Chapter 417: Six Caves Sect Gate
Sun Lingtong was struck with alarm and suspicion.
At that moment, thoughts raced through his mind as he swiftly reviewed everything he had just experienced.
“How exactly did I get afflicted by a petrification spell?”
The skin on his hands was still turning to stone. Sun Lingtong quickly examined it and confirmed that this petrification technique was extremely intricate—he couldn’t discern any of its underlying workings.
“This was a trap—deadly and remorseless! Before me, there might have already been many victims.”
“No, that doesn’t seem likely.”
“If that were the case, those hooded black-robed cultivators wouldn’t have come so brazenly, performing sacrifices and causing bloodshed just to request an audience.”
“Moreover, they didn’t even dare enter the cave. Clearly, they believed that this Soul Formation–level existence was still alive.”
“I excavated the treasure materials using magical tools, and after the materials were delivered into the Puppet Dragon, I personally inspected each one.”
“It’s the treasure materials that are problematic!”
As Sun Lingtong analyzed the situation, cold sweat broke out on his forehead.
The petrification technique continued to erode his body, and when he tried to suppress it with his mana, it had the opposite effect—like drinking poison to quench thirst. The spell drew power from his mana, enhancing its own potency.
“This won’t do. I must immediately inform Zhuo!”
“We can’t let those black-robed cultivators slip away—we must confront them and extract information through any means necessary.”
Sun Lingtong hastened to save himself.
While he operated the Puppet Dragon to swiftly exit the cave and pursue the fleeing black-robed cultivators, he also wrote a Message Bird letter and dispatched it directly to Ning Zhuo’s quarters.
—
Back to Ning Zhuo—after receiving a round of scolding from Sun Lingtong, he had returned to his own quarters.
At first, he remained calm.
He instinctively wanted to sit down and cultivate, but then recalled Sun Lingtong’s strict prohibition.
So, he lay down on the bed, deciding to sleep.
Yet as soon as he closed his eyes, sleep eluded him entirely.
Logically, since he had not fully recovered yet, with lingering aftereffects from his previous Qi deviation, his mind and body should have been exhausted. Under such conditions, falling asleep should have been easy.
But reality proved otherwise—Ning Zhuo tossed and turned, his eyeballs constantly shifting beneath his eyelids.
He took a deep breath and abruptly opened his eyes.
Staring blankly at the ceiling for a while, he became so restless that he sat up abruptly.
He didn’t maintain that position for long before getting up to sit at the edge of the bed instead.
After about a dozen breaths, he felt like he was sitting on needles and had no choice but to stand again.
Restlessness.
Irritation.
A surge of negative emotions arose rapidly.
“Brother Linghu was confined for so long and still endured it. Truly impressive!”
“Boss Sun’s scolding was completely justified.”
“I can’t even tolerate a bit of idle time—I feel restless, like I’m wasting precious moments.”
“My mindset… has shifted in subtle but profound ways.”
“Alas…”
Ning Zhuo was deeply uncomfortable. Though reason told him that cultivation and action required a balance of tension and relaxation, his turbulent emotions had him pacing back and forth inside the room.
At that moment, a knocking sound came from the cabin door.
Ning Zhuo opened it and saw a Message Bird fly in, unfurling naturally in midair.
“Why would the boss write to me?”
He was puzzled, casting his gaze toward the message.
After reading it once, he immediately understood and turned pale. “Boss is in trouble!”
With a flick of his finger, Ning Zhuo summoned a small flame that floated up and burned the Message Bird.
He immediately began drafting a reply.
Although the Puppet Dragon had a built-in communication system that allowed Sun Lingtong to transmit sound directly to Ning Zhuo’s cabin, Sun Lingtong, concerned that the entire dragon might also become petrified, had begun minimizing its use.
Even more concerned about Ning Zhuo’s safety, he resorted to using a Message Bird instead. In the letter, he urged Ning Zhuo to destroy the message promptly, avoid the storage and dragon-head compartments, and stay away from Sun Lingtong as much as possible.
Ning Zhuo’s reply quickly reached Sun Lingtong.
“At least Zhuo is in the loop now.” Sun Lingtong breathed a sigh of relief as he swiftly read through the contents.
In his message, Ning Zhuo asked about the specifics of Sun Lingtong’s injuries and suggested deciphering the Message Bird that the hooded cultivators had previously attempted to send into the giant cavern but which Sun Lingtong had intercepted.
In truth, Sun Lingtong had already started doing just that.
The message was quickly decrypted—indeed, the sender hadn’t even bothered to encrypt it.
To the Stone Dwelling Old Monster:
We disciples of the Six Caves Sect, acting under orders from the Heart Demon Cave Lord, hereby respectfully submit this message, earnestly inviting the Old Monster to awaken.
The Six Caves Sect has long heard of the Old Monster’s great name and admired your earth-element divine abilities, renowned across the lands.
Now that the Dynasty’s great army is besieging Thousand Peaks Forest, the situation is dire. We urgently request the Old Monster’s aid in unleashing heavenly might and sharing in the ecstasy of slaughter.
Should you respond to our call, the Six Caves Sect shall reward you handsomely!
“…So this group turned out to be from the Six Caves Sect?” Sun Lingtong, of course, was already well aware of the long-standing feud between the Ning Family and the Six Caves Sect.
His eyes focused on one particular line in the letter: “The Six Caves Sect speaks as if placing the Stone Dwelling Old Monster and the Heart Demon Cave Lord on equal footing…”
“Could it be… the Stone Dwelling Old Monster was originally a Nascent Soul cultivator, and this time tried to break through to the next major realm—but failed and died in the attempt?”
Sun Lingtong had uncovered a critical piece of intelligence—but it still wasn’t enough.
Under his control, the Puppet Dragon easily kept pace with the Six Caves Sect envoys.
The envoys quickly descended the mountain. At the foot, they all retrieved their mounts—beastly creatures resembling lions and tigers.
Their faces were full of anxiety, brows furrowed deeply. Even when communicating with each other, they spoke aloud rather than using spiritual sense.
All along the way, they discussed how they would report back.
Clearly, the mission had ended in failure, and the pressure on them was immense.
Life Hanging by a Thread!
During this time, Ning Zhuo secretly used the divine ability Life Hanging by a Thread, planting it on each of the four individuals.
The black-robed cultivators’ mounts were swift, and before long, they reached a midway station on the mountainside.
Using the teleportation array located there, the four envoys vanished completely.
Normally, cultivators could only sigh in frustration upon reaching this point in a pursuit.
But with the Puppet Dragon under his command, Sun Lingtong was not so easily deterred.
This mechanical creation was of Nascent Soul level and possessed the ability to traverse the void, just like Nascent Soul cultivators.
All teleportation arrays, after all, operated on the principles of void travel.
Thus, without hesitation, Sun Lingtong commanded the Puppet Dragon to phase into the void.
“Zhuo, it’s up to you now!” Sun Lingtong spoke through a magical device.
Ning Zhuo responded with a grunt and immediately activated his divine ability.
Upper Dantian — Bright Mirror Spiritual Light Dantian.
The fully-formed divine ability, shaped like a white lotus with green leaves and pink petals, immediately began to shine brightly.
Ning Zhuo couldn’t help but gape—although he could sense the four targets, sensing them in the void was entirely different from sensing them in the physical world.
He felt spatial distortions—left and right flipped, distance warped, the world spinning uncontrollably.
For a moment, he couldn’t even describe what he was experiencing.
This journey through the void was simply too profound for him. It far exceeded the limits of his current understanding.
Fortunately, both he and Sun Lingtong had anticipated this in advance. Ning Zhuo’s only task was to relay his sensed data directly into the Puppet Dragon, allowing the construct to handle the navigation.
Moments later, the darkness dissipated, a silver light expanded—and they emerged into the real world once more.
Inside the dragon-head cabin, Sun Lingtong locked eyes on the new surroundings and cheered aloud: “It worked! Haha! Well done, Zhuo!”
Ning Zhuo, however, had collapsed to his knees, body numb all over. The mirror of divine thought in his mind was nearly shattered.
He gasped for breath, dizzy and dazed, unable to move.
The four black-robed cultivators stepped down from the teleportation array.
Sun Lingtong cautiously piloted the Puppet Dragon, continuing to trail behind the four.
After exiting the hall that housed the teleportation array, Sun Lingtong stepped outside.
On that towering Sky-Pillar Giant Tree, stone buildings were everywhere—some tall, some short—mainly in shades of grey and black.
A layer of purple-black poisonous fog permanently shrouded the sky above, blocking out sunlight.
The four black-robed cultivators didn’t dare linger. They headed straight for the main path and began swiftly climbing toward the mountain peak.
Along the road, they occasionally encountered other members of the Six Caves Sect. These cultivators were almost all dressed in black or grey robes, their expressions either cold or vicious. Many had lion or tiger-like spirit beasts at their side, while others toyed with poison scorpions, centipedes, or other such Gu insects.
Halfway up the mountain, Sun Lingtong gazed into the distance and spotted a massive Martial Arena.
Inside, a large group of cultivators was engaged in brutal combat. Blood splattered through the air as the spectators roared excitedly, wave after wave of sound rippling outward. Occasionally, a cultivator would fall and perish.
Clearly, the internal competition within the Six Caves Sect was far more brutal than that of the Myriad Medicines Sect!
The four cultivators passed through the gatehouse and stepped into the grand hall at the mountain summit.
Guards stopped them. One turned and entered the hall to report.
Before long, the guards allowed them to pass.
The four black-robed cultivators exchanged a glance, braced themselves, and ascended the main road, ultimately stepping into the vast, majestic hall.
The interior of the hall was exceedingly spacious, its dome towering above. The surrounding walls were adorned with murals—some depicted savage mountains, perilous waters, and grim mists; others showed cultivators locked in savage combat; and still others portrayed blood-soaked sacrificial rites. The common feature among all the figures in these paintings was their grotesque expressions, regardless of whether they were laughing, crying, or otherwise.
The hall floor was paved with pitch-black Mysterious Iron, cold and unyielding.
The air carried a faint fragrance, tainted with a trace of nauseating blood stench.
In the center of the hall stood six pitch-black stone pillars.
Each pillar was uniquely shaped.
In the upper-midsection of each pillar, a seat or cloud-shaped couch had been carved out.
The four cultivators walked into the center of the six pillars and fell to the ground in prostration.
Three of the seats were empty. The remaining three were occupied—some sitting, some reclining—by cultivators.
Each of the three exuded a surging Nascent Soul Aura, each surrounded by their own distinct phenomena.
One sat regally on a throne, a tall man with his upper body bare and his entire figure covered in black-purple scales. His eyes were closed, unmoving like a stone statue.
Another sat cross-legged on a Meditation Cushion, his figure obscured by a layer of bloody light and shadow. Though blurry, his surging aura spread like the sound of crashing waves.
The third lay reclined, facing away from the others. She wore translucent purple misty gauze; her waist and back formed an alluring silhouette. Yet, from her lower back protruded a massive scorpion tail, the tip of which gleamed with a cold, sinister light.
The four cultivators performed deep ceremonial bows.
From their conversation, Sun and Ning quickly identified the three Nascent Soul cultivators present.
The towering man covered in scales was the Heart Demon Cave Lord.
The one shrouded in bloody light was the Blood Shadow Cave Lord.
And the seductive female cultivator with the scorpion tail was the Scorpion Cave Lord.
The Heart Demon Cave Lord opened his eyes—clearly refined through secret arts, they lacked any human pupil. Instead, only a swirling vortex of blood-red mist spun ceaselessly in each socket.
Upon hearing their report, the Heart Demon Cave Lord slowly opened his mouth, his voice low and heavy:
“Hmph. You sacrificed over a dozen Qi Refining disciples, and yet failed even to meet the Stone Dwelling Old Monster. Useless. Die.”
The four cultivators knelt, just about to beg for mercy—
Boom! Boom! Boom!
With a series of blasts, their chests burst open, and four hearts flew out.
The fresh hearts floated before the Heart Demon Cave Lord. At that moment, the scales at the center of his chest split apart, revealing a vertical slit the size of a palm.
As the slit opened, a blood-red heart was revealed, its surface crisscrossed with black tendrils like dragons or tree roots, tightly entwined.
Each beat of the demonic heart caused one of the floating hearts to explode.
The essence from the shattered hearts flowed into the chest slit and was devoured by the demonic heart.
To the side, the Blood Shadow Cave Lord let out a chilling laugh.
A ray of blood light separated from the aura surrounding him and enveloped the four corpses.
The corpses, their chests already blasted open, began to shrivel at a visible rate as their vital blood was entirely drained and absorbed into the Blood Shadow Cave Lord’s aura.
As for the Scorpion Cave Lord, she gently swayed her scorpion tail.
The tail's cold light flashed through the air.
In the next moment, the dried corpses dissolved into four puddles of purple poison.
The poison swiftly vaporized into purple mist and coalesced upon her scorpion tail.
The Scorpion Cave Lord laughed:
“The great war is approaching, and here we are slaughtering our own disciples to cultivate demonic arts. When the Grand Cave Lord returns and finds our sect’s numbers reduced by a hundred or so, he’ll surely fly into a rage. Hehehe…”
The Blood Shadow Cave Lord coldly snorted:
“At this moment, the Dynasty’s vanguard is already nearing Thousand Peaks Forest, with more troops arriving in endless waves. Even if the Grand Cave Lord grows furious, what can he do at this critical juncture? A few mere Foundation Establishment cultivators—how can they compare to our Nascent Soul-level strength?”
The Heart Demon Cave Lord’s voice remained low:
“They couldn’t even invite the Stone Dwelling Old Monster. Such trash is only fit to serve as cultivation material to help us advance.”
“With the war imminent, even a sliver of cultivation might tip the balance between life and death.”
The Scorpion Cave Lord laughed again:
“Hehe, that Stone Dwelling Old Monster was born from a Ten-Thousand-Year Earth Essence, known for its love of silence and long lifespan. Awakening it was always the hardest task. Second Brother Heart Demon, by this method, you've wiped out many of our sect’s rising stars. I think we should ease up a little. Without cannon fodder, are we Nascent Soul lords expected to fight in the early stages?”
The Blood Shadow Cave Lord snorted again:
“Scorpion girl, your words sound righteous, but the truth is, your Emotion Poison has reached a bottleneck. You need time to refine it before you can continue advancing.”
“You're worried that if we keep cultivating like this, you'll miss your share.”
The Scorpion Cave Lord, her motives exposed, was unfazed.
“Hehehe, so what if you’ve seen through me?”
“My Emotion Poison must be refined from the rawest emotions. The terror, fear, shock, and rage felt before death are the finest materials.”
“You two taking a break—what’s the harm?”
“The hearts and blood of Foundation Establishment cultivators help you very little. At most, they’re optional.”
The Blood Shadow Cave Lord replied coldly:
“You and I are both leaders of the Six Caves Sect—helping each other is natural. So, what’s the reward?”
With a flick of her scorpion tail, the Scorpion Cave Lord tossed out two items.
One was a blood-red Blood Fiend Demon Stone the size of a fist. The other was a section of a Mechanical Carriage Compartment.
“A Nascent Soul-grade Blood Fiend Demon Stone—excellent,” said the Blood Shadow Cave Lord, accepting it with satisfaction.
But the Heart Demon Cave Lord was displeased.
“Scorpion, you expect to buy me off with a mere magical tool-level carriage compartment? Are you insulting me?”
The Scorpion Cave Lord giggled:
“How could I dare, Second Brother Heart Demon? Look carefully—this compartment only appears to be a magical tool. In truth, it's a treasure-grade item, cleverly disguised.”
“Back when we schemed against the Ning Family, we seized a massive hoard of their belongings. Everyone overlooked this carriage and thought it was just a magical tool—it was handed out as a reward.”
“Later, I discovered its secrets by chance, and tricked that disciple to take it back.”
“Second Brother, isn’t your son Lin You always scheming to obtain the Pale Savage Elephant?”
“This isn’t good.”
“The new Elephant King is fiercely protective of his own. With the enemy nearing, we must unite the White-Tusk Elephant Herd.”
“Lin You just wants to show off with a mount. This compartment, slightly modified, will suit him perfectly.”
At last, the Heart Demon Cave Lord cracked a smile and took the compartment.
“Indeed, that brat You’er has been making a fuss lately.”
“Scorpion, you have my thanks.”
The Scorpion Cave Lord laughed sweetly:
“As long as Second Brother is satisfied!”
The Blood Shadow Cave Lord snorted coldly:
“Scorpion, you’ve done well—spending a trifle to secure a major gain. Impressive.”
—
Inside the Puppet Dragon, Ning Zhuo was trembling with rage!
He recognized that carriage compartment—his mother had once described it to him. It was the one she rode during pregnancy to nurture her fetus.
“Could it be… my mother suffered complications during her long journey because this carriage was stolen?!”
“Scorpion... and Heart Demon!”
“Six Caves Sect!”
“I swear—I will reclaim that carriage compartment!”
Just as Ning Zhuo made this vow, the Heart Demon Cave Lord’s expression suddenly changed.
This Nascent Soul–level demon cultivator said:
“Something’s wrong.”
“What?” asked the Blood Shadow Cave Lord.
The Scorpion Cave Lord laughed:
“If Second Brother is unsatisfied, I can offer something more.”
But the Heart Demon Cave Lord grew stern, slowly shaking his head:
“I consumed those hearts, but sensed something foreign—something mixed in.”
At that, he activated a spell.
Demonic energy surged outward, flooding the grand hall in a massive sweep of detection.
But it yielded no results.
The Heart Demon Cave Lord activated another spell.
This time, the demonic aura erupted like crashing waves, shaking the entire hall.
In the dragon-head compartment, Sun Lingtong clenched his teeth, his body drenched in nervous sweat.
Outside the chamber, Ning Zhuo’s Mechanical Ring suddenly contracted tightly.
“Not good!”
“Boss, run!!”
Ning Zhuo shouted reflexively.
Hearing his voice, Sun Lingtong jolted—his mind had yet to react, but his body moved first. He immediately activated the Puppet Dragon, charging toward the hall’s exit.
Boom!
The grand doors slammed shut the next instant.
The Heart Demon Cave Lord burst into laughter, his aura rising explosively. He slowly stood, towering like a giant that reached the heavens.
The red vortexes in his eyes spun wildly, locking tightly onto the fleeing Puppet Dragon.
“Hahaha! A rat dares to spy on my Six Caves Sect—how bold!”
“Die, all of you!!”
His demonic heart pulsed with a thunderous thud.
Inside the Puppet Dragon, Ning Zhuo and Sun Lingtong simultaneously coughed up blood.
At the edge of life and death, the Puppet Dragon pierced into the void.
But the Blood Shadow Cave Lord’s blood light chased right after, striking the dragon’s body and staining it red.
Escape, escape, escape!
Sun Lingtong’s every hair stood on end—his mind filled with one thought.
As for Ning Zhuo—his heart nearly exploded. He collapsed and lost consciousness.