232: Chapter 231 This is a grand gathering of the demon race.

Flowing Fire Sect.

Qin Changsheng, Hu Nan, and Wang Cheng also arrived within the Flowing Fire Sect.

Because the Qingyun Ranking was about to open, many Cultivators had already gathered inside the Flowing Fire Sect.

These Cultivators gathered in groups of threes and fives, conversing in low, heated tones, their topics always revolving around the Qingyun Ranking and the Liuhuo Secret Realm.

“Have you heard? The number one spot on the Qingyun Ranking this time will definitely be the Flowing Fire Sect's top Prodigy, Shen Bing!”

“I don't think that's necessarily true. Hu Nan from the Heavenly Sword Sect is also very formidable!”

“Ling Hao from the Azure Cloud Sect is also a strong contender for the championship!”

“Moreover, there are many Spirit Medicines within that Secret Realm!”

The voices of the Cultivators rose and fell—some heatedly discussing the participating experts, some worrying about the dangers of the Secret Realm, and some yearning for the Secret Realm's Opportunities. Within the entire Flowing Fire Sect, there was both a bustling, noisy atmosphere and a hidden, invisible competition.

After Qin Changsheng entered the Flowing Fire Sect, he summoned the Heavenly Dao Intelligence trait and began his search.

[heavenly dao fragment: A special treasure that can upgrade a Golden Trait into a Golden Trait.]

[Held by: None]

[Location: Within the Flowing Fire Sect's treasury!]

[golden yellow grass: A spiritual rarity condensed from Heaven and Earth Spiritual Qi.]

[Held by: Chen Huan]

[Location: Within the Flowing Fire Sect]

Shortly after, two pieces of special information appeared on Qin Changsheng's attribute panel.

Looking at the information on the golden yellow grass, Qin Changsheng felt a hint of joy.

He hadn't expected that Chen Huan would actually have such a treasure for Core Formation.

Qin Changsheng also knew a bit about Chen Huan.

This Chen Huan was Shen Bing's follower.

Years ago, he had even challenged Hu Nan for Shen Bing's sake.

However, he had been defeated by Hu Nan in a single move.

Just as Qin Changsheng put away the Heavenly Dao Trait Intelligence, he spotted a familiar figure.

That person was the Soul Transformation Reincarnation, Chen Erniu.

Chen Erniu's figure flickered, and he arrived directly not far from Hu Nan.

“Brother Hu, follow me!” After Chen Erniu finished speaking, he hurriedly walked toward the distance.

Seeing Chen Erniu's actions, Qin Changsheng instantly knew that Chen Erniu likely had some urgent matter.

He did not hesitate, immediately controlling Hu Nan to quietly avoid the nearby Cultivators and, using the crowd as cover, slowly followed him.

Before long, Hu Nan and Chen Erniu arrived in front of a secluded guest room.

Chen Erniu stopped his pace and alertly scanned the surroundings. After confirming no one had noticed, he raised his hand and gently pushed open the wooden door of the guest room, waving at Hu Nan to signal him to enter.

Hu Nan nodded slightly and stepped into the guest room.

The guest room was simply furnished, with only a bed, a desk, and two chairs. The lighting was somewhat dim, but it was very quiet, clearly a secluded spot chosen intentionally.

Chen Erniu followed closely into the room, closed the wooden door behind him, and used his spiritual power to set up a simple soundproofing barrier. Only then did he turn around to look at Hu Nan, the expression on his face gradually becoming solemn.

“Brother Hu, sit!” Chen Erniu said, pointing to the chair opposite him.

After Hu Nan sat down, Chen Erniu poured him a cup of tea.

“Brother Hu, now that Cultivators from all sides have gathered at the Flowing Fire Sect for the Qingyun Ranking, I wonder how you view this Qingyun Ranking hosted by the Flowing Fire Sect?” Chen Erniu asked.

Hu Nan set down his teacup and said, “This Qingyun Ranking is a once-in-twenty-years grand gathering for the Southern Region Cultivation World. It brings together Cultivators from all sides, allowing one to temper oneself and promoting exchange between various Sects and Cultivators. It can be considered a major event for the Southern Region Cultivation World.”

But upon hearing Hu Nan's words, Chen Erniu suddenly burst out laughing.

“Brother Chen, why are you laughing?” Hu Nan asked in return.

“Brother Hu, we are both Soul Transformation Reincarnations!” Chen Erniu glanced at Hu Nan and continued, “Why bother being so evasive?”

“Oh, so Brother Chen has also seen through it?” Hu Nan asked, following Chen Erniu's lead.

“Indeed!” Chen Erniu nodded and said, “This Qingyun Ranking is indeed a grand gathering!”

“However, it is merely a grand gathering for the Yao Race!”

Hearing Chen Erniu's words, a trace of surprise flashed in the eyes of Qin Changsheng, who was far away in a tavern.

One must know that this Qingyun Ranking had always been a grand gathering hosted by the Flowing Fire Sect.

How did it become a grand gathering for the Yao Race in Chen Erniu's mouth?

Could there be a Yao Race conspiracy hidden within the Liuhuo Secret Realm?

Or could it be that the hosting of the Qingyun Ranking itself has an unknown connection with the Yao Race?

Countless questions rose in Qin Changsheng's heart. He had originally thought Chen Erniu only had secrets about the Secret Realm or clues about Core Formation medicinal ingredients to share, but he never imagined the other party would throw out such a shocking claim.

Inside the guest room, Chen Erniu continued, “Brother Hu, this Liuhuo Secret Realm may seem like a place of Opportunity for human Cultivators, but in reality, it has long been secretly infiltrated by the Yao Race. This Qingyun Ranking is nothing more than a trap laid by the Yao Race...”

“A trap by the Yao Race?” Hu Nan looked at Chen Erniu with some confusion.

Chen Erniu nodded and then said, “Brother Hu, do you still remember the Prodigies from the previous sessions of the Qingyun Ranking?”

Hu Nan set down his wine cup and slowly nodded.

Regarding those Prodigies, Qin Changsheng had specifically looked up the records of previous Qingyun Rankings. Those top-ranked Prodigies were all outstanding figures in the Southern Region Cultivation World, with extraordinary Aptitude and profound cultivation, and they had once been quite famous.

Moreover, all of those Prodigies had returned alive; there were seemingly no issues at all.

Seeing Hu Nan nod, Chen Erniu then spoke, “Since Brother Hu remembers, then you should know that the top ten Prodigies of the previous Qingyun Rankings, no matter how glorious they were back then, ultimately all died during their Golden Core Breakthrough.”

Hearing Hu Nan's words, Qin Changsheng instantly thought of Senior Brother Zhang Wu.

That Zhang Wu was the fifth-ranked Prodigy on the previous Qingyun Ranking.

He had died during his Golden Core Breakthrough.

Furthermore, Qin Changsheng had heard that a Prodigy from the Azure Cloud Sect had also perished.

When he heard that news, Qin Changsheng hadn't paid much attention to it.

At that time, he only treated it as an isolated case, but hearing Chen Erniu say it this way—that the top ten Prodigies of previous sessions all perished during their Golden Core Breakthrough—it was definitely no coincidence.

“Brother Chen, what does this have to do with the Yao Race?” Hu Nan asked.

With a wave of Chen Erniu's hand, a map appeared on the table.

This map was exactly the same as the one Senior Brother Wu Yong had sold to him.

“Brother Hu, do you know why there is nothing at all on the northernmost part of this map?” Chen Erniu asked, pointing at the map.

“The north is extremely dangerous, so there are no markings?” Hu Nan said.

“Hehe!” Chen Erniu chuckled and pointed his finger at the north, saying, “In the northernmost part of the Liuhuo Secret Realm, a hidden altar is concealed.”

“That altar was secretly placed there by the Yao Race.”

“Furthermore, the maps were also drawn by people of the Yao Race!”

“They don't mark the north so that human Cultivators won't go there!”

Hearing Chen Erniu's words, Qin Changsheng was also extremely startled.

He had originally wondered why there were no markings for the north.

To think that an altar was actually hidden in the north.

And it was a Yao Race altar at that.

“Once that altar is activated, it continuously emits a special gas!”

“This gas is colorless and odorless; ordinary Cultivators simply cannot detect it. Moreover, it has no special effect on a daily basis—it neither damages one's cultivation nor causes discomfort—so Cultivators entering the Secret Realm won't care at all.”

Hu Nan asked in a heavy voice, “Since this gas has no special effect, what purpose does the Yao Race have for setting up the altar?”

Chen Erniu spoke, “On the surface it has no effect, but in reality, it hides a killing intent.”

“This gas is a cursed Qi released by the Yao Race altar. As long as a Cultivator stays within the Liuhuo Secret Realm for a full three days, they will be cursed.”

“This curse is extremely well-hidden. It usually lies dormant within the Cultivator's body without any danger, and the Cultivator themselves cannot detect it. But once the Cultivator attempts to charge into the Golden Core Realm, the curse will instantly erupt, triggering a Heart Demon.”

Chen Erniu shook his head and said, “The Golden Core Realm Breakthrough is already dangerous, and the Heart Demon is the greatest obstacle. Not to mention a Heart Demon triggered by this specially-made Yao Race curse—it simply cannot be suppressed.”

“Those Southern Region Prodigies from the previous Qingyun Rankings all stayed in the Secret Realm for a full three days and were plagued by the curse. Ultimately, during their Golden Core Breakthrough, their Heart Demons erupted, causing them to either explode and die or suffer Qi Deviation and have their Soul Flying Away and Spirit Scattering. Not a single one was spared.”

Qin Changsheng, far away in the tavern, already had a sea of turmoil in his heart as he instantly understood all the causes and consequences.

The Liuhuo Secret Realm was a trap, the Qingyun Ranking was the bait. The Yao Race used the name of a grand gathering to lure Prodigies from all sides into the Secret Realm to be plagued by the curse, eventually perishing during their Golden Core Breakthrough. Their sinister intentions were appalling.

In a matter of moments, Qin Changsheng had already seen through the true purpose of this grand game of chess laid by the Yao Race.

The reason the Yao Race went to the trouble of setting up an altar in the northernmost part of the Liuhuo Secret Realm to release hidden cursed Qi and lure various human Prodigies into the Realm to be cursed was definitely not as simple as just getting rid of a few Prodigies.

Their ambition was far more massive than anyone could imagine.

The core purpose of the Yao Race doing this was only one: to sever the possibility of human Cultivators breaking through to the Golden Core Realm.

The Golden Core Realm is an important threshold on the path of cultivation. Breaking through to Golden Core means a massive increase in cultivation, allowing one to truly become a mainstay of the cultivation world and protect a portion of the Human Race's territory.

And the top ten Prodigies of the previous Qingyun Rankings were all the most talented humans with the most hope of breaking through to Golden Core. The Yao Race targeted these Prodigies and used the curse to strangle them at the critical moment of their Golden Core Breakthrough, intending to sever the hope of the Human Race from its very source.

Imagine if all the top-tier Prodigies of the Human Race perished during their Golden Core Breakthrough; the remaining Cultivators would either have mediocre Aptitude or insufficient Foundation, making it difficult to break through to Golden Core.

Meanwhile, the Yao Race could focus on their bitter cultivation in secret, with a steady stream of Cultivators breaking through to Golden Core or even charging toward higher Realms.

Between this increase and decrease, the gap would grow larger and larger.

Over time, the number of powerhouses among human Cultivators who could reach the Golden Core Realm would become fewer and fewer, and the power protecting the Human Race would weaken day by day. Conversely, the Yao Race's Golden Core powerhouses would continuously increase, their strength becoming ever more formidable, and the strength gap between the two sides would be infinitely widened.

Once the strength of human Cultivators plummeted and they lost the capital to contend with the Yao Race, the Yao Race could, without any effort, march their armies south, easily wipe out the Human Race, seize the human territories, and turn all human Cultivators into their slaves.

Having thought through this layer, the chill in Qin Changsheng's heart grew even deeper.