Chapter Eighty-One: The Crisis Arrives

Ning Yuhe greeted everyone with a smile, leaving Su Yizhao with no chance to claim self-defense. After thorough verification, led by Qin Hongyi, he spent over three million top-grade profound stones to purchase soul elixirs before heading into the basement.

In the underground chamber, a hundred feet below ground, there was only a single teleportation array. Waving reluctantly at Qin Hongyi, he turned and walked toward the array. Such an important cultivation room naturally required secrecy.

With a hum, he vanished from the array, leaving only Qin Hongyi, her beautiful eyes empty, standing alone. Young, wealthy, and with a powerful background—who wouldn't be drawn to that? She sighed inwardly and turned to leave.

As soon as she emerged from the basement, she saw Ning Yuhe waiting at the entrance.

"Did you manage to cling on?" Ning Yuhe asked with a smile.

Qin Hongyi’s face flushed with shame and anger. "None of your business!" She vanished in a flash of red.

The smile on Ning Yuhe's face stiffened. Shameless woman! Both the woman and the guest—shameless! Clenching his fists, he spun around and left at a furious pace.

"So this is the Eternal Cultivation Chamber? Rather ordinary," Su Yizhao muttered, glancing at the cramped space around him. But then, recalling the thirty million top-grade profound stones he had just spent, a sense of urgency seized him.

He quickly sat cross-legged and began to meditate. This time, he aimed to advance his soul power to the middle stage of the sixth realm.

Since the mark on his chest was entirely beyond his control, he had no idea when the fourth layer of the Profound Qi Creation Technique would manifest. Without it, he simply could not cultivate the Profound Qi Formula.

Cultivating soul power was only his second goal. Sweeping his spiritual sense across his storage ring, he produced two golden scales.

His primary aim was to uncover the purpose of these two golden scales. The last time he took them out, the sound of ocean waves had emanated from within, stirring in him a sense of great danger.

What about now, in this place?

The corner of his mouth lifted as he examined the scales closely. Suddenly, his expression changed. In his ears, the sound of waves surged once more. He was taken aback. Could it really be so powerful? Even from such a distance, inside an array like this, the scales still managed to transmit sound and information?

Unconvinced, Su Yizhao closed his eyes tightly.

In the crowded streets of Kao Mountain City, an old man suddenly shuddered and reached for his chest. He murmured, "So you finally couldn't resist again?"

In a flash, the figure disappeared, reappearing atop the teleportation array in the city center.

Huanglong County's capital lies one hundred eighty thousand miles from the remote Kao Mountain City. At this moment, the array glowed, and the old man materialized within it. He hurried out, heading toward the auction house.

"Again the auction house. Could it be that the fall of the Divine Turtle Clan was the auction house's doing?" The old man lingered at the entrance, muttering to himself. He dared not storm in—the number of hidden guardians within was unknown, and even ten of him wouldn’t be enough to overcome them. Moreover, he couldn't risk revealing his identity.

Just then, a young man exited the auction house. The old man’s gaze swept over him, and joy lit his face. Years of wandering the human cultivation world told him this youth harbored deep resentment. Though he smiled, there was a stifled anguish in his eyes—a grudge, and one he could not avenge. Just like the Divine Turtle Clan.

His eyes brightened; he stepped forward. "Young friend, may I have your name? I can help you!"

The young cultivator was startled. "Help me with what?"

"Anything at all," the old man replied, letting slip a hint of his aura. The young man’s face changed instantly.

"Really?" the youth asked eagerly.

The old man nodded. "Your name?"

"Ning Yuhe!"

...

Within a secret chamber, fifteen cultivators sat cross-legged, except Gou Jianren, who paced anxiously. "Third brother, was that jade token in Su Yizhao’s hand really given by the young master?"

Gou Jiancheng forced a bitter smile. If not from the young master, then from whom—me? Or did he steal it?

"Is that really a question?" Gou Jiancheng replied impatiently. This was the third time this question about the jade token had come up.

Gou Jianren stopped pacing and smiled. "Forgive my persistence, but would the young master really give the token away so lightly? There are so many prodigies in Vastness City!"

Gou Jiancheng hesitated. "If you ask me, who should I ask? They haven't known each other long, and while Su Yizhao is outstanding, he’s still far from a true prodigy."

"Try to recall if anything unusual happened, especially when they first met," Gou Jianren pressed.

Gou Jiancheng’s expression grew thoughtful. Cultivators possess powerful memories, especially of their caliber. All eyes watched him intently.

Suddenly, Gou Jiancheng spoke. "The first time they met, I think... I think... No, it’s impossible!"

Gou Jianren grew impatient. "What do you mean, impossible?"

"I think the young master said 'Impossible'!"

The fifteen cultivators exchanged bewildered glances.

"Impossible?"

What could that mean? Did the young master perceive something unique about Su Yizhao?

"Forget it! If the young master regards him differently, there must be a reason. Let’s drop it and move to our next topic." Gou Jianren could not make sense of it, but the profound stones were already loaned out and the cultivation room granted.

As soon as he spoke, the fifteen cultivators adopted solemn expressions.

Centered on Huanglong County’s capital, fifteen other cities were scattered within a million-mile radius, each hosting a branch of the Gou family’s auction house. All sixteen branch masters were gathered here.

Combined, the power of these sixteen houses could easily annihilate any major force in Huanglong County overnight—without resistance.

Such a gathering was rare in a century. Whenever it happened, it meant something significant was at hand.

Seeing everyone seated, Gou Jianren intoned, "Every force within Huanglong County shares a common task."

Everyone grew tense.

"That is to monitor the Deep Sea Demon Clan! We must never allow them to come ashore to seize cultivation resources!"

A look of reminiscence flickered in Gou Jianren’s eyes.

"Ten thousand years ago, when the Spirit-Devouring Race invaded from beyond the heavens, humans and demonkind joined forces. Yet even united, we could not withstand the devourers’ onslaught—both cultivators and mortals suffered catastrophic losses!"

The fifteen cultivators held their breath. They knew the history, but lacked the status to know the details.

Gou Jianren drew a deep breath. "How great were the losses?"

No one answered. Few truly knew.

He did not respond directly. "Ten thousand years ago, there were three continents here, plus one forest and one sea: the Southwest Continent, Central Continent, Northwest Continent, the Eastern Forest, and the Southern Sea. Human and demon cultivators numbered over ten billion—mortals, countless more."

Ten billion cultivators? The air in the chamber grew heavy with their breathing.

"When we heard the Southwest Continent was under attack, the other seventy to eighty billion cultivators didn’t even have a chance to offer aid. By the time they arrived at Gritsand City, nearly two and a half billion cultivators from the Southwest Continent had been devoured, the mountains transformed into deep sea."

"At Gritsand City, the two sides clashed in the sky above, and thus began a thousand-year battle for survival!"

He paused abruptly. The crowd, rapt with tension, was puzzled.

"No, not a battle—a one-sided slaughter and devouring!"

A shudder ran through the chamber.

Seventy to eighty billion cultivators, slaughtered and devoured?

"Gritsand City marked the boundary, Vastness City our stronghold. Those billions of cultivators threw themselves toward Gritsand City, wave after wave, heedless of death. Too many souls lie buried there—even now, it remains a soul-forbidden land!"

"And what happened afterward?" Gou Jiancheng could not help but ask.