Time flies. Li Xuan and his group of over eight hundred people spent ten days in the Yinglong Cave Heaven.
In these ten days, Li Xuan and his group collected more than twenty Level 3 and Level 4 ruins, encountering no danger whatsoever. Over these ten days, everyone's trust in Li Xuan's leadership grew even stronger.
During this period, apart from encountering the Qinglian Chief team from the Ten Thousand Flowers Palace, Li Xuan and his group did not encounter any other factions. This demonstrated the vastness of the Yinglong Cave Heaven.
However, Li Xuan discovered from the map that even after ten days of travel, they were still located between the outer and central regions of the Yinglong Cave Heaven. It was normal not to encounter other teams.
After collecting another Level 4 ruin, Li Xuan and his group continued onward.
"Crossing this Huoling Gully ahead will lead us to the central region of the Yinglong Cave Heaven. I believe that in the central region, the Linghe Yuansu Jing we can obtain will surely be more than what we collected in this outer area."
"Of course, at that time, we will likely encounter teams from other factions. Therefore, the level of danger will also increase. I hope all fellow disciples will remain vigilant."
Upon reaching the boundary between the outer and central regions, Li Xuan immediately stopped and turned to face everyone.
"We will obey Senior Brother Li Xuan's orders!" Everyone clasped their fists in response. Li Xuan nodded, then waved his hand again, and the team moved out.
"I never expected the spiritual energy in the central region to be several times more concentrated than in the outer regions. I imagine there will be even more Linghe Yuansu Jing here."
Upon entering the central region, Li Xuan merely took a breath and sensed that the purity of the spiritual energy in the air was more than three times refined compared to the outer regions. His heart stirred, and his speed increased significantly.
After half a day of rapid travel, Li Xuan felt a faint sense of crisis as he looked at the two peaks ahead. Sensing this, Li Xuan immediately stopped.
"According to the map, this is Luolong Valley. After Luolong Valley is a long canyon. If someone were to set an ambush here, we would be attacked from both front and back the moment we entered Luolong Valley. However, with my current divine soul, I cannot detect any spiritual energy fluctuations, so where does this sense of crisis come from?"
Li Xuan frowned slightly, pondering silently.
"Senior Brother Li Xuan, is there a problem?" Seeing Li Xuan stop, Shi Hongyi stepped forward and asked.
Li Xuan pondered for a moment before replying, "This Luolong Valley is a necessary path for our advance. However, I just sensed a trace of dangerous aura. If we enter without any precautions, we might be in danger."
"Senior Brother Li Xuan, why can't I sense anything? If someone is setting an ambush in Luolong Valley, they probably wouldn't be able to surround so many of us at once, right?"
Shi Hongyi looked at the two peaks ahead but saw nothing unusual.
"You all wait for me here." Li Xuan shook his head and then, with a thought, shot towards the two peaks.
Everyone watched Li Xuan, and the words he had spoken earlier spread amongst them. Upon learning that Li Xuan had sensed danger, they all became vigilant.
Li Xuan's team was less than three thousand meters away from Luolong Valley. In mere moments, Li Xuan arrived at the peaks of Luolong Valley. With one glance, he discovered the anomaly.
Outside Luolong Valley, there was an invisible formation. If anyone touched it, it would immediately issue an alarm. Fortunately, Li Xuan detected it as soon as he approached and immediately circulated his spiritual energy to envelop his entire body, silently entering the peaks.
Furthermore, on the backs of the two peaks, over two hundred people were patrolling. Observing their attire, they were disciples of the Holy Sect.
Li Xuan looked into the distance and saw on a plain on one side of Luolong Valley a teleportation array. Within it, Holy Sect disciples were being rapidly teleported. In less than a moment, over five hundred people appeared.
"Why did Senior Brother Li Xuan disappear?" The Xuan Sect disciples were shocked as Li Xuan suddenly vanished from sight. Even Xi Chuyun and Shi Hongyi exchanged glances.
"Looking at this, there must be some danger in Luolong Valley. Order everyone to conceal themselves, increase vigilance, and watch the surroundings. We'll decide what to do when Senior Brother Li Xuan returns."
Shi Hongyi pondered for a moment and then ordered the disciples beside him. At once, the disciples of the Xuan Sect all went into hiding.
"The Holy Sect disciples have set up a teleportation array here. This means the Holy Sect must have disciples who are skilled in formations. But why would the Holy Sect set up a teleportation array here, and teleport so many disciples?" Li Xuan mused while hiding in the shadows.
"No wonder, there's treasure here!" After some thought, Li Xuan suddenly had a vague guess.
In this Yinglong Cave Heaven, if there weren't treasures of heavenly and earthly materials, why would the Holy Sect go to such lengths to set up a teleportation array?
After Li Xuan's inspection, he discovered that the Holy Sect had teleported a total of one thousand disciples. Including the disciples patrolling the surroundings earlier, the number reached twelve hundred.
The weakest of these Holy Sect disciples were at the intermediate Dao Integration realm. The number of stronger ones was countless. There were nearly a hundred individuals at the initial Dao Fusion realm alone.
"These are just the disciples in the ranks. The leader who is in command has not yet appeared. Or perhaps, I haven't sensed them?"
Li Xuan frowned slightly. Although these nearly one hundred Dao Fusion realm Holy Sect disciples were formidable, the unrevealed leader made Li Xuan even more vigilant.
Moreover, the fact that they could set up such a deceptive formation indicated that the Holy Sect's strength should not be underestimated.
"It seems there must be some treasure here, but I don't know what it is. However, given the Holy Sect's elaborate efforts, they likely don't want outsiders to know. I'll go back and discuss it with everyone for now. If it truly is a heavenly and earthly treasure, as Peak Master Yuan Bai said, we can't let the Holy Sect benefit for nothing."
With that thought, Li Xuan moved and slowly retreated.
"Senior Brother Li Xuan is back!"
As Li Xuan exited the formation, his figure reappeared in everyone's sight. As soon as Li Xuan returned to the group, Shi Hongyi and dozens of other Dao Fusion realm green-robed disciples surrounded him. Li Xuan did not conceal anything and immediately shared his findings.
"It's people from the Holy Sect! Senior Brother Li Xuan, you've only just joined our Xuan Sect, so you might not know about the animosity between our Xuan Sect and the Holy Sect. Now that we know the Holy Sect is making a big move here, we absolutely cannot stand idly by!"
"Moreover, Peak Master Yuan Bai instructed us before we set off that if our Xuan Sect cannot obtain a treasure, even if others get it, it absolutely cannot fall into the hands of the Holy Sect!" Shi Hongyi said after listening.
"Indeed! The Holy Sect has gone to such great lengths, there must be an astonishing treasure here. We must not let the Holy Sect succeed!" Everyone beside Shi Hongyi nodded in agreement.
Li Xuan pondered for a moment and then, looking at everyone, shook his head and said, "I am naturally aware of the enmity between our Xuan Sect and the Holy Sect. But at present, the Holy Sect has over twelve hundred people, which is more than our four hundred plus people in terms of numbers."
"Furthermore, I haven't sensed the leader. They are either highly skilled in formations or stronger than me. If that's the case, we might fall into their encirclement the moment we appear. Then, the sacrifices will likely be considerable."
"Senior Brother Li Xuan's words are not without reason. Blindly charging forward will only lead to heavy losses. However, since we have learned of this, leaving now would allow the Holy Sect to easily obtain the treasure. At that time, our Xuan Sect disciples will suffer even more."
Shi Hongyi sighed and said.
Li Xuan also frowned. Just then, Li Xuan felt something and flicked his wrist. A communication talisman flew out from his spatial ring. Two light spots were rapidly approaching, and Li Xuan's expression relaxed as he glanced at them.
He then looked at Shi Hongyi and the others and smiled, "Another team from our Xuan Sect is rushing towards this location, about fifty kilometers away!"