Chapter 204 : Beginning the Operation

As ‍​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌‌​‌‍the Village Chief left once again, Long Tao’s deduction was no longer doubted by anyone. Especially for Shi Wenyuan and the other young people—this was even the first time they had seen the Village Chief in such a form. Their faces showed expressions that were both frightened and somewhat excited.

“Senior ‍​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‍Xin, Miss Du, have you seen the Village Chief look like this before?”

Seeing ‍​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‍that their reactions were different from Shi Wenyuan and the others, Long Tao clearly had a guess.

“We ‍​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‍have each seen it once before, but at the time he only said some vague things. Although we knew there were clues in them, we had no way to act on them… Sigh. Since the direction has now been confirmed, we should discuss the concrete plan of action.”

After ‍​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‍Xin Wushe finished speaking, he glanced again at the group of young people and said sternly,

“You ‍​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‍few, let me make this clear first. This is the last opportunity. If you join us and help, then when the time comes we’ll leave together. But if you plan to do nothing and keep barely surviving here, then don’t expect anyone to take you out when the time comes.”

Shi Wenyuan exchanged glances with his companions and did not hesitate at all.

“Who would miss such an opportunity? Big Brother Xin, just give the orders.”

“Mm. Judging from what the Village Chief said earlier, what he meant should be that there is a Formation here. As long as that Formation can be activated, it should allow cultivators to recover their cultivation, and then… only then will there be a chance to break through.”

When Xin Wushe said this, his expression still looked grim. A breakthrough to the Nascent Soul Stage was a massive undertaking that required full preparation in every aspect. Even within a major sect, it required the sect to spend enormous resources.

The finest pills, nearly immeasurable quantities of top-grade Spirit Stones, the highest-grade defensive and Spirit-Gathering Formations, along with various assisting Magical Artifacts and Heavenly Treasures—none of these could be lacking.

One could say that aside from the Inner Demon Tribulation, which had to be faced alone, all other situations—including the Heavenly Tribulation—could be partially mitigated with external means.

Although theoretically one could succeed in breaking through alone, the Nascent Soul Stage was inherently extremely dangerous. It was no exaggeration to say that if you told someone about to attempt a Nascent Soul breakthrough that their attempt had a ninety-percent chance of death, they might even consider it a blessing—because in truth, even a ten-percent success rate was difficult to achieve.

And breaking through here meant not only having none of those helpful resources, but also facing an unknown Mastermind Behind the Scenes watching them from the shadows. Even though Xin Wushe considered himself a genius, he had little confidence.

But Mingzhu was now pregnant and clearly could not take on such a task. In the end, this burden had to fall on his shoulders. Xin Wushe sighed inwardly, knowing that this time they could only take a desperate gamble.

Naturally, Long Tao also knew how great the pressure on the two Golden Core cultivators was at this moment, so he took the initiative to speak.

“In that case, we shouldn’t waste any more time. Starting now, everyone needs to actively knock on doors and ask for the location and clues about that Formation. If we keep dragging things out and waste our Door-Knocking Opportunities on useless tasks, it will only be a slow death.”

Everyone agreed. However, the youngest child among them asked,

“But how should we ask? If we directly ask where the Formation is, those Villagers definitely won’t say anything, right?”

“Mm, we’ll have to ask in another way. I remember Brother Shi once said you heard about a General’s Burial Place, right? That might be a key location. Ask more about that, and also about matters related to that general’s advancement and such.”

“That’s right.” Xin Wushe nodded. “Also, our Door-Knocking Opportunities are limited. It would be best if one or two people specialize in knocking on doors and asking questions. That way we can obtain deeper information faster. The others should conserve their opportunities to deal with the village’s Knocking Tasks.”

After further discussion, they decided that Long Tao and Mingzhu would serve as the main door-knockers. Since they had arrived the latest and had knocked the fewest times before, they were better able to handle unexpected situations.

At that moment, Xin Wushe raised his head and looked at the sky before calmly saying,

“We really do need to hurry. Look at the sun—the speed of its movement is abnormal again.”

Hearing this, everyone raised their heads. Sure enough… although they had discussed things for quite a while, at most it had been less than one hour. Yet the sun was already approaching directly overhead. It had clearly begun accelerating again.

“It seems the one behind the scenes wants to completely disrupt our sense of time. He’s not even bothering to hide it anymore. I estimate the flow of time will become even more irregular from now on. Everyone must pay attention during future actions. Make sure to return to your houses before nightfall. If you can’t make it back to your own house in time, go to a house where a companion lives and ask them to invite you in for the night. Everyone must remember the location of everyone’s residence. Also check the Nameplate before entering.”

At this moment, Xin Wushe truly seemed like an elder brother figure, beginning to organize everything. The others also moved according to their plan: some began recording each person’s Door-Knocking Opportunities and locations, some began calculating the changes in time flow, and Long Tao and Mingzhu took advantage of the remaining daylight to follow their respective routes, knocking on doors one by one to ask questions.

…

Thus twenty days passed—or more accurately, twenty cycles of day and night. By this point, no one could judge the flow of time anymore.

During these days, the length of day and night had no pattern at all. Most of the time the nights were normal while the daytime was absurdly short, but sometimes when they planned to sleep properly at night, the night would instead skip by rapidly and jump straight into daytime.

Somewhat ironically, the only way they could currently determine the real passage of time was by looking at True Person Mingzhu’s belly.

Du Yiluo seemed to have considerable experience in caring for pregnant women. According to her judgment, after these twenty-plus cycles of day and night, the fetus in Mingzhu’s womb had already grown to about seven months.

In other words, four months had already passed in the outside world. Although no one knew what the result would be if the child was born here, everyone basically believed it would bring nothing good.

Another troublesome matter was the Door-Knocking Tasks given by the Village Chief. During this time they had become increasingly frequent. Long Tao guessed that if it were not for the rules of this place restricting things, the Mastermind Behind the Scenes would probably want everyone except Mingzhu to keep knocking on doors endlessly until they were all killed.

But there was naturally good news as well. Through continuous door-knocking inquiries over these days, he and Mingzhu’s “Village Reputation” had risen higher and higher, and they had finally obtained some key intelligence.

First, they had located the so-called General’s Burial Place. It had been hidden beside a rather inconspicuous patch of wetland and covered with large amounts of weeds. If they had not known in advance, even passing by it every day would not reveal its existence.

According to the investigation and deductions of Xin Wushe, True Person Mingzhu, and Du Yiluo—the several old veterans among them—the so-called burial site was actually the remains of an Immortal Lord.

Although this corpse lacked any of the miraculous traits normally possessed by the remains of a great power, they judged that it was very likely an unfortunate figure who had been executed in ancient times.

Du Yiluo also proposed a rather interesting hypothesis: that this person had probably been punished by being submerged in the waters of the Banished Immortal Pool. Then the destruction of the Ancient Heavenly Court happened to occur. As his cultivation continuously declined, he fell into the void together with this fragment. The resentment he carried at the moment of death caused cultivators who accidentally entered this place to become Mortals just like him before he died.

Mingzhu and Xin Wushe did not raise objections to this hypothesis, because it was indeed very plausible. Long Tao also took the opportunity to learn from these senior experts that many relics of Heavenly Court Fragments contained the dying resentment of ancient Immortal Gods. These resentments either transformed into powerful monsters or, like this place, evolved into distorted rules.

At the same time, they discovered that when the Villagers revealed information, they clearly looked unwilling—as if they did not want to say anything at all. But due to the rules, they were forced to answer questions, which made everyone feel another trace of unease.

“We can basically confirm it now—the remains of that ancient Immortal should be the Formation’s core.”

As a veteran Golden Core cultivator, Mingzhu quickly made a clear judgment based on the location and the surrounding terrain of the entire village.

What everyone needed to do next was continue excavating information and uncover the complete Formation.