98: Chapter 98 The So-Called Trial: Bizarre and Strange

They were one of the scout teams dispatched by the Four Seas Chamber of Commerce.

The one called 'Boss' was a middle-aged man in the Early Foundation Establishment Stage, named Zhou Tong.

He glanced at his subordinate: "When has the President's order ever been wrong? If I tell you to watch, then you keep your eyes wide open for me. Less talk, more observation."

The subordinate, having been scolded, shrunk his neck and dared not speak again.

In truth, Zhou Tong himself was feeling doubtful.

His team, along with several others, had been lurking in the passages between the two prefectures for over half a month.

Not to mention Cultivators from Pingling Prefecture, they hadn't even seen a single Disciple from the Blazing Fire Sect.

Every day, besides enduring spirit insect bites and guarding against Yao Beast sneak attacks, it was just monotonous waiting.

Fang Zhenhai's orders to them were clear: monitor, at all costs, any unusual movements of the Blazing Fire Sect in the Monster Beast Mountain Range.

But the problem was that the Blazing Fire Sect had been too quiet recently; ever since they announced the mountain closure, no Disciples had been seen in this mountain range.

When the news reached the Prefecture City, Fang Zhenhai was also puzzled.

However, since the sir asked him to investigate, there must be a problem behind it.

He could only suppress the doubts in his heart and issue another order, telling Zhou Tong and the others to continue lurking.

"Be patient and wait another half a month. If there's still no movement, I'll apply to the President for a rotation," Zhou Tong appeased them, then took out an ancient bronze mirror from his 懷.

This was the Sky-Peeking Mirror, the masterpiece of a Tier 2 Artifact Refiner in the Prefecture City, capable of detecting everything within a ten-li radius without emitting any spiritual energy fluctuations.

Although it was only a high-grade magic tool, its advantage lay in its concealment; even Foundation Establishment Cultivators couldn't sense it.

He injected spiritual energy into the bronze mirror, and ripples appeared on its surface, clearly revealing the scene of the surrounding forest.

Zhou Tong manipulated the mirror, scanning the surrounding area inch by inch.

Day after day, Zhou Tong himself had almost memorized every tree and every stone within several hundred li of this mountain forest.

Just as another ten-odd days passed and he was about to give up, some unusual scenes suddenly appeared in the Sky-Peeking Mirror's view.

"Hmm?" Zhou Tong's eyes narrowed.

At the entrance of a valley several li away, perpetually shrouded in thick fog, several teams of Disciples wearing Blazing Fire Sect uniforms actually appeared.

Their cultivation was not high, mostly in the Late Qi Refining Stage, holding Magical Artifacts and patrolling back and forth near the valley entrance, looking heavily guarded.

And at the valley entrance, several Late Qi Refining Stage Disciples were setting something up.

Formation Flags were planted one by one, and spiritual lights flickered.

Soon, a simple warning Formation was formed.

"Something's happening!" Zhou Tong's spirit instantly tensed up.

He immediately reported this discovery to Fang Zhenhai via a specially made communication talisman.

The news quickly reached Qingyang Town.

Su Cheng looked at the intelligence in the Jade Slip, constantly deducing and pondering in his mind.

"After closing the mountain, they suddenly start playing tricks deep in the Monster Beast Mountain Range?" Although Su Cheng didn't understand its meaning, it was definitely problematic. "This is getting interesting."

Su Chengyuan asked from the side: "Chenger, what are they trying to do?"

"I don't know." Su Cheng shook his head. "But one thing is certain, it's definitely not a good thing. Their actions must have some ulterior motive. And choosing that location itself is very suspicious."

He walked to the map and pointed to the location of the valley: "This place is less than eight hundred li from the border of the two prefectures. The location is too sensitive."

After a moment of contemplation, he said to Su Chengyuan: "Father, please send a message to President Fang, tell his people to keep watching. At the same time, send more people to investigate. I want to know what exactly the Blazing Fire Sect is up to inside."

Thus, more elites from the Four Seas Chamber of Commerce departed from the Prefecture City, disguised as various Loose Cultivators and demon hunting teams.

From all directions, they casually approached that valley.

The Monster Beast Mountain Range was originally a place frequently visited by Cultivators, and although the Blazing Fire Sect knew that teams were entering and exiting, they didn't pay much attention to it.

After all, the strongest among them were only Early Foundation Establishment Stage Cultivators, and their most important task now was to set up the Teleportation Formation.

Several days later, the Blazing Fire Sect publicly issued an announcement.

The announcement stated: To temper its Disciples, the Blazing Fire Sect will hold a three-month Disciple trial in Fallen Phoenix Valley within the Monster Beast Mountain Range.

During the trial period, the hundred-li radius around Fallen Phoenix Valley will be designated as a forbidden zone, strictly prohibiting outsiders from approaching. Violators will bear the consequences.

"Trial?" In a teahouse in the Prefecture City, Cultivators discussed this animatedly.

"I think it's a show, right? After being ostracized for so long, they have to save some Face."

"Perhaps they are truly shamed and then become brave? Look, they've even gone deep into the Monster Beast Mountain Range for a trial; that determination is admirable."

For a time, there were all sorts of opinions.

But most people didn't take this matter to heart.

An internal trial of a Sect, isn't that normal?

Only Sects like the Tiangang Sect, which had more frequent conflicts with the Blazing Fire Sect, became a bit more vigilant about this matter, but it was limited to telling their Disciples not to approach that area recently, to avoid unnecessary friction.

No one would have thought that behind this seemingly ordinary trial, a storm was brewing that could sweep across the entire Qinghe Prefecture.

Inside Fallen Phoenix Valley, however, it was a scene of bustling activity.

Hundreds of low-level Disciples of the Blazing Fire Sect were working enthusiastically under the command of several Foundation Establishment Elders.

They were not fighting Yao Beasts, but rather engaged in infrastructure construction.

Large quantities of rare spirit wood were felled and processed, and jade stones inscribed with profound runes were carefully buried underground.

At the center of the entire valley, a massive and complex circular foundation was slowly taking shape.

These low-level Disciples had no idea what they were building.

The Elders only told them that it was a large-scale defensive and spirit-gathering Formation built for the trial, a test from the Sect for them.

Only those few Foundation Establishment Elders in charge of the matter knew clearly that they were building a Qiankun Displacement Sub-Formation, one that could drag the entire Blazing Fire Sect, and even the entire Qinghe Prefecture, into an abyss!

Time flew by, and another month passed.

The project in Fallen Phoenix Valley, with the Blazing Fire Sect's unsparing investment, progressed rapidly.

The massive circular Formation foundation had already taken initial shape, with countless intricate Formation patterns crisscrossing the surface, subtly emitting heart-palpitating spatial fluctuations.

Outside the valley, the personnel dispatched by the Four Seas Chamber of Commerce were also getting closer and closer.

Zhou Tong was currently lying in an excellent spot, carefully observing everything outside the valley through the Sky-Peeking Mirror's magnification function.

Over the past month, the scene outside the valley had increasingly alarmed him.

At first, it was just some Qi Refining Stage Disciples moving in and out.

But half a month ago, more than a dozen Foundation Establishment Stage Elders successively appeared outside the valley.

A so-called Disciple trial, requiring so many Foundation Establishment Elders to preside?

If you said that, even a three-year-old wouldn't believe it.

"Boss, this scale is too big." His subordinate whispered, his tone barely concealing his shock. "I feel like this isn't a trial at all; it's more like they're up to something shady."