Chapter 223 - 220: Great Change
Middle Grade Spirit Stones truly lived up to their reputation as treasures rare enough to be coveted even by Cultivators of the Soul Emergence Realm.
The vast and pure Spiritual Qi contained within allowed Shen Changchuan to swiftly move past the Ninth Layer Middle Stage Peak.
His breakthrough to the Ninth Layer Late Stage came as naturally as water carving a path.
Of course,
after the battle in Qi Family Town,
Shen Changchuan had already tempered and solidified his Cultivation Realm,
and with his aptitude further improved,
even without the aid of the Middle Grade Spirit Stone, he could have broken through within three months.
The Middle Grade Spirit Stone, however, had undeniably accelerated the process.
Having reached the Ninth Layer Late Stage,
as for the future,
Shen Changchuan was undoubtedly more confident.
This lifted his spirits considerably, especially after having so recently felt the oppressive weight of the entire Immortal Cultivation World’s stagnation.
’Becoming an Immortal ancestor and all that... that’s still too far off.’
’For now, I should focus on reaching the Ninth Layer Peak,’
’and then plan for the Soul Emergence Realm!’
Without any further rest,
he prepared to perform Refinement on the remaining Middle Grade Spirit Stone and further advance his Cultivation Realm.
’I need to reach the Ninth Layer Peak as quickly as possible, and then plan my breakthrough to Soul Emergence.’
’Once I reach the Soul Emergence Realm,’
’I’ll finally have the freedom I crave!’
However,
just as Shen Changchuan was preparing to enter seclusion and focus completely on his Cultivation,
RUMBLE!!!
Suddenly,
a deafening roar, as if from the farthest edge of the horizon, thundered across the heavens and the earth.
It sounded like the deep, muffled groan of the earth’s ley lines shattering ten thousand meters beneath the soil,
echoing between heaven and earth.
At the same time,
the entire world began to shake violently!
The earth quaked and mountains swayed, as if bellowing like a tsunami!
Shen Changchuan, seated on his White Jade Meditation Mat, was thrown into the air as the ground bucked and rolled like ocean waves!
"What’s going on? Is someone attacking?!"
Horrified, Shen Changchuan, who had just closed his eyes to begin his seclusion,
paused for only a fraction of a second.
Then he shot to his feet, flew to the roof of his house, and surveyed his surroundings as he extended his Divine Soul in all directions.
Everywhere he looked, there was chaos.
Down the mountain, more than half of the houses in Dawan Village had already collapsed from the violent tremors.
Even though most of the villagers who lived there were Martial Artists with some Inner Strength, this sudden turn of events
likely meant many were injured.
In the commercial district to the east, many Cultivators had also flown to high vantage points,
looking around with bewildered expressions.
Meanwhile,
massive, crisscrossing fissures spread across the surrounding land.
The nearby mountain ranges were also cracking apart from the violent upheaval.
Peaks fractured, boulders tumbled, and mountain streams gushed from the new crevasses like waterfalls...
It was a terrifying, apocalyptic scene!
’There’s nothing!’
’No one is attacking the village... The disturbance is coming from somewhere else. It feels like the fluctuations are from the direction of the Wu Family Collection?’
Sensing no enemies nearby, Shen Changchuan breathed a small sigh of relief and began to trace the source of the immense roar.
He carefully recalled the massive sound from a moment ago,
and suddenly, a realization struck him. He lifted his head, his gaze fixed on the direction of the Wu Family Collection.
A look of horror crossed his face, his pupils contracting uncontrollably.
’Could it be...’
’that a supreme expert has made a move over at the Wu Family Collection, starting a massive battle?’
’But how is that possible?!’
’The Wu Family Collection is over three hundred li away from Dawan Village!’
Shen Changchuan’s first reaction was that it was impossible.
But then,
he remembered the scene from over half a month ago—how he had personally witnessed an area several li wide around the Wu Family Collection collapse into a massive crater...
It no longer seemed so impossible.
’Just what in the world happened over there?!’
’Why would it cause such a massive disturbance?’
Just as Shen Changchuan’s brows were tightly furrowed in speculation,
a magnificent aura radiated from the distant horizon.
Despite being severely weakened by the distance,
perhaps because the fundamental nature of its owner was so extraordinarily high,
even its faintest pressure was enough to make one’s Heart Spirit sink involuntarily!
Vaguely,
one could almost perceive, through this mere wisp of oppressive aura, the supreme grace of the being hundreds of li away—an existence whose presence filled the cosmos, whose very silhouette suppressed the void between heaven and earth!
Shen Changchuan’s Heart Spirit tensed and his face filled with horror. He couldn’t help but gasp.
’An aura that spans three hundred li?’
"You’ve got to be kidding me!"
"Is this a Divine Travel expert, or has a legendary Master Profound Pill taken action?"
"Could the Wu Family Collection have been hiding some great secret, one that provoked a top-tier figure to personally intervene?"
"This whole area isn’t about to become a battlefield for Great Powers, is it?!"
Shen Changchuan couldn’t help but worry.
The mere release of this aura could encompass an area hundreds of li in radius.
If a great battle were to break out,
the battlefield for such experts is never static.
It’s normal for them to fight on the move, with the battlefield stretching for tens, even hundreds of li!
Who was to say Dawan Village wouldn’t end up in the path of their advancing battle?
And given the terrifying scale of the aura from the Wu Family Collection, which covered hundreds of li,
a single aftershock from their fight could easily cross dozens of li and vaporize the entirety of Dawan Village!
In the end, he was simply too weak.
Though he might be considered a top contender within the Qi Introduction Realm, he was nothing before a supreme expert of that caliber!
’This is trouble!’
Shen Changchuan steadied himself as countless thoughts flashed through his mind.
His heart sank completely.
’Trouble.’
’This is definitely big trouble!’
The problem he now faced wasn’t just whether he’d be caught in the crossfire of these supreme experts’ clash.
’Let’s say I get lucky,’ he thought. ’I’m not caught in the fallout, and I survive this unknown catastrophe.’
’Does that mean I’m safe?’
’No!’
’It’s far from over!’
Shen Changchuan didn’t know what had happened at the Wu Family Collection, nor did he know the identity of the person exuding that terrifying aura.
But he was certain of one thing.
With such a terrifyingly powerful expert appearing at the Wu Family Collection and engaging in a massive battle,
in the aftermath,
the entire Border Desolate Forest would become the focus of the entire Southern Domain!
Everything in the area,
would inevitably be thrust under a spotlight!
’In that case,’
’how can I possibly remain hidden?!’
Just the thought of it made him feel the impending crisis breathing down his neck!
"So be it. I’ll just have to cross that bridge when I come to it."
After a long moment of deep, furrow-browed contemplation, Shen Changchuan heaved a long sigh.
He gazed in the direction of the Wu Family Collection and muttered to himself.
"Actually, it might not even matter."
"Worst case, I just disappear for a while."
"I’ve already reached the Ninth Layer Late Stage. After I finish the Refinement of all the Middle Grade Spirit Stones, the Ninth Layer Peak will be within my grasp..."
"The wealth Dawan Village provides is hard to part with, but at the Ninth Layer Peak, I should be able to find the resources I need to advance to Soul Emergence out in the wider world..."