"He really does things against one's every expectation," an elegant figure garbed in grey robes laughed with joyful amusement. If Wei Wuyin heard this figure, he would immediately recognize her. Even her laugh betrayed her exceptional beauty to the world.
Qing Qiumu!
She was currently in an underground city belonging to the Bing Clan, one of the Nine Capitals of the Grey Sands Elves. After making her breakthrough into the Third Stage of the Astral Core Realm, she decided to learn more about this World Realm. Fortunately, as a member of the elven race, she fit perfectly with the others. While there was some mild prejudice due to her being assumed as a Verdant Forest Elf, it wasn't anything her cultivation couldn't handle.
After seeing Wei Wuyin's image projected, she was awed. But in truth, she expected it. How could their starfield's youngest Emperor Alchemist be ordinary in any cultivation world? Now, she had heard the astonishing news that Wei Wuyin, this newly ascended Holy Son, was hosting a trade meet for the contents of the Divine Lord Desi's Grand Earth Cache.
He was going to allow cultivators from every location on the continent to vie for things they needed! As long as they had the wealth, or specific items listed, they could obtain the vast majority of the fabled contents within the Grand Earth Cache.
This was not a move an ordinary person would ever do. Even she thought Wei Wuyin had gone insane. According to the rumors, there were materials and items that could allow cultivators to touch upon the Mortal Limit, maybe even exceed it! The value of that was unimaginable!
She was thinking of traveling to True Desolate, meeting Wei Wuyin, maybe even joining him, but she decided against it in the end. She didn't want to be a burden or a distraction, and she had her own goals to accomplish. But knowing that Wei Wuyin wouldn't ever consider her as either of those things warmed her heart just thinking about him.
When she caught her mind wandering into such thoughts, she blushed slightly. When has she ever felt warm emotions at the mere thought of a person's treatment of her?
In the end, she downed a cup of golden-colored juice. "This is delicious!" After regaining her normal emotional state, Qing Qiumu beautifully smiled and looked at the ceiling. She could faintly remember the image of a white-robed figure projected above.
"I'll see you later!" She rose, paid her bill, and left the eatery.
—–
"Here it is." Wei Wuyin floated several dozen meters high, looking at a lone mountain covered in grey dirt. The aura of desolation was extremely strong here. He wasn't alone. In fact, there were tens of thousands of individuals behind him, all segregated in multiple groups of different origins.
Humans and Elves were standing around, their expressions filled with interest, uncertainty, expectations, and disbelief. Was this Holy Son really going to open the Grand Earth Cache for everyone? This thought emerged in all of their minds without fail.
There were Grey Sands Elves, Verdant Forest Elves, Navy River Elves, and Black Mountain Elves present.
The Grey Sands Elves were garbed in grey, their skin-tones darker, leaning towards bronze color. They gave off a bleak feeling of desolation and emptiness.
The Verdant Forest Elves all had green eyes, various colored hair, and pale expressions. Their auras were natural, feeling as if they were plants that went along with the breeze.
The Navy River Elves had blue scales littered haphazardly across their skin, and even small gills on their necks. These weren't a product of natural birth, but cultivation methods that changed their appearance, integrating Aquatic Energies into their bodies. It was the only way for them to survive the Noxious Seas, so their auras were dark and mysterious like the depths of any ocean.
The Black Mountain Elves were very dark brown in skin tone, some even black like soot. Their skin evolved from adjusting to the heat of the Scorched Skies. They gave off hot auras that amped the temperature.
The leaders of these tribes had all gathered here today, their auras suppressed, but space still trembled. There were at least three hundred Realmlords present with a dozen Timelords. Of course, this included the human natives of the five regions.
Not a single elite powerhouse of this continent wished to miss the opening of a fabled cache said to possess the Divine Items left behind by the various Divinities. ThisGrand Earth Cache was said to have been left by the True Desolate Divinity, Divine Lord Desi!
Grand Priestess Si De and the other members of the True Desolate Temple gathered together, their expressions solemn as they saw the mass of elite experts. A member asked cautiously, "Is this right?"
"…" The other members were also uncertain. In ancient legends, when the first two Divine Children were decided upon, they had used their caches to form the Holy Clans that stood at the apex today. Wouldn't giving away this cache result in them losing the ability to rival the other clans?
Grand Priestess Si De frowned. She also had her doubts, but whenever she tried to sneakily inquire into Wei Wuyin's intentions, she would be left breathless in the bedroom. She learned her lesson to not ask. Of course, she would never admit that the last few times were on purpose.
But since Wei Wuyin, their Holy Son, was intent on keeping it a secret, she didn't try to truly pry.
Not far away, a young woman and old man watched the gathering of the most elite powerhouses.
"I can't believe he went through with it. Even if he wanted chaos, isn't this too much?" The young woman was thoroughly amazed at how these figures that stood at the top of this world unhesitatingly gathered today.
The old man smiled, "If you only see the golden treasure above, you'll never see the dagger below."
"…what?" The young woman was extremely confused. When did this old bastard start speaking in proverbs? She frustratedly huffed, "Explain!" She grew more and more frustrated, feeling like she was lacking intelligence every single time Wei Wuyin was involved.
The old man glanced at the young woman, sighing with a shake of his head. "Why are you observing this Holy Son as a normal Holy Child? Is his goal the same as the others?"
The young woman went into deep thought, trying to consider the meaning behind his words. Wei Wuyin's goal? The Holy Son's goal? What were they? After a long moment, her eyes brightened with enlightened insight. She looked at the multiple experts present, trying to find the Holy Clans.
Seeing the young woman finally obtain an understanding of the truth and hidden scheme laid out, the old man smiled in approval. He continued, "Chaos is a mere smokescreen, fleeting and blinding. And here I wondered how he'd solve that issue, when he never saw it as an issue." The more the old man noticed Wei Wuyin's moves, the more he praised him.
"But are they really going to fall for this trap?" The young woman asked curiously. If the old man could think of it, couldn't they?
The old man laughed, "You're giving them way too much credit. They already did." Just as he said those words, as if the heavens were verifying them, two floating shapes emerged on the horizon simultaneously. The attention of everyone gathered onto the two enlarging shapes.
"It's the Holy Clans! Is that their Holy Voidships?!" Someone exclaimed in rampant excitement.
"They've actually arrived! This is going to be an insane competition against the leaders of our world! I can't wait!"
"Wait? Let's hope they don't clash lest we all die. I just hope there's some soup left of the Divine Cache."
Floating silently, Wei Wuyin turned towards the approaching aerial vehicles that graced the sky with a majestic momentum. After a moment of thought, he flipped his palm. The Earth Element Badge of Divinity appeared. On its small surface were two arrows on its surface becoming thicker and thicker. They pointed towards the two shapes in the distance. He laughed with content, "So you came."
Sometimes it's best to go the hard-hitting approach, imperious and domineering, direct and straightforward.
Other times, schemes and plotting doesn't hurt. A little sinister manipulation and tactical planning was never a bad thing in this cultivation world.
But the absolute best time is when you intend to mix them both.
