In reality, they should be thanking the Yin-Yang All-Creation Sect for suddenly making a move. After all, it pushed the Hidden Earth Sect into cooperating with the authorities. Nearly half of the elders and administrators of the Hidden Earth Sect had initially opposed the collaboration. Two-thirds were even against it at the very beginning, far outnumbering those in favor. However, after the incident, the elders who had originally objected could no longer insist on citing the ancestral teachings as justification. The Qin family's daughter-in-law naturally knew nothing about the Yin-Yang All-Creation Sect. She was merely their pawn. With the Wood Elder at the scene, intelligence gathering was no longer an issue, especially since they did not have to show him mercy. A squad from the warfare unit soon arrived and, in front of the Hidden Earth Sect, used a special injection to easily make the Wood Elder confess the Yin-Yang All-Creation Sect's plan against the Hidden Earth Sect. It seemed their true objective was the Nether Realm. After their initial contact with the Hidden Earth Sect, they began trying to infiltrate the sect. The Qin family's daughter-in-law was the only one who managed to enter through marriage and quickly gain the sect's trust. Through the intelligence that she had steadily gathered, the Yin-Yang All-Creation Sect had long since obtained information about several rare treasures. It showed just how complacent the Hidden Earth Sect had become, with their confidentiality in complete disarray. Upon learning that the Nether Gate had appeared, the remaining experts of the Yin-Yang All-Creation Sect devised several plans. Using poison was not their first choice. They originally planned to sneak in, try to make contact with the rare treasures, and release ghost soldiers from the Nether Realm. They would then force the Hidden Earth Sect into direct conflict with the authorities and use that opportunity to form an alliance with them. They would have benefited the most from that plan. However, Shen Sui'an, the sect master who rarely appeared in the clan grounds, suddenly returned and convened a full clan meeting to discuss cooperating with the Hua Republic authorities. Naturally, the Qin family's daughter-in-law swiftly leaked it. The yin sect master promptly decided to keep Qing Yanzi and the others trapped and eliminate the Hidden Earth Sect's sect master, elders, and administrators. Right after, they would have seized the sect's secret treasures and taken control of the Nether Realm. After Wood Elder had confessed everything, several highly respected elders of the Hidden Earth Sect began a discussion. "Although we have long wished to cultivate in seclusion, trouble has already come knocking at our door." "Enough is enough. While some Daoist sects did commit immoral deeds, a thousand years have passed since then. Though the traditions remain, the people are no longer the same." "With the way modern science has developed, not every clansman can become an immortal. Besides, we're not in ancient times anymore. Today's government is nothing like the old feudal dynasties. There is no point in resisting." "The authorities have also already promised that they will respect and treat us the same way they treat other Daoist heritages." Aware that they had essentially completed their mission, Wang Sheng and the other young cultivators exchanged quiet smiles. Now, they just had to borrow a few rare treasures from the Hidden Earth Sect. Although its walls had collapsed and windows had been shattered, the two parties still returned to the conference room. This time, the investigation unit staff also joined the meeting. Crowds formed outside the building, including nearly half of the villagers who had stayed behind in the plaza. They all paid close attention to how their environment could change in the future. Wang Sheng, Mu Wanxuan, Xi Lian, and Liu Yunzhi followed Shen Qianlin to explore the quiet village. They chatted and laughed, creating a warm and relaxed atmosphere. Shen Qianlin turned to Wang Sheng and Mu Wanxuan. "Things should go smoothly now. I really don't know how to thank you both. Honestly, my decision at first was rather impulsive. I knew that one wrong move could have endangered the entire sect. Thankfully—" Wang Sheng waved his hand and smiled. "No need to thank us. There might still be conflict later. We mainly came to borrow your treasures." "That can certainly be discussed," Shen Qianlin replied. "Why not have a few elders bring the treasures to the Nether Gate and have them assist there? As members of the Hidden Earth Sect, we should bear some social responsibility. As guardians of the Nether Realm, our duty is not only to prevent cultivators from intruding but also to stop the monsters inside from harming the world." Liu Yunzhi praised, "If all cultivators had your sense of righteousness, there would be far fewer conflicts." Shen Qianlin smiled shyly. "Stop teasing me, Handsome." "Still not interested in cultivating?" Wang Sheng asked. "Mm. I'm pretty happy with my life right now." Shen Qianlin blinked. "And now I no longer have to worry about anything happening to my sect. I can just focus on being a self-reliant rich girl, find a reliable husband, and have a few adorable kids. Of course, if my children want to cultivate in the future, I won't stop them for as long as they can take responsibility for the path they choose." Xi Lian laughed lightly at Shen Qianlin. "Your heart wants peace, but your expression says otherwise. Your fate will have many dangers. You better be careful." Shen Qianlin could only sigh and rub her forehead. "Alright." "I'm just letting you know," Xi Lian softly added as she walked away. Wang Sheng and Mu Wanxuan just helplessly smiled. It seemed the half-immortal fox did not particularly like Shen Qianlin. Night fell, and stars filled the sky. The five sat under a grape arbor in a small courtyard, chatting and drinking tea that wasn't poisoned. The meeting was finally concluded at 10:00 PM. The Hidden Earth Sect had decided to accept official supervision going forward and would also restrict its members from committing any illegal acts. When the authorities required experts, the sect would obey dispatch orders. In return, the authorities promised not to mobilize the sect lightly. They would provide cultivation subsidies based on headcount and assist the sect in staying hidden. Given the Hidden Earth Sect's special nature, a small Special Investigation Unit team would remain stationed in its territory on rotation. Their priority was to deal with the Nether Gate and the Nether Realm. As Shen Qianlin had said, the Hidden Earth Sect would no longer obstruct the authorities from exploring the Nether Realm. Instead, they would work together to find a way to return the Nether Gate to its rightful place. Moreover, Sect Master Shen Sui'an and several Golden Core Realm elders would personally carry the sect's treasures to the Nether Gate. Thanks to Shen Qianlin's efforts and the Special Investigation Unit's swift response, what could have been a major problem had been turned into a valuable asset. This was certainly a great achievement on Shen Qianlin's part. Hence, the investigation unit did not hold back in rewarding her. It also served as a gesture of goodwill toward the Hidden Earth Sect. Wang Sheng, Mu Wanxuan, and Liu Yunzhi, who had contributed significantly to this incident, were also officially commended on the Righteous-Qi Alliance's website. The Hidden Earth Sect still held onto its pride. They would not mix with the Daoist sects and would continue to cultivate quietly in their clan grounds, but that did not pose any problems. As Wang Sheng and his group chatted, a call came from Qing Yanzi. Their eyes lit up as they rushed over to one of the four connected villas, which served as the four elders' residences, near the back of the village. At the center of the villas was a solitary stone house. It looked like a storage room on the surface, but below it lay a sizable hidden structure. Qing Yanzi, several Daoist elders, Wang Sheng, and the younger generation followed Shen Sui'an and the Hidden Earth Sect elders inside. Shen Sui'an unlocked several arrays. The floor slowly slid open, revealing a large sloping tunnel wide enough for four or five people to walk side by side. A soft, warm light illuminated the passage. "This way, please. This leads to our clan's ancestral hall." Shen Sui'an took the lead. Qing Yanzi followed closely behind, while the other Daoist elders each walked beside a Hidden Earth Sect elder. Shen Qianlin took care of Wang Sheng and the others. The tunnel had bright and even lightning. Moreover, its walls were lined with beautiful porcelain tiles. Wang Sheng tried spreading out his spiritual consciousness, but he could not extend it beyond the tunnel. No wonder they had been unable to detect this place before. They walked for over a hundred meters. Judging by the depth, they seemed to have returned to the area directly under the community service center. Up ahead, the space opened wide to a large hall in the style of ancient architecture. Over thirty meters long and more than ten meters high, it was big enough to hold hundreds of people. At the center of the ancestral hall was a stone altar with memorial tablets around it. This was the place where the Hidden Earth Sect paid respect to their ancestors. They walked past the altar and headed straight to a corner. "Daoist Master Bu Yan, these are the treasures related to the Nether Realm. Our ancestors left them behind." The first thing they saw was a long scroll wrapped in a gray aura that was similar to the aura of the Nether Gate, only purer. When one stared at the scroll, the gray aura would slowly fade and reveal images in a style similar to Along the River During the Qingming Festival[1], except they depicted scenes from the Small Nether Realm. Below the scroll were two flags, one black and one white. They emitted a deeply unsettling aura, filled with dense yin qi. On a square table to the left was a stone that gleamed like a mirror, perfectly reflecting a person's facial features. Further left, an ancient dark-blue robe hung on the wall. Beneath it was a jade bowl of vibrant green. Shen Sui'an smiled. "With this scroll, we can monitor the Nether Realm. With these flags and our sect's secret techniques, we can command legions of ghost soldiers. These three treasures are enough for this expedition." Smiling, Qing Yanzi nodded. Although curious about the other treasures, the Daoist elders did not ask further. Even being allowed to see them was already a great sign of goodwill from the Hidden Earth Sect. "Hmm?" Xi Lian tilted her head and muttered, "What is the big city drawn on the far left side of the scroll?" "That would be Fengdu," someone from the Hidden Earth Sect replied. Still feigning innocence, Xi Lian asked, "Why is there such a massive rift outside Fengdu? And why are eleven great palaces floating above it?" One of the elders kindly explained, "Beneath that rift is the entrance to the Eighteen Levels of Hell. They are structured as an inverted pagoda. The eleven palaces above are suspended in the air. The outer ten belong to the ten Yama Kings, while the central one is the Hall of Reincarnation." Xi Lian frowned with faint annoyance. "Tell me, are you truly blind or just pretending not to see it?" Everyone's attention immediately turned to her as she pointed to the rift on the scroll. "Look closely. Tiny black dots have started appearing. It looks like something is crawling out of the Eighteen Levels of Hell." Everyone's expression darkened. Shen Sui'an rushed over and glanced at it, souring his expression dramatically as well. "This is bad. Some of the malevolent ghosts in the Eighteen Levels of Hell really did survive. We have to go to the Nether Gate now!"