Chapter 401 Penglai Continent

Therefore, even now, no high-level cultivator dares to covet this cultivation planet, tacitly acknowledging the Jade Sect's ownership of the cultivation planet.

Looking through the stellar mist, Penglai resembled a crescent moon, with layers of protection emitting a soft glow, pushing away the surrounding stellar mist and creating a clear space outside the Penglai continent.

Penglai's renown, besides the Jade Sect, also partly stemmed from its market and auctions held every thirty years.

Almost every time the Penglai market opened, cultivators flocked to it, with even cultivators from higher-level star regions coming for its reputation, making it extremely lively.

The market, which would last for three months, offered a comprehensive range of magical treasures, elixirs, pill formulas, and spirit beasts, providing cultivators with a relatively complete set of trading resources, as well as exchanges for immortal jade and elemental crystals, and even the sale of cauldrons and physical bodies.

There were also beast-fighting wagers where cultivators used their own spirit beasts, but what truly drew attention were the Penglai Lawless Arena and the Precious Item Auction.

The so-called Penglai Lawless Arena was an environment provided by the Jade Sect for visiting cultivators to freely bet on life-and-death battles, with the winner claiming the treasures of the fallen cultivator.

At this time, with the Penglai market about to open, streaks of light whistled through the starry sky outside the Penglai continent, approaching Penglai.

Moreover, due to the previous incident with the pill formulas and jade slips, this Penglai market also saw the arrival of many sixth-stage cultivators, and even seventh and eighth-stage cultivators.

In the starry sky, two streaks of light sped by, carrying a man and a woman.

The man, dressed in red with a head of silver hair, had a calm expression and cold eyes, as if an avalanche before him would not change his demeanor; he was Lin Che, accompanied by Li Qianmei.

Li Qianmei looked at the distant Penglai continent and said with a smile, “Lin Che Brother, that’s Penglai continent ahead.”

Lin Che, with one hand behind his back, looked at the cultivators before him and slowly asked, “How many sects are there in the ninth-stage star region?”

“There are four sects in the ninth-stage star region: the Divine Sect, the Ghost Sect, the Demon Sect, and the Heaven-Shattering Sect. Among them, the Heaven-Shattering Sect, where Qianmei belongs, is the weakest, the Divine Sect is the strongest, and the Ghost Sect is the most mysterious! As for the Demon Sect…”

Li Qianmei hesitated for a moment, then whispered.

“The Demon Sect is located in the deepest part of the ninth-stage star region, a place difficult for cultivators to enter, entirely comprised of powerful fierce beasts.”

“The Demon Sect rarely interferes with worldly affairs, and very few of its members venture out. Qianmei once heard her master say that within the Demon Sect, there seem to exist terrifying, supreme fierce beasts capable of cultivating into human form… However, with the Divine Sect present, the Demon Sect cannot stir up any major waves!”

“Oh?” Lin Che’s expression shifted, and he asked, “Fierce beasts that can cultivate into human form?”

Li Qianmei nodded lightly and whispered, “Fierce beasts can even comprehend the rules of heaven and earth and verify the Heavenly Dao, so why couldn’t they cultivate into human form? It’s just that such fierce beasts are extremely rare, like phoenix feathers and qilin horns. There are some things you don’t know, and even most cultivators are unaware of them. Even my Heaven-Shattering Sect only learned some hidden secrets after entering the ninth-stage star region and becoming a part of it.”

Li Qianmei’s expression was solemn. After a moment of silence, she whispered, “A long time ago, in the Cloud Sea ninth-stage star region, there was only one sect: the Divine Sect!

After the Divine Sect dominated the Cloud Sea for countless years, the first beast rebellion erupted in the ninth-stage star region. In that rebellion, there were three fierce beasts that had cultivated into human form. It is said that they came from another star region… If not for the Divine Sect, this beast rebellion would have spread throughout the entire Cloud Sea. It was ultimately stopped by the Divine Sect, which prevented it from spreading, and it is largely unknown to outsiders.”

“That battle was reportedly extremely devastating. After suppressing the fierce beasts, a portion of the Divine Sect’s disciples were stationed deep within the ninth-stage star region, where there was a broken space connected to a mysterious star region.

Some extremely powerful fierce beasts came from there. To prevent the beast rebellion, continuous battles lasted for tens of thousands of years, and even today, battles still occur frequently.

These Divine Sect disciples sacrificed their freedom to provide the final defense deep within the ninth-stage star region, but as time passed,

these former Divine Sect disciples began to become independent, calling themselves the Demon Sect. They no longer obeyed the Divine Sect’s orders, but they still defended that place, resisting wave after wave of fierce beast attacks.”

Li Qianmei’s voice was pleasant, but the content of her words was startling.

Lin Che’s eyes were indifferent, and he hadn’t expected such a shocking secret to be hidden within the Cloud Sea star region.

“The Divine Sect, being prepared for future eventualities and wary of the Demon Sect and the continuously invading fierce beasts from that mysterious star region, first elevated the Ghost Sect, skilled in soul-capturing techniques, to a ninth-stage sect.”

“And then elevated my Heaven-Shattering Sect to the ninth-stage. All of this is preparation for the second beast rebellion, which could erupt at any unknown time!” Li Qianmei said softly, then looked at Lin Che and spoke calmly.

The streak of light in the starry sky gradually slowed, and the protective light curtain of the Penglai continent ahead became increasingly clear. The soft light reflected on Lin Che’s red robes, yet it did not diminish the indifference in his eyes.

Lin Che's fingertips unconsciously rubbed an ancient jade slip in his sleeve. It was a fragment of a star map he had brought from the Guiyuan Sect earlier. Now, hearing the secret of the Demon Sect, a trace of imperceptible inquiry flashed in his eyes.

“So, the Divine Sect promoted the Ghost Sect and the Heaven-Shattering Sect not to balance power, but to accumulate combat strength?”

Lin Che’s voice passed through the protective shield of the streak of light, interweaving with the sound of cultivators’ escape light breaking through the air in the distance.

Li Qianmei nodded gently, her gaze sweeping over the bustling crowd of cultivators outside the Penglai continent, her tone growing a little more solemn.

“Master once said that the Ghost Sect excels at soul-capturing, capable of detecting the traces and weaknesses of fierce beasts.”

“My Heaven-Shattering Sect, on the other hand, is skilled in array formations, capable of setting up beast-trapping arrays to buy time. The Divine Sect appears to be decentralizing power, but in reality, they are using us as pawns to deal with the beast rebellion.”

Li Qianmei paused, her slender fingers gently tucking a strand of hair behind her ear.

“However, even pawns must have the ability to protect themselves. This time at the Penglai market, both the Ghost Sect and the Divine Sect have sent many people, probably not just for trade, but also to probe the strength of various factions.”

Lin Che followed her gaze and indeed saw several streaks of obscure aura hovering outside the Penglai light curtain. Among them, a figure shrouded in black qi exuded a faint, chilling aura, clearly a cultivator from the Ghost Sect.

“Whether pawns or players, ultimately, it depends on whose fist is harder. The Demon Sect has guarded the spatial rift for tens of thousands of years; since they could break away from the Divine Sect, their strength must not be underestimated.”

“If there truly is a second beast rebellion, they might be the key to breaking the situation, rather than a hidden danger.”

As soon as he finished speaking, a soft light gate suddenly lit up on the Penglai light curtain ahead. Disciples of the Jade Sect, dressed in green robes and holding jade tokens, guided cultivators inside.

Li Qianmei withdrew her gaze and, looking at Lin Che, her eyes regained some softness: “Lin Che Brother is right. The market is opening now, let’s go take a look first.”