Chapter 209: Chess Piece and Chessboard (3)
Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations
Both of them had a high concentration of spiritual essence, and they were both secluded locations.
The difference was that Cave Abodes often existed in alternate spaces with peaceful spiritual essence. Most of them didn’t have living beings inside.
Even if there was, the threat was negligible.
Therefore, Cave Abodes were often transformed into places like sects or academies by cultivator masters and mighty figures at a high price.
However, the spirit cave was different.
Most spirit caves existed in the form of caves and catacombs, and spiritual essence was relatively active. Cultivators couldn’t absorb it passively, so they had to absorb it voluntarily.
Also, there were a lot of spiritual essence-induced creatures in spirit caves.
These spirit monsters were hot-tempered and would attack all non-spirit monsters that entered the spirit cave.
Because of that, spirit caves were often not feasible to modify.
Of course, this didn’t mean that the spirit cave was inferior to the Cave Abode.
On the contrary, because of the active spiritual essence, it was easier for cultivators to absorb the spiritual essence in the spirit cave.
The efficiency of cultivating in the spirit cave was several times higher than outside!
Other than that, there was a lot of good stuff on the spirit monsters in the spirit cave.
Therefore, most of the time, the spirit cave was used as a place to train disciples.
Not only could it increase the disciples’ combat ability, but it could also increase their cultivation efficiency. It was killing two birds with one stone.
To any sect, the spirit cave was as important as the Cave Abode.
In terms of importance, the spirit cave was even more important than the Profound Cottage and the Teaching Room, the two lower-grade Cave Abode!
Lin Shen never expected that the Yan family would actually find an underground spirit cave.
How did they come by it?
Wait!
Lin Shen suddenly thought of the war between the Nine Suns Sect and the Tiger Tribe not long ago.
When the Yan family attacked the White Tiger Mountain, they ruthlessly killed all the demons there, causing a huge commotion in the sect.
After that, the Yan family was even punished by the sect.
Now that Lin Shen thought about it, the Yan family had probably found out about the existence of the underground spirit cave at that time. To keep this secret to themselves, they had simply killed all the demons on White Tiger Mountain!
After that, they paid a huge price to obtain the White Tiger Mountain Cave Abode.
On the surface, it looked like they were putting everything on the line and using the White Tiger Mountain Cave Abode as a way to revive the family in the future. In fact, it was to find a reasonable cover for them to open the underground spirit cave in the Dragon Abyss Mountain Range!
The Yan family’s true target wasn’t the White Tiger Mountain Cave Abode at all, but the underground spirit cave!
“No wonder the Yan family has to recruit people everywhere to collect materials. It turns out that most of their people are working in the underground spirit cave!”
Lin Shen was enlightened.
Now that he thought about it, it was obvious that there was a premeditated plan behind all the strange actions of the Yan family!
They actually wanted to hide it from the sect and take the underground spirit cave for themselves!
Such actions were no different from betraying the sect. If the sect found out, they would definitely punish the Yan family!
Lin Shen felt overwhelmed.
That was too big a secret for him to keep.
Once exposed, it would definitely cause a huge earthquake in the sect!
As for him, a mere Bright Aperture Stage disciple, if he was implicated, he would be crushed into dust if he wasn’t careful!
“Did the Yan family capture your clansmen alive to open the underground spirit cave?”
“That’s right!”
The red fox nodded.
“The opening of the underground spirit cave is a huge project. Following the prescribed order requires a lot of manpower and resources. The Nine Suns Sect would have been able to afford it. However, the Yan family doesn’t have the strength. That’s why they’re using the blood sacrifice method!”
“Blood sacrifice?”
“It’s an unorthodox technique that requires a large amount of the flesh and blood essence of cultivators or spirit beasts. If it’s a cultivator master, the effect would be even better!”
Lin Shen looked thoughtful.
It seemed that the Tiger Tribe had gone around hunting human cultivators in order to use blood sacrifices to open the spirit cave underground.
Now, it was the Yan family’s turn.
The Yan family naturally wouldn’t attack the human cultivators, or they would definitely attract the attention of the three major sects in Dragonside City.
As a result, the Fox Tribe, which was well-hidden and rarely paid attention to, naturally became the best target for blood sacrifice.
“Do you have any conclusive evidence to prove that the Yan family is secretly opening the underground spirit cave?” Lin Shen asked.
The red fox hesitated for a moment before spitting out a bead.
It was only the size of a longan. It was completely green and emitted a terrifying sinister feeling.
Upon closer inspection, one could even see a pale and frightened little person imprisoned in the bead.
“There’s a Yan family disciple’s primordial spirit imprisoned in this Imprisonment Bead. He’s the son of an Elder of the Yan family and knows the entire incident.”
Lin Shen gave the red fox a long look and didn’t say anything. He then took the Imprisonment Bead.
“I can’t promise you anything. I can only say I’ll do my best.”
This was a serious matter, and Lin Shen wasn’t completely confident.
Lin Shen wouldn’t have gotten involved in such a matter, but he had a grudge against the Yan family. If the Yan Clan relied on the underground spirit cave to grow stronger, it would be extremely disadvantageous to his future development in the sect. Moreover, he needed to repay the red fox for saving his life.
Anyone below the level of a cultivator master was an ant.
Unless he became a cultivator master, he would always be an insignificant pawn in the sect.
No matter how talented he was, it was the same.
The Great Path was endless, and longevity was difficult to obtain. Many talented people had died on the path of cultivation.
In the end, potential was only potential. Before it was transformed into true strength, it would always be an illusion.
If a chess piece was recklessly involved in the game of chess, it would only become the first to be sacrificed!
The fox understood this. She nodded, and there was gratitude in her eyes.
“Our tribe will remember your kindness. One day, we will definitely repay you!”
Lin Shen waved his hand. “You saved my life. You don’t owe me anything.”
After a pause, he continued, “Even if the Yan family is exposed, your clansmen won’t regain their freedom. Have you thought about this?”
The red fox was silent. After a while, she said quietly, “No matter what, only by staying alive can there be a chance. Even if we lose our freedom, it’s better than becoming a blood sacrifice.”
Lin Shen glanced at her and nodded without saying anything else..