https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-380-Mountain-Collapse-Breaks-the-Array-Annihilating-Flame-Thunder-Grudge-of-the-Withered/12932495/
https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-382-Chu-Kui-Luo-Chen-Are-You-Interested-in-a-Big-Deal-/12932497/
Chapter 381: Flame Alliance's Withering Flame, Thundercloud Key
Chapter 381: Flame Alliance's Withering Flame, Thundercloud Key
The Jade Cauldron Region is located in the southwest area.
There are two major Immortal Cities in this region: Flame Sun Immortal City and Great Light Immortal City.
However, these two cities are not the main players in this area.
The Flame Alliance is the true overlord of the southwest!
Unlike the other Golden Core Great Sects in the Jade Cauldron Region, the Flame Alliance, despite having a heritage, does not have a strong internal unity.
The reason for this lies in the fact that the sect was not established through a traditional lineage.
It was founded by a Golden Core Senior from another region who had created a loose cultivator alliance.
During the war of expansion four hundred years ago, this alliance rose to prominence, and its reputation grew stronger.
Especially within Incense Valley!
That Golden Core Senior had the fortune of discovering a unique flame, the Withering Flame, which had no known origin.
Using this flame as their core, the alliance renamed itself, taking on the name Flame Alliance.
Just like its name, when the Flame Alliance took root in the Jade Cauldron Region, it absorbed countless cultivators from sects that had fallen during the war.
Thus, it became a true alliance.
And what united them was undoubtedly the enormous profits from the weapon-forging business and the Withering Flame, which could extend one's lifespan.
Rumors spread that if one could refine and absorb a strand of this flame, a Golden Core Senior could gain several decades of additional lifespan.
Such a heaven-defying ability naturally attracted countless Golden Core Seniors who were troubled by their limited lifespans.
It is even said that the Flame Alliance, similar to a loose cultivator alliance, was able to establish itself as a sect due to their connection with the Withering Flame and their cooperation with the Jade Cauldron Sword Sect.
Of course, no one knows how much of these rumors are true and how much is false.
At the very least, it seems like a fantastical tale that a Golden Core Great Sect could control such a flame that can extend one's lifespan.
If it were truly that miraculous, it would have already been forcefully taken by the Sword Sect or even other Nascent Soul Supreme Sects from outside the region.
With the outbreak of war, the Flame Alliance joined the Sword Sect's side and began fighting external battles, making the entire sect extremely busy.
Unlike the three allied sects on Luoyun Sect's side, who were hesitant and tried to preserve their strength, the Flame Alliance was filled with a fervent atmosphere!
Although battles between cultivators may seem different from wars in the mortal realm, with powerful attacks causing mountains to collapse and the earth to shatter, the underlying principles are not that different.
It's all about economic interests!
And in war, the most significant losses are often to relatively low-grade weapons like Magical Treasures.
The Flame Alliance is the top weapon-forging sect in the Jade Cauldron Region!
With this war, they have earned an unknown amount of Spirit Stones and resources.
At least, the over a hundred weapon-forging halls in Incense Valley have been working non-stop.
The Magical Treasures they sell are not limited to the Sword Sect's side.
Their vassal forces, the loose cultivators who follow them...
It is even said that the Four Sect Alliance on Luoyun Sect's side has secretly changed their identities and sent people to sell low-grade Magical Treasures in secret.
From the Flame Alliance's perspective, this war is worth fighting.
As long as it doesn't cause severe damage, they are willing to fight for several decades or even centuries.
This is also the reason why Duan Feng couldn't establish a weapon-forging business in Golden Sand Floating Island.
With the Flame Alliance within and the Great Light Immortal City outside, a mere weapon forger like Duan Feng, capable of crafting only high-grade Magical Treasures, couldn't even get a sip of soup.
Some things were too simple in the minds of Luo Chen and Duan Feng.
It wasn't just Duan Feng; other small forces primarily focused on weapon forging also didn't gain much benefit from this war.
Their market share was even squeezed.
Someone has been keeping track of these economic calculations.
But deep beneath Incense Valley, someone was no longer willing to do these calculations.
"Elder Di, are you leaving seclusion?"
In the depths of Incense Valley, where a unique incense smoke constantly lingered, a figure sat cross-legged on a stone pillar, his expression solemn.
Another person entered from outside, looking up at Di Wanyun on the stone pillar.
The question had come from him.
Di Wanyun lowered his head, his expression so gloomy that it seemed like water would drip from it.
"Alliance Leader, my son is dead!"
As soon as these words were spoken, the air became heavy and oppressive.
After a long pause, the Alliance Leader slowly said, "Since it's like that, I won't stop you."
Seeing Di Wanyun stand up, he said indifferently, "But you should know that you are currently in a state of withering, and your strength is greatly reduced. If you encounter an enemy of equal strength outside, you'll be at their mercy."
Di Wanyun gave a cold laugh, "At worst, I'll release the Withering Seal and fight with my life on the line. As long as I don't encounter a Late-stage Golden Core cultivator, I have nothing to fear!"
Thinking of Di Wanyun's combat abilities, the Alliance Leader nodded.
Indeed, within the Seven Great Sects of the Jade Cauldron Region, as long as he didn't encounter a Golden Core Sword Cultivator from the Sword Sect or a Late-stage Golden Core cultivator, Di Wanyun's strength was such that few could handle him.
However,
"Releasing the Withering Seal will cause lifespan backlash. With your already limited lifespan..."
"So what if I die? I've been barely holding on anyway." Di Wanyun took a deep breath, his gaze sweeping across the underground area with nearly twenty stone pillars standing tall.
On most of these pillars sat a cultivator in meditation.
If an outsider were to see this scene, they would likely be in disbelief.
Among the Seven Great Sects of the Jade Cauldron Region, the Jade Cauldron Sword Sect and Qingdan Valley had the most Golden Core Seniors.
But in Incense Valley of the Flame Alliance, there were over ten Golden Core cultivators!
It was known that they had five Golden Core cultivators active publicly.
Di Wanyun had only recently stepped down from his public position, and outsiders assumed he had grown tired of mundane affairs due to his age.
This force!
It had already far surpassed Qingdan Valley.
It could even be said that the other four sects combined had fewer Golden Core cultivators than the Flame Alliance.
This included the newly established Luoyun Sect!
After scanning the other cultivators, Di Wanyun slowly stood up.
"With them here, this Withering Array doesn't need me, a Golden Core Cultivator. Alliance Leader, let me take revenge for my son and then I'll return!"
The Flame Alliance Leader furrowed his brows, "Are you sure you can find the enemy?"
A hint of sadness flashed through Di Wanyun's eyes.
Then, his voice turned fierce.
"How could I not find them? My son had his soul burned, and only then did he imprint the Withering Mark on them."
Hearing this, the leader nodded.
Using the Flame Alliance's bloodline technique, they had imprinted the Withering Mark on their bodies.
As long as they didn't escape quickly from the Jade Cauldron Region, Di Wanyun would eventually catch them.
"Alright, after you're done, return quickly!"
After saying this, the leader's gaze fell on the small fire pit at the bottom of the valley, and he muttered, "Without someone to suppress it, the Withering Flame will backlash, and they will all die."
Di Wanyun didn't waste any more words.
Under the watchful eyes of several conscious fellow sect members, he left the stone pillar with difficulty.
After stepping off the stone pillar, his entire body seemed to relax significantly.
Silver-white light flashed from his body, and his figure disappeared from the underground of Incense Valley.
As he left, in the center of the twenty giant stone pillars, a tiny flame in the fire pit trembled, visibly growing stronger.
...
Deep underground.
Luo Chen looked at the pair of open doors before him with an odd expression.
The doors were simple and unadorned, devoid of any decorative elements like flowers, birds, insects, or fish, and even lacked ancient seal characters. The plaque that should have been there was also missing.
Instead, there was only a sense of age and wear, and strange patterns that resembled snaking lightning bolts.
The two doors fit together perfectly, concealing everything inside.
But the appearance of such a door in the most mysterious and dangerous Ninth Mountain of Thunder Accumulation Nine Mountains implied something significant, without a doubt!
Luo Chen turned around, swallowed, and said in a hoarse voice, "Brother Wang, it seems we've stumbled upon an ancient cultivator's cave abode?"
"Probably!"
Wang Yuan also looked at the two doors with a fervent gaze.
The significance of an ancient cultivator's cave abode was well-known throughout the cultivation world!
Either it would be unremarkable inside, or it would contain the entire inheritance of a high-level cultivator.
For cultivators of lower realms, a single ancient relic could propel them to prominence.
More powerful relics might even benefit an entire sect.
For example, the Floating Void Mystic Realm once controlled by the Jade Cauldron Sword Sect! It was rumored to be the cave abode of a Body Transformation Might cultivator. With this, the Jade Cauldron Sword Sect reversed its post-war decline and solidified its core strength over the years.
And this relic with a door was undoubtedly an ancient cultivator's cave abode!
"Should we try it?"
Luo Chen released his spirit sense, detecting no dangerous aura, and invited Wang Yuan.
The latter nodded and stepped forward.
Both extended their palms and placed them on the doors.
Together, they exerted their strength!
With their advanced body cultivation, immense power surged forth.
However, the doors remained unmoved.
"Can't open it?" Luo Chen frowned slightly, "An array formation? A restriction? A mechanism?"
Wang Yuan hesitated, "Should we try with spirit power?"
Luo Chen hummed in agreement.
They channeled their spirit power, adding it to their palms.
Yet, the doors remained unmoved.
But then—
A crackling sound!
A bolt of lightning suddenly struck down from the heavens.
Luo Chen was startled and quickly dodged.
Wang Yuan did the same.
Unexpectedly, the lightning showed no interest in them but seemed to have a mind of its own, striking the stone door instead.
They saw thin strands of electricity flowing on the door.
Luo Chen looked up, and above the Sunken Valley, he saw the thousand-year-old thunderclouds slowly gathering.
His face changed slightly.
"Let's go!"
Wang Yuan didn't hesitate and followed behind him, leaving the doors.
Outside, Luo Chen looked up at the thunderclouds, his face filled with surprise and doubt.
After a while, he exhaled a breath.
"I know the key now."
Wang Yuan also looked up at the strange thunderclouds, "Is it this thunder power?"
"Probably," Luo Chen nodded, "And it's possible that the formation and origin of Thunder Accumulation Nine Mountains are related to this cave abode beneath our feet."
"So, what should we do now?" Wang Yuan hesitated, a hint of reluctance in his eyes.
Luo Chen smiled, "Brother Wang, why be so greedy? As long as we stay alive, it's better than anything. Not to mention whether we have the means to control the thunder power to open the cave abode, even if we do, the Golden Core Cultivators on the battlefield might discover it."
"At that time, this place won't be for us to claim."
Wang Yuan pouted, glancing reluctantly at the open doors.
It was undeniable that Luo Chen's words made sense.
"Let's leave first!"
"This cave abode has been here for over a thousand years without being discovered, which shows its mysteriousness. It won't run away."
"When our cultivation improves and the war ends, we'll come back quietly to explore it."
"There might even be a chance for Nascent Soul and Body Transformation inside."
This was the most beautiful hope.
Wang Yuan didn't object further.
He and Luo Chen used their methods to fill up the area.
Not only that, but they also filled up the Sunken Valley outside.
After everything was done, Luo Chen swept his sleeves vigorously within the range of their previous battle, repeatedly using the Purification Technique to ensure that the battle aura didn't linger excessively.
Finally, the two hurriedly left.
The Ninth Mountain returned to its previous state, except for the increasingly dense and dark thunderclouds in the sky!
(End of Chapter)
Chapter end
Report
