Chapter 1410: Chapter 1411: The Wind is Strong, Let’s Shout
Hundred Percent Barehanded Blade Catch, activate!
Li Xiaobai raised his sword and swung it down. In an instant, most of the cultivators in the Flame Palace suddenly felt their bodies weaken, their knees dropping to the ground as they knelt, hands raised above their heads in worship.
“What the hell is going on?”
“Why am I kneeling?!”
“This flame is strange, retreat quickly!”
Inside the Hellfire, the cultivators were aghast. They had just stepped in—hadn’t triggered any mechanisms—so why were they on their knees?
Deep within the flames, there must be an existence even more terrifying. This power crushed them completely, suppressing their physical bodies and cultivation levels, rendering them unable to move even a fraction.
“Seize them!”
Behind them, Ma Niubi and Fu Tiantian led a group of disciples and charged forward. Their figures flickered like shadows as they dashed through the flames, overpowering all the kneeling cultivators, knocking them unconscious, shoving them into burlap sacks, and hauling them off.
They moved with lightning speed—knocking unconscious, stuffing into sacks, hoisting, and fleeing—all done in one fluid motion without giving anyone a chance to react.
The palace within the flames was now fully formed. Walls and corridors segmented the interior into fragmented spaces, and the mysterious aura of the flame kept anyone from recklessly barging through.
Even among the group, some higher-level cultivators dared not act impulsively. Besides the hidden threats within the flame, there were pairs of wolf-like, predatory eyes watching them from behind.
Compared to the dangers within this unknown inheritance, it was the people they needed to beware of most.
Li Xiaobai deliberately adjusted the flame-formed corridors to segregate lower-level cultivators on one side and higher-level ones on the other. This way, Ma Niubi and the others could pillage furiously without drawing much attention.
“I think I heard some screams earlier, fleeting sounds—did some cultivators meet their demise?”
“Walking through this palace, I haven’t noticed anything unusual. Could it be hiding even more secret mechanisms?”
“We must tread carefully. Since this is an ancient inheritance, it stands to reason there would be mechanisms and formations guarding it, maybe even powerful creatures protecting it. Don’t get distracted!”
Many cultivators with strong cultivation levels heard the exclamations but refrained from taking action. They simply proceeded more cautiously as they explored the paths within the flames.
Whether others lived or died was none of their concern—they only sought resources.
Inside the flames, the number of cultivators quickly dwindled. Any cultivator whose cultivation level did not exceed the Transcendent Second Layer was mercilessly captured by Ma Niubi and his crew. Burlap sacks piled into heaps—this wave alone had netted over a hundred cultivators.
“Master, we’ve bound all those who knelt!”
Ma Niubi clapped his hands, brisk and efficient.
“How many?”
Li Xiaobai asked.
“A total of over 150 people!”
Ma Niubi answered.
These individuals were all sect disciples, including Wu Zhong from the Baihe Sect—a ridiculously wealthy figure. His formerly arrogant demeanor was entirely wiped out after receiving a heavy blow, honestly packed into a burlap sack. If sold successfully, he’d be a massive windfall.
“Pack them up and move out quickly!”
Li Xiaobai narrowed his eyes and waved a hand, leading the group of disciples out from the edges of the palace.
Behind them, a group of experts was still scurrying like headless flies, wandering aimlessly through the Flame Palace’s maze of rooms and hidden chambers sculpted by Li Xiaobai. The Hellfire stretched over hundreds of miles, with countless rooms and secret chambers crafted by him—a puzzle that would keep them exploring for quite some time.
As for the flames themselves, Li Xiaobai never intended to reclaim them. He simply left them here. Even if people eventually figured out there was no actual inheritance within, the unique phenomenon of the flames alone would suffice to have these experts treasure it as something extraordinary.
This was an easy crop of “chives” harvested for free—delightful.
The Hellfire’s growth demands too many Heaven and Earth Treasures, far beyond what he could sustain. The best method was leaving it to grow naturally.
After all, everyone lived in the Immortal Gods Realm. They would meet again someday, and he could gradually reclaim it then. For now, let these experts nurture it.
Half an hour later.
On the outskirts of Cangtian City, in a desolate wilderness.
A group of figures appeared here, Li Xiaobai dangling a Huazi cigarette from his mouth. The ground was strewn with burlap sacks of varying sizes—packed with the disciples captured earlier.
Li Xiaobai inventoried the Rare Earth resources at hand—a total of 10,000 blocks. These low-level cultivators were likely insignificant nobodies from their sects, with little wealth on them. However, Wu Zhong from the Baihe Sect wasn’t just rich—his Rare Earth resources numbered in the thousands, making him a notable descendant in the sect. Li Xiaobai handed over the remaining cultivation techniques and elixirs to the disciples, as he had no use for them.
“I never shortchange my own people—100 blocks of Rare Earth per person, go ahead and split it!”
“Everyone, we’ve fought to get through all this, but the situation here in the Immortal Gods Realm isn’t as optimistic as we imagined. Everything starts from scratch here. Let’s part ways and blend into different sects and forces. Once our cultivations have progressed, we’ll regroup!”
Li Xiaobai said casually, distributing 100 blocks of Rare Earth to each person, instantly draining his wallet.
His cultivation level was only the Transcendent Second Layer, and he too needed to establish himself in this world. He had no energy to worry about the disciples’ development. For these talented individuals, the best approach was letting them grow independently and cultivate freely.
“Understood!”
The disciples had no objections. This aligned with their own goals—they couldn’t remain burdening their master. It was time for them to find their own paths and strengthen their cultivation.
“Some fortune teller once said, ‘A general’s success comes at the cost of countless lives.’ But I disagree. I believe the path is chosen by oneself. How each of you moves forward—that decision is yours to make!”
“Stay safe, and good luck!”
Li Xiaobai’s golden war chariot appeared beneath him, enveloping him in golden light as he swept up the array of sacks and vanished into the distance.
The hundred disciples exchanged glances, bowed with cupped fists to one another, and bid farewell before darting toward the four corners of the map.
From what they knew, this region was called the Cangtian Realm, with Cangtian City being just one of many cities here. Countless cities and sects dotted the realm. By spreading out to various locations to cultivate, they could best learn the layout of the world and uncover more secrets.
Fifteen minutes later.
Li Xiaobai set off for Cangtian City alone, carrying all those bundled packets. Since population trading carried significant risk, he opted to handle it solo for better maneuverability.
Outside the city gates, cultivators undergoing inspections bustled about. The guards were highly vigilant due to recent events involving the Hellfire and a mysterious force that had exterminated rogue Pure Land cultivators, heightening security checks in the city.
Watching the interrogations by the guards, Li Xiaobai frowned. Weren’t “suspicious individuals” basically referring to him? The big sacks he carried had no place to hide. In the Central Origin Realm, he could store cultivators in a small broken bowl, but now in the Immortal Gods Realm, the system didn’t provide similar items. The gap in realm power rendered the old bowl useless, leaving him to haul these sacks visibly into the city.
Just as he was troubled, a hand suddenly patted his shoulder.
“Brother, traveling alone? How about teaming up with my young mistress to enter the city?”