The elite squad that Lin Wei had dispatched was already in place, stationed at a hidden camp 30 kilometers outside Black Mist Valley, ready to be deployed at any time.
"Keep your communicator with you. Send a signal immediately if there is any danger."
Lin Wei handed several specially made communicators to Huo Yuwei, saying, "We will storm in as quickly as possible."
"Understood." Huo Yuwei distributed the communicators to everyone.
Qiqi's communicator is a specially customized children's model. It looks like a small watch when worn on the wrist, but it has all the necessary functions.
"Qiqi, you must stay close to your big brother and don't run around, okay?" Huo Yuwei squatted down and earnestly instructed her.
"Okay!" Qiqi nodded vigorously, then took out several amulets from her small bag and gave them to Huo Yuwei, Bai Xuan and Lin Wei respectively.
"This is a new 'substitute talisman' drawn by Qiqi. It can help you block one fatal attack!"
Lin Wei took the amulet, which still smelled of milk, her eyes a little moist. "Little fellow Daoist, you must come back safely."
"Don't worry, Sister Lin Wei, Qiqi is very powerful!" Qiqi waved her little fist.
Midnight, outside Black Mist Valley.
The thick miasma, like a solid black fog, completely enveloped the entire valley.
At the entrance to the valley, two guards dressed in black robes were yawning.
"Why hasn't the Three-Eyed Envoy returned yet? Wasn't he supposed to arrive before midnight tonight?" a guard complained.
"It's none of our business to interfere with what the envoy is doing," another guard said lazily. "But I heard that quite a few children with pure Yin destiny were captured this time. The leader should be very happy."
"Happy? I doubt it. Last time, one of the four envoys brought back a child who was missing, and the sect leader directly extracted his soul and refined his spirit..."
As the two were talking, a sudden fluctuation came from the miasma ahead.
"Someone's coming!"
The guards immediately became alert and drew their bone knives.
The miasma parted, and three figures slowly emerged.
Leading the group was a tall figure wearing a three-eyed mask, followed by a burly man carrying a large backpack, who was also holding a small figure wrapped in a cloak.
"Greetings, Three-Eyed Envoy!" The guard quickly bowed.
Bai Xuan imitated the voice of the three-eyed masked man, saying hoarsely, "Yes. Open the door."
"Yes!" The guards dared not delay, and one of them took out a black command flag and waved it.
The other person formed complex hand seals and chanted incantations.
The miasma barrier slowly opened a gap, revealing a deeper, blood-red barrier inside.
Bai Xuan stepped forward, took out the modified identity token, pressed it onto the barrier, and at the same time quickly formed a hand seal with his other hand.
It is a modified version of the hand seals that Lin Wei taught.
It has to be said that Qiqi's talent in metaphysics is terrifying.
Within three days, she not only refined a lot of pills and drew a sufficient number of talismans, but also managed to extract the handprints and incantations from the Three-Eyed Envoy's soul memories.
A ripple spread across the crimson barrier, then silently opened an entrance just wide enough for one person to pass through.
"Let's go." Bai Xuan went in first.
Huo Yuwei followed closely behind, carrying Qiqi in his arms.
Upon entering the barrier, the sight before them caused all three of them to feel a chill in their hearts.
Unlike the darkness outside, there was a faint light source inside the valley.
It was a mineral that emitted a pale green light, embedded in the rock wall.
With the help of this green light, one can see that the valley is extremely large, and the outlines of buildings can be vaguely seen in the distance.
What was even more disgusting was that the air was filled with a strong smell of blood and decay, mixed with faint cries.
The crying was faint, but it came in waves, as if it were coming from underground.
They are the children who are imprisoned!
Qiqi's little hands gripped Huo Yuwei's collar tightly, her face full of anger.
"Calm down," Bai Xuan transmitted his voice. "Find a place to settle down first, then slowly gather information."
The three walked along a stone-paved path and encountered several patrolling guards along the way.
But upon seeing the "Three-Eyed Envoy," they simply bowed and hurriedly left, no one daring to ask any further questions.
Soon, they arrived at a cluster of buildings in the outer valley.
According to the information obtained during the interrogation, this is the envoy's temporary residence in the Outer Valley.
Bai Xuan found the courtyard marked with "seven", used the token to open the gate, and the three of them slipped inside.
The courtyard was small, with three rooms, and was filled with strange black plants.
Bai Xuan checked the area and breathed a sigh of relief after confirming that there were no monitoring formations.
"We're safe for now," he said.
Huo Yuwei put Qiqi down, and the little girl immediately took out several paper figures from her small bag.
"Go, little paper doll, help Qiqi check the surroundings!"
After landing, the paper figure quickly grew larger, transforming into several palm-sized figures that nimbly scaled the wall and began their reconnaissance.
Bai Xuan then secretly left the courtyard to gather information.
Huo Yuwei and Qiqi stayed inside to wait.
Tiger Eagle emerged from Huo Yuwei's backpack, reverting to the size of a kitten, and crouched warily by the window.
Time ticked by, and Qiqi grew a little nervous, her little hand gripping Huo Yuwei's fingers tightly.
About half an hour later, Bai Xuan returned with a solemn expression.
“The situation is not good,” he said. “The location of the dungeon has been found, on the third underground level, and it is heavily guarded. Moreover, I overheard some followers talking about how the leader is in seclusion preparing for the ceremony, which is three days earlier than the night of the conjunction of the seven stars, that is, eighty-seven days from now.”
"Advance?" Huo Yuwei frowned. "Why?"
"It is said that because more than 800 offerings had already been collected, the cult leader wanted to complete the ceremony ahead of schedule to avoid any unforeseen complications."
More than 800 children!
Qiqi's eyes instantly reddened. "Then we'd better hurry!"
Just then, the paper figures that had gone out to scout returned one after another.
They provide more detailed terrain information.
There are about two hundred believers in the outer valley, but the situation in the inner valley is unknown, though few people can be seen going in and out.
There are four guards at the dungeon entrance, who change shifts every two hours.
The altar is located at the deepest part of the inner valley and is protected by multiple arrays.
“There’s another piece of bad news,” Bai Xuan added. “I just heard that all the envoys have to go to the main hall of the sect tomorrow for a meeting to report on their progress. We… have to attend.”
Impersonating the Three-Eyed Envoy to attend high-level meetings?
This is like dancing on a knife's edge!
Huo Yuwei's face darkened. "Can you not go?"
“Not going would arouse suspicion,” Bai Xuan shook his head. “Besides, this is also an opportunity. More information about the ritual and the cult leader might be revealed at the meeting.”
Qiqi thought for a moment, then suddenly said, "Xiaobai, you can imitate that bad guy's speech, but do you know what he's usually like? Won't the other envoys see through the disguise?"
“That’s exactly what I’m worried about,” Bai Xuan admitted. “My understanding of the three-eyed masked man is limited to some fragmented memories obtained through the Soul Searching Technique, and it’s not complete. If he has close ties with other envoys or has any particular habits, we could easily be exposed.”
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