Chapter 199 - 147: Do You Dare Challenge a Grotto Heaven’s Successor

Chapter 199: Chapter 147: Do You Dare Challenge a Grotto Heaven’s Successor

「One day later.」

「Martial Alliance Stronghold.」

Chen Xuan had already returned safely.

Chu Qingyin, Xu Long, and Cao Hai had all gone to recuperate from their injuries.

Mr. Zhuo personally escorted Chen Xuan as they hurried toward the Martial Alliance Headquarters.

"Chen Xuan, you’re truly incredible..."

Mr. Zhuo’s voice was filled with shock, finding it hard to believe.

He had clearly heard the latest rumors circulating in the martial world.

He had lost all faith in the Human List...

The news on the Human List wasn’t even as up-to-date as his own.

Word had long since spread throughout the outside world: Chen Xuan, True Essence Third Layer...

’This is insane!’

In the past, the Human List always had the most cutting-edge information in the martial world.

All sorts of secrets and classified intelligence would be published by the Celestial Secret Pavilion.

But not anymore.

’What the hell were they even announcing!’

’Chen Xuan reached the True Essence Third Layer, and you lot still have no idea...’

’You don’t know jack shit!’

"Chen Xuan, the headquarters is just ahead. I don’t know if there are any natural treasures left that can improve one’s Cultivation. If not, you might really have to make a trip to the black market."

Mr. Zhuo pointed forward.

Deep within the range of rolling mountains.

A cluster of buildings, even more magnificent and immense than what they had seen before, came into view. Its structures were densely packed, with high-flung eaves and clearly defined tiles, stretching out in a continuous, undulating line.

"The black market? Where is it, exactly?"

Chen Xuan asked.

He had heard about the black market from Chu Qingyin before.

And now Mr. Zhuo was mentioning it too.

’But a typical black market probably couldn’t handle something as valuable as a Fire Python Inner Core, could it?’

"Rest assured, we have our own."

Elder Zhuo explained, "Speaking of which, all the black markets in the world are actually run by a single organization. This organization is immensely powerful and collaborates with various factions. For the most part, the local factions are only responsible for maintaining the operations of their black market, while the organization handles the transportation of goods and takes a cut of the profits. All profits are split fifty-fifty. A typical black market naturally couldn’t handle a Fire Python Inner Core, but the one under our Martial Alliance’s jurisdiction certainly can."

Chen Xuan was taken aback. "All the black markets are from a single organization?"

"Yes."

Elder Zhuo nodded. "You must be wondering how they have so much power. It’s because the mastermind behind this organization is an expert from the Heaven List."

"A Heaven List expert?"

’No wonder all the major factions are so deferential.’

"In short, the workings of the black market are complex. The more high-end the market, the more experts you’ll find. Sometimes, even figures from the Grotto Heavens show up. They can handle any resource you can imagine, so you don’t need to worry!"

Elder Zhuo explained, "Oh, and speaking of Grotto Heavens, I think you should learn more about them. This world is far more complex than it appears. I wanted to tell you about them last time, but you left in such a hurry."

"Alright, go on. What are Grotto Heavens?"

Chen Xuan asked.

"Grotto Heavens, in essence, are Small Secret Realms."

Elder Zhuo replied, "The environment inside a Small Secret Realm is completely different from the outside world. The Heaven and Earth Primordial Qi is much richer, and all kinds of natural treasures are more abundant. Let’s put it this way: any faction that occupies a Small Secret Realm would be considered a first-rate power if it existed in the outside world."

"I know. Didn’t you mention this last time?"

Chen Xuan said, "The Martial Alliance has a Grotto Heaven too, so what’s there to be afraid of?"

"..."

Elder Zhuo’s lips felt dry. He spoke again, "Actually, I didn’t get to finish last time. The Martial Alliance *did* used to have a Grotto Heaven..."

"Hm?"

Sensing something was off, Chen Xuan whipped his head around.

’Used to?’

Elder Zhuo looked somewhat embarrassed. "But... it was stolen from us later..."

"Stolen? You mean the Martial Alliance doesn’t have a Grotto Heaven anymore?"

Chen Xuan asked.

"That’s right. It’s not just our Martial Alliance; even first-rate powers like the Qingyun Sect, the True Martial Sect, the Lingxiao Sect, and the Jin’gang Temple don’t have Grotto Heavens. The significance of a Grotto Heaven is far greater than you can imagine."

Elder Zhuo’s expression flickered.

"Then why not take it back? Can’t you afford to provoke the Grotto Heaven factions?"

Chen Xuan asked.

"It’s not that we can’t provoke them. We can."

Elder Zhuo sighed softly. "Our Alliance Leader is third on the Heaven List. Even among the Grotto Heaven factions, he’s considered a top figure. The problem is, the factions that possess Grotto Heavens are all intertwined. Each one has a terrifyingly deep foundation. If you provoke one, you might end up with a whole group of them on your hands. Even the Alliance Leader can’t fight off so many opponents by himself."

"So you’ve just never tried to take it back?"

Chen Xuan asked.

"That’s right."

"Then which faction stole the Martial Alliance’s Grotto Heaven?"

Chen Xuan asked.

"To be precise, it wasn’t just one faction."

Elder Zhuo shook his head gently. "I’ve told you before that when the Martial Alliance was first established, it was the supreme power in the world. Its sudden decline came later. It was during that time that the Grotto Heaven we controlled was violently torn apart. The faction that occupies the largest portion now is called Heaven-Burning Valley. They are ranked among the foremost of the Grotto Heaven factions. They originally belonged to the Martial Alliance; they are a splinter faction.

The one occupying the second-largest part is called the Canglang Sword Pavilion, which ranks in the middle tier of Grotto Heaven factions.

The faction that took the third-largest portion is Black Demon Mountain. That was the last piece of the Grotto Heaven that the Martial Alliance lost. Two hundred years ago, it was Black Demon Mountain that drove us out of our final foothold there.

From that point on, the Martial Alliance fell into complete decline, becoming a faction with no Grotto Heaven to its name.

For all these years, Black Demon Mountain has feigned indifference, but in reality, they’ve been monitoring us in secret, causing trouble for us from time to time and inflicting many casualties. Fortunately, the current Alliance Leader is profoundly powerful and forced his way to the third rank on the Heaven List. That’s the only reason Black Demon Mountain hasn’t dared to make any rash moves!

But by the same token, we don’t dare to provoke Black Demon Mountain either.

After all, Black Demon Mountain has the Canglang Sword Pavilion and Heaven-Burning Valley backing them. If we dared to make a move, those two Grotto Heaven powers would certainly not stand idly by. That’s why, for the past century, the relationship between all parties has been... delicate..."