Dongtian Xie scanned the area for a moment but found no clues. Realizing his target was gone, he could only suppress his murderous intent.

He gathered the Qiankun Bags scattered on the ground and returned to the cave, planning to escape with his men. However, Song Changsheng had already picked the place clean, leaving Dongtian Xie with nothing but an empty cave.

Seeing this, he knew at once what had happened. His eyes turned bloodshot in an instant. Dongtian Xie threw his head back and let out a heaven-shaking roar, startling a flock of birds into flight. A powerful aura burst forth from him, terrifying to behold.

"Damn it! Damn it! Damn it! Who the hell was it!" Dongtian Xie repeated the curse three times, a clear expression of his inner fury.

He’d spent ages planning and preparing for this, all to advance his cultivation. He’d taken such enormous risks, nearly dying here in this vast mountain range.

And for what? For someone to swoop in and steal the fruits of his labor. How could he not be consumed by hatred?

’It must have been that person lurking in the shadows. You’d better pray I never find out who you are, or I’ll make you wish you were dead!’ Dongtian Xie’s heart seethed with resentment, and he completely forgot who had just saved his life.

Suddenly, his expression changed. He sensed several unfamiliar auras appear nearby. After a moment of thought, he understood what was happening, cursed under his breath, and began to think of how to escape.

He was severely injured, and his Mana was less than a tenth of what it was at his peak. He could barely even sustain his Little Divine Techniques. While he could still crush an individual Foundation Establishment Cultivator, he wouldn’t be able to handle a large group.

If he were to face a Purple Mansion Cultivator, he would be utterly powerless.

He had originally planned to rely on refining Pills to treat his injuries before sneaking away. But now, even his Alchemy Furnace had been stolen.

"The Evil Cultivator is here! Don’t let him get away!" Before he could even devise a countermeasure, the first group of Cultivators who had pinpointed his location arrived.

They didn’t charge in recklessly, instead forming a blockade outside the cave. It looked like they were waiting to gather more forces before making a move.

Realizing their intent, Dongtian Xie’s expression turned grim. There was no more time to think. Gritting his teeth, he decided to charge out and fight!

’It will cost me, but that’s better than losing my life...’

Dongtian Xie’s location was the first to be exposed. Worse, his true condition—severely weakened—was also revealed and even exaggerated. As a result, he drew the vast majority of attention, which took a great deal of pressure off the Blood Demon, who was also desperately fleeing through the Hundred Thousand Mountains.

His situation was also grim. His companion had died in battle in Luoxia City, and the subordinates who had spent years painstakingly infiltrating the city had been almost completely wiped out by the City Lord’s Mansion’s manhunt.

It could be said that this operation had utterly crippled their branches in both Bian Province and Ling Province. It was impossible to know how long it would take to recover.

Fortunately, he had completed the mission assigned by the Lord Sect Leader!

The Blood Demon looked at the cage in his hand. Inside, a Blood Bat Demon King cub was sleeping soundly. His gaze was fervent. ’As long as I have you, all these losses will have been worth it.’

"He should be around here somewhere. Search carefully."

Suddenly, he heard a familiar voice.

The Blood Demon’s expression darkened instantly. "Those pests from the Golden Crow Sect are truly relentless," he said coldly. "When my sect finally returns to the light of day, you’ll be the first ones we destroy!"

His words were bold, but he knew perfectly well that in his current state, he was no match for his pursuers. He performed a peculiar Magic Technique, instantly melting into a pool of blood that seeped into the ground and vanished...

"Brother Yunhe, it seems we’ve accidentally stumbled into an Array," Song Changsheng said, looking at the verdant bamboo forest around them after they had circled back to the same spot yet again.

Xu Yunhe, carrying the still-unconscious Xia Wanyun on his back, furrowed his brows. "Who would set up an Array here? To think that even you couldn’t detect it."

He was well aware of Song Changsheng’s skill with Arrays. Back when he was only at Tier One Top Grade, he had managed to seize control of a Tier Two Array.

’But even he didn’t notice this Array... could it be a Tier Three Array?’

"Let me have a look," Song Changsheng said. He activated his Pupil Technique, and the world around him instantly transformed. One by one, hidden Array Patterns became clearly visible.

’It is a bewildering Array, just as I suspected... but why do these Array Patterns look so odd?’

Song Changsheng frowned. The Array Patterns were unlike any he had ever seen, and they gave off an incredibly "crude" impression.

Even the most inept Array Master couldn’t possibly carve such "crude" patterns; they were fundamentally incapable of forming a functional Array.

And yet, this place defied common sense. Not only had the Array Formation succeeded, but it had ensnared him before he even knew what was happening.

Just as Song Changsheng was puzzling over this, a flash of inspiration struck him. He exclaimed in sudden understanding, "So that’s it."

"Brother Song, did you discover something?" Xu Yunhe immediately asked from the side.

Song Changsheng nodded, pointed at the surrounding bamboo forest, and said, "The system of Arrays we use today was actually gradually formed by our predecessors as they comprehended the laws of the universe and imitated Natural Magical Arrays.

And of these, Natural Magical Arrays are the most crucial component. The Array Patterns of most modern Arrays are derived from them. 𝐟𝚛𝕖𝚎𝕨𝗲𝐛𝚗𝐨𝐯𝐞𝕝.𝐜𝗼𝗺

Natural Magical Arrays are in harmony with the Dao Rhyme of heaven and earth. They are formed through long periods of natural evolution. Each one is unique and represents a return to primal simplicity, making them the most perfect of all Arrays.