Chapter 1385: Already a Hundred Zhang of Ice on the Cliff (Part One)

On the second level of the giant skiff, a row of rooms was spread out horizontally, but there were only five of them, each a hundred zhang in size.

After the five people, led by Chongyangzi, exchanged a few more words on the second-floor deck, they saw that Chen Xingshan and the other four were simply wary of each other and occasionally clashed verbally.

Chongyangzi just smiled faintly, said his farewells, and was the first to enter the room in the middle.

The other four, seeing Chongyangzi leave, also looked at each other, either letting out a cold snort or sweeping a cold glance at the other party, then they also turned and left.

This skiff was a special magical treasure built by the “Pure Yang Hall,” and its control was entirely in Chongyangzi’s hands.

And unless it was necessary, he would only personally control the flying skiff and make some special adjustments. Normally, he just needed to be in his room and sense that the giant skiff’s defenses were fine.

On the way to the “Great Nothingness Tree” area, the most terrifying thing here was the endless “Bone-Melting Wind.” As long as they defended against this wind, and since there were no demonic beasts that could survive here, there were no other dangers.

Back when the four families of the “Blood Lantern Sect” were jointly exploring the secret realm, they had entered from other directions, exploring and excavating bit by bit, before finally reaching the area where the “Great Nothingness Tree” was located.

After discovering the area where the “Great Nothingness Tree” was located, the “Pure Yang Hall” had stipulated the current distribution method. Thus, they had sealed all other directions leading to the “Great Nothingness Tree” area with formations.

They had only preserved this one method of entry, a path that even Void Refining cultivators could not easily enter. The purpose was to protect the “Great Nothingness Fruit,” so that it could not be picked at will by others and had to be opened according to a set schedule.

Moreover, it was only after the “Pure Yang Hall” had picked its share that they could enter through this only passage to engage in the competitive battle.

Thus, the blue-glowing giant skiff, at an astonishing speed, broke through the sand and wind, and sped towards the depths of the secret realm. In the midst of the swirling wind and sand, it looked so lonely, even somewhat helpless…

In a room, Li Yan was not sitting cross-legged in meditation at this moment, but was lying on the bed, his hands folded behind his head, his head pillowed on his arms, staring blankly at the ceiling.

He had read through everyone’s information again, including some information on the several Spirit Transformation cultivators, hoping to find the weaknesses in each person’s cultivation method.

At this moment, he was constantly calculating the matters that would follow in his mind.

He had come this time, of course, with the intention of obtaining the “Great Nothingness Fruit.” And the most crucial point here was what Ren Yanyu had said.

“During the competition, the fruit will of course be damaged…”

This was an opportunity. Li Yan possessed the “Earthen Patch.” He was not afraid of the other party inspecting all his storage magical treasures that were out in the open.

This magical treasure of his was refined by a Body Integration cultivator, and the highest cultivation level in the “Pure Yang Hall” was only the Void Refining Realm. It would be a wonder if they could even refine a magical treasure of their own realm.

Moreover, if he guessed correctly, his storage ring would ultimately be inspected by Chen Xingshan, and then double-checked by Chongyangzi.

And he had already been clear about the threat of a Spirit Transformation cultivator to the “Earthen Patch” back on the Forsaken Continent. Ninety-nine percent of the time, it posed no threat.

Therefore, Li Yan was not worried about being found out if he hid the “Great Nothingness Fruit.” But how to get his hands on the “Great Nothingness Fruit,” that was the key.

But at that time, anyone who touched the “Great Nothingness Fruit” would definitely be the focus of everyone’s attention.

Under so many pairs of eyes, and under the crisscrossing of Divine Senses, Li Yan couldn’t just make a “Great Nothingness Fruit” disappear, could he?

Li Yan had been thinking about this for a long time here, but still had no foolproof plan. If there was only one Spirit Transformation cultivator, he felt he could still use some deceptive tricks.

Like using illusion poison to affect the other party’s consciousness a little, to cover his own actions, and so on.

But there were five Spirit Transformation cultivators here, and there was also the non-combatant Chongyangzi on the side. Who knew where he would be standing to observe the battle? He would be the so-called “clear-eyed bystander.”

‘It seems there’s hardly any opportunity to be taken. It looks like I’ll have to act according to the situation when the time comes. If it really doesn’t work out, then I’ll just help Chen Xingshan get the ‘Great Nothingness Fruit’ and get the supreme-grade Spirit Stones in the end!’

‘But I also have to be wary of the other party hitting me when I’m down. Whether the ‘Blood Lantern Sect’ is as the Donglin Family’s Grand Elder guessed is really hard to say. If I’m not careful and end up asking a tiger for its skin, then that would be a real miscalculation…’

Li Yan turned all the possibilities over and over in his mind, and in the end, he only had a preliminary plan that was not much of a plan.

Even if he were to help the other party snatch the “Great Nothingness Fruit,” he would certainly not be the first to charge up. That would undoubtedly draw the hatred of all his enemies.

And at this time, in each room, there were either people gathered, secretly discussing matters; or meditating with their eyes closed, to maintain their peak state before the great battle; and there were also many people who were also studying the information on Li Yan and the others.

Time flew by, and soon eight days had passed!

In the eight days, only occasionally would a few cultivators appear on the first-floor deck. These were either acquaintances, gathering to chat, or they had come out to see if there had been any changes outside the skiff.

But outside the giant skiff, apart from the constantly flashing blue light, there were all sorts of strange impact sounds, giving one a feeling of being cut off from the world, isolated and helpless.

Fortunately, the time here should be the same as the outside world. There was also day and night, allowing the cultivators on the skiff to accurately judge the time that had passed.

As night fell once again, in a room on the second floor, Chongyangzi, who was meditating with his eyes closed, suddenly opened his eyes. He looked at the distant room door with some doubt.

At this time, he sensed someone approaching his room door.

“What is she doing here at this time?”

Chongyangzi couldn’t help but frown. As the overseer this time, it was best for him to minimize contact with any single party.

And at this moment, a somewhat seductive voice sounded from outside the door.

“Fellow Daoist Chongyangzi, I wonder if I could have a few words with you.”

In Chongyangzi’s Divine Sense, a curvaceous woman with a black veil covering her face and a graceful figure appeared at his door. It was the Spirit Transformation cultivator from the “Heavenly Mountain Garden.”

“Oh? So it is Fellow Daoist Yuan. Please come in!”

Although Chongyangzi was unwilling to meet with anyone alone, the other party was also a Spirit Transformation cultivator, and her realm was the same as his, just one step away from the Void Refining Realm. It wouldn’t be good to refuse her directly.

Although it would be a lone man and woman in the room in a moment, and the female cultivator surnamed Yuan was as beautiful as a flower, Chongyangzi felt that a true gentleman is open and at ease, and he did not intend to conceal the situation in the room.

His Divine Sense swept over the other three rooms, and seeing no one come out, he could only let it be. He wanted to see what the other party wanted to talk to him about.

As his voice fell, the room door had already swung open, and then a graceful woman, her body shrouded in a semi-transparent black veil, her snow-white skin faintly visible, walked in like a lotus leaf swaying in the wind.

Although her face was covered by a black veil, her beautiful eyes were like stars. As she walked gracefully, she was like an eerie orchid blooming in the dark night.

She exuded a fragrance like orchid and musk, yet it gave one the alluring scent of a virgin, making one involuntarily want to get lost in it.

Under Chongyangzi’s calm gaze, she quickly walked to a spot about five zhang in front of him and then stopped. With her black skirt trailing on the ground, she looked even more like a graceful orchid, standing tall and elegant.

“Fellow Daoist Yuan, I wonder what matter requires you to come over personally!”

Seeing the other party stop, Chongyangzi asked. And he had not closed the door, nor had he activated the formation restrictions.

The female cultivator surnamed Yuan turned her head and looked at the wide-open door, a hint of something like resentment in her eyes, which then changed to a hint of hesitation.

Just as Chongyangzi was watching her with no expression, the female cultivator surnamed Yuan also released her Divine Sense. She found that the restrictions on the other three rooms were still activated, and it seemed that no one had noticed her here.

Only then did she turn her head back and look at Chongyangzi, who was staring at her. She then used voice transmission.

“I have come here because the sect found out some things before I came out this time. This matter should have been brought up when we were gathered at the ‘Pure Yang Hall’.”

“But I don’t have solid evidence, so I didn’t dare to speak rashly. But after thinking about it for a few days, I feel more and more uneasy in my heart, so I came to visit you late at night…”

After saying this, the female cultivator surnamed Yuan paused, looking somewhat hesitant.

Seeing this, Chongyangzi frowned. He did not use voice transmission but spoke directly.

“Fellow Daoist Yuan, please speak frankly!”

The female cultivator surnamed Yuan nodded and continued to speak via voice transmission.

“I think there is a problem with the ‘Blood Lantern Sect’…”

As soon as she said this, Chongyangzi’s gaze immediately turned cold. He did not like this kind of thing where people spoke ill of others behind their backs without evidence and acted mysterious.

She was just trying to plant a thorn in his heart, a thorn of ill will towards the “Blood Lantern Sect.”

But he did not press her. He just stared at her with a cold and detached gaze. He wanted to see what she could say.

The female cultivator surnamed Yuan naturally saw Chongyangzi’s displeasure. She also looked at him, her star-like beautiful eyes filled with seriousness.

“I know that if I say this, you will suspect that I have other motives, but after considering it for the past few days, I feel that I still have to remind you.”

“Chen Xingshan may have brought some supreme treasure with him. This time, he might destroy the ‘Great Nothingness Tree.’ The reason for this judgment is that we have received some news about the ‘Blood Lantern Sect’.”

“Over the years, almost no Late-stage Nascent Soul cultivator in the area under the jurisdiction of the ‘Blood Lantern Sect’ has successfully achieved Spirit Transformation. It is said that someone has been secretly sabotaging their success, but the ‘Blood Lantern Sect’ seems to know nothing about it.”

“This point is somewhat similar to some information we accidentally obtained from a soul search of a disciple from the ‘Heart-Refining Valley’.”

“They have a plan to secretly attack the subordinate sects of the ‘Pure Yang Hall.’ That way, it will not attract the attention of the ‘Pure Yang Hall’ itself, but they can cut off their foundation from below.”

“And in that person’s memory, there is also a plan to destroy the ‘Great Nothingness Tree,’ which is also to reduce the chances of the ‘Pure Yang Hall’ advancing from Spirit Transformation to Void Refining…”

“Are you saying that the ‘Blood Lantern Sect’ has defected to the ‘Heart-Refining Valley’?”

Chongyangzi’s eyes flashed with a dark light, and his brows furrowed again. The “Heart-Refining Valley” was a major rival of the “Pure Yang Hall,” but he did not believe what the female cultivator surnamed Yuan said.

But thinking about some of the things she said, his mind was also slightly stirred.

Over the years, sects under the jurisdiction of the “Heavenly Mountain Garden” and the “Spirit Subduing Manor” had had cultivators who successfully advanced to Spirit Transformation, but among the subordinate sects of the “Blood Lantern Sect,” it seemed that not a single one had advanced to Spirit Transformation.

He, of course, knew of the existence of people like Shangguan Tianque. These were all veteran Late-stage Nascent Soul cultivators, and they all had a certain chance of successfully breaking through, but not a single one had been able to do so.

“I am not sure, so I did not dare to say it lightly at the ‘Pure Yang Hall’!”

“I just felt that after saying this, when we enter the ‘Great Nothingness Tree’ area later, I hope you can pay more attention to the other party’s actions!”

The female cultivator surnamed Yuan let out a bitter laugh.

“Is there anything else?”

Chongyangzi thought for a moment, then just nodded.

“That’s all. Since the message has been delivered, I will take my leave!”

The female cultivator surnamed Yuan turned her head and glanced at the closed door behind her again, then gave a slight bow to Chongyangzi and floated away.

After seeing the female cultivator surnamed Yuan off, Chongyangzi waved his sleeve, and the door closed again.

At the same time, he rolled up his sleeve and flicked it. The orchid-and-musk-like fragrance left in the room was also rolled up and rushed towards the ceiling, disappearing into the formation.

Only then did Chongyangzi finally breathe.

He was an old monster who had lived for thousands of years, and the habit of being wary of others was deeply ingrained in his bones. As long as it wasn’t someone close to him, he would never let down his guard.

The fragrance on the female cultivator surnamed Yuan was too alluring, which made Chongyangzi have to be careful, so he had directly held his breath.

He had lived to this day, of course, not only because of his high cultivation level, but more because of his consistent caution.

After circulating his magical power throughout his body, he found that there were no problems, and only then did Chongyangzi relax and fall into deep thought.

The “Heart-Refining Valley” was a major enemy of the “Pure Yang Hall.” If they had really bribed one of their own subordinate sects, it would truly be a case of pulling the firewood from under the cauldron.

‘The ‘Blood Lantern Sect’ and the ‘Heavenly Mountain Garden’ have always had a relatively good relationship, unlike their relationship with the other two families. Is it possible that the information provided by the ‘Heavenly Mountain Garden’ is not deliberately targeted?’

‘Although this information is unlikely, I really need to observe the ‘Blood Lantern Sect’ more closely during the competition later…’ Chongyangzi’s thoughts raced.

And just as he was thinking, his expression suddenly froze, and his face instantly changed dramatically.