Zhang Rongfang fell silent.

At this moment, he truly understood that in the face of such existence, ordinary people really come only to die...

The group quickly packed up, Qingsu's expression unchanged, though fearful at heart, she was someone who had weathered many storms, and she arranged for everyone to follow Zhang Rongfang out of the valley as quickly as possible.

It was only when the group returned to the camp of the defensive team before entering the canyon that everyone breathed a sigh of relief.

"Sir, this place is extremely dangerous. We suspect that the previous mist might have hallucinogenic toxicity, causing us to have illusions, which led us into the valley, ultimately attacked by poisonous bees, causing heavy casualties."

Qingsu recapped the situation and summarized the reasons.

"Hallucinogenic toxin, huh...." Zhang Rongfang looked into the depths of the canyon. Although the mist was gone, the wind still continued to blow.

In the wind, it seemed like someone was speaking.

But it was indistinct, he couldn't hear clearly.

Though he couldn't hear, he could vaguely feel that the voice was very similar to Xue Tong he had encountered before....

"Set up camp nearby, not too close. The poisonous mist here is too potent. All our antidotes can only relieve physical pain, illusions cannot be dispelled," Zhang Rongfang ordered.

"Yes!"

Qingsu's face was pale at this moment, not injured, just frightened by the inexplicable deaths.

Bringing so many elites, yet inexplicably half of them died.

Anyone encountering such matters would feel heavy and horrified.

Zhang Rongfang, however, had no time to care about them now.

He slowly walked forward to the side of the flowing stream in the canyon.

"Young friend?"

"Young friend??"

The sound of the stream, the sound of the wind, mixed together as if someone was calling him.

"Xue Tong, senior!?" Zhang Rongfang called softly.

No one responded.

The wind and water sound seemed not as similar to before, perhaps the call he heard just now was just a false impression.

"Senior, I've rescued my people. Now... to repay, whatever you need me to do, just say!"

Zhang Rongfang didn't believe all of this was just his illusion.

Considering his life vitality, a little toxin couldn't possibly affect him.

Still, there was no response.

The surroundings were peaceful and serene.

In the distance, the canyon was clear, the chirping of monkeys and birds continually echoed.

The dark green cliff, gray and black mixed valley, scattered green woodlands, and the azure cloudless sky.

And the giant shadow cast by the mountain wall.

"Senior, I keep my word. If you need help, come to me!"

Zhang Rongfang spoke again.

Still no answer.

Only the sound of wind, water, birds, and monkeys surrounded him.

Nothing else.

Zhang Rongfang held the Wish Bell, turned, and walked out of the valley.

If not for the Wish Bell, perhaps he would've thought everything was caused by the poisonous mist.

But the object in his hand clearly showed that everything that had happened was real.

"Master, your hand is...?" Back in the Songhe Temple team blocking the canyon entrance.

Qingsu approached to report the situation.

Suddenly she frowned slightly, looking at Zhang Rongfang's right hand.

"I found this at the bottom of the valley." Zhang Rongfang shook the worn-out Wish Bell.

"What? Is there something in your hand?" Qingsu was slightly taken aback.

Zhang Rongfang paused, lifting the Wish Bell.

"It's this."

"...Is there something in your palm?" Qingsu hesitantly asked, looking at Zhang Rongfang's palm.

"....."

Zhang Rongfang suddenly felt silent.

He picked up the Wish Bell, held it in front of Qingsu.

"This."

But Qingsu still looked through the dial, seeing Zhang Rongfang through as if with X-ray vision, able to see the scene here.

"Sir... don't joke with me." Her expression slightly changed.

Zhang Rongfang fell silent.

He took a deep breath, holding the Wish Bell, and asked someone else.

"Ask, what is in my hand?"

"Master, nothing."

"What's in my hand?"

"Nothing..."

"In my hand...."

"Uh... didn't see anything?"

"In my hand....."

"Glory! The master holds glory in his hand! Surely invincible!"

"....." Zhang Rongfang ignored the dramatics, held the Wish Bell, placed it aside, and then took out the Blood God Statue obtained earlier.

"Now, what's in my hand?"

Qingsu hesitated slightly.

"A bloody statue." She replied honestly.

Zhang Rongfang finally understood.

Among all the people present, except for him, no one else could see the Wish Bell.

He returned to the Wish Bell, opened the attribute panel.

'Intuition warning: What are you believing? What are you doubting?'

The bizarre notification only added to the mystery.

Zhang Rongfang silently closed the intuition warning to avoid affecting his perception.

He sat aside, took a deep breath, feeling everything that had happened earlier was like a dream....

Night slowly descended.

Zhang Rongfang entrusted someone to send a letter to his sister, while he stayed at the canyon entrance, waiting patiently.

He must figure out the whole story!

Gods, Xue Tong, the clock, the statue, what are the differences and connections between them?

The mountain wind blew gently, with occasional light rain.

In the blink of an eye, three days passed.

Every day after eating, Zhang Rongfang meditated by the creek, entering a trance.

During these times, he could vaguely hear someone calling him from the creek.

But whenever he listened carefully, he found nothing.

The Wish Clock remained by his side, tattered and still.

The Blood God Statue was also in his bag, a new crack appearing on its surface.

Qingsu led a team back to Songhe Temple to handle the aftermath and compensation matters.

Only ten people stayed nearby as guards to block the entrance of the canyon.

Zhang Rongfang no longer allowed ordinary people to enter or exit the canyon freely.

*

*

*

The bright moon hung high, casting a sliver of light from the canyon top, illuminating the creek with shimmering light.

Zhang Rongfang sat solemnly by the creek, with his over two-meter figure, strong and robust.

Shirtless, he revealed the clear pattern of a blood lotus on his back, meditating peacefully.

Meditation and entering a trance was originally a state of focus and calm, immersing one's spirit entirely in cultivation.

But today, Zhang Rongfang suddenly felt impulsive and did not intend to practice the Supreme Bright Void Skill.

Instead, he simply sat quietly, using some meditation techniques he had seen in his previous life.

In his past life, both East and West had similar trance techniques.

In the West, it was called meditation, and in the East, contemplation, visualization, etc.

Without using the complex cultivation techniques of today, Zhang Rongfang only used the most basic steps.

That is: imagine his mind as a vast emptiness. Listen to the steady rhythm of his heartbeat, focusing all attention on it, concentrating until he forgets everything else and slowly enters a state of oblivion.

He didn't know why he wanted to do this.

But ever since he met Xue Tong and heard from him about suspicions regarding the current Sect Leader of the Great Dao Teaching, Yue Dewen,

he developed a slight suspicion towards the Supreme Bright Void Skill and questioned the strategy of the Celestial Treasure Palace of the Great Dao Teaching, which only practiced the Cultivation of Literature before.

From the beginning until now, he had always been practicing the Cultivation of Literature of the Great Dao Teaching.

But now, by switching to a different cultivation method, he wanted to try something new.

To see what result would emerge.

This was a sudden impulse.

No reason, no cause.

Just a simple wish to do so, nothing more.

Soon, with a foundation in other cultivation methods, the most basic trance state was quickly achieved.

Zhang Rongfang sat by the creek, eyes closed, hearing only his heartbeat.

Slowly....

Slowly.....

As he neglected external distractions.

All outside sounds, the sound of wind, water, birds, etc., mixed together like paint, forming a hazy sound...

'The Dao exists within a single thought.'

'Consciously or unconsciously, go with the flow, changing endlessly, naturally achieving its form...'

'Young friend, you've finally returned...'

That voice grew clearer and more distinct.

Finally, Zhang Rongfang slowly opened his eyes.

In front of him, under the rocky cliff, before a grove of locust trees.

A blurry black silhouette stood swaying slightly, its robes fluttering in the wind, back facing him.

"Senior?"

"It is I...." Xue Tong's voice was mixed with the sound of the wind, faint and elusive. "You have succeeded. But the deity won't die, and now she has set her sights on you. Be cautious."

"Thank you, Senior, for your assistance. Is there anything this junior can do for you now?" Zhang Rongfang had somewhat grasped a certain knack by now.

"I have said." Xue Tong replied, "The gods possess immortality, they will never truly die. But they can be forgotten. And how to make them forgotten? First, we must see who still remembers them."

"Are you saying!?" A flash of inspiration crossed Zhang Rongfang's mind.

The Great Spirit often massacred entire cities for the slightest hint of sect followers, initially causing immense public resentment.

Now it seems.....

"Yes, as long as you kill all believers, and all who still remember its true divine form, only then can they forever fall into the abyss of oblivion."

"Therefore, I want you to completely eradicate all followers of the Wish Girl. Don't let anyone remember her, don't let anyone mention her, no records or traces left...." Xue Tong's voice faded in and out.

Zhang Rongfang suddenly understood why the Great Spirit would designate certain gods and deities as secret cults, forbidding any dissemination.

"This junior will remember!"

"Good... remember.... there is something special about you, that attracts them to fight over you, do not reveal it easily in other places...." Xue Tong continued.

"As a return, I will tell you the secret of the believers under the gods."

"The secret....." Zhang Rongfang listened intently.

"This secret....."

The voice suddenly grew faint, weakening, completely inaudible.

Zhang Rongfang's heart tensed, sensing something amiss.

It was only then he realized he had unconsciously exited the meditative trance state.

Immediately, he calmed his mind again.

Time passed gradually.

After about ten minutes, he re-entered the trance state.

"Senior?"

"Remember, whether consciously or unconsciously, now, I will say it again.... Their immortality is not true immortality, but a transfer."

"Transfer!?"

Zhang Rongfang's heart trembled.

"Each time they die, a follower or believer takes the fall for them, this is the transfer...."

Xue Tong's voice gradually faded.