Dual Cultivation God Returns Chapter 1090: Why are you here?

Lu Bihai observed the Elders of the Ember Palm Pavilion, their once confident and triumphant facade crumbling into utter helplessness and misery. Yet, he understood this wasn't the conclusion.

He recognized that their current predicament was intended as a lesson for him; he wasn't so naive as to believe his conversation with Wei Yuanjie encompassed the entirety of the 'message' regarding the perils of betraying the Eternal Duality Valley.

Therefore, he knew no mercy would be shown to them once this was concluded.

At this moment, eliminating the three of them would be inconvenient for the Eternal Duality Valley, as it would disrupt the entire Sect competition.

Should the entire leadership of local forces, dispatched according to the agreement between the three Sects, perish under mysterious circumstances, the Ember Palm Pavilion would undoubtedly pursue an investigation and dispatch replacements. This action would inevitably provoke objections from the other two major Sects, as the dispatched forces were meant to operate autonomously and within set limitations.

Such a situation would likely ignite a convoluted dispute, prolonging the matter and increasing its complexity.

The opportune moment to resolve this dilemma cleanly, without the interference of the three main Sects or providing them any grounds for objection regarding the outcome, was precisely now, while the agreement remained valid and the main Sects had no avenues for intervention.

This strategic consideration was the sole reason the three Elders remained alive even before tonight, and even more so now that they had lost their final shred of usefulness.

Lu Bihai watched them, fully cognizant of these realities.

He also knew, all the while, that they had possessed a chance for success.

If only they hadn't overestimated their capabilities, if only they had acted as proper partners, if only they could see beyond immediate gains to the long-term future.

This auction could have been a moment of genuine triumph for them, yielding sustained benefits for a considerable period.

Now, their easily avoidable downfall was difficult to witness without a measure of pity.

Yet, Lu Bihai did not avert his gaze.

On the contrary, he watched with intense focus, absorbing the lesson to firmly etch it into his mind, ensuring he would never forget, never become like them, never falter in the same manner.

It was this very gaze that the three Elders perceived in his eyes, confirming their suspicion that he was allied with the Eternal Duality Valley against them. However, he remained indifferent. They were powerless against him; they could not retaliate or seek vengeance.

While they had lost their leverage over the Eternal Duality Valley, who had now openly declared their origins as ascenders from the Battle God’s Cradle, the Eternal Duality Valley still held considerable sway over them.

After all, the three Elders had been bribed.

Although they had not conspired against their own Sect, as the arrangement was intended to solely benefit the Ember Palm Pavilion—with their gains accruing on top of the Sect's advantages without significant cost—now that the deal was shattered, it was a simple matter to portray their clandestine cooperation with the Eternal Duality Valley as a complete act of betrayal against their own Sect.

The outcome of this very night spoke volumes, casting them in a highly unfavorable and guilty light.

They would already face interrogation from their primary Sect regarding the precipitous increase in their cultivation levels. Luck might allow them to provide a plausible explanation.

However, should their secret arrangement with the Eternal Duality Valley ever come to light, their ruin would be absolute.

Meanwhile, Ko Wenlu and Ko Furen observed the unfolding events with a distinct lack of outward shock. It wasn't that the occurrences failed to surprise or even alarm them, as these were significant developments crucial to their father’s interests, but the overwhelming magnitude of the preceding incident had rendered them emotionally numb to most other matters; they were already inundated.

They sensed numerous eyes within the auction hall fixated upon them, and they knew that the entire city would soon be abuzz with speculation regarding whether the City Lord's Manor possessed other concealed treasures, perhaps discovered alongside the painting or acquired from the same vendor.

The severe misstep made by Ko Wenlu today now loomed like an immense threat over the entire City Lord's Manor, and neither of them could fathom how they would rectify it, let alone report it to their father.

Consequently, in comparison, the abrupt shift in the direction of the three Sects' competition, and the involvement of the newly emerged Eternal Duality Valley, did not seem as significant as it ordinarily would have—and it wasn't as though they could exert any influence over the situation.

The only noteworthy aspect was that countless mercenaries, having lost the opportunity to participate in the grand conflict between the three Sects which had now transformed into a contained tournament, found themselves with nothing to do. It was highly probable that many among them would be those greedily coveting the Ko family's assets.

The long-established fact that the Ko Family possessed a powerful artifact, one that drew unwanted attention, combined with the painting acquired tonight, established a pattern: this ancient family, even by cultivation world standards, owned precious treasures.

Wu Long, hidden by his mask, felt a measure of satisfaction with the auction's success. 'I'd say it was quite a perfe-...'

His thought was cut short as a tremor originated from below, shaking the very world and alerting everyone to a powerful earthquake engulfing the entire continent.

The spiritual Qi became intensely agitated, its flows and currents dissolving into utter, disorganized chaos.

A look of shock crossed Wu Long's masked face as he sensed a familiar wisp of Qi, one that should not have been present.

"Wu Long," Fen Baihu materialized beside him, unseen by others. Her voice was laced with confusion, concern, and a hint of fear.

"It's alright, Baihu," Wu Long reassured her, placing a hand on her cheek. His gaze, however, shifted, and his eyes widened.

Reflected within his Chaos Origin Eyes was a colossal vortex consuming the entire sky above the continent. It manifested as chaos itself, its mere presence causing cultivators and mortals alike to tremble. Space and time warped and fractured within its moving walls, colossal torrents of Qi twisting and folding upon themselves, threatening to tear apart anything in their path. The vortex's center remained unnervingly still, an abyss that defied perception, yet seemed to draw in anyone who dared to look.

"Baihu, prepare to evacuate everyone," Wu Long instructed, his expression grave. He vanished into a side passage amidst the panicked crowd surging towards the exits to witness the unfolding events. Once out of sight, he dissolved into a cloud of dark mist.

The tremors escalated, and an overwhelmingly oppressive force began to bear down upon the entire continent – no, the entire world. Ferocious winds tore through the land, sending unsecured objects hurtling through the air as if an extreme hurricane had simultaneously descended everywhere.

This was a spatial rift, a gateway between disparate Boundless Worlds. However, Wu Long had never encountered one of such immense power and scale.

The true problem lay in the destination of this connection.

The relentless pressure caused all mortals on the continent to faint. Even cultivators below the Mortal Transcendence Realm met the same fate. Only those within the Seven Profound Realms could barely cling to consciousness, though even they were gradually succumbing.

Wu Long reappeared high in the sky, employing concealing techniques. He battled formidable winds of air, Qi, and pressure, yet persevered, struggling to maintain his position as glowing patterns flickered in his eyes as he peered into the vortex's heart.

Then, disbelief registered on his face. He froze. The violent Qi currents shoved him, catching him off guard. In the next instant, he transformed into a streak of dark mist, outshining a bolt of lightning as he shot upward and sideways, hurtling towards the vortex's core, far from Silver Wing City.

The cultivators who retained their consciousness and observed the bizarre, colossal phenomenon in the heavens soon witnessed a figure emerge from the vortex. A solitary silhouette, like a kite with severed strings, plummeted downwards the moment it appeared.

In the blink of an eye, that figure vanished without a trace.

The reason for this was Wu Long, who intercepted it and immediately shielded it from external view.

Holding a woman, covered in blood and wounds, with utmost care in his arms, a hoarse, trembling voice escaped his lips, "X-Xinyi..."

His eyes conveyed sheer disbelief, struggling to comprehend the reality before him. Yet, the sensation of the delicate body in his embrace affirmed it. "Hong Xinyi... why are you here?"