"Time is of the essence, seize the moment to break through this defense. Success or failure hangs on this one action!" Suddenly, a thunderous shout echoed from high above.

As the voice faded, the air shimmered high in the sky, and the figure of Tianxing Venerable emerged from thin air, his face devoid of its usual lazy expression, now filled with gravity.

In his hand, he held a silver spear, its surface embedded with hundreds of crimson crystals. He pointed it towards the heavens, and the crystals blazed with red light.

Instantly, the sea of clouds above churned violently, glowing with a crimson hue.

Then, as if a summer thunderstorm was approaching, muffled "rumbling" sounds echoed from the depths of the clouds.

Fire meteors, each the size of a millstone, plummeted from the sky, piercing the cloud sea like fiery rain, smashing wildly against the golden light barrier. They exploded in countless crimson sparks, shaking the void with constant detonations.

Yet, the seemingly precarious golden light barrier, though trembling, continuously rippled with golden waves, neutralizing the impact of the fire meteors, and ultimately remained unbroken.

"Shameless traitor…" A Nine Origin Temple Elder cursed.

The other Elders and disciples were equally indignant, glaring angrily at Tianxing Venerable.

Tianxing Venerable paid them no heed, waving his spear again and attacking the barrier.

…

Unlike the incessant shouts and clamor outside, the Nine Origin Palace was unusually tranquil, with only the pavilions, terraces, rockeries, and trees occasionally shaking slightly from the explosions.

At this moment, in a delicately arranged garden within the Nine Origin Palace, a three-zhang wide silver array suddenly appeared on the ground. A burst of silver light shot up, and five figures materialized within it.

Three of them wore black Reincarnation Temple masks, one depicting a dragon, one a monkey, and one a hare.

"Heh, it's exactly as you predicted. The deepest part of this dragon's den is the quietest." The one wearing the monkey mask, a tall, iron-tower-like man, spoke.

"The Nine Origin Palace is the heart of the Nine Origin Temple, and few are allowed to enter it normally. Those who can appear here are not ordinary characters. We must be more careful and try to sneak past, avoiding any unnecessary combat." The graceful woman wearing the dragon mask nodded in agreement.

Having said that, she glanced worriedly at her companion wearing the hare mask.

That person was not very tall, and their figure was rather slender. Messy hair spilled out from behind the mask, obscuring their expression. One could only vaguely hear them muttering something.

"Shen sense is basically useless in this Nine Origin Palace. So, Lu Daoyou, we'll rely on you to lead the way." Wu Yang said, looking at one of the people behind him.

The man was of average height, with ordinary features, looking unremarkable. He was none other than Lu Chuanfeng, who had previously killed the Fengtian Envoy.

"Alas, I've only been to this Nine Origin Palace a few times. I can only find a general direction. For anything more... we'll have to rely on this Gong Daoyou." Lu Chuanfeng sighed, seemingly helpless.

"Rest assured, everyone. As long as that thing appears within my range of sensation, I will be able to find its exact location." A gentle and soft female voice responded from his side.

Jiao San, under the dragon mask, frowned slightly and looked at the woman.

She wore a black dress that perfectly accentuated her figure, and a black veiled hat that concealed her face, revealing only a glimpse of her neck, as white as mutton-fat jade.

Jiao San did not know the woman's identity, but clearly remembered seeing her silhouette under the stone arch bridge when he met the Reincarnation Temple Master in that strange space.

"Alright, time is of the essence. Let's move quickly." Wu Yang said.

Lu Chuanfeng nodded and took the lead, guiding the others. The others immediately followed.

Not long after they left, a strange light flickered behind a cluster of spiritual flowers and exotic plants not far away, and two more figures emerged from it.

One of them was a tall, slender young man with raven hair, tied high with a strand of white hair hanging in front of his forehead, appearing extraordinary. He was none other than Huo Yuan, the Mountain Master of Hundred Refinements Mountain.

Accompanying him was a beautiful woman in a fiery red dress, with skin like creamy jade and a charming, flirtatious air about her that stirred the imagination.

This woman was none other than Chi Meng.

"What exactly are these Reincarnation Temple remnants trying to do? Are they crazy? Are they really planning to take down the Nine Origin Temple?" Chi Meng asked, cautiously peering in the direction that Jiao San and the others had left.

"If the Nine Origin Temple were so easily defeated, how could they have steadily suppressed our Hundred Refinements Mountain for thousands of years? Their purpose here is probably the same as ours." Huo Yuan sneered in response.

"Also for that thing?" Chi Meng's expression changed slightly, and she asked with suspicion.

"They wouldn't dare risk so much to come here unless it was for that thing. It's a clever strategy of appearing to advance in one direction while secretly advancing in another." Huo Yuan nodded slightly, pondering.

"Mountain Master Huo, isn't that thing supposed to be made by your Hundred Refinements Mountain? Do you really not know what it's for?" Chi Meng hesitated for a moment, but couldn't help but ask.

"That thing was made by the previous Mountain Master of our Hundred Refinements Mountain. It is said that tens of thousands of years ago, the Nine Origin Temple's old ancestor, who almost never showed his face, personally commissioned him to make it at great cost. However, the thing that took tens of thousands of years to make was just a lifeless object, like a container, and there was no way to know its true purpose." Huo Yuan sighed.

"For that old ancestor to personally come forward and have the previous Mountain Master personally refine it, it's clear that this thing is truly extraordinary. But since it's a lifeless object made tens of thousands of years ago... why did Mountain Master Huo suddenly suggest to the Celestial Court to investigate this thing?" Chi Meng asked, increasingly puzzled.

The reason the mission was so complicated and even involved a contest to win a token, was to have a reason to stay in the Nine Origin Temple longer and try to find out something.

"When the previous Mountain Master was refining this thing, he was skeptical and wanted to figure out what it was really for, but unfortunately, not only did he not get an answer, but he also triggered his inner demons..." Huo Yuan stopped suddenly, a flash of resentment in his eyes, and did not continue.

The previous Mountain Master of Hundred Refinements Mountain was his teacher. He was affected by inner demons and failed in his last attempt to sever the corpse, otherwise Hundred Refinements Mountain would now have a Dao Ancestor sitting in charge, and its status in the Immortal World would be very different.

"The Mountain Master once said that the Nine Origin Temple has great ambitions for this thing, and told me to keep an eye on it. Once the Nine Origin Temple further refines this thing and turns it into an Immortal Artifact, I must find a way to investigate it." Huo Yuan paused and continued.

"Further refinement? What does that mean?" Chi Meng asked, puzzled.

"The refinement of that thing in the Hundred Refinements Mountain was only half completed. It was like creating a container, full of infinite possibilities. The subsequent refinement has been carried out secretly by the Nine Origin Temple. According to calculations, the time for it to become a treasure should be around a few days ago." Huo Yuan said.

"In that case, the Nine Origin Temple has been refining this thing for hundreds of thousands of years?" Chi Meng asked in surprise.

"When this thing was about to be completed, it actually caused some anomalies in the heavens and earth. Although it was quickly covered up by the Nine Origin Temple, the Celestial Court has already noticed it, so when I raised this matter, it was immediately responded to. Originally, Fengtian Envoy and I were supposed to investigate this matter together, but it was disrupted by the Reincarnation Temple. However, it's not entirely a bad thing that they muddied the waters." Huo Yuan continued.

"Mountain Master Huo, shouldn't we chase after them?" Chi Meng nodded, looking in the direction that Jiao San and the others had left.

"Not in a hurry. Although divine sense cannot be used here, the aura of the woman in black wearing a hat among those people is very strange. If we get too close, she might notice us." Huo Yuan shook his head.

After waiting for another ten or so breaths, Huo Yuan said "Let's go," and led Chi Meng to follow.

…

In another garden of the Nine Origin Palace, a dull thud suddenly echoed from beneath a rockery made of piled stones.

A rock was lifted up together with the soil, and several figures leapt out from underground, landing behind the rockery.

The one in the lead was tall, with ordinary features, but his eyes were dark and deep, like a still, ancient well. It was none other than Han Li.

Beside him were a white-robed youth and two women, namely Xiaobai, Lan Yan, and Jin Tong.

Tihun, due to the previous events with the evil corpse, had consumed a lot of energy and had returned to the Flowing Flower Space to rest.

"Ah, where is this? Looking at the aura around us... how does it feel like we're still within the Nine Origin Palace?" Xiaobai wrinkled her nose, sniffed, and said with a worried face.

"The underground passage is completely destroyed. There's no way to return by the original route. We can only come up and see if we can find a way out. Lan Daoyou, do you know how to leave from here?" Han Li asked.

"The Nine Origin Palace is a key location for our Nine Origin Temple, and I am not qualified to enter it. I know nothing about the situation here. I'm no different from you." Lan Yan sighed.

Now she was sinking deeper and deeper, and the things she had done deserved the most severe punishment according to the sect's laws.

Hearing this, Han Li frowned, looking around, trying to find a direction to leave.

"Why are you all making such bitter faces? With this fairy here, do you have to worry about not finding a way out?" Jin Tong suddenly said, looking confident.