Rumors are like wind with legs; they emerge from the smoke of war in the North and reach the East in just a few days.
"Have you heard? A few days ago, golden light fell from the sky over the Endless Forest in the Eastern Region, stretching for hundreds of miles. The spiritual energy there was so dense it was almost like water!"
"More than that! My cousin runs errands in the Eastern Region and said that cultivators near the forest can meditate for an hour as well as cultivate diligently for a month. There must be a great treasure about to be born!"
"Those top powers in the Eastern Region initially tried to keep it a secret, sending people to seal off the forest, but the commotion was too great, and they couldn't hide it at all! Now, people from the Four Regions and the Central Region all know!"
In teahouses and taverns, the cultivators were discussing animatedly, their eyes filled with barely suppressed restlessness.
The chaos in the Northern Region had just subsided, and everyone was worried about finding opportunities when the "treasure" in the Eastern Region appeared, which was like a pillow delivered to someone who was sleepy.
Eastern Region, outside the Endless Forest.
Several cultivators dressed in python-patterned robes stood at the edge of the barrier, their faces ashen.
They were core disciples of the "Azure Wood Alliance" in the Eastern Region, ordered to seal off the forest, but they couldn't stop the cultivators surging in from all directions—there were rogue cultivators from the Southern Region, scions of noble families from the Central Region, and even several ascetic monks from the Western Region. Each of them stared intently into the depths of the forest, like wolves eyeing a piece of fat meat.
"The Alliance Leader said to hold out for three more days until the elders are ready, then we'll open the outer perimeter," the leading cultivator said in a deep voice. "But the core area must not be allowed to be entered by outsiders! That thing... must not fall into the hands of outsiders!"
But he knew in his heart how hollow those words were. The golden light soared into the sky for three days, and the spiritual energy leaked out for a hundred miles. Not to mention the cultivators of the four regions, even the reclusive old monsters had probably smelled the scent. Want to monopolize it? It was as difficult as ascending to heaven.
Qingyun Sect, Bamboo Courtyard.
The leaves of the old locust tree were a bright green, and the spirit tea on the stone table was still steaming.
Lin Zhou was listening to Xiao Chen report on the rumors in the Eastern Region, his fingertips lightly tracing circles on the rim of his teacup, his eyes holding a half-smile.
"Golden light fills the sky, and spiritual energy turns into water?" Lin Zhou raised an eyebrow. "This setup looks like they're deliberately inviting people to rob us."
Jiang Li had just returned from practicing swordsmanship in the back mountain, her red clothes still damp with morning dew. Upon hearing this, she replied, "Those families in the Eastern Region have always been stingy, always trying to keep any goodies to themselves. This time they can't hide them anymore, they must be really anxious."
Stone squatted in the corner of the courtyard, clutching a spiritual fruit he had just picked from the herb garden, and mumbled, "There's a treasure? More valuable than the spiritual veins of the Northern Region?"
Lin Zhou didn't reply, but simply closed his eyes gently.
In the next instant, an invisible divine sense spread out like a tide, crossing the mountains of the Southern Region, passing through the rivers of the Central Region, and silently enveloping the endless forests of the Eastern Region, thousands of miles away.
This divine sense, though seemingly gentle, possessed a sharpness that could penetrate all things. It could clearly see the source of the golden light deep in the forest, the origin of the rich spiritual energy, and even the concealment formations set up by several elders from the Eastern Region in the core area.
In the very heart of the forest, within the hollow of a thousand-year-old tree, floats a crystal the size of a pigeon's egg. The crystal is translucent, yet it emanates a faint, seven-colored halo. Each time the halo flickers, the surrounding spiritual energy surges, which is the source of the golden light and abundant spiritual energy.
“The Heart of the World…” Lin Zhou opened his eyes, a playful smile playing on his lips.
He recognized this thing. It was the primordial core that condensed when a small world evolved to its ultimate state, containing the power of creation as if the world had been created.
Ordinary cultivators who obtain it can directly comprehend the Dao; if a cultivator from the upper realm obtains it, they can use it to solidify their foundation in the lower realm, and may even have the opportunity to tear through space and open a passage back to the upper realm. (It has many other uses, which I will not go into detail about.)
“No wonder the Eastern Region wanted to hide it,” Lin Zhou picked up his teacup, took a sip, “This thing is indeed worth fighting for.”
More importantly, when his divine sense swept across the forest, he vaguely sensed several hidden yet domineering auras lurking at the edge of the formation—these auras carried the unique "heavenly might" of the upper realm, clearly indicating that they were people sent down from the upper realm, waiting to reap the benefits.
"People from the upper realm have come too?" Xiao Chen keenly grasped the meaning behind his master's words.
"Yes." Lin Zhou nodded. "They want the Heart of the World more than anyone else."
He tapped the stone table with his fingertips, his mind racing: Should he just snatch the Heart of the World? With his strength, let alone the cultivators from the Eastern Region and a few small fry from the Upper Realm, even if the entire Upper Realm came together, they might not be able to stop him.
But then he thought about it again and shook his head.
The waters of the Upper Realm are far deeper than those of these four regions. These disciples will inevitably have to face the storms of the Upper Realm sooner or later; they can't hide behind him forever.
This incident in the Eastern Region is a good opportunity for them to practice their skills and see the methods of cultivators from the Upper Realm. It can also be considered as giving them a heads-up.
"Xiao Chen, Jiang Li, Shi Tou," Lin Zhou said to the three of them, "Go and take a look at the Eastern Region."
The three of them were taken aback for a moment, then their eyes lit up.
Xiao Chen nodded steadily: "Yes, Master." He breathed a sigh of relief in his heart—he had been watering vegetables and repairing three woodsheds at the sect for half a month. If he stayed any longer, his gun would rust.
Jiang Li's eyes lit up, and she twirled the rusty iron sword between her fingers: "Finally, I can go out and wander around? I'll take this opportunity to see what the treasures of the Eastern Region look like."
Stone jumped up, tossed the spirit fruit pit aside, and patted his chest: "Let's fight! We'll definitely win this time!"
“Remember,” Lin Zhou cautioned, “the Heart of the World is both an opportunity and a source of disaster. It would be best if you could get it, but don’t force it if you can’t. The important thing is…” He paused, his eyes darkening, “be wary of those cultivators with strange auras. They come from the Upper Realm, and their methods are different from those of the cultivators from the Four Domains that you’ve encountered. Don’t be careless.”
"A cultivator from the Upper Realm?" Xiao Chen's heart skipped a beat. Recalling Feng You's origins, it seemed that this great era was truly about to involve even more distant beings.
"Don't worry, Master," Jiang Li raised an eyebrow, "If we can't beat them, we just run away, that's what you taught us."
Lin Zhou chuckled and waved his hand: "Go ahead, and come back soon. Bring me back some specialties from the Eastern Region on your way; I heard they taste good."
"Okay!"
Without further delay, Xiao Chen shouldered his spear, Jiang Li carried her sword, and Shi Tou picked up his black iron armor. They dashed out of the bamboo courtyard, transforming into three streaks of light and flying towards the Eastern Region.
Su She walked out of the study, watching the three figures disappear into the distance, and said softly, "Does Master want them... to make contact with the Upper Realm ahead of time?"
"There's no escaping it." Lin Zhou gazed in the direction of the Eastern Region, his eyes deep. "Rather than being caught off guard in the future, it's better to find out the situation now."
"Don't worry." Lin Zhou picked up a piece of spirit cake and smiled frankly, "The disciples I teach are not so easily defeated."
The breeze in the bamboo courtyard was still gentle, and the leaves of the old locust tree rustled softly.
Meanwhile, the endless forests of the Eastern Region were now rife with undercurrents.
The cultivators of the Eastern Region's Green Wood Alliance were making preparations in full swing; cultivators from the four regions were eager to fight on the outskirts of the forest; and the envoys from the Upper Realm, hidden in the shadows, were watching the impending battle with cold eyes, as if watching a meticulously choreographed play.
The halo of the Heart of the World still shimmers quietly deep in the woods, yet it has already stirred the hearts of countless people.
Xiao Chen and his two companions were speeding towards the center of the storm.
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