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Chapter 383: Changing Cultivation
🕑 Added 2024-10-23 06:54:47 +0000 UTCThe formation they found themselves in was unlike anything the cultivators had encountered before—it had no spiritual energy at all.
Standing within this array, a strange, inexplicable fear began to well up in their hearts. It wasn’t fear of the unknown, but a deep-rooted, primal terror—a subconscious revulsion to something unnatural and foreign.
Several cultivators, unable to bear the pressure of this unsettling feeling, instinctively took a few steps back. They were on the verge of stepping out of the formation’s boundary when the Grandmaster spoke in an indifferent tone:
"If you step out now, you won’t be able to return."
The Grandmaster's personal guard, standing beside him, suppressed the same fear gnawing at his heart and shouted at the retreating cultivators:
"Think carefully before you move!"
The cultivators, hearing this, froze in their tracks. They suddenly realized they were just moments away from leaving the formation, and with a great effort, forced themselves to suppress the urge to flee. However, they still hesitated at the edge of the array, unwilling to move any closer to the center.
Once the group had steadied themselves, the Grandmaster lifted the black stone statue from the ground and held it against his chest, reciting a mantra under his breath. Immediately, the black glow surrounding the statue intensified.
A deep, resonant hum emanated from the formation under their feet, vibrating through their bones and making their eardrums throb. Before they could react, the entire group was suddenly enveloped by the black light and vanished from the spot.
In the blink of an eye, they reappeared at the entrance of several large, gaping mines.
"Huh? We’ve made it inside?"
"The Immortal of Destruction truly possesses boundless power! Even the great protective arrays of those sects are nothing before him!"
"Indeed, the Immortal of Destruction merely waved a hand, and what we struggled with before has been effortlessly resolved."
Amidst the flurry of praise around him, the Grandmaster, still standing with his back to them, paid no attention. His gaze was fixed on the black stone statue in his hands, his expression one of deep sorrow.
A gentle breeze swept by, and under his watchful eye, the black stone statue crumbled into fine dust, scattering into the air.
With a soft sigh, the Grandmaster finally turned to face the others. His cold, detached eyes swept over the group as he spoke:
"I will be going down into the mines soon. Only in the presence of the Destruction Stones will those cultivators be unable to follow."
Upon hearing this, the group was taken aback.
"What? What will happen to us, Grandmaster?" one of them stammered.
"Yes, Grandmaster, the Destruction Stones drain our spiritual energy and lifespan. If we go down there, we’re as good as dead!" another added.
"You can’t leave us behind like this! The sects’ arrays may have been breached, but they’ll surely find a way in eventually. If we stay here, we’ll be trapped like fish in a barrel!" another voice chimed in, trembling with fear.
The Grandmaster chuckled softly, but his expression remained unchanged.
"The Immortal of Destruction cannot fully manifest at this moment. The only safe place is within the mines, near the Destruction Stones. However, if you wish to escape the Alliance army and seek the Immortal’s protection, there is another way."
With that, he pulled out a handful of Destruction Stones, each the size of a baby’s fist, and tossed them onto the ground.
"If you wish to follow me, take one of these stones. Follow the instructions I’ve written down in this booklet," he continued, pulling out a small manual and placing it beside the stones. "By offering your cultivation to the Immortal, you will be granted a new way to cultivate—one that doesn’t rely on spiritual energy. Then, you will be able to move freely within the mines without harm."
The moment the Destruction Stones hit the ground, the nearby grass shriveled and withered, as if drained of life in an instant.
The Grandmaster raised his hand, summoning a large cloth. He wrapped it around the ten sacks on the ground, which contained the bound women, and without another word, turned and disappeared into the largest mine entrance, leaving the others standing there, stunned.
As the Grandmaster and his entourage vanished into the mine, the remaining cultivators exchanged uneasy glances. Throughout their harrowing escape with the Grandmaster, he had never explained any details. He had simply said, "You’ll understand when the time comes."
But no one had expected the solution to be like this.
They stared at the now-barren patch of ground where the Destruction Stones lay, feeling a deep sense of dread.
Finally, one of the Grandmaster’s personal guards, who had followed him from the beginning, gritted his teeth and stepped forward. He snatched up the small manual, muttering, "Damn it, we have no other choice. If we follow the Grandmaster, maybe we’ll find a way out of this."
With that, he began carefully reading through the instructions.
The other cultivators remained silent, watching him intently as he picked up one of the Destruction Stones and began to meditate.
At first, his face twisted in agony, and the surrounding cultivators could feel his spiritual energy draining rapidly, his cultivation base plummeting.
His hair turned gray, and his skin darkened, becoming mottled and blackened. Meanwhile, the Destruction Stone in his hand shrank visibly.
When it was nearly gone, the guard reached for another stone, continuing the process. As time passed, his skin grew darker, until he looked as though he had been cast from black iron.
Several hesitant cultivators began to reconsider. Despite their initial doubts, they saw no immediate harm befalling the guard. They also realized that they were running out of time—every moment spent here increased the likelihood of the Alliance army finding them.
The sooner they switched to this new cultivation method, the sooner they could descend into the mines and find shelter.
Their minds made up, the remaining cultivators quietly agreed among themselves. One by one, they picked up the manual and the Destruction Stones, preparing to change their cultivation.
No one bothered to inform the ex-king, who stood apart from the group, watching them with a somber expression. No one invited him to join them, nor did they share their plans.
Alone, he observed as the others sat down, grasping their Destruction Stones and beginning the new method of cultivation.
His face darkened, lost in deep thought.
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