"Among the Northern Sect, when it comes to their backing, though not on par with the Shenxiao Dao Sect, it is not far off either."

Of course, on the Southern Heaven Continent, especially within the Great Ming Dynasty’s territory, the Shenxiao Dao Sect is a colossus.

Even the Northern Sect has to subordinate itself to the Shenxiao Dao Sect.

However, because the Northern Sect has some background and a Nascent Soul Realm patriarch overseeing it, the Shenxiao Dao Sect is quite courteous to people of the Northern Sect.

They wouldn’t treat them as they do the Myriad Swords Sect, casually sending a few people to command an entire sect to serve the Shenxiao Dao Sect.

At this moment, the old man continued, "Before I was injured, my cultivation had reached the Foundation Establishment Realm Seventh Heaven. Xu Changfeng schemed against me, but I beat him back!"

"However, Xu Changfeng was too insidious. The Xu Family had five Foundation Establishment Realm cultivators working together to fight against me, driving me into the dungeon."

"In the depths of the dungeon, I felt an immense danger."

"I knew I couldn’t go further into the depths of the dungeon, so I entered this cage and set up an array to battle them."

"The five of the Xu Family were not adept at arrays, and were unable to break my exquisite formation, suffering numerous losses at my hands, with everyone getting injured."

"However, I couldn’t escape either, and they instead invoked the evil presence lurking in the depths of the dungeon to trap me here."

"Initially, I thought I was doomed, never expecting that a war would suddenly break out among the various sects along the borders."

"Shortly after, the Northern Sect summoned all cultivators above the Foundation Establishment Realm to the borders to start a war with other countries."

"With the sect’s orders, Xu Changfeng and the five other Xu Family members dared not disobey. They left and haven’t returned for three hundred years, resulting in the absence of Foundation Establishment Realm cultivators among the Xu Family, allowing me to survive till today."

After listening to this man, Li Yunjing, Yu Yunyi, Lv Ruoxi, and Fu Chao exchanged glances with each other.

According to this man, he had come to the Xu Family as a guest three hundred years ago.

This was just before the Spirit Stone Mine was discovered in the Transverse Mountain Range.

He could count himself lucky, as soon after the Shenxiao Dao Sect learned of this, they mobilized various forces within the Great Ming Dynasty to join the battle.

The Northern Sect, being the foremost sect in the northern wilderness, naturally took the lead.

The five Foundation Establishment Realm cultivators from the Xu Family were the first to enter the borders, and the battle was fierce at that time.

It was likely that all five of them met with a fatal end.

With no Foundation Establishment Realm cultivators to uphold its luck, the Xu Family gradually declined.

All of this made perfect sense.

As for the five Foundation Establishment Realm cultivators of the Xu Family coveting a demon artifact?

That’s completely normal.

In the Immortal Cultivation Realm, many people would choose to risk their lives when faced with the limit of their lifespan.

With the potential fortune beneath the Xu Family’s ancestral home, it’s understandable that these Foundation Establishment Realm cultivators couldn’t resist.

As for practicing demon artifacts, going against orthodox principles?

As long as one could advance to the Golden Core Realm and gain a thousand years of life, who would still care about that?

They would simply leave the Great Ming Dynasty and live in regions occupied by other demon cultivators.

Cultivators have no particular attachment to territories or countries; they could leave if necessary.

The world is vast. With enough cultivation, why worry about a place to settle down?

"I never expected that a Daoist friend would turn out to be an expert of the Northern Sect!"

The four, Li Yunjing, Yu Yunyi, Lv Ruoxi, and Fu Chao, quickly communicated and decided to release him.

As for hiding the secret and killing this person?

That’s not the way of the Dao!

Of course, another reason was that Li Yunjing and his companions were disciples of the Shenxiao Dao Sect and had no fear of being pursued for obtaining any demon treasures.

These demon artifacts, if they could use them, they would; if not, they would simply hand them over to the sect.

As for practicing demon skills?

They had no desire for that!

The Shenxiao Dao Sect possessed countless classics and profound knowledge; they couldn’t even finish learning it all, so why would they covet demon skills?

Furthermore, when attacking the Netherworld Ghost Sect and the Yin Mountain Sect, Li Yunjing didn’t find these demon sects to be particularly remarkable.

He would be mad to abandon his roots for things he looked down upon.

"Ha! An expert? Can an expert be trapped for three hundred years?"

The old man gave a bitter smile. Trapped here, his path in the Dao was ruined. Even if the four in front of him were willing to rescue him, he wouldn’t have long to live.

"How should I address you, friend?"

Li Yunjing asked, and then gave his own name along with the identities of Yu Yunyi, Lv Ruoxi, and Fu Chao.

"I didn’t expect you all to be fellow Daoists of the Shenxiao Dao Sect!"

Surprised, the old man promptly revealed his own identity, "I am Shan Baiyi, a true disciple of the Northern Sect."

"Ah! You are Daoist Shan!" 𝐟𝕣𝗲𝕖𝕨𝗲𝐛𝗻𝗼𝐯𝗲𝚕.𝗰𝚘𝐦

Li Yunjing nodded and said, "Since we are both from Profound Sects, seeing you in distress, we must rescue you! But let me make one thing clear first."

Hearing that Li Yunjing was willing to save him, Shan Baiyi was overjoyed and hastily replied, "Please give your orders!"

"It’s nothing major! We have taken a liking to the Xu Family’s possessions. These items have nothing to do with you. Is that a problem?"

Li Yunjing asked.

"No problem! I can even help you!"

Shan Baiyi was taken aback, then laughed at himself and nodded in agreement.

If it were three hundred years ago, he might have competed for it, but with only a few decades of life left, he had no time to cultivate even if he obtained some peerless divine skill.

He was destined to never advance to the Golden Core Realm!

If that’s the case, what is there to compete for?

Besides, even though Li Yunjing and the others didn’t seem to have high cultivation, Shan Baiyi was not from a small sect and knew well that these Shenxiao Dao Sect disciples had formidable techniques and magical treasures for protection.