139: Chapter 139 Suction

The cloud-piercing shuttle flew close to the sea surface.

Lin Xuan activated all the concealment array patterns, suppressing the flying boat's silver light to the extreme, making it almost one with the sea surface.

He suppressed his cultivation to Qi Refining Level 5 and restrained his aura to the extreme.

With the Origin Returning Qi Concealment Formula running at full power, his entire being was like a stone, without a shred of spiritual power leaking out.

The sea surface was not calm.

From time to time, one could see streaks of light converging from all directions towards the southeast—Loose Cultivators from Chenjiao Island, Loose Cultivators from nearby islands, and perhaps even Cultivators who had traveled from further away.

They were all like sharks that had smelled blood, surging towards that patch of purple light.

A fiery red streak of light flew past his left side, moving very fast and bringing with it a wave of heat.

It was a Cultivator at Qi Refining Stage 7, wearing a fiery red magic robe, with a Flying Sword of decent quality beneath his feet.

A cyan streak of light caught up from the right side and overtook him.

It was a Cultivator at the Early Stage of Foundation Establishment, and the Magical Artifact beneath his feet was a huge fan, with a landscape pattern embroidered on its surface.

Lin Xuan slowed down and blended in behind the crowd.

He did not intend to rush to the front, nor did he intend to be the first to enter that sea area.

He would let the Golden Core Cultivators and those who were not afraid of death scout the way first; he would just follow behind and watch.

An hour later.

The purple band of light was getting closer and closer.

On the sea surface, a shocking scene appeared.

The seawater was no longer blue.

It was deep purple.

Like a huge pool of purple ink, boundless, extending to the end of his vision.

The seawater was rotating slowly, forming a huge vortex with a diameter of tens of miles.

At the center of the vortex was the source of that purple band of light—a pitch-black, deep hole.

The opening was not large, only about a zhang in circumference, but the aura emanating from within made one's heart palpitate.

Ancient, vast, and carrying the flavor of accumulated time.

At the edge of the vortex, dozens of Cultivators had already gathered.

Their cultivation levels were uneven, ranging from Qi Refining Level 3 or 4 to the Late Stage of Foundation Establishment.

Some were hovering in mid-air on Flying Swords, some were standing on reefs, and some were sitting on Magical Artifacts.

At the position closest to the center of the vortex, four figures were hovering.

The Golden Core Immortal Master of Bibo City, and three Foundation Establishment Cultivators.

The Golden Core Immortal Master was an old man in a green robe, with a thin face and white hair and beard, but his eyes were like lightning, and light faintly circulated around his body.

He stood with his hands behind his back, staring at the black hole at the center of the vortex, his brows slightly furrowed.

The three Foundation Establishment Cultivators stood behind him.

Two men and one woman.

All were at the Middle or Late Stage of Foundation Establishment, with thick auras, obviously not ordinary Loose Cultivators.

The men wore black magic robes with tokens hanging at their waists; the woman wore a white dress and held a whisk.

Lin Xuan found a reef far away from the crowd and landed.

He put away the cloud-piercing shuttle, squatted behind the reef, restrained his aura, and observed from afar.

"The strange phenomenon here has lasted for more than half a year, and tonight it is the most intense," the black-robed Foundation Establishment Cultivator said, his voice not loud, but Cultivators within a few miles could hear him, "I have already scouted the surrounding sea area and found no traces of Yao Beasts. That black hole should be the entrance to the Secret Realm, but the situation inside is unknown."

The Golden Core old man nodded and pondered for a moment.

"Send someone in to scout the way."

"Yes."

The black-robed Foundation Establishment Cultivator turned around, his gaze sweeping over the Loose Cultivators gathered on the periphery.

"Bibo City is recruiting scouts," his voice was not loud, but it carried an unquestionable pressure, "Anyone willing to enter the Secret Realm to investigate will receive the protection of Bibo City after coming out, and be rewarded with one thousand Spirit Stones."

He paused.

"Is anyone willing?"

There was a commotion on the periphery.

One thousand Spirit Stones.

For a Loose Cultivator, it was a huge sum of money.

Many people had never seen so many Spirit Stones in their entire lives.

But the Secret Realm was dangerous and unknown; if one went in, it was very likely they wouldn't come out.

After a few moments of silence.

A bald, burly man stood out.

Qi Refining Stage 7, broad-shouldered and thick-waisted, wearing a necklace made of Yao Beast teeth around his neck.

He piloted his Flying Sword, flew out from the crowd, and hovered in front of the black-robed Foundation Establishment Cultivator.

"I'll go!"

Immediately after, several more Loose Cultivators stood out.

A Thin Tall Man at Qi Refining Level 6, wearing a tattered gray magic robe, holding a notched long sword in his hand.

A middle-aged woman at Qi Refining Level 5, with a haggard face but firm eyes.

An old man at Qi Refining Layer 8, hunched over, leaning on a cane, but with a thick aura.

A total of seven people.

Lin Xuan did not move.

Although one thousand Spirit Stones were tempting, it was not enough to make him take the risk.

He continued to watch.

The Golden Core old man glanced at the Loose Cultivators who had stood out and frowned slightly.

Seven people.

Too few.

"Add one more condition," he said, his voice calm, but every word clearly reached the ears of everyone present, "Of the treasures obtained in the Secret Realm, Bibo City will only take forty percent, and sixty percent will belong to you."

Once this was said, the commotion on the periphery became even greater.

Sixty percent belonged to themselves.

This meant that if they really found good things, getting rich overnight was not a dream.

More Loose Cultivators stood out.

A scarred-faced man at Qi Refining Stage 7, with a face full of fat, and two short blades tucked at his waist.

A young woman at Qi Refining Level 6, with delicate features, but a ruthless look in her eyes.

A short person at Qi Refining Level 4, looking less than twenty years old, with childishness still on his face.

One after another, more than a dozen more people stood out.

Lin Xuan still did not move.

He always felt that things were not that simple.

The Golden Core Cultivator would not go in himself, but sent Loose Cultivators to scout the way—this showed that he was not sure about the situation inside the Secret Realm either.

In a place that even a Golden Core Cultivator was wary of, if he, a Qi Refinement Stage Cultivator, went in, it would be more ominous than auspicious.

What's more, he did not need to rely on this kind of risk to turn his life around.

Although the income from making talismans was not enough to make him rich, it was stable. By accumulating slowly, he would always be able to save enough resources.

There was no need to gamble with his life.

He made up his mind to continue watching.

Just at this moment—

An unexpected change occurred.

The black hole at the center of the vortex suddenly expanded violently.

That "mouth" which was a zhang in circumference suddenly opened wide, like a giant maw, instantly expanding to dozens of zhang in circumference!

And then—

Suction.

It was not wind, not water, but an irresistible suction force coming from the depths of space.

That suction force was not aimed at any one person, but covered the entire sea area!

The seawater was rolled up into the sky!

Water columns dozens of zhang high shot into the sky, then crashed down, splashing water mist all over the sky!

The reefs were uprooted!

The reef where Lin Xuan was hiding shook violently, then lifted off the ground and flew towards the black hole!

The Cultivators hovering in the air were like kites with broken strings, helplessly being sucked towards the black hole!

"Ah—!"

"Help!"

"No—!"

Terrified screams, desperate roars, and helpless cries mixed together, rising and falling.

Lin Xuan's expression changed drastically.

He violently activated the earth fiend bell, and the dark yellow bell shadow instantly enveloped his entire body. At the same time, he brought out the cloud-piercing shuttle and tried his best to rush outwards!

The flying boat's array patterns were fully activated, the silver light flared, and the speed array patterns ran crazily!

But this suction force was too strong.

So strong that even a Golden Core Cultivator could not resist it.

Lin Xuan saw out of the corner of his eye that the green light on the Golden Core old man suddenly flared, his body paused for an instant in the air, and then—he was also sucked in.

Even a Golden Core couldn't withstand it?

Lin Xuan's heart sank.

The cloud-piercing shuttle emitted an unbearable humming sound under the pull of the suction, cracks appeared on the shuttle's body again, and they spread faster than before.

He gritted his teeth and poured all his spiritual power into the flying boat!

The speed increased by another thirty percent!

But it was getting closer and closer to the black hole.

Around him were countless terrified faces.

That bald, burly man was sucked in head-first, the Yao Beast teeth necklace around his neck broke, and the teeth flew wildly in the air.

That young woman, her face pale, desperately urged the Flying Sword beneath her feet, but cracks had already appeared on the sword's body.

That hunched-over old man was actually quite calm, sitting cross-legged on his cane, with his eyes closed, as if waiting for death.

Lin Xuan was getting closer and closer to the black hole.

Fifty zhang.

Thirty zhang.

Ten zhang.

He could see inside the black hole—it was not black, but a patch of purple light, as if countless streaks of lightning were shuttling inside.

He could feel that the aura emanating from the black hole was getting thicker and thicker.

Ancient, vast, and carrying the flavor of accumulated time.

And a trace of—

The aura of thunder.

Not the kind of thunder he was familiar with, but a more ancient, purer, and closer-to-the-Origin thunder.

Like the moment when thunder was just born.

The cloud-piercing shuttle emitted a sharp screech.

The cracks on the shuttle's body were now as numerous as a spider web, and it could disintegrate at any moment.

Lin Xuan gritted his teeth and withdrew the cloud-piercing shuttle back into his Dantian.

And then—

Everything went black before his eyes.

He lost consciousness.