The next day, Qingyan set out with Elder Yun toward Crimson Cloud Sect.
Before reaching the main gathering grounds, he instructed Elder Yun to proceed ahead toward the Rupture Valley and wait there.
Qingyan then made his way alone to the assembly hall of Crimson Cloud Sect.
As soon as he stepped inside, Sect Master Han Licheng fixed him with a cold stare.
"You are the last to arrive, Sect Master Lan," Han said, his tone sharp and probing.
Qingyan met his gaze calmly. "I was contemplating certain matters regarding the demonic realm," he replied evenly. "Yesterday, I made some significant discoveries."
The hall fell silent as the air grew tense Han's eyes narrowed slightly. "Discoveries?" he asked.
Qingyan did not lower his gaze. "Yes discoveries." His tone remained steady, neither defensive nor provocative. "I believe what we saw yesterday was only the surface."
"In truth, the realm is far more complex than we assumed, fellow Daoists. It appears to be some kind of ancient suppression formation with five seals. Out of these, three have already broken, and three regions like ours perhaps even stronger have already been breached. I discovered a fourth seal that is half-broken. To gather more information, I intend to visit that fourth region. Does anyone possess further insight?"
The hall fell into stunned silence.
Everyone was shocked first by the information Qingyan possessed, and even more by his willingness to share it so openly.
In truth, most of them had not even dared to investigate deeply. And those who had ventured further were too fearful to descend into the depths.
Just then, Sect Master Han and Pavilion Master Shu Xia questioned him regarding the accuracy of his claims.
"The information is most certainly correct, Daoist Xia and Sect Master Han," Qingyan replied evenly. "To verify it further, I am prepared to visit the fourth region myself. I ask if anyone else is willing to volunteer."
The hall grew even quieter Several sect leaders exchanged uneasy glances before subtly shrinking back.
Han Licheng finally spoke. "I believe a solo expedition would be more prudent."
Qingyan inclined his head slightly. "As you say, Sect Master Han.
A solitary expedition is indeed harder to detect. After all, we also require sufficient forces here to hold the breach."
It was the first time he had addressed Han with proper title since their earlier confrontation.
The meaning did not go unnoticed.
Then Sect Master Lan spoke again, a faint glint in his eyes.
"As you all know, our sect has declined somewhat. I may require a bit of assistance."
Several sect leaders gnashed their teeth at his words. But compared to risking their lives in an unknown region, relinquishing a portion of resources was far preferable.
In the end, each sect contributed a share of materials.
Crimson Cloud Sect, after a brief exchange of glances, even provided a Life Substitution Puppet a treasure capable of enduring a fatal blow.
Lan Qingyan accepted it with a broad, unhurried smile. Without further delay, he headed directly toward the Rupture Valley.
Before entering, he secretly signaled Elder Yun to move ahead separately.
After stepping inside and traveling several hundred kilometers through fractured terrain, Qingyan paused. He extended his divine sense carefully, sweeping the surroundings in widening arcs.
He could find no tails only the steady pulse of the realm.
Satisfied, he stopped and spoke calmly into the empty air. "Come out, Elder. Now tell me the path."
A ripple passed through space. Elder Yun emerged slowly, disbelief flashing across his face.
He had been circulating the Formless Art his presence erased so thoroughly that even peak Golden Core experts should have failed to detect him.
Yet Qingyan had spoken to him with perfect precision.
Elder Yun's pupils shrank. There was only one explanation that His Formless Art… had already reached Minor Accomplishment.
He stared at Qingyan as though looking at something inhuman.
Qingyan merely returned a calm smile one that carried an unfathomable depth.
Elder Yun swallowed slowly. It seems following this man was the best decision of my life.
Perhaps under him, my people may reach heights we never even dared to dream of. A foolish smile slowly spread across his face and without another word, he stepped forward to guide the way.
As Qingyan and Elder Yun moved deeper, Qingyan could clearly sense the demonic qi growing denser with every step.
It pressed against the skin. It lingered in the breath. Elder Yun noticed the subtle tightening in Qingyan's expression and said quietly,
"This is still mild compared to true despair. In some areas of this realm and in the regions already breached the demonic qi is so thick that one cannot even breathe properly. All living beings there either perished or evolved into demonic creatures."
His voice carried no exaggeration it just had the feel of someone who had seen it all
After several more hours of travel, the density of demonic qi gradually thinned again. The oppressive weight eased slightly, and soon a portal came into view ancient, unstable, its edges flickering faintly.
"That is the passage to my region," Elder Yun said.
They stepped through, the moment they crossed over, devastation greeted them.
The land was scarred, forests blackened, and blackened fields air carried a faint metallic scent.
Elder Yun spoke quietly, "We lost much territory before we managed to contain it. We built a defensive wall at the entrance of the valley to prevent the qi from spilling further."
Qingyan remained silent. He could see it clearly the tension in Elder Yun's posture, the shadow in his eyes.
The drained corpses at the altar that day had not been ordinary cultivators.They had been this region's pillars.
Its elites. Without them, the land had grown fragile. Perilous.
Elder Yun did not want to be the one to return home with failure.
He did not want to stand before his people and confirm what they already feared. It was not fear of death.
It was the weight of surviving when others had fallen a Survivor's guilt. Qingyan understood and he said nothing.
Then suddenly they heard a roar.
It was filled with something like mourning the sound of countless grieving voices twisted into one. It was deeply disturbing, enough to unsettle even a steady mind.
Elder Yun's face turned pale. he looked at Qingyan and said urgently,
"Sect Master it's coming from the direction of the defense lines."
Qingyan nodded without hesitation. He immediately took to the air, flying swiftly toward the source.
After only a few dozen kilometers, they saw it.
A tremendous mass of dark shadow loomed ahead towering like a mountain, its form shifting and unstable. The roar it released seemed powerful enough to tear the heavens apart.