104: Abyss Encounters and the Price of the "Lucky Ones"

Dragon Fall Abyss is located within a desolate rift valley among the mountains.

Before even approaching, one could feel a desolate and chaotic energy field, and the air was permeated with a faint smell of sulfur and a certain scent of decay.

The reconnaissance team led by Zhao Iron Pillar and Wang Wu arrived at the outer perimeter of the abyss along with the main force of the Qingxuan Sect.

It was already teeming with people here.

Various streaks of light cut through the sky like meteors, falling into the bottomless chasm.

Shouts, sounds of fighting, and the explosions of Spells were incessant; besides the chaotic energy, the air was also mixed with a thick scent of blood.

"Goodness, this isn't treasure hunting, it's practically a war!" a War Hall Disciple remarked with a click of his tongue.

Wang Wu carefully observed the surrounding environment and whispered, "Stay vigilant. According to the plan, we won't go to the core area to join the fray; we will just observe from the outer perimeter."

They chose a relatively secluded path and cautiously explored downward into the abyss.

The sights along the way were shocking.

Collapsed ancient stone halls, broken giant beast bones, traces of battle, and bloodstains that had not yet dried were visible everywhere.

Occasionally, they could also see some Cultivators fighting fiercely over a Spiritual Plant or a piece of Ore.

They also encountered some "Opportunities."

In a half-collapsed stone chamber, they found a few Jade Slips covered in dust.

After Wang Wu cautiously examined them, he found they were just the most ordinary low-grade Cultivation Techniques, with nothing unusual.

Beside the skeleton of an unknown Yao Beast, they found a small, shimmering scale with a weak energy reaction, which also didn't seem special.

These findings were far from the rumored grand spectacle of "Cultivation Technique Jade Slips" and "rare spiritual materials."

"It seems the truly good things are either further down, or... have long since been snatched away by others," Zhao Iron Pillar muttered.

Just then, in the valley not far ahead of them, violent spiritual energy fluctuations and a burst of ecstatic shouting suddenly erupted!

"Hahaha! It's mine! This 'Dragon Blood Grass' is mine!"

A man dressed as a Loose Cultivator was seen clutching a small, crimson herb that looked as if it had been congealed from dragon blood, acting as if he were insane.

The small herb emitted boundless life essence and scorching energy fluctuations; one could tell at a glance that it was no ordinary item!

The surrounding Cultivators' eyes turned red, and they immediately surrounded him, on the verge of erupting into a bloody battle.

However, a bizarre scene occurred.

The aura of the Loose Cultivator who had obtained the Dragon Blood Grass suddenly surged!

He, who was originally only around the Qi Refining Sixth Layer, actually broke through to the Qi Refining Seventh Layer within just a few breaths!

He laughed wildly and waved his hand, and a violent crimson spiritual energy blasted the few people who had surrounded him away!

"Get lost! Those who block me shall die!"

His eyes were bloodshot, and his body emitted unstable yet powerful energy fluctuations; it was as if he had become a different person, and he charged crazily toward the deeper parts of the abyss.

"This..." The members of the reconnaissance team were stunned.

"A Breakthrough in cultivation in an instant? Is the effect of this Dragon Blood Grass so overbearing?" a Disciple muttered.

Wang Wu, however, furrowed his brows; he had observed more carefully.

Although the Loose Cultivator's aura had surged, it appeared very unstable and chaotic, and his eyes... were filled with greed, violence, and an abnormal excitement, having completely lost his reason.

"Something is wrong..." Wang Wu whispered, "His state is very wrong. It doesn't look like excitement from obtaining an Opportunity; it looks more like... his mind has been controlled by something."

Zhao Iron Pillar also scratched his head: "I also think that guy's eyes were terrifyingly red, just like a mad bull I slaughtered before."

Over the next few days, they successively witnessed several similar incidents.

Some Cultivators found a rusted ancient sword; after dripping blood to claim ownership, the sword hummed, Sword Qi soared into the sky, and the wielder's strength greatly increased, yet they became addicted to killing, hacking at anyone they saw.

Some Cultivators discovered a black Jade Slip recording a profound Cultivation Technique; after practicing it, their cultivation advanced by leaps and bounds, but their personalities changed drastically, becoming gloomy and cold, even striking at their own fellow Disciples.

These "lucky ones," without exception, had all gained powerful strength in a short time, but they had all paid a corresponding price—their Heart-Nature was twisted, their reason was lost, and they became extremely aggressive.

They were like clockwork killing machines, rampaging through the abyss, creating more chaos and death.

As the killing and fighting continued, a faint, barely visible layer of bloody Evil Qi and chaotic mental fluctuations seemed to condense above the entire Dragon Fall Abyss, causing people to feel irritable.

Wang Wu recorded all of this in detail.

He was increasingly certain that this so-called "Opportunity" was a huge trap!

Those treasures and Cultivation Techniques had likely been tampered with; while forcibly increasing the user's strength, they were also frantically amplifying their inner desires and negative emotions, turning them into monsters that only knew how to kill and plunder!

This was simply artificially creating "Heart Demon nutrients"!

"Iron Pillar, we must immediately transmit the situation here back!" Wang Wu said in a deep voice.

Zhao Iron Pillar nodded. The two found a hidden corner, and a Disciple who had initially mastered "Star Language" concentrated their mind, attempting to transmit information to Wen Youyi via "Star Language."

[Dragon Fall Abyss... trap... Opportunity... catalyzes Heart Demon... creates killing... avoid quickly...]

The message was short, but it was enough to explain the problem.

Just as they finished sending the message and were preparing to quietly withdraw from this place of trouble, a violent explosion and shrill screams suddenly came from ahead!

The Loose Cultivator who had previously obtained the Dragon Blood Grass was seen, his blood vessels bursting all over his body, looking like a bloody person; his aura was violent to the extreme, yet filled with the chaos before destruction.

He roared and desperately charged toward a seemingly ordinary rock wall!

"Boom!"

The rock wall was smashed to pieces by him, revealing a hidden cave behind it.

Deep within the cave, a brilliant, star-like light instantly attracted everyone's attention!

The energy contained within that light made all the Cultivators present, including Zhao Iron Pillar and Wang Wu, feel a palpitation!

"That is... the aura of a Star Core?!" Wang Wu exclaimed involuntarily.

(End of chapter)