PCJ – Chapter 731 The Real Reason

“Who knows? If the three great sacred lands hadn’t revealed the teleportation array this time, the cultivation world might have stayed in the dark forever. All along, everyone has been searching for the road to the Immortal Realm. Who would have thought this secret has always been in their hands?” Wei Chenguang said.

“This is strange. They kept the secret for so many years, and now suddenly reveal it. Why now? There must be a reason.” Zhang Jiaohua felt certain the three sacred lands had some scheme.

He quickly summoned Meishan Sect’s core members for a council to discuss the matter.

“Hall Master Kong, the Artifact Refining Sect also carried an ancient heritage through many generations. Had you never heard of a teleportation array to the Immortal Realm before?” Zhang Jiaohua asked.

Kong Jiyuan shook his head. “I also find it strange. In all of our sect’s history, no one ever mentioned such an array. Hearing this news from the three sacred lands was truly shocking.”

“We must figure out their true purpose. I don’t believe their motives are so simple. Or perhaps activating the array itself is anything but simple.” Zhang Jiaohua said.

“The three sacred lands are calling for all cultivators to gather and discuss the great affairs of the cultivation world. That suggests opening the array won’t be straightforward. Otherwise, why keep it sealed for so many centuries?” Kong Fangzhou added.

Wei Chenguang nodded. “I think Meishan Sect can send people to investigate—but the Sect Master must not go. At least not until we know their true intent.”

“Could it be this situation: maybe even the three sacred lands don’t know what lies on the other side. Perhaps the array is only one-way—you can go through but not return. That would explain why no one knows what’s there. Surely people have gone before, but none ever came back. So they’ve always been cautious about opening it.” Ji Jiaxin suggested.

“I think that’s very possible. Why hasn’t the news ever leaked out? Because anyone who saw the array never returned. Whether that world is really the Immortal Realm, no one knows. Since no one has ever come back.” Zhang Jiaohua gave Ji Jiaxin a look of approval.

“In other words, maybe the three sacred lands aren’t hiding some conspiracy. There’s no profit for them in it anyway. For cultivators, spiritual energy is everything. But now with spiritual energy scarce, they can’t drain it from others. Gathering cultivators may simply be to improve their chances of surviving in the Immortal Realm. With its situation unknown, rushing in is extremely risky.” Ji Jiaxin’s imagination was sharp.

“In any case, no matter their motives, I say we send representatives to probe the situation. Only after things are clear will Meishan Sect decide.” Qi Xia said.

Wei Chenguang volunteered. “I’ll go. I’ve been to the three sacred lands, I know them fairly well. I also have experience dealing with the cultivation world.”

“I’ll go as well,” Kong Jiyuan stood up.

“Father, you shouldn’t go—I’ll go.” Kong Fangzhou said quickly.

“No, you have tasks from the Sect Master. They can’t be delayed. Old Wei and I will do.” Kong Jiyuan said firmly.

“I’ll go too,” Zhang Yuanbao stood up.

“No! What use would you be?” Zhang Jiaohua objected at once.

“Why can’t I go? Someone from Meizi’ao should represent us.” Zhang Yuanbao’s tone was unusually resolute.

After several days of preparation, Zhang Yuanbao set out with Kong Jiyuan, Wei Chenguang, and others for the three sacred lands. Their destination wasn’t within any of the lands themselves, but a secret realm in the Taklamakan Desert—said to be the location of the teleportation channel.

The desert, though harsh and deadly for ordinary people, posed little threat to cultivators.

Even so, Zhang Jiaohua couldn’t simply let Yuanbao’s group go without oversight. He immediately ordered his tech team to track them. He himself followed along with a rescue squad, shadowing the desert-bound convoy. They drove SUVs into the sands, then abandoned them at the shifting dunes and continued on foot.

Watching Yuanbao and the others trudging with the cultivator group, Dumb curled his lip. “So primitive. If it were our Meishan Sect, this would never be necessary.”

“Yeah. We could just take aircraft. Forget fifty people, even five thousand—we could deliver them anywhere on Earth within ten hours.” Nie Tong chimed in.

“Less chatter. Scan the desert for anomalies first.” Zhang Jiaohua ordered.

“Beginning scan.” Nie Tong’s expression turned serious. The aircraft darted rapidly over the desert. Its stealth was extraordinary—radar couldn’t detect it, and its camouflage made it invisible to the naked eye.

Zhang Yuanbao’s group numbered fifty-six. Leading them were three Shu Mountain cultivators, one of whom was Di Changsheng, a late-stage Qi-Refinement cultivator.

Di Changsheng looked up uneasily. He felt as though unseen eyes were watching them. But when he raised his head, nothing was there.

“What’s wrong, Senior Brother?” asked Zhu Yingchun, another Shu Mountain cultivator of the same stage.

“Nothing. I just feel we’re being watched.” Di Changsheng frowned, scanning the sky.

Zhu Yingchun laughed. “Of course we’re being watched—probably from far away. There are satellites monitoring the ground all the time. Wherever you go, someone’s watching.”

Di Changsheng forced a smile, but his unease lingered. He couldn’t quite put his finger on it.

“Forget it. Focus on the task.” said Zhang Lingxiong, the third Shu Mountain cultivator.

“I just don’t understand. With the strength of the three sacred lands, can’t they handle this themselves? Why bring along such a rabble?” Zhu Yingchun muttered.

“Don’t speak carelessly. Words like that must never be spoken aloud.” Di Changsheng warned sternly.