"Changed, changed, everything has been altered!"
As they delved deeper underground, Cui Fu swept his gaze around, sighing repeatedly.
He had been to this place before, but after the Underworld Hall took over, they had made numerous arrangements, altering the original layout. It had become so disorienting that he had led them astray multiple times.
Chu Fan remained composed, his senses fully extended, meticulously searching for the number of powerful individuals the Underworld Hall had stationed here. Simultaneously, he guarded against any unexpected appearances of people ahead, which might discover their presence.
For now, he did not wish for the Underworld Hall to detect their intrusion. Their primary objective was the Star Compass. Once it was in hand, he planned to thoroughly engage with the Underworld Hall, an organization more deeply hidden than even the Eternal Hall.
In the deepest recesses of the earth, due to the ancient battlefield originally possessing many incomplete and dangerous formations, the Underworld Hall's modifications were not extensive.
At this moment, a considerable number of people were still braving the dangers, advancing inwards. Upon triggering incomplete formations, they would collectively research ways to break them, seemingly intending to clear all dangers from the ancient battlefield and then claim the entire area as their own.
Although power had been supplied underground and numerous lights installed, there were still areas untouched by illumination.
After emerging from the exit, Chu Fan and his companion vanished into the darkness in a flash.
"Old man, how are we going to find it?"
Glancing around, Chu Fan’s expression was laced with helplessness. He had initially assumed the ancient battlefield, being underground, would not occupy a vast space.
Standing there now, he realized how simple his assumption had been. The sheer scale of this underground ancient battlefield far surpassed his imagination. He wondered how such a colossal space had been excavated in the first place.
The Star Compass, according to Cui Fu's description, was only about the size of a palm and had been lost during a struggle. Chu Fan felt that finding it within this ancient battlefield was akin to searching for a needle in a haystack.
Even more critical was the fact that Cui Fu only surmised the Star Compass might have been lost within this ancient battlefield, not that it was definitely here.
This meant their efforts might ultimately be in vain.
If it weren't for encountering the Underworld Hall here, and the prospect of obtaining information about them even if the Star Compass wasn't found, Chu Fan would have gladly left immediately, too lazy to expend such energy.
Sensing Chu Fan's thoughts, Cui Fu chuckled and said, "Kid, do you really think I'm that careless?"
"First, we'll head to the depths!"
"Once there, we'll know for sure if the Star Compass is in this ancient battlefield."
Hearing this, Chu Fan's previously dim gaze brightened. Knowing the old fellow must have other means to sense the Star Compass provided some solace to his agitated heart. He nodded and said nothing more. The two proceeded along the edge, moving towards the depths of the ancient battlefield through the darkness.
Gradually, as they approached the deeper sections, they had no choice but to be cautious, facing potential dangers at any moment.
Based on Cui Fu's understanding of the ancient battlefield, the protective measures originally set up by the Demonic Sect were quite potent. Some treacherous arrangements could easily obliterate a Grandmaster.
Hearing this, Chu Fan couldn't help but ask, "Was the Demonic Sect really that formidable?"
A Grandmaster had definitively entered the ranks of the powerful, and killing one was no easy feat.
At least for now, he himself was unaware of any formations that could so easily kill a Grandmaster.
Cui Fu shook his head and explained, "It's not that the Demonic Sect was particularly formidable, but rather that this place is quite unusual. It wasn't originally Demonic Sect territory; it was the ruins of a very ancient sect."
"Protective formations capable of instantly killing Grandmasters were remnants from a very distant past. The Demonic Sect, upon occupying this place, modified and utilized them."
With this explanation, Chu Fan finally understood.
In the era of Dharma's End, many things had been lost, leading to a reduction in the power of all things.
However, before the Dharma's End, it was different.
In the present day, a peak Grandmaster could be considered a king, a hegemon, able to walk unhindered anywhere.
But before the Dharma's End, Grandmasters were commonplace, much like Masters are now.
That era possessed numerous super-powered individuals, and countless things could kill a Grandmaster.
Concurrently, Chu Fan understood why he had felt a vague sense of unease since entering this place, as if something capable of harming him existed.
Given that this place existed before the Dharma's End, everything was now explained.
Caution ensures a thousand years of safety.
Chu Fan immediately heightened his vigilance, carefully sensing for any hidden dangers ahead. He had no desire to capsize in a ditch.
...
"Quick, look, is that someone over there?"
"It really is someone!"
"Is it one of our own?"
"It can't be one of our own. Our people wouldn't rashly venture into such a dangerous place!"
Despite Chu Fan and his companion's carefulness and efforts to avoid making a sound, the fluctuations inevitably emitted as they deciphered the blocking formations still attracted the attention of the Underworld Hall personnel on the periphery.
Within three minutes, a high-ranking official from the Underworld Hall appeared at the edge of the ancient battlefield, gazing with a grim expression at the two advancing further into the depths.
"I knew that earlier large-scale fire was a bit unusual!"
"So, someone was using a 'lure the tiger away from its den' tactic, sneaking in!"
"They were able to bypass all the protective measures to enter this place, their strength seems considerable!"
The high-ranking officials of the Underworld Hall, speaking one after another, appeared quite displeased.
"What should we do? Should we go in and stop them?"
All eyes were fixed on a young man with partially white hair but a face that appeared to be in his early thirties. He was Bai Xi, the person in charge of the Underworld Hall in this location.
Bai Xi squinted slightly, then said, "No need to bother with them. Do they really think this is a marketplace, where they can come and go as they please?"
"Arrange for people to guard the exit. Whatever they find will simply be them helping us search."
The others, hearing this analysis, nodded in agreement.
The entire underground ancient battlefield had only one exit. As long as the exit was secured, Chu Fan and his companion would have no way to escape.
Furthermore, the closer they got to the depths, the greater the hidden dangers.
The high-ranking personnel who had a thorough understanding of this place did not believe Chu Fan and his companion could emerge alive.
After Bai Xi and the others departed, the scene quickly returned to tranquility. Apart from two third-class Grandmasters stationed at the exit, everyone else continued with their tasks.
In the depths, Cui Fu withdrew his gaze from a distance and muttered, "Little Fan, they don't seem to be worried about us obtaining anything here."
Chu Fan glanced back and replied, "Is there a need to worry?"
"This place only has one entrance and exit. If it were me, I would also just need to guard the exit!"
"Besides, they know the dangers in the depths are immense and don't believe we can survive."
Cui Fu nodded, shifting his focus back to the task at hand.
Previously, he had been concerned about their movements attracting the attention of the outer personnel. Now that they had been discovered, the two no longer held back, picking up their pace.
Seeing that they had delved sufficiently deep, Cui Fu said, "Alright, this is it."
With that, he immediately took out various items from his bag, preparing to sense the location of the Star Compass.