Chapter 373 360: The Great Age Arrives, Opportunity or Tribulation

At the banquet, Song Ciwan listened intently as the Great Cyan God spoke of the past.

This was a history she had never been exposed to before, another side of this world.

The Great Cyan God sighed. "Ever since this tide of Spiritual Qi rose, life has gotten better, but the dangers have multiplied. It's only been forty short years, but the number of old friends who have died… I can't even count them on both my hands."

As she spoke, she actually held out both her hands and began to count on her fingers.

"The old fellow from Dingfeng Abyss died not long ago. Did you know, little sister?" The Great Cyan God leaned close to Song Ciwan, her voice laced with mystery.

'How would I know anything about some old fellow from Dingfeng Abyss?'

But she had heard of Dingfeng Abyss.

The Nine Provinces Chronicles recorded that to the north of the Great Zhou lay the Four Great Border Passes: Demon Suppression Pass, Demon-Trap Pass, Demon Extinction Pass, and Demon Slaughter Pass.

And before the first of the Four Great Border Passes, Demon Suppression Pass, stood a great natural barrier known to the world as Dingfeng Abyss!

Dingfeng Abyss was located at the junction of the Nine Celestial Demon Countries and Demon Suppression Pass. Its strategic importance was akin to a forward satellite city for the pass—

Of course, Dingfeng Abyss was not a city. It was an abyss, one filled with countless Wind Sabers and Wind Demons.

The Demon Fiends in Dingfeng Abyss possessed no spirituality or reason, knowing only an instinctual craving for blood and slaughter.

Whether Human or Demon, anyone who entered would be subjected to indiscriminate attacks from the Wind Demons within.

Though its name meant "Settle Wind," Dingfeng Abyss was anything but settled. On the contrary, it was a world of wind, an ocean of wind, the confluence of all the world's storms—a killing field embracing endless death!

To a certain extent, Dingfeng Abyss both hindered the Demon Race from invading the Human Race and prevented the Human Race from breaking into the Demon Race's territory.

Song Ciwan didn't know which "old fellow in Dingfeng Abyss" the Great Cyan God was referring to, but her words immediately made Song Ciwan sense a terrifying storm on the horizon.

She continued to play the part of the perfect foil. "Sister Cyan God, I haven't heard a thing. I've always just kept my head down and focused on cultivating. How could I possibly be as well-informed as you? Please, Sister Cyan God, do enlighten me."

The Great Cyan God was clearly pleased by this. "To reach tenth place on the Ten Thousand Spirits Celestial Pride List at such a young age, you naturally had to spend a great deal of time cultivating. It's no surprise that you're unaware of some things.

Since you've asked, I, your Sister Cyan God, see no harm in telling you. Take the Chuzhou Zhang Family. In recent years, more and more members of their family have succeeded in refining a Golden Core. They're also spreading their teachings throughout the Nine Provinces, selecting talented youths from among the common people to take in as Guest retainers or disciples. Some are even brought directly into the family through marriage alliances…

In short, these are the typical methods of the great families. I don't need to elaborate; I'm sure you understand, little sister.

Once they've recruited someone, they bind them to their family and then impart the Golden Core Method. The primary hurdle for this method is the Foundation Establishment Pill. It's a mystery where the Zhang Family got so many high-grade Foundation Establishment Pills, but after distributing them, they quickly raised a new batch of powerful experts.

Their power snowballed. The more people the Zhang Family recruited, the greater their influence became, and their presence was felt more and more throughout the Nine Provinces.

The Great Zhou Court, however, rarely paid them any mind. Although they would occasionally meet with local resistance, the Zhang Family usually came out on top in any conflict.

Now, to get back to my original point—the old fellow in Dingfeng Abyss is dead. So, little sister, now do you understand why the Great Zhou Court can't be bothered to put in a major effort to stop the Chuzhou Zhang Family?"

After the Great Cyan God's long and winding explanation, Song Ciwan understood. The death of a key figure in Dingfeng Abyss had made the situation at the Great Zhou's border passes tense.

The Great Zhou Court likely had to concentrate its forces to fortify Demon Suppression Pass, and therefore adopted a hands-off attitude toward groups like the Zhang Family within its territory.

Perhaps from the Court's perspective, no matter how much trouble the Chuzhou Zhang Family caused, they were at least part of the Human Race—

Yes, after listening for so long, Song Ciwan was at least able to confirm that these groups, such as the Chuzhou Zhang Family and the Bingzhou Li Family, were in fact human.

Although the Eldest Princess and her sister were not human, there were still quite a few Human Race guests at the wedding banquet.

'If the Chuzhou Zhang Family are human, is it really such a big deal for them to recruit followers and spread their teachings within the Human Race's territory?'

Of course, this was just Song Ciwan's speculation. As for the Court's true intentions, she was too far removed to draw any firm conclusions.

She sighed inwardly and ventured a probing question. "Sister Cyan God, those Spirit Realm Secret Realms have suddenly begun appearing all over the Great Zhou. It seems that anyone who enters one can almost always come out with a Foundation Establishment Pill.

After Foundation Establishment, whether one is a Martial Artist or a Cultivator, their power increases dramatically. It allows a person to cultivate both Martial Arts and the Golden Core, or even godhood and the Golden Core. A deal this good… it's almost too good to be true.

Doesn't anyone find that strange? Doesn't anyone resist or doubt this Golden Core Dao?"

Song Ciwan was trying to probe the secret of the Golden Core!

But the Great Cyan God replied as if it were obvious. "Yes, refining a Golden Core has tremendous benefits. Why would anyone resist?"

The logic was so sound that Song Ciwan found herself unable to argue.

She wanted to state outright that there was a problem with the Golden Core, but as the words reached her lips, a mysterious, invisible force descended upon her in an instant.

Song Ciwan felt as if her lips were sealed by countless layers of infinitely strong glue. She opened her mouth several times, but she could never manage to utter the words: The Golden Core is no Golden Core. A god hides within!