Chapter 78: Of Ancients, Old Acquaintances, and Solitary Souls

"All things strive for advantage; without striving, there is no gain. In the two universes and across the myriad worlds, all that is born contends, and all that perishes leaves behind grievances." A vast and mighty voice echoed, devoid of joy or sorrow, yet possessing an overwhelmingly majestic presence.

"The living enjoy all things, while the dead can only turn to dust..." As these words fell, the exit of Base 0 slammed shut. The entire Base 0 was instantly transformed into a slaughterhouse!

Though they did not fully grasp the meaning of these words, it did not hinder everyone's speculations and basic instincts. The logic was simple: the dead are nothing, and only the living can enjoy everything. This mystic realm, which still seemed immensely mysterious to the majority, was simultaneously a calamity and a stroke of fortune.

The old man in linen was dead. It remained unknown whether he had fallen at the hands of a Gold Core cultivator or a Deity Transformation cultivator. The ant of the previous moment had ended his life in the present. It sounded laughable, but life and death had never been up to mortals. In that split second, once everyone's cultivation was leveled to nothingness, they immediately eliminated the person posing the greatest threat.

The old man in linen died with eternal regret in his eyes. The treasures upon his body sparked yet another scramble among the dead, their final whereabouts unknown.

Next, naturally, were the figures in white and purple. Regrettably, neither showed any sign of weakness, joining forces to slaughter their foes. Although not as matchless and invincible as before, a casual glance still revealed their martial foundations. Placed in the pugilistic world of ordinary mortals, they would unquestionably be considered experts.

Furthermore, their attacks were ruthless and lethal, taking lives without hesitation. Even though everyone knew the pair could not hold out for long, it momentarily caused the crowd to hesitate. Fear only bred greater terror.

It was a matter of life and death by a hair's breadth. At least, that was how it appeared to Wu Yue from his current perspective.

The three hundred ghosts remained silent and apathetic, no one responded to the Soul-Reaving Art, and the azure elixir felt as illusory as nothingness. Life and death seemed agonizingly close at hand.

Time grew increasingly pressing. The chair, which had occasionally been able to teleport, now showed no reaction whatsoever. It seemed they could only choose to swallow the two bottles of genetic potion acquired at the very beginning, but who could foresee the outcome?

No, there seemed to be one more method... There was no room for hesitation now.

Bao Nanzi clutched a wooden sword, his face expressionless. The feng shui of this place was unfavorable, and he had been repeatedly humiliated. That voice still resonated throughout the entire Base 0, and as the sound faded, the butcher vanished. Though Bao Nanzi wished to kill, it ultimately proved futile.

At present, his own plight was of the utmost urgency. Having learned only one or two sets of introductory Daoist martial arts in his youth, Bao Nanzi did not believe he could stand out here.

Naturally, amidst his shock and suspicion, his mind was inevitably turbulent. Who on earth was the master of this domain? This display was not merely extraordinary; it was utterly heaven-shaking.

After all, he was an old fox who had lived for hundreds of centuries, and he had been a person of sharp intellect since childhood. Centuries of experience were enough to make anyone's wisdom border on the demonic. After a brief pondering, Bao Nanzi made up his mind: wealth is sought amidst danger, and moreover, he had no other choice at the moment. The pressing question now was how to seek it.

Looking back, Chai Qingshan was kneeling on the ground, leaning limply against a lush bamboo stalk, his head drooping low, his state of life or death unknown.

Bao Nanzi walked over slowly, drew an ordinary-looking small wooden sphere from his pocket, and gently tapped it, revealing a medicinal pill. A rich fragrance permeated the air. An extra person meant an extra measure of strength.

He only hoped his judgment of character was not mistaken.

The scene before him instantly cleared. Zhou Yihu felt a surge of humiliated anger; as it turned out, he had been walking in circles the entire time. He had heard that voice with absolute clarity—wasn't this a battle stripped of all magical power? Confident that he had not let his martial arts skills rust over the years, Zhou Yihu was full of assurance. Of course, the logical first step was to slaughter these three individuals before him.

Zhou Yihu casually twirled a few saber blossoms, growing increasingly pleased with the thin blade. Whether it was his previous strength of ten thousand catties or his current ordinary physical force, wielding this saber felt supremely natural.

Three people. Two females, one large and one small, alongside someone who looked like nothing more than a pale-faced scholar. Zhou Yihu's gaze fixed coldly upon the two adults.

The little girl had no idea where she had hidden herself, but that was of no consequence. The door was right behind him; catching fish in a drained pond—was there any fear of the fish escaping?

Convinced of his victory, Zhou Yihu wore a ferocious grin. Yet, he was not the type to relish watching others suffer in their dying throes, so he gave no further thought to why those two showed neither fear nor shock. After all, magical arts were no longer accessible.

The answer arrived swiftly.

A piercing whistle cut through the air.

Powerless to react, Zhou Yihu was unable to dodge. He could only swing his saber with all his might, followed by the clanging ring of metal on metal. A delicate crossbow bolt was deeply embedded in his left shoulder.

The little girl whom Zhou Yihu had dismissed so carelessly had appeared. Zhao Qingzhi steadied a crossbow gleaming with a silvery, chilling light. Although it looked somewhat understated, that previous shot had proven it was far from a mere showpiece.

"A tri-pillar Wuhou crossbow. Commonly used by the military for armor-piercing. Your hide is quite thick, Excellency," Li Wenzhang said with a slow smile, snapping open his folding fan with a crisp flourish.

" brat, do you think you've won just like this? Who knows how many bolts she has left. Whether she can kill me remains to be seen," Zhou Yihu growled viciously, ripping the bolt from his shoulder and smashing it fiercely onto the ground.

"I find it rather curious—a cultivator actually carrying such a gadget?"

"A child's hobby, nothing more." Although Li Wenzhang maintained an impassive expression, he was already roaring with laughter internally. The brief moments just now had indeed been a brush with death, and the three of them certainly would have been no match for Zhou Yihu. Yet, at the critical juncture, Zhao Qingzhi had quietly assembled various parts...

"Good! Good! Good!" Zhou Yihu uttered the word three times. His intent to stall for time was glaringly obvious, but Li Wenzhang shared the exact same sentiment. He had caught sight of the medicinal powder Zhao Qingzhi was applying.

Panic rippled through the entirety of Base 0. After all, the skills they relied upon for survival had vanished in an instant; how could it not shake everyone to their core?

In a secluded corner of Base 0.

Bai Yun walked with light steps, his entire form radiating a multicolored halo that looked extraordinary simply to gaze upon. Furthermore, the so-called domain of suppressed magic seemed to have no effect on him whatsoever.

The trio proceeded in silence. At the very front was Bai Yun, followed by the grand chieftain of the Wuchang Stronghold, with Liu Erhei bringing up the rear. Each of these three possessed their own distinct characteristics.

Bai Yun was the founder of the Wuchang Stronghold from many years ago, and despite being the father of the grand chieftain, they could never openly acknowledge their relation. Then there was Liu Erhei, who went by his birth name without pretense.

After a long while.

"You have loved reading since childhood and can be considered well-read. Do you have any insights upon witnessing these scenes?" Bai Yun asked indifferently.

"Reporting to the Chieftain," the grand chieftain saluted with utmost reverence, acting entirely as propriety demanded. "In my youth, I read many books of the sages, but after my mother passed away, I stopped reading for many years. I am unworthy of the title 'well-read,' nor do I understand what this place is."

Bai Yun remained silent. Liu Erhei followed behind in trembling fear; compared to the mysterious environment here, he found these two men far more terrifying.

At the end of the path appeared a thatched cottage, looking utterly incongruous with its surroundings. Bai Yun let out a gentle sigh of relief, wearing an expression that seemed to say *just as I expected*.

As for the grand chieftain, his face was masked by shock he could not conceal.

Bai Yun lightly tapped on the thatched door and said in a clear voice, "Old senior, we have come to pay a visit, bearing the keepsake of an old friend."