The bugs in the previous section are not worth discussing, so let's pretend you didn't see them...
I am the careless divider.
"Earthquake!"
Someone shouted, then wished they could slap themselves for the embarrassment.
This was clearly not an earthquake. The sudden eruption of Primordial Qi stirred up a wave of energy, wildly churning. Within the hall, it sounded as if a great wind had whipped up in an underground cave. The noise of countless shattering tiles and bricks was chaotic, mixed with the cries of the cultivators who had just been moved out. It sounded like the atmosphere of Doomsday.
Despite this, the Master of the Sunken Sword Cave remained seated, silent, his eyes flickering with electricity amidst the smoke and clouds.
Everyone's gaze was focused on his face. No one could see his true face, hence few could decipher his thoughts. This frustrated many. Xia Boyang coldly demanded:
"Cave Master, isn't it time for clarity?"
"Let's wait a bit longer, seeing is believing..." the Master of the Sunken Sword Cave spoke even more slowly. This only increased the anxiety in people's hearts.
At this moment, Tie Lan, who had been standing by the seat of honor, slowly sat down, seemingly to adjust his breath. Simultaneously, screams came from outside the hall. The Sword Ghosts were oblivious, hence the screams could only come from the cultivators that the Master of the Sunken Sword Cave had just thrown out. The expressions of people like Yu Ci in the hall subtly changed.
The Master of the Sunken Sword Cave finally said slowly: "The Sword Immortal's Secret Domain has opened. The concentration of Resentful Spirit Golden Fiend Qi in the Sword Garden has increased tenfold, and the strength of the wandering Sword Ghosts has also surged tenfold. This Sunken Sword Cave is in a unique position, serving as an exhaust vent for the Secret Domain. The collapse of the loose soil and the exposure of the cave is a precursor. The concentration of Resentful Spirit Golden Fiend Qi here far exceeds the outside world. Influenced by it, the strength of the Sword Ghosts here has surged, and they have become oblivious. Even I can't suppress them..."
As he spoke, the screams had lessened significantly. A hundred or so people surrounded by thousands of strengthened Sword Ghosts were insignificant. Even if a few could break through the encirclement, they would face the massive amount of Sword aura contained in the Predestined Geng Metal above their heads, which would retaliate upon contact. To avoid this, they would need to rush into the winding caves, where the number of Sword Ghosts was only greater. Even if someone had an extraordinary cultivation level and good luck to break out, it would be meaningless amidst the commotion in the entire Sword Garden.
Yu Ci finally understood why the Master of the Sunken Sword Cave did not hesitate to disclose their plans. It turned out that the Sword Immortal's Secret Domain was simply impossible to conceal.
Looking at the people in the hall, listening to the screams outside, some faces looked a little uncomfortable, but they all remained stable. This temperament was quite similar. If it were someone with a strong sense of justice...
Ah, he realized, the few from Half Mountain Island had not yet appeared. Could it have something to do with this? It seemed that the Master of the Sunken Sword Cave knew them quite well, choosing people who were more "unconventional," who spoke more freely.
The man on the seat of honor once again rested his chin on his hand, displaying a leisurely and composed attitude. "You all have seen it. The Secret Domain of the Sword Garden, usually hidden deep beneath the nine lands or concealed within the 'unique Celestial Cave,' is difficult to trace. Only in recent times can its traces be seen. If you want to verify your own opportunities, it can only be done during this time."
"How do we get there?" Wen Shifei got straight to the point.
"From under the Sunken Sword Cave, you can reach directly. The location is about four thousand miles northwest of the Underground Cave. Of course, when the Secret Domain emerges, the void distorts, so the distance may be more or less... Do you want to go?"
"Nonsense!" All the people in the hall cursed in their hearts.
The next moment, the Master of the Sunken Sword Cave laughed heartily, "Good, then let's go!"
As his words fell, the hall shook again, and countless mixed rays of light radiated in all directions. Yu Ci was about to react when he was enveloped by a strong force, immobilizing him. By the time he broke free from this restraint, the scene before him had drastically changed.
The space suddenly shrunk dozens of times. The originally spacious hall had shrunk into a tiny room, filled with people, making it unbearably crowded. Moreover, this situation instantly pushed everyone's safety distance to its limit. The majority present were of the Generation of Arrogant and Rebellious, all deeply wary. Regardless of why this situation occurred, they each unleashed their Protective True Evil, trying to carve out a safe zone for themselves.
"Who dares to act rashly!"
The Master of the Sunken Sword Cave's voice was like a heavy hammer, striking everyone's foreheads. At the same time, a chilling aura swept down, suppressing the chaos with an intimidating power at least two realms higher. But at this moment, the Master of the Sunken Sword Cave was not among them.
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When everyone in the hall calmed down, the Master of the Sunken Sword Cave spoke, "You are now in my 'Manifestation of Myriad Images Heavenly Traveling Boat.' The Manifestation Hall you saw earlier was a transformation of this boat. This tool has no other uses, but it is capable of Sky-soaring Earth-breaking. We are currently heading towards the Sword Immortal's Secret Domain. Instead of wasting time fighting, you should be thinking about how to seize opportunities there."
So, this was still the Manifestation Hall... Yu Ci, a man, still held a wine goblet in his hands. But the banquet tables had disappeared. When the chaos had first erupted, everyone had risen from their seats. Now, stuck in the cramped hall, everyone felt stifled, and the Master of the Sunken Sword Cave fell silent.
Bu Cuo and his two junior disciples exchanged a look, then shouted, “Cave Master, speak plainly. What exactly are you planning? Even if you are a respected elder, you can't just force us onto this ship.”
The response was not in words, but in the suddenly transparent walls of the hall. Images from outside flooded in. Thick layers of soil swept back like flowing water. The Flying Boat occasionally collided with the Torrent of vital energy, causing a powerful shockwave. Yet, strangely, nothing was felt inside the hall. They could only see waves spreading out for miles, stirring and twisting the underground. It was clear to them that anyone thrown out now would likely face certain death.
"Inside the Sword Immortal's Secret Domain, the concentration of Primordial Qi is ten times, a hundred times greater than it is now, and it is not as chaotic. It is all under the control of the three Talisman Seals…”
The Master of the Sunken Sword Cave finally stopped hiding and spoke very clearly: "At this time, entering the Secret Domain is not particularly difficult. But within the Secret Domain, there are three Talisman Seals, established by a Great Mystical Power Practitioner when the Sword Garden was first created. With the Talisman Seals in place, the abundant Primordial Qi within the Secret Domain becomes our enemy, repelling all outsiders and sealing the Secret Domain Core impenetrably. Without removing these three Talisman Seals, all opportunities are empty talk."
So, this is why you cast your net wide for fish?
Yu Ci played with his wine goblet, finally realizing that the Master of the Sunken Sword Cave had invited these people with the intention of casting a wide net among many cultivators, looking for a Talisman expert. But what puzzled him was that this temporary conscription seemed too childish. If the Talisman Seals were established by a Great Mystical Power Practitioner, could these youngsters really break them? Especially for Sword cultivation…
Just as he was pondering, he heard the Master of the Sunken Sword Cave speak again:
"The Great Mystical Power Practitioner, in actuality, excels in swordsmanship. His Talismanic arts are mediocre at best, the three Talisman Seals are merely taken from ancient texts. But when combined, the Talisman Intent and Sword Intent merge into one, making it quite troublesome. I invited you all here to utilize your combined expertise in swordsmanship and Talisman arts, to dissect his Talisman Intent and Sword Intent. Of course, there is a reward. Three Talisman Seals - break the first, and you acquire the Guye Immortal Sword; the second yields the Fragment of the Upper True Nine Heavens Flying Immortal Sword Scripture; the third naturally corresponds to the Thunder-Slaying Tribulation-Dispelling Ukase..."
"Is the Cave Master taking us for fools?"
From the crowd, Xia Boyang interrupted the Cave Master's words. Not one person aboard the Flying Boat was simple-minded. They could spot several flaws in the Cave Master's words in an instant. Especially the technique that even the Cave Master wanted to avoid, expecting them, who were two or three realms lower, to decipher it - was this an opportunity or a death sentence?
"You all are exceptional individuals of our time, naturally, you know the ins and outs. Since you know, don't you understand 'when under the eaves of a house, one must bow their head'?"
At these words, the entire hall was stunned. Finally, someone with a quick reaction chuckled, "Is the Cave Master treating us like fools..."
The one who laughed was Bu Cuo. Having just suffered a setback, he was perhaps feeling disgruntled. He stirred the pot again. Among the dozen or so cultivators in the hall, all were outstanding figures. If they could be united by this, anyone would have to tread carefully...
However, the next moment, a strong light suddenly lit up in the small hall. All they heard was a brief scream, and Bu Cuo's corpulent figure disappeared. The cultivators in the hall all had superior spiritual senses. They turned around abruptly, only to see the corpulent figure being swallowed by a giant wave of earth and stone outside the transparent cabin wall.
With a "clang", Bu Cuo's two disciples drew their swords simultaneously. But as the sword aura appeared, two more strong lights followed, and what happened next was no different from before.
The small hall fell into dead silence.
Regardless of his previous attitude, the Master of the Sunken Sword Cave had always been reasonable. But who would have thought that he was as fickle as a dog, turning his face on a whim, disregarding everything, and in an instant, he had thrown three people out.
Though the combined technique of Pan Emperor's Three Swords was unparalleled, their individual strength merely reached the Initial Stage of Golden Elixir. Trapped in the midst of the Earth and Stone Torrent, how could they hope to survive?
At this moment, the cultivators in the hall remembered the Master of the Sunken Sword Cave, a figure capable of tearing apart the void, who had most likely attained the Tao of Longevity. In the face of such an absolute gap, reason was merely a stance... and nothing more.
"Esteemed guests, the Underworld vital energy turbulence is intense. The journey of four thousand miles will take nearly an hour. You might as well rest in the cabin," Tie Lan's voice, steady and unfluctuating, echoed in the hall. He had been there all along, yet his presence had been as inconspicuous as a shadow. His words startled some, but were met with more mockery.
"Guests... or prisoners?"
A prolonged silence ensued. The up-and-coming talents, whether from the Light Demon Sect, Flying Soul City, or the Rakshasa Sect, may have had the power to obliterate the Master of the Sunken Sword Cave a hundred times over. But now, the tables had turned, and they were at the mercy of their adversary.
Thus, they had to adapt to their new status. If they failed, they would end up like Pan Emperor's Three Swords.
Despite the undercurrents of tension, the remaining cultivators epitomized the saying, "He who understands the times is a great man." The hall was soon empty. Yu Ci also quietly moved to his assigned cabin. As he turned around, he saw Tie Lan following him. At this point, he understood that this Old Ghost must be a unique figure under the Master of the Sunken Sword Cave. At least, he had never seen another ghost entity with such clear consciousness.
Faced with such a being, Yu Ci couldn't help but ask, "What kind of person is your master?"
"My master?"
Tie Lan repeated, his eyes flashing with a red glow of confusion. He studied Yu Ci for a moment, then, thinking he understood, replied, "My master is a Great Mystical Power Practitioner, possessing unpredictable strategies. He rarely treats guests differently. If you seek opportunity, it might be worth believing in him."
Yu Ci raised an eyebrow.
...