Little Seven skipped and hopped ahead, leading the way.

They chattered away the whole way.

"The training hall is up ahead. We are weak and usually train here. Every day, the elders' personal disciples take turns teaching us!"

"You're not the sect leader's disciple, so why do you need to cultivate here?"

Xiao Qi scratched his head: "I'm a newbie, I don't know anything. The sect leader is busy with many affairs and doesn't have time to take care of me."

Rong Yue smiled, remained silent, and looked at the people coming and going before asking, "Is the sect still very busy these days?"

Xiao Qi said, "Of course! They're very busy. The elders are maintaining the formation, and the disciples haven't been cultivating either; they're all preparing food."

"Food?"

As if realizing she had said something wrong, Xiao Qi touched the bun on her head and said, "It's just a pill or medicinal herb that makes cultivation easier."

"It will be given to the Naxi hermits after the grand event," Xiao Qi added.

No wonder this grand event attracted so many independent cultivators; it turns out there are some good things to be found.

The Hehuan Sect is truly charitable, giving away their own possessions to outsiders.

Zhang Xu sighed as a disciple rushed over carrying a tray. Zhang Xu lost her balance and was knocked off her feet.

"Suwen, what are you doing! You've scared the guests!" Xiaoqi was about to scold them when she heard a howl coming from ahead.

The sound was loud and shrill, like a baby crying, and very noisy.

Upon hearing this sound, Xiao Qi's expression changed, and the busy disciples instantly fell down, covering their ears and rolling around.

Rong Yue and Zhang Xu were quite powerful and could barely stand up amidst the sound, but Xiao Qi's face turned pale and a few drops of blood oozed from her ears.

"It seems there's something wrong with the formation. Senior Sister, you should all go back to the courtyard!"

Seeing her say that, the two nodded silently and turned to walk out into the courtyard.

The two kindly helped the disciple who had fallen to the ground, but the disciple looked as if she had seen a ghost. She hurriedly thanked them and then scrambled away.

It seems they don't want to run into them.

Rong Yue found it strange. Before she could speak, the disciple broke free and said tremblingly, "Senior Sister, I have something to do, so I'll be leaving now."

The way she avoided the situation amplified Rong Yue's doubts.

The sound quickly disappeared, like a sleeping beast being stabbed and then suppressed and falling back into sleep.

Rong Yue looked unwell, but this only became apparent slowly after she returned to the courtyard.

I thought this trip to the Hehuan Sect was just a small, ordinary gathering, but I never imagined that the sect had such hidden secrets.

Could the chaos of the world be brought forward? Rong Yue wanted to send a message out, but found that she was under tight surveillance, with no gaps in her vicinity.

"The Hehuan Sect might be planning a rebellion." Rong Yue paced around anxiously.

There were only two of them on this trip. They planned to finish quickly and go back, but something went wrong, and now it seems there might be a problem.

"Aren't you sects all in an alliance? Who is the Hehuan Sect going to turn against?"

"Among the major sects in the world, Jade Green Mountain is the leader, and the others are the assistants. They bear the heavy responsibility of protecting the people. If there are external enemies, they can work together with one heart and one mind. However, even without external threats, internal strife has never stopped. The Joyful Union Sect and Jade Green Mountain are not as friendly as one might imagine, especially after the incident with Yan Xingyun, they have long been at odds. Now that Jade Green Mountain's most promising disciple is in their sect, I'm afraid they might harm my senior brother."

"You mean the Hehuan Sect wants to take action against Yu Qingshan?"

Rong Yue said seriously, "It's not impossible!"

"But what are they after? Just the empty title of the number one sect in cultivation?"

They've already cultivated immortality, why would they still care about these things?

"I don't know, but that cry just now didn't sound like a normal spirit beast."

"We still need to go out and take a look."

Rong Yue looked at the dome in the sky, wondering how to break it.

At this moment, Zhang Xu brought up Xiao Mumu: "Perhaps, she can break it."

Rong Yue wasn't surprised to see Xiao Mumu, as if she already knew: "This isn't a simple barrier; there's an array inside. Are you sure he can take us out silently?"

Little Mumu rubbed her big, confused eyes, and when she heard what the two were saying, she excitedly raised her hand: "Yes, yes, Little Mumu can do it!"

"Alright, let's go out tonight. Let's get ready first!"

Rong Yue walked into the room, took out paper and pen from her storage bag, and said, "You know, they're professionals! They're fully equipped and have received systematic knowledge."

Rong Yue casually drew a few runes on the paper figure, which seemed to absorb some powerful force, instantly expanding and growing into the shape of Rong Yue and Zhang Xu.

Rong Yue pointed to the paper figure that looked exactly like her and said, "I'll rest too. We'll talk about it tomorrow if anything comes up."

After saying that, the paper figure repeated the words in Rong Yue's voice.

Its face was as white as jade, lifelike, a perfect replica of Rong Yue. Rong Yue stared at it for a long time, then reached out and dripped a drop of blood onto the paper figure.

Zhang Xu followed Rong Yue's example, and the paper figure that looked exactly like Zhang Xu stood up and sat on the stool like a living person.

"The secret technique can only last for three hours. We must return after three hours."

Zhang Xu nodded, looking at the darkening sky outside, where the surrounding noise seemed to have subsided.

Let's go!

The paper figures inside the room smiled at the two of them, and Rong Yue and Zhang Xu also sank into darkness.

As the lights inside the house went out, plunging the surroundings into darkness, the person who had been silently watching from outside breathed a sigh of relief.

"They're resting now?"

"He's probably just tired today! A rising star, huh? Nothing special!" someone scoffed.

"Keep a close eye on it; there can't be any mistakes before the conference."

"Hmph! Once the tournament is over, our Hehuan Sect will be the number one sect in the world, and Jade Green Mountain..."

"Alright, enough talk, make sure you keep a close eye on things."

"Understood, Senior Sister!"

Little Mumu silently tore a small hole in the barrier, without making a sound outside.

Rong Yue exclaimed, "A thousand-year-old tree spirit, you really have a good fortune!"

"Of course! Little Mumu is the best!"

Little Mumu thought he was being praised and proudly raised his little hand.

Let's go!

After they left, the small hole in the barrier behind them silently closed, as if nothing had happened.

The Hehuan Gate is bustling and noisy during the day. But at night, it becomes eerily quiet, so quiet you could hear a pin drop.

In this tranquility, the faint sound of breathing rising and falling could be heard.

After passing the martial arts hall we passed during the day, there are pavilions on the left and right sides where the elders live.

Rong Yue placed a concealment talisman under Zhang Xu's and her own feet, then stealthily moved through the darkness. The elders and disciples seemed to have fallen asleep, but the vibrations in the air grew stronger and stronger, as if a huge beast was breathing.

A disciple on night patrol was inspecting the gate with a lantern. The two men hid behind a pair of stone lions, listening to the disciple on night patrol complain as he walked.

"At this point, the elders are still making us come out on patrol. They really don't treat us like human beings!"

The other person looked around and said, "Shh! Keep your voice down, if you wake that thing up, we'll all be dead!"

"Didn't Yu Qingshan strengthen the formation today? What's there to be afraid of!"

"You didn't see how he looked after the enhancement. He looked like he'd lost half his life. So much for being the number one of the younger generation. I think he's nothing special!"

"Tch, you look down on them. If you were to go, you'd probably be thrown away before you even saw the beast's face."

As she listened to the crowd recede into the distance, Rong Yue's brows furrowed more and more tightly.