Chapter 480: God-Burying Valley

“Through me?”

Su Mo looked at Elder Yan, puzzled.

Elder Yan explained, “Every person willing to serve and protect the Cangxuan Realm represents its power. Thus, when these individuals are strong, the Cangxuan Realm itself is strong.”

“And you, after my probing, have proven your willingness to serve the Cangxuan Realm. So, it’s fitting to provide you with some opportunities to grow stronger. In doing so, the Cangxuan Realm’s own strength will be enhanced.”

Realization dawned on Su Mo. “So, you came all this way just to deliver an opportunity?”

“Precisely!”

Elder Yan nodded emphatically.

People who can rapidly grow in strength and possess the potential to become top-tier fighters are few and far between—exceedingly rare.

Therefore, we had few choices, which is why we risked coming to Qingyang City.

More importantly, Su Mo had slain the King of Reincarnation and dared to oppose Yama Hall.

Yama Hall, a den of traitors to the Cangxuan Realm!

An enemy that everyone had the right to strike down.

Elder Yan spoke with great sincerity, “Fellow Daoist Su, I was forced to take a risk and deceive you just now. It wasn’t intentional, so I hope you can forgive the offense. After all, this matter concerns the lives of trillions throughout the entire Cangxuan Realm. A single misstep would lead to a cataclysmic disaster.”

“I understand.”

Su Mo asked curiously, “Can you tell me what the current situation is in our Cangxuan Realm?”

“Alas… the Cangxuan Realm is on the brink of collapse.”

Elder Yan sighed.

“What?”

Su Mo was stunned.

After more than thirty thousand years of recovery, he had assumed the Cangxuan Realm was relatively stable. He never expected the situation to be so dire.

And now, it was on the verge of destruction.

Elder Yan’s expression turned grim. “To be frank, the Cangxuan Realm currently has twelve true Divine-level Powerhouses.”

“Twelve? That’s not too few.”

Su Mo nodded, trying to reassure himself.

But Elder Yan continued, “Twelve Divine-level Powerhouses isn’t a small number, no. But of those twelve, four have already been confirmed as traitors.”

“What?”

Su Mo’s face was a mask of shock.

The Descent hadn’t even begun, yet four Divine-level Powerhouses had already turned traitor.

‘Damn it, this situation really is terrible.’

Su Mo pressed, “Including the Hall Master of Yama Hall?”

“Yes, including him!”

Elder Yan gritted his teeth. “That bastard is the most audacious of them all. He’s already begun assassinating powerhouses from the major Sacred Lands, laying the groundwork for his plans.”

“Laying the groundwork? Hmph. When I get my hands on that bastard, I’ll beat the shit out of him.”

Su Mo said, fuming.

He despised traitors more than anything.

But Elder Yan shook his head. “No. The Hall Master of Yama Hall is not someone you can handle. Your task now is to preserve your strength, strike at the most critical moment, and turn the tide of battle. Do you understand?”

“I… all right.”

Su Mo nodded in agreement.

He had been thinking of heading straight to the Yama Hall’s headquarters to swat their Hall Master dead and eliminate the threat before it grew.

Unfortunately, Elder Yan forbade him from confronting the Hall Master of Yama Hall.

Su Mo said optimistically, “The remaining eight Divine-level Powerhouses are on our side, right? We should still have the upper hand.”

Elder Yan shook his head. “For now, only three have explicitly stated they are on our side and wish to protect the Cangxuan Realm.”

“Three…”

Su Mo was speechless.

Elder Yan continued, “These three Divine-level Powerhouses are Celestial Pool Divine Monarch, Divine Monarch Du Gushi, and Ye Tian Sword God. They will defend the Cangxuan Realm to the very end. Of the three, Celestial Pool Divine Monarch is the only surviving Divine-level Powerhouse from over thirty thousand years ago.”

“Then what about the remaining five?”

Su Mo pressed.

Elder Yan sighed. “The remaining five have yet to declare their allegiance. We can surmise, however, that if we succeed in defending the Cangxuan Realm, they will join us, as it is their world too. But if we fail…”

“If you fail, what then?”

Su Mo asked in a low voice.

Elder Yan looked at Su Mo. “If we fail, they will betray us. For the sake of their own interests, they will always side with the winner.”

“Fuck!”

Su Mo swore loudly, “Those motherfuckers are all spineless fence-sitters! They’re the worst.”

“People like that are indeed despicable, but there’s nothing we can do about them.”

Elder Yan said helplessly.

If we tried to force their hand, we’d have a complete falling-out and push them straight into the traitors’ camp.

That would be even more detrimental to the Cangxuan Realm.

Our only option right now is to keep them neutral, ensuring they help neither side.

“Ugh.”

Su Mo felt a massive headache coming on.

He had promised This Celestial Dao that he would protect the Cangxuan Realm if necessary. He’d thought it would be a simple matter, but he never expected it to be so complicated.

The war hadn’t even started, and a whole faction of collaborators had already emerged.

‘The Cangxuan Realm is so screwed.’

Elder Yan said, “This is only what’s known publicly. There are a few more Divine-level cultivators in the shadows, no more than five. The rest are all at the Pseudo-God Level, numbering around twenty or thirty.”

“That many Pseudo-Gods?”

Su Mo asked in surprise.

He had gone to great lengths just to obtain a bit of Divine Power from Meteor Ancestor.

‘How did everyone else get their Divine Power?’

Elder Yan explained, “These individuals either found Divine Power on their own and used it to temper their bodies, becoming Pseudo-Gods, or they were directly infused with Divine Power by a true Divine-level Powerhouse.”

“That…”

Su Mo was flabbergasted.

He knew that a Saint-level Powerhouse could use their Saint-level Power to infuse someone and create a Semi-Saint, but he never imagined that Pseudo-Gods could be created in the same fashion.

Still, no number of Pseudo-Gods posed a threat to him.

If they provoked him, he could kill several of them with a single slap.

Elder Yan continued, “Your Qingyang City possesses a Divine-level Earth Vein. You could have used its Divine Power to ascend to godhood, but you chose not to. I assume it’s because you don’t wish to sever your future on the Martial Dao?”

Su Mo nodded.

Once a person becomes a Pseudo-God through an infusion of Divine Power, they lose the ability to generate their own Divine Power.

Their path of cultivation is effectively severed.

He would never do something so foolish.

Elder Yan said with admiration, “You made the right choice. I have high hopes for you, which is why I am specially inviting you to the God-Burying Valley to retrieve the Ancient Divine Artifact within.”

“God-Burying Valley?”

Su Mo’s heart stirred.

He had seen the name in ancient records. It was a forbidden land within the Cangxuan Realm, rumored to be the burial place of powerful gods from a bygone era.

He had never set foot there, however.

Elder Yan continued, “As long as we can obtain the Ancient Divine Artifact from within the Burial of the Gods Ancient, our Cangxuan Realm will have a much greater chance of surviving the Descent Calamity. We might even be able to use that Ancient Divine Artifact to turn the tables completely.”

“If that Ancient Divine Artifact can turn the tables, why not send a Divine-level Powerhouse to retrieve it? Wouldn’t they be more suitable?”

Su Mo asked, his suspicion piqued.

Elder Yan gave a wry smile. “The three Divine-level Powerhouses who protect our Cangxuan Realm would love to go, but the circumstances forbid it.”

“Why?”

Su Mo asked, confused.

Elder Yan explained, “Because long ago, during the Ancient Era, the Burial of the Gods Ancient was shattered. The very fabric of space there collapsed. It can no longer withstand the power of a Divine-level Powerhouse. If one were to force their way in, they would either be entombed within or even forced to ascend on the spot.”