Cultivation is just so scientific! Chapter 1394: 743: Exploration (Part 2)

They understood perfectly that within the confines of this Grotto Heaven, the Sword Intent Chongxiao Pavilion was the most reliable sanctuary should they face any peril.

Furthermore, the five Mid-stage Golden Corpses provided by Li Yuanba were each formidable enough to be considered the peak of power beneath the level of a Great Cultivator.

The vanguard consisted of Central State Commerce, the Infinite Sect, and the Beidou Sect. Their elite core Cultivators led the charge, racing forward with every ounce of their strength.

Blinded by the prospect of wealth, they frequently stumbled upon exposed fourth-grade resources during their frantic advance.

Because this Grotto Heaven had remained sealed for millennia, its internal environment was brimming with natural riches. If they were to begin excavations in this region immediately, they could likely harvest a vast quantity of fourth-grade materials.

However, their avarice knew no bounds. They reasoned that since fourth-grade resources were scattered across the surface here, the inner sanctums—where the Langcai Great Power once resided—must be overflowing with even higher concentrations of such treasures.

Their vision, however, was still too narrow. In truth, every single object within the residence of the Langcai Great Power was of the absolute highest fourth-grade quality.

Leading the Nascent Soul Middle Stage Practitioners of the Infinite Sect, Che Lian surged past the team from Central State Commerce. A blue radiance shimmered on the legs of the Infinite Sect practitioners, the unmistakable sign of High-level Acceleration Talismans in use.

To gain the upper hand in speed, the Infinite Sect had utilized group-targeted High-level Acceleration Talismans.

“Yin Chang, I shall see you at the front!” Che Lian shouted with a laugh.

Shortly after overtaking Central State Commerce, he struck a space barrier head-on.

Before him lay a shimmering golden sea of flowers. Despite being a Nascent Soul Middle Stage Practitioner and a core member of a superpower, he was typically immune to the lure of gold.

Nevertheless, the sight of the golden floral expanse momentarily stunned him.

Without the Grotto Heaven’s concealment, every stalk in that golden sea radiated its exceptional quality.

He paused, debating whether to harvest these golden flower stalks or press further into the interior.

“We will break through first and decide later!” He reached a decision, waving his hand to lead his companions into the air toward the far side of the floral sea.

As they hovered above, the sea of flowers began to sway.

Countless petals ascended into the sky, colliding with one another in mid-air. With every impact, the petals gained incredible velocity.

In moments, these petals transformed into a swarm of razor-sharp blades, slicing toward Che Lian and the other Nascent Soul Middle Stage Practitioners of the Infinite Sect.

“Defend! Activate all defenses!” Although the Infinite Sect practitioners were moving at high speeds, they were not without protection; however, it was soon evident that their current shields were insufficient against the barrage of petals.

The innate cutting force of the petals remained potent. Even amidst the chaotic state of the Grotto Heaven, they required no direction from a Cave Heaven Artifact Spirit, attacking with pure, lethal instinct.

“Ah!” A scream pierced the air as the first Nascent Soul Middle Stage Practitioner’s defense shattered.

Only Five Breath Time had passed from the start of the assault to the collapse of the first defense.

The offensive power of the petal sea had not even reached its peak yet, as each collision continued to increase the speed and lethality of the petals.

The fact that Nascent Soul Middle Stage Practitioners were already failing to resist within five breaths demonstrated the terrifying power of this floral expanse.

In truth, regardless of how robust a Cultivator's defense might be, enduring so many simultaneous strikes was impossible.

Each individual petal whittled away at their protective Qi, and under the relentless slicing of thousands of petals, their defenses plummeted to critical levels.

The body of the first Nascent Soul Middle Stage Practitioner was shredded into fragments. Before the remains could even hit the ground, a second practitioner met the same gruesome end.

A chorus of agonized cries followed, each signifying the sudden demise of a Nascent Soul Middle Stage Practitioner.

Realizing they were in mortal danger, Che Lian and several other core members of the Infinite Sect desperately activated their life-saving Jade Talismans. They vanished from the sky above the flowers and reappeared at the edge of the space barrier where they had first entered, safely out of range.

The surviving core practitioners traded looks, the lingering terror visible in their eyes.

They shared a bitter smile, knowing the losses were catastrophic, even if those who perished were only the ordinary Nascent Soul Middle Stage Practitioners of the Infinite Sect.

Still, even ordinary practitioners of that level constitute the backbone of any Sect.

In the world of Cultivation, a Great Cultivator is rarely called into action. Daily operations and Sect affairs are typically managed by Nascent Soul Middle Stage Practitioners; their numbers define the limit of a Sect's influence and operational capacity.

Losing so many practitioners at once might not break the Infinite Sect, but it would certainly hinder their ability to compete for future interests.

Just then, the Beidou Sect and Central State Commerce crossed the space barrier. Chang Qing and Yin Chang looked at the remaining Infinite Sect core members with confusion.

By this time, the sea of flowers—having consumed the rest of the Infinite Sect’s practitioners—had returned to its peaceful state.

Not a single trace of the fallen remained; they had been sliced so finely that the flower sea absorbed them entirely upon contact with the soil.

“Where is the rest of your group?” Yin Chang asked, his eyes shifting between Che Lian and the golden flowers suspiciously.

He sensed something was wrong; why else would Che Lian, who had been so eager earlier, be standing still now?

“I sent them ahead; we stayed behind to harvest these stalks!” Che Lian lied without blinking.

“Since when did you become so selfless?” Chang Qing of the Beidou Sect sneered.

Chang Qing and Yin Chang ceased their interrogation, knowing Che Lian would never offer the truth.

They turned their attention to the golden sea, hesitated for a moment, and then each ordered a Nascent Soul Middle Stage Practitioner from their respective groups to investigate.

The two chosen practitioners had no choice but to obey. They layered themselves in multiple defensive barriers and stepped into the flowers.

After only a few moments, the petals began to dance. Within breaths, both practitioners were reduced to tiny fragments that vanished into the golden expanse.

“Hiss!” A collective gasp went up from the gathered Nascent Soul Middle Stage Practitioners.

The beautiful floral sea was revealed to be nothing more than a carnivorous maw.

They finally realized the fate of the missing Infinite Sect members and cast disdainful looks at Che Lian, whose deception had just cost two more lives.

As those two practitioners were being torn apart, more Cultivators from other superpowers arrived, witnessing the sheer brutality of the flower sea.

Gradually, a crowd of Nascent Soul Middle Stage Practitioners formed, all wary of the lethal blossoms.

“We are turning back!” Wu Qi declared after observing the danger. He made no attempt to force a passage.

Although the Mid-stage Golden Corpses were powerful, he would not risk Li Yuanba’s treasures; he could tell that even those corpses might not survive the crossing.

Upon hearing Wu Qi’s command, the Sword Cultivators turned to depart.

The previous area still contained many unsearched spots, and they had already found several fourth-grade resources just by passing through.

There were even high-grade fourth-grade gold ores available. Rather than wasting time on an impassable barrier, it was better to return to the safer zones where the risks were manageable.

The Sword Intent Chongxiao Pavilion led the retreat, followed by Luanyang Palace, Da Leiyin Temple, the Guiyuan Sect, and the Feiyu Sect. They all chose to seek the tangible wealth of the previous space.

Unlike this deadly flower sea, there was no guarantee of what lay on the other side, even if they survived the crossing.

Furthermore, knowing Li Yuanba had already made it across meant that any treasures on the far side were likely already in his possession.

Even if they all moved forward together, they lacked the confidence to seize anything from Li Yuanba’s hands.

They had seen his power; the mere fact that Li Yuanba could navigate such a terrifying obstacle was enough to kill any lingering greed within them.