Chapter 1036: Variable

The underground caverns of the Soul Confusing Cave were incredibly intricate, a maze of winding and intersecting passages that seemed to stretch endlessly. However, simply heading downwards would eventually lead to the secret chamber.

With the mind-affecting influences within and earth spirits blocking the path outside, navigating this area was far from easy.

Meanwhile, in another cavern within the Soul Confusing Cave, Su Nu and her companions were rapidly making their way through.

This time, Venerable Ye was leading the group.

He appeared even more at ease than Qin Sang.

As a Nascent Soul cultivator, Venerable Ye's mental fortitude far surpassed that of Core Formation cultivators. He could effortlessly block the cave's effects without needing any secret techniques or magical artifacts.

He seemed to simply stroll through the passage, his hand subtly raised, fingers moving like a wheel. From his fingertips, hair-thin qi needles shot out, effortlessly piercing the skulls of the earth spirits and exploding within their bodies.

The qi needles themselves weren't overwhelmingly powerful, but Venerable Ye's mastery over them had reached an unparalleled level, far beyond what any other Core Formation cultivator could achieve.

Venerable Ye alone was sufficient to protect Su Nu and the others, allowing them to advance faster than Qin Sang and Ming Wei.

Countless earth spirits were dispatched.

Suddenly, the elusive and seemingly inexhaustible earth spirits vanished without a trace.

Venerable Ye paused for a moment, then continued onward.

He was essentially revisiting familiar territory and knew the area intimately. Eventually, Venerable Ye and his group reached the end of the passage and entered a vast underground secret chamber.

Flat flagstones paved the floor, and a profound silence filled the chamber.

Thanks to Venerable Ye's guidance, they were the first cultivators to arrive.

Apart from Su Nu, the other three members of the group had an undisguised look of excitement and eagerness in their eyes, fixed intently on the very center of the chamber.

Black mist drifted throughout the chamber, but at that specific spot, a faint azure glow was still faintly visible.

The source of the light was a hemispherical barrier of light. Inside this barrier stood an ancient, square stone platform, bathed in the barrier's blue radiance.

On the platform, four jade bottles were neatly arranged in a row. They contained a spiritual liquid that reflected the blue light, making them even more conspicuous than the barrier itself.

"That's the Soul Cleansing Liquid..."

The enchanting woman's eyes were filled with longing.

The blue barrier seemed to encompass the most beautiful sight in the world, and the jade bottles were priceless treasures that haunted one's dreams.

And indeed, they were.

They would soon face the formidable bottleneck of Nascent Soul formation, a challenge so daunting that it caused all cultivators to tremble at its mention.

The Soul Cleansing Liquid offered a rare opportunity, making it an invaluable treasure for these late-stage Core Formation cultivators!

However, to retrieve the Soul Cleansing Liquid, they first had to overcome one final obstacle: breaking through the barrier.

"Wait! Why are there only four bottles of Soul Cleansing Liquid?"

The long-bearded elder, jolted to attention, noticed the unusually low number of Soul Cleansing Liquid bottles.

When the Seven Kills Palace usually opened, the Soul Cleansing Liquid in the Soul Confusing Cave typically amounted to around ten bottles. Why was it so scarce this time?

"Master, this is..."

The long-bearded elder's face was etched with confusion as he looked to Venerable Ye for an explanation.

Venerable Ye had already noticed the anomaly regarding the Soul Cleansing Liquid. He had personally participated in a previous struggle for it, where there had been a full twelve bottles, eventually distributed among the successors of the major powers, ensuring a fair share for all.

Now, however, there were only four bottles, an amount clearly insufficient for fair distribution!

"Four bottles! Some have long suspected that this Soul Cleansing Liquid isn't a naturally formed spiritual treasure, and that the trial realm harbors unknown secrets! It appears there's indeed something amiss. The premature emergence of the inner hall has resulted in less than half the usual amount of Soul Cleansing Liquid!"

Venerable Ye seemed to have anticipated this possibility and showed no surprise. He gave a cold snort and declared, "I had intended to step back and avoid a confrontation with other factions, to prevent things from getting too messy. But now, it seems that won't be possible. Four bottles of Soul Cleansing Liquid, just enough for one for each of you. There's no need to share them with outsiders."

Venerable Ye's tone was calm, as if he already considered the Soul Cleansing Liquid theirs for the taking, stating the obvious.

However, his disciples' expressions were far from relaxed; instead, they harbored quiet apprehension.

Outside, even several more Blood Bats wouldn't be able to withstand a single blow from Venerable Ye.

Unfortunately, they were currently within the trial realm.

The long-bearded elder hesitated. "Master," he began, "for you to personally seize the Soul Cleansing Liquid would naturally be effortless. However, you are restricted by the trial realm's prohibitions, which have sealed your cultivation. Among our opponents, Blood Bat and Daoist Xiao Yun are considered preeminent among Core Formation cultivators. The others are also true disciples of major powers, their strength not to be underestimated, and there might even be opportunists looking to exploit the chaos. Given these factors, if we attempt to monopolize the Soul Cleansing Liquid, we will surely become everyone's target. By then..."

Within the trial realm, Venerable Ye was indeed restricted and had to seal his cultivation. Furthermore, he had sustained injuries while traversing the Immortal Prohibition, significantly weakening his strength.

Of course, even with his cultivation sealed, neither Blood Bat nor Daoist Xiao Yun were a match for Venerable Ye.

However, if he made too many enemies and faced a concerted assault, even Venerable Ye would find himself overwhelmed.

Venerable Ye, seeing through their concerns with clear insight, offered a slight smile. "As your master," he explained, "I must contend with the trial realm's restrictions and cannot carelessly activate my Nascent Soul. However, with adequate preparation, I can temporarily unseal a portion of my cultivation to unleash a single attack with Nascent Soul-level power. What needs to be done after obtaining the Soul Cleansing Liquid requires my personal intervention, utilizing my full Nascent Soul cultivation. Otherwise, what would be the point of me risking my own safety to smuggle myself here?"

Hearing this, everyone immediately rejoiced, all their previous doubts dispelled.

Even a single blow would be more than sufficient.

Venerable Ye surveyed the surroundings and calmly stated, "The Soul Cleansing Liquid is guarded by earth spirits, and their strength is considerable. We must simultaneously fend off the earth spirits while attacking the barrier until the seal is broken. At that moment, I will make a surprise move to seize the Soul Cleansing Liquid. Once I have it, you are to immediately come forward and assist me, retreating with me amidst the chaos. As long as we fall back into the caverns, it will be much harder for others to surround us in that complex terrain."

"Understood, Master!"

The long-bearded elder and the others were filled with renewed fighting spirit.

After all, they were fighting for their own crucial opportunity.

"Before that," Venerable Ye instructed, "your primary focus must be self-preservation. How well have you mastered the set of formation flags I provided you?"

"Reporting, Master," the long-bearded elder replied, "your disciples can already unleash seventy percent of the grand formation's power!"

The long-bearded elder and his companions each possessed a formation flag.

Venerable Ye hummed in approval and then gave them a few more detailed instructions.

Just then, footsteps echoed from another passage, and several figures flashed into view. Though obscured by the black mist, one crimson streak of light stood out distinctly.

"Blood Bat is here first! Those with him must also be demonic cultivators!"

The long-bearded elder's expression subtly shifted as he sent a telepathic warning.

After Blood Bat's arrival, sounds of footsteps and rushing air began to emanate from other passages as well. Other cultivators gradually arrived, emerging from various cave entrances.

The successors of various factions and the top masters were now gathered in the secret chamber.

"Hiss! Why are there only four portions?"

Someone gasped upon seeing the Soul Cleansing Liquid.

The others also noticed the anomaly, their expressions turning extremely solemn.

Undercurrents of tension surged within the secret chamber.

They could already sense how fierce the upcoming struggle would be!