“Five Elements Divine Lord?!” Ning Zhuo immediately extended his spiritual sense into the stalactite.

Yet he didn’t detect anything unusual.

He couldn’t even sense the slightest trace of the Five Elements Divine Lord.

It all seemed like nothing more than an auditory illusion.

However, Ning Zhuo’s gaze was as sharp as a falcon’s. In this moment, he had already confirmed part of his suspicion — there was indeed something strange about this place within the Ten Thousand Demons Cave!

“Junior Brother?” Linghu Jiu noticed Ning Zhuo’s strange expression.

Ning Zhuo turned to Linghu Jiu and said, “Elder Brother, I actually heard the voice of Senior Five Elements Divine Lord just now. Previously, it was he who appeared twice — first to pass on divine techniques to me, then to raise my Five Elements cultivation realm.”

Ning Zhuo did not conceal anything and directly recounted the words the Five Elements Divine Lord had just spoken.

“There was such a thing?!” Linghu Jiu was greatly surprised.

The two of them gathered around the stalactite that had been indicated, inspecting it carefully.

Their spiritual senses swept back and forth, but they still couldn’t detect anything unusual about the stalactite.

“Junior Brother, the exact words from Senior Five Elements Divine Lord were referring to this stalactite?” Linghu Jiu wanted to confirm once more.

Ning Zhuo frowned and said, “Yes. The earlier voice transmission came from this stalactite. But no matter how I investigate, it seems to be nothing more than an ordinary stalactite.”

Compared to the many surrounding stalactites, this one was not particularly unique. It grew from the ceiling of the cave and hung downward, its surface covered in delicate patterns resembling flowing ripples, exuding an ancient and mysterious aura.

The surface of the stalactite was quite damp, and at its tip, a droplet of water was gradually forming.

The droplet grew larger and larger before finally detaching from the stone and falling lightly downward. It pierced the still air, descending slowly yet swiftly, and landed on the ground with a faint drip.

In that instant, both Ning Zhuo and Linghu Jiu were momentarily dazed. They simultaneously sensed that this curious droplet of water seemed to be an embodiment of time itself — carrying secrets from millennia past, yet imbued with a fresh and clean presence. From formation to fall, to shattering upon impact — an instant became a thousand years!

The two exchanged glances, and both saw the astonishment in each other’s eyes.

Ning Zhuo exclaimed in a low voice, “So the stalactite is ordinary — it’s the droplet that’s the key!”

Linghu Jiu sighed in amazement, “Remarkable! In the moment the droplet fell, I felt the solemn aura of an ancient formation. I’ve passed through here at least a hundred times. Never would I have imagined that a hidden portal lay within a droplet of water.”

“The opportunity to enter lies only during the moment of the droplet’s fall.”

“What kind of formation could this be?”

Ning Zhuo slightly shook his head, indicating he had never heard of it.

At that moment, from within the Puppet Dragon, Sun Lingtong transmitted his voice, “I remember now — Master once told me... this is very likely the Lingering Time Drip Formation.”

“This formation contains the Dao of time and the flow of years. It can greatly slow the passage of time within, effectively extending one’s lifespan. But it must be set up in darkness — little to no light is allowed.”

“Didn’t you wonder earlier, Xiao Zhuo, about the lifespan of the Five Elements Divine Lord? Perhaps this formation is the answer.”

After a brief discussion, Ning Zhuo and Linghu Jiu decided to enter the formation together.

As the droplet fell, the two locked onto it with their spiritual senses and leapt in simultaneously.

In their vision, the droplet grew larger and larger, and in an instant, it transformed into the size of a hill.

From the outside, however, it appeared that the droplet simply emitted strange radiance, enveloping the two of them. Their bodies rapidly shrank and then entered the droplet.

Drip.

The next moment, the droplet landed on the rocky ground and shattered into countless tiny droplets.

Ning Zhuo and Linghu Jiu vanished from where they had stood. Without the support of their spiritual power, the light quickly faded, and the cavern once again fell into darkness and silence.

The two of them had entered the formation, diving into the droplet.

Inside was a world filled with glowing mist.

Ning Zhuo and Linghu Jiu stood still where they arrived, not daring to move recklessly.

Within the Wanli Dragon, Sun Lingtong suddenly exclaimed, “There’s another formation inside! It’s a formation within a formation!”

“The Lingering Time Drip Formation is already highly advanced, and this is merely the outer formation. Little Brother, be extremely careful. This inner formation must be even more extraordinary!”

Beside him, Linghu Jiu also exclaimed in awe, “A formation within a formation! Junior Brother Ning Zhuo, your foolish brother knows little of formations — swordsmanship and wine-tasting are more my strengths. I daren’t move about carelessly. You should inspect the formation first.”

Ning Zhuo looked around for a while but found that the glowing mist obscured his sight — beyond five steps, nothing was visible.

The light mist was pure white, though occasionally streaked with fleeting shadows that disappeared in an instant.

Though Ning Zhuo was proficient in puppet arts and somewhat knowledgeable in formations, at this moment, he found himself completely lost, unable to discern the nature of the formation.

“No matter. Boss, your turn!” Ning Zhuo transmitted his voice.

Sun Lingtong chuckled, “These kinds of adventures are the most fun — watch me.”

As he spoke, he activated his Innate Spirit Eyes. His eyes shone with glimmering spiritual light, piercing through the white mist and revealing a broader space.

Sun Lingtong’s attainments in formations were even deeper than Ning Zhuo’s.

Ning Zhuo had delved deeply into puppet arts, but formations were not his main path. Sun Lingtong, however, had a more profound understanding.

For one, Sun Lingtong had studied the mechanical texts left behind by Meng Yaoyin. For another, he came from the No-Void Sect — for a thief, knowledge of formations was essential.

Lastly, Sun Lingtong was older than Ning Zhuo and had had more time to study formations.

After observing many details, Sun Lingtong immediately sent a voice transmission to Ning Zhuo.

Ning Zhuo smiled faintly, “Brother Linghu, I’ve identified it. Come with me.”

He reached out and grabbed Linghu Jiu’s arm, stepping forward first.

The white mist surged suddenly, distorting the five senses and confusing direction.

With each step, Ning Zhuo had to adjust his breathing several times.

Sun Lingtong continued scouting.

After the sixth step, a faint entrance appeared within the mist.

Sun Lingtong said, “That’s the path of life. Follow that tunnel, and you should be able to exit the formation space and return to the outside world.”

“Is that so?” Ning Zhuo turned back, preparing to share this discovery with Linghu Jiu.

But as he turned around, Linghu Jiu was already gone!

Ning Zhuo’s heart skipped a beat.

He had believed he was holding Linghu Jiu’s arm the entire time, but the formation had distorted his senses, leading him to misjudge.

“Damn, Linghu Jiu got lost in the formation — we need to go back and find him,” said Sun Lingtong.

He acknowledged Linghu Jiu’s talent and character. Since Ning Zhuo was fond of Linghu Jiu, he also admired him by extension.

Yet Ning Zhuo’s expression at this moment was somewhat strange. He resolutely shook his head, “No! We’ll follow this path first and leave this place.”

“Boss, I’ll go in ahead.”

Ning Zhuo released the Puppet Dragon and climbed inside, joining Sun Lingtong.

“Can the Wanli Dragon still travel through the void here?” Ning Zhuo asked.

Sun Lingtong nodded. “I just tried it. This ability hasn’t been sealed—it can still be used.”

Ning Zhuo nodded. “That’s good.”

The Wanli Dragon was at the Nascent Soul level. Though it lacked combat strength, in terms of escape, its power was formidable. Possessing the ability of void travel at Nascent Soul distance, it was Ning Zhuo’s key assurance in exploring this place.

Ning Zhuo and Sun Lingtong both entered the dragon’s head cabin and piloted the Wanli Dragon toward the indistinct tunnel.

As they moved forward, the entrance shifted from illusion to reality. Very quickly, it transformed into a dim mountain corridor.

The Wanli Dragon concealed its form and slithered along the winding mountain path upward.

It was clear that the tunnel sloped gradually upward.

The path was utterly quiet—no traps, no monsters blocking the way. The farther up they went, the more signs of human activity appeared.

Moments later, the Wanli Dragon emerged from the bottom of a dried well.

Leaving the well, the Wanli Dragon flew up into the air.

Sun and Ning saw before them a cluster of pavilions and terraces, buildings with ornate eaves and painted beams.

From time to time, people moved through courtyards and walkways.

“Isn’t this Original Mountain?” Sun Lingtong recognized it.

The next moment, realization struck him, and he gasped, turning sharply to Ning Zhuo. “Xiao Zhuo!!”

“Did you already have suspicions earlier and deliberately bring Linghu Jiu along to explore the Ten Thousand Demons Cave?”

Even though Ning Zhuo had mentally prepared himself to some extent, a chill still crept up from the depths of his heart.

His expression turned grave as he slowly nodded.

“Original Mountain didn’t originally belong here—it was moved here.”

“Yet within that ancient formation, there’s a retreat path leading straight to this place. That proves someone discovered the Lingering Time Drip Formation long ago.”

“And the most likely suspect in all this is Lin Bufan, the Sect Master of the Myriad Medicines Sect.”

“His cultivation has reached the Nascent Soul stage, and he controls the Myriad Medicines Valley. Secretly setting all of this up wouldn’t be difficult for him.”

Sun Lingtong fell silent for a moment, then had another realization. “Years ago, it was Lin Bufan who insisted on relocating the entire sect to the Myriad Medicines Valley. Don’t tell me he wasn’t only eyeing the spirit springs here!”

“He hadn’t fully mastered this opportunity yet. The best proof—Xiao Zhuo, is you!”

“You received the Divine Spirit Art of the Five Viscera Temple from the Five Elements Divine Lord and gained a tremendous boost to your Five Elements realm. If Lin Bufan had truly mastered this opportunity, he wouldn’t have let an outsider like you benefit so easily.”

“So it’s true—Deep Thought and Brewing Intent really was fake wine. Hua Guzi was right!”

“The real reason is that this place holds a legacy left by a great cultivator. That’s why, when you sat beneath the Lingyin Willow, you still received guidance from the Five Elements Divine Lord. And in the underground cavern, you heard his voice again.”

“What lies buried here likely dates back to the era of the Martial Emperor and is closely tied to the Five Elements Divine Lord.”

“No—not just him!”

“Linghu Jiu once said he had also received guidance. That, too, was due to the hidden legacy buried beneath the Ten Thousand Demons Cave.”

“Linghu Jiu… does he know?”

Ning Zhuo’s eyes sparkled. “Most likely, he doesn’t.”

“He too has been kept in the dark. Otherwise, with his mindset and sense of responsibility toward the sect, he wouldn’t have willingly gifted me Deep Thought and Brewing Intent, exposing such a massive flaw for no reason.”

Sun Lingtong nodded. “Exactly. If he knew, he wouldn’t have agreed so readily to explore the cave with you earlier.”

“Damn!”

“Lin Bufan knows about you now!!”

“Xiao Zhuo, you didn’t hide the fact that you received the inheritance from the Five Elements Divine Lord. Linghu Jiu knows. Even if he didn’t covet the Divine Spirit Art of the Five Viscera Temple, he would’ve definitely informed his master.”

“After all, the Ning Family and the Myriad Medicines Sect are currently in negotiations, discussing a future alliance. This kind of information would increase Lin Bufan’s interest in us. He probably even believes he helped you in secret!”

Sun Lingtong was no fool. He quickly deduced even more of the truth.

“What now? What’s your plan, Xiao Zhuo?” Sun Lingtong furrowed his brow, voicing his concern. “Lin Bufan has schemed for over a century, trying to seize this opportunity, but even now he hasn’t fully grasped it.”

“That proves how extraordinary this legacy is. And based on your recent gains, it’s even more evident how valuable this inheritance must be.”

“Now that Lin Bufan knows we’ve stumbled upon some secrets, our covert exploration of the cave won’t go unnoticed by him.”

“Do you think he’ll allow us to touch this immense legacy?”

Ning Zhuo chuckled. “That’s precisely the crux of the current situation!”

Sun Lingtong took a deep breath. “We should inform your family’s Golden Core Ancestor immediately. Honestly, we should’ve informed him earlier!”

Ning Zhuo gave a bitter smile.

Sun Lingtong froze. Suddenly, a chill crept over him. “I see now—we absolutely must not notify Ning Jiufan.”

“Because he’s already under strict surveillance by Lin Bufan!”

Ning Zhuo nodded. “Exactly.”

“Back then, our Ning Family migrated as a whole, traveling along the underground river, exiting the Ten Thousand Demons Cave and arriving at the valley, where we were warmly received by Lin Bufan.”

“He insisted on hosting our clan in the valley for several months before letting us leave.”

“During that time, he was definitely investigating us in secret, trying to see if anyone in our clan had discovered the opportunity here.”

“Only after confirming no one had, did he finally allow the Ning Family to go.”

“This time, both Ning Jiufan and I arrived at the Myriad Medicines Sect one after the other. In Lin Bufan’s mind, this must have aroused great suspicion.”

“Could it be that back then, someone from the Ning Family had discovered something? Now that the family has established itself in Huoshi Immortal City, they’ve returned to explore?”

“Lin Bufan might be thinking: ‘The Ning Family doesn’t know that I, Lin Bufan, know about the legacy. So they’re trying to secretly dig it up. First they send their most outstanding junior to scout, then the Golden Core Ancestor follows under the guise of forming an alliance, hoping to establish a legitimate reason to stay long-term and explore the inheritance in secret.’”

“With such suspicions, if I were to contact Ning Jiufan now, it’s very likely Lin Bufan would find out immediately. He’s surely monitoring both me and the Ancestor closely.”

“Right now, there’s only one thing we can do—wait.”

Sun Lingtong narrowed his eyes. “We’ve already discovered the Lingering Time Drip Formation and then mysteriously vanished. Lin Bufan must be getting anxious. His next actions will reveal his true attitude toward us!”

“Indeed.” Ning Zhuo nodded.

Just as he finished speaking—the world changed color!

With a roar, the grand formation activated.

Original Mountain quaked!

The mountain-guarding formation severed inside from out, forming a massive fog of light that rapidly expanded.

Within a few breaths, the white fog spread outward, enveloping the Myriad Medicines Valley—covering Original Mountain, Lesser Strife Peak, Greater Strife Peak, and the Medicine Field Mountain in its entirety.

The scene outside the window caught Ning Jiufan’s attention. He sent out his spiritual sense and asked with puzzlement, “Lord Lin, why activate the mountain-guarding formation all of a sudden? Is there a powerful enemy invading?”

Lin Bufan smiled.

First, he inserted the 1,870th fine needle into Granny Yuan’s body, putting her into a deep sleep.

Then, he turned to Ning Jiufan, eyes flashing with a cold gleam. “Daoist Friend Ning, your acting skills are quite something.”

Ning Jiufan: ????