Chapter 102: Turmoil Within the Sect

On the cavern wall, countless grooves were chilling to behold. Each groove marked a mortal who had mutated within, becoming a monstrous creature neither fully ghost nor human. Devoid of consciousness, they only knew how to kill.

Su Yizhao's footsteps quickened. He no longer cared about the consequences; even if he encountered a massive demon cultivator at the end, he was willing to face it. Suddenly, from the deepest part came the sound of someone struggling. Instantly, his figure flickered and vanished.

A cultivator was trapped in one of the grooves, struggling. Su Yizhao's eyes fixed firmly on the figure. A Fourth Profound Realm cultivator—there was no doubt. Starting from that groove, all the grooves behind contained cultivators still fighting to break free.

Without hesitation, Su Yizhao focused his mind and unleashed a volley of swords in an instant.

*Puff! Puff! Puff!*

The cavern echoed with rapid sounds as one by one, the cultivators tumbled out of their grooves. Su Yizhao stepped forward, feeling a strange familiarity with one of them.

“Fellow Daoist!” he called softly.

The cultivator, his face twisted in pain, raised a trembling hand to touch the back of his head. Su Yizhao's spiritual sense swept over him and then froze—there was a deep hole the size of a thumb at the back of his skull.

Looking closer at the groove, a thumb-sized circular tube was slowly retracting deeper into the cavern wall.

What was this?

Horrified, Su Yizhao realized these cultivators were being transformed by these tubes inserted into the back of their heads.

The cultivator on the ground, having lost the tube, struggled desperately. Su Yizhao extended his right hand, touching the man's arm and slowly channeling profound energy into his body.

The cultivator seemed to regain consciousness from immense pain, his eyes fluttering open slightly.

“It’s… you!”

Su Yizhao’s body shuddered. He was recognized!

He hurriedly asked, “Fellow Daoist, who are you?”

“Su… Junior Brother Su! The sect… the sect—”

Before he could finish, he abruptly died. Su Yizhao intensified the flow of profound energy, but the man was like a corpse, unable to absorb any.

Su Yizhao stood up. The deepest part of the cavern was filled with densely packed bodies of cultivators. Freed from those tubes, all of them had died within mere breaths.

His eyes burned red. His figure vanished instantly.

Nothing!

There was nothing!

Moments later, he stood at the cavern’s end, slowly turning to face the long tunnel littered with corpses.

Junior Brother Su? The sect?

Su Yizhao’s mind spun rapidly.

Only the Profound Qi Sect and the Profound Qi Gate would call him junior brother. Of the sects he had been affiliated with, only the Profound Qi Sect.

Could this cultivator be a disciple of the Profound Qi Sect who once knew him? It had to be.

Sect… a major upheaval?

If even the sect disciples had died here, it meant the Profound Qi Sect had undergone a catastrophic change—likely an attack by demon clans.

Should he go or not?

Su Yizhao wrestled with himself. The grand competition in Haohan City was imminent. With his strength, he was sure to place within the top hundred. As an elite disciple of the continent’s largest sect, the Profound Heavenly Sect, the allure was tremendous. Even if the overseer cultivators were unbearable, it was at least a path to the upper realms.

But what about Lisha City? What about Xiuyue’s family? He could not simply ignore them.

Years of law enforcement had often forced him to make life-or-death decisions, but such a significant choice was beyond what one life could decide.

His goal was to ascend to the upper realms—to grow stronger, to find Li Xiuyue.

If he turned a blind eye, wouldn’t he be just like that overseer cultivator from the Profound Heavenly Sect?

Could he live with himself?

Li Xiuyue would never want to see him like that!

Su Yizhao inhaled deeply.

Whoever harms the Li family, I will annihilate!

Even if it means wiping out the entire sea demon cultivator force!

He surged forward, racing toward the cavern’s exit.

As he emerged, he waved his right hand, sending a transmission talisman streaking like a shooting star toward Huanglong Commandery City.

Su Yizhao soared into the clouds, orienting himself and riding his sword at full speed.

Moments later, he stood on a teleportation array, white light flickering as he vanished into Huanglong Commandery City.

At the Gou Family Auction House in Huanglong Commandery City—

Gou Jianren’s spiritual sense swept over the transmission talisman in his right hand, frowning slightly.

“Little friend Su, the grand competition in Haohan City cannot be postponed just for you. We are truly in a difficult position!”

He clenched his right hand, and the talisman turned to ash.

After a moment’s thought, he turned and flew out, stepping directly onto the teleportation array headed for Haohan City.

A day and night passed, and Su Yizhao had already flown beyond the forest.

Years ago, when he fled from the forest to Gaoshan City, it had taken two months. Now, it took only a day and a night, yet it still felt too slow.

As he sped onward, his spiritual sense detected the distortion of the void ahead.

The Soul-Desolate Domain lay just a hundred miles away.

Could a pinnacle Seventh Divine Realm cultivator cross this Soul-Desolate Domain?

The original winding mountain path had taken two years—he didn’t have that kind of time!

His speed slowed.

The Soul-Desolate Domain was an invisible force of soul energy, twisting the void like a warped curtain.

Su Yizhao reached out.

The moment his right hand touched the warped light veil, a massive soul force surged along his arm into the Purple Mansion.

Inside the Purple Mansion, the soul figure of a pinnacle Seventh Realm cultivator had already grown two zhang tall.

It clenched its hands tightly, gathering soul energy into a heavy shield before it.

As the shield appeared, countless soul arrows shot into the Purple Mansion.

*Thud! Thud! Thud!*

Like a torrential downpour, the arrows struck the shield, which stood firm as a mountain.

The soul figure, resembling Su Yizhao’s features, displayed an expression of “no problem.”

Overjoyed, Su Yizhao unleashed the perfected Great Perfection of the “Heaven and Earth Sword Art” instantly.

The Seventh Stage “Heaven and Earth Sword Art” wielded attacks like the unceasing heavenly Dao and defense as solid as the earth itself.

Yet, since the ancient times when the founder of the Profound Heavenly Sect created this sword art, no one had ever mastered it to perfection.

Not even the founder himself had surpassed the proficient level.

With the aid of the “Creation Art,” Su Yizhao had achieved Great Perfection within a year.

From the Third Stage “Sword Control Art” to the Seventh Stage “Heaven and Earth Sword Art,” each level more than doubled his sword flight speed.

Combined with his increasing cultivation and abundant profound energy, his speed soared.

Chanting softly, forming hand seals, he vanished in an instant.

At the headquarters of the Gou Family Auction House in Haohan City, inside a secret chamber—

Gou Jianren bowed respectfully.

“Ancestor, this is the person the Young Lord has taken a liking to. There is only one identity token, yet it was given to this youth. That reveals much!”

The seated cultivator slowly opened his eyes.

“The Young Lord is young and only familiar with the upper realm. Here, she truly doesn’t understand! The Profound Heavenly Sect’s elite recruitments cannot be delayed for just anyone!”

Gou Jianren explained, “But the matter this youth has undertaken was originally the Profound Heavenly Sect’s responsibility!”

The elder cultivator glanced up.

“When demon cultivators land, there will be a battle. Letting them have this tiny southwestern border may be a blessing! Besides, the northwest continent is also showing signs of invasion. The Profound Heavenly Sect is preparing countermeasures!”

“What?” Gou Jianren was shocked. “The northwest continent is also invading?”

“Indeed. Well, since the Young Lord favors this youth, some balance must be maintained. I shall visit the Profound Heavenly Sect myself!” Before his words finished, the elder cultivator vanished.