Chapter 198: Heavenly and Earthly Phenomena

“Junior Brother Che…”

The cultivator surnamed Du nodded in greeting, glanced outside the grand hall, and said, “Junior Brother Xuanyu will bring people over shortly. The grand formation is already open, Junior Brother Che might as well go ahead.”

Two sheer cliffs flanked a large, flat stone valley. At the base of the eastern cliff, an area had been excavated to build a stone hall. This hall, dark as pitch, had almost merged with the cliff face, exuding an exceptionally ancient aura, as if it had stood for countless years. At this moment, several cultivators dressed in the robes of Shangyuan Pure Clarity Palace moved in and out of the stone hall, all in a hurry, with tense expressions, seemingly waiting for something.

Suddenly, the stone hall trembled slightly. Everyone froze. A Foundation Establishment stage cultivator said in a deep voice, “The teleportation has begun! Stand ready!” Everyone quickly lined up on either side of the stone hall’s main entrance, their faces full of respect, standing still with their hands clasped.

Faint lights flickered within the stone hall. Through the glow, one could discern that the vast hall contained only an ancient teleportation array. The light grew brighter and brighter, almost blinding. Then, the light pulsed, and a person clad in a moon-white daoist robe emerged from within, their expression relaxed and their gait steady.

Seeing this person, those standing respectfully outside the stone hall exchanged bewildered glances. Someone who could use the ancient teleportation array and appear so relaxed must be a Core Formation stage cultivator. However, they recognized all the Core Formation venerable seniors from their own sect and didn't recall anyone with this appearance. Could it be a newly advanced Core Formation venerable senior? The Foundation Establishment stage cultivator at the front, however, was quick-witted. Without the slightest hesitation, he bowed deeply, saying, “Cao You, disciple of Shangyuan Pure Clarity Palace, respectfully greets Senior.” Everyone immediately recovered their senses and followed suit, bowing. Anyone who could teleport from the other side, even if not an elder from their sect, was certainly someone on good terms with their sect. Addressing them as 'Senior' was always appropriate.

Che Yutao nodded slightly, his figure flickering as he stepped into the stone valley, waiting for the others to emerge. Immediately after, more and more people walked out of the stone hall. Upon seeing their robes, the disciples of Shangyuan Pure Clarity Palace suddenly realized they were Junior Uncles from Shaohua Mountain.

After these Shaohua Mountain disciples emerged from the ancient teleportation array, the scene was rather comical. The Foundation Establishment stage cultivators fared better, though their faces were a bit pale and their steps somewhat unsteady. But upon entering the stone valley, they all eagerly sought a spot to meditate for a while to alleviate the discomfort caused by using the ancient teleportation array. The Qi Refinement stage disciples were even more miserable. Their faces were ashen white, their eyes dull. They staggered crookedly, barely able to keep their balance, only those with strong willpower managing to remain upright. Some felt their legs give way and fell to the ground with a thud, promptly lying there and vomiting, clearly in extreme distress.

Qin Sang lingered at the back. His condition was better; the jade Buddha protected his spirit, so he wasn't greatly affected during the teleportation. Only his physical body felt somewhat uncomfortable from the compression of spatial forces. Recalling the dizzying scene during the teleportation, he still felt a lingering fear. This teleportation array merely crossed the Minor Cold Domain. Legends spoke of ancient teleportation arrays from antiquity that spanned the entire cultivation world, which must have been even more agonizing to use.

Qin Sang quickly walked to the edge of the stone valley, found a clean corner, and circulated his cultivation technique twice. Once his body returned to normal, he looked up at the sky with some curiosity. This was the Ancient Immortal Battlefield.

The ancient teleportation array of Shangyuan Pure Clarity Palace was located within a hidden secret realm on the outskirts of the Ancient Immortal Battlefield. This secret realm had been thoroughly explored, all dangers removed, and its restrictions were now controlled by Shangyuan Pure Clarity Palace. Within the Ancient Immortal Battlefield, similar secret realms and ancient residences were not uncommon. After exploring many of these, major sects wouldn't destroy them but would instead try to gain control over their restrictions, aiming to use them for their own benefit. These secret realms were all incredibly useful. Even the most seemingly useless secret realms, with sparse spiritual energy, could serve as shelters for disciples entering the Ancient Immortal Battlefield. Some secret realms preserved the environment of the ancient cultivation world. After major sects occupied them, they cultivated spiritual herbs inside, which grew several times faster than outside. Not to mention, many ancient residences originally contained herb gardens cultivated by ancient cultivators. The Dragon Ginseng pill that Qin Sang took to break through to the Foundation Establishment stage was discovered in one such garden.

The cliffs on both sides obstructed the view. Qin Sang was curious about what the Ancient Immortal Battlefield truly looked like. He was tempted to fly up and see for himself, but seeing Che Yutao standing motionless nearby, he decided against it. However, from the wondrous sight of this sliver of sky, one could already sense the uniqueness of the Ancient Immortal Battlefield. On the left side of the sky, heavy snow fell, a vast expanse of white. On the right, yellow sand filled the air. The blizzard and sandstorm formed a distinct boundary line above, constantly clashing and surging into each other's territories. The collision of the two phenomena unleashed terrifying natural power that was truly astonishing. Fortunately, a shimmering light barrier intermittently appeared in mid-air, remaining steadfast despite the onslaught of the blizzard and sandstorm, firmly holding them at bay and bringing a sense of security to those watching. Before long, both weather phenomena vanished simultaneously. The light barrier flickered and then also disappeared. The blizzard and sandstorm were instantly gone, replaced by a blazing sun in the clear blue sky, radiating intense heat.

“These were the mysterious and unpredictable weather phenomena of the Ancient Immortal Battlefield,” Qin Sang mused. The cultivators of Shangyuan Pure Clarity Palace were accustomed to this sight, but the Shaohua Mountain disciples, visiting the Ancient Immortal Battlefield for the first time, stared in wide-eyed astonishment.

Just then, another group of people emerged from the stone hall, all of them rogue cultivators. Qin Sang noticed that these rogue cultivators were not highly cultivated; most of those in the Qi Refinement stage were at the eighth or ninth level. Qin Sang understood. Unlike Shaohua Mountain disciples, who could receive a Foundation Establishment pill as long as they met their sect's requirements, rogue cultivators, if not naturally gifted, had to find Foundation Establishment pills themselves or seek out opportunities to defy fate if they wished to reach the Foundation Establishment stage. They had to start planning now. Fortune favors the bold. The opportunities in the Cloud Vast Marsh were far inferior to those in the Ancient Immortal Battlefield. Staying in the Cloud Vast Marsh might be safe, but it also meant slim hopes of reaching the Foundation Establishment stage, leaving one's fate to chance. “If I hadn't managed to reach Foundation Establishment by now, would I also be fighting for my life like these rogue cultivators?” Qin Sang sighed inwardly.

The rogue cultivators were in even worse shape than the Shaohua Mountain disciples, their auras weakened from the ordeal of the ancient teleportation array. The less cultivated among them were particularly wretched, almost vomiting their lungs out, and a pungent, foul odor immediately permeated the stone valley.

Che Yutao frowned deeply, observing the chaotic scene. He transmitted a message to the Shangyuan Pure Clarity Palace disciple with the highest cultivation, “Once Fellow Daoist Xuanyu arrives, tell him I’ve gone ahead and won’t wait.” Next, Che Yutao's gaze swept over the Shaohua Mountain disciples. He opened his mouth and asked, “I will now take you all to Hanging Skull Pass. Any among you who wish to stay in the battlefield, please step aside.”

“Reporting to Martial Uncle Che, we wish to stay…” Several Foundation Establishment stage cultivators stepped forward together. This wasn't their first visit, and this time, they came with a desperate resolve. They weren't here for stable cultivation; they had already decided to enter the Ancient Immortal Battlefield directly.