The seven illusions incense was arguably the most satisfying hypnotic fragrance she had ever developed. Knowing that killing people with scent was incredibly difficult, she started by focusing on hallucination. Over the years, she had used it to overcome many tough challenges, yet she never expected that one day it would be used against her.

Thinking of this, Qi Rou couldn't help but laugh bitterly.

It was truly unexpected. With her vast experience, Nascent Soul cultivation, and high status as the Harmony Saintess, she actually fell into the hands of a Qi Refining Fifth Layer Little Girl today. This truly shook her Mental State. Forget it, the seven illusions incense that was used was not a loss, and the half-book of Formations she painstakingly researched ending up in the Little Girl's hands was also not a loss. It was just a pity—how wonderful it would be if this Little Girl were her disciple.

Meanwhile, Yun Nian arrived at the Formation entrance she had previously chosen and walked straight in.

That was the route she had chosen after careful consideration to leave Huan Yuan Valley. Compared to the other Formations, it was relatively easier to solve. For a powerful Nascent Soul Stage Cultivator, the effect of the seven illusions incense would only last three days, and since Qi Rou was the developer of the seven illusions incense, the time it could delay her would be even shorter. Yun Nian recalled the contents of the Formation book while cautiously moving forward. Exactly two days later, she successfully walked out of Huan Yuan Valley.

After leaving Huan Yuan Valley, Yun Nian headed straight north. Having previously heard about the City of the Dead from Qi Rou, Yun Nian naturally did not dare to go in that direction. After all, her current cultivation was low, and safely returning to the Zixiao Sect was the top priority. Huan Yuan Valley was isolated from civilization, so she could only head in the opposite direction of the City of the Dead, where she might find people to ask for directions.

Inside Huan Yuan Valley, Xi Mo and the others had been trapped here for three full days. Several Formation Masters, whose Mental State was poor, were now slumped on the ground, looking miserable and utterly despairing.

“If we remain trapped, and that demonic woman discovers us, won't we be finished?”

“Forget about whether that demonic woman will discover us, are we going to be trapped in this place for the rest of our lives?!”

“It's all your fault! I told you before that the subtleties of this Formation shouldn't be tested carelessly, but you insisted on using your own method to solve it. Now you've triggered a Chain Formation, and none of us can get out!”

“If I hadn't come out to try and solve the Formation, did you all have a solution? Now that we're trapped, you push all the blame onto me? Where were you when we were in trouble?”

The Formation Masters had already started bickering, and the incessant chatter made Xi Mo frown even harder.

Meanwhile, after Yun Nian had walked for an hour, she suddenly saw someone resting under a tree. Observing their aura, she determined they were not a Demonic Cultivator, so she walked over.

“Fellow Daoist, may I ask where this place is, and which direction I should head to reach the Zixiao Sect?” Yun Nian asked.

Hearing this, the Cultivator turned his head. Upon seeing Yun Nian, he was startled and quickly pulled out a portrait from his sleeve. After carefully comparing it with the person in front of him, he immediately said, “You are Yun Nian?!”

Yun Nian's eyes flickered slightly: “You know me?”

She then lowered her gaze, looking at the portrait in his hand.

“Of course I know you. I was originally hired by the Xi Family Young Master to go to Huan Yuan Valley to find you. However, the Formation set up by that Demoness of Joyful Union was truly difficult to solve. Feeling powerless, I retreated. Even without going deep inside, it took me many days to get back out. But... how did you get out? Why isn't the Xi Family Young Master with you?” the man asked hurriedly.

So, the person who had entered Huan Yuan Valley a few days ago was Xi Mo. But why did he come? Was he trying to save her?

Yun Nian's eyes moved. Recovering her senses, she looked at the man and said, “I walked out myself. They should still be trapped in Huan Yuan Valley.”

When she solved the Formation and came out, Yun Nian vaguely saw a few rays of light, which must have been their location, but she hadn't thought much of it at the time.

Thinking of this, Yun Nian turned around and walked back.

Seeing this, the man quickly shouted, “Hey, where are you going?!”

“Finding someone,” Yun Nian replied flatly, her figure quickly disappearing from the area.

Inside Huan Yuan Valley, Xi Mo rubbed his tightly furrowed brow, suppressing his emotions as he said coldly, “Shut up, all of you!”

However, his words had no effect. Instead, they only made the Formation Masters argue more fiercely.

“Well, look at this. We didn't find the person, but we got ourselves trapped instead. Young Master Xi, we respect you and call you Young Master Xi, yet you brought us to this place, and now we're in this situation. You are still young and inexperienced. What should we do now?”

“What you're saying isn't reasonable either. We were hired to break the Formation, and we already accepted the Spirit Stones. Now you're turning around and blaming Young Master Xi?”

“Breaking the Formation? Do you think this Formation can be broken? Forget breaking the Formation, prepare to collect your own corpses!”

...The anger in his chest burned hotter and hotter. Xi Mo's hand was already gripping his long sword tightly, but the keenness developed from years of sword cultivation allowed him to detect a subtle change. He immediately looked in that direction.

He saw Yun Nian sitting leisurely on a tree branch, holding a blade in her arms, her pair of beautiful eyes quietly watching the area.

“Yun Nian?!” Xi Mo was stunned, thinking it was a hallucination, but he didn't expect the person in the tree to respond readily.

“Mm.” Yun Nian nodded toward him.

Xi Mo was stunned again, and only then did he speak: “Weren't you...”

“I just walked out. I met someone on the road who said you were trapped here, so I came to take a look,” Yun Nian said lightly, agilely jumping down from the tree.

Strangely, even Yun Nian's arrival did not pull the Formation Masters out of their argument; it was as if they hadn't noticed her at all.

This scene made Xi Mo feel confused: “This is...”

“This is an Illusion Formation, not a Confusion Formation,” Yun Nian said lightly.

Although the Formation Masters were still immersed in arguing, Yun Nian's voice still reached their ears.

“What Illusion Formation? What do you mean it's not a Confusion Formation? Wait... this is an Illusion Formation... How could this be an Illusion Formation? It's clearly a Confusion... I know! I know! That Demoness of Joyful Union is truly cunning. She used a Confusion Formation as a disguise, but it's actually an Illusion Formation designed to disturb our minds and make us fight amongst ourselves! If we calm down and empty our minds, perhaps we can see the Formation's true appearance!” one of the Formation Masters shouted.

Immediately afterward, the other Formation Masters reacted one by one. They all sat cross-legged on the ground and began chanting Calming Incantations. Before long, one of the Formation Masters seemed to have comprehended something and suddenly stood up.

“I know how to break this Formation!” Saying this, the person eagerly walked forward.