Chapter 1036: The Unexpected Turn

The underground tunnels of the Soul-Enchanting Cavern were exceedingly complex, winding and interwoven with countless passages that seemed endless. Yet as long as one continued downward, they would eventually reach the secret cavern at its core.

𝙛𝒓𝓮𝒆𝔀𝒆𝙗𝓷𝒐𝙫𝒆𝙡.𝒄𝓸𝓶

Inside, the mind was constantly disturbed, and outside, earth spirits blocked the path. Traversing this place was no easy task.

In another tunnel within the Soul-Enchanting Cavern, Su Nu and her group were advancing swiftly. This time, Venerable Ye led the way. He appeared even more at ease than Qin Sang.

With cultivation at the Spiritual Infant Realm, Venerable Ye’s mind was far stronger than any Core Formation cultivator’s. Even without using secret techniques or astras, he could easily ward off the cavern’s influence.

He moved through the passage as though taking a stroll. His palm lifted slightly, fingers spreading like a fan, and countless hair-thin qi needles shot forth. Each one pierced directly into an earth spirit’s skull before exploding inside.

The qi needles were not particularly powerful, yet Venerable Ye’s control was flawless, so precise that no ordinary Core Formation cultivator could ever hope to match him.

He alone was enough to shield Su Nu and the others. Their pace was faster than Qin Sang and Ming Wei’s. They slaughtered countless earth spirits along the way.

But suddenly, the ghostly, ever-emerging earth spirits vanished without a trace. Venerable Ye paused briefly, then continued forward.

He had been here before and was very familiar with the place. Eventually, he and his disciples reached the end of the passage and stepped into a vast underground chamber. The ground beneath them was paved with smooth stone tiles, and the air was utterly still.

Because of Venerable Ye’s strength, they were the first group to arrive. Except for Su Nu, the others could hardly contain their excitement. Their eyes burned as they stared at the center of the chamber.

Black mist drifted lazily through the space, but at the center, a soft blue glow shimmered faintly.

The light came from a light dome. Within it stood an ancient stone altar, square and upright, bathed in a pale blue hue from the surrounding glow.

On the altar were four jade bottles, neatly arranged in a row. Each one contained spiritual liquid that reflected a brilliant blue light, even brighter than the dome itself.

"That’s the Soul-Cleansing Liquid..." The charming woman’s eyes were filled with longing.

Within that blue dome seemed to lie the most beautiful sight in the world, and the jade bottles within it were treasures that could haunt one’s dreams. And indeed, they were.

Every one of them was approaching the bottleneck of forming the Spiritual Infant, a step so difficult that most cultivators dreaded it.

The Soul-Cleansing Liquid could provide a precious opportunity for success, making it an invaluable treasure for late-stage Core Formation cultivators. However, before they could claim it, there remained one final obstacle: to break through the light dome.

"Wait! Why are there only four bottles of Soul-Cleansing Liquid?" The long-bearded elder suddenly came to his senses, noticing the abnormal number.

In previous openings of Seven-Kill Hall, the Soul-Enchanting Cavern typically yielded about ten bottles of Soul-Cleansing Liquid. Why were there only four this time?

"Master, this..." The long-bearded elder looked puzzled and turned toward Venerable Ye for guidance.

Venerable Ye had already noticed something amiss. He had once personally witnessed a previous contest for the Soul-Cleansing Liquid, during which there had been twelve bottles, eventually divided among several major factions, enough for all sides to benefit.

Now, there were only four bottles. No matter how they divided them, it would never be enough.

"Four bottles! I’ve long suspected that this Soul-Cleansing Liquid isn’t a naturally formed spiritual substance! There must be deeper secrets hidden within the trial realm. Now it seems that suspicion was correct. The inner hall emerged ahead of schedule, and the number of bottles is less than half of what it used to be." Venerable Ye seemed unsurprised, as though he had foreseen this.

He gave a cold snort. "I had hoped to keep things simple and avoid tearing faces with the other factions, but that’s no longer possible. Four bottles is just enough for each of you to take one. There’s no need to share with anyone else."

His tone was calm, as if the Soul-Cleansing Liquid already belonged to them. Yet his disciples did not look reassured. Instead, worry crept into their hearts.

Outside the trial realm, even ten Blood Bats would not be Venerable Ye’s match. Unfortunately, this was not the outside world.

The long-bearded elder said hesitantly, "Master, if you personally act, seizing the Soul-Cleansing Liquid would be effortless. But here in the trial realm, your power is restricted by the barrier, forcing you to seal your cultivation. Among our opponents, Blood Bat and Daoist Master Xiaoyun are the strongest among Core Formation cultivators. The others are all true disciples of great sects, and none are easy to deal with. If we try to take everything for ourselves, we’ll become the target of everyone present. When that happens..."

Indeed, within this realm, Venerable Ye’s strength was limited by the trial realm’s barrier, and after being wounded during his passage through the celestial barrier, his power was further diminished.

Of course, even with his cultivation sealed, Blood Bat and Daoist Master Xiaoyun could not possibly defeat him. But if they provoked too many enemies at once, even he might struggle to hold out.

Venerable Ye saw through his disciples’ concerns at a glance and smiled faintly. "To resist the trial realm’s restriction, I cannot freely use my Spiritual Infant power. But with proper preparation, I can temporarily unseal a portion of my strength and unleash a single strike that carries the might of a Spiritual Infant Realm cultivator. After obtaining the Soul-Cleansing Liquid, what I must do next will also require my full power. Otherwise, why would I risk my life to smuggle myself into this place?"

The others’ faces lit up with joy, all doubts swept away. Even one strike would be more than enough.

Venerable Ye swept his gaze across the group. "The Soul-Cleansing Liquid is guarded by earth spirits of considerable strength. We must repel them while attacking the light dome until it shatters. When that happens, I will strike unexpectedly and seize the bottles. Once I have them, you will immediately move in to assist me and withdraw together. Once we retreat into the tunnels, the terrain will make it difficult for anyone to surround us."

"Understood, Master!" The disciples’ spirits surged. After all, they were fighting for their own chance at advancement.

"Before that, your safety comes first. Remember to keep your identities hidden. How proficient are you with the array flags I gave you?" Venerable Ye asked.

"Master, we can already bring out seventy percent of the array's power!" Each of them held an array flag in hand.

Venerable Ye nodded approvingly and gave them a few more detailed instructions. Just then, footsteps echoed from another tunnel. Several figures emerged one after another. The thick black mist made it difficult to see their faces, but a blood-red streak of evasion light stood out vividly.

"Blood Bat is here! And those with him must be devilish cultivators too!" The long-bearded elder’s expression darkened as he sent a voice transmission to warn the others.

After Blood Bat’s arrival, footsteps and wind-breaking sounds echoed from other tunnels as well. One by one, more cultivators appeared, stepping out from every direction. The top disciples of every major faction had now gathered in the secret chamber.

"

Gasp!

Only four portions?!" Someone gasped upon seeing the Soul-Cleansing Liquid.

The others noticed it too, their expressions growing tense. An undercurrent of tension filled the chamber.

Everyone could already sense that the coming battle for the Soul-Cleansing Liquid would be fierce beyond imagination.