I Have a Compass for Opportunity

About the time it takes to drink a cup of tea later, Lin Qianyin came out holding a talisman.

The talisman was of a grayish-white color, with a cluster of white light on top that constantly drifted in the northwest direction, pointing the way like a compass.

Liou Yuan observed this clearly from the shadows, appearing deep in thought.

"The Yanluo Sect indeed has means to track that Zhai Yuzhu."

"Let’s move out!" Lin Qianyin put away the Jade Talisman, her face stern, as she gestured to the two Qi Cultivation Eighth Layer junior brothers behind her.

The trio simultaneously harnessed their Spiritual Power and walked out of the valley, naturally heading in the direction that the talisman pointed.

Liou Yuan, utilizing the Night Concealing Mask’s power, followed after the three as they left the valley.

In the end, both the Five Extremes Mountain and Yanluo Sect wanted Zhai Yuzhu dead.

The Five Extremes Mountain sought vengeance for a disciple killed by Zhai Yuzhu, coupled with their relatively upright tradition, they had a duty to eliminate Demon Cultivators.

The Yanluo Sect, on the other hand, viewed Zhai Yuzhu as a disgrace and longed to see her suffer a thousand cuts.

Both factions’ disciples were tasked with killing Zhai Yuzhu, turning this situation into a competition.

Liou Yuan trailed approximately a hundred meters behind Lin Qianyin and company, maintaining a distance neither too close to lose them nor too far to be noticed.

Along the way, he marveled more than once: "It’s indeed thanks to the Night Concealing Mask, or else with my tracking skills, Lin Qianyin would have sensed me entering that valley."

Lin Qianyin and the two juniors continued on, frequently stopping en route to use the talisman to lock onto Zhai Yuzhu’s location.

It actually took seven days, and they had already exited the Qingyou Prefecture’s territory, stepping into Jinglan Prefecture, the neighboring realm.

Jinglan Prefecture was the Jin Dynasty’s closest prefecture to the border. Further ahead lay endless mountains and ridges, almost devoid of human presence.

Deep within that area was a place referred to by both Jin Dynasty and Jiuli State cultivators as the Nether Abyss Peak.

Inside was the realm of demons and fierce beasts, including Foundation Establishment and Golden Core level spirit beasts that had already taken form.

The treacherous terrain and hostile environment could claim lives at any moment, making even Foundation Establishment Cultivators wary of venturing too deep.

Thus, as they entered Jinglan Prefecture, an ominous premonition arose in Liou Yuan’s heart, sensing where Zhai Yuzhu was hiding.

"Jinglan Prefecture! That damned woman might actually be hiding in the Nether Abyss Peak!"

Liou Yuan’s suspicion was not without basis, this remote place like Jinglan Prefecture, aside from the Nether Abyss Peak, left him with no other plausible hideout for her.

If Liou Yuan were Zhai Yuzhu, being hunted by so many factions, he too might make the risky move of hiding in an area feared by all cultivators, gambling for a sliver of survival.

As the trio continued forward, Liou Yuan soon regretted his pessimism.

Guided by the talisman, Lin Qianyin and her companions traversed several cities within Jinglan Prefecture, moving into areas where no human signs existed within hundreds to thousands of miles.

Ultimately, they stopped before a massive barrier formed by towering peaks and ridges.

It was the renowned Nether Abyss Peak.

Liou Yuan was also seeing this area documented in ancient texts for the first time.

The topography of the Nether Abyss Peak exuded ferocity and strangeness, radiating an aura that made one shudder.

From a distance, the sprawling mountain range seemed like the twisted wounds of the earth being torn apart, its peaks interwoven like countless sharp fangs, growing wantonly toward the sky.

Among them, the mountains soared into the clouds, hidden within the inky dark clouds, its steepness daunting, the cliffs lined with jagged rocks resembling a demon’s sharp claws,

the surface of the mountain was covered in black rocks, coarse in texture yet exuding a cold shine.

From the crevices of the rocks seeped dark red liquid, slowly flowing like blood, shimmering with an eerie glow under the sunlight, adding a bloody aura to the whole mountain range.

Deep within the Nether Abyss Peak lay a perpetual shroud of dense mist, tinged with a bluish-gray hue, thick and viscous like a tangible haze.

Ancient records describe this mist thus: immediately upon entering the mist, vision is abruptly obstructed, not even seeing one’s own hand. One loses all sense of direction, struggling futilely, as though spinning in place, trapped within an enigma, unable to escape.

As Lin Qianyin and company approached the Nether Abyss Peak, they visibly halted, seemingly hesitating whether to enter.

"Qianyin, the Nether Abyss Peak is no ordinary place; Zhai Yuzhu, exhausted and desperate, entered that place. We cannot jest with our lives."

"Indeed, her strength wouldn’t sustain her long in the Nether Abyss Peak, and she might already be a corpse."

"We just need to keep watch outside these peaks for a few months. If she hasn’t emerged, we can report her death confidently, for no one would dare venture in to investigate."

The two Qi Cultivation Eighth Layer disciples from the Yanluo Sect accompanying Lin Qianyin were evidently fearful, each expressing their opinions.

Lin Qianyin merely listened calmly, offering no response.

Her eyes, sharp as swords, fixed unwaveringly on the glow of the guiding talisman in her hand.

The glow constantly pointed inward to the peaks, as if urging Lin Qianyin forward.

Without dismissing their concerns, she calmly uttered, "Enter!"

In the Yanluo Sect, Lin Qianyin’s status was second only to those in Foundation Establishment.

This time, with Lin Qianyin leading their outing, once she made her decision, the two could only grit their teeth and obey despite their reluctance.