As Wang Yang narrated, everyone finally understood what had happened.
In the first few days after being imprisoned, Wang Yang had indeed fallen into despair.
He felt disheartened, as if he had been completely abandoned.
After a few more days, Wang Yang realized he couldn't continue in such a state of decline.
He had to save himself!
Thus, he staged a version of The Shawshank Redemption in the cultivation world.
It had to be said that Wang Yang’s luck was truly exceptional.
Previously, True Person Ziyun had not activated the formations within the cave, which was why he could dig through the ground.
Because he had disguised his activities well, his tunnel-digging went completely unnoticed.
Of course, the main reason was that the disciples who brought him food never expected Wang Yang to pull off such a stunt…
But that was no longer important.
What mattered was that Wang Yang had managed to dig out an underground secret chamber!
The equipment he was wearing was found in that secret chamber.
After simple tests, Wang Yang discovered that these were two Dharma Treasures.
They allowed him to regulate his true qi with even finer precision, and control the furnace fire more at will when refining pills.
Essentially, they were Dharma Treasures that increased the success rate of alchemy!
Besides these two Dharma Treasures, there were several large chests in the secret chamber.
However, these large chests were sealed with formations, so Wang Yang did not dare to touch them carelessly.
Thus, Wang Yang led everyone all the way to the secret chamber.
The formation sealing the chests was not complicated, and several elders specializing in formations opened them with ease.
Spiritual Energy!
A rich wave of spiritual energy washed over them!
These chests were actually filled with various high-level materials!
Some of them were even fifth or sixth tier!
The Ziyun Sect could not even find a fourth-tier material, let alone these high-grade items!
True Person Ziyun’s pupils instantly turned into the shape of spirit stones!
Rich!
So rich!
Happily sealing the chests and storing them in their rings, everyone left the cave.
Two flying boats, one large and one small, headed towards the imperial city.
Not long after they left, a series of sounds came from the secret chamber.
"Bang—!"
"Bang—!"
"Bang—!"
…
Impact sounds echoed from the ground, as if something was continuously attacking from beneath.
"Whoosh—!"
A glow appeared from the ground, forming the shape of a formation.
After the formation appeared, the impacts stopped.
A faint sound could be heard from underground, but it was too weak to be clearly discerned.
A few breaths later, it was completely silent underground.
The glow vanished, and the formation concealed itself once more.
The cave returned to silence, as if nothing had happened.
Two hours later.
Several figures appeared before the mountain gate of the Ziyun Sect.
These individuals were short and appeared frail.
Their faces had a grayish-blue hue, which looked very unnatural.
If any knowledgeable cultivators were present, they would immediately recognize their identity.
Ghost Cultivators!
While ghost cultivators were technically a type of cultivator, they were generally not well-received.
This was because, in addition to absorbing spiritual energy from heaven and earth, they used peculiar methods to advance their cultivation.
For instance, absorbing the vital essence of living beings.
In short, in the eyes of other cultivators, they were no different from wicked cultivators.
Unless they reached a certain level of power, they were destined to be oppressed.
These individuals clearly did not belong to the ranks of the powerful.
It turned out that when they had roamed near the Ziyun Sect previously, they had detected a valuable item within the sect.
It was a material very useful to ghost cultivators, which could increase their cultivation speed if possessed.
Human cultivators, however, would not have any special perception of such a thing; even if they saw it, they would dismiss it as an ordinary item.
After all, they belonged to two different cultivation systems.
The little boy who first appeared at the Ziyun Sect was one of them.
Their original plan was to have the ghost cultivator boy steal the item, and then they would flee.
Regardless of whether they could defeat the Ziyun Sect, a fight would likely attract other cultivators.
Therefore, they intended to play it safe.
However, they waited and waited, but the little boy never returned.
While they were hiding and contemplating the situation, and formulating further plans, the Ziyun Sect experienced a series of dramatic events.
From the arrival of the demon sculpture to the gathering of the eight great sects, and then the attack of the Silver-eyed Roc King.
When Li Tianjou, a cultivator of the Nascent Soul stage, finally joined the Ziyun Sect, these ghost cultivators were completely disheartened!
Facing a cultivator at the Nascent Soul stage, they would be discovered no matter how stealthy they were…
For safety, they could only stay far away.
However, the item held too great an allure for them, so much so that they were unwilling to let it slip away.
Thus, they sent people to observe secretly from a distance every few days, hoping to find an opportunity to strike.
Unexpectedly, today they had encountered a golden opportunity!
That sect was relocating!
But they had not taken that item with them!
Happiness, it seemed, often arrived so suddenly!
With excited hearts, the few ghost cultivators entered the Ziyun Sect’s premises.
There were no obstacles.
They easily reached the bottom of Jingming Lake.
At the bottom of the lake lay a large stone, and the item they sought was inside it.
After obtaining the item, they prepared to leave.
"Wait a moment." The leading ghost cultivator glanced at his surroundings and gestured.
He had noticed that some buildings were still left behind in the sect.
Some of these buildings had utilized first-tier cultivation materials.
Now that the sect had moved, weren't those materials ownerless?!
Although ghost cultivators had low efficiency in absorbing and transforming those materials, who would refuse something given for free?!
Due to their identity, obtaining cultivation resources was extraordinarily difficult for them.
They were often driven away long before they could make a move.
If not for the advantage ghost cultivators had in fleeing, they would have died countless times…
These first-tier materials, which True Person Ziyun disdained, were like a treasure mountain to them!
The leader voiced his idea, and the other ghost cultivators unanimously agreed!
There was nothing more to say; they would just dismantle everything!
Since everyone had already left, they were not afraid of being discovered.
After thoroughly dismantling the Ziyun Sect, the ghost cultivators set their sights on Xianyu Peak.
Only this mountain peak remained!
With pleasant anticipation, they floated towards the summit of Xianyu Peak.
At the summit of Xianyu Peak.
The first thing they saw was a Purple Jade Ice Flame Flower.
A flower about a zhang tall was hard to miss.
If there was anything special about it, it was the faint scent of alcohol emanating from the flower.
However, the ghost cultivators paid it no mind and began their treasure hunt.
In their eyes, the flower was at most large, but it possessed no spiritual energy fluctuations.
It was merely an ordinary flower.
The Purple Jade Ice Flame Flower swayed gently in the breeze.
"Hmm? Someone's here?"
Purple Jade blinked drowsily and quickly reached a conclusion.
Suspicious outsiders + trespassing without permission = enemies.
Enemies = fertilizer.
The hearts of the ghost cultivators suddenly tightened!
This was a sense they had cultivated over many years, only appearing when in extreme danger.
Something was amiss!
Although they detected no true qi fluctuations, they still turned around reflexively and shielded their bodies with their ghostly energy.
Then they saw several vines appear in their vision.
And then…
There was no then…