More than an hour later, the night had grown deep. About one hundred and fifty li from the nameless valley, there was a solitary, steep peak.
Near the summit, amid a pile of scattered rocks, hundreds of stones of various sizes were distributed, looking like undulating monstrous beasts in the darkness of the night.
A large stone, buried deep in the earth, had a large patch of weeds growing from its base. At one corner of this large stone, a smaller stone was leaning against it.
That was Li Yan, sitting there. Even if someone were to walk past him, all they would see was a small, slanted rock.
'Within a fifty-li radius, there are already ten squads of various sizes, totaling over a hundred people, led by several Golden Core cultivators. This must be the outer perimeter security for that nameless valley.'
Li Yan sat motionless, his mind rapidly replaying the several groups of cultivators he had just encountered, trying to analyze any useful information from the slightest clues.
From the expressions on the faces of the cultivators in some of the teams he encountered, he could tell that these teams were certainly aware of each other's existence, likely patrolling different areas in a crisscross pattern.
What Li Yan didn't know was that if it had been yesterday, he would have encountered these cultivators much earlier. At that time, their patrol range was within five hundred li of the nameless valley.
It was only after receiving orders this afternoon that they had shrunk the perimeter to a three-hundred-li range. Though three hundred li might seem small, with over a hundred cultivators patrolling together, it was still a considerable area to cover, as they had to guard in every direction.
'These are the traitors who willingly submitted to the Demon Clan!'
Encountering so many human cultivators, Li Yan had already guessed their identity. He was beginning to hesitate, wondering if he should stop here instead of getting any closer to the nameless valley, and just wait for the Nascent Soul cultivators to make their move.
At the very least, Li Yan was confident he could remain hidden from these cultivators. If he were to approach the nameless valley any further, the probability of death would rise to ninety-nine percent.
Although he was now only about one hundred and fifty li from the valley, still a short distance from the hundred-li warning line he had estimated for the Demonic General, the situation was now completely uncontrollable.
At this moment, Li Yan didn't dare to release his Divine Sense to probe ahead; that would be no different from seeking death.
After some deliberation, Li Yan decided not to proceed any further. It was a risk he definitely could not take.
Besides, after the Nascent Soul cultivators on both sides started fighting and left, he could use his "Phoenix Soars to the Heavens" movement skill to reach the valley quickly enough. Everything had to be done on the premise of preserving his own life.
With this in mind, he held his breath and focused his concentration. The "Stealthy Night Art" slowly circulated throughout his body, and he became one with his surroundings, completely indistinguishable.
He knew that as long as he remained motionless like this, the old monsters from Windy Cool Mountain secretly following him would know he was waiting for the right moment here and would proceed with the next step of their plan.
But just then, a thought suddenly flickered in Li Yan's mind. Two figures were ascending the mountain from below, heading right in his direction.
'Hm? Have I been discovered?'
Having just made his decision, Li Yan was startled. 'Have I been spotted in advance? Otherwise, why would someone suddenly approach me after I've been sitting here for a while?'
But immediately, Li Yan felt something was wrong. Although the two were flying straight towards him, there was no killing intent emanating from them. Instead, they appeared extremely cautious, not as if they were on guard against him.
While being careful, the two frequently glanced around. Though their direction of flight was towards him, their attention was widely dispersed.
Li Yan didn't dare release his Divine Sense towards the valley, but he did release a tiny wisp to sense his immediate surroundings, so he had some perception of the two individuals' situation.
However, as the two drew near, Li Yan completely retracted his Divine Sense into his body. Soon, the pair flew close to him, now only about a hundred feet away.
There was an abandoned low-level demonic beast cave there, a fact Li Yan had confirmed earlier. Otherwise, how could he feel safe in his current hiding spot?
The two figures flashed into the cave like ghosts, and immediately, two voices reached Li Yan's ears. The pair were likely quite confident in their cultivation and so did not use voice transmission.
At a distance of a hundred feet, with Li Yan's current cultivation, he could hear them clearly without needing to use his Divine Sense.
"Hmph, Fellow Daoist Zheng, you truly are audacious. Aren't you afraid that if Venerable Wan finds out, he'll take your life? To think you'd set your sights on me!"
It was a cold voice tinged with seductiveness. Although there was a hint of reprimand, it sounded more like a playful tease.
The moment he heard this voice, Li Yan couldn't help but be stunned. The voice was somewhat familiar. Images of past events quickly surfaced in his mind.
Cultivators possess the ability to never forget what they see or hear. This had happened a year ago, on his way to the Jingtu Sect.
That day, he had left a city called Yuguan City. Frustrated at not obtaining the Crystal Bone Water, he had decided not to travel further on a night when a north wind howled and snow danced through the air.
Taking shelter from the snowstorm, he had found refuge in a rock cave.
Outside the cave, the woman named Su Hong from "Gui Qu Lai Xi" had fled to that spot, pursued by a beautiful woman in a green gauze dress. At that time, Li Yan, having eavesdropped on their conversation, had launched a sneak attack on the green-gowned woman for the sake of the Crystal Bone Water.
In the end, he had escaped with Su Hong.
And today, as soon as this woman spoke, Li Yan immediately remembered that beautiful woman in the green gauze.
Thinking back, Su Hong had mentioned a mysterious force appearing near Yuguan City. Now that this woman had appeared here, there was no doubt she had already become a traitor who had sided with the Demon Clan.
As Li Yan was pondering, another slightly frivolous voice spoke up. "Elder Zhong, my feelings for you are true. I want to spend my life with you, to fly side by side as a pair. I am absolutely not like Venerable Wan, who is only interested in a moment's pleasure."
"Besides, you know very well how many women Venerable Wan has. How long has it been since he came to see you?"
"He did come a few times before, but that was to see your Sect Master, wasn't it? Hehehe..."
"Oh? Zheng Xingfan, what do you mean by that? Just say that I'm merely someone's plaything, that I'm available to anyone. Isn't that it?"
The woman's voice suddenly turned icy cold, losing even that final trace of coquettishness.
"Look, look, Elder Zhong, why would you say such a thing? Since we met several years ago, you know how I've been towards you."
"Am I the kind of person who just talks? Have I not unhesitatingly agreed to every task you've given me? Unlike those fellows who won't act without incentive. They are the ones who only want to find pleasure with you."
The man's voice gradually lost its frivolous tone, eventually becoming somewhat solemn.
"Do you know what will happen to you if Venerable Wan finds out about this? I am his forbidden fruit. Although he hasn't sought me out for a long time, he would never allow anyone else to have any improper ideas."
"Hmph, he can act all high and mighty in front of us, but in front of those demonic cultivators from the Demon Realm, he's utterly subservient. But that sort of thing will soon hold little sway over me."
"I assisted Lord Tie Dong in the South Sea, uncovering many hidden cultivation families and sects. Just for that great merit alone, Lord Tie Dong already looks at me with new eyes."
"Even this time, when Lord Tie Dong ordered us to come assist Lord Mu in defending this place, my suggestions played a part in it."
"Lord Tie Dong has already made it clear that he intends to transfer me to serve under his command and will give me a very good position in the army."
"At that time, although I won't be able to contend with Venerable Wan, it will be exceedingly difficult for him to touch me."
"You say you're going to work for Lord Tie Dong? Zheng Xingfan, I've never heard of this. Do you take me for a three-year-old child who'll believe you with a piece of candy?"
"However, as a disciple of a first-rate sect from the South Sea, you've betrayed so many sects and families that had close ties with you this time. If even your own Supreme Elder, who you've imprisoned, finds out, he would probably want to eat you alive."
"Hehehe, the old geezers in the sect are all obstinate fools. They are not like your sect, which plans for great things and understands the bigger picture."
"Let's not talk about that. Lord Tie Dong's favor towards me... how can I casually speak of such things? How about this, let me show you something..."
A moment later, Li Yan heard the woman in the green gauze dress let out a soft cry.
"This... this... this is an Iron Demon Order! This is Lord Tie Dong's token..."
"Naturally. When have I ever deceived you? In the future, I will have vast cultivation resources. And of course, you too will have an abundance of them. With our aptitude, forming a Nascent Soul is not impossible."
A trace of pride entered the man's voice.
"Can you really bring me to serve under Lord Tie Dong as well?" The woman's voice had lost its coldness and was now filled with doubt.
Only she and "Fairy Red Candle" truly knew the real nature of her relationship with Venerable Wan.
"Although I can't call all the shots with Lord Tie Dong, he values me highly. He's generally willing to listen to what I have to say."
Gazing at the expanse of white skin, faintly visible through the translucent green gauze dress before him, and the swaying of her plump hips, Zheng Xingfan felt a fire of desire rise within him. Grand boasts flowed from his lips as he single-mindedly sought a moment of pleasure.
He had long coveted the women of the Red Chan Sect, especially the Sect Master and this green-gowned beauty.
The Sect Master of the Red Chan Sect was devoted to Venerable Wan, and her cultivation was much higher than his, so Zheng Xingfan naturally didn't dare to entertain any ideas about her.
But this green-gowned beauty only had some connection to Venerable Wan. He had inquired and found that even when Venerable Wan came, he rarely sought her out, seemingly wary of "Fairy Red Candle."
Moreover, in the entire Red Chan Sect, only the green-gowned beauty could rival "Fairy Red Candle" in terms of charm. Zheng Xingfan, a Mid-stage Golden Core cultivator, naturally had high standards.
He had privately discovered that the green-gowned beauty was in fact extremely promiscuous. It wouldn't have been an exaggeration to say she was a woman of loose morals.
She had slept with countless men just to obtain information about her enemies. It was only after the Demon Clan's invasion, when Venerable Wan stepped into the forefront, that the number of cultivators daring to approach her had dwindled.
Zheng Xingfan was a lecherous fiend by nature. Now, with a powerful backer—especially since Tie Dong's authority was far greater than Venerable Wan's, a fact acknowledged by all—his heart grew ever more restless. This was particularly true for this sultry beauty who, for some time now, seemed to intentionally or unintentionally appear before him, causing his eyes to burn red with desire night after night.
"But you're not afraid of angering Venerable Wan, while I still am! You asked me here today for these matters, correct? If there's nothing else, I should be heading back."
"We are still guarding the outer perimeter. If something goes wrong and the fault lies with us, not even Lord Tie Dong will spare us."
The woman in the green gauze dress seemed to have half-believed Zheng Xingfan's words. Her tone was no longer as cold as before; instead, it held a hint of negotiation.