Longevity, starting from being a chicken raising servant Chapter 2433 - 213: Ruins_2

In essence, this proved to be a genuine self-rescue endeavor, and claiming rewards now comes as a delightful bonus. Unquestionably, nobody raises any protests.

With rewards allocated according to each person's input, Wang Ba at first pondered choosing a scapegoat to reinforce his dominance. Yet, upon observing the crowd's deferential demeanors and reflecting on the intense prior clash, since no one had defected to the foe during that time, he shook his head with regret and then gazed across the assembly, announcing gravely:

"Although we emerged victorious in this skirmish, it was only because the Supreme True Buddha remained ignorant of Zhang’s Ruins' unity, unaware that we could unite and unleash combined might, allowing us to exploit the opening... That said, from this fight onward, the Supreme True Buddha knows our hand, so if they strike back next, it will surely turn into a grueling and formidable battle."

These words caused everyone's faces to grow solemn, the thrill in their chests fading swiftly.

Noticing their shift, Wang Ba then offered a smile:

"But as Rogue Cultivators, we hold our edges. While we can't rival the Supreme True Buddha head-on, we excel with our vast array of techniques that leave them vulnerable. So, we ought to expand this strength following that logic. Moreover, our teamwork feels a bit raw; if we achieve flawless synchronization...

He merely pointed toward a path, since he truly lacked deep knowledge of how various groups managed their affairs.

Still, upon listening to Wang Ba's remarks, the cultivators all fell into thought, and shortly after, a spark appeared in their gazes.

They could naturally conceive of such ideas themselves, but their perspectives varied, and given their limited encounters with the Supreme True Buddha, their grasp remained rather superficial. Wang Ba, with his repeated dealings against the Supreme True Buddha's monks, drew from rich experience, so his advice struck right at the core.

After wrapping up this talk, though Wang Ba itched to head to the Cloud Sky Realm, he stayed patient and worked alongside the cultivators, carefully mending the outer formation of Zhang’s Ruins.

What caught Wang Ba off guard was how the earlier massive battle had cracked the millennia-old layer of tough debris on Zhang’s Ruins' surface, exposing the tougher rock underneath.

Even amid the fierce clashes of Bodhisattvas and Arhats, plus early and mid-stage Crossing Tribulations experts, not a single bit of that subterranean rock had been damaged.

"Zhang’s Ruins holds some enigmas..."

Wang Ba tested it himself with a Dao Domain strike, not at full power, yet he only scarred the resilient stone lightly, leaving him astonished.

With his present prowess, he could shatter most of the Cloud Sky Realm's Realm Membrane sans formation defenses, but it barely affected Zhang’s Ruins, which naturally astonished him.

"Likely soaked in Chaos Origin Substance over endless ages, its makeup has become utterly exceptional."

Taoist Friend Yin trailed after, offering this guess as he beheld the scene.

Wang Ba mulled it over briefly before inquiring:

"Back when I first arrived, a question lingered unasked, and it pops up again today... Why does it go by 'Zhang’s Ruins'?"

Typically, locations carry origins behind their names.

For instance, a spot like Wang San Bend gets its title from the many Wang clansfolk there and the path's three twists.

Straightforward and clear, instantly comprehensible.

But Zhang’s Ruins puzzles folks somewhat.

Hearing this, Taoist Friend Yin paused in surprise, furrowing his brow in contemplation for moments, then shook his head sheepishly:

"I really have no clue on that, Ruins Master. Hold on, I'll fetch Cheng Lianzi; he might hold the answer."

Wang Ba was on the verge of dismissing it with a gesture, but Taoist Friend Yin had already sent a voice transmission to Cheng Lianzi, who was off fixing formations with fellow cultivators. Cheng Lianzi hurried over at once, and after catching Wang Ba's query, he chuckled:

"Taoist Friend Yin being in the dark is expected; forget the Ruins Master, scarce few among all Zhang’s Ruins' cultivators know this."

Taoist Friend Yin replied with mild irritation:

"Then, do you know?"

"Of course."

Cheng Lianzi showed no false humility, then turned to Wang Ba and elaborated:

"Ruins carries various implications. One view holds it as '圩,' denoting a marketplace; legend says it started as a trading hub for Rogue Cultivators, hence 'Zhang’s Ruins' names a market called 'Zhang’s.'"

"Others claim this 'Ruins' signifies forsaken. It was once a Domain, but a catastrophe later dispersed the inhabitants, leaving the Domain in ruins, which echoes the 'Ruins' term, marking it as a deserted Domain."

"A forsaken Domain does sound plausible."

Wang Ba absorbed this, his expression turning thoughtful, before nodding faintly.

"The Ruins Master possesses keen judgment."

Cheng Lianzi tossed in a subtle compliment, then affirmed with a nod:

"Our Laowen Sect has endured across generations, standing as the most enduring faction in Zhang’s Ruins nowadays. Thus, it preserves numerous ancient lore, including one that recounts how, long in the past, at Realm Sea's edge, Jicang Abyss burst forth, birthing a Second Realm Sea that spanned across Jicang Abyss. Its force was overwhelming, shattering Domains and rending voids along its route, yet in the end, Realm Sea's laws confined it, leading to its demise; still, its undying remains floated through Realm Sea..."

Wang Ba's eyes flickered with mild shock, and he instinctively bowed his head to stare at the ground below:

"So, this place is the undying remains of the Second Realm Sea?"

In his thoughts, the outline of Zhang’s Ruins flashed, truly mimicking a creature's form. Calling it an undying corpse fit perfectly.

By now, Cheng Lianzi spoke with full conviction, holding nothing back:

"Our sect's Patriarch viewed it similarly. Only an immortal's form can birth a Domain and harbor cultivators. But after reaching Mahayana, his multiple delves turned up empty, filling him with remorse upon ascension. The magic treasure and horn I wield are relics our Patriarch unearthed in Zhang’s Ruins' depths."

As he continued, a sigh escaped him:

"The Patriarch bequeathed these pair of items, noting that grasping the 'horn' could pave the way to Mahayana. Sadly, succeeding generations proved unworthy, failing to decipher it. Since his era, nobody has advanced to late-stage Crossing Tribulation."

This revelation mildly startled Wang Ba:

"The horn resides inside Zhang’s Ruins too?"

He promptly remembered the earlier mention of this, though he'd been too occupied to heed it then.

With that in mind, another memory surfaced. When he triggered the horn, for a split second, his awareness plunged into an 'ocean.'

But the next moment, his awareness got shoved away abruptly...

Back then, he'd dismissed it as a fleeting vision, puzzled and attributing it to untimely fortune. Now, linking it to Cheng Lianzi's account, a slew of theories swirled in his head.

He couldn't resist glancing down once more at the unyielding stone underfoot. This time, whether from mindset or not, it genuinely appeared to bear skin-resembling patterns.

"Could Zhang’s Ruins... still possess life?"

He inevitably recalled prior words from Taoist Friend Yin and others: to dwell and cultivate in Zhang’s Ruins required approval from its core.

As for the core's nature, views differed widely.

Considering it anew, maybe deep inside Zhang’s Ruins lurked the immortal's lingering intent...

"Thus, my initial lack of 'core' approval wasn't mere chance, but why would the 'core' reject me?"

"What sets me apart from fellow cultivators?"

"Perhaps..."

A notion stirred within, and hazily, enlightenment dawned in his thoughts.

"Reluctant to interfere?"

"Or... fearful?"

His face stayed composed, while myriad ideas tangled in his mind.

In that instant, an urge to probe arose, but he ultimately curbed the impulse.

"Better to hold off, delay until later; since the being inside Zhang’s Ruins hasn't acted against me, it shows no hostility for the moment at least..."

His goal wasn't to bet on the entity's ongoing amity but to guarantee that, should hostility arise, he could withdraw unscathed.

Yet, eyeing the subtle marks on the stone at his feet, Wang Ba sensed the gap in this affair stretched far beyond expectations.

"Still, hope persists... If Zhang’s Ruins truly is an immortal's corpse per Cheng Lianzi, then Realm Sea's constraints bind it still, curbing any wild moves."

"Maybe that's precisely why it permits cultivators to reside on its form..."

"Hold on... that doesn't add up!"

"If Zhang’s Ruins just endured cultivators on its body, why demand 'core' acknowledgment?"

A cold epiphany hit Wang Ba, prompting him to glance instinctively at the throng of cultivators nearby, then at the ground beneath. He pondered the recognition required for cultivation in Zhang’s Ruins, the array of factions there with none reaching late-stage Crossing Tribulation, and his ejection from that 'ocean'...

In a flash, a terrifying notion crystallized:

"Does the presence buried in Zhang’s Ruins depths feed on these cultivators to sustain itself?!"