Chapter 55: Peril in the Landslide

The Foundation Establishment cultivator flew with extreme speed. Zhao Chun felt the fierce winds whistling past her sides as they rapidly approached the source of the golden light.

Arriving slightly later than the others, they found many people already standing nearby, surging forward like rolling waves. Judging by Meng Han's expression, these were likely cultivators at the middle or late stages of Foundation Establishment.

The golden light radiated from within the mountain, dyeing the verdant slopes into shimmering gold. Every watching cultivator felt their heart swell with excitement, wondering what kind of treasure could trigger such a phenomenon.

It would still be a few hours before the treasure truly emerged. The number of cultivators gathering around the mountain grew increasingly large, taking on the appearance of a vast, teeming sea of people.

Zhao Chun took a brief look around. Aside from those in the Foundation Establishment stage, there were many from the late stages of Qi Refinement present as well. As for those like her in the middle stage of Qi Refinement, most stood on the periphery of the crowd, peeking in but not daring to join in haphazardly.

In front of the two of them was a group of young men and women. Though their clothing and headwear varied, they all wore yellow jade ornaments at their waists, suggesting they were from the same sect. They all appeared spirited and possessed extraordinary bearing.

One of them said, "I wonder when this treasure will finally appear. It's making us wait so long!"

A woman with delicate eyebrows chided him, "Whenever an extraordinary treasure emerges, there must be a waiting period. It could be as short as the time it takes to burn an incense stick, or as long as a month, or even several years. How long have we even been waiting? You've already lost your patience. If you miss your opportunity because of this, you'll regret it!"

"He is young and has only just left the sect; how could he know these things?" the man in the ornate crown said gently. He then looked toward the mountain, his tone filled with even greater joy. "I, on the other hand, hope we can wait a few more hours. The longer the phenomenon lasts, the more precious the treasure will be. If Senior Sister Qi can bring it back to the sect, we can all share in the glory and record a great achievement."

Hearing this, Zhao Chun's heart stirred. She focused her gaze toward the group near the mountain. Among those closest to the mountain body, there was a woman with yellow jade at her waist. Because her back was turned, her face was not visible, but her black hair was tied high, and her posture was upright and valiant.

"Qi Yunrong," Meng Han whispered, "the current Eldest Senior Sister of the Changhui Sect."

The Changhui Sect?

Memories surged in Zhao Chun's mind; Yue Cuan, who had nearly cost them their lives, was a disciple of that very Changhui Sect!

"The yellow jade rings at their waists are the symbol of the Changhui Sect, signifying the brightness of the clear moon," Meng Han explained. "Qi Yunrong is considered a famous genius in the Southern Region. People in the Southern Region often compare her to Elder Qiu. If I recall correctly, she is only just past twenty. If she breaks through to the Condensation Yuan stage within the next five years, she might even surpass her."

Qiu Jianying had ascended to the Condensation Yuan stage at twenty-five, carving her way through the previous Hundred Sects Assembly and shocking the audience with her skills. Because she possessed only three spiritual roots, she had intimidated other sects in the Southern Region, with everyone remarking that Heaven rewards the diligent.

Qi Yunrong of the Changhui Sect possessed extraordinary talent. Even if she broke through within twenty-five years, while she might surpass Qiu Jianying, the shock she would cause would be incomparable.

"With multiple late-stage Foundation Establishment cultivators competing, it seems this treasure is not destined for us," Meng Han sighed softly, his tone full of regret.

Zhao Chun also felt a sense of disappointment, yet she remained clear-headed. When cultivators fight for treasure, it depends on individual skill; even if one manages to seize it by luck, there is no guarantee they can protect it. Much like the four travelers of Fuqing, if one's strength is insufficient, they ultimately end up merely preparing the feast for someone else.

"In that case, let's leave once we've watched the treasure emerge." Ultimately, curiosity drove her; she wanted to see exactly what kind of treasure could trigger such a phenomenon.

Meng Han agreed and nodded.

The ruins of the Wind Flame Sect were trapped underground, so no one knew how the celestial phenomena were changing, and thus no one knew when day turned to night.

As time flowed like water, the golden light grew even more intense, but black mist began to emanate from within the mountain. Even the Foundation Establishment cultivators felt uneasy, looking at this strange sight and considering retreating.

Someone was heard murmuring, "I only heard of colorful clouds; why is black smoke coming out?"

"This eerie smoke looks quite sinister. I think we should leave this place first and not risk great danger!"

"Leave? But we don't even know if there's a treasure. If we leave now, what if we regret it later? Since you say that, why don't you go first? I'll wait a bit longer. If there's real danger, it won't be too late to run..."

Such discussions were happening in more than one place. Many cultivators in the crowd were whispering to one another, but few seemed willing to leave.

Zhao Chun also sensed something was wrong and was about to ask Meng Han.

Suddenly, the world changed drastically. The towering mountain before them instantly exploded outward! Dust drifted and massive boulders flew through the air. Cultivators with lower cultivation levels could not dodge in time, and some were even maimed on the spot!

Seeing this, the crowd panicked and immediately fled, but because they were too crowded and had lost their composure, it turned into a chaotic mess.

Amidst the confusion, a sharp, large rock flew toward Zhao Chun and Meng Han. The two hurriedly split up to dodge. Once Zhao Chun regained her footing in the crowd, she realized she could no longer see Meng Han.

Her expression turned solemn as she mobilized her spiritual qi for defense.

The mountain had already crumbled, leaving a pitch-black void in the center, making it impossible to see what lay within. Just as she was concentrating her focus to investigate, a powerful suction force erupted from the dark interior of the mountain, pulling Zhao Chun upward and drawing her inward!

She was still at a considerable distance from the mountain. Being only at the sixth level of Qi Refinement, she was unable to resist this suction. Had she been closer, even a Foundation Establishment cultivator would have found it difficult to resist, being pulled into the blackness in terror.

Zhao Chun found it difficult to breathe, her chest feeling as if it were being squeezed. Sharp screams echoed periodically by her side, yet she could not make a sound herself; a sense of suffocation was trapped in her throat.

Gradually, her mind became a blur, and she slowly lost consciousness...

A wave of heat enveloped her entire body. She felt something beneath her that was exceptionally hard and uncomfortable.

Zhao Chun struggled to open her eyes. What met her gaze was a dim, yellowish sky. Brownish-yellow clouds drifted across the dome; there was no sun, yet it was as bright as day.

Where was she?

Though her mind was somewhat confused, she could still remember that she had originally been in the underground ruins of the Wind Flame Sect. She had been sucked into the mountain, and upon regaining consciousness, she had arrived here.

She stood up unsteadily and looked around. There was no sign of life anywhere; the landscape was nothing but endless sand and stones forming high and low hills.

After taking two breaths, Zhao Chun gradually regained her focus and realized the discomfort she felt. There was not a single trace of spiritual qi here!

In the Small World, one could say the spiritual qi was thin and unsuitable for cultivation, but this place was completely depleted—she couldn't even sense it!

Moving from the Hengyun World to this place was like taking a fish out of water, making it difficult for Zhao Chun to adapt.

Staying trapped here was not an option; she had to find her own way out!

Zhao Chun looked toward the horizon and threw a Smoke Boat Talisman toward the highest hill in front of her.

It landed steadily on the hilltop. Looking further away, she saw endless, rolling hills. Zhao Chun had no choice but to keep moving forward. Fortunately, she had brought dried rations, so she wouldn't starve to death here. She continued like this for four or five days, climbing countless hills, until a new landscape finally appeared before her.

There was still no greenery. Deep brown rocky mountains formed a continuous, massive circle, making it difficult to see inside, though some human figures could be faintly discerned.

Though she did not know if there would be danger, she had no choice but to go. Zhao Chun gritted her teeth; since spiritual qi could not be replenished here, every bit used was a loss. Unless it came to a critical moment, it was best to use it sparingly.

The Smoke Boat headed straight into the rocky mountains. The rising heat made Zhao Chun's sense of vigilance grow even stronger.