Chapter 6581 - 6590

The three hundred disciples of Qingyun Cave Heaven neither pursued those who fled nor slaughtered those who surrendered.

They simply stood quietly within the Eight Trigrams Heavenly Evolution Formation, awaiting Kai’s orders.

Kai sheathed his Dragon-Slaying Sword and turned to look at the Bright Hall cultivators kneeling on the ground.

His purple eyes swept over their terrified faces without any fluctuation.

“From this day forward, the Bright Hall ceases to exist.”

His voice was calm, yet exceptionally clear in the silent Bright Hall. “Those willing to surrender, hand over your magical artifacts, cripple your cultivation, and you may leave alive. Those unwilling to surrender…”

He didn’t finish his sentence, but everyone understood his meaning.

Those unwilling to surrender, die.

The Bright Hall cultivators exchanged glances, then one by one handed over their magical artifacts, channeled their spiritual power, and shattered their meridians.

Golden holy light dissipated from their bodies, their cultivation levels rapidly plummeting—from Golden Immortal to True Immortal, from True Immortal to Celestial Immortal, and from Celestial Immortal back to the mortal realm.

They were once high and mighty divine cultivators; now, they were nothing.

But at least they were alive.

Those unwilling to surrender, Kai gave them no chance.

The disciples of Qingyun Cave Heaven acted swiftly and decisively, one sword strike at a time; in less than half an incense stick’s time, all the stubbornly resisting Bright Hall cultivators were slain.

Golden blood flowed before the Bright Hall’s mountain gate, forming dark golden streams.

The air was thick with the pungent, nauseating stench of blood.

Kai stood on the ruins of the mountain gate, surveying the scene before him, his purple eyes devoid of any emotion.

He was not a bloodthirsty man.

But some people deserved to die.

The people of Bright Hall who injured Su Yuqi deserved to die.

Whether intentional or unintentional, whether acting under orders or on their own initiative,

injuring those who shouldn’t have been injured had to come at a price.

This was Kai’s rule.

From the mortal realm to the celestial realm, from the heavens to all the myriad worlds, this rule had never changed.

Master Yuxu walked to Kai’s side, his aged eyes looking at him with a complex expression.

“Mr. Chen, the Hall of Light has been destroyed. Where do we go next?”

Kai was silent for a moment, then said, “Gather all the resources of the Hall of Light and return to Qingyun Cave Heaven.”

Master Yuxu nodded and turned to instruct his disciples.

The disciples of Qingyun Cave Heaven began to clear the battlefield, collect spoils, and treat the wounded.

Kai stood on the ruins, his gaze fixed on the northeast.

That was the direction Su Yuqi had left in.

She didn’t know what had happened here, didn’t know everything he had done for her.

Perhaps she would never know.

Perhaps even if she did know, she wouldn’t care.

She had lost her memory and didn’t remember him.

In her eyes, he was just someone she knew, a boy she had seen in the Fourteenth Heaven, someone who had helped her in the Northern Abyss.

That was all.

But Kai didn’t care.

What he had done for her didn’t need her to know, didn’t need her to repay him, or even care.

He just wanted her to know…

that in this world, there was someone who cared about her, someone who remembered her, and someone who was willing to risk their life for her.

Even if she forgot everything.

Even if she would never remember him.

“Let’s go.” Kai withdrew his gaze and turned to walk down the mountain.

Jiang Xuelan followed behind him, her ice-white dress standing out vividly in the golden sunlight.

In her hand, she held the Heart of the Cold Abyss, the ice-blue bead slightly warm in her palm, as if telling a story.

Yun Yi walked at the front of the group, his wooden sword swaying gently on his back, the ancient Dao patterns on it glowing faintly in the sunlight.

Master Yuxu walked at the back of the group, his white hair and beard fluttering in the wind, his aged eyes looking at the ruins of the Bright Hall, a trace of indescribable emotion flashing in them.

Three hundred disciples of Qingyun Cave Heaven stood in neat rows, their blue Daoist robes gleaming faintly in the sunlight, like a blue river flowing slowly through the mountains and forests.

Behind them, the ruins of the Bright Hall emitted black smoke in the sunlight, golden blood congealing on the white jade, forming a strange and bloody scene.

The Hall of Light, a divine force that had existed in the Eighteenth Heaven for tens of thousands of years, was utterly destroyed today.

The news spread like wildfire throughout the entire Eighteenth Heaven.

Three hundred disciples of Qingyun Cave Heaven poured out, and under Kai’s leadership, annihilated the Hall of Light in a single day.

The Hall Master, Holy Light Celestial Venerable, was personally killed by Kai, and thousands of Hall of Light cultivators either died, surrendered, or fled.

The once glorious Hall of Light was reduced to nothing in a single day.

…

Flame God Palace.

Yan Wuji sat on the Flame God Throne, holding the newly arrived intelligence, his crimson-gold eyes filled with shock.

The Hall of Light was destroyed.

Destroyed in a single day.

The Hall Master, Holy Light Celestial Venerable, a fifth-grade Golden Immortal, was personally killed by Kai.

“Kai…” Yan Wuji murmured the name, his voice carrying a fear he himself didn’t realize, “How many more people will you kill?”

No one could answer him.

The hall was deathly silent; even the sound of the divine fire lamps burning could be clearly heard.

Yan Wuji put down the intelligence report, his fingers lightly tapping the armrest, producing a dull thud.

He was pondering.

Could Kai’s next target be the Flame God Palace?

If Kai brought three hundred disciples from Qingyun Cave Heaven to the Flame God Palace, could he stop him?

Even the Bright Hall’s protective array, the “Holy Light Curtain,” couldn’t stop Kai; could the Flame God Palace’s protective array withstand it?

Even the Holy Light Celestial Venerable had died under Kai’s sword; could he defeat Kai?

Yan Wuji’s brows furrowed deeply.

He didn’t know the answer.

But he knew one thing: he had to find a way to deal with Kai as soon as possible.

Otherwise, the next to be destroyed would be the Flame God Palace.

…

The Void Merchant Guild.

Wu Yuan stood before the floor-to-ceiling window on the ninth floor of the Void Pavilion, a cup of Enlightenment Tea in his hand, gazing at the surging sea of ​​clouds outside.

Behind him, his trusted attendant was reporting the destruction of the Hall of Light.

“The Hall of Light was destroyed? In just one day?” Wu Yuan’s voice held disbelief. “Kai did it all by himself?”

“Not entirely,”

the attendant said. “Three hundred disciples of Qingyun Cave Heaven also participated. True Person Yuxu personally led the team, using the Eight Trigrams Heavenly Evolution Formation. But it was indeed Kai himself who killed Holy Light Celestial Venerable.”

Wu Yuan remained silent for a long time.

He put down the Enlightenment Tea, walked to the window, and looked at the sea of ​​clouds outside, a shrewd glint in his eyes.

“Daoist sect… Kai… Qingyun Cave Heaven…” He murmured these words, a meaningful smile appearing on his lips. “Interesting, very interesting.”

He turned to his trusted attendant. “Any news from Su Jingqiu?”

“Vice President Su has returned and is waiting for the president’s summons.”

“Summon her to see me.” Wu Yuan picked up his Enlightenment Tea again, took a sip, and said, “I need to have a good talk with her.”

“Yes.”

The trusted attendant acknowledged and withdrew.

Wu Yuan stood alone by the window, his fingers lightly tapping the teacup, producing a crisp tinkling sound.

With the destruction of the Bright Palace, the power structure of the Eighteen Heavens would undergo a dramatic change. The

dominance of the Flame God Palace would be broken.

Under Kai’s leadership, Qingyun Cave Heaven would become the new overlord of the Eighteen Heavens.

And the Void Merchant Guild must find its place in this new order.

“Kai, Kai…” Wu Yuan murmured the name, his smile deepening. “I truly can’t understand you anymore.”
…

The Qingyun Cave Heaven’s procession moved slowly through the mountains and forests.

The three hundred-strong group stretched out in a long line, their azure robes standing out starkly against the green backdrop.

Kai led the procession, his Dragon-Slaying Sword hanging at his waist, his purple eyes fixed ahead.

His mind replayed everything that had happened that day.

From setting out at dawn, to besieging the Bright Palace, to slaying the Holy Light Celestial Venerable, to the destruction of the Bright Palace.

Everything had happened too fast, almost unreal.

But he had no regrets.

The people of the Bright Palace had injured Su Yuqi; they deserved to die.

This was his rule, his bottom line.

No one could cross it.

Jiang Xuelan walked beside Kai, her ice-white dress standing out against the azure procession.

She looked at Kai’s profile, at the emotions churning in his purple eyes, and a feeling she couldn’t quite define welled up inside her.

This man, for Su Yuqi, could destroy a divine force that had existed for tens of thousands of years.

If one day she were in danger, would he do the same for her?

Jiang Xuelan didn’t know the answer, nor dared she ask.

She walked silently beside him, like a white, icy leaf gently drifting in a blue river.

Yun Yi walked at the head of the group, the wooden sword on his back gleaming faintly in the afterglow of the setting sun.

His face was expressionless, but his heart was churning with turbulent emotions.

He was a second-grade Golden Immortal, the most outstanding disciple of the Daoist sect in this generation.

He had always thought he was already quite remarkable.

But today, witnessing Kai’s slaying of the Holy Light Celestial Venerable, he finally understood what true power meant.

An eighth-grade True Immortal slaying a fifth-grade Golden Immortal.

Of all the people he knew, only Kai could accomplish such a feat.

Jade Void True Man walked at the back of the group, his white hair and beard fluttering in the evening breeze.

He looked at Kai’s back ahead, a hint of relief flashing in his aged eyes.

He had waited tens of thousands of years, and finally, he had met this person.

The inheritor of the Great Luo Golden Scripture, the successor of the Daoist sect’s ancestor, the new leader of the Daoist sect.

He believed that under Kai’s leadership, the Daoist sect would surely rise again.

They will surely break through the suppression of the gods for hundreds of thousands of years and once again become the most powerful force in all the heavens and myriad realms.

As the sun set, the gold and crimson of the three blazing suns had fallen below the horizon, leaving only the silvery-white moon hanging high in the sky.

The cool moonlight spilled through the mountains and forests, enveloping the three hundred-strong group in a silvery glow.

The distant Qingyun Mountains appeared and disappeared in the moonlight, the snow on their peaks shimmering with a silvery-white light.

When the group returned to Qingyun Cave Heaven, it was completely dark.

The silvery-white moon hung high in the sky, its cool light spilling over the continuous peaks of the Qingyun Mountains, enveloping the entire valley in a silvery glow.

One by one, the green lamps in the Taoist temple lit up, swaying gently in the mountain breeze, like countless fireflies dancing in the night.

Kai walked at the head of the group, stepping over the stone archway and onto the wide stone avenue.

The spiritual trees lining the avenue gleamed softly in the moonlight, and the fragrance of spiritual fruits filled the night air, creating a more serene and tranquil atmosphere compared to the daytime.

The gates of the Taoist temple were wide open, and two rows of Qingyun Cave Heaven disciples stood guard on either side, holding green lanterns in their hands, respectfully welcoming the returning group.

Their gazes fell on Kai, their eyes filled with awe.

News of the destruction of the Bright Hall had already reached them, and they knew that it was this young man, who looked to be under twenty, who had personally slain the Fifth-Rank Golden Immortal, the Holy Light Celestial Venerable.

Master Yuxu stopped at the entrance of the Taoist temple and turned to look at Kai.

“Mr. Chen, you have had a long day. I have already had guest rooms prepared; Mr. Chen and Miss Jiang can rest now. The disciples are currently taking inventory of the Bright Hall’s resources, and they will be delivered to you first thing tomorrow morning.” Kai

nodded. “Thank you, Senior.”

Master Yuxu waved his hand and turned to walk deeper into the Taoist temple.

His white hair and beard shimmered silver in the moonlight, his blue Taoist robe fluttered gently in the night breeze, and his pace remained unhurried, each step steady.

But his back looked much older than during the day, as if the battle had drained his spirit.

Yun Yi approached Kai and bowed slightly. “Mr. Chen, please follow me.”

Kai followed Yun Yi through the main hall of the Taoist temple, along a long corridor, to a secluded courtyard at the back of the temple. The

courtyard was small, surrounded by blue brick walls, with several bamboo stalks rustling in the night wind.

In a corner of the courtyard was an ancient well, its water reflecting the bright moon. A gentle breeze caused the moon’s reflection to sway softly in the water.

The main house had three rooms, with two rooms each in the east and west wings, all with blue tiles, white walls, and upturned eaves, consistent with the overall style of Qingyun Cave Heaven—simple yet elegant.

Yun Yi pushed open the door to the main house and lit the blue lamp on the table.

“Mr. Chen, this is the best guest room in Qingyun Cave Heaven. It used to be used to receive the leaders and elders of other branches of the Daoist sect,”

Yun Yi’s voice was calm, but his tone carried a hint of respect. “The courtyard next door was prepared for Miss Jiang; I’ve already had it ready.”

“Please thank the True Immortal for me,” Kai said.

Yun Yi nodded, turned to leave, and suddenly stopped at the door. Without turning back, he simply said softly, “Mr. Chen, I have cultivated for three thousand years and have never submitted to anyone. But today, I submit.”

After saying this, he strode away, his blue Daoist robe casting a faint shadow in the moonlight.

Kai watched his figure disappear through the courtyard gate, a flicker of emotion flashing in his purple eyes.

Three thousand years of cultivation, reaching the second rank of the Golden Immortal realm—in the Daoist sect, this was already considered an unparalleled genius.

For such a person to utter the words “submit,” it wasn’t because he had killed the Holy Light Celestial Venerable, but because he, with the cultivation of the eighth rank of the True Immortal realm, had accomplished something even the fifth rank of the Golden Immortal realm couldn’t.

Such superior combat power was unprecedented in the Daoist sects.

Kai closed the door, sat cross-legged on the wooden bed, and slowly circulated the Mind Concentration Technique. The power of chaos surged through his meridians, gradually dispelling the fatigue of the day.

The chaotic fire in his dantian burned quietly, melting all the spiritual power, medicinal power, and fragments of laws into the purest chaotic power.

However, the battle with the Temple of Light consumed too much spiritual energy, and he couldn’t fully recover it in a short time. He needed time and resources.
The next morning, as the first golden sun peeked over the eastern horizon, Kai opened his eyes from his meditation.

A night of cultivation had restored most of his spiritual energy, but it was still far from his peak.

His cultivation remained at the mid-stage of the eighth rank of the True Immortal Realm, and the refinement of his chaotic power hadn’t significantly improved.

The battle at the Hall of Light, though intense, had been a crushing victory against a fifth-rank Golden Immortal, failing to provide sufficient combat pressure and thus missing the opportunity for a breakthrough.

He needed stronger opponents and more intense battles to break through to a higher realm.

However, the God-King of the twentieth heaven was estimated to be at the peak of the ninth rank of the Golden Immortal Realm; challenging him with his current cultivation would be like throwing an egg against a rock.

He had to become stronger, at least breaking through to the Golden Immortal Realm, to have any chance of fighting a God-King.

And breaking through to the Golden Immortal Realm required astronomical resources.

Kai stood up and walked out of his room.

In the courtyard, a young disciple of the Azure Cloud Cave Heaven stood at the entrance, holding a storage bag. Seeing Kai emerge, he quickly bowed in greeting.

“Mr. Chen, this was sent by the Sect Master through his disciple. All the resources of the Bright Hall have been inventoried and are all in this storage bag.”

Kai took the storage bag and probed it with his divine sense.

His pupils contracted slightly.

The resources in the storage bag were far more than he had expected.

Crystals—millions, of all grades, including tens of thousands of top-grade crystals.

Pills—tens of thousands, from healing pills to cultivation-enhancing pills, from low-grade to high-grade, everything imaginable.

Magical artifacts—thousands of pieces, of varying grades, but the worst were at least True Immortal level, and there were dozens at the Golden Immortal level.

Cultivation technique jade slips—hundreds of slips, recording various cultivation techniques, secret techniques, formations, and pill formulas collected by the Bright Hall over tens of thousands of years .

Spiritual materials—piled up like mountains, various rare and precious materials, demon beast cores, spiritual herbs and fruits, a dazzling array, many of which Kai had never seen before.

The Bright Hall’s tens of thousands of years of accumulation had been emptied in one fell swoop, all falling into Kai’s hands.

These resources were enough for an ordinary True Immortal cultivator to break through from the ninth rank of True Immortal to the third or even fourth rank of Golden Immortal.

However, for Kai, who cultivated the power of chaos, these resources were still insufficient.

The power of chaos required dozens or even hundreds of times more resources than that of cultivators of the same level. With these resources, he would be lucky to break through to the ninth rank of True Immortal; the Golden Immortal realm would remain a distant dream.

Kai put away the storage bag and walked towards the neighboring courtyard.

Jiang Xuelan had already gotten up and was standing in the courtyard, her ice-white dress shimmering faintly in the morning light.

In her hand, she held the Heart of the Cold Abyss, its icy blue light surging forth and merging with her Ice God power.

A night of cultivation had completely stabilized her cultivation at the first rank of Golden Immortal, giving her a bit more color in her face, and her eyes were brighter than before.

Seeing Kai enter, Jiang Xuelan put away the Heart of the Cold Abyss and walked towards him.

“How did you rest?” Kai asked.

“Very good.”

Jiang Xuelan nodded. “The spiritual energy in Qingyun Cave is much denser than outside. One day of cultivation here is equivalent to ten days outside. With the aid of the Heart of the Cold Abyss, my cultivation should be able to break through to the second rank of the Golden Immortal Realm in a short time.”

Kai took out a storage ring from his storage bag and handed it to her.

“What’s this?”

“Resources from the Hall of Light, half for you.”

Jiang Xuelan was stunned for a moment, then shook her head. “No. These resources were earned with your life, I can’t accept them. Besides, you need these resources to break through your cultivation. Your Chaos Power requires too many resources; if you give me half, you won’t have enough for yourself.”

“Precisely because I need too many resources, this amount is not very meaningful to me.” Kai stuffed the storage ring into her hand. “But these resources are enough for you to break through from the first rank of the Golden Immortal Realm to the third rank. You’ve followed me all this way, risking your life several times; I can’t let you follow me for nothing.”

Jiang Xuelan looked at the storage ring in her hand and remained silent for a long time.

She knew Kai was telling the truth. The power of chaos requires dozens, even hundreds, of times more resources than cultivators of the same level. Although the Bright Hall has abundant resources, they are merely a drop in the ocean for Kai.

However, these resources are a treasure trove for her, enough to propel her cultivation forward by leaps and bounds.

“Alright.”

Jiang Xuelan put away her storage ring, looked up at Kai, a determined glint in her icy blue eyes. “I will use these resources to improve my cultivation as quickly as possible. Once I reach the twentieth level, I won’t hold you back.”

Kai nodded, then took out a palm-sized black tower from his storage bag and held it in his palm.

The tower was entirely black, covered with densely packed runes that glowed faintly in the morning light, as if something slumbered within.

“You cultivate in the tower; I’ll wait for you here,” Kai said.

Jiang Xuelan nodded, placed the Demon-Suppressing Tower on the stone table in the courtyard, and infused it with spiritual energy.

The tower slowly grew, from the size of a palm to the height of a person. The tower door opened automatically, and an ancient aura emanated from it.

Jiang Xuelan glanced back at Kai, then took a deep breath and stepped into the Demon-Suppressing Tower.

The tower door slowly closed behind her, and the small tower shrank back to the size of a palm, lying quietly on the stone table.

Kai put the Demon-Suppressing Tower away and placed it in his storage bag.

One month.

Nearly ten years had passed inside the tower .

With the resources of the Heart of the Cold Abyss and the Hall of Light, Jiang Xuelan’s cultivation should have made a qualitative leap in ten years.

Kai, too, couldn’t be idle.

He turned and walked out of the courtyard towards the main hall of the Taoist temple.

For the next three days, Kai stayed in Qingyun Cave Heaven.

During the day, he discussed the Dao with Master Yuxu, listening to Master Yuxu explain the history and inheritance of the Daoist sect, and learning about the power distribution of the various heavens and the grudges and entanglements between the major sects.

Master Yuxu had lived for tens of thousands of years, and his understanding of the heavens far surpassed that of anyone else; every word he said benefited Kai immensely.

That night, Kai cultivated alone on the Enlightenment Cliff, fully activating the Mind Concentration Technique. Chaotic power surged through his meridians, drawing in the almost liquefied spiritual energy of Qingyun Cave Heaven, refining it into the purest chaotic power.

The Enlightenment Cliff was the most spiritually concentrated place in Qingyun Cave Heaven. Standing atop the cliff, one could overlook the entire valley, seeing the distant mountain peaks faintly visible under the moonlight. The

night wind at the cliff top was strong, causing Kai’s robes to flutter, but he was oblivious, his eyes closed, focused solely on the circulation of spiritual energy within his body.

In three days, his cultivation advanced from the mid-stage of the eighth rank of True Immortal Realm to the late-stage of the eighth rank.

Although it was only a half-level advancement, his chaotic power was more condensed than before. Each wisp of spiritual energy was like a divine sword forged through countless trials, containing unimaginable power.

The protective runes of the Great Luo Golden Scripture also continued to spread under the nourishment of spiritual energy, and golden dragon patterns had covered seventy-two percent of his skin. He

was one step closer to achieving the Great Golden Body.
Three days later, at dawn, Kai was cultivating on the Enlightenment Cliff when Yun Yi hurried over.

“Mr. Chen,” Yun Yi stopped at the edge of the cliff and bowed slightly, “Someone is looking for you.”

Kai opened his eyes, a hint of doubt flashing in his purple pupils.

In the Eighteenth Heaven, he knew absolutely no one.

Besides the people of Qingyun Cave Heaven, there was only Su Jingqiu of the Void Merchant Guild and the people of the Flame God Palace.

The people of the Flame God Palace couldn’t possibly have found Qingyun Cave Heaven, so it could only be Su Jingqiu who was looking for him.

“Who is it?” Kai asked.

“A woman claiming to be Su Jingqiu,”

Yun Yi’s voice was calm, but his brows were slightly furrowed. “She says she’s from the Void Merchant Guild, and on the orders of Guild Master Wu Yuan, she invites Mr. Chen to the Void Merchant Guild for a meeting. The Headmaster Master sent me to ask Mr. Chen whether he will see her or not?”

Kai stood up and dusted himself off.

Su Jingqiu.

Void Merchant Guild.

Wu Yuan.

Outside Fire Crow City, Su Jingqiu gave him a map and a guest elder token, then turned and left without leaving any contact information or making any requests.

Kai knew then that the Void Merchant Guild was playing the long game.

Now the line was long enough, and the fish should take the bait.

“See you,” Kai said. “Have her wait for me in the tea room.”

Yun Yi nodded and turned to leave.

Kai walked down Enlightenment Cliff, through the Taoist temple’s corridor, and arrived at the tea room.

Jade Void Master was already there, sitting in the main seat, holding a teacup, his expression somewhat grave.

Seeing Kai enter, he put down his teacup, a hint of worry flashing in his aged eyes.

“Mr. Chen, how do you know the people from the Void Merchant Guild?”

Kai sat down opposite Jade Void Master and briefly recounted what had happened outside Fire Crow City: Su Jingqiu had given him a map, a guest elder token, and then left without leaving any contact information or making any requests.

Jade Void Master listened in silence for a moment, then slowly shook his head.

“The people of the Void Merchant Guild have always been hypocritical. They are merchants, driven by profit, and would never do anything without benefit,”

Jade Void Master’s voice was low, as if afraid of being overheard. “They gave you the map and token not to make friends, but to invest in you. When you are strong enough, they will come to collect their debts.”

Kai nodded, “This junior understands.”

“The Void Merchant Guild has a great deal of power,”

Jade Void Master continued. “In the Eighteenth Heaven, they are just the tip of the iceberg. Above the Eighteenth Heaven, their influence extends. Even outside the Heavenly Realm, in other realms, there are branches of the Void Merchant Guild. Their tentacles are spread throughout the myriad realms, no less powerful than the God Race.”

Jade Void Master’s words made Kai frown slightly.

Equal in strength to the God Race?

How could a merchant guild have such power?

“Who stands behind the Void Merchant Guild?” Kai asked.

Master Yuxu was silent for a moment, then shook his head. “No one knows. The Void Merchant Guild has existed for countless millennia, their influence spreading throughout the myriad realms, but where their headquarters are, who their president is, and who stands behind them—these are all mysteries.

I have lived for tens of thousands of years and have never known the true ruler of the Void Merchant Guild.”

“The Void Merchant Guild is that powerful?” Kai was somewhat surprised, but upon reflection, it made sense. To be called the Void Merchant Guild, they must possess considerable ability.

Beyond the Heavenly Realm lies the void; the name Void Merchant Guild sounds impressive.

Master Yuxu nodded. “Mr. Chen, the people of the Void Merchant Guild are not to be trusted. They are kind to you because you have value to them.

Once your value is used up, they will abandon you without hesitation. I advise Mr. Chen to refuse their invitation and not to get too close to the Void Merchant Guild.”

Kai was silent for a moment, then shook his head.

“Master, I know the Void Merchant Guild is untrustworthy,”

he said calmly. “But I need allies now. The power of the God Clan is too great; I alone cannot contend against them. Qingyun Cave Heaven has already sided with me, but it’s not enough. Although the Void Merchant Guild is profit-driven, their power and intelligence network are exactly what I need.”

Master Yuxu looked at Kai, a complex expression flashing in his aged eyes.

He understood Kai’s meaning.

Fighting the God Clan was not a matter for one person, but for a group.

Although the Daoist sect was willing to accept Kai as their new leader, the sect was too fragmented, with each faction unwilling to submit to the others, making it impossible to form a united force in a short time.

The Void Merchant Guild, however, was different. They were a unified whole with a tight organizational structure, an intelligence network spanning countless worlds, and countless resources and connections.

If Kai could leverage the power of the Void Merchant Guild, his path would be much easier.

“Since Mr. Chen has made his decision, I will say no more.”

Master Yuxu stood up, walked to Kai, and took out a cyan jade talisman from his sleeve, handing it to him. “This is a communication jade talisman from Qingyun Cave Heaven. If Mr. Chen encounters danger at the Void Merchant Guild, simply crush this talisman, and I will immediately send people to his aid.”

Kai took the talisman and stored it in his storage ring.

“Thank you, Master.”

Master Yuxu waved his hand, turned, and walked out of the tea room. He suddenly stopped at the door without looking back.

“Mr. Chen, Wu Yuan, the president of the Void Merchant Guild, is no ordinary person. Although he only has the cultivation of a fourth-grade Golden Immortal, his cunning and shrewdness are even more terrifying than Yan Wuji, a fifth-grade Golden Immortal. Mr. Chen must be careful when dealing with him.”

After saying this, he strode away, his cyan Taoist robe fluttering in the morning breeze, his white hair and beard shimmering with silver light in the sunlight.

Kai watched his figure disappear into the bamboo forest outside the tea room, a thoughtful look flashing in his purple eyes.

A fourth-grade Golden Immortal possesses a cunning and shrewdness even more terrifying than a fifth-grade Golden Immortal.

Such a person is indeed difficult to deal with.

But Kai is not afraid.

He has walked a more difficult path and faced more formidable opponents.

A merchant, no matter how formidable, is still just a merchant.

Kai left the tea room and went to the main hall of the Taoist temple.

Su Jingqiu was already waiting in the hall.

Today, she wore an elegant light gray dress, similar to the one she had seen outside Fire Crow City, but her expression was much more composed than before, with a faint smile on her lips, like an old friend reunited after a long separation, rather than a merchant guild’s envoy.

Seeing Kai enter, Su Jingqiu stood up and bowed slightly.

“Mr. Chen, we meet again.”

Kai walked up to her, stopping five steps away, his purple eyes fixed on her without any emotional fluctuation.

“Vice President Su, your president sent you to invite me. What is it?”

Su Jingqiu’s smile remained unchanged, but a hint of surprise flashed in her eyes. Kai knew her identity; he knew she was the vice president of the Void Merchant Guild.

She hadn’t left any name or contact information outside Fire Raven City, yet he had still managed to find her.
“The president wishes to meet Mr. Chen,”

Su Jingqiu said calmly, as if discussing a trivial matter. “The Void Chamber of Commerce is willing to cooperate with Mr. Chen to jointly combat the God Race. If Mr. Chen is interested, please come with me to the Void Chamber of Commerce for a discussion.”

Jointly combating the God Race.

Kai’s eyebrows twitched slightly.

The Void Chamber of Commerce was going to oppose the God Race?

Weren’t they afraid of the God Race’s retaliation?

“Does the Void Chamber of Commerce have a grudge against the God Race?” Kai asked.

Su Jingqiu shook her head. “No. The Void Chamber of Commerce operates purely on business principles and doesn’t make enemies with any forces. However, the interests of the Chamber of Commerce and the God Race conflict in many ways.

The God Race likes monopolies, control, and keeping all resources in their own hands.

The Chamber of Commerce needs circulation, trade, and the free flow of resources.

Therefore, from a perspective of interests, the Void Chamber of Commerce and the God Race are natural adversaries.”

She paused, a meaningful smile appearing on her lips. “The enemy of my enemy is my friend. Mr. Chen, don’t you agree?”

Kai remained silent for a moment.

The enemy of my enemy is my friend—that’s true, but only if that “friend” won’t stab me in the back.

Master Yuxu was right; the people of the Void Merchant Guild are untrustworthy.

But Kai needs them now.

“Lead the way,” Kai said.

A glint flashed in Su Jingqiu’s eyes, but she quickly regained her composure.

She bowed slightly and turned to walk out of the Taoist temple.

Kai followed behind her, his purple eyes scanning the surroundings, his divine sense covering a radius of fifty miles, not escaping his perception of any disturbance.

Tianlan City was tens of thousands of miles away from Qingyun Cave Heaven.

From Qingyun Cave Heaven, one had to cross the Qingyun Mountains, cross the Fallen God Wasteland, and travel thousands of miles north to reach Tianlan City’s sphere of influence.

Su Jingqiu didn’t choose to walk or fly, but instead took out a silver-white jade talisman from her sleeve and infused it with spiritual power.

The jade talisman exploded in the air, transforming into a silver-white flying boat.

The flying boat was about ten zhang long and three zhang wide, its hull covered with spatial runes, and the Void Merchant Guild’s mark was engraved on the bow—a treasure ship traversing the void.

“Mr. Chen, please board.” Su Jingqiu was the first to leap onto the flying boat.

Only forces like the Void Merchant Guild possessed such flying boats. Ordinary cultivators struggled to even guarantee their cultivation resources, let alone have resources to consume on a flying boat.

The Void Merchant Guild wasn’t worried; it was all public property, so why not use it?

Kai followed, leaping onto the flying boat and standing at the bow, his purple eyes gazing into the distance.

The flying boat soared into the air, flying north at an extremely fast speed.

The Azure Cloud Mountains below rapidly shrank in the field of vision, the continuous peaks turning into green waves, the snow on the summits shimmering white in the sunlight. The

Taoist temple of Azure Cloud Cave Heaven was hidden in the clouds and mist, appearing and disappearing like an embellishment in a traditional Chinese ink painting.

Su Jingqiu stood behind Kai, watching his back, her long, light gray dress fluttering in the wind.

She had many things to say, but she knew now was not the time.

Kai isn’t someone who can be won over with just a few words.

It takes time, patience, and for him to see the value of the Void Merchant Guild.

The airship flew for about two hours, the scenery below changing from green mountains to a dark red wasteland.

The Fallen God Wasteland had arrived.

From the air, the Fallen God Wasteland looked even more desolate and eerie than from the ground. The dark red sand stretched as far as the eye could see, and scattered bones and battle relics cast long shadows in the sunlight, like a silent tombstone.

Spatial rifts deep within the wasteland shimmered eerily in the sunlight, like open eyes peering into this world.

The airship didn’t linger in the Fallen God Wasteland, flying directly over it.

After flying for another hour, the scenery below changed from the dark red wasteland to a snow-covered ice plain.

The Far North had arrived.

The temperature here was even lower than in the Northern Abyss, and the moisture in the air condensed into tiny ice crystals, shimmering with iridescent light in the sunlight.

The ground was covered with a thick layer of ice and snow, beneath which lay permafrost that had remained frozen for millennia. There was no vegetation, no living creature, only an endless expanse of white.

The flying boat pierced through the clouds, and the entire panorama of Tianlan City unfolded before Kai’s eyes.

Dozens of floating islands, varying in size, ranged from a few hundred feet in diameter to tens of miles in length.

The islands were connected by thick iron chains, adorned with colorful flags that fluttered in the wind, each bearing the insignia of the Void Merchant Guild and a treasure ship traversing the void.

Each island boasted unique architecture: magnificent palaces, ancient and elegant pavilions, towering spires reaching into the clouds, and courtyards hidden among lush vegetation.

Teleportation arrays connected the islands, and cultivators frequently emerged from these arrays, hurrying off in various directions.

The bustling atmosphere of Tianlan City far surpassed any city Kai had seen in the Seventeenth Heaven.

Tianlan City was orderly; no one fought, no one forced purchases, and even loud noises were rare.

Every cultivator wore a cautious expression, as if afraid of breaking the rules.

The rules of the Void Merchant Guild were stricter than those of any major sect.

Anyone who dared to cause trouble in Tianlan City, regardless of who they were or who was backing them, would be apprehended by the Void Merchant Guild’s guards immediately and thrown out of Tianlan City, never to set foot there again.

Su Jingqiu maneuvered her flying boat to land on the platform of the central floating island.

The platform was large enough to accommodate dozens of flying boats taking off and landing simultaneously.

Su Jingqiu stowed her flying boat and turned to look at Kai.

“Mr. Chen, please follow me. The Guild Master is already waiting at the Void Pavilion.”

Kai nodded and followed Su Jingqiu down the platform, walking along a wide bluestone avenue towards the center of the island.

The bluestone avenue was lined with spirit trees, their branches laden with colorful spirit fruits, emitting an enticing fragrance.

Every hundred steps along both sides of the avenue stood a stone lamppost, each topped with a fist-sized luminous pearl that emitted a soft glow even in the daytime.

At the end of the avenue lay a vast plaza.

In the center of the plaza stood a completely black tower, nine stories high, each inlaid with tens of thousands of spatial crystals.

The spatial crystals refracted the sunlight, casting a rainbow of colors and enveloping the entire tower in a dreamlike halo.

This was the Void Pavilion, the headquarters of the Void Merchant Guild in the Eighteenth Heaven.

Su Jingqiu led Kai through the gates of the Void Pavilion.

Inside was a spacious hall, its dome inlaid with a massive star map, marking the coordinates of countless worlds. Some of the stars Kai recognized, others he had never heard of.

The stars on the map rotated slowly, as if alive, or perhaps like some ancient formation in operation.

On either side of the hall were rows of counters, behind which sat deacons of the Void Merchant Guild, receiving guests from all directions.

Some guests were exchanging spirit stones, some were buying pills, some were inquiring about information, and some were commissioning tasks.

Each deacon wore a professional smile, speaking politely yet tactfully.

Su Jingqiu didn’t linger in the hall, leading Kai directly through it and into a teleportation array.

The array flashed, and the two appeared on the ninth floor of the Void Pavilion.

The ninth floor was a spacious reception room with floor-to-ceiling windows on all four sides, offering panoramic views of the sea of ​​clouds and dozens of floating islands surrounding Tianlan City.

Standing by the window, the entire city of Tianlan was laid out before them, with snow-covered ice plains in the distance, and further still, the dark red Fallen God Wasteland. The clouds on the horizon shimmered with golden light under the sunlight.

The reception room was far more luxurious than the tea room in Qingyun Cave.

The floor was paved with solid pieces of spirit jade, the walls were adorned with calligraphy and paintings by famous artists, and priceless antique porcelain was displayed in the corners.

The tables and chairs were crafted from ten-thousand-year-old spirit wood, emitting a faint fragrance. Sitting on them, one could feel a warm spiritual energy flowing into the body, invigorating the spirit.

A middle-aged man stood before the floor-to-ceiling window, his back to the door, holding a cup of tea and gazing at the sea of ​​clouds outside.

He wore a dark gold robe embroidered with the Void Merchant Guild’s emblem. Tall and broad-shouldered, his hair was tied back with a jade hairpin, revealing a sharply defined profile.

Hearing footsteps, he turned.

His face was refined, with a shrewdness characteristic of a merchant, but it was so well-hidden that it was almost imperceptible.

A faint smile played on his lips, neither warm nor cold, just right—neither too distant nor too intimate.

A fourth-grade Golden Immortal.

President of the Void Merchant Guild, Wu Yuan.

Wu Yuan’s gaze fell on Kai, scrutinizing him from head to toe, then his smile deepened.

“Mr. Chen, I’ve long admired your name.”

His voice was gentle yet powerful, possessing a magnetic quality that was like a gentle breeze. “I am Wu Yuan, President of the Void Merchant Guild. Please have a seat.”

He gestured for him to sit, taking the lead in the main seat.

Kai sat opposite him, his purple eyes fixed on him, devoid of any emotional fluctuation.

Su Jingqiu didn’t sit down, but stood behind Wu Yuan. Her long, light gray dress shimmered faintly in the sunlight streaming through the French windows.

Wu Yuan personally poured Kai a cup of tea. The aroma filled the air, fresh and elegant. Unlike the Qingyun Mist Tea from Qingyun Cave, this tea had a hint of fruitiness, a sweet taste, and a lingering aftertaste.

“This is a special spiritual tea from the Void Merchant Guild, called ‘Void Dew.’ It’s harvested from a spiritual plant in the void, with an annual yield of no more than one pound. Please try it, Mr. Chen.”

Kai picked up the teacup and took a small sip.

As the tea entered his mouth, a cool spiritual energy surged from his throat into his dantian, circulating through his meridians and invigorating him. The quality of this tea was a level above the Qingyun Mist Tea.

“Good tea.”

Kai put down his teacup and looked at Wu Yuan. “President Wu, there’s no need for formalities. You had Vice President Su invite me here, not just for tea, right?”

Wu Yuan smiled and put down his teacup.

“Mr. Chen is straightforward, so I won’t beat around the bush either.” His voice became more serious. “The Void Chamber of Commerce wishes to make friends with Mr. Chen.”

Kai didn’t speak, just looked at him.

Wu Yuan continued, “I know Mr. Chen may be somewhat wary of the Void Chamber of Commerce. After all, business is business, and the Void Chamber of Commerce does everything for profit. I don’t deny that.”

He paused, his smile becoming more meaningful. “But profit doesn’t necessarily have to be achieved through confrontation. Cooperation can also bring profit. And the profit from cooperation is often greater than that from confrontation.”

Kai leaned back in his chair, his purple eyes slightly narrowed.

“Make friends?” His voice was calm. “President Wu, business is business. What do you want from me?”

Wu Yuan was silent for a moment, then smiled.

The smile was honest, so honest it didn’t seem like that of a businessman.

“Initially, I did indeed covet the Great Luo Golden Scripture and the power of chaos

that Mr. Chen possessed.” His voice was completely undisguised, as if he were stating something ordinary. “My younger brother, Wu Heng, the president of the Seventeenth Heaven Void Merchant Guild, sent me a message saying that Mr. Chen possessed the Great Luo Golden Scripture, a supreme inheritance lost to the Daoist sect for tens of thousands of years.

At the time, I thought that if I could seize the Great Luo Golden Scripture, the Void Merchant Guild’s status in the myriad realms would rise even higher.”

Kai’s fingers tapped lightly on the table, making a soft thumping sound.

He wasn’t angry, nor surprised.

When Wu Heng gave him the guest elder token, he knew the Void Merchant Guild was after the Great Luo Golden Scripture.

“And then?” Kai asked.

Wu Yuan’s smile turned somewhat bitter.

“Then, Mr. Chen killed Yan Po with a single sword strike in the Fallen God Wasteland, wiped out a group of Bright Hall’s troops in the Northern Dark Abyss, and led three hundred disciples of Qingyun Cave Heaven to destroy Bright Hall in a single day, personally killing the Fifth-Rank Golden Immortal Saint Light Celestial Venerable.”

He paused, looking into Kai’s eyes, a complex expression flashing in his crimson-gold eyes. “Although I am arrogant, I am not foolish enough to believe that I can fight against a powerhouse capable of killing a Fifth-Rank Golden Immortal.

Since we cannot be enemies, let’s make friends. A merchant’s instinct is to make the most appropriate choice at the most appropriate time.”

Kai was silent for a moment.

Wu Yuan’s words were very frank.

So frank that Kai was somewhat surprised.

A merchant admitting that he had once coveted the other party’s treasures, admitting that he dared not be enemies now, admitting that he chose to make friends because of profit—this kind of frankness was hard to dislike.

“What do you want me to do for you?” Kai asked.

Wu Yuan picked up his teacup, took a sip, then set it down, crossed his hands on his knees, leaned forward slightly, and looked directly at Kai.

“The Void Merchant Guild has received information that deep within the icy plains of the far north, there is a void passage leading to a secret realm, said to be an ancient battlefield.”

An ancient battlefield.

A void passage.

Kai’s brow twitched slightly.

He thought of the Ruins of Return.

In the Fourteenth Heaven, he and Jiang Xuelan had entered the ancient battlefield of the Ruins of Return.

There lay countless skeletons of ancient powerhouses, remnant souls slumbering in spatial rifts, and countless dangers and opportunities.

It was there that he saved the remnant soul of Bei Mingyuan.

Could Wu Yuan be talking about the same place?

Kai didn’t speak aloud, but simply looked at Wu Yuan, waiting for him to continue.

“The Void Merchant Guild has tried many times to pass through that void passage,”

Wu Yuan’s voice deepened, “but all attempts have failed. The spatial turbulence within the passage is too intense; our cultivators simply cannot withstand it.

Cultivators below the third rank of the Golden Immortal realm are torn to shreds upon entering. Even those above the third rank of the Golden Immortal realm can only barely endure for a few dozen breaths, unable to penetrate any deeper.”

He paused, his gaze growing even more fervent, “But I observed that when Kai traversed the void passage, the power of chaos easily dissolved the spatial turbulence.

The power of chaos is the source of all elements, and the power of space is no exception. Mr. Chen, you are the only one who can pass through that void passage.” Kai understood.

Wu Yuan’s purpose in inviting him wasn’t to drink tea or make friends, but to have him help open the void passage.

“You want me to enter that secret realm and help you retrieve your treasures?” Kai asked.

Wu Yuan shook his head. “It’s not about retrieving treasures for us. It’s about exploring together. The Void Merchant Guild will provide the location and protection of the passage, and Mr. Chen will be responsible for navigating it.

The treasures within the secret realm will be shared equally between the Void Merchant Guild and Mr. Chen, without interference.”

He paused, then added, “If Mr. Chen is willing, the Void Merchant Guild will also provide detailed information about the secret realm. We’ve also gathered some information about the secret realm during our exploration of the passage.”

Kai remained silent for a long time.

He picked up his teacup, drank the slightly cooled tea in one gulp, then put it down, his purple eyes looking at Wu Yuan.

“We can try,” he said, “but I can’t guarantee we’ll be able to get through.”

A glint flashed in Wu Yuan’s eyes, and his smile became even more sincere.

“I’m already extremely grateful that Mr. Chen is willing to help.”

Kai took the black stone from his storage ring and placed it on the table.

The black stone gleamed faintly in the light of the reception room, its surface patterns subtly shifting, as if something slumbered within.

“President Wu, have you ever seen something like this before?” Kai asked.

Wu Yuan’s gaze fell on the black stone, his pupils contracting slightly.

He reached out, wanting to touch it, but his hand froze in mid-air.

“This is…” Wu Yuan frowned slightly.

“President Wu doesn’t need to know what it is. I obtained it in the lower realm. I would like to ask the Void Merchant Guild to keep an eye out. If this kind of black stone is found elsewhere, please notify me,” Kai said.

Wu Yuan was silent for a moment, then nodded.

“Mr. Chen, rest assured, the Void Merchant Guild is spread throughout the myriad realms, its intelligence network far exceeding that of any other power. Wherever this kind of black stone appears, the Void Merchant Guild will be informed immediately.”

He paused, looking into Kai’s eyes, “At that time, I will personally inform Mr. Chen.”

Kai put the black stone back into his storage ring.

“Thank you very much, Chairman Wu.”

Wu Yuan waved his hand, stood up, walked to the French windows, and looked at the sea of ​​clouds outside.

“Mr. Chen, please rest in the city for the night. Tomorrow morning, I will personally escort you to the void passage.”

Kai also stood up. “Alright.”

Wu Yuan turned to Su Jingqiu. “Jingqiu, take Mr. Chen to the best guest room and arrange everything. Please fulfill any needs Mr. Chen may have.”

Su Jingqiu bowed slightly. “Yes.”

She walked to Kai and gestured for him to follow. “Mr. Chen, please come with me.”

Kai followed Su Jingqiu out of the reception room and into the teleportation array.

The teleportation array flashed, and the two disappeared into the ninth floor.

Wu Yuan stood alone by the French windows, looking at the sea of ​​clouds outside, his crimson-gold eyes gleaming with shrewdness.

His fingers tapped lightly on the windowsill, making a soft thumping sound.

“The Great Luo Golden Scripture, the power of chaos, the inheritance of the Daoist sect…” he murmured to himself, the smile on his lips deepening. “Kai, who exactly are you?”

No one could answer him.

Outside the window, the sea of ​​clouds surged under the sunlight, and the floating islands of Tianlan City appeared and disappeared within them, like celestial mountains floating in a dream.

Su Jingqiu led Kai to the seventh floor of the Void Pavilion.

The seventh floor was a guest room area specifically for VIPs, with only eight rooms on the entire floor, each occupying dozens of feet in area and decorated with the utmost luxury.

Kai’s room was at the far end of the corridor, with the Void Merchant Guild’s mark engraved on the door. Pushing open the door, a spacious suite came into view. It

had a living room, bedroom, cultivation room, and bathroom, each exquisitely furnished.

The living room floor was paved with spirit jade, the walls were adorned with calligraphy and paintings by famous artists, and priceless antique porcelain was displayed in the corner.

The bed in the bedroom was made of ten-thousand-year-old warm jade; lying on it, one could feel a warm spiritual energy flowing into the body, making one feel completely comfortable.

The walls of the cultivation room were engraved with spirit-gathering runes, and the concentration of spiritual energy was several times that of outside. Cultivating here for one day was equivalent to cultivating outside for one month.

Su Jingqiu stood at the door, not entering.

“Mr. Chen, if you need anything, simply press the communication jade talisman at the door, and a steward will come to your service.”

Her voice was calm, but her tone carried a hint of respect. “The president will personally pick you up early tomorrow morning. Please rest well tonight.”

Kai nodded. “Thank you, Vice President Su.”

Su Jingqiu bowed slightly, turned, and left, her long, light gray dress casting a faint shadow in the corridor light.

Kai closed the door and sat cross-legged on the futon in the cultivation room.

He didn’t cultivate, but pondered.

He believed seventy percent of Wu Yuan’s words. It was true that Wu Yuan coveted the Great Luo Golden Scripture and the power of chaos.

It was also true that Wu Yuan dared not be his enemy. It was probably also true that Wu Yuan wanted to cooperate with him to explore the secret realm.

But the remaining thirty percent, which Wu Yuan didn’t mention, was the key.

Was the secret realm Wu Yuan spoke of truly an ancient battlefield?

If it really was an ancient battlefield like the Ruins of Return, what was inside?

Why did Wu Yuan need his help?

Was it merely because the power of chaos could resolve spatial turbulence?

Kai didn’t believe it was that simple.

The Void Merchant Guild was spread throughout the myriad realms, its power no less than that of the gods.

If they truly wanted to explore that secret realm, even if they couldn’t enter themselves, they could bring in more powerful cultivators from other realms. If

fourth or fifth-grade Golden Immortals couldn’t enter, they could bring in even more powerful cultivators.

Did the Void Merchant Guild not even have cultivators above the fifth grade of the Golden Immortal realm?

Unless—that secret realm had cultivation restrictions, allowing only those below a certain cultivation level to enter.

Or perhaps there were other secrets.

A slight smile curved Kai’s lips.

He was determined to find out what Wu Yuan didn’t want him to know.

He took out a communication jade talisman from his storage ring—not the one from Qingyun Cave, but the dark red jade talisman Su Yuqi had left him.

He infused it with spiritual power, and the jade talisman became slightly warm, its dark red light flickering in the cultivation room.

There was no response.

Su Yuqi either hadn’t received it, or she had received it but didn’t want to respond.

Kai put away the jade talisman, a hint of sadness flashing in his purple eyes.

Was she alright?

Had her injuries healed?

Had she encountered any more danger?

He didn’t know.

He only knew that she didn’t remember him anymore.

In her eyes, he was just an ordinary stranger.

Nothing more.

Kai took a deep breath, suppressing his chaotic thoughts, closed his eyes, and slowly circulated the Mind Concentration Technique.

The power of chaos surged through his meridians, gradually dispelling the fatigue of the day.

All the spirit-gathering runes in the cultivation room lit up, and dense spiritual energy surged in from all directions, flowing into his body and being refined by the chaotic fire into the purest chaotic power.Nothing happened that night.

The next morning, Kai opened his eyes from meditation, a glint of light flashing in his purple pupils.

A night of cultivation had fully restored his spiritual energy. Although his cultivation level hadn’t broken through, his chaotic power was more condensed than before.

He stood up, left his guest room, and went to the main hall of the Void Pavilion.

Wu Yuan was already waiting in the hall.

Today, he was wearing a silver-white robe embroidered with the Void Merchant Guild’s mark, a silver-white token hanging from his waist, and a whisk in his hand. He looked less like a merchant and more like a venerable cultivator.

Su Jingqiu stood behind him, her greyish-blue dress replaced by silver-white armor, a slender rapier hanging from her waist, her long hair tied up. She looked dashing and heroic, a stark contrast to her previous quiet demeanor.

Behind Wu Yuan stood a dozen or so people, all elite cultivators of the Void Merchant Guild. The lowest cultivation level was at the first rank of the Golden Immortal Realm, and the two highest were at the peak of the third rank of the Golden Immortal Realm.

They wore uniform silver-white armor, with standard magical artifacts hanging from their waists, and each wore a solemn expression.

This was the Void Merchant Guild’s most elite team, specially formed for exploring secret realms.

“Mr. Chen, did you rest well?” Wu Yuan asked with a smile.

Kai nodded, “Very well.”

Wu Yuan turned and walked towards the door, “Then let’s set off.”

The group left the Void Pavilion and came to the platform.

Wu Yuan took out a golden jade talisman from his sleeve and infused it with spiritual power. The jade

talisman exploded in the air, transforming into a huge golden flying boat.

The flying boat was about thirty zhang long and ten zhang wide, its hull covered with dense spatial runes. The Void Merchant Guild’s mark was engraved on the bow, and a golden flag fluttered at the stern.

The flying boat’s cabin was divided into three levels: the bottom level was a storage cabin, the middle level was a guest room and cultivation room, and the top level was a control room and a reception room.

The flying boat was several times faster than the silver-white flying boat Su Jingqiu had previously traveled on, and it was also much more stable; one could hardly feel any turbulence while sitting in the cabin.

Wu Yuan leaped onto the flying boat first, followed by Kai. Su Jingqiu and the other cultivators from the Void Merchant Guild also boarded one after another.

The flying boat soared into the air, flying north at an extremely fast speed.

Tianlan City rapidly shrank behind them, and dozens of floating islands became a few small black dots in the sea of ​​clouds.

The ice plains below stretched endlessly, the white ice and snow shimmering dazzlingly in the sunlight.

After flying for about an hour, the scenery below changed from the ice plains to an even more desolate frozen tundra. Not a blade of

grass grew on the frozen tundra, only black rocks and white ice and snow intertwined, forming a black and white picture.

In the distance, a huge crack appeared in the sky.

The crack stretched from the ground all the way to the sky, like an invisible giant sword cleaving heaven and earth.

Intense spatial power surged from the crack, shimmering with an eerie light in the sunlight.

The air around the crack was distorted and deformed, as if something was struggling, roaring, and howling within the crack.

That was the void passage leading to the secret realm.

Wu Yuan stood at the bow, gazing at the crack, a burning light flashing in his crimson-gold eyes.

“Mr. Chen, that’s the void passage.”

His voice held an undisguised excitement. “The Void Merchant Guild has tried countless times, but to no avail. Today, it’s up to Mr. Chen.”

Kai nodded, his purple eyes fixed on the crack, sensing the spatial power surging within.

That power was immense, chaotic, and filled with an aura of destruction.

A cultivator below the third rank of the Golden Immortal realm would indeed be torn to shreds if they entered.

But his chaotic power could suppress all elements, including spatial power.

Passing through this crack should not be difficult for him.

The flying boat stopped dozens of miles from the crack.

It wasn’t that it couldn’t get any closer, but that it absolutely couldn’t get any closer.

The space around the crack was extremely unstable; if the flying boat got any closer, it would be swept into the crack by the spatial turbulence, and everyone on board would die.

“Mr. Chen, the road ahead is up to you.”

Wu Yuan turned to look at Kai, a complex expression flashing in his crimson-gold eyes. “I will wait here for your good news, Mr. Chen.”

Kai nodded and was about to leap off the flying boat when he suddenly heard Su Jingqiu’s voice.

“President, someone is following us.”

Wu Yuan’s face instantly turned cold.

He turned sharply, his gaze like lightning, sweeping towards the back of the flying boat.

Hundreds of miles away, several black flying boats emerged from the clouds, flying towards their direction.

There were no markings on the flying boats, but golden holy light runes flowed on their hulls—the mark of the gods.

The gods.

A murderous intent flashed in Wu Yuan’s eyes, his fingers lightly rubbing his whisk, making a soft creaking sound.

“How many?” His voice was as cold as ice.

Su Jingqiu closed her eyes, spreading her divine sense. After a moment, she opened her eyes, her expression somewhat solemn.

“Five flying boats, about fifty people. The highest cultivation level… is Golden Immortal Level 4, two are Golden Immortal Level 3, and the rest are Golden Immortal Level 1 and 2.”

Wu Yuan’s lips curled into a cold smile.

“The Divine Race doesn’t want us to have an easy time.”

His voice was soft, but every word was like a knife piercing the air. “How did they know we were coming here?”

No one could answer him.

But everyone knew the answer: the Void Merchant Guild had a traitor.

Wu Yuan took a deep breath, suppressing his anger, and turned to look at Su Jingqiu.

“Jingqiu, you take a team and intercept them.”

Su Jingqiu’s body stiffened slightly, a hint of hesitation flashing in her eyes.

Fifty people, the highest cultivation level being Golden Immortal Level 4, two are Golden Immortal Level 3, and the rest are Golden Immortal Level 1 and 2.

And the team she was leading, including herself, only had a dozen or so people, the highest cultivation level being her own Golden Immortal Level 3.

This wasn’t an ambush, it was suicide.

But she didn’t refuse.

She was the vice president of the Void Merchant Guild, and carrying out the president’s orders was her duty.

“Yes.” Su Jingqiu’s voice was calm, so calm that no emotion could be detected.

She turned to look at the dozen or so Void Merchant Guild cultivators behind her, “Follow me.”

A dozen or so people simultaneously leaped from the flying boat, their silver-white armor gleaming blindingly in the sunlight.

They formed a battle formation in the air and flew towards the black flying boats.

Wu Yuan watched Su Jingqiu’s retreating figure, a complex expression flashing in his crimson-gold eyes.

But it was only for a moment before he regained his composure.

He turned to look at Kai, his smile returning as if nothing had happened.

“Mr. Chen, some minor troubles, Jingqiu can handle them. Let’s take care of business first.”

Kai watched Su Jingqiu’s departing figure, a flicker of emotion in his purple eyes.

A dozen people against fifty.

The highest cultivation level was only at the third rank of the Golden Immortal Realm, while the opponents had fourth-rank Golden Immortal Realm cultivators.

How could they possibly win?

But he said nothing.

This was the Void Merchant Guild’s business, not his.

He leaped off the flying boat and flew towards the void rift.

Purple chaotic power flowed around him, enveloping him in a purple light.

Spatial turbulence raged around him, but it was all dissolved by the chaotic power, unable to cause him any harm.

He flew to the rift, stopped—no, stopped completely, hovering in the air.

The spatial power surging from the rift was several times stronger than what he sensed from the outside. Black spatial turbulence surged wildly within the rift, like angry black dragons roaring, tearing, and trying to shred any intruder.

Kai took a deep breath and stepped into the rift.

Behind him, on the flying ship, Wu Yuan watched Kai’s figure disappear into the rift, a glint of light flashing in his crimson-gold eyes.

“Kai, I hope you can come out alive,”

he murmured to himself, his smile deepening. “Only by coming out alive will you have value. If you die… then you’re nothing.”

His gaze shifted from the rift to the distance.

There, Su Jingqiu was leading a dozen or so people charging towards the five flying ships of the Divine Race.

Silver-white armor and golden holy light collided in the air, creating a deafening roar.

Wu Yuan watched the battle, which was destined to be lost, his eyes devoid of any emotional fluctuation, as if watching a slaughter that had nothing to do with him.

“Jingqiu, don’t blame me.” His voice was very soft, so soft that only he could hear it. “The interests of the Void Merchant Guild are above all else.” Within the void rift, spatial turbulence roared like countless enraged black dragons.

Black spatial power condensed into tangible blades, shooting in all directions within the rift, each blade containing enough power to tear a Golden Immortal cultivator to shreds.

The moment Kai stepped into the rift, these spatial blades, like sharks smelling blood, attacked him from all sides.

He didn’t dodge.

Chaotic power condensed into a purple shield around his body. The spatial blades struck the shield, producing a piercing metallic scraping sound, then silently melted away, like ice meeting the blazing sun, without even a ripple. Chaotic power

is the source of all elements, and spatial power is no exception.

Before chaos, even the most violent spatial turbulence is nothing more than a trickle returning to its origin.

Kai walked step by step deeper into the rift.

The deeper he went, the stronger the spatial turbulence became.

At first, there were only scattered blades, but after walking about a hundred feet, the blades transformed into a dense rain of blades, overwhelming him. Deeper still, the rain of blades transformed into a storm.

A massive vortex of black spatial power formed around him, filled with destructive force capable of tearing a fifth-grade Golden Immortal cultivator to shreds.

Fine cracks began to appear on Kai’s protective barrier.

His brow furrowed slightly as he channeled more chaotic power into it, rapidly healing the cracks and thickening the barrier.

However, the consumption of chaotic power was far faster than anticipated.

At this rate, he could only sustain himself for half an hour at most.

Within half an hour, he had to find the end of the passage, or he would be swallowed by the spatial turbulence.

Kai quickened his pace.

The depths of the rift were pitch black, with only occasional flashes of spatial rifts releasing eerie light, illuminating the path ahead.

These lights flickered, casting the scene within the rift like a living hell.

Twisted space, shattered laws, floating boulder remnants, and fragments of ancient magical artifacts scattered throughout.

These artifact fragments still retained a faint ancient aura, proving that a world-shaking battle had once taken place here.

After walking for about fifteen minutes, a bright light suddenly appeared in the darkness ahead.

It was a silver-white gate, about ten zhang high and five zhang wide, its frame covered with dense ancient runes that flowed slowly in the light, as if breathing.

Behind the gate lay the ancient battlefield.

Kai quickened his pace and rushed towards the gate.

Just as he was less than ten zhang away from the gate, the surrounding spatial turbulence suddenly increased several times over.

Black spatial power condensed into a gigantic palm, slamming down on him.

That palm contained enough power to crush a fifth-grade Golden Immortal cultivator into a pulp; if struck, Kai would be severely injured, if not killed.

Kai did not retreat.

He drew his Dragon-Slaying Sword.

Purple sword energy condensed on the blade, and with a single slash, he collided head-on with the gigantic palm.

“Boom…”

The purple chaotic power and the black spatial power tore at each other at the point of impact, producing a deafening roar.

The shockwave spread in all directions, scattering the surrounding spatial turbulence.

The enormous hand was shattered by the sword, turning into countless tiny spatial fragments that drifted in the air.

Using the recoil from the sword strike, Kai shot forward, rushing into the silver-white portal.

The portal slowly closed behind him.

Kai landed on unfamiliar land.

Beneath his feet was grayish-white sand, mixed with countless tiny bone fragments and metal shards, crunching crisply underfoot.

Above him was a hazy gray sky, devoid of sun, moon, and stars, only a thick, perpetually shrouded gray mist.

The mist flowed slowly in the sky, like silent gray rivers.

The air was thick with the stench of decay and blood, the accumulated aura of death over countless millennia, now inseparable from the spiritual energy of this world.

Looking out, the entire land stretched as far as the eye could see, littered with the marks of battle: massive craters, fractured mountains, dried-up riverbeds, and scattered skeletons.

Some skeletons resembled humans, others beasts, and still others some unknown creature.

Some skeletons were as large as mountains, with a single rib tens of meters long; others were as small as needles, almost invisible in the sand.

The skeletons were of various colors: white, gold, silver, and black, some still emitting a faint spiritual light, testifying to the immense power of their owners in life.

This place was more desolate, more eerie, and more dangerous than the ancient battlefield he had entered from the Ruins of Return.

Kai didn’t even know if he had entered an ancient battlefield.

In any case, the aura here contained not only the lingering will of ancient powerhouses but also an inexplicable… malice.

This world itself seemed to be filled with hostility towards all life.

Kai spread his divine sense, covering a radius of a hundred miles.

He found no signs of life.

He sensed many powerful auras, not living ones, but dead ones—the lingering resentments of ancient powerhouses who had perished here, embedded in their bones.

These resentments, refined over countless millennia, had become one with the world, a part of this battlefield.

If disturbed, they would awaken and attack any intruder.

Kai withdrew his divine sense and looked around.

He was in a relatively flat valley.

Low hills surrounded the valley, barren and devoid of vegetation.

A dried-up riverbed ran through the center of the valley, its surface strewn with grayish-white pebbles and bone fragments.

The scene here was completely different from the ancient battlefield he had encountered in the Ruins of Return.

The battlefield in the Ruins of Return was even older and more desolate, but at least it had a sky, a sun, and wind.

Here, however, there was nothing but eternal grayness and eternal silence.

Just as Kai was about to explore his surroundings, the silver-white portal behind him suddenly lit up again.

Then, more than a dozen figures rushed out of the portal.

Leading the group was Wu Yuan, followed by more than a dozen elite cultivators from the Void Merchant Guild. Each of them had a pale face, clearly having consumed a lot of spiritual energy while passing through the void passage.

Upon seeing Kai, Wu Yuan’s eyes flashed with a glint of light, and he quickly walked over.

“Mr. Chen, what a skill

!” His voice was filled with barely concealed excitement. “I saw that black palm slapping towards you outside the passage, and I thought you were going to… but I didn’t expect you to shatter it with a single sword strike. Impressive, truly impressive!”

Kai glanced at him but remained silent.Wu Yuan’s acting was excellent, but Kai saw something different in his eyes. It wasn’t gratitude, nor admiration, but the excitement of a hunter watching its prey walk into a trap.

“President Wu, is this the secret realm you mentioned?” Kai asked.

Wu Yuan nodded, looking around, a burning light flashing in his crimson-gold eyes.

“That’s right. This is the ancient battlefield, the place where, according to legend, the Daoist sect and the gods fought their decisive battle in ancient times. Countless ancient powerhouses perished here, and their inheritances, magical artifacts, elixirs, and crystals are buried somewhere in this land. Finding even one or two of them would be enough to make a sect prosper for tens of thousands of years.”

The place where the Daoist sect and the gods fought their decisive battle.

Kai’s brows twitched slightly.

He recalled the words of Jade Void True Man: the Daoist sect and the gods shared the same origin, splitting into two factions in ancient times due to differing ideologies.

Later, a war lasting hundreds of thousands of years broke out, with the Daoist sect suffering repeated defeats. The Great Luo Golden Scripture was lost during that period, and the Chaos Dao Palace was sealed into an independent space during that time.

If this truly is the site of the ancient battle between the Daoist sects and the divine race, then the treasures here are indeed worth the Void Merchant Guild’s great effort.

However, Kai also noticed a problem: Wu Yuan said that the legacies of the Daoist sects and the divine races were buried here, yet when he walked out of the light gate just now, he showed no hesitation or confusion, as if he already knew what lay behind the light gate.

This indicated that Wu Yuan’s understanding of this place was far greater than he claimed.

Kai didn’t point it out, but simply nodded.

“Guild Master Wu, which way do we go next?”

Wu Yuan took out a jade slip from his sleeve, probed it with his divine sense, and after a moment, raised his head, pointing southeast.

“According to the intelligence gathered by the Merchant Guild, there is an ancient powerful being’s tomb three hundred miles to the southeast. There are no remains in the tomb, only an altar, and an ancient magical artifact is sealed on the altar. If we can break the seal, that artifact will be ours.”

Three hundred miles.

In ordinary places, three hundred miles is merely the distance of an incense stick’s burning incense for a Golden Immortal cultivator.

But in this ancient battlefield, every step could be a trap, every corner could hide danger; three hundred miles might take a day or even longer to traverse.

“Let’s go then,” Kai said, leading the way southeast.

Wu Yuan followed behind him, with a dozen or so cultivators from the Void Merchant Guild scattered around, vigilantly observing everything.

The group moved across the greyish-white earth at a moderate pace.

Kai’s divine sense maintained maximum coverage, perceiving everything within a hundred miles.

He had already sensed over a dozen dangerous auras: some were remnants of souls slumbering in ancient skeletons, some were remnants of ancient ferocious beasts hidden in spatial rifts, and some were spatial nodes twisted into traps by some kind of law.

Whenever they encountered danger, Kai would issue a warning in advance, leading the group around it.

Wu Yuan watched Kai’s retreating figure, a complex expression flashing in his crimson-gold eyes.

He had spent tens of thousands of years gathering intelligence on this ancient battlefield, expending countless resources and manpower, and sacrificing countless cultivators, just to barely understand the distribution of dangers on the outskirts of this battlefield.

But Kai, a first-timer here, could sense the dangers with his divine sense alone, and his perception was more accurate than any intelligence gathered over tens of thousands of years.

Was this the power of Chaos?

Wu Yuan didn’t know, but he knew one thing: bringing Kai here was the best decision he had ever made.

After walking for about two hours, the scenery ahead suddenly changed.

The grayish-white sand disappeared, replaced by a patch of black scorched earth.

The scorched earth was covered with countless cracks, from which black smoke billowed, and the air was filled with the pungent smell of sulfur.

The scorched earth was extremely hot; stepping on it felt like being burned. Any cultivator below the Golden Immortal realm who lingered there for too long would likely be roasted to a crisp.

In the center of the scorched earth lay a gigantic skeleton.

The skeleton was about a hundred feet tall, humanoid in shape, but its bones were several times larger than a human’s, and it was a dark gold color.

The skeleton’s posture was strange: kneeling with its hands on the ground, its head bowed, as if it were kneeling before something.

The skeleton was covered in cracks, some deep enough to expose the bone, others running through the entire skeleton, as if shattered by some immense force and then glued back together.

“This is…” A cultivator from the Void Merchant Guild looked at the skeleton, his voice trembling slightly, “A Celestial King realm expert?”

Wu Yuan’s gaze fell on the skeleton, his brows furrowing slightly.

“Not a Celestial King realm expert.” His voice was soft, but his tone carried an undisguised solemnity, “Celestial King realm skeletons are pure gold, this skeleton is dark gold… This should be a Celestial Emperor realm expert, or perhaps a half-step Saint.”

A half-step Saint.

Kai’s pupils contracted slightly.

Above the Celestial Emperor realm was the Saint realm.

Saints were the highest level of cultivation in the Heavenly Realm. It was said that reaching the Saint realm meant living as long as heaven and earth, shining as brightly as the sun and moon, able to create or destroy worlds in an instant.

A half-step Saint was someone only one step away from becoming a Saint.

A half-step Saint expert, kneeling dead here.

Moreover, judging from his posture, he didn’t die in battle, but rather knelt there voluntarily, as if submitting to some being, and was then killed by some force.

What kind of being could make a half-step Saint-level expert kneel down and be killed without any resistance?

A chill ran through Kai’s heart.

The only information he knew was about the Celestial Realm. As for what lay beyond the Celestial Realm, the Divine Realm, the myriad worlds, what realms cultivators reached, and how they were classified, Kai knew nothing.

In his eyes, Saints were the most powerful beings.

Perhaps when Kai reached the Saint level and stood at the top of the Celestial Realm, he would realize that he was still an ant, and that there were even more powerful worlds and even more powerful people beyond the Celestial Realm.

Wu Yuan’s expression also became solemn.

“Go around it,” he decisively said. “Don’t go near that skeleton. The lingering will of a half-step Saint is not something we can provoke.”

The group bypassed the scorched earth and continued to advance southeast.

After walking for about an hour, a low stone mountain appeared ahead.

The stone mountain is about a hundred feet high, and its entire body is gray-black. Its surface is covered with traces of weathering, as if it has endured countless millennia of wind and rain.

At the foot of the stone mountain, there is a cave entrance. The entrance is not large, only allowing one person to pass through at a time. A cold, damp wind blows out of the cave entrance, carrying a putrid smell.

Wu Yuan stopped and looked at the cave entrance, a hint of excitement flashing in his crimson-gold eyes.

“This is it.” His voice was filled with barely concealed excitement. “The altar is inside the cave.”