Put Away Your Divine Techniques Now!

Chapter 1102 - 328: [Inner City]

"No!" Zhan Xi gritted his teeth. He knew that after struggling his whole life, this might be the best opportunity for advancement he’d ever encounter. So, even if this Sword Master employed ruthless methods, he could only grit his teeth and serve bravely.

If there were any hesitation... This Sword Master killed nine clan elders without hesitation, so wouldn’t he dare kill him too?

"I’ve given you the opportunity to serve and the orders to follow. If you fail to accomplish these three tasks, by this time tomorrow, your head will be hanging above the inner city’s gate."

After finishing with an eerie tone, Donghai walked straight through the city gate into the inner city.

Chen Yan and the other three quietly followed him. Just as they passed through the gate, they heard Zhan Xi shout an order behind them.

With a boom, the gate to the inner city closed heavily!

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This inner city of the Black Wood Tribe isn’t very large in area. In terms of land size, it’s about as big as an average high school in Chen Yan’s real world.

There are only five buildings in the city. Facing the city gate from afar, leaning against the direction of Black Mountain, is a tower over twenty meters high, with a broad base built of piled black stones. The large gate of the base hall is very wide, flanked by a forest of stone pillars, carved with various totems of the Black Wood Tribe.

This is the core of the inner city of the Black Wood Tribe, known as the Sacrificial Hall, where besides the tribute to the Ancestor Saint of the Ghost Race, the ancestors and legendary heroic spirits of the Black Wood Tribe are also honored.

There are two buildings on each side of the Sacrificial Hall.

The upper left is the Council Hall, the place where the Clan Elders Council discusses all affairs of the Black Wood Tribe, considered the highest authority.

The lower left is the Black Rock Hall, a military force institution.

The upper right side is the Cultivation Hall, where cultivators within the Black Wood Tribe are trained.

The lower right is a round stone building, the smallest in area and the shortest in height of all the five structures.

Donghai led the four directly to the door of the "Cultivation Hall" on the upper right, where Chen Yan was still assessing the square stone building before him, vaguely sensing a thick flow of Primordial Qi inside — Chen Yan dared to bet that there was definitely a high-level Spirit Gathering Array within.

Standing outside the Cultivation Hall, Donghai waited, and soon the door opened. Out came several people in tight black Ghost Race attire, both men and women, varying in age from the very old, who walked shakily, to the very young who hadn’t yet matured.

All walked barefoot to the outside of the door, where they greeted Donghai one after another.

Donghai, with a cold voice, said, "Lu Kang, Luan Yi, Gongsun Li, you three are to enter the Cultivation Hall and temporarily train without leaving. Stay put and wait patiently; when the Heaven-Crashing Ceremony is held in a few days, someone will naturally come to take you."

Lu Kang and Luan Yi remained silent, but Gongsun Li couldn’t help but ask, "Isn’t the Heaven-Crashing Ceremony tomorrow?"

Donghai glanced at this round-faced female cultivator, a mocking glint in his eyes, "With such a huge event unfolding, do you think the Heaven-Crashing Ceremony can still be held tomorrow? Just stay here and wait patiently."

Pausing momentarily, he looked at those standing at the Cultivation Hall’s entrance and asked, "Arrange them with training rooms, provide everything they need attentively.

Ah, also, test their talents properly with the best materials!"

Test their talents?

Luan Yi’s expression changed slightly as if he guessed something, and a restrained joy flashed in his eyes, but he quickly bowed his head.

Only Lu Kang remained silent, his expression calm. After listening to Donghai’s orders, he immediately headed towards the Cultivation Hall, smiled at a Ghost Race elder cultivator in a black robe at the door, and said, "My training room needs to be a bit larger. Prepare a soft couch and some mulberry tea. Also, prepare bath water for me; I want a hot bath. Make sure to get me a set of soft and clean clothes, as I won’t be able to sleep with the smell of blood on me."

His unperturbed attitude, even proactively making demands, left Luan Yi and Gongsun Li stunned. However, the two dared not imitated Lu Kang’s boldness and merely stepped cautiously, silently following the Cultivation Hall group into the lobby.

Lu Kang lagged behind, took a final glance at Donghai, and his gaze eventually landed on Chen Yan, smiling slightly, "Fellow Daoist, I’ll see you later."

With that, he left with his hands behind his back.

The group of black-robed cultivators, after saluting Donghai, retreated into the Cultivation Hall, closing the gate behind them.

Chen Yan felt a little regretful — he was quite curious about what the mysterious Cultivation Hall of the Black Wood Tribe looked like inside.

However, since Donghai had specifically left him behind, it seemed he had something to discuss with Chen Yan, who was also prepared. After everyone had left, he turned to look at Donghai.

"Senior, am I not entering the Cultivation Hall?"

"There’s no need. There’s a different arrangement for you."

Saying this, Donghai glanced at Chen Yan, and his usually cold face finally revealed a hint of a smile: "If you’re interested in this Cultivation Hall, there will be plenty of opportunities in the future, and you may enter whenever you like."

Looking at Donghai, Chen Yan was free of onlookers and dropped his pretense, speaking softly, "Senior, since we parted, you..."

Donghai smiled but quickly shook his head at Chen Yan.

Chen Yan’s heart skipped, and he instantly understood, sealing his lips.

Donghai pulled Chen Yan’s hand and quickly wrote a few words on his palm.

Chen Yan concentrated, judging the content Donghai wrote: "Do not speak of matters outside."

Don’t speak of the outside world?

Does that mean he’s not to mention any information about his real world?

Noticing Chen Yan’s confusion, Donghai gestured to the sky, then pointed at his own ears, mouth, and nose.

Hmm... Chen Yan pondered.

This meant... there are eyes and ears monitoring us here?

This is the core area of the Black Wood Tribe, where cultivators of Donghai’s level and Celestial Human Realm reside. Monitoring here in such an environment would require...

He suddenly remembered young Lu Kang, the "Hundred-Year-old Venerable."

A dignified Saint Venerable, wasn’t he secretly here as well?

Recalling the past legends of the Ghost Race, Chen Yan pondered further.

The Ghost Race Ancestor created a cultivation technique that allowed cultivators to sense the Heavenly Dao from the very start and utilize the Power of Heavenly Dao Rules, giving the Ghost Race cultivators significantly superior combat power compared to other cultivators.

This unique cultivation technique aroused the envy and spying of all the sects and families in the Domain Realm!

Ultimately, other Saint Venerables developed a special interest in this Cultivation Technique!

Though later, the significant flaws in the Ghost Race Cultivation Technique caused the other Saint Venerables to lose interest in seizing it.

But is that truly the case?

If they truly had no ulterior motives, no special interests, why did the Hundred-Year-old Venerable, disguised as young Lu Kang, come here?

And Lu Kang, knowing he himself is also a Saint Venerable, found nothing strange about it...

From Lu Kang’s perspective, it’s normal for other Saint Venerables to hide their identities and come here to spy as well.

This also indicates that... the Saint Venerables have not truly lost interest in the secrets of the Ghost Race Cultivation Technique!

"Zhao Shanhe, I know you have thoughts, questions, and doubts in your heart. But now is not the time. Wait a little longer, and there will naturally be a time for explanations."

Donghai laughed heartily, patting Chen Yan’s arm, and said, "Follow me, I’ll take you to another place."

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