Chapter 1783: Warning

"What do you mean by that?" Lu Ye turned to Zhou Ran.

Zhou Ran replied, "The earliest of us arrived here three hundred years ago, and the latest, one hundred years ago. After all these years, the resources we brought with us are almost depleted. How can cultivators maintain their strength without resources? Wouldn't we be at the mercy of others when we encounter them? But to acquire resources in this realm, you either join the Crimson Talisman Association or pledge allegiance to Holy Blood Peak. Otherwise, you can only search for usable spirit plants in the wilderness..."After listening to his explanation, Lu Ye understood the meaning of his words.

If a cultivator lacks resources, their power will inevitably wane, unless they never activate their spiritual energy, which is impossible. But once spiritual energy is activated and consumed, it's irreparable. How much can one replenish merely by searching for usable spirit plants in the wild? That's why they had previously vied for Lu Ye. They weren't interested in Lu Ye himself, but in the spirit jades, spirit crystals, and spirit pills he had brought from outside! It was also fortunate that their own strength was considerable and they hadn't been in this realm for too long; otherwise, they would have already collapsed. Those cultivators who arrived in this realm earlier or possessed insufficient strength, once tainted by the blood race's sacred aura, had no other choice but to pledge allegiance to Holy Blood Peak.

The blood rain arrived swiftly and departed just as quickly, stopping within the time it takes an incense stick to burn. However, the gloom in the sky did not dissipate; it remained as Lu Ye first observed it, as if another blood rain could fall at any moment.After a brief contemplation, Lu Ye said, "Continue talking about the Crimson Talisman Association and Holy Blood Peak.""Which aspect?" Zhou Ran asked. As they interacted, he realized Lu Ye was not a difficult person to deal with, and thus, his life was likely not in danger, which made him considerably more relaxed."Every aspect," Lu Ye glanced at him.

Zhou Ran, realizing his slip of the tongue, readily shared what he knew. The others occasionally added details, and as time passed, Lu Ye gradually came to understand the situation of these two major forces. The more he learned, the more his heart ached. From his perspective, he naturally sided with the cultivators of the Crimson Talisman Association. After all, they all had ties to the Little People; in a sense, they could be considered allies... However, the Crimson Talisman Association's current situation seemed far from good!

First, regarding numbers, the Crimson Talisman Association was at an absolute disadvantage. The number of cultivators on Holy Blood Peak's side exceeded the Crimson Talisman Association's by several times, which was natural. The Crimson Talisman Association only accepted cultivators who had not been tainted by the sacred aura. However, the chance of a cultivator not being tainted once they arrived in this realm was very slim; once tainted, they were naturally marked by Holy Blood Peak. It's important to note that over the years, not only Moon-ranked cultivators but also many Star-ranked cultivators had inadvertently fallen into this world. When Star-ranked cultivators entered such a place, facing numerous Moon-ranked cultivators, they had no means of self-preservation and undoubtedly sought refuge early on, with most pledging allegiance to Holy Blood Peak.

If it were merely a disparity in numbers, the Crimson Talisman Association's situation wouldn't be so dire, as the cultivators on Holy Blood Peak's side varied greatly in strength. However, the critical point was that Holy Blood Peak had a Sun-ranked cultivator. Although this Sun-ranked cultivator had not been promoted for many years, a Sun-ranked cultivator was still a Sun-ranked cultivator. The gap of an entire major cultivation realm was something Moon-ranked cultivators could simply not contend with. Furthermore, Holy Blood Peak occupied the only spirit jade mine in this realm! Therefore, Holy Blood Peak's cultivators had no concerns about cultivation resources. In contrast, the cultivators of the Crimson Talisman Association lived frugally, much like the cultivators from the Three Realms when they first arrived at the Myriad Manifestation Sea, and even avoided conflicts to prevent expending power without replenishment. The promotion of that Sun-ranked cultivator was undoubtedly largely due to this spirit jade mine.

In terms of the number of cultivators, their quality, and resources, the Crimson Talisman Association was far from being a match for Holy Blood Peak. The reason they could contend and still stand strong was because of the crimson talismans! The Moon-ranked cultivators dispatched by the Little People all carried crimson talismans. Over the years, these talismans had been nourished by their vital energy, so much so that the power unleashed by any single crimson talisman was comparable to a Sun-ranked cultivator's direct attack! Thus, even with a Sun-ranked cultivator on Holy Blood Peak's side, they could not unify the realm, and the conflict between the two sides reached a stalemate.

Learning all this information, Lu Ye's mood grew heavy. He worried for his own future while feeling sorrow for the Crimson Talisman Association's predicament. Lost in thought, Lu Ye spoke, "You're scattered outside; didn't Holy Blood Peak think about taking you in? What about the Crimson Talisman Association? Didn't they consider eliminating you first? After all, you'd eventually pledge allegiance to Holy Blood Peak, and dealing with you would mean eliminating some dangers in advance."

Xiang Yin gave a wry smile. "Brother Dao is a discerning person. But as you said, we'll eventually pledge allegiance to Holy Blood Peak, so why would they rush to take us in? After all, our strength is not weak; if they tried to force us, it would be difficult for us to truly commit. As for the Crimson Talisman Association... they won't easily conflict with us unless absolutely necessary." The root cause, again, was the scarcity of resources. Fighting consumed spiritual energy, which then needed replenishment. So, even if the Crimson Talisman Association knew about scattered cultivators like Xiang Yin and the others, they lacked the energy to target them and could only let them be.

The four, including Xiang Yin, seemed to act independently, but if real danger arose, they would definitely band together for mutual support. This was also why they could quickly arrive when Lu Ye appeared; their cave dwellings were not far apart, allowing them to rapidly assist each other.Lu Ye now had a clear understanding of the general situation in this realm.

"Tell me, have you heard anything over the years about how to leave this realm?"He had assumed they wouldn't have any useful clues, but to his surprise, Xiang Yin immediately replied, "There's a rumor that once the Crimson Talisman Association and Holy Blood Peak determine a victor, the realm's blockade will be broken, and then we'll be able to enter and exit freely."

Lu Ye frowned. "Why would the outcome of these two factions affect the realm's blockade? Is there some mystery behind this?" Lu Ye couldn't quite grasp it.Xiang Yin shook her head. "Everyone says so, but no one knows why. However, it's rumored to be related to the Black Abyss Contest."

A glint flashed in Lu Ye's eyes. "Black Abyss Contest?"He had once participated in the Black Abyss Martial Arts as an external aid to the Little People. If there was a Black Abyss Contest here, were the two Black Abysses the same thing? Whether they were the same or not, there must be a connection!

"Yes, every ten years, the Crimson Talisman Association and Holy Blood Peak engage in a Black Abyss Contest. At that time, all cultivators from both major forces participate. It's said that once a victor is determined, the realm's situation will change, and the blockade will be broken.""When was the last Black Abyss Contest?""Nine years ago."Lu Ye raised an eyebrow. This meant there was still a year until the next Black Abyss Contest. However, the realm had remained blockaded until now, implying that the two major forces within this realm had yet to determine a clear victor! The Crimson Talisman Association was indeed strong! It wasn't surprising when one thought about it: even if the opponent had a Sun-ranked cultivator, as long as a Moon-ranked cultivator holding a crimson talisman could hold back that Sun-ranked cultivator, then Holy Blood Peak's strongest combat power would have no room to exert itself.

After their conversation, Lu Ye had learned a great deal about this realm, but many questions remained unanswered, questions that Xiang Yin and the others could not provide answers for. He fell into a long silence, deep in thought.

After a full fifteen minutes, Lu Ye spoke again, asking his final question: "Tell me, where is the Crimson Talisman Association's stronghold located?"Xiang Yin shook her head. "We don't know that. The Crimson Talisman Association's strongholds are extremely secretive. Holy Blood Peak has been searching for years, but unfortunately, with little success." After saying this, she looked a little puzzled. "Why are you inquiring about the Crimson Talisman Association's stronghold, Brother Dao?" Logically, shouldn't he be asking about Holy Blood Peak's location? After all, Lu Ye was a blood race member.Lu Ye gazed at her indifferently, remaining silent.

Xiang Yin shivered, realizing she had spoken out of turn, and quickly lowered her head."Alright, you're dismissed." Lu Ye waved his hand.The cultivators exchanged glances. Zhou Ran and Wang Taisheng cupped their fists in unison and swiftly departed. Xiang Yin and the Xuan Yu sisters also curtsied gracefully and returned in the direction they had come from.

Lu Ye remained seated on the large stone, pondering his next steps. Firstly, he certainly intended to seek out the Crimson Talisman Association. They were all essentially "family," and if he could join them, many of his questions would be answered. Unfortunately, he didn't know where to find them and could only proceed step by step. This core world shouldn't be too vast; persistent searching should yield results. Additionally, he could consider attempting to contact Holy Blood Peak. Since Xiang Yin and the others mistakenly believed him to be of the blood race, he would undoubtedly have a natural advantage in approaching Holy Blood Peak, and compared to the Crimson Talisman Association, Holy Blood Peak would be easier to locate.

"Sister!" a suppressed cry of alarm reached him.Lu Ye looked up to see Xiang Yin, who had already walked quite far, suddenly turn back and fly towards him. She quickly landed nearby, then took out a jade slip, spiritual energy surging within it. Lu Ye did not interrupt, simply observing.A moment later, Xiang Yin handed the jade slip to Lu Ye. "Brother Dao, this is a rough map of this realm. It might not be very accurate, but please make do with it."Lu Ye reached out and took it, nodding, "Thank you!"Xiang Yin smiled. "It's nothing. Also, there's one more thing you must remember, Brother Dao.""Tell me."Xiang Yin's expression turned serious. "Never pledge allegiance to Holy Blood Peak!"Lu Ye's gaze flickered. "Why?"Xiang Yin said, "Your sacred aura... it's too intense, yet your cultivation isn't high. I once distantly felt Li Tian's sacred aura... Oh, Li Tian is that Sun-ranked cultivator of Holy Blood Peak. Compared to yours, his is like a firefly's glow compared to the bright moon. Your sacred aura is so potent, and yet your strength is inferior to his. If you go to pledge allegiance, I fear you might go but never return alive!"