Although Daoist Fangzheng regained his consciousness, the problem still wasn't solved.
They were at the entrance of this stone path, but Daoist Fangzheng was still affected even with Heart-Calming Talismans. If they went deeper, Mo Tiange wasn't sure she could pass.
Thus, they reached an impasse. The two of them discussed several methods, but they still couldn't find a solution.
There were so many Bewitching Moonstones that they couldn't pass with their current strength.
"What should we do?" Daoist Fangzheng turned around and asked.
After being reminded by Mo Tiange again and again, he was now used to asking this junior for advice.
Mo Tiange couldn't think of a solution, but she was unwilling to turn back.
In the previous trial, six out of nine people died, one was half-dead, and only two were in good condition. How could she be willing to turn back after paying such a price?
But she wasn't strong enough. Perhaps the master of this place laid this path to stop cultivators below the Core Formation realm. If they forced their way through, wouldn't they lose their lives?
Mo Tiange pondered for a while then clenched her teeth. "We can't take this path anymore. Fellow Daoist Fangzheng, let's find another way."
"This …" Daoist Fangzheng was obviously unwilling. With a reluctant expression on his face, he looked at the Bewitching Moonstones passage several times.
Mo Tiange said, "With our current strength, we can't pass this path. I don't want to lose my life here."
Daoist Fangzheng also hesitated upon hearing that.
He naturally understood that Mo Tiange was different from him. Based on the numerous treasures she had, she should be a disciple of a big cultivation group. She had such a high cultivation level at such a young age, so it wasn't worth the risk.
If his companions were the same as him, they might grit their teeth and go through it together, just like the cultivators who died here. However, he couldn't summon the courage to do so without a companion.
This kind of hallucinatory thing affected people's minds. It didn't mean they wouldn't kill each other if they didn't have a companion. If they lost their minds, they'd go crazy. At that time, even if there was no companion, they'd still hurt themselves.
"Alright, since Fellow Daoist Ye said so."
Daoist Fangzheng finally made up his mind. Although he didn't have much time left in his lifespan, he wasn't completely hopeless. He was unwilling to die here.
He thought for a while then said, "But should we look for another place?"
Not to mention Daoist Fangzheng, even Mo Tiange felt unwilling.
He had nearly lost his life when he descended the valley. In the illusory formation, he had seen the others die or get heavily injured. In the end, he was unable to take another step forward. How could he be willing to give up?
"Alright.
However, fellow Daoist Fangzheng, if we can't find it, it's best we leave as soon as possible. "
"Of course," Daoist Fangzheng hastily answered.
This place was filled with danger. Of course, he didn't want to stay any longer.
She watched as Daoist Fangzheng knocked on the short passage and carefully examined it, but she just stood there and didn't move.
She wondered what was wrong with the whole thing.
First of all, although the Spiritual Qi coming from the valley was pure, it wasn't vast. If a cultivator above the Core Formation stage were to pass by, they wouldn't care at all.
As for when they went down the valley, with their cultivation levels, they could only barely pass through, which was why Aura Refining cultivators were blocked outside the valley. However, if they were Core Formation cultivators, it would be very easy for them.
Then there was the Illusory Formation. If a Core Formation cultivator went through the trial of the Inner Demon, even if they couldn't break the Illusory Formation, they would still be scared but not in danger. They definitely wouldn't end up with such a tragic outcome like the six dead and one injured Core Formation cultivator.
Based on these previous characteristics, they came to a conclusion: Although they didn't know who left this valley behind, it was targeted at Foundation Building cultivators.
However, Foundation Building cultivators simply didn't dare to step on this path. No matter how they thought about it, it didn't seem right.
In that case … either this path was fake and there was another path leading to the next step, or the owner of this place was too vile and deliberately set up this trap.
Once she thought up to this point, Mo Tiange once again wondered what kind of existence this valley was in the end.
Judging from the valley's Illusory Formation and the layout of this Bewitching Moonstone passage, the owner of this place obviously had a powerful cultivation level. She guessed he must've been in the Nascent Soul realm or above.
An Immortal's Cave left behind by a Nascent Soul cultivator should've been of interest to other Nascent Soul cultivators. In that case, it seemed like the owner deliberately wanted to attract Foundation Building cultivators.
Once she thought up to this point, Mo Tiange was terrified.
Soon after, she recalled that this Immortal's Cave had obviously been empty for a long time, so there shouldn't be any sinister purpose.
But how could she explain the owner's actions?
What about the cultivators who died under the Bewitching Moonstone?
Deliberately attracting Foundation Building cultivators and letting them die here — what benefit did the owner of this Immortal's Cave get?
Or was it really just a vile interest?
A vile interest that could cost human lives … wasn't it too cruel?
"Fellow Daoist Ye!" Daoist Fangzheng suddenly called out in surprise.
Mo Tiange turned around and saw Daoist Fangzheng pointing at a stone wall. "Look, there's a door here."
Mo Tiange walked closer to take a closer look. Sure enough, there was a fine crack on the stone wall that looked like a door.
"Let me try."
As Daoist Fangzheng said that, he retreated a little then swung his horsetail whisk. The whisk's wisps surged with spiritual aura as he struck the door with all his might.
A loud noise came from the stone door, but it was easily pushed open.
Mo Tiange was stunned. This … seemed a bit too easy.
The two of them cautiously looked inside. It seemed to be a stone room. It was smaller than the main hall, but it was a bit bigger than ordinary stone rooms in Immortal's Caves. It looked like a small hall.
It was empty inside, with only a few stone sculptures and a few large round stones hanging from the ceiling, illuminating the entire room.
"Sunstone!" Daoist Fangzheng cried out in surprise.
"Sunstone?" Mo Tiange was puzzled.
"Correct." Daoist Fangzheng smiled. "Fellow Daoist Ye, with these Sunstones, even if we return now, this trip won't be in vain."
"Oh?"
Daoist Fangzheng explained, "For us cultivators, Moonstones are only used for illumination, just like the lamps in the mortal world. However, these Sunstones can produce the effect of sunlight, and they can even be used to produce Sun Real Fire!"
The effect of sunlight — Sun Real Fire!
Mo Tiange only took a moment to understand how precious this thing was.
There was no need to mention Sun Real Fire; it was one of the three best Real Fires for concocting medicinal pills and refining tools.
In the cultivation world, the furnace fire used for concocting medicinal pills and refining tools was also very particular. Cultivators could use Dantian Real Fire to concoct medicinal pills and refine tools, but using Dantian Real Fire required too much spiritual aura. Even Nascent Soul cultivators would be exhausted if they used Dantian Real Fire for a long time. Therefore, all cultivators with the right conditions used external fires.
The so-called external fires included Heavenly Fire and Earthly Fire. Heavenly Fire was the Fire of the Sun, but using the Fire of the Sun involved quite complicated formations and tools. As for Earthly Fire, Danding School's original Mount Tianhuo was a typical example of Earthly Fire.
The extreme of Heavenly Fire was Sun Real Fire, the extreme of Earthly Fire was Earthly Pole Real Fire, and there was also Samadhi Real Fire, which was the number one fire above the other two.
These three fires were called the Three Great Real Fires.
Samadhi Real Fire only existed in legends. No one had seen it for many years, and even the method to cultivate this fire was lost.
Therefore, the best external fires for concocting medicinal pills and refining tools in the world were Sun Real Fire and Earthly Pole Real Fire.
If this Sunstone could produce Sun Real Fire, its value definitely wouldn't be lower than that of a small vein of Earthly Fire. If it was sold, its price would probably reach more than ten thousand spirit stones!
If that was the case, with this Sunstone, their trip wouldn't just be worthwhile — it would be a great harvest!
However, Mo Tiange didn't think they could obtain this Sunstone easily. Based on the previous trials, it didn't make sense for them to obtain benefits so easily this time.
Daoist Fangzheng also thought so, so the two of them were extremely careful. They first let the bird explore the path and only stepped into this stone room after they confirmed there were no problems.
However, when they reached the stone slab at the entrance, a "rumble" suddenly rang out and the stone door behind them instantly dropped. The two of them simply didn't have time to react and were already locked inside this stone room.
After a moment of shock, Mo Tiange calmed down. If she didn't react at all, it would've been even more strange.
This journey was full of dangers. If the treasure was right in front of them and they were allowed to take it, there would probably be even more vicious traps behind them.
The two of them stopped in place. Mo Tiange asked, "Fellow Daoist Fangzheng, what do you think will be here?"
Daoist Fangzheng stroked his beard. "In front of us are miasma, gales, Illusory Formations, and Bewitching Moonlight Stones. Every place is dangerous, so I'm afraid this trial won't be easy.
However, if you think about it carefully, the miasma and gales will test our defensive methods, the Illusory Formations will test our temperament and willpower, and the Bewitching Moonlight Stones will test whether we can resist the temptation of treasures all over the ground and whether we can control ourselves and not lose our minds.
However, none of these trials tested our ability in fights of magical powers. In my opinion, it's very possible that … "
Before he could finish speaking, they suddenly heard an earth-shaking sound as if something was knocking heavily on the stone wall.
Mo Tiange turned around and found the source of the sound. She furrowed her brows.
It was the first stone statue leaning against the wall in the stone room. It suddenly took a step forward and walked heavily towards them.
Daoist Fangzheng also saw it, causing his breathing to stagnate.
The two of them didn't take this stone sculpture seriously at all. When they saw it just now, they thought it was just a decoration of this place, like a mural carved on the wall.
But in the blink of an eye, it actually turned into a living creature!
"Fellow Daoist Ye, this …"
Mo Tiange had already activated her protective aura and summoned the White Silk Handkerchief and the Shuttle of Flying Apsara.
The answer to what this trial was about had already appeared. Daoist Fangzheng's guess was right — this trial tested their ability in fights of magical powers!
This stone sculpture was more than ten feet tall, which was equivalent to the height of two people. Its facial features were clearly carved; it was in the shape of a warrior. The iron armor on its body was even more distinct, and the stone sword in its hand was also carved with visible lines.
A moment ago, it clearly didn't have any spiritual aura, but now it was full of spiritual aura, just like a peak stage Foundation Building cultivator.
Mo Tiange quickly calculated in her mind. Both she and Daoist Fangzheng were in the middle stage of the Foundation Building realm. Although this stone sculpture was equivalent to a peak stage Foundation Building cultivator, it was, after all, an inanimate object with a cumbersome body — presumably, it wouldn't be difficult to defeat it.
However, the sound this stone sculpture made when it stepped on the ground was akin to an earthquake, so it most likely used a lot of strength. Mo Tiange had to be careful not to use her body to resist it.
Just as she was thinking, the stone sculpture arrived in front of them step by step. It lifted its arm and swung its stone sword down heavily.