This statement left Meng Peiyun utterly baffled.

"Are you sure?"

"Of course I’m sure! Everyone recognized the Identity Tokens. They can’t be faked!"

"What about the person who spread this news?" Meng Peiyun asked hurriedly.

"He was right over there... Huh? Where’d he go?"

Meng Peiyun looked where the man was pointing and saw a commotion. It seemed to have been caused by the sudden disappearance of the person who had spread the "rumor."

This incident put Meng Peiyun on high alert.

He secretly activated his Clear Spirit Bright Eyes and scanned his surroundings.

This Clear Spirit Bright Eyes was a Pupil Technique a level higher than the Spiritual Eye Technique. It seemed the person had gone into hiding.

And Meng Peiyun was extremely confident he could find him.

This time, however, he was wrong. He couldn’t find the person no matter how hard he looked.

Instead, he spotted the six Identity Tokens from Wind and Thunder Manor.

An idea suddenly struck Meng Peiyun:

’I don’t know what his purpose was, saying something like that in the middle of a crowd and then leaving the Identity Tokens behind...’

’But what if he was telling the truth? What if those six disciples from Wind and Thunder Manor were really killed by that group of Tribulation Cultivators?’

’Couldn’t I report this to Wind and Thunder Manor, take the credit, and use it to join them? I might even be able to snag a spot as an Inner Sect Disciple!’

At this thought, Meng Peiyun’s spirits lifted, and he walked toward the six abandoned Identity Tokens.

...

It was, of course, Jiang Xu who had spread the news.

Since he couldn’t count on Elder Qin, Jiang Xu couldn’t just sit back and wait for disaster to strike. He decided to use his own methods to warn the other Cultivators.

After all, that monster was clearly hostile to humans.

Every person put on alert was another ounce of strength on their side.

Furthermore, getting Wind and Thunder Manor to mobilize the Sect’s power would make things even safer.

As for why he didn’t just say there was an Evil Array nearby?

It was because ordinary people couldn’t see the Array. No one would be able to tell where it was, and they wouldn’t take a mere rumor seriously.

Not unless Jiang Xu led them over to test it himself.

But while it would be easy for Jiang Xu to step forward once, he would be plagued by trouble afterward.

That was why Jiang Xu had chosen to say that Tribulation Cultivators were causing trouble.

However, this was just a precautionary move on his part; Jiang Xu didn’t care whether it succeeded or not.

He had other plans he could implement once he reached the Sect’s encampment.

Jiang Xu headed toward the Secret Realm, but the farther he went, the more he felt that something was wrong.

Back at the edge of the Endless Forest, Jiang Xu had used the Spiritual Eye Technique to peer inside, discovering that the gloom grew thicker the deeper one went.

Now that he was actually heading deeper in, this sensation became even more pronounced.

This gloom wasn’t a physical one, like swirling dust.

Rather, it was a dark, chilling, and nauseating spiritual pressure.

After traveling a certain distance, Jiang Xu felt the gloom trying to bore into his body. The farther he went, the stronger its invasive nature became.

The discovery sent a chill down his spine, and he almost turned back right then and there.

Fortunately, however, Jiang Xu discovered that his own Magical Power automatically eliminated this strange gloom; the two canceled each other out.

A gloom of this intensity had no real effect on him, aside from consuming a bit more of his Magical Power.

Still, it made his heart pound with trepidation.

The gloom grew stronger the deeper he went.

Right now, it couldn’t cause him much harm.

But if the gloom were to double in intensity, the rate at which he consumed Magical Power would outpace his recovery rate. At that point, his reserves would be running at a deficit.

If he didn’t use other means to replenish his Magical Power, Jiang Xu dared not imagine what would happen once it was completely depleted.

He might just turn into a monster, just like those who touched the Evil Array.

...

Jiang Xu continued to press inward.

He had previously inquired about the Secret Realm’s location at the Purple Profound Celestial Marketplace, and he clearly remembered the locations of the various Sects’ temporary encampments around it.

After some time, Jiang Xu finally saw the encampment of the Three Sects.

In the distance, a patrolling disciple spotted Jiang Xu and headed straight for him.

"Who are you? This is a restricted Sect area. Halt!"

Jiang Xu presented his Identity Token. Only after it was verified did the disciple allow him to pass.

Once inside, Jiang Xu asked for the location of the Outer Disciple residences and soon found Zong Ziqi.

Instead of greeting him right away, Jiang Xu first used the Spiritual Eye Technique to observe him.

It was clear that Zong Ziqi’s physique had been strengthened by Spiritual Qi to a formidable degree, far different from when he was at the Body Refining Middle Stage.

’He’s already at the Body Refining Late Stage? Looks like he’s made a lot of progress following Qin Muxian these past few days.’

Looking closer, he saw that the surrounding gloom was also trying to bore into Zong Ziqi’s body, but his physical defenses were so tenacious that it couldn’t penetrate.

Even the slightest bit that managed to get in was instantly reduced to ash by the faint arcs of lightning under his skin.

’The advantages of Body Refining are already apparent. A strong physique really does have its perks. I’ve spent all my time on Talisman Making recently and haven’t trained my body at all.’

Perhaps sensing Jiang Xu’s gaze, Zong Ziqi suddenly turned his head.

"Well, if it isn’t Brother Jiang!" Zong Ziqi greeted him enthusiastically. "You’re finally here!"

"Heh, if I had a choice, I wouldn’t have come," Jiang Xu lamented. "But now that I’m here, I won’t be able to leave so easily."

Then, Jiang Xu said gravely:

"What I told you in the Communication Pearl before is true, even though it sounds crazy. We’re currently trapped inside an Evil Array. It’s still shrinking, and anyone who touches it will turn into a monster—a thinking, man-eating monster."

Although Zong Ziqi found it unbelievable, he knew Jiang Xu had no reason to lie. "So, what do you need me to do?"

Jiang Xu thought for a moment. He had originally just planned to warn him, but perhaps Zong Ziqi could actually be of some help.

"Just spread a rumor that there’s a powerful group of Tribulation Cultivators around... and that they’re the ones who killed the six disciples from Wind and Thunder Manor."

...

Jiang Xu didn’t stay long at the Sect encampment.

He needed to increase his strength.

The Sect’s camp was safe, to be sure. But if he couldn’t raise his strength now, before the Evil Array closed in and the monsters emerged, then he would just be wasting time in his comfort zone.

By the time everything began, it would be too late for regrets.

The Sect encampment was already very close to the Inner Area.

The Demon Beasts and other threats in and around the encampment had already been cleared out, but the Sect hadn’t bothered with the areas slightly farther away.

Jiang Xu’s plan was to first find two more types of Spirit Insects to upgrade his Golden Silkworm Gu into a Spirit Insect.

He also needed to have his Spirit-Devouring Insect release its Sub-Insects. Just as they had at the Profound Origin Sect, the Sub-Insects would slowly accumulate Spiritual Qi, which would ultimately allow the parent to fully recover to Tier Two.

At the same time, Jiang Xu was waiting to see how the situation within the Secret Realm would develop.

If Qin Muxian was unable to enter the core area, he would surely have to come out. When that happened, Jiang Xu could use him to accomplish things that were impossible given his own low status.