Within the Peach Blossom Secret Realm, dark clouds gathered, thunder and lightning raged, mingled with howling winds and torrential rain.
Cultivators moved in groups of three or five, some searching for rare treasures, others exploring newly emerged cave dwellings.
Gu Qingfeng wandered alone. Suddenly—BOOM!
A violent sound erupted, and in that instant, it was as if countless violet-gold lightning bolts descended from the heavens—CRACK!
Night suddenly turned to day, then in the blink of an eye, became pitch dark once more. Immediately after, the inversion of Yin and Yang grew even more severe, and the disorder of the Five-Phase energies intensified.
Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!
Over a dozen rays of light bloomed in the distance. Gu Qingfeng's Divine Sense swept over and discovered three cave dwellings had manifested. The other rays of light were likely rare spirit stones birthed by the recent Yin-Yang inversion and Five-Phase disorder.
Just as Gu Qingfeng was pondering whether to go investigate—CRACK!
Another wave of lightning storms struck, further inverting Yin and Yang and disordering the Five-Phase energies!
Subsequently, many more rare spirit stones were birthed, and over ten more cave dwellings manifested into the world.
Most cave dwellings relied on the Natural Law for their existence. The more chaotic the Natural Law became, the more hidden cave dwellings would emerge one after another.
The act of opening a cave dwelling depended entirely on an individual's skill. The more profound one's methods, the more perfectly the cave dwelling integrated with the Natural Law. The more perfect the integration, the more stable the cave dwelling. Those cave dwellings opened by masters of profound methods would not reveal themselves due to minor fluctuations in the Natural Law.
However, as Yin and Yang grew more inverted and the Five-Phase more disordered at this moment, the Natural Law also became increasingly chaotic. One deeply concealed cave dwelling after another manifested in succession. In just this short while, over a hundred cave dwellings had emerged.
Gu Qingfeng used his Divine Sense to roughly scan them. Most of these manifested cave dwellings were rather ordinary. Judging by their formation structures, they were clearly the kind temporarily opened for refuge. However, a few among them were relatively more sophisticated.
Gu Qingfeng casually picked a cave dwelling that interested him. As he leaped up, he directly flashed towards it.
Any cave dwelling's manifestation was accompanied by a certain degree of danger.
Cave dwellings that manifested due to the exhaustion of their core energy sources were relatively safer. Upon manifestation, most of their formations had already failed, posing little danger.
But cave dwellings like these, which manifested due to the chaos of the Natural Law, were quite dangerous. The structure of the cave dwelling risked collapse, and the formations inside risked explosion. If one rashly barged in, a single misstep could lead to a death without even a grave.
Here.
A cave dwelling that had manifested due to the chaos of the Natural Law radiated various chaotic rays of light. Viewed from afar, it resembled a flaming mountain. As the light burned, it was accompanied by crackling, crisp sounds.
By the time Gu Qingfeng arrived near this cave dwelling, many people had already gathered here. However, no one dared to approach, for everyone could see that the cave dwelling's structure was very unstable, and the formations inside were exploding.
Rare treasures were certainly important, but one needed to be alive to enjoy them.
Everyone understood this principle.
Many in the surroundings were staring intently at the transforming cave dwelling. Once they detected the structure stabilizing, they would be the first to charge in. While watching, they also observed the people around them, checking for friends, enemies, experts, and so on.
Of course, many had immediately sent out message talismans upon arrival, calling for their companions.
At that moment, the appearance of a group of seven or eight people drew everyone's attention. This group consisted of both old and young—the elders wore stern expressions, the youths wore arrogant ones.
Many in the area recognized these seven or eight; they were several elders and juniors from Hunyuan Gate.
Hunyuan Gate was a sect with a long heritage. Having developed to this day, it boasted numerous experts within its ranks and a vast number of disciples. Its affiliated forces were deeply intertwined and complex. Not only was it a ranked power within the Star-Moon Domain, but even across the entire Great Northwest Frontier, it was considered a first-rate major cultivation sect.
The appearance of Hunyuan Gate members made the others somewhat tense and hesitant.
Because the cultivation levels of these Hunyuan Gate elders were extremely profound—all were at the Daozun realm. Trying to snatch treasures from their hands was undoubtedly a very difficult task.
Although there were also quite a few Daozun present in the area, and if a real fight broke out, they might have a chance, they had to consider a serious problem: would snatching something from Hunyuan Gate lead to retaliation?
After all, Hunyuan Gate was a major sect. Ordinary sects simply didn't dare provoke them, nor could they afford to.
Just as they were worrying, another group of over ten people appeared. Seeing these ten-plus individuals, the worry on everyone's faces intensified, for these newcomers were from Hei Feng Cave.
Hei Feng Cave was also one of the giants of the Great Northwest Frontier, and moreover, the most rampant, shameless, and detestable kind among all the giants.
In terms of heritage, Hei Feng Cave might not match Hunyuan Gate.
In terms of reputation, influence, foundation, and so on, Hei Feng Cave was inferior to Hunyuan Gate.
However, in everyone's minds, they would rather provoke Hunyuan Gate than Hei Feng Cave.
Because Hunyuan Gate was still a relatively righteous sect—in other words, they still adhered somewhat to principles and morality. Hei Feng Cave would not reason with you about principles. If they said they'd rob you, they'd rob you. If they said they'd kill you, they really dared to kill you. Make no mistake, most disciples within Hei Feng Cave were a motley crew from all walks of life, with a predominance of various unorthodox and crooked paths, including quite a few demonic cultivators.
If a rare treasure were to emerge now...
If Hunyuan Gate obtained it, they would naturally follow 'jianghu rules' and give you a share of the benefits. But Hei Feng Cave would absolutely not give you any benefits. Not only would they not give, but after obtaining the rare treasure, they might even rob you of the treasures on your person as well.
Evil forces like Hei Feng Cave were not few in the Great Northwest Frontier, and Hei Feng Cave was one of the foremost among them.
Especially after submitting to the Immortal Offices, they had become even more brazen.
Not long after, another wave of people appeared. Everyone looked over, and their somewhat despondent mood reignited with hope, for the newcomers were cultivators from Five Colors Mountain.
Five Colors Mountain couldn't be considered a giant of the Great Northwest Frontier. Its disciples weren't too numerous, its influence wasn't too vast, but its prestige was exceptionally high.
From Five Colors Patriarch, to Nine Extremities Solitary Elder, to the Five Colors Eighteen Swords, three generations of disciples had left behind a beautiful reputation for chivalry and righteousness across the Great Northwest Frontier. Even now, the fourth generation of disciples, when venturing out to gain experience, still acted with chivalry and righteousness, never having earned any infamy.
Particularly notable among the Five Colors Mountain arrivals this time was the leader—the renowned Elder Jing Lei, one of the Five Colors Eighteen Swords.
With this elder presiding over justice, even if these Hei Feng Cave people later wanted to kill and seize treasures, they would have to think twice.
With the arrival of the Five Colors Mountain group led by Elder Jing Lei, the stone hanging in the hearts of the surrounding crowd gradually settled.
At that moment, another group of five or six people arrived near the cave dwelling—five or six women. The leader was a woman dressed in a jade-green silk skirt. Her features were exquisite, stunningly beautiful, especially her head of crimson-red hair, which was particularly eye-catching.