Chapter 912: Crack Sprays Treasure, Rushing to Be First

Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh! One after another, treasures shot out from the void island's fissure, carried by holy power. They came so fast it was hard to keep up.

Thump! Thump! Thump! Inside the Seventy-Two Segment Dragon Yuan Array, throne-level enforcers were sent reeling and spitting blood by the holy-powered treasures, only for their positions to be quickly filled. The array remained unbroken. These treasures could not escape this inescapable net. The treasures, imbued with only a faint trace of holy power, possessed impact force for only a single collision; afterward, they became ownerless and floated freely. Some treasures, incredibly sentient, tried to flee the moment they lost the holy power's restraint, but they were immediately captured by numerous enforcers.

“What’s going on?” Teng Shan Hai watched in astonishment. Why were so many priceless treasures, instead of ghostly beasts, gushing from the void island's fissure? Spirit artifacts, elixirs, rare treasures, ancient texts… It was as if a cornucopia, shattered into pieces, had collected all the treasures in the world and then exploded instantly. While protecting the array, the enforcers were making a fortune, their hands overflowing with items.

“Rao, Elder, can we keep some of these things?” an enforcer mumbled indistinctly, his eyes burning with eagerness, as he clutched three elixir bottles in his left hand, four ancient books in his right, and a first-grade broadsword in his mouth. While facing the torrent of treasures, everyone remained focused on their posts. Perhaps it was to maintain the Seventy-Two Segment Dragon Yuan Array, or perhaps it was because the enforcers had all undergone rigorous training. Otherwise, under such an extraordinary opportunity, everyone would surely descend into chaos, scrambling to snatch treasures.

“This…” Rao Yaoyao was equally surprised and uncertain. She turned her gaze to all the enforcers within the array. Almost instantly, as the flood of treasures surged forth, the enforcers used their hands, mouths, armpits—virtually every body part capable of holding something. However, the speed at which the treasures emerged far exceeded the enforcers’ ability to store them in their spatial rings. Some treasures, too sentient to be immediately subdued and stored in spatial rings, were confined by the enforcers using the array's power, preventing their escape. There were too many! The overwhelming torrent of treasures instantly flooded everyone's vision.

Rao Yaoyao watched in shock. What kind of tactic was this? Was it using treasures to awaken the greed of all the enforcers, then breaking them down one by one? A mature leader would not make a decision that would disappoint everyone at a crucial moment. Rao Yaoyao quickly made her decision: “All items must be intercepted. Take whatever you can for now, and for those you can’t, use the array’s power to confine them. Not a single treasure is to be let through!”

The enforcers were overjoyed. Even if they knew these items might have to be turned in later, the opportunities gushing from the void island's fissure were simply too many! Hiding one or two for themselves… or even bolder, thirty or forty—the authorities wouldn’t be able to tally them all after the war, right? Thousands of treasures almost instantly overwhelmed the rationality of the throne and Dao-Severing enforcers. There was no helping it. Sky City was most famous for its Saint Sealing Dao Foundation. This opportunity from the void island's fissure, even common sense would tell them what it implied.

Rao Yaoyao, seeing signs that everyone’s emotions were beginning to spiral out of control, immediately reprimanded them loudly: “Steady yourselves! Can a few minor first-grade treasures buy you off? You are Red Robes, White Robes, Holy Divine Guards! You represent the order of the Holy Divine Continent! Don’t forget, these things came from a spatial fissure. I ordered you to contain them because I feared ghostly beasts might be mixed among them, attempting to escape. Have you forgotten your mission?!”

This sudden reprimand finally brought everyone back to their senses. The enforcers within the grand array collectively broke out in a cold sweat. That’s right! These things came from a strange spatial fissure; could they be good? What enemy would send you a large number of treasures before a battle? There must be a trick! Unidentifiable things must be mixed in! Therefore, for the safety of the continent’s people, not a single one of these treasures could be let go, absolutely not! The enforcers “executed the command” like mad, regretting that they didn’t have two extra pairs of hands to collect the treasures more quickly.

Rao Yaoyao felt a jolt in her heart. Each first-grade spirit artifact and elixir flew out as if worthless, allowing her to clearly see the true reserves of Sky City and witness firsthand why the legend of “Sky City possessing a Saint Sealing Dao Foundation” always circulated on the continent. “It’s terrifying!” she thought. “To grow to the Throne Dao Realm, to sever the Dao, and to become Red Robes or White Robes—the character of these individuals is absolutely impeccable. Their ability to suppress greed is definitely top-tier in the world. But every spirit cultivator cannot suppress their own greed for the Dao. Everyone wants to stand upon the supreme throne, looking down on all beings—this is precisely why spirit cultivators cultivate. The existence of the inner void island perfectly exploited this point…” Rao Yaoyao vaguely understood the reason for this surge of treasures. Before the battle even began, her side’s morale was already largely destroyed.

In such a situation, if a ghostly beast were to truly emerge, who could make a calm judgment? Would they first strike the ghostly beast with their blades, or would they first open their mouths to snatch the elixir about to fly away? This was the question. Rao Yaoyao chose to believe the latter—to believe in the character of her own people. But then…

Just then, a throne-level enforcer, holding an ancient text, let out an uncontrolled shriek: “The last volume of ‘The Fragmented Fire Scripture’! Damn it, this is the final volume of the cultivation method I practice! How could it appear here?!” Everyone’s movements froze, and their eyes showed disbelief. ‘The Fragmented Fire Scripture’ might be an unfamiliar name to the people of the continent. But in the Red Robe and White Robe contribution point vaults, it was an incomplete holy-grade fire-element cultivation method, totaling eleven volumes, each requiring vast amounts of contribution points to exchange for. Now, the final volume of ‘The Fragmented Fire Scripture,’ which even the Red and White Robes couldn’t find within their own ranks, had appeared? And it was thrown out by the void island's fissure, as if it were trash?

All the enforcers went wild. “A holy-grade cultivation method!” “The eleventh volume of ‘The Fragmented Fire Scripture’? This can come out? What kind of luck do you have?!” “I also cultivate ‘The Fragmented Fire Scripture,’ this, this, this…” Someone almost lost control and started to move. “Holy crap, I got Saint’s Blood! A drop of Saint’s Blood!” Along with a cry of alarm amidst the uproar, question marks appeared above everyone’s heads, and they all turned to look. Saint’s Blood? This was a supreme treasure that even the heads of the six departments had to exchange for with contribution points, and which they had to carefully consider whether to use in battle—it had also appeared?

The greed that Rao Yaoyao had previously suppressed with a single word now surged forth wildly. Someone moved a foot, their body shifting slightly from the position required to maintain the grand array. It was only by a hair’s breadth, and the person immediately reacted, quickly returning to position. But Rao Yaoyao couldn’t hold back anymore.

“Watch your mouths… and your image!” she shouted, carefully choosing her words, not losing her composure like everyone else. After all, her identity and status were different. If she were a Throne-level cultivator, or one of these ordinary spirit cultivators, having to risk their lives for resources, and then unexpectedly obtaining the final volume of their own cultivation method or Saint’s Blood, her excitement would likely be no less than theirs. However, while she could empathize, military rules and discipline were indispensable. “Everyone… silence!” Rao Yaoyao swiftly drew the Profound Azure Divine Sword from her back. A low, suppressed voice, thick with anger and intense killing intent, echoed in all directions, finally bringing everyone to their senses.

It was over… At this moment, all the enforcers finally realized how out of line they had been. Sword Immortal Rao was right there. Treasure hunting was one thing, but how could discipline be disrupted? “What’s your name?” Rao Yaoyao first looked at the throne-level enforcer who had obtained the final volume of ‘The Fragmented Fire Scripture.’ She had to make an example of him. Cold sweat broke out on the enforcer’s forehead, and he humbly said, “Reporting to Sword Immortal, my subordinate is Zhao Nuo!” “Zhao Nuo, is it?” Rao Yaoyao snorted. She raised the Profound Azure Divine Sword, pointed its tip, and said coldly, “You are meritorious for obtaining ‘The Fragmented Fire Scripture,’ and this item may be yours. However, you have violated military discipline. As a further reward, after the war, you will train your cultivation method in the Red Robe ‘Fire Purgatory’ for three months!”

A carrot and a stick. The enforcers were struck dumb with fear. Fire Purgatory… This place belonged to the Red Robe prison; it was not a place for cultivation, and certainly not a reward as Sword Immortal Rao had put it, but a punishment! Three months in the Red Robe Fire Purgatory would break two thousand of your three thousand Dao insights, even if you were a Throne-level cultivator! Zhao Nuo felt his vision dim, but he could only bite the bullet and bow to accept the punishment, no longer daring to neglect his duties. “Does anyone else want to talk nonsense?” Rao Yaoyao swept her gaze coldly over everyone. The enforcers’ internal alarms blared. They were trembling, treading on thin ice, frantically collecting treasures while remaining silent, secretly counting their gains. They knew it was best to keep their acquisitions to themselves. The desire to share was truly harmful!

A short while later, after everyone settled down, the treasures gushing from the void island’s fissure seemed to have exhausted their force, and no more emerged. The few sporadic items that did appear were quickly “executed” by the enforcers at the front with fast hands. The remaining enforcers, while steadfastly maintaining their positions in the array, cursed inwardly at the "dog things," but kept a serious expression on their faces. “A close call…” Rao Yaoyao breathed a sigh of relief. The Seventy-Two Segment Dragon Yuan Array was indeed powerful; as long as there was a Throne Dao Realm cultivator, they could withstand the attack of a wisp of holy power, protected by the array’s strength, without losing their lives. Under everyone’s combined protection, not a single treasure was lost.

“Everyone, tally your gains.” Rao Yaoyao sternly instructed: “This concerns ghostly beasts, and it is of immense importance. If anyone conceals information, leading to a ghostly beast hiding on a treasure and eventually entering the Holy Divine Continent… you know the clan extermination rules!” The enforcers’ bodies trembled. Ghostly beasts… Indeed, ghostly beasts were too crucial. With so many treasures appearing, it couldn’t just be this strange spatial fissure simply giving gifts, could it? “Those affiliated with the Red Robes…” Rao Yaoyao raised her sword and swept it forward. “Take out your ‘Ghost Seeker Discs’ and verify each treasure for ghostly beast aura. If you miss one, concealing it is crime one. Failing to detect it is crime two. Both crimes are equally grave!” With that declaration, everyone again realized the importance of the matter, too terrified to say more, and abandoned the small schemes they had harbored during the treasure hunt.

The Red Robes stepped forward, leaving their array positions, but did not act immediately, waiting for Rao Yaoyao’s next instructions. How to check? Who checks whom? These were all questions. At such a critical moment, chaos was the greatest fear. If they acted carelessly, and something urgent happened, the array positions couldn’t be restored, that would be a major transgression! “Nightwatch.” Rao Yaoyao called out his name directly. Red Robe Nightwatch immediately stepped forward, somewhat surprised as to why Sword Immortal Rao had called on him. For Rao Yaoyao, she had to control the overall situation; it was impossible for her to arrange every minor detail herself. During the recent torrent of treasures, Nightwatch had performed calmly, simply carrying out the treasure collection task as ordered, and he had previously contributed by discovering the storyteller. Rao Yaoyao took only a glance before directly pointing at him and instructing: “You are to arrange the investigation of the ghostly beasts. Be warned: if there’s any movement, at my command, everyone must immediately return to position to maintain the grand array!” Nightwatch’s heart eased; so it was about this. “Yes!” He immediately responded and carried out the task.

Rao Yaoyao then turned her gaze towards the void island’s fissure, her expression growing solemn. No one knew the situation of the inner void island better than her. There should clearly be major movements happening inside; how could it be just this? Furthermore, had the torrent of treasures simply ended like this? “What’s the purpose?” Rao Yaoyao was perplexed by this maneuver. Every event, no matter how strange, had a purpose. But at the moment, she couldn’t understand the true intention behind the inner void island’s existence creating this flood of treasures. Was it merely to rot their morale? Probably not… The enemy was in plain sight, while they were in the dark. Currently, the most crucial thing was clearly to prepare for any further actions the inner void island might take. After all, if there was a first wave of treasures, would there be a second or third? Even if the first wave had no ghostly beasts, could it just be a smokescreen, allowing ghostly beasts to mix in and emerge later, passing off as genuine?

Just as she was pondering, powerful and chilling auras rapidly approached from the distant sky. All the enforcers present immediately became alert and turned to look. They saw that from the direction of East Heaven Royal City, a large group of Throne-level cultivators, Dao-Severing cultivators, and even Grand Void experts had gathered at some point and were flying towards the Yunlun Mountains.

“These people…” With just a glance, Rao Yaoyao deduced the identity of the newcomers. Over a hundred people from East Heaven Royal City approached like a swarm of bees, drawing near in an instant. There were monks, Daoists, old women in hemp robes, burly men… Without exception, the leaders among this group were all Dao-Severing cultivators or Grand Void experts, hailing from all corners of the land. Following behind them were some insignificant throne-level juniors. Even before they met, insincerely polite greetings wafted over from afar. “This humble Daoist greets Sword Immortal Rao.” “Wow, is this not Rao Yaoyao, the Red Robe Overseer, one of the Seven Sword Immortals, ranked twenty-fourth on the Peerless Beauty List, Rao Grand Void?” “Rao Peerless Beauty is as beautiful as a celestial maiden. In the past, I only heard her name but never saw her. Seeing her today, her charm is indeed overwhelming, outshining all generations. This humble woman is truly ashamed of herself.” “Greetings to Sword Immortal Rao…” “Hello, hello…”

Over ten Grand Voids led the way, flanked by dozens of Dao-Severing cultivators, with nearly a hundred Throne-level cultivators to fill out the ranks. This large group arrived with polite airs. As they approached, they made no effort to hide the greed in their eyes, continuously scanning the Red Robe side, where numerous treasures were being checked for ghostly beast aura with Ghost Seeker Discs. Even if the holy power had dissipated, its traces remained. With so many Dao-Severing and Grand Void experts coming for this, how could they not sense a thing? Rao Yaoyao gave these people no friendly glances. These were precisely the people who had been circling Sky City before, covetously eyeing and attempting to seize the elusive “Saint Sealing Dao Foundation.” However, old foxes remained old foxes; apart from a few Dao-Severing cultivators caught with evidence and temporarily apprehended, Grand Void experts rarely made a move, and even if they did, they concealed it so deeply that no traces were left behind. Rao Yaoyao knew these people wanted to sneak in, but she had no evidence to directly apprehend them. Facing the dozen or so Grand Voids, Rao Yaoyao coldly stated: “Spare me your false pleasantries. Gentlemen, why have you come?” “Sword Immortal Rao is being too distant, haha.” A Daoist stepped forward. Being a Grand Void, he had no fear of Rao Yaoyao. He said, “We came because we observed an anomaly in this spatial fissure. We wish to contribute a small effort, like a drop in the ocean, to assist our Red Robe colleagues in resisting the enemy.” Rao Yaoyao sneered, “If it’s merely a drop in the ocean, then it’s insignificant. Please return, gentlemen. The Red Robes do not need external aid.” “Ah, Sword Immortal Rao is being too much of a stranger,” the Daoist twirled his whisk, an unchanging gentle smile on his face. “The power of Grand Voids could at least lend Sword Immortal Rao a hand. With thirteen Grand Voids here, Sword Immortal Rao would effectively gain thirteen extra arms to defend this spatial fissure. Wouldn’t that be a wonderful thing?” Rao Yaoyao had no intention of playing word games with these old foxes. She cut straight to the chase: “Your assistance is false. It’s these holy-powered treasures you’re truly after, isn’t it?”