At this moment.

Two black heads slowly rose from the ground in the distance outside the valley. They looked around in shock and began to communicate telepathically.

"Old Ox, how do we handle this?"

"Moo?"

The big black ox stared blankly at Chen Xun, unsure of the answer. This formation was clearly not a simple restriction.

Moreover, there were no blind spots around. Even if they could avoid detection by divine sense, they couldn't escape the naked eye or the formation.

Chen Xun and the big black ox looked at each other, for a moment that felt like an eternity...

"Old Ox, it seems Plan A has failed. Damn it..." Chen Xun gritted his teeth and instinctively chewed on a blade of grass beside him. "We can only proceed with Plan B, pretending to be experts."

"Moo~~~" The big black ox snorted out a breath of hot air, steaming visibly.

Over the past century, they had made many plans, anticipating situations like today's.

Among these plans, three were actionable, and ninety-seven were escape plans.

"We've been waiting for a hundred years. Now is the weakest moment for the entire cultivation world." Chen Xun's gaze grew cold. "Old Ox, fortune favors the bold. We won't get another chance like this."

Besides, there was at least one ancestor in the valley; it was impossible that there were none.

Their defense combined with their physical strength meant that as long as they survived the initial strike, they could definitely escape.

They had gathered information about Nascent Soul ancestors during their time with the Four Symbols Alliance. While Golden Core cultivators couldn't match them, late-stage Golden Core cultivators could survive a few moves, at least enough to beg the Nascent Soul ancestor not to kill them too quickly.

"Moo!!" The big black ox nodded vigorously, causing the surrounding soil to fly up.

"Damn it." With a flash, Chen Xun emerged from the ground, his eyes gradually turning blood-red. "Old Ox, bring out the local specialties!"

"Moo moo~~!" The big black ox also charged out, taking out a large pile of spiritual herbs and pills from its storage ring.

"Adjust your emotions."

"Moo~"

Chen Xun and the big black ox grinned, their eyes and mouths full of kindness as they walked step by step towards the Snow Listening Valley.

Outside, all the female cultivators squinted slightly. Under the wind and snow, two black figures were walking slowly through the snowy ground, smiling brightly.

Just like that, openly and fearlessly, under everyone's gaze?!!

However, their expressions gradually turned to shock. Why couldn't their divine sense penetrate them, and why couldn't they detect their cultivation levels at all?

Moreover, the Nine Palaces Mountain was full of restrictions, and the path to Snow Listening Valley was dominated by great formations. Why was there no reaction at all?

"Who goes there?!"

"Stop right there! This is the Snow Listening Valley!"

"Stop!"

Over a hundred female cultivators shouted angrily in unison, their voices echoing in Chen Xun's mind, making his scalp tingle.

Their eyes shot out cold, fierce light as they instantly summoned their magical weapons, the powerful spiritual light causing the surrounding snow to fly wildly, creating a brilliant spectacle.

The atmosphere instantly turned tense, with a trace of killing intent flowing through the air, making the snow fall even harder.

Sweat appeared on the big black ox's forehead as it instinctively took half a step back, remembering the time Chen Xun quarreled with Aunt Wang in the village and was soundly defeated.

"Everyone, stand down."

A calm voice rang out. Jiang Xuechen descended from the sky, her figure ethereal, with four others following behind her.

"Greetings, Senior Sister."

"Greetings, Senior Sister."

The female cultivators respectfully cupped their hands, their faces showing dissatisfaction as they glared at the two figures. Such audacity.

Jiang Xuechen sized up the two black figures, a faint smile playing on her lips, exuding a natural and unadorned freshness.

"What brings you here, seniors? If you force your way in, you might encounter some trouble."

"Heh, we're here to trade for something, and have no intention of being enemies with you fairies," Chen Xun said, hands behind his back, feigning the demeanor of a master. However, he was inwardly shocked, wondering why this woman, who was only at the mid-Golden Core stage, was being addressed as Senior Sister.

The big black ox dumbly nodded, holding a storage bag full of local specialties.

"What if we don't want to comply?" Jiang Xuechen appeared refined and gentle at first glance, but there was a faint indifference beneath her warmth.

The four behind her also looked at Chen Xun and the big black ox with cold expressions. If the ancestors were here, these two would already be corpses.

"In fact, we've prepared many spiritual pills and herbs. We won't let the fairies suffer any losses." Chen Xun stood in the snow, letting the snowflakes fall on him without revealing any aura. "We only need one 'Five Qi Ink Spirit Flower,' any age will do."

"You have quite the appetite." Jiang Xuechen let out a cold smile. "We have no authority over such a flower, but you can try to force your way in if you like."

As she spoke, Jiang Xuechen stepped aside, opening a path.

"Senior Sister, they are intruders, why..."

"Do not interfere, the divination indicates great danger."

"What?!"

The few people behind her, who had been communicating telepathically, widened their eyes in fear as they looked at the two figures in the distance.

"You're mistaken!" Chen Xun raised an eyebrow and patted the big black ox. "We brothers have no intention of forcing our way in. We only came to sincerely request some spiritual herbs!"

The big black ox winced in pain but forced itself not to cry out. Its tail twitched inside its bandit outfit, trying to maintain its fierce appearance for its brother's sake.

With those words, the female cultivators all snorted disdainfully, their eyes growing more vigilant They gripped their magical tools tighter, spiritual power accumulating in their hands, glowing intensely before being forcibly suppressed.

More and more female cultivators gathered at the foot of the mountain. The killing formations of Nine Palaces Mountain were fully activated, which would flay even a Nascent Soul ancestor.

"Who has the authority here? I'll talk to them." Chen Xun's divine sense had already spread out, and he sighed softly, "We'll wait right here."

"You?!" The crowd was furious. Even the ancestors of the other two major powers wouldn't dare act so arrogantly at Nine Palaces Mountain.

Jiang Xuechen frowned tightly. Where did these two come from? She felt an overwhelming sense of dread emanating from within them, but it wasn't due to their cultivation levelit was a feeling born of her innate talent.

To outsiders, these two seemed to come from nowhere, exuding an extraordinary aura and a fearless attitude that indeed intimidated them.

"Then let this old woman talk to you."

As the standoff continued, a majestic voice suddenly echoed from the sky, quelling all agitation.

**Boom!**

An old woman stepped out from Snow Listening Valley. Her stern demeanor was extreme, and her aura pressed down powerfully, with vast spiritual power surging like a mighty ocean.

This formidable presence caused everyone at Nine Palaces Mountain to gasp in awe.

Just by standing in the sky, she instilled a deep fear in all Golden Core cultivators, an oppressive feeling of supreme power.

"Greetings to Ancestor Jinyu!"

"Greetings to Ancestor Jinyu!"

The disciples from all peaks bowed their heads and cupped their hands, their loud voices spreading like a wave, resounding among the peaks.

No one knew when Ancestor Jinyu had returned, but she was unexpectedly at Snow Listening Valley.

The old woman leaned on a phoenix-headed cane, her silver hair flowing, her posture slightly stooped, but her eyes were exceptionally bright. In her youth, she must have been a great beauty.