The Ice Palace in the Returning Ruin Sea had been torn apart during the destruction of the Primordial Era and became an independent space.
According to Ling Yunhe, when it was torn apart, there were still disciples alive in the Ice Palace. Unfortunately, the lifespan of humans was much shorter than that of demon cultivators. Moreover, the power of tearing apart the space was so strong that it caused great damage. Only a few people survived and were eventually wiped out.
As for demon beasts, because of their long lifespans and large numbers, the most powerful ones survived.
In the Ice Palace, Jiuyan Sect obtained many Qiankun Bags, including the belongings of the survivors, which fell into Ling Yunhe's hands.
After returning from the Sea of Returning Ruins, Ling Yunhe immediately went into seclusion. It was not until he formed his Nascent Soul that he saw the jade slip. By then, the world had changed, and disputes arose.
But Ling Yunhe didn't immediately think about that because everything in Yunzhong was peaceful, unlike the Celestial Pole which was in the flames of war.
Until he began to travel, went to Xiaoyang, searched for the current location of Yuan Province, and then risked his life to discover the newly discovered continent of ghost cultivators or demon cultivators …
In the past few decades, he traveled everywhere and saw the world in chaos. Only then did he think that what was recorded in the jade slip in the Ice Palace might happen again.
The world was in chaos, and the human world was destroyed. The jade slip didn't describe it in detail, but he was a smart person. Based on what he saw and what he heard in the jade slip, he already had a vague idea.
Returning to Jiuyan Sect, Ling Yunhe plunged into the library and flipped through the ancient books collected by the sect. Gradually, he discovered this secret.
As the number one clan in Yunzhong, Jiuyan Clan had a very deep foundation in Yunzhong. They had an even more extensive collection of books. Since the Immemorial Age, there were not many books left, but there were always some clues. Ling Yunhe connected the dots and came to this conclusion.
Now that all the continents were in conflict, the world might be in chaos, and the end of the chaos would be the destruction of heaven and earth.
However, when he reported this conclusion to his elders, it didn't attract much attention.
Immortal Yuanmu thought that these words were not enough to prove that this was the reason for the destruction of the Primeval Age. Even if it was, the world might not be in chaos. Cultivators of human, demon, and ghost paths were enemies. In the past hundred thousand years, there had only been temporary peace, not eternal reconciliation.
Ling Yunhe knew what Immortal Yuanmu said made sense, but he was still worried.
He had been traveling around all these years and had a deeper understanding of the chaotic situation in the world.
However, no one listened to him, so he could only suppress it in his heart.
Mo Tiange couldn't help but think that compared to Ling Yunhe, wasn't she much luckier?
The Lord Daoists of Xuanqing School trusted her unconditionally and even used the whole school's power to help her. If it weren't for that, she would've ended up like Ling Yunhe today. Even if she had a lot on her mind, she could only rely on herself.
Having said that, Ling Yunhe looked at them and said cautiously, "Fellow Daoist Mo, since you asked that question, you must know more than I do. I don't have any other request. I just want to ask you — if it's about this matter, please allow me to be your companion."
Nie Wushang and Jing Xingzhi were confused. Jing Xingzhi said, "How long has it been since we last met?
Are you two up to something again? "
Nie Wushang kicked him. "Be quiet!
No one will think you're mute if you don't speak. "
Mo Tiange and Qin Xi glanced at each other. Qin Xi said through voice transmission, "It's not necessarily impossible. This isn't just about the two of us."
Mo Tiange nodded to show that she understood.
The world was in chaos and the end of the world was coming — this was the world's matter. They didn't make it public because it hadn't been confirmed yet.
Under uncertain circumstances, rashly announcing this matter would inevitably cause panic.
Besides, all the clues were in their hands. They wouldn't be reconciled if they didn't find out the truth themselves. However, they weren't great enough to shoulder the fate of the world alone.
"In fact, even if Fellow Daoist Ling didn't say it, I still had to tell you about this matter."
Mo Tiange sighed. "On the path to immortality, although I've met many people, only a few of them are trustworthy. If Fellow Daoist Ling is willing to travel with me, I'd be more than happy to do so."
As she said that, her gaze fell on Jing Xingzhi and Nie Wushang. "The same goes for you."
"Tiange." Nie Wushang couldn't help but ask upon seeing her serious expression, "Is what Fellow Daoist Ling said true?"
Mo Tiange nodded and slowly told them about what happened to the Six Dao Palaces at the bottom of the Eastern Sea not long ago. She also didn't conceal the matter about the Five Spirits Sacrificial Temple anymore.
These things were no longer fated chances for the two of them. Instead, they were responsibilities related to life and death.
Nie Wushang and Jing Xingzhi were shocked speechless, but Ling Yunhe heaved a sigh of relief.
What Mo Tiange said confirmed his conjecture and put his heart at ease. At the same time, it also let him know that he wasn't alone and that he had a companion.
"Sure enough, I'll do my best."
After a long time, Jing Xingzhi said, "If what you said is true, there's no need to say anything else. I'll definitely help." This kind of matter wasn't the responsibility of just one or two people. Saving people was equivalent to saving oneself.
He was selfish, but he wasn't stupid.
Nie Wushang also didn't hesitate. "Me too."
"Would I lie to you about this kind of matter?"
Qin Xi paused for a moment then said to Jing Xingzhi, "After we come out of Black Tortoise Sacrificial Temple, you'd better go back to Gujian Sect. This is a critical moment, so don't worry about your face. We need Gujian Sect's help. Senior Yuanying will definitely believe you."
Jing Xingzhi glared at him and said very indifferently, "Who cares about my face?"
Qin Xi ignored him and swept his gaze over everyone. "If you don't have any objections, then it's settled.
Whether it's to save ourselves or to protect the things we value, we'll advance and retreat together. We'll find the Five Spirits Sacrificial Temple and find out the truth of the matter. "
The others didn't have any objections, so this matter was decided in a seemingly hasty manner.
The magic weapon ship sailed slowly for a few more days before it finally reached the north coast.
They didn't set out immediately. Instead, they took advantage of this time to recuperate, cultivate, refine magic weapons, and so on.
These days, Nie Wushang had been crazily chased by Moon Shadow Devil Monarch. Although she wasn't seriously injured, minor injuries were unavoidable. It took her half a month to prepare properly.
Later, everyone disembarked. Ling Yunhe put the magic weapon ship away, and the five of them rushed to Carefree Valley.
Nascent Soul cultivators were extremely fast, and Carefree Valley wasn't far from here. In just one day, the five of them arrived at Jia Ling Mountain.
However, the scene in Jia Ling Mountain shocked them.
On the periphery of Jia Ling Mountain sat many scattered cultivators, ranging from the Foundation Building realm to the Core Formation realm.
Nie Wushang was dumbfounded. "Is this … a market square?"
Ling Yunhe frowned and called over a Foundation Building cultivator in Jiuyan Sect's disciple uniform.
When that Foundation Building cultivator saw Ling Yunhe, he was extremely nervous. "Disciple Ji Tian greets Grand Supreme Elder."
"Dispense with the formalities." Ling Yunhe didn't beat around the bush and went straight to the point. "Why are there so many cultivators here?
What are they doing here? "
Ji Tian said respectfully, "Reporting to Grand Supreme Elder, they're all here to look for treasures in Carefree Valley."
"Look for treasures?"
Ling Yunhe was even more surprised. Carefree Valley was quite famous in Yunzhong, but its location was rather hidden, so not everyone could find it. How could it be like now, where it practically became a market square?
"Grand Supreme Elder, there's something you don't know," Ji Tian reported. "Not long ago, a treasure map appeared in every city's market square, and the location of Carefree Valley was marked on the map.
Now, both One Leaf Island and North Pole Island have been abandoned, and resources are scarce. Therefore, although everyone thinks it might not be true, they still came to take a look. "
Ling Yunhe glanced at Nie Wushang. Upon seeing her bewildered expression, he thought for a moment then took out a small bag from his robe and said to Ji Tian, "Whether it's true or not, Carefree Valley isn't a place Foundation Building cultivators can come to. Take this and distribute it to your companions. You should leave early."
Ji Tian was overjoyed and said repeatedly, "Thank you, Grand Supreme Elder! Thank you, Grand Supreme Elder!"
With a Nascent Soul cultivator's gift, why would they take the risk to enter Carefree Valley?
Naturally, they would leave early.
Seeing Ling Yunhe's behavior, Mo Tiange felt that he had indeed changed a lot. His way of doing things was very different from before.
After Ji Tian left, everyone didn't speak for a long time, nor did they immediately enter Carefree Valley.
There was obviously something wrong with this. Carefree Valley had existed for so many years, and One Leaf Island and North Pole Island had also been deserted for several decades. How could it be so coincidental that the map of Carefree Valley appeared just as they were about to enter it?
After a long time, Ling Yunhe asked slowly, "Fellow Daoist Tiancan, did the person who gave you the information leak this information?"
Nie Wushang shook her head and denied it. "Impossible. He couldn't have leaked it. I naturally used some tricks to let him go."
Ling Yunhe nodded and said nothing more.
That elder from Starfall City was only in the Core Formation realm. With the tricks of a Nascent Soul cultivator, it wasn't difficult to make him never leak this information again.
"Then who in the world leaked the location of Carefree Valley?
Was his target Carefree Valley or the Black Tortoise Temple in Carefree Valley? "Mo Tiange asked. She was asking them but also asking herself.
"In any case, let's go inside first." Ling Yunhe took the lead and walked towards the entrance of Carefree Valley.
After passing through the rugged rocks and arriving at the ancient tree at the entrance, Ling Yunhe took out the Soul-Restraining Bead and easily broke the restriction on the entrance.
Mo Tiange noticed that the Soul-Restraining Bead in Ling Yunhe's hand was shining brightly and was a lot purer than the one Ling Clan made, so she knew this was the Soul-Restraining Bead left behind by Saint Gui Zhen.
Although this Soul-Restraining Bead was a precious treasure passed down in Jiuyan Sect for many years, it already recognized Ling Yunhe as its master, so there was no point in keeping it in the sect, so it belonged to Ling Yunhe.
Upon seeing them coming, the surrounding cultivators kept paying attention to them but didn't dare to come forward and disturb them. Now that they saw them breaking the restriction on the entrance, their eyes all lit up.
Ling Yunhe turned around and said to the cultivators in a clear voice, "Everyone, I don't need to tell you what kind of place Carefree Valley is. We won't force you to enter the valley, but you'd better listen carefully!
Foundation Building cultivators must not enter the valley; otherwise, don't even think about coming out alive. Core Formation cultivators should only enter the valley with six or more people.
No Jiuyan Sect disciple is allowed to enter the valley, no matter what your cultivation level is. Do you understand? "
After a few breaths of silence, the remaining Jiuyan Sect disciples answered in unison, "Yes, we'll obey Grand Supreme Elder's order."
He was once the Sect Head of Jiuyan Sect and was also the person the Jiuyan Sect's founder recognized as the master of the holy relic. His reputation in Jiuyan Sect far surpassed that of ordinary Nascent Soul elders. Although these Jiuyan Sect disciples were somewhat unwilling, none of them disobeyed.
"Let's go," Ling Yunhe said then turned around and entered the valley first.