Chapter 504: Somewhat Targeted

Withdrawing his gaze, Lu Ye continued to rush forward.

Half an hour later, he found a cave, quickly entered it, and began setting up a formation.

The Heaven-bestowed Spirit Talismans event had concluded, and the five-colored cloud was gone, but the fighting hadn't ceased. Earlier, cultivators at the eighth and ninth realms were focused on acquiring the talismans and avoided unnecessary conflict. Now, with their hands free, they no longer held back.

People were killed intermittently, their names fluctuating erratically on the Hunt List.

While the hunting grounds were certainly dangerous for cultivators with lower cultivation levels, the abundant opportunities constantly drew them in. Consequently, over time, the total number of cultivators in the hunting grounds didn't decrease; instead, it steadily grew.

Most cultivators didn't aim for the Hunt List, as they lacked the qualifications to appear on it. Even if they managed to scrape onto the list, a low ranking would yield minimal rewards. The true value of the Hunt List lay in the top twenty, where various quantities of golden Spirit Talismans were awarded.

Their objective wasn't even the Heaven-bestowed Spirit Talismans. Each time these talismans appeared, the scene was chaotic, serving as a battleground for powerful experts. For cultivators with lower cultivation, simply participating was key; getting a talisman was a bonus, but survival was the priority.

Their true goal was the various opportunities scattered throughout the hunting ground!

Just like now, after Lu Ye finished setting up and testing his teleportation formation, confirming its connection to several nearby ones, he stepped out of the cave. Immediately, a faint glow in the distance caught his attention.

He was certain the light had appeared only recently. If it had been there before, he, not being blind, would have noticed something so obvious much sooner.

In other words, this light appeared when he entered the cave to set up the formation.

Upon seeing the light, Lu Ye had a vague suspicion; the Heavenly Mechanism Merchant Alliance's intelligence had documented such occurrences.

Without hesitation, he quickly approached the light and reached out to grasp it.

The light receded as Lu Ye withdrew his hand, revealing a spirit talisman. It wasn't anything special—just a white talisman, the lowest quality available.

Still, for something acquired so easily, he couldn't be too demanding; finding it was a net gain.

He didn't dare to stay there any longer and quickly left.

Such randomly appearing glows were common throughout the hunting grounds. What they might contain, however, was anyone's guess.

It could be spirit stones, elixirs, artifacts, or even spirit talismans. Essentially, any resource useful for cultivation might appear within these glows—these were the opportunities.

Undeniably, these randomly appearing opportunities were the work of the Heavenly Mechanism. It was as if an invisible hand scattered various cultivation resources across the hunting grounds, drawing cultivators in waves.

So, every time the hunting ground opened, it was a feast for cultivators.

It was precisely these ubiquitous opportunities that prompted many cultivators to brave the risks of entering the hunting grounds. While the Hunt List was beyond their reach and the Heaven-bestowed Spirit Talismans too perilous, merely surviving within the grounds offered a chance for various rewards.

Though Lu Ye only found a white spirit talisman, with enough luck, one could stumble upon golden talismans or even Spring Spirits. There were even tales of individuals finding spirit treasures within the hunting grounds, leading to overnight riches.

Lu Ye continued to search for suitable locations to set up formations. With his concealing spirit patterns and strong perception, self-preservation wasn't a significant challenge as long as he remained cautious.

Time passed.

A day later, Lu Ye hid in a deep underground cave, seated cross-legged within a teleportation array.

He had set up a total of twelve teleportation arrays, each capable of linking remotely with at least two others. This network ensured that if his presence were discovered and he found himself outmatched, Lu Ye could always use a teleportation array to escape.

He remained still, hidden within the cave, opting not to venture out.

While the hunting grounds offered many opportunities, they also held numerous dangers. Especially with his presence now exposed, and the potential for Myriad Devil Ridge powerhouses to be searching for him, it was wise to prioritize stability and avoid unnecessary movement.

Hidden in the underground cave, Lu Ye couldn't check the Hunt List and didn't know if his name had dropped off. The last time he looked, his ranking had fallen outside the top fifty, so at this rate, it would still take some time for his name to disappear from the list.

Every hour, he would briefly activate the teleportation array to check the status of his other formations, ensuring none had been disabled.

Although the locations he chose for his teleportation arrays were relatively concealed, there was no guarantee that other cultivators wouldn't stumble upon them, especially in caves. Given the scattered opportunities, cultivators rarely overlooked such places; they would typically explore them, hoping to find something valuable.

However, each teleportation array was protected by a self-destructing formation that would immediately activate if triggered. This ensured he wasn't concerned about his setups being exposed.

Faint spiritual energy fluctuations reached him from afar, indicating a nearby skirmish between cultivators. Judging by the intensity of the fluctuations, the combatants were at least at the seventh realm.

Such chaos was common in the hunting grounds.

Fortunately, he only needed to remain hidden here. With his twelve teleportation arrays interconnected, even if a few were exposed, it wouldn't be a major issue; he could simply teleport elsewhere.

It was very stable! Lu Ye was in a pleasant mood. All he had to do now was wait for the hunting grounds to close, then he could leave this cage.

He took out a spirit elixir and swallowed it, then pulled out a book to read. He had already finished the book he brought from Madam Yun, but reading it again always yielded new insights, making it an excellent way to pass the time.

Lost in his book, Lu Ye suddenly shifted his gaze, looking up at the space before him. A tiny black speck inexplicably appeared, which then expanded and spun, emitting a burst of golden light.

As the golden light burst forth, a golden Spirit Talisman inexplicably materialized before Lu Ye, seemingly held aloft by an invisible force, quietly suspended.

This talisman appeared almost identical to the golden talismans he had previously acquired, with the sole distinction being a faint, ethereal layer of light-blue energy swirling around its surface.

Lu Ye's eyes narrowed slightly.

This was not good!

He had been enjoying himself, so when a golden Spirit Talisman abruptly appeared before him, Lu Ye immediately knew what it was.

Within the hunting grounds, the Heavenly Mechanism would select one individual daily and bestow upon them a special golden Spirit Talisman. This talisman could not be discarded, stored, or used, only becoming like a regular talisman after twelve hours.

If that were all, it would be manageable. The critical point was that every three hours, this golden Spirit Talisman, bestowed by the Heavenly Mechanism, would flare up. Anyone holding it, regardless of their hiding spot, would have their location revealed, thereby attracting the attention of other cultivators.

Gazing at the golden Spirit Talisman, Lu Ye felt a strange mix of emotions.

He couldn't tell if this was good fortune or ill.

Was it bad luck? With thousands of cultivators in the hunting grounds, the Heavenly Mechanism had singled him out for this golden talisman. Was it good luck? He had already resolved to lay low until the hunting grounds closed, but now, with this talisman, how could he remain hidden? It would expose his location every three hours—meaning three or four times within a twelve-hour period.

What was this?

Lu Ye felt somewhat targeted. It had been the same during the Heaven-bestowed Spirit Talismans event; despite his careful concealment, the five-colored cloud had coincidentally stopped only a dozen li away from him.

What happened to his supposedly unparalleled luck?

Staring at the golden Spirit Talisman before him, Lu Ye's mind raced. With a surge of determination, he immediately activated the teleportation array. The familiar sensation of teleportation followed, like stepping into a bottomless abyss, his body plummeting endlessly.

Lu Ye would not typically activate a teleportation array unless absolutely necessary, as doing so generated spiritual energy fluctuations at both the transmitting and receiving ends. Such disturbances could easily reveal his presence to anyone nearby, which would undermine his plans.

But at this moment, such concerns were secondary.

The teleportation sensation faded, leaving Lu Ye slightly disoriented. He had reappeared on another teleportation array, two hundred li away.

He immediately scanned his surroundings, relaxing only after confirming there were no disturbances.

However, when he looked up, his expression immediately turned to one of helplessness.

Even after teleporting two hundred li, the golden Spirit Talisman still hovered nearby, clinging to him like a persistent parasite, impossible to shake off!

Though he had somewhat anticipated this outcome, Lu Ye couldn't help but feel disappointed once it was confirmed.

It made sense, of course. This was, after all, the work of the Heavenly Mechanism; it wouldn't be easy to shake off.

Since resistance was futile, he had no choice but to accept it.

He reached out and grasped the golden Spirit Talisman, squeezing it firmly... but it wouldn't yield. The faint light-blue glow surrounding the talisman's surface, though subtle, rendered it impervious.

He then attempted to store the talisman in his storage bag or spatial pouch, but met with similar failure.

Indeed, as he suspected, this item couldn't be used or stored until the twelve hours had passed; it could only be carried.

While this unexpected development caught him off guard, looking at it from another angle, it wasn't entirely negative.

For an ordinary third-level cultivator of the Cloud River Realm, receiving such a golden Spirit Talisman would undoubtedly portend misfortune. Without protection from a powerful ally, the sheer frequency of location exposures every three hours would make survival challenging.

However, in Lu Ye's hands, the possibilities for maneuver were far greater.

He was immensely grateful that he had immediately set up teleportation arrays, a full twelve of them.

His location being exposed didn't matter; he could simply teleport to the next array. At most, he'd lose one array. Over twelve hours, he might lose three or four, a perfectly acceptable trade-off for a golden Spirit Talisman.

What Lu Ye currently lacked were high-quality Spirit Talismans; he needed to boost his cultivation swiftly.

With this realization, his mood settled.