Longevity, starting from being a chicken raising servant Chapter 2407 - 205: Preparation

"Move faster, move faster!"

"Stop dawdling!"

"Listen up, everyone... Let me repeat! Under the command of the Ruins Master, starting today, every cultivator has to register. Whoever tries to hide will face the same fate as demonic monks—executed on the spot without any mercy!"

"On top of that, those who’ve hit the Unification Realm can head to the area around White Channel Yin’s Dojo. The Ruins Master will give lectures there from time to time, steering folks toward the path of the Tribulation-Transcending Realm..."

Within Zhang’s Ruins.

Across a bustling and shadowy cliff, countless caverns dotted the surface.

From deep inside each cavern, the presence of cultivators seeped out. At the openings, faint outlines of wary and on-guard figures lingered in the dim light.

The strength of these cultivators' auras differed widely.

Lower realms occupied spots nearer the base of the cliff.

Right at the cliff's peak, three caverns sat in a row. Just then, one figure emerged from each, their faces etched with wariness, caution, gravity, concern, and a hint of flattery...

In the empty space beyond the cliff, a handful of uniformly attired figures bellowed announcements about the latest upheavals in the ruins.

Among the trio soaring from the highest cavern, a Rogue Cultivator at the early Unification Realm stage approached warily, saluting the rest with cupped hands, then mustered a grin and remarked:

"Honored disciples of Golden Water Pond, I’ve been in closed-door cultivation lately and missed out on the ruins’ shifts. I didn’t realize the White Channel Yin Family had fallen under the Po Master’s control, and even Zhang’s Ruins got brought together by the Po Master; what a joyous event indeed."

At these words, the other cultivators scowled, their leader letting out a frosty huff:

"Cut the rubbish! The White Channel Yin Family... they’re allies on our side, nothing about control or surrender. The Po Master wouldn’t stoop to that—watch your mouth!"

The cultivator shuddered and hastily offered apologies.

He then ventured carefully:

"If it’s not about unifying Zhang’s Ruins, then who is this Ruins Master..."

"Keep your nose out of matters that don’t concern you!"

The leading cultivator snapped back, but paused upon noting the man’s solid realm and foundation, then murmured lowly:

"The Ruins Master is that True Man who blazed through the fray in the Cloud Sky Realm centuries back..."

Even the Po Master showed respect and held back from recklessness around that True Man. Aware of his own humble standing, he naturally avoided uttering the name lightly.

Still, the Rogue Cultivator remained puzzled:

"The Cloud Sky Realm clash? That True Man? Which one?"

Noticing the Rogue Cultivator’s blank stare, the Golden Water Pond disciple furrowed his brow slightly and decided to drop it.

Unlike the top ten powers safeguarding the eleven entrances to Zhang’s Ruins, these lone wanderers stayed far removed from the news, likely clueless about the mighty True Buddha’s clash in the Cloud Sky Realm ages ago, much less the feats of that True Man.

No use explaining more, and uninterested in wasting effort, he barked sharply:

"Stay out of it; just remember that Zhang’s Ruins now stand united under the revered ‘Taiyi’ banner of the Ruins Master. Out of mercy for wretches like you, he’ll grace you with personal teachings... Don’t embarrass yourself at Yin Ruins Arena, and don’t tarnish Golden Water Pond’s reputation!"

"Above all, don’t get upstaged by those Laowen Sect folks!"

"If I catch wind that you’re lagging behind Laowen Sect’s representatives, hmph..."

With another icy snort, the early Unification Realm Rogue Cultivator felt a weight settle in his chest, held his tongue, and nodded swiftly.

Such encounters unfolded across numerous spots in Zhang’s Ruins at once.

The top ten groups holding the passages didn’t merely guard their domains; in truth, nearly every faction maintained hidden setups far inside Zhang’s Ruins.

Resources in the ruins ran thin, yet Rogue Cultivators abounded.

These independents served as prime assets, whether for pill refining or grunt work...

Not even the White Channel Yin Family escaped this practice, snatching batches from the ruins now and then for forced labor.

In normal days, these entrenched divides held firm.

Yet, as the colossal menace of the supreme True Buddha edged closer to truth, those walls began to crack.

Thanks to Wang Ba’s unyielding push, the concealed Rogue Cultivators of the ruins now glimpsed chances from loftier heights, even if the journey stretched long and tough, hope flickered alive.

And from hope, staggering might could erupt...

Over the surface vents of Zhang’s Ruins, cultivator forms darted to and fro, quietly building array anchors.

The top ten powers, plus countless minor groups inside the ruins where Tribulation-Transcending Realm experts dwelled, hustled to erect these barriers against the supreme True Buddha’s coming assault.

Arrays, snares, killing strikes, hexes... every tactic got deployed.

The might wasn’t overwhelming, but it promised endless annoyance.

Though Rogue Cultivators paled against the mighty Sects, their grit and tenacity rivaled stubborn weeds, and guided by clever minds, they sparked unexpected ingenuity...

All efforts surged forward with urgency.

While in the ruins’ deepest heart, unseen by all.

Within the immense ‘sea’, a consciousness stirred from rest, quietly watching the frenzy and shifts inside and beyond the ruins, before turning its focus to a green-clad form in some immortal abode within, furrowing faintly:

"Why’s this fellow back here..."

"Not after my rundown shrine, is he?"

"Maybe I should drop a word?"

A brief urge flickered, yet recollection of something made it waver:

"This guy’s no easy mark; back in the day, those two almost... ah, better watch and wait!"