Chapter 89 - 88: The announcement.

Chapter 89: Chapter 88: The announcement.

Over the scene.

Every collision between Chen Yan and the masked man sent shock waves through the region, forcing the watching cultivators to retreat several kilometers away just to remain safe.

Dozens of spies suffered injuries during their escape, but most managed to survive.

Even from such a distance, they could feel the terrifying pressure radiating from the battlefield, and none dared approach any closer.

Yet what surprised them most was not the battle’s sheer destructiveness.

It was the fact that only Chen Yan had fought the masked man.

Chen Feng and Chen Yuan remained in the sky, watching calmly from the sidelines, neither showed any intention of intervening.

Why?

The spies could not understand it.

Chen Yan was clearly facing a formidable opponent, yet the other two Ancestors seemed more concerned with watching their surroundings than helping him.

Gradually, a terrifying possibility emerged in their minds.

Perhaps there were other High Lords hiding nearby.

Perhaps the masked man was merely one of several enemies, and Chen Feng and Chen Yuan were standing guard against a possible ambush.

The thought sent chills down their spines.

If even the Chen Family’s Ancestors were wary of hidden enemies, then the situation surrounding the flower field was far more complicated than they had imagined.

And that was precisely what Chen Yuan wanted them to believe.

Meanwhile, another mystery continued to draw their attention.

No matter how thoroughly the battlefield was destroyed, the flower field always regenerated itself.

Even when powerful attacks tore the earth apart and buried entire sections beneath shattered stone, fresh shoots would emerge from the ruined ground.

Within moments, countless flowers would bloom again, covering the destruction as though nothing had happened.

The sight was impossible to ignore.

More importantly, whenever the flowers were destroyed, the nearby cultivators with eye techniques occasionally caught glimpses of something buried beneath the soil.

Fragments of a structure. And, on one occasion, what appeared to be an entrance.

Each glimpse was brief, as the flowers quickly grew over the exposed ground, but almost everyone understood.

Something lay beneath the field.

Then the spies remembered Chen Yuan’s earlier words.

The tomb.

He had mentioned it so casually when confronting the masked man. The legends surrounding the place might actually be true.

An ancient lord had once chosen this land as his or her final resting place, burying themselves within a tomb that had remained hidden for countless years.

An ancient lord...

A Golden Core cultivator’s tomb.

Everyone guessed it already.

A place that could attract so many High lords must definitely be related to the path beyond the Foundation Establishment realm.

The realization spread rapidly among the surviving observers.

And yet, the battle continued. After several days of relentless fighting, the masked man finally retreated.

His black robes were torn in several places, their edges stained dark with blood.

One sleeve hung loosely from his arm, while fresh blood trickled from the corner of his mouth and ran down his chin.

The mask itself had developed several deep cracks, one stretching from the edge of its left eye socket toward the cheek, while smaller fractures spread across its surface.

His breathing was heavier than before, and the spiritual energy surrounding his body had become noticeably unstable.

Nevertheless, he maintained his composure as he withdrew into the distance.

Before disappearing beyond the horizon, he turned his head toward the three figures suspended high above the flower field.

"Chen Family... enjoy your peace while it lasts."

His voice carried across the devastated plains, reaching even those watching from several kilometers away.

"I will return with the others. When that time comes, you will obtain what you desire, and we will obtain what we need."

He paused, wiping the blood from the corner of his mouth with the back of his hand.

His cracked mask remained directed toward Chen Yan, and although his expression was hidden, the hostility in his voice was there.

"The calamity is approaching. If we wish to survive what is coming, there can be no hesitation, no weakness, and certainly no mercy."

A low laugh escaped from beneath his damaged mask.

"Prepare yourselves. The next time we meet, things will be different."

With those final words, he shot into the distance, his battered figure gradually disappearing beyond the horizon.

Yet while the masked man maintained his imposing appearance until the very end, a certain someone was seething inwardly.

That bastard Chen Yan!

Beneath the cracked mask, Chen Yueran’s expression had twisted into an ugly scowl.

He was absolutely taking revenge for last time!

She could still remember how their previous encounter had ended, and now, after several days of fighting, she had been beaten into such a miserable state.

Her robes were ruined, her body was aching, and she had even needed to crack her precious mask to make the battle look convincing.

Just you wait, Chen Yan! I’ll get back at you!

Of course, none of that showed on the outside.

She continued flying away with the dignity befitting a mysterious enemy who had just endured a fierce battle against one of the Chen Family’s Ancestors.

Only after she had disappeared beyond the horizon did the attention of the watching cultivators return to the battlefield.

The surrounding plains had been flattened.

Mountains across the horizon had been reduced to broken ridges, their slopes shattered and their peaks scattered.

Deep ravines stretched through the land, while enormous craters pockmarked the ground.

Rivers had been forced from their original courses, and countless trees had been uprooted or reduced to splinters.

The once-familiar landscape had become a wasteland.

Yet at the very center of this destruction, the field of flowers remained untouched.

Surrounded by shattered earth and broken stone, the vast sea of blossoms continued to sway gently in the breeze.

Its vibrant colors stood in stark contrast to the barren land around it.

It was the only place left standing amid the ruins.

High above the flower field, the three remained suspended in the sky.

Chen Yan stood slightly ahead of the other two, watching the direction in which the masked man had escaped.

’Take that you crazy woman. Now Chen Yuan is here, it’s my time to beat you up.’

Behind him, Chen Feng stood with his hands behind his back, while Chen Yuan gazed down at the flower field with his usual calmness.

Chen Yuan then drifted his gaze toward the surrounding distant hills, where numerous cultivators were still hiding.

They had witnessed the battle for several days, and judging from their unwillingness to leave, they were waiting to see what the Chen Family would do next.

"Since they are already here, we might as well save them the trouble of guessing," Chen Yuan remarked.

Chen Feng glanced at him before nodding.

Chen Yan, meanwhile, crossed his arms. "Let’s see how many of them have the courage to come out."

Chen Yuan took a step forward, and his voice travelled across the devastated plains.

"You have all watched long enough. Come out."

The cultivators hiding among the hills stiffened.

After a brief hesitation, figures began emerging from behind rocks, trees, and shattered cliffs.

Within moments, dozens of cultivators had gathered in the surrounding area, all keeping a respectful distance from the flower field.

Chen Yuan surveyed them calmly before speaking.

"Thirty days and nights from now, the Chen Family will open the tomb beneath this field of flowers."

His announcement immediately stirred the gathering.

Although many had already suspected the existence of an ancient tomb, hearing confirmation directly from Chen Yuan was another matter entirely.

Chen Yuan continued before the commotion could grow any louder.

"All forces within this region possessing cultivators at the Qi Condensation or Foundation Establishment realm are invited to gather here when the time comes. Whether you represent a great family, a smaller clan, a sect, or an independent group, the invitation applies equally."

The surrounding cultivators exchanged surprised looks.

The Chen Family intended to open the tomb to everyone?

Given their strength and authority over the Eastern Region, they could have claimed the inheritance for themselves.

Few forces would have dared to challenge their decision.

What is Chen Yuan’s intention?

"The Chen Family will not monopolize the entrance," he declared. "When the appointed time arrives, all participating forces will have a fair opportunity to enter and seek their own fortunes."

He paused, allowing his words to settle.

"Of course, an ancient tomb is no place for the careless. What you obtain inside will depend on your own abilities and fortune. The Chen Family will provide an opportunity, not a guarantee of safety or success."

For a moment, the cultivators stood in stunned silence, struggling to digest the Chen Family’s unexpected announcement.

Then, as the implications sank in, the gathering grew restless, with many already preparing to rush back and inform their respective forces.

"An ancient lord’s tomb!"

"Thirty days! We must return and prepare immediately!"

"Even smaller forces can participate. This could be our chance to obtain an inheritance that might otherwise remain beyond our reach!"

But not all of them were foolish, some remained cautious as they remembered what the masked man’s warning had been about.

In a way, it felt like a trap being set up by the Chen Family for that day, and their families and forces were being used for that very purpose.

After all, why would the Chen Family willingly share such an opportunity?

Was there something inside that even they could not obtain alone?

No one knew the answer, and none dared question Chen Yuan directly.

"Thirty days and nights," he repeated. "Make your preparations accordingly. When the time comes, the Chen Family will keep its word."

With that, he turned toward Chen Feng and Chen Yan.

The three Ancestors exchanged no further words.

Their spiritual energy surged, and their figures shot into the sky, transforming into three streaks of light that disappeared beyond the distant clouds.

Only after they had left did the cultivators begin moving in earnest.

Communication talismans lit up across the gathering as they hurriedly reported the announcement to their respective forces.

Others immediately departed for their homes.

Within days, the news would spread throughout the Eastern Region and beyond.