Gateway of Immortality-Chapter 283: Qiuhong Market

The ancient cultivator's cave dwelling where Qiuhong Market was located is divided into an outer zone and an inner zone.

Due to Qiuhong Market’s renown, later generations often referred to the entire cave dwelling simply as Qiuhong Market.

The outer zone, which lay outside the protective array, was what was commonly known as Qiuhong Market.

Because the power of the barriers weakened over time and for various other reasons, this outer zone was the first to be discovered. It was repurposed by the owner of Qiuhong Market into a trading hub, a clever means to obscure its true purpose.

However, the market was later destroyed by Cloud Beasts, leaving the area in ruins. The original barriers that remained were completely eradicated by the Cloud Beasts, making them impossible to repair. The site was abandoned, left exposed to the elements, and ultimately became a nesting ground for Cloud Beasts.

Therefore, whenever the protective array entered its weak phase, cultivators gathering at Qiuhong Market must first work together to clear out the Cloud Beasts that had taken over the area.

The protective array itself offered little consistency. It integrated earth, wind, water, and fire while balancing yin and yang, resulting in ever-changing arrays. Every entry into the array presented a new challenge.

Yu Kong briefly recounted his experiences during his last visit, but emphasized that it was unlikely they would encounter the same array this time.

What Yu Kong highlighted—and what everyone cared about most—was the treasure troves within the cave dwelling.

The original structure of the cave dwelling was a majestic green mountain. Although large, the mountain had been thoroughly explored over the years. There were a few locations universally acknowledged as key treasure sites.

The first to be discovered, and the one deemed most important by the cave dwelling's owner, was a site referred to as the Grand Hall of Offerings.

The Grand Hall of Offerings lacked a name plaque, but it was located at the mountain’s summit, the highest point of the entire cave dwelling. Inside, it housed a clay statue that appeared to be treated with great reverence by the cave dwelling’s owner.

Many speculated that the clay statue represented the grandmaster of the cave dwelling’s owner, which led to the hall being nicknamed the Grandmaster Hall by some.

Because of its prominent location and unique significance, the hall became the primary target of intruders early on. The barriers protecting it were swiftly dismantled, and the treasures stored within—each of exceptional quality—were thoroughly looted.

Later, countless others combed through the Grand Hall of Offerings in search of anything overlooked, even dismantling the clay statue. Once it was confirmed that the hall had been completely ransacked, it was largely abandoned, save for a few who still tried their luck.

Next in prominence was a unique feature known as the Mystic Jade Wall, embedded in the cliffside at the mountain’s rear.

It was said that by meditating before the Mystic Jade Wall, one might gain an inheritance from the cave dwelling’s owner.

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Rumor had it that a Golden Core cultivator once attempted to take the jade wall by force, striking the cliff with their palm. However, they failed to damage the wall and instead triggered its protective barrier, suffering injuries as a result. The attempt was abandoned, and the jade wall remained untouched.

To this day, no one understood the conditions required to receive an inheritance from the wall. For most, it resulted in sitting for hours, gaining nothing, and leaving when the protective array began to recover. Few cultivators bothered with it now.

Aside from these two notable sites, there were seven other key locations scattered throughout the mountain, resembling Spirit Treasure Pavilions. These seven spots had become the primary targets for those entering the cave dwelling.

Within the Spirit Treasure Pavilions, one could find artifacts, spirit pills, and jade slips. However, the treasures and barriers within each pavilion varied greatly.

Sometimes, the amount one reaps depends not only on strength but also on luck.

Yu Kong did not conceal his intentions. His target was a Spirit Treasure Pavilion located at the rear of the mountain.

There were two reasons for this. Firstly, this pavilion was the furthest away and had strong barriers, which meant fewer competitors. Secondly, Yu Kong had visited this pavilion during his last trip. Armed with prior experience, he was confident in securing more treasures this time.

...

"Daoist Yu, another group has just rushed past us. The protective array’s weak phase is approaching—shouldn’t we pick up the pace?"

Everyone’s eyes turned to the horizon, where more than a dozen streaks of evasion light darted toward the direction of Qiuhong Market. Mu Teng, appearing somewhat impatient, voiced his concern aloud.

It wasn’t unreasonable for Mu Teng to feel anxious. Over the past two days, not only this group but several others had already overtaken them. Judging by the situation, quite a few people had likely already arrived at Qiuhong Market.

Yu Kong glanced around at the group and said, "It seems everyone shares Mu Teng’s thoughts. Let’s move."

The mountain had become a nesting ground for Cloud Beasts, countless of which now occupied the area.

Over the years, Qiuhong Market had completely disappeared, leaving no trace of its existence amidst the Cloud Beasts.

At the center of the territory occupied by the Cloud Beasts stood a steep mountain.

The mountain’s peak had collapsed due to external forces, revealing a jagged and uneven break. At the center of the fracture was a bottomless circular chasm, which constantly emitted beams of colorful light. Amidst these lights, phenomena such as hurricanes and flames intermittently flickered.

The Cloud Beasts avoided the light, clearly afraid of its power, a sign of its formidable strength.

The chasm served as the entrance to the cave dwelling. It had once been concealed by a barrier, but after Qiuhong Market was destroyed, it had been exposed.

Leaping into the chasm led directly into the protective array, though at this moment, the array was still at its peak strength.

When the weak phase arrived, the beams of light would dim significantly, barely extending beyond the chasm’s boundaries. At that point, the protective array’s power would greatly diminish, marking the best time to enter.

Currently, numerous cultivators had gathered on the distant peaks surrounding the broken mountain. Most of them traveled in groups, with very few choosing to act alone.

Qin Sang, following Yu Kong, had occupied a low peak, his gaze fixed on the chasm.

Unfamiliar with the intricacies of the protective array, he could discern little from the sight. Shifting his attention, he finally spotted Ge Yuan and Wandering Man among the crowd. The three exchanged a brief glance before quickly averting their eyes, pretending not to know one another.

"In at most half a month, the weak phase will arrive!"

Yu Kong observed the scene intently for a long while before reaching this conclusion. He then murmured, "It’s time to start clearing out the Cloud Beasts."

Though the number of Cloud Beasts in the area was immense, the cultivators gathering here were steadily increasing. Each of them possessed considerable strength, and clearing out the Cloud Beasts would require only time.

As soon as Yu Kong finished speaking, an elder in the late stage of Foundation Building flew up into the air and declared loudly, "Fellow Daoists in the middle stage of Foundation Building or above, join me in targeting the Cloud Beast leaders. The rest of you should form groups to take down the ordinary Cloud Beasts. The spoils will belong to those who slay the beasts. Remember, the true treasures lie within the cave dwelling, so don’t let petty gains ruin our unity."

This elder held significant influence, and his words quickly garnered support from the crowd.

Even Yu Kong did not dare to defy the elder's orders. He turned to Qin Sang and the others and quietly advised, "Stay together and cover each other’s flanks. Remain vigilant. The sheer number of Cloud Beasts could cause chaos once the fighting starts, and ambushes have happened before in such situations."

Having practiced their formations in advance, Qin Sang and his group immediately positioned themselves accordingly. Mu Teng, the strongest among them, took the lead, while the two sisters worked seamlessly as the rearguard, leaving no openings for opportunists to exploit.

Satisfied with their arrangement, Yu Kong nodded and prepared to join the fray. Just as he was about to take off, a mocking voice came from the left. "Old Geezer Yu, you’re as cowardly as ever. Gathering so many people—have you already decided which ones you’ll sacrifice to save your own skin?"

A streak of evasion light landed in front of the group, revealing none other than Sheng Yuanzi!