80: Voluntarily join Ether Coral Castle

The man in white asked everyone, "Welcome, Fellow Daoists, to this sacred and beautiful Epoch Battlefield."

Then, he waved his hand, and the heavy gates of the city behind him swung open.

"Now, have you seen clearly? Do you understand?"

Everyone was already stunned by the scene just now, feeling an extraordinary fear toward the words of this man in white.

"I don't want to go in."

"Please let me go, I can perform Alchemy."

"My Alchemy skills are very impressive; I can refine many Medicinal Pills!"

Soon, someone couldn't bear the oppression and despair and began to cry out.

The burly man known as Zhe Shuo snorted and waved his arm; immediately, countless Aether Coral Fortress Cultivators rushed over with weapons in hand.

They launched an indiscriminate hacking and slashing at the crowd, with screams and shouts rising one after another.

Fortunately, Tang Heng pulled Yao Yian to hide in the back in time, so there was no major harm, though they were still slashed seven or eight times.

"Ah... I don't want to die!"

"Ah! It hurts... my hand!"

Piercing screams filled the entire space; these people attacked completely at random, and seven or eight people were killed on the spot.

"We'll go in, we'll go in! Stop hitting us, we've seen clearly and understand now."

"Mercy! Have mercy! We were wrong, we understand, we understand perfectly..."

"We voluntarily join the Aether Coral Fortress!"

Many Cultivators pleaded with the man in white, their eyes filled with panic, which finally made him order the action to stop.

"Hahaha, wouldn't it have been better to see clearly and understand sooner?"

The man in white laughed loudly, thoroughly enjoying the feeling of slaughter.

"Please, my wise Fellow Daoists."

Thus, the group was escorted into the place called the Aether Coral Fortress.

Stepping inside, everyone realized there was another world within.

Setting aside the scene from just now, walking on the bluestone road, it looked like an ordinary and common gathering place for Cultivators.

Not only were there merchant guilds, restaurants, and auction houses, but on the streets, some charmingly dressed female Cultivators were soliciting customers.

Of course, there were also many spirited-looking Cultivators leisurely browsing the shops on both sides of the street.

Seeing the scene inside, the group couldn't help but feel bewildered.

Because this seemed a bit different from what they had imagined.

Unsurprisingly, the arrival of the group attracted the attention of many onlookers.

On both sides of the street were Cultivators watching with expressions of schadenfreude.

"Oh ho, more new Fellow Daoists."

"I wonder how many will be beaten to death this time."

"Wow, there are so many supple women; I can't wait to enjoy them."

...Passing through many streets, the group arrived at a massive square.

After several displays of force from the other side, many among the group had completely given up.

They believed that escaping from here was basically a hopeless endeavor.

Next, the male and female Cultivators were separated into two lines.

The man in white stood before everyone, with a row of Aether Fortress Cultivators behind him.

"First, congratulations on seeing clearly and understanding, and joining our big family."

"Listen well, you all have obtained a great fortune."

"From this day forth, you are people of the Aether Coral Fortress in life, and ghosts of the Aether Coral Fortress in death."

"As long as you are obedient, I guarantee you will live well."

"Otherwise, you will be tortured to death!"

The man in white scanned the crowd and spoke in a cold tone.

"Since you are people of my Aether Coral Fortress, you must work for my Aether Coral Fortress."

"My Aether Coral Fortress does not support idlers. If anyone slacks off, then only death awaits them..."

Before the man in white could finish, he sensed an aura behind him and immediately lowered his head, respectfully retreating to the side like a lapdog.

"Hall Master..."

These were two men and one woman, wearing identical black robes with a blood-red lotus embroidered on the left chest.

More importantly, their cultivation was completely undisguised.

Spirit Manifestation Realm, Middle Stage!

"My two dear brothers, although it was my turn to choose first last time, those I picked were all filthy trash."

"They were useless and went mad before long."

"Can you let me choose first again this time?"

The female Cultivator's eyes were like silk as she looked at the two men flirtatiously.

"As you wish."

The two male Cultivators looked solemn, as if intentionally distancing themselves from her, and directly agreed to her request.

"You... you... you... you, step out."

The female Cultivator pointed randomly into the crowd, and surprisingly, she chose both Tang Heng and Yao Yian together.

Tang Heng was secretly happy; being in the same line as Yao Yian provided a layer of security for whatever might happen next.

Soon, her selection was complete.

In Tang Heng's line, the vast majority were male Cultivators, with only three or four female Cultivators.

"Move it!"

"Don't dawdle!"

Those selected were pushed out, formed into another line, and then escorted away from the square.

The enchanting female Cultivator stood at the very front of the group, her waist swaying and her movements drawing much attention.

As she walked, she introduced the situation of the Aether Coral Fortress to everyone... "I was wrong! I am guilty!"

"Ow, please, stop hitting me."

"I promise I won't slack off anymore. Don't hit me, I'll work twice as hard on my tasks from now on!"

Along the way, many male and female Cultivators were suffering various tortures and punishments; seeing them beaten into a bloody mess, Tang Heng and the others couldn't help but feel fear.

"Hehe, you are lucky to be with me."

"My place is very lenient."

"As long as you perform your tasks well, there will be no punishment."

Passing through the wailing and screaming crowds, the group was soon brought before a massive complex of buildings.

On the plaque of the tallest building, three large characters hung high.

"Corpse Dismemberment Hall."

Someone read it out and immediately felt a shiver down their spine.

"From now on, you are people of the Corpse Dismemberment Hall, and I am your Hall Master."

"As long as you complete your daily tasks, you can wander around the entire Coral Fortress as you please."

"Of course, you don't need to worry about cultivation resources; they are distributed daily based on everyone's performance."

After the Hall Master of the Corpse Dismemberment Hall finished her brief instructions, she left with a few female Cultivators.

The Corpse Dismemberment Hall, as the name suggests, was specifically responsible for processing dead bodies.

"Come over here and register your name and cultivation!"

"Release your aura voluntarily!"

"What are you looking at? Everyone come over now, hand over your spatial rings and Storage Pouches, and then receive your tools!"

"As well as Gu insects, evil spirits, and such! Take them all out!"

"Don't even think about hiding anything! Whatever part of your body you hide it in, we'll cut that part off."

The Cultivators of the Corpse Dismemberment Hall ordered everyone around, and the group could only hurry back and forth.

After completing a long list of formalities, they unwillingly handed over their spatial rings and Storage Pouches.

Of course, during this process, a few Cultivators actually tried to hide their spatial rings.

As a result, several lost arms, several lost legs, and two others who hid them in more... specific places were simply killed on the spot.

They called them tools, but they were actually just average quality Kai Guang Realm Magical Artifact daggers, along with two specially styled Storage Pouches.

There was nothing else besides that.

"Listen up, everyone will dismember corpses for ten hours every day!"

"Drain the blood into the troughs below; store bones and internal organs separately in the Storage Pouches!"

"If anyone makes a mistake or fails to finish, see if I don't skin them alive."

"As you command..."

"Um, we're all injured. Can we recover first?"

"Recover?" The Cultivator's face wore a grim smile.

"Don't say I didn't warn you; failing to complete your tasks in the Coral Fortress is a very serious matter."

"You will enjoy the most 'wonderful' experience."

Hearing this, everyone immediately fell silent like cicadas in winter and headed to the place for dismembering corpses.

This place was called the Corpse Dismemberment Cave; it was an underground pit where blood-red liquid flowed through long channels straight to the bottom.

Large patches of dark red moss had formed on the pit walls, and the surrounding walls were all built of black stone, inscribed with Formation symbols.

A foul stench of rot continuously wafted up from the bottom of the pit.

Inside the Corpse Dismemberment Cave, it was bustling with activity.

Many figures were busy on stone beds, their daggers flying, constantly making the ear-piercing sound of chopping meat.

Yao Yian followed the crowd and took a closer look, and was instantly shocked beyond measure.

Because these were not Yao Beasts, but... people. They were of various identities: men and women, young and old, and even infants.

The entire Corpse Dismemberment Cave was filled with a pungent and foul stench, along with a thick aura of death that made one feel suffocated.

The blood on the stone platforms flowed down the stone beds into the blood troughs on the ground, eventually merging into a river of blood that flowed toward an unknown direction.

"Hurry up! Get your quota!"

"Stop dawdling!"

"If the things in here aren't finished today, everyone gets a foot chopped off!"

In the Corpse Dismemberment Cave, an elderly man sat on a bamboo chair at the entrance, speaking with an unfriendly tone.

Hearing his words, everyone walked over together and received a Storage Pouch of a different style.

After each receiving their Storage Pouches, they began dismembering the corpses.

This task was relatively easy for experienced evil cultivators like Tang Heng, but it was a nightmare for Yao Yian.

Facing the crisis of life and death, he could only suppress his fear and discomfort, gripping the dagger tightly... After seeing everyone gradually start working, the old man slowly left the place with a group of Aether Coral Fortress Cultivators.

During this time, several Cultivators saw that no one was watching them and took the opportunity to run out of the Corpse Dismemberment Cave.

Tang Heng felt a stir in his heart seeing this, but after seeing the looks in the eyes of the veteran Cultivators, he didn't make a move for the time being.

Sure enough, three hours later.

The old man who had just left returned to the Corpse Dismemberment Cave with a group of Cultivators. He didn't even look at the empty spots but continued to sit leisurely at the entrance.

After a long while, he took out a roster.

"Those whose names are called, come over now to receive your Coral Fortress pass tokens."

"Anyone caught by the Execution Squad without a pass token will be executed immediately!"