Chapter 148 - The Ruined Hall and the Ancient Greenhouse
Chapter 148: Chapter 148 - The Ruined Hall and the Ancient Greenhouse
The group moved toward the faint glow deeper inside the ruined structure.
The stone corridor was wider than expected.
Although dust covered the ground and cracks stretched across the walls, the structure itself had not completely collapsed. Old formation lines ran along the floor like dried river veins.
After stepping fully inside, several cultivators immediately noticed the difference.
"There is no miasma here."
"My spiritual sense..."
"It works again."
One by one, they released their spiritual senses carefully.
A few people finally released breaths they had been holding.
The place was ruined. But compared to the basin outside, it almost felt safe.
The faint glow came from the center of the hall.
It was a formation array.
Most of the formation lines had gone dark, but several rings of pale light still rotated slowly. They moved with the tired rhythm of something that had been abandoned for too long, yet refused to die.
Su Bai crouched and studied it.
The formation was old.
Its structure was different from the arrays currently used by sects, but some principles were still recognizable. Stabilization. Illumination. Air circulation. Isolation from external contamination.
One of the cultivators stepped forward hesitantly.
"Brother Su, I have studied formations before."
Su Bai looked at him.
The young cultivator swallowed and pointed at the central ring.
"This formation is damaged, but it is not completely dead. If we feed it spirit stones, it should at least light up the hall and strengthen the isolation layer for a while."
Su Bai thought for a moment, then took out a Mid-Grade Spirit Stone.
He flicked the spirit stone into the central groove.
The formation swallowed it.
For one breath, nothing happened.
Then the hall trembled softly.
Hum.
Pale light flowed outward from the center.
The formation lines on the floor lit up one after another. The light climbed the cracked walls, passed over broken pillars, and reached the ceiling.
Dust fell.
Ancient lamps embedded in the stone walls flickered awake.
The ruined hall brightened.
Everyone’s eyes lit up at once.
Fear, tension, and exhaustion seemed to retreat from their faces.
Light always gave people courage.
But before their relief could fully rise, Su Bai’s voice pulled them back.
"Check the cocoons first."
Everyone immediately stiffened.
Su Bai continued, "Confirm their condition. Check whether their Spatial Return Threads are still present."
The joy in the hall disappeared.
Right.
The living came first.
The group hurriedly placed the cocoons within the faint glow of the formation.
There were several of them.
Each cocoon was wrapped in pale membrane and red mist threads. Some twitched faintly. Some were completely still. All of them gave off weak, unstable Qi fluctuations.
Qiao Wen went directly to Luo Shenshui’s cocoon.
His hands trembled, but he forced himself to remain steady.
The others checked the remaining cocoons.
A moment later, their faces turned ugly.
"No Spatial Return Thread."
"This one also has none."
"Mine too."
"I cannot sense it at all."
The hall became quiet.
The Spatial Return Thread was the life-saving measure prepared by the elders outside.
It was supposed to pull them back when danger became unbearable.
But the cocooned cultivators no longer had it.
Su Bai took out the True-Sight Bodhi Bead and checked the cocoons one by one.
Under the bead’s light, the cocooned figures were not borrowed faces.
They were real cultivators.
Their souls were damaged, but they were not false bodies.
Su Bai returned the bead to his inventory.
"They are real."
Several people released complicated breaths.
That was good news.
But not entirely.
Real meant they could be saved.
It also meant the thing outside had truly captured living people.
Su Bai moved to the nearest cocoon.
"Do not cut them open carelessly," he said.
A cultivator who had just raised a dagger immediately froze.
Su Bai glanced at him.
"The cocoon is connected to their Qi and soul. If you cut the wrong layer, you may injure the person inside."
The young cultivator silently put the dagger away.
Su Bai raised one hand.
Ashen-white frost gathered around his fingers.
Then the frost thinned into a controlled wave and touched the cocoon.
Hiss.
The red mist threads resisted.
Su Bai’s expression did not change.
He carefully controlled the Ashen-Frost Blight Flame, letting it eat only the outer corrupted layer. The flame moved slowly, peeling the cocoon apart strand by strand.
It looked simple.
But everyone watching understood how difficult it was.
If the flame became too strong, the person inside would be injured.
If it became too weak, the cocoon would not open.
If control slipped for even a moment, the red mist might enter the body more deeply.
Mu Qing stared at the pale flame in Su Bai’s hand.
Her eyes widened.
"What control..."
Chen Feng’s brows moved.
He looked at Su Bai.
Then at the cocoon.
Then he stepped forward.
"I can help."
Su Bai glanced at him.
"Do not burn the person inside."
Chen Feng’s face darkened.
"I know."
Fire Qi gathered above his fingers.
Unlike the wide arcs he had used outside, this time the flame narrowed into a thin cutting line. It hovered over another cocoon and began burning the red mist strands with surprising delicacy.
The others looked over.
Chen Feng’s expression became calm.
A little too calm.
The corner of his mouth almost rose.
Qiao Wen noticed it even while anxious.
Chen Feng was clearly pleased.
He just wanted others to discover it naturally.
Unfortunately, everyone discovered it immediately.
A young cultivator whispered, "His fire control is also impressive."
Chen Feng’s chin lifted by a very small amount.
But everyone saw it.
Su Bai did not comment.
He continued opening the cocoon before him.
Soon, the first cocoon split apart.
A young woman in torn robes fell out weakly. Her face was pale, and her breathing was shallow, but she was alive.
Someone recognized her.
"She is from Verdant Rain Hall."
Mu Qing quickly caught her.
Another cocoon opened.
Then another.
The cultivators inside were all unconscious.
Some muttered in broken voices.
Some twitched.
Some frowned as if trapped in nightmares.
But none of them woke.
When Luo Shenshui’s cocoon finally opened, Qiao Wen almost stopped breathing.
He supported him carefully.
"Junior Brother..."
Luo Shenshui’s eyelids trembled.
His mouth moved.
No clear words came out.
Qiao Wen’s eyes reddened again.
Su Bai glanced at Luo Shenshui.
"Let him rest first. His soul fragment just returned, but the damage has not healed. Forcing him awake may worsen it."
Qiao Wen nodded heavily.
"I understand."
The rescued cultivators were placed together inside the formation’s light.
Their breathing gradually became steadier.
Only then did the group have the mind to look around.
The hall was larger than it had seemed in the darkness.
Broken pillars supported a cracked ceiling. Several side corridors extended in different directions. Ancient stone doors lined the walls. Some were sealed shut. Some had collapsed. Some were half-open, revealing darkness beyond.
This place was not on Chen Feng’s map.
It had not been recorded at all.
And judging from the dust, ruined formations, and the skeletons lying in several corners, no one had touched it for a very, very long time.
Su Bai looked at the group.
"Leave two people to guard the injured. The rest will inspect the hall."
Everyone straightened.
After the earlier horror, their attention quickly sharpened.
Even fear could not fully suppress the word that rose in everyone’s mind.
Opportunity.
They moved carefully.
No one separated too far.
After seeing what a borrowed face could do, nobody wanted to wander alone.
Soon, they reached the first skeleton.
It sat in the corner near a broken pillar.
Its robes had long since decayed into gray scraps. The bones were dry, dull, and full of cracks. A rusted sword lay beside it.
On one finger was a storage ring.
Everyone’s eyes brightened.
Chen Feng’s gaze sharpened.
He stepped forward first.
No one stopped him.
Chen Feng reached out and touched the ring.
The storage ring trembled.
Then it turned into gray powder.
The powder slipped through his fingers.
Everyone became silent.
Chen Feng looked at his empty hand.
His expression did not change. Only his eyes became colder.
Qiao Wen’s mouth twitched.
He tried to endure it.
He failed slightly.
"Brother Chen," he said carefully, "it seems your contribution turned into powder."
Chen Feng slowly turned his head.
Qiao Wen immediately looked away.
The others lowered their heads.
Shoulders trembled.
No one laughed aloud.
That was already giving Chen Feng a great deal of face.
Chen Feng flicked the powder from his fingers.
"This proves the place is old."
His tone was very calm.
Su Bai nodded.
"That is true."
Chen Feng glanced at him.
For some reason, Su Bai agreeing made it worse.
But Chen Feng could not refute it.
The ruined storage ring confirmed one important fact.
This place had been untouched for an extremely long time.
If cultivators had discovered it before, the skeletons would have been searched clean long ago.
Even if the storage rings had decayed, the herbs, jade slips, weapons, or formation cores would likely have been taken.
But this place still had traces of the past.
Everyone looked around again.
Their eyes became brighter.
Untouched ruins were dangerous.
But they were also rich.
After a brief silence, everyone slowly turned to Su Bai.
Qiao Wen coughed lightly.
"Brother Su, this place was discovered because of you. You also saved us earlier and rescued the cocooned cultivators. Since we are traveling together, I hope you can take charge of the search and treasure distribution."
He paused, then added sincerely, "You have been fair from the beginning. If you oversee it, everyone can feel at ease."
The others nodded quickly.
"Yes. Brother Su should lead."
"I agree."
"That is fair."
"No objection."
Chen Feng crossed his arms.
"Hmph."
Everyone looked at him.
Chen Feng looked away.
"I did not say I objected."
That was enough.
Su Bai thought for a moment.
Then he nodded.
"Fine."
The group relaxed.
Su Bai truly did not mind.
To him, most treasures these cultivators wanted were not that attractive. Pills might be poisonous to him in the wrong way. Weapons might not suit him. Inheritances might conflict with his body.
But fair distribution was useful.
It prevented infighting.
So Su Bai set the rule.
"Everything found will be recorded first. Do not pocket anything privately. After we inspect the main areas, we divide based on contribution, and agreement. If someone needs an item urgently to save a person, that comes first. If several people want the same item, we decide openly."
The group listened seriously.
Su Bai continued, "Those who find something receive contribution. Those who guard the injured also receive contribution. Those who hide discoveries lose their share."
The hall became quiet.
Then everyone nodded.
Even Chen Feng did not find a problem with it.
After setting the rules, Su Bai led the inspection.
There were many doors and chambers in the hall.
Some had collapsed completely.
Some were filled with useless dust.
Some contained broken shelves, rusted tools, cracked jade bottles, and formation stones drained of all energy.
Most treasures had failed the test of time.
But not everything.
Eventually, they reached a stone door in the west wing.
Unlike the other doors, this one had formation lines that were still faintly glowing.
A soft green light leaked through the crack beneath it.
Mu Qing stopped first.
"Wood Qi."
Su Bai placed his hand near the door.
There was no obvious danger.
At least, not from the door itself.
He pushed it open.
Warm, moist air flowed out.
Everyone froze.
Inside was a greenhouse.
A real greenhouse.
Ancient lamps hung from the ceiling, releasing gentle sunlight-like radiance. Thin mist drifted through the room, but it was not Ashen-Blood Miasma. It was spiritual moisture.
Formation lines covered the walls, floor, and ceiling.
Small channels guided water through rows of stone basins.
Some basins were cracked and dry.
Some herbs had withered into black stems.
But many were still alive.
Not only alive. They were thriving.
Spiritual herbs filled the chamber.
For a moment, no one spoke.
Even Su Bai paused.
This greenhouse had continued operating for countless years.
That meant there had been backup power.
More than one layer.
The formations here were likely among the most important parts of the hall.
Mu Qing’s eyes became round.
"Millennia herbs..."
Her voice was almost a whisper.
Chen Feng stepped inside and looked around.
Even he could not keep his face fully calm.
The other cultivators stared as if someone had opened a treasure vault in front of them.
Actually, that was exactly what had happened.
A treasure vault with leaves.
Su Bai did not recognize every herb here.
Still, he could feel the essence and vitality inside them.
These herbs had accumulated medicinal power for at least a thousand years.
Some were likely older.
He suddenly remembered Li Xuanzong and Lu Canghai’s words.
One batch of these herbs could refine many pills.
The group’s eyes became brighter and brighter.
Several people almost stepped forward.
Su Bai’s voice sounded first.
"Do not touch anything yet."
Everyone froze.
The words were calm, but after everything that had happened, no one dared ignore them.
Su Bai looked around the greenhouse.
"There may be protective formations, poisonous herbs, or plants that lose medicinal value if picked incorrectly."
The excitement in everyone’s eyes dimmed slightly.
Then became more controlled.
That made sense.
Treasures that survived for thousands of years were not cabbages.
Su Bai continued, "We list everything first. After inspecting the other chambers, we divide the gains together. Some of you may prefer herbs. Some may prefer weapons, jade slips, formation plates, or other items. We will know what is fair only after we know what this place contains."
Qiao Wen nodded immediately.
"That is reasonable."
Mu Qing also said, "Some herbs must be harvested with specific methods. If we act rashly, we may ruin them."
Chen Feng crossed his arms again.
"Fine. Record first."
The others quickly agreed.
No one wanted to be the fool who destroyed a thousand-year herb because his hand moved faster than his brain.
Su Bai looked at the greenhouse.
Then he took out a blank jade slip and began recording.
"First row, left side. Three stalks of jade-leaf grass, unknown age, strong wood essence."
Mu Qing immediately corrected him.
"That is not jade-leaf grass. It should be Clear Vein Jade Herb. Judging by the veins, at least one thousand two hundred years."
Su Bai paused.
Then silently changed the record.
"Clear Vein Jade Herb. Three stalks. At least one thousand two hundred years."
Mu Qing’s eyes brightened.
"If Brother Su does not mind, I can help identify the wood and healing-type herbs."
"Good."
A young cultivator from another faction quickly raised his hand.
"I know some fire-type herbs."
Chen Feng looked at him.
The young cultivator’s hand lowered slightly.
Chen Feng said, "Speak when useful."
The young cultivator relaxed.
"Yes."
Soon, the greenhouse became busy.
The group moved carefully through the rows, identifying what they could and marking what they could not.
Every few steps, someone inhaled sharply.
"Thousand-year Cold Marrow Root."
"Three-Pattern Soul-Stitch Grass."
"This... this flower is still alive?"
"Do not touch that. Its pollen may be poisonous."
"Is this useful?"
"Everything here is useful."
The more they counted, the wider their smiles became.
Several cultivators glanced at Su Bai from time to time.
If not for him, they might have followed the fake Luo Shenshui straight into the basin and become cocoons.
If not for him, they would not have entered this hall.
If not for him, they might have fought over the first thing they saw.
Now, they were calmly counting millennia herbs.
For the first time since entering the Fallen-Star Sanctuary, everyone felt that meeting Su Bai in the outer area was the greatest opportunity.