Chapter 79: That's it? After all that, they gave us a bad one.

Inside the main hall, the atmosphere was subtle and harmonious.

The three treasures each chose their own masters, as if it were preordained, and no one tried to seize them.

The jade slip, shimmering with a watery glow, transformed into a warm white light, like a weary bird returning to its nest, and flew lightly towards Xie Chen, silently disappearing into his brow.

Xie Chen's body trembled slightly, then he closed his eyes, a focused and absorbed expression appearing on his face.

Countless ancient and profound array diagrams and deduction methods flooded into his mind like a torrent, immersing him in them, and a gentle smile unconsciously appeared on his lips.

The ancient bronze alchemy furnace emitted a deep hum, its surface shimmering with rosy light. It slowly rotated once around Chu Yunfan, finally coming to a steady stop in front of him.

The furnace lid was slightly ajar, and a faint golden flame, carrying the aura of primordial creation, danced within.

Chu Yunfan's eyes blazed with undisguised surprise and excitement. He carefully reached out his hand, feeling the warm touch of the alchemy furnace and the intimate connection with the innate alchemical fire, and he couldn't bear to put it down.

The broken jade hairpin exuded an indescribable aura.

The aura was ethereal and distant, carrying a faint sadness, yet containing a tenacious spirit of protection and a subtle power of restoration.

As if it had found a long-lost relative, it slowly, with a hint of hesitation and joy, flew towards Fang Li, circling and dancing lightly around her. The eyes of the blue phoenix on the hairpin seemed to come alive.

"...That's it?" She almost blurted out, but managed to hold back, though the bewilderment on her face was unmistakable. "After all that, you gave me a broken one? This thing... doesn't even look very valuable." Her greedy side started working again, and she subconsciously began to consider the secondhand market value of this item.

[“Host! Catch it quickly!”] The system was jumping around anxiously in her mind. [“This is definitely a treasure! I can feel that it can nourish the soul! And… it seems to be self-repairing?! Although it’s very slow! Stop thinking about selling spirit stones, you spendthrift woman!”]

Fang Li was brought back to her senses by Tongzi's shout and hesitantly reached out her hand.

The jade hairpin seemed to possess a spirit, gently falling to the ground. Its cool touch pressed against her fingertips, and the ethereal, sorrowful aura faded, replaced by a faint sense of dependence and reassurance.

"Alright, it's broken, but it seems like we're destined to meet." Fang Li pouted and carefully held the broken hairpin in her palm.

Although the others did not obtain the treasure, they could still feel the rich and ancient Daoist aura in the great hall with every breath they took. After standing quietly for a while, they felt that many of the obstacles in their previous cultivation suddenly became clear, and their cultivation techniques flowed much more smoothly.

This great hall itself is an immense opportunity.

Shen Yunzhou looked at Fang Li and saw her holding the hairpin with a mixture of disdain and curiosity. A fleeting, almost imperceptible, thaw appeared in his icy eyes. Ji Qianqiu was even more direct, grinning and saying, "This hairpin suits you quite well!" Although he couldn't see how it suited her at all, he was happy that Fang Li had the item.

Chu Yunfan held the alchemy furnace with great affection, but still nodded to Fang Li and the others to express his joy.

The atmosphere was somewhat delicate, yet surprisingly harmonious. Everyone gained something, whether physical or intellectually, and there was no dissatisfaction or argument. The concepts of fate and destiny were particularly clear at that moment.

However, this harmony did not last long.

Boom!!

The entire hall suddenly shook violently! It was as if some enormous object was slamming into the outside!

The Daoist energy within the hall suddenly became disordered, causing everyone to sway and their expressions to change drastically.

Outside the hall, Hua Nongying's venomous and frantic roar could be heard. It was unknown what price she had paid or what powerful secret technique she had used to temporarily suppress her injuries.

"You little sluts inside! What did you get in return?! Hand it all over to me! Otherwise, I'll smash this shell and make you all pay with your lives!"

With her roar, even more ferocious attacks rained down on the protective light shield of the main hall!

"She's gone mad! This woman has completely lost her mind!" Ji Qianqiu stared at the twisted and crazed figure outside the hall, gritting his teeth. Each impact caused the light screen of the hall to shake violently, and the buzzing sound made everyone's eardrums tingle.

Hua Nongying's hair was disheveled, and blood still clung to the corner of her mouth. Her once charming face was now contorted with rage and hatred. Recklessly, she activated some kind of secret technique, her body swirling with black energy, drawing upon the remaining restrictive power of the ruins, transforming it into a series of violent attacks that slammed fiercely into the guardian celestial light.

"Everyone!" Xie Chen suddenly opened his eyes, the brilliant runes still reflecting the information from the jade slip still lingering in them. But he quickly suppressed his shock and spoke rapidly: "According to the inheritance I received, although this hall has strong defenses, it is ancient and its energy supply is weak. The external attack has triggered the remnants of the ruins' array. If this continues, the immortal light will surely be shattered!"

He stood up, his jade fan swiftly tapping the ground to outline several mysterious nodes: "Please follow my guidance, infuse your spiritual power, and hold your ground. This will temporarily stabilize the defenses of the main hall!"

In the face of crisis, no one questioned it.

The group immediately took action, quickly standing in the positions designated by Xie Chen, and generously poured their spiritual power into them.

A more solid array of light rose from the floor of the main hall and merged into the surrounding celestial light, instantly stabilizing the violently shaking hall somewhat.

Fang Li wasn't idle. She tried to extend the wisp of chaotic spiritual energy within her body to sense the entire hall.

At the same time, she gripped the warm, broken jade hairpin tightly, her mind racing: "The system! The back door! Even a dog hole will do! Search quickly!"

"We're looking! We're looking!" The system's tone changed, filled with anxiety. "Left side! Host, sense that wall on the left! Yes! It's that seemingly ordinary stone tablet! The hairpin... the hairpin is connected to it! A very faint resonance!"

Fang Li immediately looked at the left wall. There stood a dusty gray stone tablet with some blurry, indistinct ancient patterns carved on it, which no one had paid attention to before.

She focused her attention and sensed that the jade hairpin in her hand seemed to be gently warming up, creating a subtle connection with the stone tablet.

Without hesitation, she rushed over, placed her palm on the cold stone tablet, and simultaneously channeled all her chaotic spiritual power into it!

Buzz—!

The moment the two made contact, the jade hairpin shone brightly, and even faint streams of light seemed to attempt to connect at the broken point! Countless fine and complex golden patterns suddenly lit up on the surface of the stone tablet, and a vast power was instantly unleashed!

The shaking of the entire hall suddenly intensified!

"Junior Sister Fang!" Chu Yunfan exclaimed in surprise.

"Junior sister! What have you done?" Ji Qianqiu shouted as he steadied himself.

Xie Chen's eyes flashed with a sharp light, as if he had sensed something from the fluctuations, and he said urgently, "Don't panic! This is not a sign of collapse!"

Amidst the astonished and uncertain gazes of the crowd, the thick wall on the left side of the main hall slowly cracked open to both sides with a dull mechanical sound! A deep, mysterious passage leading to an unknown destination was revealed!

"There's a way!" Ji Qianqiu's eyes lit up.

However, fortune and misfortune are intertwined.

The moment the passage appeared, the seven-colored celestial light that enveloped the hall suddenly flickered violently and dimmed rapidly at a speed visible to the naked eye!

Outside the hall, Hua Nongying keenly sensed the change in the celestial light, her face growing even more crazed: "Haha! Can't hold on any longer, can you! Break through for me!"

"Go!" Xie Chen made a decisive decision and shouted.

Fang Li, who was closest to the passage, was the first to react and rushed into the newly opened dark passage.

Shen Yunzhou and Ji Qianqiu set off almost simultaneously, following closely behind her on the left and right, protecting her in the middle.

Chu Yunfan, along with several other disciples from other sects who had realized what was happening, immediately followed.

Xie Chen was the last to retreat into the passage, just as his figure disappeared into the darkness.

Boom!!!

The celestial light barrier behind them shattered completely! Countless fragments of light scattered and flew everywhere. The terrifying aftershock of Hua Nongying's attack crashed into the hall, blasting a deep crater into the spot where they had been standing!

A violent surge of spiritual energy and Hua Nongying's shrill, maniacal laughter rushed into the passage.

"Hurry up! This passage is unstable!" Chu Yunfan said urgently.

Without a second thought, the group rushed forward through the dark passage. Behind them lay the ever-collapsed darkness and Hua Nongying's increasingly venomous curses.

Fang Li was panting heavily as she ran, mentally cursing Hua Nongying's ancestors for eighteen generations. Chaotic spiritual energy circulated rapidly within her body, keeping her pace from falling behind.

[“Host! There’s a fork in the road on the left! Hurry!”] The system urgently alerted.

Sure enough, an inconspicuous fork in the road appeared ahead, and Fang Li turned into it without thinking.

Seeing this, the others followed without hesitation.