Upon discovering the mine cave's connection with the Ghost Path cultivators, Meng Zhang became somewhat hesitant. Surviving under the hostility of the entire Cultivation World was a testament to the formidable abilities of Ghost Path cultivators. Their strength was evident, and their methods were ruthless, seeking revenge for even the slightest offense. Meng Zhang was reluctant to easily provoke such a powerful enemy.
Throughout his time in the mine cave, Meng Zhang faced numerous Ghosts who were anything but weak. His smooth progress was not solely due to his own strength but also because of the magic tools and cultivation techniques he possessed, which allowed him to counter the Ghosts effectively. Other cultivators, without targeted means, even those with a Cultivation Base at the Refining Qi Late stage, would find it challenging to break through the heavy interceptions of the Ghosts and reach Meng Zhang's position.
This mine cave was clearly the work of Ghost Path cultivators. Did the Zhao Family cultivators know about it? If they did, what were their intentions? Why didn't they report the presence of Ghost Path cultivators to Twin Success Valley? Why did they use Fang Yong to relay the information to him? Meng Zhang pondered as he continued forward.
Meanwhile, not far from the mine cave, beneath a concealed hill, there was a hidden cave where several young cultivators were complaining incessantly.
"I hate this weather. The sandstorm is so fierce that even the Crimson Feather Eagles can't stay in the air. It seems we won't be able to monitor the surroundings."
The one speaking was Zhao Yang, an elite among the younger generation of the Zhao Family. At just over twenty years old, he already possessed a Cultivation Base at the Refining Qi Sixth stage. His excellent aptitude made him highly valued by the elders of the family.
Having grown up with abundant cultivation resources, Zhao Yang spent most of his time cultivating within the family and rarely went outside. This mission was relatively simple and not too dangerous, which was why the elders allowed him to take part in it. It was considered a form of training and would help him break through the bottleneck from the mid Refining Qi stage to the late stage.
"With such a huge sandstorm, even the Crimson Feather Eagles can't move. That brat with a palm-sized sect master and only a mid Refining Qi Cultivation Base, dare he venture out in this weather?"
"He's not afraid of getting lost in the sandstorm and buried alive under the sand?"
A cacophony of discussions ensued among the young cultivators.
"Enough with the chitchat. This mission is crucial, so we should be cautious. When the storm calms down a bit, let the Crimson Feather Eagles try to fly," a middle-aged man with a cold expression interrupted their discussion. This man was Zhao Chen, the youngest elder of the Zhao Family. In his forties, he had a Cultivation Base at the Refining Qi Late stage. With his talent and cultivation base, if he could obtain a Foundation Building Pill, he might have a chance to build a foundation in this lifetime.
For the task of monitoring Meng Zhang, the Zhao Family had spared no expense and mobilized significant manpower. They deployed four Crimson Feather Eagles, divided into two teams—221 Team and Taiyi Sect Team—to monitor the surroundings of Taiyi Sect and the mine cave respectively. Since each location had two Crimson Feather Eagles taking turns to observe, Meng Zhang would have no chance to escape the scrutiny of the Zhao Family people once he left Taiyi Sect and arrived here.
Although the Crimson Feather Eagles were demon beasts cultivated by the Zhao Family for many years, most of them were small-sized creatures, smaller than ordinary eagles. They could only be used as messengers or for simple reconnaissance tasks. Among the many Crimson Feather Eagles, only a small number had mutated into large Crimson Feather Eagles that could carry cultivators.
The large Crimson Feather Eagles were the most important mobile force of the Zhao Family, and their total number was less than ten. This time, almost half of them were mobilized to monitor Meng Zhang, indicating the high level of importance the Zhao Family attached to this matter.
Meanwhile, after some contemplation, Meng Zhang began to grasp the situation.
The Zhao Family must have discovered traces of Ghost cultivators in the mine cave. However, due to certain advantages within the cave, the Zhao Family chose to conceal the presence of Ghost cultivators, seeking to monopolize those advantages. Moreover, the Ghost cultivators who set up their formations inside the cave were likely not present within it. Otherwise, the Zhao Family wouldn't dare to seize it.
By triggering his curiosity through Fang Yong, the Zhao Family enticed Meng Zhang to come here, either to scout the way for them in preparation for further investigation or to serve as a scapegoat.
Having understood this, Meng Zhang continued forward. Since the mine cave contained benefits coveted by the Zhao Family, he couldn't simply let it go. Even if he had to take a risk, he would claim the rewards.
Despite the thousands of people who died in the mine cave, Meng Zhang had not encountered any bodies as he advanced. In this yin qi environment, corpses were not easily decomposed, and the number of bodies that turned into zombies was surprisingly low.
During his journey, Meng Zhang eliminated many zombies, some of which were probably fellow cultivators with storage bags hanging from their waists. After killing the zombies, Meng Zhang naturally claimed their storage bags as spoils of war.
Furthermore, with his Deception Breaking Eye, Meng Zhang noticed several buried storage bags in some corners, all of which he emptied and collected their contents.
Aside from a substantial number of lower-grade spirit stones, there were various odds and ends. Meng Zhang put all the items into his own storage bag and casually discarded the one with Twin Success Valley's emblem.
The harvest was quite good, with 500-600 lower-grade spirit stones and various miscellaneous items. Meng Zhang had not only replenished what he had spent to enter the mine cave but also made some extra gains.
Before setting out, Meng Zhang had brought several storage bags, and now they came in handy.
Instead of continuing along the original path of the mine cave, Meng Zhang used his divination technique to advance through the areas where the yin qi was the strongest. Surprisingly, this direction was smoother than the winding mine path and saved him time.
Though he still had to deal with numerous Ghosts blocking his way, Meng Zhang managed to make steady progress, albeit expending considerable effort.
After eliminating another group of Ghosts and making a big detour, Meng Zhang finally arrived at his destination. It was a massive stone chamber excavated underground, incredibly spacious, capable of accommodating hundreds of people like a hall.
This stone chamber was situated at the gathering point of yin qi and the source of fiend qi leaking from the underground.
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