Chapter 6591 - 6660
Kai stood at the cave entrance, probing in with his divine sense.
The cave was very deep; his divine sense extended three hundred feet, yet he still couldn’t reach the bottom.
The cave was riddled with branching paths, like a giant underground labyrinth.
Some of these paths led to dead ends, some to traps, and some to even deeper unknowns.
But at the very depths of the labyrinth, he sensed an extremely powerful fluctuation of spiritual energy.
That fluctuation didn’t seem to originate from a living being; it was more like the lingering aura of something sealed away in its slumber.
“There’s something inside,” Kai withdrew his divine sense, looking at Wu Yuan, “but something’s not right.”
“What’s not right?” Wu Yuan asked.
“That fluctuation of spiritual energy… it’s too strong.”
Kai’s voice was somewhat low, “It doesn’t seem like a Golden Immortal level artifact, not even a Great Luo Golden Immortal level one. If that artifact is really that powerful, with the strength of the people here, there’s no way we could control it.”
Wu Yuan was silent for a moment, then smiled.
“Mr. Chen, you’re overthinking it.”
His voice was calm, but there was an indescribable meaning behind it. “Ancient magical artifacts all have spirits, and these spirits automatically adjust the artifact’s power output based on the user’s cultivation level.
A lower-level user will have a lower power output,
while a higher-level user will have a higher power output.
Although our cultivation is not high, as long as we obtain that artifact, the spirit will naturally adapt to our level.”
He paused, his smile becoming even more meaningful. “Even if that artifact is truly too powerful for us to control, we can take it back to the Void Merchant Guild and study it slowly.
The Void Merchant Guild has plenty of ways to deal with artifacts of this level.”
Kai looked into Wu Yuan’s eyes. Those crimson-gold eyes showed no evasion, no hesitation, only a thirst and obsession for the treasure.
But Kai still felt something was amiss.
Wu Yuan’s understanding of this battlefield far exceeded what he claimed to have “gathered some information.”
He knew there was an altar here, knew there were magical artifacts on it, knew the altar was inside the cave, and even knew the labyrinth within the cave
like the back of his hand. This didn’t seem like information gathering; it was as if he had been here before.
At this moment, Kai truly grasped the power of the Void Merchant Guild.
Clearly, the information here was far beyond what Wu Yuan, a mere fourth-grade Golden Immortal, could gather.
Perhaps it was information relayed by forces from the upper levels of the Void Merchant Guild.
“Let’s go in then,” he said, leading the way into the cave.
Wu Yuan followed behind him, and a dozen or so Void Merchant Guild cultivators filed in.
The cave was pitch black, so dark you couldn’t see your hand in front of your face. Kai’s Chaos Flame burned in his palm, its purple light illuminating the path ahead.
The cave passage was narrow, only wide enough for two people to walk side-by-side. The stone walls on both sides were covered with dense scratches, like those left by some kind of sharp claws.
The scratches were deep, some even penetrating several feet into the stone wall. Faint traces of black liquid remained on the wall, the residue of some creature’s dried blood.
“There’s a creature here,” Kai stopped, looking at the scratches and black liquid. “And it’s not an ancient creature; it’s recent.”
Wu Yuan’s expression changed.
He walked to the stone wall, touched the scratches, rubbed his fingers on the black liquid, and smelled it.
“A demonic beast
,” his voice was low. “And a Golden Immortal level demonic beast. Judging from the depth and spacing of the scratches, this beast isn’t large, but its strength and speed are terrifying. If you encounter it, don’t fight it head-on; use an array to trap it.”
The group continued forward.
The cave grew deeper, with more and more forks in the path.
Wu Yuan’s familiarity with the place far exceeded Kai’s expectations. He almost never hesitated, accurately choosing the correct direction at each fork in the path, as if strolling in his own backyard.
Kai followed behind him, a thoughtful glint in his purple eyes.
Wu Yuan had been here before.
And not just once.
He had previously said that the Void Merchant Guild had tried many times to pass through the void passage, but all attempts had failed—that was true.
But the one who failed wasn’t his subordinates, but himself.
He had come personally, tried to enter this ancient battlefield, but he hadn’t succeeded.
That’s why he sought Kai’s help.
A slight smile curved Kai’s lips.
Wu Yuan wanted to use him, and so did he.
Wu Yuan’s understanding of this battlefield was exactly what he needed.
And his control over the power of chaos was what Wu Yuan needed.
Each got what they needed—a fair trade.
As for who would ultimately gain the most, that would depend on their individual abilities.
The group walked through the cave for about half an hour when the passage ahead suddenly widened.
At the end of the passage was a huge underground cavern.
The cavern was tens of feet high and hundreds of feet wide, its dome inlaid with countless luminous crystals, illuminating the entire cavern.
In the center of the cavern was a stone altar.
The altar was about three zhang high and five zhang wide, entirely gray-black, its surface covered with densely packed ancient runes.
The runes flickered in the light of the glowing crystals, as if breathing.
At the top of the altar floated a ball of dark golden light.
Within the light, a sword could be vaguely seen.
The sword was about three chi long, its blade entirely dark gold, intricately patterned, and a dark red gem inlaid on its hilt.
There wasn’t a trace of rust or damage on the sword; it looked as if it had just been forged.
Even sealed within the light, the sword still radiated an astonishing sword aura.
This aura was condensed and didn’t dissipate, forming an invisible aura around the altar, slightly distorting the surrounding space.
Wu Yuan looked at the sword, a burning light flashing in his crimson-gold eyes.
“It’s it,” he said, his voice tinged with barely concealed excitement, “An ancient magical artifact, ‘Dark Abyss’.”
Dark Abyss.
Kai looked at the sword, a flicker of emotion crossing his purple eyes.
He could sense that the power contained within that sword was extremely terrifying, far exceeding any magical artifact he had ever seen.
But his intuition told him there was something wrong with the sword.
The problem wasn’t with the sword itself, but with the altar.
The runes on the altar weren’t sealing runes, but sacrificial runes.
The purpose of sacrificial runes wasn’t to seal things, but to offer something as a sacrifice to a more powerful being.
In other words, the sword wasn’t sealed on the altar, but offered as a sacrifice to some being.
If someone took the sword, that being would awaken.
And then, everyone present would die. Kai looked at Wu Yuan, whose eyes held only a thirst for the treasure, devoid of any wariness or hesitation.
He didn’t know these were sacrificial runes.
Or perhaps he did, but didn’t care.
“President Wu,” Kai began, “do you know what the runes on this altar are?”
Wu Yuan paused, then shook his head.
“I don’t know much about ancient runes. Does Mr. Chen recognize them?”
“These are sacrificial runes,” Kai said calmly. “This sword was offered as a sacrifice to a certain being. If it is taken, that being will awaken.”
Wu Yuan’s expression changed.
He walked to the altar, carefully examining the runes, a hint of solemnity flashing in his crimson-gold eyes.
He remained silent for a moment.
Then he smiled.
“Mr. Chen, you’re overthinking it.”
His voice was calm, but there was an indescribable meaning behind it. “This ancient battlefield has existed for countless millennia. Even if there were any beings there, they would be long dead.
Even if they aren’t, they’re certainly dormant. We’re just taking a sword; the commotion won’t be significant and won’t awaken it.”
Kai looked into Wu Yuan’s eyes. In those crimson-gold eyes, there was no guilt, no evasion, only an unwavering obsession with the treasure.
But Kai knew Wu Yuan was lying.
He knew it was a sacrificial rune; he knew taking the sword would awaken something, but he didn’t care.
Because his purpose was never the sword.
His purpose was to awaken that being.
Kai didn’t know why Wu Yuan was doing this, but he knew Wu Yuan was playing a very long game.
And he was the most important piece on that game.
“If President Wu wants the sword, then take it.”
Kai took a few steps back, leaned against a stone pillar, crossed his arms, and looked at Wu Yuan with his purple eyes. “But I won’t make a move.”
Wu Yuan’s expression changed slightly, but he quickly regained his composure.
“If Mr. Chen is unwilling to do it, then I will do it myself.”
He walked to the altar and reached into the dark golden light.
The light flowed between his fingertips, and dark golden runes spread upwards along his arm, as if something was trying to enter his body.
Wu Yuan gritted his teeth, his spiritual power surging wildly, forcing back the runes.
His hand gripped the hilt of the sword.
Then, he pulled it out with a swift motion.
The dark golden blade emerged from the light, emitting a crisp sword cry that echoed through the cave, making everyone’s eardrums tingle.
The dark golden light on the blade suddenly exploded, transforming into shockwaves that spread outwards, sending rubble flying everywhere in the cave.
Wu Yuan held the Dark Abyss in his hand, a hint of wild joy flashing in his crimson-gold eyes.
“A fine sword! Truly a fine sword!”
As soon as he finished speaking, the cave suddenly shook violently.
The glowing crystals on the ceiling fell off and shattered into dust on the ground.
Huge cracks appeared in the ground, from which black smoke billowed, filled with a thick, decaying stench.
Simultaneously, the sacrificial runes on the altar lit up, their dark red light illuminating the entire cave in a blood-red glow.
The runes spun wildly, as if transmitting a message to some being.
Then, a voice echoed within the cave.
The voice was faint, distant, as if coming from the depths of the earth, or perhaps from another dimension.
It was devoid of emotion, possessing only an ancient, unchanging, utterly cold majesty.
“Mortals…you…daring to touch my offerings…”
Wu Yuan’s face turned deathly pale.
His hand gripping the Dark Abyss trembled, his crimson-gold eyes filled with terror.
That being had truly awakened.
“Go!” Wu Yuan roared, turning and running towards the cave’s exit.
Kai remained still.
His purple eyes stared at the altar, where the sacrificial runes were slowly fading, and the voice of that being was gradually dissipating.
He had not awakened.
He had only sensed that someone had disturbed his offerings, so he released a wisp of his will as a warning.
But if they didn’t run, if they stayed in the cave any longer, that being would truly awaken.
Kai turned and followed Wu Yuan out of the cave.
A dozen or so cultivators from the Void Merchant Guild followed closely behind, each with fear written on their face.
The group rushed out of the cave, and had barely run a hundred feet when a deafening roar suddenly came from behind them.
“Boom…”
The entire stone mountain exploded from the inside, scattering debris everywhere and sending dust billowing into the sky.
From within the dust, a huge black shadow slowly rose.
The shadow was about a hundred feet tall, humanoid in shape, but without flesh, only a dark golden skeleton.
In the skeleton’s head, two empty eye sockets burned with eerie green flames, the flames flickering with a strange light in the darkness.
The remnant soul of a half-step Saint
had attached itself to its own skeleton and awakened.
Kai stopped, turned around, and looked at the huge skeleton, his purple eyes showing no fear.
“President Wu, is this the result you wanted?” His voice was calm.
Wu Yuan’s hand gripping the Dark Abyss trembled, his crimson-gold eyes filled with terror.
“I…I didn’t know it would turn out like this…”
His voice trembled slightly, “I just wanted that sword, I didn’t know it would awaken…”
Kai looked at him, a cold smile curving his lips.
“You knew.”
Wu Yuan’s body stiffened abruptly.
He looked into Kai’s eyes, those purple eyes devoid of emotion, only a piercing calmness.
He truly knew.
He knew the runes on the altar were sacrificial runes, he knew taking the sword would awaken that being, he knew the consequences.
But he still did it.
Because he needed that being to awaken.
Because only when that being awakened could he obtain what he truly desired.
Wu Yuan took a deep breath, concealing the fear on his face and replacing it with a calm expression.
“Mr. Chen is indeed intelligent.”
His voice returned to calm, a meaningful smile playing on his lips. “I do know. But rest assured, Mr. Chen, I won’t let you risk your life in vain.
Within the remains of that being lies a Soul Crystal. The Soul Crystal contains some of its memories and cultivation insights from its previous life. If you can obtain that Soul Crystal, Mr. Chen’s cultivation will definitely break through to the Golden Immortal Realm.” A
Soul Crystal.
Kai’s brow twitched slightly.
He had heard of such things.
After the fall of ancient powerhouses, if their willpower was strong enough, their remnant soul would condense into a Soul Crystal within their remains.
The Soul Crystal contained the memories and cultivation insights of the powerful being, making it an extremely precious treasure for cultivators.
The Soul Crystal of a half-step Dao Realm powerhouse was immeasurably valuable.
“You want me to help you obtain the Soul Crystal?” Kai asked.
Wu Yuan shook his head. “It’s not me getting it for you. It’s me getting it for Mr. Chen. I don’t want the soul crystal; it’s all Mr. Chen’s. I only want the sword and the other treasures here.”
Kai looked into Wu Yuan’s eyes. Those crimson-gold eyes held no evasion, no guilt, only an unwavering sincerity.
But Kai knew Wu Yuan was lying again.
Soul crystals were indeed valuable, but compared to them, the sword was far more precious.
Wu Yuan wouldn’t abandon the soul crystal for the sword.
Unless there was something wrong with the soul crystal.
“President Wu is so generous; I am unworthy of such kindness,”
Kai said calmly. “The soul crystal is for President Wu; I only need the sword.”
Wu Yuan’s smile froze.
He looked into Kai’s eyes, those purple pupils leaving no room for negotiation.
A moment of silence followed.
Then, Wu Yuan smiled.
“Mr. Chen, there is indeed a problem with the Soul Crystal.”
His voice carried a hint of bitterness. “That Soul Crystal not only contains the memories and cultivation insights of that being, but also its obsession.
If you absorb it directly, you will be corrupted by its obsession, at best you will suffer a cultivation deviation, at worst you will be possessed.
The Void Merchant Guild has a way to purify the obsession in the Soul Crystal, but it takes a long time. And Mr. Chen does not have that time, nor does he have that means.”
He paused, looking into Kai’s eyes. “I don’t want to harm Mr. Chen, I just want Mr. Chen to help me retrieve the Soul Crystal.
After I retrieve it, I will take it back to the Void Merchant Guild to purify it, and after purification, I will give it to Mr. Chen. If Mr. Chen does not believe me, I can swear on my Dao Heart.”
Swearing on one’s Dao Heart.
For cultivators, swearing on their Dao Heart is the most solemn oath. Once broken, the Dao Heart will shatter, and cultivation will be completely ruined.
Wu Yuan dared to swear on his Dao Heart, which means he was not lying this time.
Kai was silent for a moment, then nodded.
“Alright.”
A hint of joy flashed in Wu Yuan’s eyes, but he quickly regained his composure.
“Then I’ll have to trouble you, Mr. Chen.”
The enormous skeleton had completely risen from the rubble.
It stood about a hundred feet tall, its dark golden frame standing out starkly against the gray sky.
Eerie green flames burned fiercely in its eye sockets, like two will-o’-the-wisps flickering in the darkness.
Its mouth opened, emitting a silent roar, the sound waves transforming into tangible shockwaves that spread in all directions.
Wherever the shockwaves passed, the ground was ripped up, rubble was pulverized, and the spiritual energy in the air was thrown into chaos.
Wu Yuan led the cultivators of the Void Merchant Guild to a distance, leaving the battlefield to Kai.
Kai stood before the skeleton, the Dragon-Slaying Sword held horizontally before him, purple chaotic fire burning on its blade.
The skeleton looked down at Kai, the eerie green flames in its eye sockets flickering.
Then, it raised its enormous foot and stomped down on Kai.
The foot blotted out the sky, like a small mountain descending from the heavens, carrying immense force, enough to crush any cultivator below the Golden Immortal realm into a pulp.
Kai didn’t retreat.
He swung his Dragon-Slaying Sword upwards, the purple sword energy striking his foot with a piercing metallic clang.
The sword energy left a deep mark on his foot, but it wasn’t severed; it merely deflected him slightly, causing him to land on the ground beside him.
“Boom…”
A crater several meters deep was created, sending debris flying and dust billowing into the sky.
Taking advantage of this opportunity, Kai shot forward, climbing up the skeleton’s legs.
Chaotic power condensed beneath his feet, allowing him to walk on the skeleton as if on solid ground. He ran incredibly fast, reaching the skeleton’s waist in the blink of an eye.
The skeleton seemed to sense Kai’s location, its massive hand slamming down towards his waist.
Kai leaped away, dodging the hand and landing on the skeleton’s ribs.
The hand struck the skeleton’s own waist with a deafening crash, breaking several ribs, sending fragments flying everywhere.
Kai continued climbing, passing through the ribs to reach the skeleton’s chest cavity.
Inside, a fist-sized, dark golden bead floated in the center, its surface shimmering with a ghostly green light, as if something slumbered within.
That was the Soul Crystal.
Kai reached for it.
Just as his fingers were about to touch it, a ghostly green hand suddenly emerged from the crystal, grabbing at him.
That hand contained an extremely powerful force of obsession; if it caught him, his soul would be corrupted, even possessed.
Kai didn’t retreat.
Chaotic fire condensed in his palm, the purple flames colliding with the ghostly green hand, producing a hissing sound.
The ghostly green hand rapidly melted under the scorching heat of the chaotic fire, like a block of ice thrown into a furnace, instantly turning to nothingness.
The Soul Crystal let out a piercing scream, the sound echoing in his chest cavity, making Kai’s eardrums tingle.
Kai grabbed the Soul Crystal and pulled it from his chest cavity.
The Soul Crystal pulsated wildly in his palm, like a heart, its eerie green light flickering frantically on its surface. The power of obsession struggled madly, trying to break free from the shackles of chaotic energy.
But Kai’s chaotic energy was the source of all elements, suppressing all power, including the power of obsession.
The Soul Crystal gradually calmed in his palm, its eerie green light dimming, like a tamed beast lying obediently in his hand.
The skeleton, having lost the Soul Crystal, quickly extinguished the eerie green flames in its eye sockets.
The massive skeleton began to crumble, its dark golden bones breaking one by one, falling from the height and crashing to the ground with a dull thud.
Kai leaped down from the collapsing skeleton, landing in front of Wu Yuan and handing him the Soul Crystal.
Wu Yuan took the Soul Crystal, a burning light flashing in his crimson-gold eyes.
“Thank you, Mr. Chen,”
he said, his voice tinged with barely concealed excitement. “I will purify the Soul Crystal as soon as possible and deliver it to you, Mr. Chen.”
Kai nodded, remaining silent.
His gaze fell upon the Dark Abyss Sword, which Wu Yuan held in his hand, its dark golden blade shimmering eerily in the sunlight.
That sword was even more powerful than the Dragon Slayer Sword.
But Kai didn’t want it.
Because it was a sacrifice, an offering to a certain being.
Whoever wielded it would be targeted by that being.
Wu Yuan wanted to be targeted, that was his business.
Kai didn’t want that.
Besides, the Dragon-Slaying Sword contained Zhong Li, and in Kai’s heart, Zhong Li was no longer just a simple sword spirit.
Zhong Li was his woman, and even if there were something better, Kai would never trade his woman for her.
“President Wu, where to next?” Kai asked.
Wu Yuan put away the Soul Crystal and the Dark Abyss Sword, took out a jade slip from his sleeve, probed it with his divine sense, and after a moment, raised his head, pointing southwest.
“Five hundred miles southwest, there is an ancient powerful figure’s tomb, containing the remains of a Tai Xu Realm expert. Among his burial goods is a storage ring, which should contain a large amount of crystals, pills, and magical artifacts.”
Five hundred miles.
Another day’s journey.
“Let’s go.” Kai took the lead and headed southwest.
Wu Yuan followed behind him, with a dozen or so cultivators from the Void Merchant Guild close behind.
The group moved across the gray-white land at a moderate pace.
Kai’s divine sense maintained maximum coverage, perceiving everything within a hundred miles.
After the group had traveled for about an hour, his divine sense suddenly detected something, and he abruptly stopped.
“Someone.” His voice was cold.
Wu Yuan’s expression changed. “Who?”
“The Divine Race.” Kai turned around, his purple eyes looking north. “Five flying boats, fifty people. They’ve followed.”
Wu Yuan’s expression completely changed.
Su Jingqiu had led a dozen or so people to intercept the fifty members of the Divine Race, and she had failed.
She was dead.
A complex look flashed in Wu Yuan’s eyes, but it was fleeting before he regained his composure.
“How many?” he asked.
“Fifty. 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.” Kai’s voice was calm, as if stating a simple fact.
Wu Yuan was silent for a moment, then looked at Kai.
“Mr. Chen, can we fight?”
Kai looked into Wu Yuan’s eyes, those crimson-gold eyes showed no fear, no hesitation, only an extremely calm calculation.
He was calculating the outcome.
Fifty Divine Race cultivators, one Golden Immortal Level 4, two Golden Immortal Level 3, and the rest are Golden Immortal Level 1 and 2.
On his side, including Kai, there were only a dozen or so people, the highest cultivation level being his own Golden Immortal Level 4 and Kai’s True Immortal Level 8.
If they fought head-on, the chances of winning were almost zero.
But if they added Kai’s Chaos Power, the environment of the ancient battlefield, and some strategies…
the chances of winning were still there.
“We can fight.” Kai’s voice was calm, “but we need President Wu’s cooperation.”
Wu Yuan nodded, “Mr. Chen, please speak.”
Kai turned around and looked at the distant horizon.
There, five black flying boats were rapidly approaching, golden holy light runes flashing blindingly on their surfaces.
“In the ancient battlefield, there are many slumbering ancient remnants of souls. If we can lure those souls and have the gods deal with them…”
Kai’s voice was calm, but a chilling undercurrent ran through it. “Fifty of them won’t be enough to kill those remnants of souls.”
A glint flashed in Wu Yuan’s eyes.
“Mr. Chen, what a brilliant plan.” His voice held a hint of admiration. “I’ll make the arrangements immediately.”
Wu Yuan turned and gave a few instructions to the Void Merchant Guild cultivators behind him. The group quickly dispersed, disappearing into the gray-white earth.
Kai stood alone on a high ground, the Dragon-Slaying Sword hanging at his waist, his purple eyes fixed on the distant black flying boats.
The flying boats drew closer and closer.
Five hundred li, three hundred li, one hundred li.
When they were less than fifty li away, the flying boats stopped.
The five flying boats hovered in the air, golden holy light runes flashing wildly on their hulls, as if surveying their surroundings.
Then, the people on the flying boat spotted Kai.
Fifty divine cultivators leaped from the flying boat, golden holy light burning on their bodies, dyeing the entire sky gold.
Leading them was a middle-aged man, clad in golden armor, wielding a golden spear with blazing holy flames dancing at its tip. He was a
fourth-grade Golden Immortal.
Behind him were two third-grade Golden Immortals, one wielding twin swords, the other a longbow, each with a cold, murderous intent on their faces.
The middle-aged man looked at Kai, a contemptuous smile playing on his lips.
“You are Kai?”
Kai didn’t speak, only looked at them. “I am Yan Huo, the Vice Palace Master of the Flame God Palace.
” The middle-aged man’s voice carried an arrogant air of superiority. “The Palace Master has ordered your death. Will you take your own life, or will I do it?” Kai’s brow twitched slightly. Yan Wuji had sent his Vice Palace Master to personally hunt him down; it seemed he was truly desperate. “How did you find this place?” Kai asked. A cold smile curled at the corner of Yan Huo’s lips. “What do you think? The Void Merchant Guild is such a large organization; of course, there are members of our Divine Race inside. Your every move is under our surveillance.” There was a traitor among the Divine Race within the Void Merchant Guild. Kai wasn’t surprised. Wu Yuan had sent Su Jingqiu with a dozen or so people to intercept and kill the fifty members of the Divine Race, not to ensure their victory, but to buy them time, giving Kai a chance to enter the Void Passage. Did Su Jingqiu know this? Perhaps she did, perhaps she didn’t. But regardless, she went. Because she had no choice. Kai pulled himself together and looked at Yan Huo. “You want to kill me? Then come on.” A murderous glint flashed in Yan Huo’s eyes. His golden spear thrust out fiercely, a golden beam of holy light shooting from its tip towards Kai. Kai didn’t take the hit head-on; instead, he flashed away into the distance. Yan Huo snorted coldly and led the Divine Race in pursuit. Fifty people formed a battle formation in the air, their golden holy light stretching out like a giant net, enveloping Kai. Kai flew very fast, but the gods were no slower. The two sides chased each other in the air for about fifteen minutes before Kai suddenly stopped, hovering in the air, and turned to look at the pursuing gods. Yan Huo also stopped, looking at Kai with a hint of doubt in his eyes. “Not running anymore?” A slight smile appeared on Kai’s lips. “Run? Why should we run? You’re the ones who should run.” As soon as he finished speaking, the ground around them suddenly cracked open. Huge fissures spread across the ground, black smoke billowing from them, filled with a strong stench of decay. Then, skeletons crawled out of the fissures.
Some were humanoid, some beast-like, and some half-human, half-beast. The skeletons varied in shape and size, but each one had a ghostly green flame burning in its eye sockets—a sign of ancient remnant souls possessing them.
Hundreds of skeletons crawled out of the cracks and rushed towards the gods.
Yan Huo’s expression changed drastically.
“These are… ancient remnant souls?”
Kai didn’t answer.
He turned and flew away, purple chaotic power flowing around him, leaving a purple trail in the gray sky.
Behind him, the battle between the skeletons and the gods had begun.
Golden holy light and the ghostly green power of the remnant souls collided in the air, producing deafening roars.
The gods’ holy light had some restraining effect on the remnant souls, but there were too many of them, and they were fearless; for every one killed, ten more would pounce.
Although the gods were highly skilled, they couldn’t withstand the sheer number of remnant souls.
In less than half an incense stick’s time, more than a dozen gods had been torn to pieces by the remnant souls.
Yan Huo swung his golden spear, blasting several skeletons that lunged at him into fragments, his golden eyes bloodshot.
“Retreat! Everyone retreat!”
The gods desperately retreated, but the remnant souls relentlessly pursued them.
Several more god cultivators were caught by the remnant souls and torn to pieces.
Yan Huo gritted his teeth, took out a golden jade talisman from his robes, and crushed it.
The talisman exploded, transforming into a golden light shield that enveloped the remaining god cultivators.
The remnant souls crashed into the light shield, bounced back, and let out a shrill scream.
Yan Huo led the remaining god cultivators away into the distance, the golden light shield swirling around them, blocking the remnant souls’ pursuit.
Kai stood on a distant hill, watching the gods flee in disarray, his purple eyes devoid of any emotion.
Wu Yuan emerged from behind a boulder, stood beside Kai, his crimson-gold eyes fixed on the direction the gods had gone, a satisfied smile playing on his lips.
“Mr. Chen, what a brilliant plan. You killed over a dozen of them in one go, and the rest were severely weakened.”
Kai remained silent. His
gaze fell on the distant horizon, where the Divine Race’s flying ship was rapidly disappearing into the distance. They wouldn’t give up easily. They would regroup and then return. Next time, they would be more cautious and wouldn’t be so easily fooled. “What’s next?” Wu Yuan asked. Kai withdrew his gaze and turned to walk southwest. “Keep going, to that powerful figure’s tomb. Before the Divine Race returns, take the treasure and leave.” Wu Yuan nodded and followed behind him. A dozen or so cultivators from the Void Merchant Guild emerged from various places and followed the group. The group continued southwest. After walking for about two hours, the scenery suddenly changed. The gray-white land disappeared, replaced by a dense forest. The trees in the forest were tall and ancient, some probably over a hundred thousand years old, with trunks so thick that it would take dozens of people to encircle them. The canopy of trees blocked out the sun, completely obscuring the gray sky. Only sparse sunlight filtered through the leaves, casting dappled shadows on the ground. The air was thick with the damp scent of earth and decaying leaves, occasionally broken by birdsong from the depths of the canopy, creating an eerie tranquility. But Kai sensed that this forest harbored many dangerous auras: ancient demonic beasts slumbering beneath the tree roots, poisonous insects lurking among the leaves, and spatial nodes twisted into traps by some kind of law. “This forest is strange,” Kai stopped, his purple eyes scanning the surroundings. “The auras inside are too mixed—demonic beasts, poisonous insects, spatial traps. Entering rashly could be dangerous.” Wu Yuan took out a jade slip from his sleeve, probed it with his divine sense, and after a moment, looked up, his expression grave. “This forest isn’t marked on the jade slip. The intelligence gathered by the merchant guild contains no information about it.” No information. This meant everything here was unknown. The unknown meant danger. “Go around it,” Kai decided immediately. “Go around it from the edge of the forest.” The group bypassed the forest and continued along a dried-up riverbed to the north. After walking for about an hour, the scenery changed again. The dried-up riverbed disappeared, replaced by a vast swamp. The swamp was filled with black silt, from which bubbles rose, releasing pungent poisonous gases when they burst. White bone fragments and decaying plant remains floated on the surface of the swamp, and occasionally a few skeletons could be seen half-buried in the silt. These skeletons were of different colors—white, gold, and black—representing powerful individuals of different races and cultivation levels. A thick layer of gray mist shrouded the swamp, filled with potent poisonous gases and spatial rifts. Anything that flew over the swamp would be corroded by the poisonous gases and torn apart by the spatial rifts. “Go around it,” Kai decided again. The group circled the edge of the swamp and walked for about two more hours before finally reaching their destination. It was a massive stone tomb. The stone tomb was several tens of feet high and a hundred feet wide, entirely gray-black, its surface covered with densely packed ancient runes. The runes shimmered faintly under the gray sky, as if breathing. The entrance to the tomb was a massive stone door, tightly shut, with a huge character for “Dao” carved on it. Wu Yuan stared at the character, a burning light flashing in his crimson-gold eyes. “This is it,” he said, his voice tinged with barely concealed excitement. “The tomb of a powerful figure. His storage ring is inside.” Kai walked to the stone door and placed his hand on it. Chaotic power surged from his palm, the purple light colliding with the runes on the stone door, producing a buzzing sound. The stone door slowly opened. A putrid stench emanated from behind the door, carrying a dense aura of death that was nauseating. Kai stepped through the stone door first. Wu Yuan followed behind him, and a dozen or so cultivators from the Void Merchant Guild filed in. The interior of the stone tomb appeared even more spacious than the exterior. A wide passageway led deep into the tomb, its walls adorned with murals. The murals depicted the tomb owner’s life, his cultivation, his battles, and his demise. From the murals, it was clear the tomb owner was a powerful Daoist. He was severely wounded in the ancient battle between the Daoist sect and the divine race, fled here, and then perished. His burial goods were abundant: crystals, elixirs, magical artifacts, and jade slips containing cultivation techniques—everything imaginable. However, Kai’s attention was not on the burial goods. His gaze was fixed on the deepest part of the tomb. There, he found a stone coffin. The coffin was entirely white, crafted from ten-thousand-year-old spiritual jade, its surface covered with densely packed sealing runes. The runes shimmered faintly in the darkness, as if sealing something. Beside the coffin lay a storage ring. That storage ring was entirely silver-white, its surface shimmering with a faint spatial energy—clearly not an ordinary item.
Wu Yuan’s eyes flashed with a burning light as he saw the storage ring and strode over.
But he had only taken two steps when Kai stopped him.
“Wait a minute,” Kai said in a low voice, “There’s something in the stone coffin.”
Wu Yuan’s body stiffened abruptly.
He turned to look at the stone coffin, a flicker of fear in his crimson-gold eyes.
“What…what is it?”
Kai didn’t answer.
His divine sense probed into the stone coffin, sensing the aura within.
It was an extremely powerful aura, so powerful that his divine sense was repelled the moment it touched it.
That aura wasn’t the aura of the dead, but the aura of the living.
The person in the stone coffin was still alive.
Or rather, the being in the stone coffin had never died. “Let’s go.” Kai turned and walked towards the outside of the stone tomb. “Let’s go now.”
Wu Yuan hesitated for a moment, glanced at the storage ring, then at Kai’s back, gritted his teeth, and followed.
A dozen or so cultivators from the Void Merchant Guild followed closely behind.
As soon as they stepped out of the stone tomb, a deafening roar came from behind them.
“Boom—”
The entire stone tomb exploded from the inside, rubble flying everywhere, and dust billowing into the sky.
From the dust, a white figure slowly rose.
It was a middle-aged man, dressed in a white Daoist robe, with a stern face, long hair flowing down his shoulders, and an aura of terror emanating from him.
His eyes were closed, as if he were asleep.
But his aura had already locked onto everyone present.
Wu Yuan’s face turned pale, and his hand holding the sword trembled.
“This is… the tomb owner? Is he still alive?”
Kai didn’t speak.
He looked at the white-robed man, his purple eyes showing no fear.
Because he sensed a familiar aura on the white-robed man.
It was the aura of the Great Luo Golden Scripture.
This man had cultivated the Great Luo Golden Scripture.
The white-robed man slowly opened his eyes.
His eyes were golden, devoid of any emotion, only possessing an extreme, cold majesty.
His gaze swept over everyone, finally settling on Kai and stopping.
He looked into Kai’s eyes, a flicker of emotion flashing within them.
“The inheritor of the Great Luo Golden Scripture…?”
His voice was soft, distant, as if from another dimension.
The white-robed man’s voice echoed in the gray sky, as if from the deepest recesses of time, carrying a sense of vicissitude and weariness accumulated over countless millennia.
His body hovered in the air, his white Daoist robe fluttering in the wind, his long hair as black as ink, his face serene, his golden eyes reflecting the gray sky and the ravaged earth.
His body was translucent, like a wisp of smoke about to dissipate, yet the aura emanating from him was so powerful that it suffocated everyone present.
Kai looked up at him, his purple eyes devoid of fear, only filled with an inexplicable sense of familiarity.
It was a resonance deep within his bloodline, a resonance between the Great Luo Golden Scripture and the cultivator.
Wu Yuan’s crimson-gold eyes were filled with terror.
He wanted to run, but his legs seemed nailed to the ground, unable to move an inch.
The dozen or so Void Merchant Guild cultivators behind him were even more ashen-faced, some of the more timid ones already trembling.
The white-robed man’s gaze shifted from Kai, sweeping over Wu Yuan and the Dark Abyss Sword in his hand, a cold glint flashing in his golden eyes.
That cold glint was like an invisible blade, piercing straight into the depths of Wu Yuan’s soul.
Wu Yuan’s body trembled violently, his hand gripping the sword involuntarily loosening its hold, the Dark Abyss Sword slipping from his grasp and clattering to the ground with a crisp sound.
“This sword… is not something you can wield.”
The white-robed man’s voice was soft, but each word was like a heavy hammer, striking Wu Yuan’s heart. “A sacrificial weapon; whoever wields it will be devoured by its master. Considering your ignorance, I will not pursue the matter. But this sword must not be taken away.”
Wu Yuan’s face turned deathly pale, his lips trembling. He wanted to say something, but nothing came out.
He could sense that if the white-robed man wanted to kill him, it would only take a single thought.
Before an existence of this level, he had no room for resistance.
The white-robed man withdrew his gaze and focused it back on Kai.
The cold light in his golden eyes faded, replaced by a complex emotion, like relief, like感慨 (gǎnkǎi, a feeling of deep emotion), and like some kind of inexplicable nostalgia.
“You, come in.” His voice softened slightly, then he turned and floated behind the stone tomb.
Clearly, there was more space behind this stone tomb.
Kai did not hesitate and followed.
“Mr. Chen!” Wu Yuan’s voice came from behind, tinged with urgency and worry. “You can’t go in! What if…”
Kai stopped and turned to look at him. His purple eyes were calm as still water, without a ripple, like a bottomless ancient well.
“President Wu will wait here.” His voice was calm. “If I don’t come out in half an hour, you can leave on your own.”
With that, he walked into the stone tomb without looking back.
Wu Yuan watched his figure disappear into the stone gate, a complex expression flashing in his crimson-gold eyes.
He wanted to follow, but his feet seemed to be nailed to the ground by an invisible force, unable to move.
He knew that it was a restriction left by the white-robed man, preventing him from entering.
“President, what do we do?” A cultivator from the Void Merchant Guild approached, his voice low.
Wu Yuan was silent for a moment, then bent down, picked up the Dark Abyss Sword from the ground, and gripped it again.
The dark golden light on the sword had dimmed considerably, as if suppressed by the white-robed man’s words.
But he could sense that the power within the sword was still there, only temporarily suppressed.
“Wait,” his voice was cold, “Wait for Kai to come out.”
Behind the stone tomb, the murals on both sides of the passage suddenly lit up as Kai passed by, emitting a faint glow, as if welcoming his arrival.
The figures in the murals began to move, like a living history slowly unfolding before Kai’s eyes.
Kai saw the glory of the Daoist sect in the primordial era: countless cultivators practicing on the sacred mountain, cranes soaring among the clouds, palaces and pavilions standing side by side, and spiritual springs and waterfalls scattered throughout the mountains.
The Daoist ancestor sat in the highest Daoist palace, surrounded by chaotic energy, imparting the supreme Dao to his disciples.
He saw the process of the Daoist sect and the divine race going from shared origins to separation. One group of cultivators believed that all things possessed spirits and that all beings were equal, advocating for the inclusiveness and eclecticism of all things—this was the Daoist sect.
The other group of cultivators believed that the divine race was the darling of heaven and earth, born superior and deserving to rule all realms—this was the divine race.
The conflict between the two factions escalated from a clash of ideologies to a struggle for interests, and from a struggle for interests to a life-or-death battle.
He witnessed a war that lasted for hundreds of thousands of years, with the armies of the Daoist sect and the divine race clashing in the myriad realms, countless cultivators falling every day, stars being shattered every day, and worlds being destroyed every day.
The Daoist sect suffered repeated defeats, the Great Luo Golden Scripture was lost during that period, and the Chaos Dao Palace was sealed into an independent space.
Looking at all this, Kai realized that what they had just entered was not the real stone tomb. If he hadn’t possessed the Great Luo Golden Scripture, they would probably all have died outside, never even seeing the true stone tomb. At the end of the passage was the tomb chamber.
The chamber was more spacious than the outside, its dome inlaid with countless luminous crystals, illuminating the entire space.
The walls were covered with Taoist runes, which flowed slowly in the light, like sleeping dragons gradually awakening.
The floor was covered with solid pieces of spirit jade, imbued with rich spiritual energy. Standing on it, one could feel a warm spiritual force flowing from the soles of one’s feet into the body, invigorating the spirit.
In the center of the chamber, the white stone coffin was open.
The lid was off, and the coffin leaned against itself. It was empty, or rather, the being within had risen.
A man in white stood before the coffin, his white Taoist robe shimmering faintly in the chamber’s light.
His body remained translucent, like a wisp of smoke about to dissipate, but his eyes were real, reflecting Kai’s image in his golden pupils.
“Come here.” The white-robed man’s voice was soft, yet remarkably clear in the empty tomb.
Kai walked up to him, stopping three steps away, and clasped his hands in a salute.
“Junior Kai greets Senior.”
The white-robed man scrutinized him, his gaze lingering on Kai’s purple eyes for a long time, then falling on the Dragon-Slaying Sword at his waist, and finally settling on the area of his consciousness.
There, the protective runes of the Great Luo Golden Scripture were slowly circulating, golden dragon patterns faintly visible through his clothes.
“The Great Luo Golden Scripture, the power of chaos.” The white-robed man’s voice carried a hint of emotion, “I have waited ten thousand years, and finally I have waited for you.”
Kai raised his head, looking into the white-robed man’s eyes.
There was no hostility in those golden eyes, only a weariness and relief that came after countless millennia of accumulation.
“Senior, you have been waiting for me all this time?”
The white-robed man nodded, turned and walked to the stone coffin, picking up the silver-white storage ring from the ground and holding it in his palm.
The storage ring glowed faintly in his palm, like a sleeping star being awakened.
“The Daoist ancestors left a prophecy that hundreds of thousands of years later, when the Great Calamity of Heaven and Earth arrives, the inheritor of the Great Luo Golden Scripture will appear. He will unify the Daoist sect, rebuild the Chaos Dao Palace, and lead
the sect to fight against and overcome the calamity.” The white-robed man’s voice was calm, but every word seemed to come from the deepest and most distant depths of time. “I don’t believe it, but the prophecies of the Daoist ancestors have never failed. So I’m waiting here for your arrival.”
The Great Calamity of Heaven and Earth.
Kai’s brows furrowed slightly.
He had never heard of this term before.
“Senior, what is the Great Calamity of Heaven and Earth?”
The white-robed man shook his head. “I don’t know either. The prophecy of the Daoist ancestors only mentioned these four words without explanation.
But I guess it’s a disaster powerful enough to destroy the Heavenly Realm. At that time, all forces in the Heavenly Realm will be reduced to nothing in that disaster.
And the only one who can stop that disaster is the inheritor of the Great Luo Golden Scripture.”
He paused, looking into Kai’s eyes, “That’s you.”
Kai fell silent.
He had never imagined that he would bear such a mission.
He only wanted to become stronger, to find the Chaos Dao Palace, to rescue Wan Jianxing, to protect those he wanted to protect, and to find his father.
He didn’t want to be a savior, didn’t want to unify the Daoist sects, and even less did he want to save the Heavenly Realm.
But fate seemed to have denied him the right to choose.
The white-robed man handed him a storage ring.
Kai took the storage ring and probed it with his divine sense.
The resources inside the storage ring were many times greater than what he had obtained in the Hall of Light.
There were hundreds of millions of crystals of various grades, including millions of top-grade crystals. There were hundreds of thousands of pills, from healing pills to cultivation-enhancing pills, from low-grade to high-grade, everything imaginable.
These resources were enough for him to break through from the eighth rank of the True Immortal Realm to the Golden Immortal Realm.
The white-robed man then took out a golden jade slip from his robes and handed it to Kai.
“This is a map left by the ancestors of the Daoist sect, marking the locations of all the branches of the Daoist sect throughout the myriad realms. From the First Heaven to the Thirty-Sixth Heaven, from the Celestial Realm to other realms, but they are all scattered, and none of them submit to the others. You need to find them and reunite them.”
Kai took the jade slip and probed it with his divine sense.
A huge map unfolded in his mind.
The map was marked with tens of thousands of points, each point representing a branch of the Daoist sect.
Some of these branches were closely related and frequently interacted;
some were sworn enemies, regarding each other as heretics;
some even had deep-seated hatred, ready to fight to the death whenever they met.
Reuniting these branches was harder than climbing to heaven.
The man in white seemed to see through Kai’s thoughts, and a faint smile appeared on his lips.
“It’s difficult, isn’t it?”
Kai nodded. “It’s very difficult.”
“But you must do it.”
The white-robed man’s voice carried an undeniable firmness. “Because only a united Daoist sect can resist the calamity. However, you must find the three keys to open the Chaos Dao Palace. Only by opening the Chaos Dao Palace can you obtain the complete inheritance of the Daoist sect’s ancestors.”
He paused, looking into Kai’s eyes. “This is a path of no return. Are you ready?”
Kai remained silent for a long time.
He looked at the storage ring and jade slip in his hand, at the white-robed man’s golden eyes, and countless images flashed through his mind.
His days in the mortal world, the battles in the Celestial Realm, the carnage in the Celestial Realm, saving Bei Mingyuan in the Ruins of Return, finding the Heart of the Cold Abyss in the Cold Abyss of Bei Ming, destroying the Hall of Light in the Azure Cloud Cave, fighting against the skeleton of a half-step Saint in the ancient battlefield…
He had traveled so far, experienced so much life and death, not to turn back.
“I’m ready.” Kai’s voice was calm.
The white-robed man nodded, the smile on his lips becoming more pronounced.
“Very good.” His voice held a hint of relief. “My time is running out. Before I vanish, there is one more thing I must tell you.”
He walked to the stone coffin and placed his hand on it.
The sealing runes on the coffin lit up simultaneously, their dark red light illuminating the entire tomb chamber in a blood-red glow.
The runes spun wildly, as if releasing some sealed power.
Then, the bottom of the stone coffin cracked open.
A dense, primordial energy surged from the crack. This energy wasn’t the familiar purple of Kai, but a deeper, more ancient gray.
That gray contained the primordial power of all things, the laws of the beginning of heaven and earth, and a higher level of primordial power that Kai had never encountered before.
At the bottom of the stone coffin was a fist-sized gray bead.
The bead’s surface shimmered with gray light, within which countless tiny runes could be faintly seen flickering, each rune representing a law:
time, space, life, death, creation, destruction, light, darkness, fire, ice, thunder, storm… all the laws intertwined, merged, and coexisted within that bead.
It was the Bead of Chaos. The Chaos Pearl is the core of the Chaos Dao Palace, a supreme treasure condensed by the Daoist ancestors with unparalleled magical power, containing the complete laws of the Chaos Dao.
Whoever can refine the Chaos Pearl can grasp the origin of the Chaos power and become the inheritor of the Chaos Dao.
Kai looked at the gray pearl, his purple eyes reflecting a flowing gray light.
He could feel the Chaos power within his body surging wildly, as if sensing a power of the same origin calling to it.
“This is the Chaos Pearl,”
the white-robed man’s voice carried a rare solemnity, “the core of the Chaos Dao Palace. Before sealing the Chaos Dao Palace, the Daoist ancestors took it out and gave it to me.
I have been waiting for the inheritor of the Great Luo Golden Scripture to appear so that I can give the Chaos Pearl to him. Now, it is yours.”
Kai walked to the stone coffin and reached into the crack.
The Chaos Pearl fell into his palm, a cool touch coming from his hand, like a piece of ten-thousand-year-old ice.
But that coolness wasn’t cold; it was a pure, unadulterated coolness, devoid of any impurities.
The moment Kai obtained the Chaos Pearl, a cataclysmic change occurred within his body.
The Chaos Fire in his dantian surged, the purple flames colliding with the gray light of the Chaos Pearl, creating a subtle resonance.
Chaos power surged wildly through his meridians, several times faster than before, each meridian being widened, strengthened, and reshaped.
But Kai could feel that his cultivation had broken through.
True Immortal Realm, Ninth Rank.
Not the late stage of the Eighth Rank, not the peak of the Eighth Rank, but directly skipping the entire late stage and peak of the Eighth Rank, leaping from the mid-stage of the Eighth Rank to the Ninth Rank of the True Immortal Realm.
Only a tiny fraction of the power within the Chaos Pearl had been released, yet it had allowed him to break through a realm.
If he fully refined it, to what extent could he break through?
Golden Immortal Realm?
Great Luo Golden Immortal?
Immortal Lord?
Immortal King?
Immortal Emperor?
Or even a higher Saint?
Kai didn’t know, but he knew one thing—this Chaos Pearl was the most precious treasure he had ever obtained in his life.
The white-robed man watched Kai’s breakthrough, a hint of relief flashing in his golden eyes.
“The power of the Chaos Pearl is too strong; with your current cultivation, you cannot fully refine it. You need time, resources, and opportunities. But you have taken the first step; the rest of the journey is up to you.”
His body began to become more transparent, like a wisp of smoke about to be blown away by the wind.
His voice grew softer and more distant, as if coming from another dimension.
“My time has come. The ten thousand years of waiting have finally ended.”
Kai put away the Chaos Pearl and his storage ring, looking up at the white-robed man, a complex expression flashing in his purple eyes.
“Senior, do you have any last wishes?”
The white-robed man was silent for a moment, his golden eyes gazing at the dome of the tomb chamber, where a star map was engraved, marking the coordinates of countless worlds.
His gaze lingered on the star map for a long time, as if looking at a homeland he could never return to.
“The Daoist sect… cannot perish.” His voice was soft, almost inaudible. “This is my only wish.”
Kai nodded. “This junior promises senior. The Daoist sect will not perish.”
A slight smile curved the corners of the white-robed man’s lips—a smile of relief, a smile without regret.
Then, his body completely dissipated.
White specks of light drifted in the air, like a silent snowfall, landing on Kai’s shoulders, hair, and sword before vanishing.
Silence returned to the tomb.
Only the luminous crystals on the dome still emitted a faint glow, only the Daoist runes on the walls still slowly flowed, only the sealing runes on the stone coffin still flickered slightly.
Kai stood there, watching the direction the white-robed man had vanished, silent for a long time.
Then, he took a deep breath, turned, and walked out of the tomb.
His steps were steady, each step firm, as if measuring a path of no return.
…
Outside the tomb, Wu Yuan and the cultivators of the Void Merchant Guild waited anxiously.
Wu Yuan gripped the Dark Abyss Sword, his crimson-gold eyes fixed on the entrance to the stone tomb. His face was expressionless, but his fingers tapped lightly on the hilt, producing a faint thumping sound that betrayed his inner unease.
Nearly half an hour had passed, and Kai still hadn’t emerged.
What had he experienced inside?
What had the white-robed man told him?
What had he gained?
Wu Yuan didn’t know, but he knew one thing: if Kai had obtained the white-robed man’s inheritance, then Kai’s value would be even greater.
He had to firmly bind Kai to the Void Merchant Guild’s chariot, at all costs.
Just then, his divine sense detected something.
In the northern sky, five black flying boats were rapidly approaching.
The Divine Race had returned.
Wu Yuan’s expression changed.
In the previous wave, the Divine Race had lost over a dozen people, suffering a severe blow.
But they still had over thirty people, including the fourth-grade Golden Immortal Yan Huo and two third-grade Golden Immortal elders.
His side only had a dozen or so people, the highest-ranking being himself, a fourth-grade Golden Immortal.
If the gods launched an attack now, they wouldn’t be able to withstand it.
“Everyone, prepare for battle!” Wu Yuan shouted.
The cultivators of the Void Merchant Guild quickly dispersed, forming a defensive formation. Their silver-white armor gleamed blindingly against the gray sky.
Their expressions were grave, their hands gripping their magical artifacts trembling slightly, but not a single one retreated.
Five black flying boats stopped thirty miles from the stone tomb.
More than thirty gods leaped from the boats, golden holy light burning upon them, dyeing the entire sky gold.
Yan Huo stood at the forefront, his golden armor stained with dust and black blood—stains left from the attack by the ancient remnant soul.
His face was somewhat pale, and a deep wound on his left arm still oozed golden blood.
But his eyes remained sharp, still filled with killing intent.
Behind him, two elders at the third rank of the Golden Immortal realm were also injured; one had a gash in his chest, and the other limped in his right leg.
The remaining Divine Clan cultivators were also wounded, some lightly, some severely, but none of them retreated.
Yan Huo’s gaze fell on Wu Yuan, a cold smile curving his lips.
“President Wu, we meet again.”
Wu Yuan gripped the Dark Abyss Sword, his crimson-gold eyes fixed on Yan Huo, his face expressionless.
“Vice Palace Master Yan, you Divine Clan people are truly persistent,” Wu Yuan said coldly. A murderous glint flashed in Yan Huo’s eyes. “Still haunting us? Your Void Merchant Guild trespassed into the territory of my Flame God Palace, stole our treasures, and you dare say we’re still haunting us? Guild Master Wu, have you been living too comfortably?”
“The territory of the Flame God Palace?” Wu Yuan laughed, his smile icy. “This ancient battlefield has existed for countless millennia. Back then, your Flame God Palace was probably still huddled in some corner of the earth. When did it become your territory?”
Yan Huo’s face darkened.
He disliked Wu Yuan’s attitude.
“Guild Master Wu, I don’t want to waste words with you.”
His voice was as cold as ice. “Hand over the sword in your hand, hand over all the treasures you obtained in the tomb, hand over Kai. I might spare your life.”
Wu Yuan looked at Yan Huo, a hint of mockery flashing in his crimson-gold eyes.
“Vice Palace Master Yan, have you been beaten senseless? You think you have the right to negotiate with me?”
Yan Huo gripped the golden spear tightly, the holy flames at the tip of the spear suddenly leaping higher.
“Whether you’re qualified or not, we’ll find out after the fight.”
Before the words were even finished, his figure shot out, the golden spear carrying immense force as it thrust towards Wu Yuan.
Wu Yuan coldly snorted, the Dark Abyss Sword held horizontally in front of him, blocking the spear.
“Clang…”
Golden holy light and dark golden sword energy collided in the air, producing a piercing metallic clang.
The shockwave spread in all directions, lifting a layer of debris from the surrounding ground, sending rubble flying everywhere.
Both of them were simultaneously thrown back several steps.
A hint of surprise flashed in Yan Huo’s eyes.
He hadn’t expected that Wu Yuan, a merchant, would possess such fierce swordsmanship.
The sword energy within the Dark Abyss Sword was even more bizarre; when it collided with his holy light, it actually seemed to be devouring it.
“A fine sword.” Yan Huo’s voice carried a hint of greed, “This sword, I want it.”
A cold smile curled at the corner of Wu Yuan’s lips, “Want it? Then let’s see if you have the ability.”
The two charged at each other again, the golden spear and the Dark Abyss Sword intertwining in the air, producing a dense clang.
Meanwhile, the cultivators of the Divine Race and the Void Merchant Guild clashed.
Golden holy light and silvery-white spiritual energy collided in the air, each collision accompanied by violent explosions and shockwaves.
Although the Divine Race outnumbered the Divine Race, they were all wounded, significantly reducing their combat strength.
The Void Merchant Guild, though fewer in number, consisted entirely of elites, and having rested and prepared, their combat strength remained relatively intact.
The two sides fought fiercely, neither able to gain the upper hand.
However, as time passed, the Divine Race’s numerical advantage began to emerge.
Although the Void Merchant Guild cultivators were valiant, they couldn’t withstand the sheer number of opponents.
A second-grade Golden Immortal cultivator from the Void Merchant Guild was surrounded and attacked by three Divine Race cultivators, struggling to defend himself, his body already bearing several burn marks from the holy light.
Another first-grade Golden Immortal cultivator was struck in the shoulder by a second-grade Golden Immortal cultivator from the Divine Race, his entire arm nearly severed, golden blood gushing out.
Seeing this, Wu Yuan’s eyes flashed with anxiety.
He knew they couldn’t hold out much longer if they continued fighting like this.
But he couldn’t retreat.
Kai was still inside the tomb.
If he retreated now, Kai would face an attack from over thirty members of the Divine Race when he emerged, and would surely die. If
Kai died, all his plans would fall apart.
Wu Yuan gritted his teeth, and his Dark Abyss Sword swung out fiercely, a dark golden
sword aura slashing towards Yan Huo. Yan Huo dodged to the side,
his golden spear thrusting towards Wu Yuan’s chest. Wu Yuan couldn’t dodge in time, the spear grazing his left ribs, leaving a deep bloodstain. His
silver-white armor was torn open, dark red blood gushing from the wound and dripping onto the ground.
He retreated rapidly, widening the distance between himself and Yan Huo.
Yan Huo didn’t pursue, but stopped, looking at Wu Yuan, a smug smile playing on his lips.
“President Wu, you won’t last much longer. Your men are almost at their limit. If you know what’s good for you, surrender, and I might consider giving you a quick death.”
Wu Yuan gritted his teeth, his crimson-gold eyes bloodshot.
He glanced at the entrance to the stone tomb.
The stone door remained tightly shut, and Kai had not yet emerged.
He then looked at the battlefield.
Five cultivators from the Void Merchant Guild had already fallen, and the rest were all wounded, their fighting strength greatly diminished.
Although the Divine Race had also lost seven or eight people, they still had more than twenty, giving them a clear advantage.
At this rate, they really wouldn’t last much longer.
Wu Yuan took a deep breath, planted the Dark Abyss Sword in the ground, placed his hands on the hilt, and looked at Yan Huo.
“Vice Palace Master Yan, let’s make a deal.”
Yan Huo raised an eyebrow. “What deal?”
“Let’s stop fighting.” Wu Yuan’s voice was calm. “If we both suffer heavy losses, neither of us will benefit. Let’s sit down and talk, and divide the resources here equally.”
Yan Huo was silent for a moment, then smiled.
“Equally? Your Void Merchant Guild has a dozen or so people, while our Divine Race has over thirty. Why should we evenly split it?”
Wu Yuan shook his head. “Vice Palace Master Yan, that’s not how it works. You have more people, but you’re injured.
We have fewer people, but we have Kai. Kai’s fighting power alone is equivalent to twenty of yours. Do you think you can win if we really fight?”
Yan Huo’s expression changed.
Kai.
He had almost forgotten about this person.
In the Fallen God Wasteland, Kai killed Yan Po, a peak third-grade Golden Immortal, with a single sword strike.
In the Northern Netherworld Abyss, Kai wiped out a group of people from the Hall of Light and killed a fourth-grade Golden Immortal elder of the Hall of Light.
Kai then led three hundred disciples of the Azure Cloud Cave Heaven to destroy the Hall of Light in one day and personally killed a fifth-grade Golden Immortal, the Holy Light Celestial Venerable.
This eighth-grade True Immortal youth cannot be judged by ordinary standards.
If Kai were to emerge from the tomb now and join the battle, the Divine Race might not necessarily win.
Yan Huo remained silent for a long time.
His fingers lightly traced the spear, his crimson-gold eyes gleaming with contemplation.
“Where is Kai?” he finally spoke. “Where is he?”
Wu Yuan pointed to the stone tomb. “Inside. A senior from the Daoist sect is talking to him.”
“Talking?” Yan Huo frowned. “What are they talking about?”
“I don’t know.”
Wu Yuan shook his head. “But I know one thing: when Kai comes out, he’ll be even stronger. He’s been inside for half an hour; his cultivation might have already broken through. If he comes out to help us, none of your Divine Race members will escape.”
Yan Huo’s expression became even more serious.
He knew Wu Yuan wasn’t bluffing.
“How do you plan to divide it?” Yan Huo asked.
Wu Yuan’s lips curled into a smile. “It’s simple. The resources in the tomb will be split equally between our Void Merchant Guild and your Divine Race.
Kai’s share will come from his share.
Our Void Merchant Guild prioritizes business and profit.
It’s clear now that cooperating with your Divine Race is more profitable. So we choose to cooperate.”
Yan Huo looked at Wu Yuan, his crimson-gold eyes filled with suspicion.
“President Wu, you were just fighting me to the death, and now you suddenly want to cooperate. Do you think I’ll believe you?”
Wu Yuan took out a silver-white token from his robes. The front of the token was engraved with the Void Merchant Guild’s mark, and the back was inscribed with the words “Integrity First.”
“Vice Palace Master Yan, I, Wu Yuan, swear in the name of the Void Merchant Guild that everything I have said is true. If there is even a single lie, may the reputation of the Void Merchant Guild be completely destroyed throughout the myriad realms, may my cultivation be completely destroyed, and may I die a horrible death.”
The reputation of the Void Merchant Guild.
In the myriad realms, the Void Merchant Guild’s reputation is the best.
They are true to their word and never break their promises. If a member of the Void Merchant Guild swears an oath in the name of the guild, it means they are telling the truth.
Because the reputation of the Void Merchant Guild is more valuable than any person’s life.
Yan Huo remained silent for a long time.
He looked into Wu Yuan’s eyes, those crimson-gold eyes showing no evasion, no guilt, only an extreme sincerity and honesty.
“Alright,” Yan Huo finally spoke, “I trust you.”
A hint of joy flashed in Wu Yuan’s eyes, but it quickly returned to calm.
“Then it’s settled. When Kai comes out, we’ll attack together, kill him, and seize the resources from him. Then we’ll split the resources in the tomb equally.”
Yan Huo nodded, “Deal.”
Both sides stopped, retreating to one side, watching each other warily, but no longer making a move.
The stench of blood in the air hadn’t dissipated. A dozen corpses lay on the ground, golden and dark red blood intertwined, forming dark streams on the grayish-white sand.
Wu Yuan leaned against a boulder, took out a healing pill from his storage ring, and swallowed it. The wound on his left rib began to heal slowly.
His face was still pale, but his crimson-gold eyes gleamed with shrewdness.
He was waiting.
Waiting for Kai to come out.
Waiting for the perfect moment to strike.
He didn’t know what Kai had obtained in the tomb, but he knew those things must be priceless.
If he could kill Kai and seize his resources, combined with the resources in the tomb, the Void Merchant Guild’s power in the Eighteenth Heaven would be unmatched.
As for the cooperation with the God Clan, that was only temporary.
After killing Kai, he would have plenty of ways to deal with the God Clan. Yan Huo
stood not far away, also waiting.
The wound on his left arm was still bleeding, but he didn’t treat it.
He just stared intently at the entrance of the stone tomb, his crimson-gold eyes filled with killing intent.
Kai had killed his subordinates, killed the people of the Hall of Light, destroyed the Hall of Light, and dealt a heavy blow to the God Clan’s power in the Eighteenth Heaven.
He must avenge this.
As for the cooperation with the Void Merchant Guild, that was only temporary.
After killing Kai and seizing the resources, he would let Wu Yuan know that the God Clan was not to be trifled with.
Both sides had their own thoughts and waited in silence.
Inside the stone tomb, Kai sat cross-legged in the center of the tomb chamber, the power of chaos surging wildly within his body.
After the white-robed man dissipated, he did not leave immediately.
Because he knew what was happening outside.
Everything from the outside world was projected into Kai’s mind.
Wu Yuan’s waiting outside the tomb, the arrival of the gods, the battle between the two sides, the negotiation between Wu Yuan and Yan Huo, Wu Yuan’s oath in the name of the Void Merchant Guild, the agreement to kill him together once he emerged.
Kai saw it, heard it, and understood it all.
Wu Yuan had never considered him a friend.
In Wu Yuan’s eyes, he was merely a pawn, a valuable pawn.
When the pawn’s value outweighed the risk, Wu Yuan would protect him;
when the pawn’s value was less than the risk, Wu Yuan would abandon him without hesitation;
when killing him would bring greater benefits, Wu Yuan would act without hesitation.
Kai wasn’t surprised.
He knew from the beginning that Wu Yuan was untrustworthy.
But he still came.
Because he needed Wu Yuan to bring him here, he needed Wu Yuan to help him find what he was looking for.
Now, his goal had been achieved.
It was time to settle accounts.
Kai opened his eyes, a cold glint flashing in his purple pupils.
He stood up, hung the Dragon-Slaying Sword at his waist, straightened his robes, and walked out of the tomb.
His steps were neither fast nor slow, each one steady, as if measuring the steps of death.
Outside the tomb, Wu Yuan saw the stone door open and abruptly stood up from the boulder.
His face was full of smiles as he strode towards Kai.
“Mr. Chen! You’re finally out!”
His voice carried an undisguised excitement. “How was it inside? What did the man in white say to you? What did you get?”
Kai looked at Wu Yuan, his purple eyes devoid of emotion.
“I got the storage ring, and a lot of resources.” His voice was calm.
A flicker of greed flashed in Wu Yuan’s eyes, but he quickly concealed it.
“Excellent! Mr. Chen truly lives up to his reputation as a descendant of the Daoist patriarch!”
His voice was filled with exaggerated praise. “Mr. Chen, I have something to tell you.”
“What is it?”
Wu Yuan pointed to the Divine Race members not far away. “The Divine Race just fought with us, and both sides were injured. Now they are all wounded and not worth mentioning. If we join forces, we can wipe out these Divine Race guys.”
The Divine Race members were all dumbfounded upon hearing Wu Yuan’s words.
Yan Huo’s expression changed instantly.
“Wu Yuan! You!”
His voice was full of anger. “Didn’t you just say you wanted to cooperate? You swore in the name of the Void Merchant Guild that you would deal with Kai together! Now you’ve gone back on your word!”
Wu Yuan turned to look at Yan Huo, a cold smile curling at the corner of his mouth.
“Vice Palace Master Yan, let’s talk business. I did intend to cooperate with you earlier, but the situation has changed.”
His voice was calm, as if he were discussing a trivial matter. “Mr. Chen has emerged from the tomb, and he’s stronger now. I feel that cooperating with him is more valuable. Therefore, I choose to cooperate with him.”
“You!”
Yan Huo trembled with rage, the veins on his spear bulging. “You’re untrustworthy! The reputation of the Void Merchant Guild is ruined by people like you!”
Wu Yuan shook his head. “Vice Palace Master Yan, you’re wrong. The reputation of the Void Merchant Guild isn’t about breaking promises in transactions, but about always choosing the side that’s most advantageous to oneself. Right now, the side most advantageous to the Void Merchant Guild is Mr. Chen.”
He paused, his smile becoming even more meaningful. “Moreover, I did swear an oath in the name of the Void Merchant Guild. But the content of my oath was that everything I said above was true. I told the truth, without a single lie. As for changing my mind later, that’s a later matter and has nothing to do with my oath.”
Yan Huo’s face turned ashen.
He knew he had been tricked by Wu Yuan.
From the very beginning, Wu Yuan had no intention of cooperating with him.
Wu Yuan was merely using him to buy time until Kai emerged.
Now that Kai was out, Wu Yuan kicked him aside.
“Wu Yuan, you’ll regret this,” Yan Huo’s voice was icy cold. “The Divine Race won’t let you get away with
this.” Wu Yuan smiled. “That’ll have to wait until you leave here alive.”
He turned to Kai, his smile becoming even more genuine.
“Mr. Chen, let’s do it. Let’s wipe out all these Divine Race bastards together.”
Kai looked at him, his purple eyes devoid of emotion.
“Alright,” he replied calmly.
A flicker of joy flashed in Wu Yuan’s eyes as he turned and walked towards Yan Huo.
The Dark Abyss Sword emitted a deep, resonant sound in his hand, dark golden sword energy flowing across its blade.
The Divine Race members instinctively took a step back when they saw Wu Yuan approaching. Their eyes were filled with fear, not because of Wu Yuan, but because of Kai.
Kai’s name had become a taboo among the Divine Race.
An eighth-rank True Immortal killing a fifth-rank Golden Immortal—such an event had never occurred in the history of the Divine Race.
Now, Kai has emerged from the tomb, his cultivation has broken through, and he’s even stronger.
How could they possibly defeat him?
Yan Huo gritted his teeth, his golden spear held horizontally in front of him, his crimson-gold eyes bloodshot.
“Everyone, listen to my command! Don’t panic! We still have more than twenty people, they only have a dozen! Fight to the death!”
Hearing Yan Huo’s words, the morale of the Divine Race people was slightly boosted.
They gripped their magical weapons tightly, golden holy light burning on their bodies, dyeing the entire sky gold.