Chapter 517: Chapter 363: The Chaos of Qu Hong, Leaving the Pass!

Master Zhong doesn’t have many disciples.

Zhao Wen looked at the new refugees outside, his eyes showing a trace of compassion.

He said to the servant beside him, "Go and distribute some food."

Zhao Wen sighed softly. He was born in the secular world and never thought he would see such a day in the Qu Hong Cultivation Realm.

But there’s not much he can do.

In the distance, there were sounds of arguing.

Someone wanted more refugees to come here, but the people from the Business Alliance refused.

"With such a kind heart, why become a Cultivator? Wouldn’t being a great philanthropist or knight in the secular world suit you better?"

"Don’t forget we are part of the Business Alliance! We are merchants!"

"Born to pursue profit!"

The confident young member of the Business Alliance scornfully rebuked the cultivator before him.

Zhao Wen just took a look without saying more.

He, like his master, would step in to help if something happened right in front of him, but he wouldn’t sacrifice himself for unrealistic ventures.

Zhao Wen merely sighed.

If he had his master’s status, he wouldn’t need to sigh at such a moment.

Zhao Wen quickly returned to the Divine Strategy Pavilion to continue practicing arrays.

He wasn’t as talented as his master and could only practice repeatedly to improve his skills.

A few days passed, and Zhao Wen suddenly heard that the Business Alliance began to recruit ordinary people.

Zhao Wen felt not much joy; instead, he sensed something unusual.

In the market, the lives of cultivators remained as usual, with little fluctuation.

The Independent Cultivator Alliance and the Three Major Business Alliances remained neutral. Perhaps some cultivators were involved, but the main forces stayed out.

Some even took this chance to hawk war resources, earning a significant profit.

If this war could last for decades, the Three Major Business Alliances might completely free themselves from the control of the Nine Sects.

Walking down the street, Zhao Wen felt increasingly uneasy.

"Very unusual..."

"First the Nine Sects war, Qu Hong Cultivation Realm’s forces have always been balanced. How could it suddenly wage war..."

"My master taught me if something unusual happens, seek to understand the motives..."

"What could be the motive..."

Zhao Wen exchanged thoughts with his close friends.

"Moreover, when the war started, both sides realizing they were evenly matched? How can that be..."

"Forget it, Brother Zhao, why bother with all this. Report it to Master Zhong when he emerges. Let him handle it."

"Indeed, Master Zhong is breaking through to Golden Core. If successful, you’ll have a True Master level mentor..."

"That would be remarkable."

"When the sky falls, the tall will hold it up, Master Zhong is that tall figure. What are you worried about?"

Zhao Wen shook his head and said, "There’s nothing we can do about these matters yet."

"But everyone, you’ve noticed the recent oddity with the Business Alliance, right..."

"They’ve begun to take in refugees..."

"It’s odd, definitely odd, unusual events must have a cause."

"Brother Zhao, your saying reminds me of a not-so-close friend who kept saying the Business Alliance was up to something. His family member was accepted by them and then disappeared..."

Zhao Wen, being outgoing and humble, had many friends.

These friends gossiped, sharing some clues.

Zhao Wen furrowed his brows.

After the gathering dispersed, Zhao Wen located two or three of his closest friends.

"This is the Black Tortoise Sea Array granted by my master, with hidden defenses rivaling a Tier Three Array. Would you be willing to join me for a probe?"

[Behind the war seems to be an unseen hand manipulating everything.]

[Your disciple Zhao Wen seems to have noticed something amiss.]

[He plans to investigate the oddities within the Business Alliance.]

[As your disciple, Zhao Wen holds significant authority within the Business Alliance, and with the protective array you granted him, he has indeed uncovered some secrets.]

"Here’s the list for this time."

"Go check it out, and remember to gather the Spirit Stones."

"No problem."

A few black-clothed men whispered in the marketplace, then headed to an underground chamber.

The underground chamber was heavily guarded by layers of arrays.

Suddenly, these black-clothed men froze and collapsed.

Zhao Wen and others appeared behind them.

"Underground chamber... there’s such a place in Three Clouds Market..."

Zhao Wen frowned, stepping over the fallen black-clothed men, pushing open the underground chamber door.

There were numerous array protections.

Without the correct handprint and token, one could not pass.

But now, the entire Hundred Stars Alliance’s arrays were almost monopolized by the Divine Strategy Pavilion. Even those few external array masters they hired ended up being admirers of Master Zhong.

Zhao Wen picked up the token from a black-clothed man, and with ease, dismantled the arrays.

"This!!!"

Several stark naked figures were reflected in Zhao Wen’s pupils.

Within the vast basement were numerous bodies hanging like pork.

The bodies, neatly cut and hung, dripped blood onto the ground, absorbed by red carpets of runners like vines.

"Hundred Stars Alliance!!!" Zhao Wen gritted his teeth.

"A gentleman loves wealth but acquires it properly."

"How could they do such things!!!"

Zhao Wen’s eyes were almost bloodshot.

This slaughter of compatriots would anger any normal-hearted person.

Yet behind Zhao Wen was nothing but silence.

He turned abruptly, discovering two stark naked bodies hung like the others, akin to pork.

The heads were unmistakably his companions, their expressions full of terror, dying without closure.

A huge shadow loomed over Zhao Wen.

"How do you handle things, being discovered..."

"It’s Zhong Heng’s people, killing them would alert them; Zhong Heng’s disciples have Life Tokens."

"The kid’s lucky, having a good master."

"But what does it matter?"

"War is about to expand."

"Then, our plan will succeed."

"The entire Qu Hong Cultivation Realm will be thoroughly reshuffled; a mere array master?"

"Even if he’s famous, what does it matter. Not just this kid, but even his master will hang here..."

Laughter echoed menacingly in the dark underground chamber.

[Your disciple Zhao Wen’s disappearance doesn’t cause much stir; it’s common for cultivators to travel, and with the Life Token intact, the Divine Strategy Pavilion won’t intervene.]

[Meanwhile, the war further expands.]

[In the year five thousand one hundred thirty-one of the New Source Era, December, secular battlefields slowly divided into two major factions, Celestial Sand King and Sword Killing King, the two sides are in a stalemate.]

[Meanwhile, in the Cultivation Battlefield, the war continuously expands.]

[Shallow Cloud Mountain focuses its breakthrough efforts towards Wandering Dragon Sword Sect, seemingly after something within the sect.]

[Early in the year five thousand one hundred thirty-two of the New Source Era, a mysterious assassin attacked Wandering Dragon Sword Sect, severely wounding Sunx Yue, and another True Master fell.]

[Shallow Cloud Mountain sacrifices a True Master, and blood sacrifices Twelve Foundation Establishment cultivators, to invade Wandering Dragon Sword Sect.]

[A great battle erupted at Wandering Dragon Sword Sect, from Qi Refining to Golden Core, everyone fought with full strength; the array you researched was fully activated.]

[That day, Wandering Dragon Sword Sect’s main peak was razed; no one knows what Shallow Cloud Mountain acquired or how many True Masters they lost, but Wandering Dragon Sword Sect was nearly annihilated.]

[On the same day, Gold Devouring Sect and Qingfeng Valley were attacked by mysterious powerhouses, numerous disciples perished.]

[Apart from the Golden Core True Masters and several Foundation Establishment cultivators outside, no one else survived; even two guarding Golden Core masters perished.]

[Demon Heaven Valley established, declaring war on the Nine Sects.]

[At the end of the year five thousand one hundred thirty-two of the New Source Era, you break through to Golden Core and emerge!]