"Senior Yan, although I have expelled the poison from your body, you will likely need a day to recover," Ye Bufan informed Yan Se.
Yan Se took a deep breath and said, "With the Demon Cultists lurking around, I fear they might retaliate and surround us again. Our combat strength won't be enough. We should leave this place first."
Ye Bufan frowned and replied, "Alright."
"For ancient cultivation ruins like this, there shouldn't be only one key to open a teleportation array," Ye Qingyi transmitted her voice to Ye Bufan. "This place is so vast; we can explore it further."
Ye Bufan glanced at Ye Qingyi, understanding her intention. They still planned to stay behind and not leave with the main group.
"My sister said that ancient ruins, especially those that have become ruins, whether they were originally training grounds set up by their masters or naturally existing sect training grounds, are definitely worth exploring. We might find other treasures," Ye Qingcheng chuckled. Ye Bufan immediately grasped their meaning.
"How about this, Senior Yan, you and your disciples leave this place first," Ye Bufan said to Yan Se.
"What? You're not planning to leave?" Yan Se looked at Ye Bufan in shock. Lin Houdao, standing behind him, was also bewildered. Hadn't they already obtained the teleportation array scroll? Why wasn't Ye Bufan leaving?
At that moment, a thought crossed the minds of Yan Se, Lin Houdao, and the elders of other sects.
'Did this Ye Bufan discover something? Why isn't he leaving? Could he be planning to hoard it all?'
"Young Master Ye, the people from Cherry Blossom Island we encountered earlier seemed to have been planning this for a long time," Ye Qingyi deliberately raised her voice. "They seemed to have another scroll to open the teleportation array. We can't let the Cherry Blossom Island people succeed."
Upon hearing this, Ye Bufan's heart leaped with joy. He then said, "I left a trace on them. We can use that trace to quickly pinpoint their location."
Hearing this, Yan Se realized Ye Bufan intended to pursue the Cherry Blossom Island people and was immediately relieved.
"Ye Bufan, there's no need to be so concerned about Cherry Blossom Island. Since we've entered the secret realm, obtaining inheritances is the most important thing," Yan Se advised. "As ancient great sects, apart from the sect's grand inheritances, each peak must also have smaller inheritances. Gaining them is a profit in itself."
Ye Bufan nodded and said, "Thank you for the reminder, Senior. However, I discovered traces of the Eight-Headed Serpent on Cherry Blossom Island. I won't feel at ease unless I resolve the Eight-Headed Serpent."
"Alright. I'll take them to leave this place first. I hope you can catch up to us later," Yan Se said no more. He took out a scroll from his pocket and slowly unrolled it.
Yan Se injected his true qi into the scroll, and a circular rune appeared out of thin air in the mountain dwellings of this peak.
Seeing this, Ye Bufan, along with Ye Qingyi, Ye Qingcheng, Xun'er, Ling'er, and others, retreated to the side.
In a few breaths, Yan Se led the disciples of several major sects away from the peak.
"Thank you," Ye Bufan said to Ye Qingyi.
"In that kind of environment, few people would have believed you," Ye Qingyi remarked. "If you couldn't mention a specific reason, some might have thought you had other discoveries."
Ye Bufan nodded. The so-called righteous sects were merely broad labels. Once self-interest was involved, trust between people would collapse.
"Let's go. We'll check out this pavilion," Ye Qingyi suggested.
"Sister, the scroll has already been taken. What are we going in there for? It's useless now," Ye Qingcheng asked Ye Qingyi in confusion.
Ye Qingyi gave a mysterious smile and looked at Ye Qingcheng. "My silly sister, what did we say this pavilion was used for before?"
"A place for spiritual power trials," Ye Qingcheng replied.
"Since it's a place for trials, how is spiritual power cultivated?" Ye Qingyi inquired.
"To cultivate spiritual power, there must be things that can temper spiritual power. Perhaps even techniques," Ye Bufan interjected. "Now the pavilion has been modified into a test to obtain teleportation array keys, but those items should still be inside."
"So, you mean there might be spiritual power techniques, or even spiritual power artifacts inside?" Ye Qingcheng's eyes gleamed. In the current cultivation world, spiritual power techniques were extremely rare. The only spiritual power technique Ye Qingcheng knew was one gifted to her by Ye Bufan.
"Let's go, let's go! We need to hurry and check it out," Ye Qingcheng excitedly exclaimed.
"Let's hurry. The second batch of cultivators should be arriving soon," Ye Qingyi said.
"Second batch?" Ye Qingcheng frowned upon hearing Ye Qingyi's words. "What second batch? Are there others on this peak?"
"My silly sister," Ye Qingyi chuckled helplessly. "When will you ever properly think things through?"
Ye Qingcheng chuckled and said, "But you're here, sister. Those things are too complicated, and I'm too lazy to think about them."
After speaking, Ye Qingcheng cast a pleading glance at Ye Bufan.
Ye Bufan also smiled helplessly and said, "This Taiyi Divine Sect's ancient ruins are vast. It's impossible for only the sects that have returned now to be here. Haven't you noticed that the ones who came this time are all sects? The people from the cultivation families haven't arrived yet."
"Right!" Ye Qingcheng suddenly realized. "Although those who come first face more danger, they might also get better rewards. But those who come later face less danger, though their rewards might not be as good."
"Exactly," Ye Bufan agreed.
The five exchanged glances and walked into the pavilion.
As soon as they entered, their vision went black, and with a rapid transformation, they all found themselves standing on an boundless ocean.
"This feeling is so familiar," Ye Qingcheng remarked.
It wasn't just Ye Qingcheng; Ye Bufan, Ye Qingyi, and the others felt the same.
"Isn't this what my Sea of Consciousness looks like?" Ye Qingcheng exclaimed in shock, her voice amplified.
"No," Ye Qingyi corrected. "We might each be seeing something different. Everyone sees the appearance of their own Sea of Consciousness."
Ye Bufan nodded. The scene before him indeed resembled his Sea of Consciousness. However, his Sea of Consciousness, under the effect of the Tiangang Wheel, had a slightly whitish hue, whereas this one appeared exceptionally deep and profound.
"Welcome to your own spiritual world. I am the Peak Master of Wind Wheel Peak – Zuo Qiu Wuji."