156: Chapter 156 Dawn in the Valley

Everything in Qingyun City was proceeding in an orderly fashion, while deep in the Cangmang Mountain Range of the Central Region, the new base of the Tianxuan Sect was waking up in the morning light within a secluded valley shrouded in mist.

The brutal battle of extermination three months ago seemed like a distant memory.

In the valley, wooden houses were scattered about, smoke curled from chimneys, and the sound of hammering came from the Artifact Refining shed, mixed with the shouts of Disciples training.

Everything was moving slowly but steadily onto the right track.

This peace was largely due to the "Hunyuan Lost-Track Formation" that Ling Hao had set up before he left.

That day, Ling Hao had personally walked across the peaks surrounding the valley, using the Chaos Rules as a Foundation to set up nine Formation bases, and using a wisp of the heart of origin as the Formation eye, completely hiding the entire valley.

This Formation could not only conceal aura and confuse heavenly secrets, but also distort space, causing people from the outside world to subconsciously ignore this place even if they passed by.

If their Cultivation was insufficient, they wouldn't even see the entrance while standing at the mouth of the valley.

Sect Master Situ Kong had watched Ling Hao set up the Formation with his own eyes and was filled with amazement.

He had Cultivated for hundreds of years and had seen countless Formations, but few were as profound as the Hunyuan Lost-Track Formation.

Ling Hao told him that when this Formation was fully operational, it could block a Void Refining Early Stage Cultivator for three quarters of an hour, and if someone attacked it by force, it would issue a warning, buying time for the Sect to react.

At this moment, Situ Ya was sitting cross-legged on a cliff on the east side of the valley, facing east, breathing and Cultivating.

The morning light spilled onto her slightly immature face, reflecting a faint golden halo.

She closed her eyes and concentrated, guiding the thin Chaos Qi within her body to circulate slowly according to the basic Cultivation Technique, the "Chaos Qi Refining Chapter," that Ling Hao had taught her before he left.

This Cultivation Technique was completely different from her Tianxuan Sect's traditional Mind-Cultivation Technique; it focused more on sensing the Origin of heaven and earth, and every bit of Spiritual Qi circulation felt like touching some ancient Dao.

Ling Hao had left this Cultivation Technique before leaving, saying it was to "form a good karmic connection," and Situ Ya was grateful in her heart and practiced diligently every day.

After three months of hard training, she had Breakthrough from the Golden Core Early Stage to the Golden Core Middle Stage.

Although this progress was not worth mentioning in the eyes of true powerhouses, for a sixteen-year-old girl, it was a rare talent.

"Junior Sister Ya, practicing again?" A gentle voice came from behind.

Situ Ya opened her eyes and turned to look.

The person who came was a young man of twenty-seven or twenty-eight, with a handsome face and wearing a blue robe; it was the Tianxuan Sect's Senior Disciple, Chen Yue.

He was carrying a bundle of freshly cut spiritual wood on his shoulder, clearly having returned from gathering Materials outside the valley.

"Senior Brother Chen Yue." Situ Ya stood up and bowed slightly, "I just finished today's homework and was just about to go back to help Senior Sister Liu arrange the Formation."

Chen Yue put down the spiritual wood, wiped the sweat from his forehead, and smiled: "It is a good thing that Junior Sister is diligent, but you must also pay attention to balancing work and rest. Although the Cultivation Technique that Senior Ling taught you is profound, it is different from your original Foundation after all, so do not be greedy for progress."

Situ Ya nodded obediently: "Senior Brother is right, Ya'er will remember."

She paused, then asked: "Senior Brother, is there any news from Senior Ling?"

Joy flashed in Chen Yue's eyes: "I was just about to tell you. Since Senior Ling returned safely to the Southern Region three months ago! Yesterday, the Sect Master received his message again, saying everything is going smoothly and asking us not to worry. However, he still has some important matters to deal with on his side, and he will come to see us when he is done."

Situ Ya's eyes lit up, and a smile appeared on her face: "That's great!"

She paused, then said: "Then I'll go help Senior Sister Liu."

She turned to leave, but Chen Yue suddenly called her: "Junior Sister Ya, wait."

"Does Senior Brother have anything else?"

Chen Yue hesitated for a moment and whispered: "Yesterday, when I was gathering wood outside the mountains, I saw several figures hovering in the distance from afar, appearing to be Cultivators scouting for something. I am worried..."

Situ Ya frowned: "Could you see what kind of people they were?"

"The distance was too far, I couldn't see clearly." Chen Yue said, "I have reported it to the Sect Master. The Sect Master said that we should strengthen our vigilance, but there is no need to be too nervous; they might just be passing Loose Cultivators."

Situ Ya was silent for a moment and said: "Senior Brother, the 'Chaos Perception' secret technique that Senior Ling taught me can detect hidden auras; perhaps I can go to the periphery to investigate?"

Chen Yue quickly waved his hand: "No! Your Cultivation is still shallow, if they are really people with ill intentions, it would be too dangerous. The Hunyuan Lost-Track Formation can block them; as long as we don't go out, they won't be able to find us."

Although Situ Ya was unwilling, she knew that what Chen Yue said was reasonable, so she had to nod.

The two went down the mountain together and walked toward the valley.

What they did not know was that at this moment, on a mountain peak a hundred miles away from the valley, more than a dozen figures were quietly gathering.

Their auras were restrained, and their bodies were covered by a layer of light gray light shield, isolating all Spiritual Qi fluctuations.

If they were not close at hand, it would be almost impossible to detect them.

The leader was an old man in a gray robe with a sinister face, deep-set eye sockets, and a faint aura of blood evil surrounding him.

His name was Xue Jiu, the Valley Master of Shenyan Valley, Soul Transformation Late Stage, skilled in tracking and assassination.

"Is the information accurate?" Xue Jiu said hoarsely, his eyes scanning a middle-aged man in a green shirt beside him.

The middle-aged man in the green shirt was named Zhou Tong, the clansman of the Wudao Sect Vice Sect Master Zhou Xian who had been killed by Ling Hao previously.

He gritted his teeth and said: "Senior Xue Jiu, rest assured, I have been investigating for three months and finally found traces of the remnants of the Tianxuan Sect in this mountain range."

"I have locked onto their general range, which is in the valley a hundred miles away."

"But strangely, there should clearly be a valley in that place, but no matter what, it cannot be seen clearly, as if it is covered by some kind of Formation."

Xue Jiu narrowed his eyes: "Covered by a Formation? It seems that the Tianxuan Sect really has an expert behind them."

"Hundreds of people from my Shenyan Valley and the Wudao Sect were killed by the Tianxuan Sect, and your Vice Sect Master and our two Soul Transformation Late Stage Elders all fell. Are you sure the Tianxuan Sect still has such strength?"

Zhou Tong's face stiffened, and he said awkwardly: "Senior, you may not know, but according to the news, victory was originally in hand that day, but a mysterious powerhouse suddenly appeared, whose Cultivation was unfathomable."

"The Vice Sect Master and the two Elders were killed by his sneak attack."

"I suspect that the powerhouse might be in the Void Refining Realm and might not still be at the Tianxuan Sect."

"That Formation was mostly left by him. If we can take advantage of the void to enter, the Artifact Refining Legacy and treasures of the Tianxuan Sect will all belong to us."

Xue Jiu snorted coldly: "A Formation left by a Void Refining powerhouse? If he is still there, those of us who go will just be sending ourselves to death."

"That's why we need to investigate clearly first." Zhou Tong said, "I have sent people to observe secretly for several days."

"Occasionally, smoke drifts out of the valley, but no one can be seen, and there is no aura of a Void Refining powerhouse."

"That mysterious person should have left long ago, leaving only the Formation to guard it."

Xue Jiu pondered for a moment and looked at another man in black beside him: "An San, what do you think?"

The man in black was wrapped in a black robe, revealing only a pair of cold eyes, with no aura leaking from his body, as if he had merged with the surrounding environment.

"It's worth a try." The man in black's voice was hoarse, "If there is a Void Refining, I will be able to sense it. But we need more people to break the Formation."

Xue Jiu nodded: "I have sent a message to the Valley, asking two Soul Transformation Late Stage Elders to come and assist."

"Adding you and me, a total of five Soul Transformation Cultivators will be more than enough to deal with a broken Tianxuan Sect."

"As for that Formation, with five Soul Transformation Cultivators working together, are you afraid we can't break it?"

Zhou Tong was overjoyed: "Thank you, Senior Xue Jiu! After breaking the Tianxuan Sect, the Tianxuan Artifact Refining Manual will belong to the Shenyan Valley!"

Xue Jiu smiled sinisterly: "As long as you are sensible. Three days later, when everyone arrives, we will raid the valley at night."

He looked in the direction of the looming valley a hundred miles away, and a greedy light flashed in his eyes.