Chapter 496 - 314: The Saint Heir’s Overt Scheme: Human Greed Is a Cage

"Alright, my task is complete. You’re on your own now."

With that, the young expert turned and left, ignoring Zhao Heihu completely.

Zhao Heihu stood frozen, his body trembling slightly.

He stared at the bustling scene inside the cave.

Martial Artists from the various Fortress Cities were excitedly operating all sorts of machinery, dredging a red, paste-like substance they called "Blood Essence" from the massive Blood Pool.

Others carefully harvested one golden Divine Soul Crystal after another from the rock walls above.

The face of every person there was alight with the manic joy and greed of discovering a treasure.

How similar this was to the scene when he had first discovered the Titan Ruins. Everyone had been blinded by the prospect of immense profit.

’It’s a trap!’

Zhao Heihu lunged toward the edge of the Blood Pool and grabbed a Mercenary who was hauling a container of Blood Essence.

"There’s something wrong with this stuff! I’m sure of it!"

The Mercenary jumped in fright. When he saw who it was, he irritably shook off Zhao Heihu’s hand.

"What do you think you’re doing?!"

"Don’t touch this stuff! It’s deadly! You’re all going to die!"

Zhao Heihu’s eyes were bloodshot, and he was overwrought with emotion. He bitterly regretted his decision to blockade the reef and explore it alone.

If he hadn’t, things would never have reached this point.

Everyone was only thinking about how to carve up the profits, the rewards.

No one cared about his missing subordinates or where his ship had gone.

His outburst immediately attracted the guards who were maintaining order.

Several Armored Warriors from Kunlun Holy City surrounded him. The squad leader in charge was already at the Enlightenment Realm Peak of Cultivation.

"Zhao Heihu, what do you think you’re doing?

Disrupt the order in this mining area again, and don’t blame us for getting rough!"

"You’ve all been tricked!"

Zhao Heihu pointed at the Divine Soul Crystals, trying to explain patiently.

"There’s something wrong with this stuff! You have to believe me!"

He tried to rush past them, but the squad leader simply raised a hand, stopping him with an invisible wall of energy.

"Nonsense!"

The squad leader scoffed, his eyes filled with disdain and pity.

"These Divine Soul Crystals have been personally authenticated by several of our Kunlun councilors from the Celestial Human Realm. They are pure Divine Soul Origin, an unparalleled Treasure for aiding one’s Cultivation.

Do you really think the judgment of the councilors is inferior to that of a half-crazed man suffering from mental trauma?"

"’Escort’ him out of here!"

"Sir!"

Two Armored Warriors moved forward, grabbing Zhao Heihu by the arms and forcibly dragging him toward the cave entrance.

The surrounding Martial Artists pointed and whispered amongst themselves.

"Isn’t that the unlucky commander from Jiangbei City?"

"I heard he ran into a spatial overlap. His men suffered catastrophic losses. The trauma must have been too much for him."

"No kidding. I’d go crazy too if I were him. To watch a mountain of gold slip through your fingers, and lose everything you own on top of that."

"Such a shame. He used to be a skilled expert at the Enlightenment Realm Peak, but now he’s completely broken."

Ultimately, Zhao Heihu was forcibly escorted back to the small transport ship from Jiangbei City.

Standing on the deck, he looked back at Broken Star Reef—now a place synonymous with wealth and opportunity—and a chill ran through him.

’He couldn’t understand.’

’Why?’

’Why wouldn’t anyone believe him?’

’There were so many obvious red flags!’

Just then, the communicator on his wrist buzzed.

It was his direct superior, a general from the Jiangbei Military District.

"Heihu, I’ve heard what happened. Stop making a scene and come back."

The general’s voice was weary. "Kunlun’s findings are final.

If you keep pushing this, you’ll only cause more embarrassment for Jiangbei City in front of the Alliance."

"But, General, my men..."

"I know this is hard for you."

The general cut him off. "This matter ends here.

Wait for Dragon Abyss to open. I’ll give you a chance to look for your people then."

The call ended.

Zhao Heihu stared blankly at the horizon where the sea met the sky.

The outline of the spatial barrier in the region known as Dragon Abyss was growing increasingly distinct.

’A spatial overlap... The plane of the ancient ruins is right on the edge of Dragon Abyss...’

He stared intently at that distorted expanse of space.

’Once Dragon Abyss opens, I’m going in, no matter what.’

’Chen Meng, Ma Liu... Brothers, wait for me.’

’Even if I have to dig to the ends of the earth, I’ll bring your remains back from that godsforsaken place!’

...

「Deep within the Mist Sea Region, inside the floating Crystal Palace.」

"Lord Saint Heir, that is what happened."

The Sea Patrol Envoy knelt on one knee, giving a detailed report of how Zhao Heihu had caused a scene at Broken Star Reef.

His voice held a trace of unconcealable worry.

"That Zhao Heihu... he seems to have sensed something.

No one believes him, but I worry... if he keeps spouting this everywhere, could it affect our plans?"

Upon the throne, the Saint Heir was lazily tossing a golden Divine Soul Crystal between his fingertips. He let out a soft chuckle at the envoy’s words.

"An effect? What kind of effect could he possibly have?"

The Saint Heir’s voice was nonchalant, as if he were discussing an insignificant ant.

"Is he going to convince the Divine Containment Realm Grandmasters who are scrambling over each other for these Divine Soul Crystals?

Or the Celestial Human Realm Grandmasters who personally authenticated them and declared them to be ’unparalleled Treasures’?"

The Sea Patrol Envoy lowered his head. "Forgive my foolishness."

"The hearts of men are greedy. Especially when the world is on the verge of collapse, with the apocalypse drawing near."

The Saint Heir rose and walked slowly to the edge of the hall, gazing through the translucent crystal walls at the deep, dark trench below.

"What I am giving them is real, tangible power. It is the hope of a greater chance of survival during the coming ten-year calamity.

This ’gift’ has no obvious backdoor. It can even genuinely help them cultivate more powerful experts."

"Tell me, when faced with such a magnificent gift, who would turn it away because of the ravings of a single madman?"

Understanding dawned on the Sea Patrol Envoy.

The Saint Heir’s plan wasn’t a covert scheme, but an overt one!

He was offering a genuine, tangible benefit.

A benefit so great that no one could refuse it, even if they knew there might be a catch.

Because no one can refuse the chance to become stronger.

"But... Lord Saint Heir, this ultimately relies on the power of a ’God.’

The more they use it, the deeper their connection to the ’God’ will become.

Can it really go undiscovered?" The Sea Patrol Envoy was still confused.

The Saint Heir turned. The face he wore—Li Wei’s face—broke into an enigmatic smile.

"Discovered?"

He slowly raised the Divine Soul Crystal, holding it up to the light to admire its flawless luster.

"Heh. Before the space at the border of Dragon Abyss stabilizes, no expert above Tier Four can enter. And anyone who breaks through to Tier Four *inside* Dragon Abyss will be unable to leave."

"Every gift from fate comes with a price tag, right from the very start.

Once you accept, there’s no turning back."

The Saint Heir’s voice grew distant and ethereal, laced with a chilling, magical quality.