looked at the calm young man before him.

Then he looked at the Golden-Winged Roc glaring from above and the Azure Sky Python Ox chewing spirit rice and watching the show nearby, leaving only despair in his heart.

He hadn't broken into the Azure Profound Sect at all; he had clearly stumbled into a top Forbidden Ground of the Xuanhuang Great World!

If he had known this Zizhu Peak was so sinister, even with ten times the courage, he wouldn't have dared to come!

The white-robed man's cold sweat soaked his white robe. Seeing the encirclement before him, he knew running again was futile. He could only force a smile uglier than a cry, his voice trembling as he spoke.

“H-hello... Excuse me... Is this... is this Zizhu Peak?”