Chapter 645: 全民大联欢

**Chapter 640: A Grand Celebration for All**

The first step of the so-called Grass Sea event is the connection between the two realms.

When a minor realm opens, the overlapping areas between the two worlds experience a disruption of natural laws, sometimes leading to landslides and earthquakes. However, the dual-realm barrier of the Grass Sea has always been gentle; as long as the Gate of Storms is controlled, the only other anomaly that usually occurs is water flowing uphill.

Although He Lingchuan had heard Fu Shanyue explain the principle before, witnessing the minor realm open in this manner still left him deeply shocked.

Two worlds with no prior connection were briefly linked in this way?

It was not without reason that Spirit Vulture City called this minor realm 'Fú Realm.' Sitting in the front row of the sandbank, with an unparalleled view, He Lingchuan was fortunate enough to witness an extraordinary sight at the center of the colossal cyclone.

Outside, winds swirled, clouds gathered, and lightning flashed with thunder. However, at the core of the supercell, there was a massive void. He Lingchuan only saw a bright blue-to-purple background, and the other world within the void appeared very dim, like the light on Earth just after sunset, as night was about to fall.

He even saw stars in that world, though they were not very bright.

He Lingchuan asked Fu Shanyue, "Does Fú Realm have day and night?"

Fu Shanyue shook his head. "I've been there three times, for as little as two days and as long as ten. There are only stars, no sun, and the light is always like this, never getting darker or brighter."

So, Fú Realm has neither seasons nor a division of day and night.

He Lingchuan then saw several streaks of lightning flash across that world.

Hmm, without clouds, where did the lightning come from?

At this point, after reinforcement by the two Imperial Masters, the entrance to the minor realm had stabilized.

The Celestial Palace envoy once again struck the bell-chime and announced loudly:

"Fú Realm has opened. Teams, please queue up to enter and ensure your safety."

Immediately, teams began to enter one after another, each consisting of ten individuals who appeared to be cultivators or demons with exceptional combat prowess.

The method for entering Fú Realm was also simple and direct. They would stand at the eye of the wind, and with a whoosh, they would be pulled upwards.

He Lingchuan counted over sixty teams entering, one after another.

"The Vassal Demon Nations usually send teams to participate," Fu Shanyue explained. "That accounts for thirteen teams. The rest are self-organized teams from various families in Spirit Vulture City. Spirit Vulture City doesn't limit the total number of entering teams, but for fair competition, it restricts each family to only one team of ten people during the first five days."

Of course, Scarlet Yama Nation also sent a team to participate. Fu Shanyue had brought nearly a hundred guards to Spirit Vulture City, including those selected for this Grass Sea operation.

While the teams orderly entered the Gate of Storms, the common folk on this side were brimming with enthusiasm, engaging in an activity He Lingchuan was very familiar with:

Gambling.

When the officials and nobles organized teams to cross realms, that was enjoyment for the privileged few.

But when the common people opened betting pools, that was enjoyment for everyone.

With over sixty participating teams, there were enough options to open various betting markets: betting on more or less, odd or even, and even on dazzling combinations.

It was said that initially, the authorities did not encourage it, believing widespread gambling would corrupt morals.

However, an official soon suggested that the government could operate its own gambling houses, collecting commissions while taxing winnings—a win-win situation.

The common people had fun, and Spirit Vulture City earned money; everyone was happy, so what else was there to say?

Thus, this became a long-standing tradition, lasting four or five hundred years. The government specialized in a wide variety of betting options, and anyone who won had to pay a hefty 5% tax when collecting their prize money.

Although people complained every year that the tax was too high, the Grass Sea event always remained bustling and lively.

He Lingchuan casually asked someone and learned that this year's favorite to win was the Concord Guard.

At each Grass Sea event, Spirit Vulture City heavily rewarded the top five teams based on the quantity of levitation stones they retrieved from Fú Realm.

Recently, He Lingchuan had been too busy with various matters to pay attention to anything else. It wasn't until just before the event began that he learned the seven floating islands of Upper Spirit Vulture City remained suspended in the sky thanks to the levitation stones hunted from Fú Realm.

The secret to the floating islands' suspension was the 'Suspended Struggle Stone,' and levitation stones could recharge the Suspended Struggle Stone, much like a horse needs to eat fodder to run. If replenishment wasn't timely, and the Suspended Struggle Stone's energy ran out, then the floating islands would...

Just imagining it made one realize it would be a catastrophe for Spirit Vulture City.

Fortunately, such a terrifying scenario had never occurred in five or six hundred years, because Spirit Vulture City dispatched powerful individuals into Fú Realm every two years to hunt for levitation stones.

These peculiar stones were actually otoliths produced by monsters called 'Danube Beasts,' growing inside their skulls.

Danube Beasts were native to Fú Realm, coming in many varieties with differing strengths. The energy contained within their otoliths also varied in potency. Levitation stones produced by powerful Danube Beasts could be tens or even thousands of times more potent than those from weaker ones.

Fu Shanyue mentioned that thirty years ago, an official team had cornered and hunted a giant Danube Beast in Fú Realm. The levitation stones harvested from it were equivalent to six hundred ordinary levitation stones.

Every 680 days, Fú Realm would intersect with the human world, remaining open for thirty days. Spirit Vulture City would use this opportunity to hunt and stockpile as many levitation stones as possible.

Naturally, it recovered the levitation stones from the teams by purchasing them. To incentivize everyone, it also heavily rewarded the top five teams that hunted the most stones.

After all, whether the officials could continue to reside high above the common folk depended on these teams.

Competition among the teams thus formed the basis for the gambling market.

Viewed in this light, the biennial Grass Sea event held significant meaning: it satisfied Upper Spirit Vulture City's need for levitation stones, allowed the authorities to earn vast sums through gambling, met the social needs of aristocratic families, and even provided opportunities for peddlers and common laborers to earn money.

And as for the common people, they certainly got their fill of excitement.

It was a win-win-win situation; only the Danube Beasts of Fú Realm were severely harmed.

Fu Shanyue, of course, placed a bet on his own team, then asked He Lingchuan, "Which team do you favor?"

"I'm not sure," He Lingchuan replied. "I don't even know which specific teams or individuals are participating. Wouldn't throwing money into that be a waste?"

He also wanted to enter Fú Realm for the smooth execution of the Void Mountain operation, but not at this moment.

Entering impulsively at such a highly scrutinized moment would likely lead to his demise.

"Look there," he said, "the Celestial Palace is withdrawing."

Fu Shanyue followed his gaze and indeed saw the Celestial Palace delegation leaving. Envoy Du Yun and Bai Ziqi, for example, were walking out surrounded by others, while the remaining staff were dismantling their camp, seemingly leaving only a few tents behind.

"They return once the opening ceremony is over; it's like this every time," Fu Shanyue said.

"This year is different," He Lingchuan observed. He noticed Bai Ziqi's expression; at first glance, it seemed no different from usual, but his aura had become significantly more invigorated.

He knew that Envoy Bai, having finally received a new lead, must be eager to act.

He asked Fu Shanyue, "When you pull out a radish, you get mud too. Do you think the Elixir of Immortality case can be fully investigated, revealing all connections?"

"That depends on what the Heavenly Deity thinks and what the Emperor thinks," Fu Shanyue whispered, leaning his head closer. "Since it concerns the Elixir of Immortality, the Heavenly Deity will certainly want to investigate it thoroughly and punish severely. But if the focus eventually points to Imperial Master Qingyang, the Emperor might intercede on her behalf."

"Are you saying the Emperor might try to smooth things over?"

"Among the four Imperial Masters, Imperial Master Qingyang has the deepest relationship with two successive Emperors, and the Emperor supports all her decrees."

He Lingchuan let out a long "Oh."

This was a typical Imperial loyalist.

"What about Imperial Master Shuangye?"

Fu Shanyue extended his hand and pointed to the sky.

Imperial Master Shuangye belonged to the Heavenly Deity faction.

He Lingchuan nodded. No wonder the Emperor disliked Imperial Master Shuangye; they were never of the same mind.

Now, for Imperial Master Shuangye to deal with Imperial Master Qingyang was tantamount to removing the Emperor's left and right arms, yet the Emperor had no way to stop it.

Because Imperial Master Qingyang might actually be guilty.

"This matter is tricky, involving not only Imperial Master Qingyang but also numerous buyers," Fu Shanyue continued. "If both buyers and sellers are equally culpable, the royal court is bound to face turmoil; the last Elixir of Immortality case resulted in a bloodbath. If they are lenient, with minor punishments, then it damages the prestige of the Heavenly Deity and the Emperor. How then will they serve as a warning and deter officials?"

He Lingchuan added a thought in his mind:

Behind Imperial Master Qingyang, other deities must also be involved.

Otherwise, where did the formula and divine blood required to make the Elixir of Immortality come from?

This was likely one of the key areas the Celestial Palace wanted to investigate.

As Mitian had said, even the Heavenly Deities weren't entirely harmonious among themselves.

Therefore, the most difficult part of this case was still far from coming.

Luckily, with the case progressing to this point, subsequent developments had nothing to do with He Lingchuan; even Fu Shanyue couldn't intervene. They simply had to watch the show.

He just wondered if he would be able to stay until the very end.

Just then, two strange beasts suddenly leaped out of the eye of the storm, causing a low gasp from the onlookers on the sandbank.

These two monsters resembled orangutans somewhat. They were very large, estimated to weigh at least 300 catties (150 kg), with bowed bodies hunched forward and stout limbs. They were hairless, their long fangs protruded from their lower jaws, and their bodies were purplish-black with skin as rough as rock, some parts even covered in stone lichen.

The monsters seemed a bit bewildered upon their initial arrival in the human world. Just as human warriors could cross over, monsters from Fú Realm could naturally cross into this world as well.

They spun around in place twice before letting out a loud roar and attempting to flee outwards.

The Gate of Storms was already heavily guarded, and the soldiers immediately moved forward to intercept them.

"Are those Danube Beasts?" He Lingchuan finally saw the monsters from Fú Realm.

"Yes, but they are low-ranked and can only contribute at most two small levitation stones," Fu Shanyue said nonchalantly. "Actually, guards will soon be stationed on the other side of the Gate of Storms as well, but if they determine the monsters pose little threat to the human world, they might let them cross over. This allows for temporary additional betting markets, giving the common people more excitement to watch and preventing them from getting bored waiting here."

In essence, the entertainment value of such large-scale events was crucial.

As they spoke, the two monsters were swiftly slaughtered, and the entire crowd erupted in thunderous applause.

This was truly a good start.

He Lingchuan's heart sank slightly at the sight, not out of sympathy for the monsters, but because the elite guards defending the Gate of Storms were decisive, powerful in combat, and had excellent coordination.

Having been in Spirit Vulture City for so long, he had mostly witnessed hedonistic pleasures and almost forgotten how formidable Spirit Vulture City's true foundation was.

He mused, "These two monsters looked somewhat abnormal. Their movements were unusually agile and fierce when they first arrived, contradicting their appearance. Even wild boar demons would be outmatched by them, yet the guards withstood their attack."

Blood poured from the two monsters' bodies. Their movements slowed after about fifteen minutes, and they were soon riddled with holes.

(End of Chapter)