Yi Qianxi and Chi Muyao gathered together to look at the spirit beast bones. They were shocked to see the nails in them.

They never thought a renowned Righteous Sect would resort to such vicious methods one day. 

Chi Muyao picked up one of the bones. "This skull should be from a fox. This seems to be its hind leg bone, and the nail is embedded in its Three Mile Point." 

"What does that mean?" Han Qingyuan asked sincerely. She could sense their anger.

“In general, foxes have spirituality. The idea is present even in the mortal world. There are many blue foxes in this Ling Que Mountain range, named for their azure eyes, which spawned many legends. I have heard of a spell called ‘Blue Sacrifice’, which involves sacrificing blue foxes to heaven to improve the feng shui and luck of a clan or place."

Hearing Chi Muyao's explanation, everyone recalled the peculiar feng shui in this mountain. Perhaps it was related to ‘Blue Sacrifice’.

Yu Yanshu immediately asked, “Isn't this Blue Sacrifice able to change the feng shui for the better? How did this happen?"

Chi Muyao looked at the beast bones again and said, "Although the name sounds innocuous, the actual method is very cruel. They will first sew the blue fox's mouth shut before nailing it to the designated position on the altar. All this has to be done while the foxes are still alive…” 

Everyone imagined the scene and frowned. 

Chi Muyao then looked up at the mountain. "To change the feng shui of such a large mountain, it would take many foxes. They might have bitten more than they could chew and angered the heavens, turning this sacrifice formation into a killing formation that reversed the feng shui of the mountain.”

Han Qingyuan couldn't help but sigh. "Yes, it would take many. I remember…” 

She didn't continue.

Those who didn't know much about Blue Sacrifice couldn't help but ask, "Is it so terrible?" 

Chi Muyao held the beast bone and looked at them. "En, they say foxes have spirituality. After killing so many blue foxes, it is normal to pay some price."

Yu Yanshu was more concerned about how to break the formation. "Is there any solution?" 

Chi Muyao shook his head. “How can the anger of Heaven be so easily dissolved? I am just a little disciple of the Yu Chong School. It's already a miracle I can recognise Blue Sacrifice. I cannot crack this array."

Then people asked, "What about this place then...?"

Chi Muyao shook his head. "I can only conclude for now that this place is related to buddhists."

They could only stop and think of other ways.

When everyone dispersed, Mu Ren went to find Chi Muyao alone because he was worried.

Chi Muyao was a little resistant to Mu Ren's enthusiasm. His first thought was to sneak away, but this time, Mu Ren seemed to want to talk business. 

Mu Ren asked him, "Do you think there is something wrong with Yu-shixiong?"

Chi Muyao stopped immediately and looked at Mu Ren.

There did seem to be something off, but he couldn't put his finger on it.

Chi Muyao didn't know what to say.

He could only say, "Why are you asking?" 

"On the day we were captured, Su You once took Yu-shixiong to a place alone. Who knows what they talked about to make Yu-shixiong so depressed and...unhappy. Yes, unhappy. I asked him but he didn't say anything. If he really was fine, Yu-shixiong wouldn't be so secretive. Something's wrong."

Chi Muyao was a little surprised. Su You and Yu Yanshu?

These two never interacted in the original novel, so what was going on?

Chi Muyao could only reply, "There is something off, but it's understandable. We're trapped here with no way out and no solutions, everyone is very anxious. It's normal for him to feel something too." 

“You're right, I may have thought too much." 

Although Mu Ren left, Chi Muyao fell into a long period of contemplation.

He only returned to his senses when Yi Qianxi pulled him to find a temporary place to stay. 

This was an abandoned temple so there were many meditation rooms to use. Some were dilapidated, others could be restored to provide temporary shelter.

Since they couldn't leave, they would have to settle for now.

Chi Muyao found a creek behind the temple. Perhaps because it ran through the pure land, the creek was crystal clear and potable. 

With water, most of their survival problems were solved.

As Chi Muyao and Yi Qianxi discussed how to store water, they noticed how Yu Yanshu was still consoling a crying shimei. He was still as warm as ever.

Chi Muyao was probably overthinking things.

Two days later, Yi Qianxi stared dully at the wall where they had once gathered.

 There wasn't much prey nearby. What little animals could survive such a harsh environment? 

They often went hungry. She was standing here to get some sun. Maybe that would make her hunger go away.

At this time, Chi Muyao came over and helped her tidy up her collar. "Even your collar is drooping." 

Yi Qianxi didn't say anything at first, but Chi Muyao's motions suddenly reminded her of something. "Weren't the shadows we saw that day in a similar position?" 

Chi Muyao paused and took a look. It really did seem so. 

At this time, Xi Zihe walked over and asked, "Chi-shidi, Yi-shijie, we discovered some animals over there.” 

The Nuan Yan Pavilion disciples couldn't survive under such conditions. Everything from hunting to cooking they relied on the two Yu Chong School disciples and their lives were very difficult. 

The two of them looked at Xi Zihe and told him of their discovery.

Chi Muyao walked towards the direction of the animals and analysed, "In other words, the shadows here depict not what is happening in the present, but the future."

Xi Zihe also found it very strange, “Why is there such a split?” 

"I don't know, this place is so weird that it can't be interpreted."

They shared the news with others, who also didn't know what to make of it.

Like this, they were trapped here for half a month.

During this period, other disciples arrived, and some who had lost themselves were saved.

The Nuan Yan Pavilion and Xiang Huang Pavilion disciples increased from the initial ten to thirty-one.

The lost Ming Shaoluo and Tang Ming, who had been searching for her, also came.

Even though he didn't have the best impression of her, Chi Muyao still breathed a sigh of relief seeing her arrive safely.

It's good that they weren't caught by the Luo Sha Sect.

In the beginning, they still had hope, thinking that perhaps the Nuan Yan Pavilion seniors would come to save them, but they were disappointed. 

This caused them to become more and more depressed. The group of usually spirited Righteous Sect disciples became dispirited.

Come to think of it, even seniors would have trouble with the uncertainty of heavenly majesty.

During this time, when Chi Muyao and Yi Qianxi were bored, they would sit together and stare at the shadows.

Perhaps one day there would be no shadows, meaning they'd escaped.

Until one day, they noticed a strange shadow on the wall.

Yi Qianxi held her chin in thought before suddenly looking at Chi Muyao. "This person...has a dragon horn on his head.” 

Chi Muyao saw it too. He looked at the shadow, stunned. 

Xi Huai came?

How did he get in here?

Did he lose himself in the woods?

 While he was still surprised, he saw Xi Huai's shadow overlap with his.

They were...kissing?! 

Yi Qianxi sat up straight and looked on with much interest. 

Chi Muyao quickly covered her eyes and stammered, "He, he's probably trying to kill me!"

Yi Qianxi ducked his hand and kept looking. "Does he even have to turn his head to kill you? What, is he delivering poison through his mouth?"

Chi Muyao's head was about to explode!

Was this something a teenage girl should say? How did she mature so early?!

Yi Qianxi still didn't let the matter slide. "He's kissing you for so long...shouldn't he give us in-laws more Hundred Flavour Grains as tribute?"

"Shijie! You-you... Let's never cross paths again!" 

"Heh, severing ties with me?” Yi Qianxi enjoyed his shy expression before looking at the shadows again. "Aiyo, still going? Why's this little wyrmling so sticky?" 

Chi Muyao wanted to haul Yi Qianxi away. These shadows were really embarrassing! 

After that, Chi Muyao was restless—thinking about Xi Huai every day.

Now the forest's miasma had intensified to a terrifying degree. Cultivators would start losing themselves after the very first step out of the pure land.

Several things could be observed about those who fell under the spell and lost themselves. Their desires and aspirations would be intensified.

For example, those obsessed with cultivation would enter a training frenzy.

Those who desired wealth would steal other people's Hundred Item Brocade…Those who lusted would assault female cultivators.

The cultivators did not want to step into the forest anymore. They did not want to lose themselves, and they did not want to expose their nature and be humiliated. 

Knowing this, Chi Muyao suddenly thought about how Ming Shaoluo only attacked him when she lost control. She even chased them into the forest, and caused him and Yi Qianxi to become trapped inside.

It's obvious she hated him to the bone even though he hadn't done anything.

Ming Shaoluo's hatred was simply a disaster for him. He could not avoid it. 

The intensity of the miasma made the cultivators not dare to take half a step out of the pure land. They needed to use various contraptions in order to hunt, trying their best to bring the prey into the pure land.

The cultivators also tried to use some isolated artefacts, but they found that this miasma was extraordinarily evil. It could quietly corrode those artefacts and slowly infiltrate them.

Even communication-type artefacts like Sound Transmission Talismans would disappear in the forest. Not one got out successfully. 

As a result, there was no hope for help.

Everyone was trapped in the forest, isolated and helpless. 

So how would Xi Huai get in under these circumstances?

Would he be in danger charging into the forest?

Only a fool would go to a place they knew was dangerous.

The thoughts made Chi Muyao's chest tighten. He knew Xi Huai was coming for him. It was like him to do such a thing.

He was worried, but also guilty for several days, afraid of what would happen if Xi Huai broke into the forest.

In his spare time, he would look at the forest at the edge of the pure land, wanting to see if Xi Huai came.

People started noticing Xi Huai's shadow and identified who he was over the past few days. His dragon horn was just too distinctive.

This caused much discussion.

None of them liked Xi Huai very much before, because he was a Demonic Faction disciple with an arrogant personality.

But now, Xi Huai's imminent arrival brought them joy. Did this mean they were about to be saved?

"Why's this dragon horn dude with the little Yu Chong School disciple all day?" One person quickly noticed this open secret.

Another person scoffed. "He's the number one beauty of the three realms. There was a spark before. Now, it looks like..."

This was followed by a deep, meaningful sigh.

"But they are both men."

"So what? Would a Demonic Faction disciple care?" 

Chi Muyao naturally heard and took a deep breath. 

This deep-rooted prejudice was hard to change. Even though Xi Huai had done a lot of good things over the years and kept a high-profile name, they still had not changed their opinion of him.

Demonic Faction, Demonic Faction, Demonic Faction. They said those words like that was all they needed to deny everything Xi Huai had done.

His experience in the Ninety-Nine Glass Pagoda only raised his impression by a few points.

However, these people still had a disdainful attitude towards peachy things.

A man was somehow the number one beauty of the three realms, and he had a crazy Demonic Faction disciple suitor? What was there to be pleased about?

Even saying it aloud was disgusting.

Yi Qianxi cursed, "Saying things like that all day, you should leave this place because you're as bad as those from the Luo Sha Sect! The miasma probably won't have any effect on you!"

Chi Muyao naturally had to intervene. "Don't be like this, Shijie. They always like to prattle on. We'll just stop giving them food to eat so they can feed themselves.”

"That's right! Eating our food and talking bad about us? Shameless!"

Those people saw that the going was rough and quickly apologised. They still had to rely on these two, but Chi Muyao and Yi Qianxi were indifferent to them.

To Chi Muyao's surprise, a little scarecrow sauntered into the pure land before Xi Huai.

It walked past many cultivators, jumping with great agility onto a roof. Despite its shortness, it could cross one leg over the other.

Chi Muyao also went over to look at it. He was tense, since Su You had returned.

Why is he still here?

Yu Yanshu and the other chased the scarecrow for a while without success.

The scarecrow was about the size of a palm, its movements agile and life-like. It weaved among the crowd and easily evaded everyone.

The scarecrow jumped up to the top of a ruined sculpture and suddenly became an adult in his twenties.

He casually tied up his shoulder length silver hair and asked, "Can't we all get along?"

Mu Ren was the first to retort, "You injured us like that before, and now you want to get along?"

Su You's reply was very shameless. "I didn't want to come back at first, but I discovered after walking to the boundary that your Nuan Yan Pavilion's Nascent Soul stage seniors sealed the mountain very, very tightly. Even I couldn't get out, so I had to come back. I hurt you once, and your seniors trapped me once, so we're even, right?"

"They came?" Mu Ren was astonished, but he soon realised something was wrong. "They sealed the mountain? But we're still inside!" 

Su You casually made a pony tail and shook his head to make sure it wasn't too tight. "Right. They can't deal with the miasma just yet, but it continues to spread. So they decided to sacrifice everyone in the mountain and set down a huge sealing array to prevent any more people from being affected."

So it wasn't that their seniors didn't know they were here. They simply decided to give up on everyone in the mountain to contain the miasma first.