The engine''s roar was a dull backdrop to my racing thoughts as the private jet cut through the clouds. Conrad sat across from me, his face a mask of tense concentration as he studied ancient texts on his tablet.


    "This is suicide," he muttered for the fifth time since takeoff. "Earth Fiend Valley isn''t just dangerous—it''s a death trap. The formations alone have driven men insane."


    I ignored his warnings, focusing instead on the burning fury in my chest. The images of Maia''s broken body in the hospital bed and the thought of what ra might be enduring right now fueled my resolve.


    "Wend in thirty minutes," I said. "Have you found anything useful about their defenses?"


    Conrad sighed heavily. "Only fragments. Most information about Earth Fiend Valley exists as warnings, not maps. But there''s mention of a formation called the ''Mind Haze Barrier'' that causes intruders to lose their sense of direction and wander in circles until they die of exhaustion."


    "Can you break it?"


    "Maybe," he admitted reluctantly. "If it follows traditional Eldorian formation principles. But Liam, even if we get past their outer defenses, the valley is rumored to house at least three Martial Barons and possibly a Martial Marquis."


    I closed my eyes, measuring the power flowing through my meridians. After my recent breakthroughs, I could confidently face a Martial Baron, perhaps even two if necessary. But a Marquis was another matter entirely.


    "I''ll handle it," I said with more confidence than I felt.


    Conradughed bitterly. "You''ve grown stronger, I''ll grant you that. But this isn''t some family feud or corporate takeover. These people have spent centuries perfecting the darkest arts. They drain life energy from innocent victims to fuel their cultivation."


    My jaw tightened. "All the more reason to burn their valley to the ground."


    We fell into silence as the ne began its descent. The mountainousndscape below us was shrouded in mist despite the afternoon sun. I could feel it already—this wasn''t natural weather. A cultivation formation was at work, obscuring whaty beneath.


    Once on the ground, we hired a local guide to take us as far as he dared toward the rumored location of Earth Fiend Valley. The elderly man drove us through winding mountain roads, his weathered face growing increasingly anxious as we ascended.


    "This is as far as I go," he dered, stopping his truck at a deste viewpoint. "Beyond here, people disappear. The mountain eats them."


    I paid him generously and assured him we''d find our own way back. The fear in his eyes as he drove away told me all I needed to know—we were close.


    Conrad unfolded a map,paring it to thendscape before us. "ording to my research, the valley should be approximately three miles north through that pass. But the mist..."


    "Let''s go," I said, shouldering my pack.


    We hiked in silence for nearly an hour. With each step, the mist grew thicker, and I noticed Conrad''s steps bing increasingly erratic. The formation was already affecting him.


    "Stay close," I ordered, gripping his shoulder. "Focus on me, not the path."


    I channeled my qi to strengthen my divine sense, pushing outward to pierce through the illusion. The mist fought back, trying to cloud my mind with confusing images and false directions. But my will was stronger, fueled by righteous anger and the desperation to save ra before it was toote.


    Suddenly, I felt a strange pull at the edge of my consciousness—like a hook catching a fish. My divine sense was being dragged away from my body, pulled toward... something.


    "Conrad," I gasped, "I need to sit down. Something''s happening."


    He looked at me with rm as I dropped to the ground, crossing my legs in a meditation position.


    "What''s wrong?" he asked, panic edging his voice.


    "My divine sense... it''s being pulled somewhere. I need to follow it, see where it leads. Watch my body."


    Before he could protest, I surrendered to the pull, allowing my consciousness to be drawn away from my physical form. The sensation was disorienting—like being yanked through an invisible tunnel at impossible speed.


    When the movement finally stopped, I found my divine sense hovering in a dark, cavernous space. Before me stood an enormous stone statue, easily twenty feet tall, depicting a man with a cruel face and robes carved to appear as if they were flowing in wind. The statue''s eyes glowed with an eerie red light—the source of the pull.


    "Atst," a voice boomed in my mind. "A cultivator approaches. Tell me, are you a disciple of Earth Fiend Valley?"


    I realized instantly what—or rather who—this was. The trapped Ancestor of Earth Fiend Valley, sealed away in stone. Conrad had mentioned rumors of their founder being imprisoned by rival sects centuries ago, his consciousness bound to a statue hidden deep within the mountains.


    My mind raced. This was an opportunity—a dangerous one, but an opportunity nheless.


    "I... I am," I lied, projecting images of reverence and loyalty. "But the valley faces a grave threat, Ancestor."


    The red glow intensified. "Speak! What threat could challenge Earth Fiend Valley?"


    I hesitated, then decided on the most audacious n. "A cultivator named Liam Knight has learned of our sacred ground. Hees with powerful allies to destroy us and free our... subjects."


    "Liam Knight?" The voice seemed to taste the name. "I have heard whispers even in my imprisonment. He has made many enemies."


    "Yes, Ancestor," I continued, emboldened by his response. "He''s already defeated several of our outer disciples. Our elders fear he may break through our formations."


    The statue trembled slightly, dust falling from its stone shoulders. "Where are the valley''s Martial Barons? Where is the Marquis who leads you?"


    "Engaged elsewhere," I said quickly. "A conflict with the Crimson me Sect has drawn them away. I was sent to seek your guidance... your power."


    The red glow pulsed angrily. "Fools! To leave our sacred grounds so weakly defended!"


    I suppressed a smile. "Ancestor, legends say you possess power beyond even our Marquis. Is there any way you could aid us in this desperate time?"


    A long silence followed, during which I feared I''d overyed my hand. Then the statue''s mouth opened slightly, releasing a wisp of red energy.


    "For centuries I have been trapped here, my consciousness bound to stone, my power sealed but not destroyed," the voice finally said. "I cannot free myself yet, but I can temporarily transfer a portion of my power to a worthy disciple."


    The wisps of red energy circled me, examining my divine sense. "You are... peculiar. Your foundation is unusually strong, yet I sense something else within you... something that repels me."


    I quickly concealed my true cultivation base, projecting only the image of a devoted disciple. "I have practiced the valley''s techniques faithfully, Ancestor."


    "Hmm." The energy continued to probe. "Tell me of this Liam Knight. What manner of cultivator is he?"


    "Arrogant and cruel," I said, describing my supposed enemy—myself—with convincing hatred. "He defeated our brothers with despicable tricks, not true strength. He doesn''t deserve to live, let alone challenge our sacred valley."


    The statue seemed pleased with my answer. "I will lend you my power for three days. Use it to crush this insect who dares threaten what is mine. But be warned—my energy is potent. If your meridians cannot withstand it, you will be destroyed from within."


    I projected determination and gratitude. "I understand the risk, Ancestor, and ept it willingly. Earth Fiend Valley must be protected at all costs."


    "Very well." The red glow intensified until it was nearly blinding. "Return to your body and prepare yourself. My poweres."


    My divine sense was violently thrust back through space, mming into my physical form with such force that I gasped aloud. Conrad was kneeling beside me, shaking my shoulders frantically.


    "Liam! Liam, wake up!" His face was pale with fear.


    I opened my eyes, struggling to focus. "I''m back," I managed to say.


    "What happened? You''ve been unresponsive for almost twenty minutes!"


    I didn''t have time to exin. A searing pain suddenly erupted in my chest as a stream of malevolent red energy poured into my dantian. The Ancestor was fulfilling his promise—lending me his power.


    But it was too much, too fast. The energy was violent and corrosive, flooding my meridians like molten metal. I could feel my dantian stretching dangerously, threatening to rupture under the pressure.


    I copsed onto my back, convulsing as the foreign power invaded my system. Conrad''s panicked face hovered above me, but I could barely hear his shouts through the roaring in my ears.


    "Too much," I gasped, feeling my meridians beginning to crack. If this continued, I would suffer a cultivation deviation—or worse.


    Just as my dantian reached its breaking point, something miraculous happened. A warm, golden light appeared within me, manifesting as what looked like a giant hand. It moved through my innerndscape with gentle authority, cupping around the raging red energy, containing and stabilizing it.


    The relief was immediate and overwhelming. The golden hand seemed to be filtering the Ancestor''s power, making itpatible with my own energy system. Within moments, the pain subsided, reced by a sensation of incredible strength flowing harmlessly through my body. <cite ss="in-imprint-b">This chapter was made possible by the *munity.</cite>


    "My father," I whispered, recognizing the familiar energy signature. This protective measure could only havee from him—a safeguard embedded deep within my body, activating only in times of extreme danger.


    Tears sprang to my eyes unexpectedly. For years, I''d felt abandoned, believing my father had left me with nothing but a jade pendant and a legacy of unanswered questions. But this—this was proof that he''d never truly left me unprotected.


    "Liam?" Conrad''s worried voice prated my thoughts. "What''s happening? Your body was glowing red, and then gold..."


    I sat up slowly, marveling at the power now flowing through me. It felt like I''d jumped two full cultivation levels in an instant. With this strength, even a Martial Marquis wouldn''t be beyond my reach.


    "I just borrowed some power," I said, a grim smile forming on my face. "And received unexpected protection."


    Conrad looked at me like I''d gone mad. "What are you talking about?"


    "It doesn''t matter," I replied, rising to my feet with newfound energy. "What matters is that I now have exactly what we need to tear Earth Fiend Valley apart."


    I looked ahead through the mist, my enhanced divine sense now easily piercing through the illusion. The path to the valleyy clear before me, and I could sense the barriers and formations waiting to stop us.


    They wouldn''t be enough. Not anymore.


    "Let''s go," I said, my voice hardened with determination. "ra is waiting."


    As we continued forward, I felt the golden energy pulsing reassuringly within me, containing and regting the Ancestor''s borrowed power. My father''s protection—his final gift to me—was the key that would unlock my victory.


    And with it, I would make Earth Fiend Valley pay for every innocent life they''d ever taken.