Chapter 590: Entering the Locking Demon Hall, Thought of Massacre

However, each time one of those treasures was attacked, a hazy white light barrier would appear around it, blocking anyone from seizing it.

Judging by the strength of the Nascent Soul cultivators’ attacks inside the halls and the rate at which the restrictions weakened, Wei Tu estimated it would take no less than 10 years to succeed.

This matched exactly the intel he had received from Ancestor Chìlóng.

‘If even the restrictions on the outer treasures are this hard to wear down, let alone the main hall sealed by the Ziwu Strange Prohibition, no wonder Ancestor Chìlóng got so excited when he saw my Yuan Gravity Light. Yuan Gravity Light is practically the "key" to opening the main chamber.’

Wei Tu’s eyes flickered as he thought this over.

Still, even with this advantage, he didn’t show the slightest sign of it. He acted like an ordinary cultivator, quietly entering an unoccupied side hall and beginning to slowly wear down the glowing barrier around an ancient lamp artifact with his mana.

At this time, the Locking Demon Hall’s outer halls weren’t only filled with those late-stage Nascent Soul cultivators who had arrived early. There were also mid-stage Nascent Soul cultivators like him who had just arrived. So he wasn’t worried anyone would notice anything unusual.

While wearing down the restriction, Wei Tu was also thinking about how to create an opportunity to lure all these cultivators out of the Locking Demon Hall, so that he could use his Yuan Gravity Light to enter the main chamber.

After all, if things developed normally, these Nascent Soul cultivators would remain here indefinitely, "stealing" treasures from the outer halls.

If he didn’t create an opening, then even with Yuan Gravity Light, it would be useless.

Time flowed on quietly.

In the blink of an eye, 3 years passed.

Wei Tu was patient. Just like the others, he fixed his eyes on a treasure he had chosen and kept wearing down its barrier.

But just then, a blinding brilliance suddenly flared in the neighboring chamber.

After the light burst forth, an astonishing wave of spiritual energy swept out.

"Someone succeeded in breaking through the restriction?" Wei Tu’s golden eyes flashed as he looked over.

Inside the adjacent chamber, an old man in plain, timeworn robes sat cross-legged. Before him floated a dazzling, radiant Moonlight Pearl.

Clearly, it was this Moonlight Pearl that had just released the brilliance and created the surge of energy.

Wei Tu remembered this man well. Back in the main hall, he had been seated beside Lian Shourang. He was a Nascent Soul cultivator of Shengya Mountain, the foremost orthodox sect.

"That’s Ding Lezheng of Shengya Mountain—one of the strongest cultivators in the Great Cang world. He’s no easy character," Ancestor Chìlóng warned Wei Tu to pull back his divine sense and not probe further, lest it bring trouble.

Wei Tu obeyed at once, withdrawing his divine sense and putting away the Sun-Gazing Golden Eyes he’d been using.

The next moment, anguished cries rang out outside the chamber as other cultivators’ divine senses were injured.

Among them were several long-renowned late-stage Nascent Soul experts.

Clearly, Ding Lezheng’s strength surpassed that of ordinary late-stage Nascent Soul cultivators.

"Ding Lezheng has grown even stronger than 600 years ago. He’s already very close to the Divine Transformation realm. Now, it seems all he lacks is the right opportunity," Ancestor Chìlóng said with emotion.

"An opportunity?" Wei Tu frowned.

Because of his feud with Shengya Mountain, he had learned much about Ding Lezheng from Ancestor Chìlóng.

Before entering the Zunwang Palace secret realm, Ancestor Chìlóng had described Ding Lezheng as being in a quasi-Divine Transformation state—just one step away, but a step that was nearly impossible to cross.

But now he was saying Ding Lezheng only lacked "an opportunity" to achieve Divine Transformation.

The difference between those two descriptions was enormous.

"Could it be… Ding Lezheng intends to seek that chance to break through to Divine Transformation here in the Zunwang Palace?" Wei Tu’s brows tightened. If Ding Lezheng succeeded, the balance between him and Shengya Mountain would collapse, and the consequences would be dire.

At that point, his only option would be to abandon the Great Cang cultivation world entirely and flee overseas for several centuries.

And that "opportunity" might very well lie in entering the main chamber of the core three palaces and seizing what was inside.

Fortunately, things didn’t turn out that way.

After obtaining the Moonlight Pearl, Ding Lezheng simply turned his attention to another outer treasure. He didn’t focus on breaking the Ziwu Strange Prohibition of the Locking Demon Hall.

With Ding Lezheng taking the first treasure, more and more cultivators began breaking restrictions and claiming treasures in quick succession.

But since the first to break the restrictions were all late-stage Nascent Soul experts, no fighting broke out. The others only glanced at the treasures a couple of times, then quietly continued wearing down the barriers around their own targets.

Wei Tu, however, knew that once someone like him—a so-called "Nascent Soul weakling" on the surface—took a treasure, conflict would become unavoidable.

In the blink of an eye, another 4 years passed.

Wei Tu lowered his head and glanced at the glowing Transmission Shell at his chest. He knew this meant Cao Mi had emerged from seclusion right on schedule, 7 years later as promised.

He was about to send her a message, telling her to head toward the Locking Demon Hall where he was.

But then another message from Cao Mi arrived—“The main chamber of the Weapon-Refining Hall has been broken open.”

"What? The main chamber of the Weapon-Refining Hall has been breached?" Wei Tu was stunned.

Looking up, he saw cultivators who had just been quietly eroding barriers suddenly transform into streaks of light, flying out of the Locking Demon Hall.

Only a small number who hadn’t yet gotten the news stayed frozen in place, puzzled by the sudden departure.

"Opportunity!" Wei Tu’s heart leapt. He had been racking his brain for a way to clear the hall, and now heaven itself had handed him the chance.

Still, to avoid suspicion, he didn’t stay behind. Instead, he followed the others, also flying toward the Weapon-Refining Hall.

Though the core three halls were in the same area, the distance between them wasn’t short. It took half an hour before Wei Tu could get from the far-left Locking Demon Hall to the far-right Weapon-Refining Hall.

"It was the Five Demonic Sects working together. They broke open the Weapon-Refining Hall. Now the orthodox cultivators are preparing to join forces to wrest control of the hall from them—or at least grab a share of the spoils…"

Before long, Wei Tu reunited with Cao Mi. She quickly relayed the information she had gathered.

"The Five Demonic Sects working together?" Wei Tu arched a brow as his gaze swept over the Weapon-Refining Hall’s main chamber. Sure enough, more than a dozen high-level demonic cultivators had formed an array to guard it.

Outside the formation, a mass of orthodox cultivators were attacking in unison, unleashing treasures and divine abilities against the barrier.

But from the fluctuations of the array, it was clear it wouldn’t fall anytime soon.

"Cao Shimei, keep watch here for me. I’ll be back soon."

After thinking it over, Wei Tu assigned her this task.

He had no intention of bringing Cao Mi into the Locking Demon Hall to share in the spoils.

First, this chance was his alone. Cao Mi hadn’t contributed to it.

Second, the opportunity was too great, possibly touching the Divine Transformation realm itself and tied directly to his path of cultivation. It wasn’t something he could allow her to know.

This wasn’t because he distrusted her. It was because human hearts couldn’t withstand temptation. When it came to a chance for immortality, even the closest kin might turn on each other, let alone someone like Cao Mi, who was merely a "friend."

Keeping necessary vigilance at all times—that was what it meant to be a true cultivator.

"Alright, Fellow Daoist Wei," Cao Mi nodded lightly, agreeing without a second thought.

…

Not long after parting with her, Wei Tu quietly slipped out from the crowd at the Weapon-Refining Hall and unobtrusively made his way back to the outer chambers of the Locking Demon Hall.

"Old Demon Zhu, you keep watch. I’ll use the Yuan Gravity Light to open the Locking Demon Hall now."

After instructing Ancestor Chìlóng, Wei Tu let a dark gray radiance pour from his hands, pressing them against the red-and-black barrier of the Ziwu Strange Prohibition.

Under the Yuan Gravity Light, the thick barrier quickly changed. From more than a foot thick, it shrank to just an inch.

The light flickered violently, as if its very essence was being corroded.

Wei Tu’s eyes lit with joy. He understood—this was Yuan Gravity Light, the natural bane of the Ziwu Strange Prohibition, taking effect.

But just as he was about to enter, the inch-thick barrier still held firm, blocking him completely.

Clearly, even weakened, the power of the Ziwu Strange Prohibition was still beyond what an ordinary Nascent Soul cultivator could breach.

But Wei Tu didn’t panic. His brow tightened, and he let out a low shout: "Nine Secrets of Vitality!"

At once, his entire body surged with power. His aura skyrocketed in an instant, and within moments it had already reached the level of a late-stage Nascent Soul cultivator.

Immediately after, he invoked the Little Big Dipper Star Divine Technique to form a false dharma image of himself and blasted it against the red-and-black barrier before him.

A series of thunderous booms shook the air.

The barrier trembled violently, and after more than ten breaths, it cracked like shattered glass, spiderweb fractures spreading across its surface.

Soon, the barrier collapsed entirely, leaving behind a hole large enough for one person to pass through.

Seeing this, Wei Tu didn’t hesitate. He withdrew the Yuan Gravity Light and with a flash of movement slipped into the Locking Demon Hall—this hall that had remained sealed for over ten thousand years.

But the moment he entered, two streaks of yellow light appeared outside the main chamber. The two cultivators tried to follow him through, but just as they reached the barrier, the prohibition resealed itself, shutting them out.

In the next instant, the yellow light dispersed, revealing an old man and a middle-aged cultivator, both with grim expressions.

"Uncle-Master Ding, it seems we underestimated them. Who would’ve thought someone in this batch of cultivators would actually wield the Yuan Gravity Light and break the Ziwu Strange Prohibition…"

"I didn’t expect it either. That brat following beside Nine Li Shangren actually had this ability."

Ding Lezheng narrowed his eyes, his face cold.

He had always been cautious. Before heading to the Weapon-Refining Hall, he had left behind a trace of divine sense near the Locking Demon Hall, just to guard against someone sneaking in while he was away.

But even with this precaution, he was still a step late. By the time he rushed back, the barrier had already been broken and someone had slipped through.

"This kid’s cultivation is only at mid Nascent Soul. Even if his strength matches late Nascent Soul, he’s still lacking compared to you. Shourang, stay here. Once he comes out, notify me immediately."

Ding Lezheng cast a glance at Lian Shourang as he issued the order.

As the leader of the orthodox sects, Shengya Mountain could not remain absent from the struggle at the Weapon-Refining Hall, letting demonic sects seize treasures unchallenged.

But someone also had to guard the Locking Demon Hall.

After considering, Ding Lezheng made his choice: Lian Shourang would stay behind to keep watch, while he joined the others in battling the Five Demonic Sects for the treasures inside the Weapon-Refining Hall.

"Yes, Uncle-Master Ding."

Lian Shourang bowed slightly, accepting the task.

Things were not as they had been decades ago. Now he was at late Nascent Soul and held Shengya Mountain’s sect-treasure. He had no fear of stopping Wei Tu.

…

Inside, Wei Tu turned back to glance toward the barrier outside.

Not only had Ding Lezheng and Lian Shourang sensed his entry—he had also sensed their arrival.

"Looks like you’ll need to be careful when leaving. If nothing else, you could always wait inside the Locking Demon Hall for a dozen years and let the secret realm expel you directly."

Ancestor Chìlóng spoke softly.

Wei Tu nodded, then shook his head. "I’m not worried about myself. I’m worried Ding Lezheng might capture Cao Mi, use her to threaten me, or try to pry my true identity from her."

"Cao Mi is among the gathered cultivators. Ding Lezheng shouldn’t be so reckless as to seize her openly," Ancestor Chìlóng hesitated before offering reassurance.

Wei Tu’s actions had been careful and well-reasoned, though his lower cultivation realm left him blind to Ding Lezheng’s hidden divine sense outside the hall, which had led to this dangerous situation.

After all, Ding Lezheng was already at the quasi–Divine Transformation realm. Even at his own peak, Ancestor Chìlóng admitted he was weaker than him.

"One step at a time. If Shengya Mountain dares to stoop so low as to use Cao Mi against me, then in the future… I’ll slaughter their sect."

Wei Tu’s voice was calm and steady.

Before, whether it was Situ Yang’s provocation or Shengya Mountain’s attempts to block knowledge of his existence afterward, he had only felt disgust. He had no true killing intent. After all, such petty tactics were common enough in the cultivation world.

Their actions weren’t exactly righteous, but they were still within bounds. He could always repay them later in kind.

But if Shengya Mountain truly went as far as abducting Cao Mi to target him, then between him and Shengya Mountain there would only be one outcome—death without reconciliation.