Chapter 325 - 299: A Great Change is Imminent

Chapter 325: Chapter 299: A Great Change is Imminent

"Middle Stage of Foundation Establishment..."

He murmured softly, a somewhat dazed look appearing on his face.

After a moment, he shook his head. ’I have this chaotic world to thank for reaching the Middle Stage of Foundation Establishment so quickly!’

’Without this chaos, I’d never have had so many channels to acquire resources.’

’If it were still like the old Great Chu Cultivation Immortal World, with all resources under the control of various powers, a Loose Cultivator like me could never have gathered resources and wealth so freely.’

’At best, I would have ended up like that Ji Ming, settling in one place, relying on a skill, weaving a network of contacts, and slowly gathering resources.’

’Day after day, for countless long years.’

He clenched his fists, feeling the surging power within his body. He exhaled a breath of turbid air, and then, with a wave of his hand, he swept away all remaining traces in the courtyard.

He took out his Sound Transmission Order. After half a year in seclusion, a large pile of messages had accumulated.

The vast majority were from Cultivators he knew. They were either about Artifact Refining matters or about wanting to trade Spiritual Objects and Spiritual Materials with him.

Xie Cangfeng from the Artifact Hall had also sent several messages, all expressing his hope that Chu Mu would return to the Artifact Hall to assume his duties immediately after ending his seclusion.

A considerable number of message Seals had already completely dissipated.

This meant either the Sound Transmission Order was destroyed, or the person had already fallen.

Obviously, the latter was more likely.

He listened to the messages one by one, then fell into a thoughtful silence.

The war, which had been escalating sharply over the past one or two years, seemed to have grown even more intense during his six months of seclusion.

From the news revealed in those messages, in the past six months, there had even been battles between Golden Core Realm True Masters from both the Righteous Alliance and the Longevity Sect!

It was said that in the Jingbei Mountain Range, several Golden Core True Masters had fought, and even a few mountain peaks were blown apart!

He couldn’t help but feel a little uneasy. ’This situation is getting more and more grim...’

After all, the battle for Jingmen had been in a stalemate for many years.

Both the Righteous Alliance and the Longevity Sect had already bled an unknown amount in this bloodbath!

The birth of a single Foundation Establishment Realm Cultivator required decades of nurturing and a massive investment of resources.

But on the Jingmen battlefield, although Qi Cultivation Realm Cultivators made up the vast majority, their Combat Power was low, and they mostly served as pure Support.

The Foundation Establishment Realm was the true main force on the battlefield.

And the meat this battlefield meat grinder chewed up was the Foundation Establishment Realm!

With the two sides deadlocked for so many years, the number of dead and injured Foundation Establishment Cultivators was likely already beyond count.

And the battlefronts weren’t limited to just Jingmen. Along the border where the two powers met, north and south, there were several other battlefields on a scale no smaller than Jingmen’s.

Given the foundations of both sides, one of them would eventually be unable to sustain such terrifying bleeding.

And once one side couldn’t hold on, a great decisive battle would be inevitable.

And the situation in Jingmen over the last two years, no matter how you looked at it, seemed to be building up to a major war!

’Once that decisive battle begins, Jingmen City will inevitably be swept up in it. The peace and quiet it enjoys now will be impossible to maintain.’

As he pondered, he looked down at the Sound Transmission Order in his hand, a contemplative look on his face.

After a moment, he glanced at the house sealed by layers of Arrays, then at Wangcai lying outside. Lost in thought, he started walking out of the courtyard.

Out on the street, the city was still bustling. The intensity of the war brought not only countless deaths and injuries.

Just as he himself had advanced to the Middle Stage of Foundation Establishment, chaotic times brought opportunities.

The more intense the fighting, the more generous the rewards offered by the Righteous Alliance to attract capable forces to fight for them.

And the more generous the rewards, the more Cultivators were drawn to risk their lives.

Even Chu Mu himself, a man who had always been cautious and prudent, ready to flee at the slightest sign of trouble, had gone against his usual principles and was risking his life for the Righteous Alliance in Jingmen City, all under the lure of such generous rewards.

He wandered around the city, spending several thousand Spirit Stones to purchase some common consumable Spiritual Objects, before finally stopping in front of a shop.

The shop was three stories tall, covering several acres. It was towering and majestic, yet also extremely exquisite.

The entire structure was built from Tier One Spirit Wood. Restrictions swirled around the doors and windows, their complex patterns flowing with an inexplicable beauty.

The steps leading to the entrance were made of jade, lustrous and warm. A plaque hung high above the eaves, with the two words "Auction House" written in beautiful, flourishing calligraphy.

"Senior, please."

While he was still outside, a Maid in a blue and white silk dress gracefully came out from the shop to greet him.

Chu Mu nodded and, under the Maid’s guidance, entered the Auction House and took a seat.

It wasn’t much different from an ordinary auction house.

The three-story shop was, in reality, one large auction hall on the inside.

He found a seat near an exit. The woman then asked in a soft whisper,

"Senior, would you prefer tea or liquor?"

"Our establishment has Yuning Spirit Tea, Lanling Green Tea, East Lake Yuebai Liquor, and Changhe Wine..."

"Tea. Yuning Tea."

Chu Mu’s words were brief. Then, as if he had thought of something, he asked, "How long until the auction begins?"

"The auction will begin in one hour."

"Alright."

Chu Mu nodded and said no more.

His purpose in coming to this auction was not for the auction itself, but for the exchange meeting that was customarily held afterward.

With many Foundation Establishment cultivators gathered, he could overhear a lot of news and gossip.

’Given the current situation in Jingmen, it’s better for me to be safe.’

’I need to get a clear picture of the situation first, then make my preparations.’

’Whether to stay or leave is a decision that still needs to be made.’

"Fellow Daoist, I heard you recently went into seclusion for a breakthrough..."

"Huh? Middle Stage of Foundation Establishment! Fellow Daoist, you succeeded in your breakthrough?"

"Middle Stage of Foundation Establishment..."

"Congratulations, congratulations!"

Not long after he sat down, several familiar Cultivators came over to greet him. Only after a round of pleasantries did things quiet down a little.

"I was just outside the door when I heard that you had broken through to the Middle Stage of Foundation Establishment. A great advance in your Cultivation! Truly worthy of congratulations."

The quiet lasted only a moment before another familiar voice sounded from behind him.

He turned his head to see the newcomer: the Xie Family Cultivator who had once helped him eliminate Zhao Hong—Xie Ming!

Chu Mu smiled and exchanged a few pleasantries before subtly shifting the topic to the current situation.

As the topic changed, Xie Ming’s expression instantly clouded over, clearly weighed down by worry.

"Things are getting more and more turbulent these days."

Xie Ming said slowly, "Just a few days ago, three Golden Core True Masters from our alliance fought another battle at East Lake. The outcome was undecided."

"Now that Golden Core True Masters are fighting directly, the winds from above have probably changed."

Chu Mu was puzzled. "The winds from above?"

"I only heard this as a rumor, so don’t go spreading it around..."

Xie Ming was cautious. He glanced around before using Telepathy, "I heard that over three months ago, a Nascent Soul Supreme from the alliance fought a battle with several Supreme Elders from the Longevity Sect!"

"Nascent Soul?"

Chu Mu was shocked and doubtful, clearly alarmed.

"Yes, it seems it was in the Longevity Mountain Range. I just don’t know what the final result was..."

"Anyway, after that, the Golden Core True Masters started entering the fray to kill each other..."

Chu Mu grew even more suspicious. "Why would it be in the Longevity Mountain Range?"

"Who knows? Besides, for a Nascent Soul Realm existence, does it matter where they fight? Distance is hardly an issue..."

Chu Mu shook his head. He didn’t quite agree with Xie Ming’s reasoning.

The Longevity Mountain Range was where the Longevity Sect’s headquarters were located. It was the heart of their heartland, the core of their core.

’A Nascent Soul Cultivator from the Righteous Alliance going all the way to the Longevity Sect’s heartland to battle their Nascent Soul Supremes...’

’There must be a reason for it.’

It was just that the reason was obviously not something a Low Tier Cultivator could possibly know.

But regardless, the war had already escalated to the point where even Nascent Souls were involved and Golden Core True Masters were fighting to the death. That meant Jingmen...

’I can’t stay here anymore!’

In an instant, he made his decision.

No benefit was worth more than his own life!

King against king, general against general—this was an unspoken agreement that only existed when both sides were evenly matched and the scales of war were balanced.

With the war escalating, that balance was bound to be broken!

If it broke with the Righteous Alliance having the upper hand, that would be one thing. But if the Longevity Sect gained the advantage, it would be an absolute slaughter.

He had heard stories about how brutal the Righteous Alliance’s last great defeat had been.

The two of them continued to chat back and forth, but it was clear that neither of their minds was on the idle talk.

The auction proceeded in an orderly fashion. One treasure was auctioned after another. An Auction House operating in a frontline area like this naturally had no shortage of rare items.

Midway through, Chu Mu also spent tens of thousands of Spirit Stones to win several Spirit Medicines. Their ages varied, but they were all things he needed.

When the last treasure was sold, the auction concluded, and the customary exchange meeting began.

Some Cultivators left, while others gathered in small groups to chat.

Chu Mu hesitated for a moment before finally, at the call of a few Foundation Establishment acquaintances, joining a small circle and listening quietly to the conversation.

Apparently, Chu Mu wasn’t the only one worried about the situation; quite a few other Cultivators shared his concerns.

Among the several Foundation Establishment Cultivators, the focus of their idle chat was entirely on the current state of affairs.

There were those like Chu Mu, cautious and prudent, who believed it was time to flee. There were also those tempted by profit, who believed this was a rare opportunity to gamble for their Immortal Path.

There were many other opinions as well; everyone had different ideas.

But without exception, everyone agreed that the current situation was on the verge of a major change.

They chatted for nearly an hour before the Foundation Establishment Cultivators began to disperse one after another.

Chu Mu walked alone through the streets, his mind heavy with thoughts.

He wasn’t debating whether to stay or leave anymore. He was considering where to go after he fled.

He worked for the Righteous Alliance. Even if he was just a hired Loose Cultivator, he was still genuinely risking his life for them. In the Longevity Sect, the bounty for his capture was posted high on the list.

If he were really to flee, he could only choose a place within the Righteous Alliance’s sphere of influence.

The Righteous Alliance’s territory stretched from west to east, separating the north and south of Great Chu, a vast and boundless land.

In such a huge region, where could he go that would best suit him?

He was silently contemplating this when, at that very moment, a heaven-shaking roar abruptly exploded.

Chu Mu’s heart instinctively tightened, and he whipped his head toward the direction of the roar.

In the direction of the city center, he saw flames surging into the sky and thick smoke billowing...

...