Chapter 215 - 154: The Eerie Existence Behind the Grotto Heaven

Chapter 215: Chapter 154: The Eerie Existence Behind the Grotto Heaven

On the way back, Chen Xuan’s brows furrowed slightly. He had keenly picked up on something unusual in the conversation between Chu Shanhe and Han Jiangxue.

"Alliance Leader, that woman just now said there was trouble outside? What did she mean?"

"It’s nothing, just the usual."

Chu Shanhe shook his head and sighed softly. "The lesser and mid-tier factions generally aren’t aware of it, and it mostly doesn’t affect ordinary people. Trouble will only pop up in a few key areas. When it does, those of us on the Heaven and Earth Rankings get busy. Oh, and someone of your level might run into it too. But I plan to send you into seclusion for a few months. You should be fine then."

"Don’t do that! What exactly is going on?"

Chen Xuan’s curiosity was piqued, and he couldn’t stand it.

’Why does he want me to go into seclusion?’

He had no intention of going into seclusion.

’If I go into seclusion, won’t I become useless?’

"How much did Elder Zhuo tell you about the Grotto Heavens?"

Chu Shanhe asked suddenly.

"Not much. Just that they’re people who live in hidden realms and rarely come out. Unlike the factions of the outside world, we seek to be overlords in the mortal realm, worldly hegemons. They, on the other hand, pursue the Great Dao. And that the resources and Primordial Qi in each Grotto Heaven are basically seven or eight times denser than in the outside world."

Chen Xuan replied.

"..."

Chu Shanhe pondered for a moment, then said, "Those are all the good parts. What if I told you that something extremely terrifying is hidden behind the Grotto Heavens?"

"Hm?"

Chen Xuan’s gaze sharpened.

"Are you saying they’re suppressing something behind them?"

"Indeed."

Chu Shanhe said in a level tone, "No single person can have all the good things in this world. The more you take, the greater the responsibility you must bear. The Grotto Heavens do indeed enjoy things ordinary people can’t, but what they face behind the scenes is also countless times more terrifying than anything we do.

"Every ten years or so, the things they suppress will try to break out. When that happens, even the outside world is affected. All sorts of Demons and Monsters will appear, and those of us on the Heaven Ranking will usually go help.

"As for the outside world, we can only rely on experts like you at the True Essence and Inner Realm levels to hold the line for a while.

"Fortunately, the impact on the outside world isn’t that great and is limited to a few specific areas. After so many years, those areas are already under our close surveillance. The Martial Alliance happens to be in charge of two of them.

"In peaceful times, these two areas are no different from normal ones.

"But when that ten-year period arrives, these two areas become like magnets, madly attracting all the Demons and Monsters from heaven and earth. And the Evil Cults. Actually, the ghouls and goblins aren’t the real problem. At most, they’ll absorb some Heaven and Earth Primordial Qi and then flee. The biggest problem is the Evil Cults!

"They will desperately try to stir up trouble during that time, which is why I was planning to hide you away."

Chen Xuan was shocked by what he heard.

’Just how many secrets does this world hold?’

’Is what I know now just the tip of the iceberg?’

He still hadn’t fully wrapped his head around the Grotto Heavens.

’And now there’s something behind the Grotto Heavens?’

"So, can I assume that what the Grotto Heavens are suppressing are demons?"

Chen Xuan asked.

"You can think of them as demons, or as other things that are incomprehensible and unbelievable."

Chu Shanhe replied.

"..."

Chen Xuan frowned.

’What on earth are they, then?’

’Whatever. No matter what they are, I’m definitely not going into seclusion.’

He could already smell the sweet scent of retribution points.

"You said the Martial Alliance controls two of those ’special’ areas. Do other factions have them too?"

Chen Xuan asked subconsciously.

"All the first-rate factions have them. Those that don’t, it’s because they aren’t qualified to know."

Chu Shanhe sighed softly. "This rule was set by the number one on the Heaven Ranking. Any expert who enters the Heaven Ranking will be sought out by him and entrusted with a few of these special locations. He came to me over a hundred years ago. It’s not a huge deal, really. Besides taking precautions against the Evil Cults, the rest isn’t a problem. Those Demons and Monsters aren’t idiots; they won’t attack rashly."

"Is that so?"

Chen Xuan’s eyes gleamed as he asked, "So where are these two places?"

"Are you thinking of going?"

Chu Shanhe had already seen through Chen Xuan’s intentions.

"That’s right."

Chen Xuan nodded. "I’ve said it before, I’m not like other people. Seclusion just sours my mood. I prefer to fight, to do missions. Only then can my talent be put to its greatest use."

"..."

Chu Shanhe gazed deeply at Chen Xuan.

’This kid...’

’He really isn’t like a normal person.’

But it had to be said, Chen Xuan’s performance was truly astonishing.

He had said the same thing before the Nanlin Prefecture incident.

Back then, I thought he was exaggerating.

But after what happened in Nanlin Prefecture, he actually reached the True Essence Sixth Layer directly...

’What kind of speed is that?’

’You couldn’t achieve that kind of Cultivation even through secluded training!’

"If you want to go, I suppose you can."

Chu Shanhe said thoughtfully, "I’ll send a few more elders to assist you. One of the places you’ve even been to yourself—the black market at Canglong Lake."

"The black market?"

Chen Xuan was surprised. "Then when will these Demons and Monsters you mentioned appear?"

"Soon. Counting the days, it should be in about ten to fifteen days."

Chu Shanhe replied, "When we get back, I’ll transfer Elder Zhuo over to be your subordinate. You two will be responsible for guarding the place."

"Sounds good."

Chen Xuan nodded immediately. "So, are we heading to the Pure Yang Sect now?"

"Of course."

A smile appeared on Chu Shanhe’s face. He grabbed Chen Xuan, left the Sword Cleansing Pool’s Grotto Heaven, and headed straight for the Pure Yang Sect.

But as soon as they arrived at the Pure Yang Sect, before they could even go in, they were stopped by its members.

"Hehe, Alliance Leader Chu, what a coincidence. Our Pure Yang Sect’s number one expert, Li Chunyang, has just gone into seclusion. We wanted to accept this spar, but there’s nothing we can do. How about next time? We can have the match next time, after Chunyang comes out of seclusion,"

said a smiling, white-haired, white-bearded old man in a Pure Yang Daoist robe.

"He’s in seclusion?"

Chu Shanhe’s brows knitted. "He wasn’t in seclusion this morning, was he? Could it be that he doesn’t dare to compete?"

"How is that possible?"

The Pure Yang Sect Leader quickly interjected, "How could our great Pure Yang Sect not dare to compete? Chunyang really is in seclusion. He had a sudden epiphany and hastily entered seclusion..."

"Then how long until he comes out?"

Chen Xuan asked.

"That’s hard to say. Our Pure Yang Sect’s Cultivation Techniques are known for being pure and slow. If he’s fast, it’ll be a month or two. If he’s slow, it could be three to five months,"

the Pure Yang Sect Leader replied.

"Three to five months?"

Chen Xuan frowned.

’In three to five months, I could probably pin you to the ground and rub your face in the dirt, believe it or not.’

"What should we do?"

Chen Xuan looked at Chu Shanhe.

Chu Shanhe said lightly, "Sect Leader Lu, you say he’ll be out in three to five months, is that right? Fine, we’ll come back in three to five months. But you’d better not have any other tricks up your sleeve then, or we’ll be back to bother you every single day."

He had been provoked by the Pure Yang Sect Leader and his disciples several times before, and who knows how much anger he had been bottling up.

Now he finally had a talent like this on his own side.

Was he going to let them off easy?

’From now on, I’m going to come and block their gate every day!’

He was determined to thoroughly disgust them.

"Of course, of course."

The Pure Yang Sect Leader forced a smile again and again.

"Let’s go!"

Chu Shanhe took Chen Xuan and quickly left.

Only after the two of them were completely gone did the Pure Yang Sect Leader let out a light breath, his heart finally relaxing.

"Damn that Chu Shanhe, where did he dig up a monster like that..."

he muttered under his breath.

"Sect Leader, I want to fight! Didn’t someone challenge me? Li Chunyang is here..."

A boisterous shout came from not far behind him.

A burly young man with fiery red hair was striding over, running quickly, his aura fierce and wild.

The Pure Yang Sect Leader’s expression changed drastically. He spun around as if teleporting and instantly clapped a hand over his successor’s mouth. At the same time, like a thief with a guilty conscience, he quickly glanced outside the Grotto Heaven, terrified that Chu Shanhe hadn’t gone far...

A few elders even immediately blocked the entrance to the Grotto Heaven, their faces full of suspicion as they guarded the surroundings.

"Insolent! Who let you out? Didn’t I tell you to go into seclusion?"

the Pure Yang Sect Leader scolded.

The red-haired youth looked indignant. He pried away the Sect Leader’s hand and said, "Seclusion my ass! I want to fight! Someone’s challenged us at our own doorstep, how can I hide like a coward in my shell!"

"You don’t know a damn thing!"

The Pure Yang Sect Leader was furious. "That Chu Shanhe brought a monster with him! Just a little while ago, he beat Ling Shuangzi of the Sword Cleansing Pool so badly he went into seclusion! Ling Shuangzi cultivated his Sword Qi for nine years, but he didn’t even get a chance to draw his sword before that guy shattered his Black Dragon Treasure Sword with his bare hands... Do you think you’re a match for him? If I hadn’t stopped you, your bones would have been shattered and you’d be crawling on the ground by now."

"What?"

Li Chunyang’s pupils shrank. He said in shock, "Ling Shuangzi was defeated? And his Black Dragon Treasure Sword was shattered?"

"It’s absolutely true. I saw it with my own eyes," an elder immediately said. "Thankfully, I took a shortcut and got back here early."

Li Chunyang’s expression became a colorful spectacle.

"Who is this person?"

He couldn’t help but ask.

"Chen Xuan. A man who rose against the odds from the outside world. He’s twenty this year, and his Cultivation is suspected to be at the fifth or Sixth Layer of True Essence,"

the elder whispered.

"Twenty years old?"

Li Chunyang cried out in disbelief.

’And at the fifth or sixth layer of True Essence?’

’What kind of fucking joke is this?’

"Now do you see why I stopped you?"

The Pure Yang Sect Leader looked at him, disappointed that he failed to meet expectations. "Get back! Go into seclusion! You good-for-nothing!"

"Yes, Sect Leader."

Li Chunyang looked embarrassed and didn’t dare say another word. He turned and left, disappearing quickly...

Of course, he knew Ling Shuangzi from the Sword Cleansing Pool.

He had visited the Sword Cleansing Pool quite a few times in recent years.

Almost every time he saw him, the man would be sitting cross-legged on a peak, his back to the world, projecting an image of unshakeable calm amidst chaos...

He looked as pretentious as one could possibly be.

He had also secretly tested the man’s strength.

But his conclusion was that Ling Shuangzi was very strong, terrifyingly so.

If they were to fight, his own chances of winning would be fifty percent at best...

And now, you were telling him that this paragon of badassery had been beaten so badly he’d lost his will to fight, and his Black Dragon Treasure Sword had even been shattered?

’What kind of bullshit is that?’

’It’s a good thing I didn’t come out just now.’

’Wouldn’t I have been totally screwed otherwise?’

...

「Far away.」

Chen Xuan felt a pang of regret as he looked at his panel again.

’As expected, there are fewer and fewer idiots around.’

Now he could only place his hopes on the Demons and Monsters the Alliance Leader had mentioned.

But that group of Demons and Monsters wouldn’t appear for another half a month.

’How am I going to get through the next half-month?’

Name: Chen Xuan

Heart Method: Nine Yang Red Fire Skill (Sixth Layer), Molten Fire Gold Forging Skill (Perfection · Molten Lava Armor), Mixed Element Qi Skill (Perfection)

Martial Arts: Primordial Barbaric Energy (Perfection · Strength That Breaks All Techniques), Thunderfire Vajra Skill [(Perfection) Three Thousand Thunderous Movements, Inner Blazing Sun, Mountain-Splitting Quake, Soul-Severing Palm], Iron Wall Dragon-Elephant Skill (Perfection), Heavy Mountain Palm (Perfection), Shattering Star Finger (Seventh Level), Flame Heaven-Burning Palm (Seventh Level)

Cultivation: Sixth Layer of True Essence Realm

Talents: Innate Divine Strength, Bronze Skin and Iron Bones, Indestructible Fist Intent (Level 1), Lightning Dharma King (Level 1), Innate Tyrant Body, Indestructible Fist Intent (Level 2) (A new talent can be unlocked with each increase in Fame. Current Fame: Renowned Throughout the World)

retribution points: 96,800 (Can be used to deduce Martial Arts)

...

"Maybe I can find some other heavenly treasures at the black market?"

An idea suddenly popped into Chen Xuan’s head.

Also!

I should also take a look at the other missions from the Martial Alliance. What if there’s one nearby?

Within a thousand kilometers, I could get there the same day.