Huo Xuan, however, shook his head and said, "Daoist Xun is indeed a suitable candidate, but being too suitable is not necessarily good."

The crowd, upon thinking about it, found it reasonable.

Feng Haiyang might not fail to discern a trap, and would likely guess their scheme, thus they must make it appear as highly promising to him. Therefore, the person acting as bait should neither be too strong nor too weak. If too strong, the other party might not come; if too weak, they might be killed before the plan succeeds.

Xun Huaiying possesses the art of the Slaughter Sword. Feng Haiyang won’t be able to kill him in a short time without utmost certainty and might not act incautiously.

Yang Bi and his wife felt a bit uneasy at heart. In this place, the Mingcang Sect holds the greatest power, and since Xun Huaiying is unsuitable, they appeared to be the most suitable choice.

Huo Xuan indeed favored them because he had no intention of sending anyone to rescue them. If arranged as such, Feng Haiyang would definitely not appear, so he only planned to give them a Protective Dharma Treasure, allowing them to activate a token talisman to escape when in danger.

Zhang Yan glanced at them and smiled, "I actually have a suitable person in mind."

Everyone’s gaze turned towards him. Huo Xuan curiously asked, "Who might that be?"

Zhang Yan replied, "Elder Shen from Guangyuan Sect has also come with me into the Star Stone this time. He doesn’t have deep ties with disciples of all sects, and doesn’t travel the same path as us, nor does he possess powerful Divine Skills. If I were Feng Haiyang and saw him alone, I would likely target him first."

He was not deliberately pushing Elder Shen into a fire pit; instead, he was giving him an opportunity.

If Shen Yinfe could step forward and take on this task, it would be as if giving the disciples of Shaoqing, Mingcang, and Yuan Yang Sects a favor, which would greatly benefit Guangyuan Sect in the future, freeing it from the threat of the Yuxiao Sect seeking conflict from afar.

Moreover, the old fellow has the Golden Luo Earth Axis Talisman for protection, making it appear dangerous, but actually without fear for his life.

Huo Xuan thought carefully, a gleam emerging in his eyes, finding Elder Shen indeed a very suitable candidate, and said, "If Daoist Shen is willing, it would be the best. I wonder where he is now? Junior Brother, can you persuade him?"

Zhang Yan smiled and said, "After Elder Shen came up to the Star Stone, he engaged in fighting with someone, consuming quite a lot of Primordial Qi, and is currently recuperating. He will join us later. However, this matter involves life and death. He does not belong to our Ten Sects of Xuanmen and is the only Nascent Soul Elder of Guangyuan Sect. He could have chosen not to involve himself in this muddy water, so we cannot expect him to exert effort without compensation."

Huo Xuan heard his words and noticed the mention of ’fighting with someone’, first startled, then upon giving it another thought, and realizing the people from Yuxiao Sect have yet to appear, he pondered for a while before solemnly saying, "Junior Brother Zhang, if Elder Shen agrees, whether it succeeds or not, my Mingcang Sect will ensure one hundred years of stability for his Guangyuan Sect."

Xun Huaiying said indifferently, "My Shaoqing Sect will also ensure a hundred years of security."

Yang Bi, seeing Shaoqing and Mingcang Sects both making assurances, was happy to extend a favor and quickly said, "So does my Yuan Yang Sect, likewise."

Zhong Muqing frowned and asked, "Brother Huo, your arrangement is very thorough, but what if Feng Haiyang refuses to come? What then?"

This strategy ultimately requires Feng Haiyang to take the bait. If he remains unmoved, all effort would be for naught.

Huo Xuan was silent for a while, a cold gleam emerging in his eyes, and finally said, "Then we’ll cultivate here, waiting for him to attack first. Let’s see who can hold out to the end."

Feng Haiyang, in order to seize any remaining token talismans, would eventually come to find them.

This move was indeed passive, but if Feng Haiyang meddled not, this would be the only option. The Spiritual Energy here was abundant, not far off from the Ten Great Spirit Caves of East Splendor Continent. Cultivating here far outstripped one’s own Cave Mansion. If Feng Haiyang could advance his cultivation here, it wasn’t guaranteed they would fall behind; it would come down to who progressed faster.

On the east side of the Star Stone, a tunneling light raced forward like Star Fire, but no matter how it darted and dashed, a wisp of pale yellow and grey smoke always trailed behind like a shadow, unshakable as a bone latching onto the skin.

Zhou Huang was now helpless; wherever he ran, under the Mirror Light, there was nowhere to hide. He could only rely on his recent impressions, running toward the direction of the Mirror Light, hoping to meet with other disciples of the various Xuanmen sects.

After about two quarters, Zhou Huang thought to himself: "If I don’t find anyone before my Mana is exhausted, won’t I be at his mercy?"

After several thoughts churned in his mind, he steeled himself, suddenly let out a shout, no longer conserving Mana, but instead circulated his Cultivation Technique, abruptly speeding up the tunneling light. Suddenly, a brilliant Star Light unfolded, flying forward like a long rainbow.

With this exertion, the wisp of yellow smoke seemed to be spurred, immediately quickening its speed to pursue tightly.

In this full-speed sprint, the Mana consumption was far from ordinary, and about a quarter of an hour later, sweat dripped from Zhou Huang’s forehead. He intoned a spell and activated the "Complete Heaven Square Inch," dodging a thousand feet away, leaving Feng Haiyang behind, somewhat widening the distance.

Seizing this gap, he retrieved a Face Token from his Sleeve Bag, giving it a gentle shake, and immediately a golden boat, resembling an Ingot with both ends curled upward, emerged. With a flick of his sleeve, he transformed into light and drilled inside, hiding within.

Inside the cabin, he pressed his hand on the Face Token. With a few booming sounds, ripples flashing like starlight immediately rose on the four walls of the golden boat to form Prohibitions. He then produced a Jade Bottle and poured out several Elixir Pills, swallowing them in one gulp.

Zhou Huang seated cross-legged and slightly circulated, dissolving the medicinal power with a hint of a cold smile internally: "Let’s see how long you can outlast me!"

He was determined to use the golden boat’s Prohibition to contend against Feng Haiyang. With the depletion of Mana, he merely needed to swallow Elixir Pills.

Even if caught in the Forbidden Locking Heaven and Earth, the golden boat’s Prohibition could hold for two to three hours. He didn’t believe Feng Haiyang could keep tangling with him here. The only concern was if this person had a Dharma Treasure capable of breaking the Prohibition. If that was the case, he could at worst activate the token talisman and escape the Star Stone, ensuring his life was secured.

...

...(To be continued. If you enjoy this work, feel free to visit Qidian (qidian.com) to cast recommendation votes and monthly tickets. Your support is my greatest motivation.)