Deng Tiancheng left.
He left filled with confusion, frustration, and a tinge of helplessness.
Li Ye was the second-rank formation master he was closest to and had the easiest access to… yet he still refused to explore the underground!
It would've been understandable if it were just the fire beasts earlier dangerous, yes, but not enough proof that there was truly an ancient relic hidden beneath the lava.
Li Ye had his methods of refining pills to support his cultivation. Choosing not to take the risk was something Deng could accept back then.
But now there were formation traps down there almost a blatant announcement that something of great value lay beneath! And still, he refused?!
How cautious can one man possibly be?
So what if you can concoct pills and are skilled in formations? Is reaching the late Foundation Establishment stage on a stable path really that impressive?
When the opportunity is gone, and you're stuck at the threshold of Golden Core, watching your lifespan drain away… I wonder if you'll regret turning your back on an ancient relic that was right at your doorstep!
Deng Tiancheng didn't linger in the Chidi Mountains after leaving Pingyang Mountain. He departed directly, likely off to find another capable formation master.
Around the same time, more and more Foundation Establishment cultivators teamed up and ventured underground only to return battered and bruised, having suffered significant losses.
That first wave of exploration? Everyone paid their dues.
Not a single relic in sight. Plenty of fire beasts were killed. And every one of them had paid their "admission ticket" in full.
In the end, the only one who profited was Li Ye, who stayed put on his mountain, refusing to risk his neck. He made a tidy sum and greatly reduced the fire beast threat in his territory.
A bunch of frustrated Foundation Establishment cultivators grumbled in private, but they could only accept the reality with clenched teeth.
After all, Li Ye had done more than enough setting up formations to block further danger, charging reasonable fees, and never once pushing the limits. None of them were in a position to start a feud with a renowned alchemy master like him.
In the end, they all reached the same conclusion:
Without a sufficient supply of talismans to break the formations or a formation master of high caliber the underground relics weren't going to be explored that easily.
And since Li Ye had turned down even Deng Tiancheng, the rest knew they'd get the same cold shoulder.
With most Foundation Establishment cultivators returning empty-handed and skilled formation masters in short supply, the exploration craze in the Chidi Mountains cooled off significantly.
Some cultivators gave up entirely, knowing their limits, while others went off to find their solutions.
As these people scattered and spread the word, the latest developments beneath the Chidi Mountains quickly reached the ears of various factions.
It was only then that those farther away began to take real notice of the situation.
If there truly were mixed second- and third-rank formation traps down there, it all but confirmed that a Golden Core-level sect's legacy was buried within the lava caves!
And if they dug deeper, they might even find fourth-rank treasures the kind of relics whose value couldn't be measured…
Such a temptation was irresistible for the many Foundation Establishment cultivators across the Four Nations!
Even Golden Core-level factions could no longer afford to sit back and watch. Unlike Deng Tiancheng, who had come of his own accord as a sect disciple, they began sending official representatives to the Chidi Mountains with the clear intent of exploring the underground.
Meanwhile, in the neighboring nations of Huan and Yue, where demonic cultivators had grown more active in recent years due to demonic invasions, more and more of them had also started appearing in the Chidi Mountains.
"Does Li Ye truly know nothing about the situation underground?"
Aboard a flying vessel, as the landscape gradually shifted to shades of crimson and the fire spiritual energy in the area grew increasingly active, Zou Zifu frowned and posed the question to Deng Tiancheng.
The man had streaks of grey in his hair, a stern expression, and an air of authority.
Though he, too, was at the late Foundation Establishment stage, the spiritual pressure radiating from him was far deeper and more oppressive than Deng Tiancheng's.
As one of the right-hand men of the sect leader from Jiuding Valley, he was the one leading the team tasked with uncovering the secrets buried beneath the Chidi Mountains.
Deng Tiancheng had been one of the first to explore the underground and discover the anomaly of formation restrictions. In this regard, he even held an edge over Li Ye, who was technically the host of this region.
Now that word of the underground relic had spread, he was naturally roped into the expedition.
At least he no longer had to go around trying to recruit other formation masters now the sect had mobilized its resources, with both formation-breaking talismans and second-rank formation experts at the ready.
There was a real chance of delving deep enough to uncover the truth behind the relic.
Though he felt some regret about no longer taking the lead meaning any benefits from potential opportunities would have to be shared it was still better than wandering around the surface, unable to reach the core of the treasure.
Deng Tiancheng naturally understood the purpose behind Zou Zifu's inquiry.
He thought for a moment before replying,
"I've interacted with Li Ye quite a few times and visited the Chidi Mountains more than once… The sudden appearance of the fire beasts was indeed unexpected, and during his first descent into the underground, he was so cautious that he even asked me to stand guard outside.
He barely lasted any time before fleeing in a panic fire beasts were chasing right behind him!"
"After that, he went on a spree of sealing off the area with formations and never mentioned going back underground. It wasn't until I approached him with a proposal that he seemed to give up on the idea entirely and started selling entrance passes, letting other cultivators explore on their own."
"That matches his usual behavior quite well most likely, he just wanted to make a quick profit… And considering his cultivation, even with some skill in formations, I doubt he could explore the underground alone with so many fire beasts around, let alone claim the relic for himself."
"Then that's good…" Zou Zifu nodded in satisfaction.
What he feared most was that the underground was already an empty shell its treasure long since taken. If they went through all the trouble of clearing fire beasts and breaking formations, only to serve as janitors for some local no-name cultivator like Li Ye, it would be beyond frustrating.
But from the looks of it, Li Ye might lack ambition, yet he knew how to protect himself. Even with such a massive opportunity on his turf, he'd rather pass it up than risk his life.
As a member of a Golden Core sect, Zou Zifu found himself appreciating such level-headedness.
However, as he extended his divine sense, his expression subtly darkened. Deng Tiancheng instinctively turned to look beside him as well.
Another flying vessel was rapidly approaching. At its front stood a tall, broad-shouldered man clad in black-blue leather robes, faintly etched with scale-like spiritual patterns imposing in both stature and presence.
He was none other than Kong Changsheng of Thousand Islands Water City, someone with whom Zou Zifu had crossed paths several times, and who held a status within his sect quite comparable to his.
"Hahaha! Brother Zou, it's been a while. I knew I'd run into you here!"
Kong Changsheng's voice was loud as thunder, reverberating in all directions. Even Deng Tiancheng felt a faint ringing in his ears and couldn't help but grow wary.
Fan Yuanzhou, who had hurried out of the flying vessel's cabin, looked visibly shocked. Though he, too, was a body cultivator at the mid-foundation Establishment stage, his foundation was far inferior to this newcomer.
"Hmph!"
Zou Zifu snorted coldly, subtly dispelling the lingering effects of Kong Changsheng's spiritual pressure.
Keeping a calm expression, he glanced at the quickly approaching party and said,
"So, even you've come… I suppose the other two major sects must be close behind?"
"Hahaha! The Purple Profound Sect is in quite a mess right now. I doubt they can spare the manpower to send anyone…"
Kong Changsheng chuckled. "But the Flying Feather Sect folks are right behind me…"
"Such an enthusiastic conversation between you two. Were you perhaps discussing someone like me?"
Another flying vessel closed in, and from it came a shrill, high-pitched voice.
It belonged to a short, thin man with closely cropped hair Liao Shengtai, a mid-Foundation Establishment cultivator from the Flying Feather Sect.
Had Li Ye been present, he would've immediately recognized the man standing beside Liao Shengtai the one with a faint trace of blood at the corner of his eye, a feature that added a sinister edge to his otherwise handsome face as none other than Cai Shiwei, who had once infiltrated the Purple Profound Sect!
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