Chapter 165: Stone Sculpture

Daoist Fangzheng might’ve regained his sanity, but they still hadn’t solved the main problem.

They were still at the entrance of this stone path, but Daoist Fangzheng’s mind was already affected despite having a Heart-Calming Talisman on him. If they went any deeper, Mo Tiange wasn’t sure she’d be able to continue on either. Thus, they were at an impasse. The two of them discussed many options, but they couldn’t find a solution.

With their current abilities, they couldn’t force their way past so many Bewitching Moonstones.

“What should we do?” Daoist Fangzheng asked as he looked at Mo Tiange. After repeatedly being warned by Mo Tiange, he was now used to asking for this junior’s opinion first.

For a moment, Mo Tiange couldn’t think of an appropriate solution, but when she considered turning around, she felt hesitant. After the previous obstacles, six were dead out of nine and one was dying—the two of them were the only ones left intact. They’d paid such a big cost and now that they made it to this point, how could she turn back?

Nevertheless, if she didn’t have enough strength, that really meant she didn’t have enough strength. Maybe the master of this place created this path to stop cultivators who were below the Core Formation realm. If they continued to force their way in, couldn’t it cost them their lives?

Mo Tiange debated her choices for a while, but in the end, she clenched her teeth and said, “We can’t make it through this path. Fellow Daoist Fangzheng, let’s find another way.”

“This…” Obviously, Daoist Fangzheng was unwilling; he looked reluctant and his eyes kept drifting towards the Bewitching Moonstones.

Mo Tiange said, “With our current abilities, we simply cannot pass through here. I have no intentions of losing my life here.”

What she said made Daoist Fangzheng hesitate. He naturally understood Mo Tiange wasn’t like him. Based on the numerous treasures she had, she ought to be a disciple of a big cultivation group. Right now, she was still so young, yet she already had such a high cultivation level—for her, taking this risk probably wasn’t worthwhile.

If she was like him, they might’ve clenched their teeth and rushed inside just like the dead cultivators probably did. However, without anyone to accompany him, he really couldn’t muster up the courage to plow forward on his own.

One’s consciousness was affected by objects with psychotic effects like these. Having no companions meant he probably wouldn’t end up in a situation where he and his companions would try to kill each other. However, after losing consciousness, he might go mad and end up hurting himself even if there was no one else around.

“Alright, let’s do as Fellow Daoist Ye said.” Daoist Fangzheng eventually made up his mind. Even though he didn’t have much time left in his lifespan, he hadn’t yet reached the point where he had no hope at all; he was also unwilling to die here. He thought for a brief moment then spoke up again, “But shouldn’t we look for other areas?”

Not to mention Daoist Fangzheng, but even Mo Tiange herself also felt unwilling to leave deep down. When they descended into the valley, they almost lost their lives. In the Illusory Formation, they watched others dying and getting severely injured. In the end, however, they reached an impassable roadblock; how could she possibly be willing to give up?

“Alright, but Fellow Daoist Fangzheng, if we don’t find anything, we better leave as soon as possible.”

“Of course!” Daoist Fangzheng hurriedly agreed. Every part of this path was dangerous, so he naturally didn’t want to stay for too long.

Mo Tiange watched Daoist Fangzheng knocking all along the short passage and cautiously examining everything, but she remained motionless. She was wondering what was amiss about this whole matter.

First of all, the spiritual aura fluctuation transmitted from this valley was pure, but it wasn’t conspicuous at all. If cultivators in the Core Formation realm and higher passed this area, they might not even care about it at all. Furthermore, when they descended into the valley, they could barely make it past the obstacles with their current cultivation levels—Aura Refining cultivators were clearly blocked from entering the valley. Core Formation cultivators, however, would be able to make it through effortlessly. Lastly, there was the Illusory Formation. Core Formation cultivators had already overcome the obstacle known as their Inner Demon during their core-formation, so even if they couldn’t break the formation, they would only go through terrifying experiences without really getting hurt; they definitely wouldn’t have such tragic consequences like they did, with six dead and one injured.

These points contributed to one conclusion. Although the master of this valley was unknown, every aspect of this valley was aimed at Foundation Building cultivators, but this path was obviously a barrier to Foundation Building cultivators; no matter how Mo Tiange thought about it, the path didn’t fit with her deduction.

In that case… either this path was fake and there was another path that would take them to the next step, or the master of this place was too twisted and deliberately created such a situation.

By the time Mo Tiange reached this point, another thought also crossed her mind. What kind of place was this valley? Based on the Illusory Formation in the valley and the layout of this passage full of Bewitching Moonstones, the master of this place clearly had a very high cultivation level. According to her estimates, the person ought to be in the Nascent Soul realm at least. An Immortal’s Cave left by a Nascent Soul cultivator was normally also attractive to other Nascent Soul cultivators. That being the case, the master of this place definitely seemed to have deliberately attracted Foundation Building cultivators.

Mo Tiange couldn’t help but feel horrified as she thought about it. This Immortal’s Cave obviously had been left unoccupied for a very long time; logically, there shouldn’t be any sinister purpose left here, but what could explain the actions of the master of this place? What was going on with these cultivators who died under the effect of the Bewitching Moonstones? Deliberately attracting Foundation Building cultivators then forcing them to die here—what would the master of this place gain by doing this? Or were they simply truly twisted?

Such twisted interests that cost human lives was really too cruel!

“Fellow Daoist Ye!” She suddenly heard Daoist Fangzheng’s delighted voice.

Mo Tiange turned towards Daoist Fangzheng and saw him pointing at a spot on the stone wall. He said, “Take a look, there’s a door here.”

Mo Tiange stepped towards him then cautiously examined the wall. Sure enough, there was a very fine crack which seemed to form a door on the wall.

“Let me try,” said Daoist Fangzheng before he took a few steps back. With a fling of his horsetail whisk, tiny threads of spiritual aura surged forward then struck the door hard.

A heavy echo rang out; the door was easily pushed open.

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Mo Tiange was dumbfounded. This… seemed a bit too easy.

The two of them carefully looked inside. It seemed to be a stone room. It was smaller than the hall but slightly bigger than the stone rooms in ordinary Immortal’s Caves—it looked just like a small hall. There was nothing inside aside from several stone sculptures, and hanging on the ceiling were several huge spherical stones that illuminated the entire room.

“Sunstones!” Daoist Fangzhong exclaimed.

“Sunstones?” Mo Tiange repeated in bewilderment.

“Correct!” A huge smile blossomed on Daoist Fangzheng’s face. “Fellow Daoist Ye, with these Sunstones, this trip could be considered worthwhile even if we turned back now.”

“Oh?”

Daoist Fangzheng explained, “For us, cultivators, Moonstones only act as lightning, just like lightning in the secular world. However, Sunstones can produce something equal to sunshine and can even produce Sun Real Fire!”

Something equal to sunshine! Sun Real Fire!

It took Mo Tiange only a bit of thinking to understand how valuable these Sunstones were. The Sun Real Fire was one of the Three Great Real Fires used to concoct medicinal pills and refine tools. In the cultivation world, the fires used to concoct medicinal pills and refine tools were selected carefully. Cultivators could use Dantian Real Fire, but doing so required too much spiritual aura; even Nascent Soul cultivators would feel exhausted if they employed Dantian Real Fire for an extended period of time. Due to this, as long as cultivators had the means, they would definitely use external fire sources.

So-called external fire sources encompassed Heavenly Fire and Earthly Fire. Heavenly Fire was fire from the sun. However, using fire from the sun involved a fairly complicated formation and instruments. As for Earthly Fire, the former Mount Tianhuo of Danding School was an example of Earthly Fire. The best Heavenly Fire was Sun Real Fire while the best Earthly Fire was Polar Real Fire. In addition, there was also Samadhi Real Fire, which was the best fire, transcending the other two kinds of fires. These three fires were known as the Three Great Real Fires.

Samadhi Real Fire existed practically only in legends; it had been many years since anybody last saw it, and even the method to practice it had been lost. Therefore, the best external fires to concoct medicinal pills and refine tools were only Sun Real Fire and Polar Real Fire.

If these Sunstones really could produce Sun Real Fire, their value was undoubtedly on par with a small-sized Earthly Fire vein. If they were put on the market, their price would most likely reach more than 10,000 spirit stones each!

That being the case, how could their trip only be “worthwhile” with these Sunstones in hand? They’d simply hit the jackpot!

However, Mo Tiange didn’t think they could steal these Sunstones so effortlessly. Based on the obstacles they encountered before, it made no sense that they could make gains so effortlessly this time.

Daoist Fangzheng also had the same thought as her, so the two of them proceeded with utmost caution. They first let the bird out to help them find a safe path. It was only after they were certain there weren’t any problems that they entered the stone room.

But just as they began to examine the stone slab at the entrance of the room, they suddenly heard loud rumbling noises. In a second, the stone door behind them fell and shut itself. The two of them had no time to react and were now trapped inside the room.

After her initial shock, Mo Tiange immediately calmed down. It would actually be fishy if nothing happened at all. They encountered numerous dangers on this journey; if there were any treasures ahead and they were allowed to take them easily, there would most likely be even more vicious traps behind them.

As the two of them stood still, Mo Tiange asked, “Fellow Daoist Fangzheng, what do you think will happen here?”

Daoist Fangzheng stroked his beard. “We’ve faced miasma, gales, Illusory Formations, Bewitching Moonstones, and each one was deathly. I’m afraid this obstacle won’t be easy to overcome either. However, if we analyze them more thoroughly, the miasma and gales were meant to test our defensive skills, the Illusory Formation was meant to test our nature and willpower, and the path full of Bewitching Moonstones was meant to see if we could handle the allure of treasures and if we could control ourselves without losing our sanity. However, none of these obstacles put our abilities in fights of magical powers to the test. I think… there’s a huge chance—”

Before he finished talking, they suddenly heard noises that sounded like a mountain was falling apart. It was as if there was something knocking heavily against the stone wall.

Once Mo Tiange looked back, she found the source of those noises. A wrinkle appeared on her brows.

The first stone sculpture leaning on the wall of this stone room had suddenly taken a step forward then started walking heavily towards them

Daoist Fangzheng, who also saw it, gasped.

They hadn’t paid much attention to the stone sculpture. Back when they first saw it, they thought it was just a decoration, just like the murals on the walls. But in a flash, it actually moved as if it was a living thing!

“Fellow Daoist Ye, this…”

Mo Tiange activated her body-protecting aura and summoned the White Silk Handkerchief and the Shuttle of Flying Apsara.

The answer to what this obstacle would test had appeared. As Daoist Fangzheng guessed, their abilities in fights of magical powers would be tested this time!

This stone sculpture was more than ten feet tall, twice the height of normal people. Its features were clearly portrayed—it had the appearance of a martial artist, each part of its body armor was clearly depicted, and even the veined patterns carved on the stone sword in its hand could be seen clearly. A moment ago, it didn’t have any spiritual aura in the slightest. Now, however, it was brimming with spiritual aura, which made it seem just like a cultivator in the peak stage of the Foundation Building realm.

Mo Tiange’s brain was turning at lightning speed. She and Daoist Fangzheng were both in the middle stage of the Foundation Building realm; although this stone sculpture was equivalent to a peak stage Foundation Building cultivator, it was dead, after all, and its body was heavy—presumably, it wouldn’t be too hard to defeat it. However, every step this stone sculpture took created loud rumbling noises, so it was most likely pretty strong. She must be cautious not to fight it with physical force.

Just as she was deep in thought, the stone sculpture had moved step by step until it arrived in front of them. It lifted its hand then its stone sword swung ruthlessly at them.