342: Chapter 342 From Now On, There Can Only Be One Voice

Deep within the Forbidden Ground, inside four independent stone caves, the four Golden Core Grand Elders of the Black Rock Palace were each in seclusion.

The arrival of Yu Zhengqi disturbed them.

"Zhengqi, why are you so flustered?" An elderly man with a withered face walked out from a stone cave; he was the leader of the four Grand Elders.

The Palace Master bowed and handed over a neatly organized Jade Slip: "Grand Elder, please take a look. Qiankun Gate, Qingfeng Valley, Spirit Talisman Sect... these three have completely turned toward the side of Qinghe Prefecture."

The old man took the Jade Slip and swept his Divine Sense over it, his brows furrowing tighter and tighter.

The Jade Slip contained detailed records of how the three Sects had sent Elders to visit Tiangang Sect with heavy gifts, how they invited Su Yunling to attend their Sect celebrations, and even how they had begun to engage in "friendly" sparring with Tiangang Sect Disciples at the border of the two prefectures.

Every single detail revealed one message: Black Rock Palace was being isolated.

The other three Grand Elders also emerged from their stone caves one after another. They passed the Jade Slip around, their expressions varied, but all carried a sense of gravity.

"A Foundation Establishment Disciple from Danding Sect is actually able to stir up such waves." A short, stout Elder snorted coldly. "If we had known, we should have spared no cost back at Soul-Severing Ravine to crush all the people from Tiangang Sect to death first."

"It is too late to say these things now." The Palace Master said in a deep voice. "The three Sects are befriending Tiangang Sect; it is self-evident who their target is.

My Black Rock Palace has long-standing grievances with the three Sects, and we have also formed a feud with Tiangang Sect at Soul-Severing Ravine.

Once they form a true Alliance, we will be the first target to be liquidated. We must make preparations early for this matter."

The four Grand Elders exchanged glances, and all saw killing intent and determination in each other's eyes.

After a long while, the leading old man spoke slowly, his voice carrying a gravity that Yu Zhengqi had never heard before: "A solution... is not entirely non-existent. It is just that you originally had no right to know about this matter."

Yu Zhengqi was stunned, not quite understanding what the Grand Elder meant by these words.

The old man exchanged glances with the other three, seemingly having made some kind of decision, before continuing: "Let's go, follow us to meet the 'Upper Sect'."

Upper Sect?

Yu Zhengqi's mind buzzed. He had been in charge of Black Rock Palace for a hundred years and thought he knew everything about the Sect like the back of his hand, yet he had never heard of this 'Upper Sect'.

The five of them walked together toward the deepest part of the Forbidden Ground. Yu Zhengqi followed behind the four Old Ancestors, his heart already in turmoil.

At this moment, he was reflecting on all that had happened during the hundred years he had been in charge of the Sect.

Over these hundred years, every time Black Rock Palace carried out large-scale "cleansing" missions abroad, slaughtering families or Loose Cultivators who refused to submit, the Grand Elders would hand him a palm-sized, pitch-black gourd-shaped Magical Artifact, ordering him to send people to the battlefield to collect so-called "remnant souls and resentful energy".

He had always thought that this was needed for the Grand Elders to Cultivate some kind of sinister Cultivation Technique.

Now he understood.

These remnant souls and resentful energy were probably not for the four Old Ancestors before him, but to be offered to that mysterious "Upper Sect"!

After all, although their Black Rock Palace's Cultivation Technique was evil, it did not rely on absorbing living souls to Cultivate; only the hundred soul banner required living souls.

But over these years, regardless of whether it was a Mortal or a Cultivator who died, the Old Ancestors never turned away any remnant souls or resentful energy.

In the hundreds of years since Black Rock Palace was founded, the number of remnant souls and resentful energy offered to the Old Ancestors was far more than a million...

A layer of cold sweat broke out on Yu Zhengqi's back. He suddenly remembered an unwritten "curse" in Black Rock Palace that had existed for hundreds of years.

Whenever past Palace Masters showed signs of breaking through to the Golden Core, they would mysteriously "disappear" after going into seclusion.

To the outside world, the Grand Elders always claimed that their seclusion Breakthrough failed, and they had died and dissipated into the Dao.

The reason he, Yu Zhengqi, was able to sit in the position of Palace Master was precisely because the previous Palace Master had "fallen" while attempting to reach the Golden Core.

He was now also at the Foundation Establishment Peak. Although he was still lacking some refinement to take that step, the fear of "disappearing" in his heart had never faded.

Were those 'Seniors' really dead?

He also finally understood why Black Rock Palace had been able to establish itself in Pingling Prefecture for hundreds of years and stand firm even when besieged by the three major Sects.

Every time a crisis of Sect annihilation occurred, the four Grand Elders always had a strategy to repel the enemy; it turned out they had a backer!

Then, a surge of ecstasy and ambition washed away Yu Zhengqi's previous worries.

Since the four Old Ancestors were willing to bring him here and expose him to such core secrets, it was definitely not to get rid of him.

The five of them walked all the way to the deepest part of the Forbidden Ground, where a pitch-black stone tablet stood. It was engraved with dense, dark patterns that emitted a chilling aura.

The leading Grand Elder walked forward, bit his fingertip, and dripped a drop of essence blood containing his own Golden Core Origin onto the center of the stone tablet.

The essence blood was quickly absorbed by the stone tablet. The dark patterns on the entire tablet suddenly lit up, and a ghostly light flowed across them.

Immediately after, a screen of light emerged from above the stone tablet. Inside the light screen, a vague figure could be vaguely seen; its appearance could not be clearly made out, but one could only feel a vast and chilling aura rushing toward them.

"What matter disturbs my quiet cultivation?" A hoarse voice came from the light screen.

"Reporting to the Upper Envoy." The leading Grand Elder bowed and first introduced the person behind him: "This is the current Palace Master of Black Rock Palace, Yu Zhengqi. He has an urgent matter and needs to report to you personally."

The figure in the light screen tilted its head slightly, seemingly scrutinizing Yu Zhengqi.

Yu Zhengqi only felt an invisible gaze land on him, as if it wanted to see right through his Divine Soul.

He suppressed the palpitation in his heart, stepped forward, and said respectfully: "Subordinate Yu Zhengqi pays respects to the Upper Envoy. I have an urgent matter today that concerns the life and death of my Black Rock Palace. I implore the Upper Envoy to make a decision."

He recounted the whole story of how the three Sects of Pingling Prefecture and the four Sects of Qinghe Prefecture had colluded because of the supreme grade Medicinal Pill refined by Danding Sect Disciple Su Cheng, intending to isolate and even surround and annihilate Black Rock Palace.

After the figure in the light screen finished listening, it fell into a long silence and did not respond immediately.

Seeing this, the leading Grand Elder stepped forward again and added: "I implore the Upper Envoy to consider Black Rock Palace's hundreds of years of dedicated service and bestow a Magic Treasure for use in times of need. We will definitely not fail the high expectations of the Upper Sect."

Upon hearing this, the vague figure finally responded, and a chilling voice sounded again: "Danding Sect... an interesting variable. However, to want to request a Magic Treasure from the Sect for a crisis that has not yet occurred, your audacity is quite something.

Over these years, the remnant souls and resentful energy you have sent up are fewer year by year, and the few Old Ancestors in the hall are not very satisfied."

Upon hearing this, Yu Zhengqi's heart stirred. He immediately stepped forward and said in a deep voice: "Upper Envoy, please allow me to explain! If Black Rock Palace is destroyed, the Upper Sect will lose an important set of eyes and ears, as well as a source of souls, in Tianlan Province.

We are not afraid of battle; we are only trying to preserve the centuries-old foundation of Black Rock Palace. I implore the Upper Envoy to bestow a Magic Treasure; it is not just for self-preservation.

If I can get a heavy treasure in my hands, I, Zhengqi, will first sweep away the three Sects of Pingling Prefecture and turn the entire Pingling Prefecture into a pasture for my Black Rock Palace!

By then, why worry about a lack of remnant souls and resentful energy!"

The voice from the stone tablet seemed to let out a chuckle: "You, this Palace Master, actually have some courage. Very well, I already know about this matter. It is just one Magic Treasure, granted, but do not forget what you just said."

"Many thanks, Upper Envoy!" The five of them bowed together.

"As for when the Magic Treasure will be delivered, just wait. You only need to do your own tasks now."

The light of the stone tablet gradually dissipated, returning to dead silence.

The five of them straightened up. Yu Zhengqi faced the four Old Ancestors and said: "Four Old Ancestors, once the treasure arrives, we will no longer need to endure.

Qiankun Gate, Qingfeng Valley, Spirit Talisman Sect... these three stumbling blocks should be removed.

Pingling Prefecture, from now on, there can only be one voice, and that is the voice of my Black Rock Palace!"

Su Cheng was completely unaware of these surging undercurrents.

He was busy with another matter.