CHAPTER 70: A NEW CLASS, DIVIDED HUMANITY

Nantian Wan'er kept glancing around at the cultivators nearby, unease written across her face. "The portal is about to close. Where's Grandpa?"

Wind Dragon perched on a branch and circled lazily above Lu Chen's head. He said, "Miss Wan'er, your grandpa must have gone to look for something. The secret realm still holds plenty of treasures. Don't worry. Once it closes, everyone will be sent out directly."

"Really? All right, I'll wait a little longer."

Despite what she said, Nantian Wan'er's anxiety only grew as she watched one cultivator after another leave the secret realm. Her eyes searched the crowd restlessly, trying to spot Nantian Xiu.

Outside the cave, Nantian Yijian stood by the teleportation formation, his back piled with treasures. He waved at Lu Chen. "Little Lu, hurry. Time is running out."

Lu Chen turned his head and called back, "You go first. I'll be right there."

Wan'er's palms were slick with sweat, her voice tight with worry. "Lu-gege, Grandpa still hasn't come..."

Lu Chen took her hand and leaned close to her ear, speaking softly. "Wan'er, let's go. Grandpa Xiu will be fine. I can return to this secret realm anytime I want."

"Really?"

He noticed a strand of hair falling across her cheek and gently tucked it behind her ear. "Of course. Why would I lie to you?"

Nantian Wan'er's ears flushed red. "Lu-gege..."

She lifted her gaze and whispered, "Then let's go. Maybe Grandpa is already outside."

Lu Chen looked around. "Come, it's finally time to leave."

The area was already empty, with only Nantian Yijian waiting by the teleportation formation.

Lu Chen let out a quiet sigh as the formation dimmed, then gathered his spirit qi and leapt straight into the formation.

***

The moment Lu Chen burst out of the teleportation formation, a streak of violet lightning split the sky.

It slammed down, blasting open a crater beside the stone stele. The formation connected to the secret realm shattered instantly, and every cultivator inside was forcibly expelled.

In an instant, the space before the stele became crowded with the cultivators who had remained until the end, packed shoulder to shoulder.

Cries of outrage erupted as cultivators realized not only had they been ejected, but their treasured artifacts were left behind.

"What happened? Why was I thrown out? My artifact is still inside!"

"What? You too?"

"Same here! I was just about to enter seclusion. I spent days gathering herbs, and now it's all gone!"

"Ahhh, my artifact's gone too! What kind of cursed secret realm is this? My artifact! My artifact!"

Some even rallied their companions and blasted spirit qi at the stone stele, trying to force it open again.

Boom!

The blasts struck the stone stele, causing it to blaze with dazzling light. Believing the secret realm was reopening, the crowd surged forward in a frenzy.

No one realized the glow came from the stele's auto-defense mechanism, triggered by their attacks. They continued to hammer it with spirit qi.

A few sharp-eyed cultivators caught on and quickly pulled their families and friends back.

***

Ten minutes later, the stele reached its limit. All the accumulated strikes converged, rebounded in full, and blasted back at the attackers, dozens of times stronger than before.

A thunderous explosion tore through the area. Every cultivator within ten zhang of the stone stele was reduced to powder beneath the blast.

Blood mist and shredded flesh scattered with the wind. In an instant, a deadly silence fell over the field. None dared go near the stone stele again.

Those who had narrowly survived beyond the ten-zhang radius looked dazed. Some trembled uncontrollably, while others stumbled as foul liquid seeped down their legs. After a moment, all of them fled in terror.

After the backlash, the stone stele sank into the earth and vanished. No one knew where it would next appear.

Realizing the danger had passed, the crowd's fear quickly faded. Those from the same or allied factions moved closer together, and whenever someone let their guard down, others struck from behind to rob them of their belongings.

The cultivators present were all experienced with plunder. Aware of being targeted, they stayed tense and alert, eyes darting as they looked for a chance to slip away.

Chaos soon erupted. The crowd scattered like startled birds and beasts, each unleashing their spirit qi in a desperate bid to escape.

They knew some groups would take advantage of the disorder to plunder, so they darted through the forest, constantly shifting their routes to shake off pursuit.

However, deep within the woods, a squad of masked figures in black uniforms was already waiting in silence.

They had long set their sights on this group of cultivators. Every time a lone cultivator strayed off, a masked figure would silently trail behind.

Every few minutes, a scream would echo from the depths of the forest. The masked figure would return with cultivation resources in hand, then patiently wait for the next victim.

Their movements were fluid, seamless, making the entire act appear as if it were a premeditated hunt.

Meanwhile, many others quietly drew their weapons. Among them were disciples sent out from major sects, all biding their time for this very opportunity.

Those confident in their strength lingered behind, forming small bands that roamed the forest outskirts. From time to time, they would clash and fight fiercely with the remaining cultivators.

Those without resources tried to snatch some, whereas those who had resources sought to seize even more.

Chaos reigned, and blood stained the ground. Some who failed to escape in time had no choice but to raise their weapons in defense. Severed limbs and heads rolled across the field. The slaughter was even crueler than the stone stele's direct annihilation of cultivators.

Only a few great sects remained calm and undisturbed.

Their disciples watched the carnage below as they tidied their camps near the spot where the stone stele had appeared. At times, when someone was besieged and cut down, they'd even burst into laughter.

Weaker cultivators who fled toward them seeking refuge were ruthlessly kicked away by disciples of the Herb King Manor, as if ordinary cultivators were nothing more than livestock to be slaughtered.

In their eyes, these people were beneath even pigs and dogs.

"Those bastards from the Herb King Manor don't even see the low-level cultivators as human."

Nantian Yijian had once been driven into exile in the Jianghai Region after relentless persecution from his former sect. Now, as he watched the scene unfold, fury welled within him, mingled with a deep sense of shared suffering.

He wanted to step forward and stop the killing, but without even the ability to release spirit qi, all he could do was stand there in silence.

Jun Wudi stood inside the camp, letting out a weary sigh. "This is the cultivation world now. Without the struggle against heaven and earth, all that remains is oppression of the weak."

Seeing a wounded cultivator collapse nearby, Jun Wudi reached out to help him. Yet the injured man thrust his sword toward Jun Wudi's outstretched hand before fleeing without a word.

Jun Laoye immediately rushed to Jun Wudi's side. "Second Uncle, are you alright? How could he do that? I'll kill him now!"

Jun Wudi stopped him at once. "Forget it. Let him go."

Lu Chen watched as the cultivator Jun Wudi had saved suddenly turned on Jun Wudi, trying to stab him, only to be cut down soon after in his escape. With a heavy sigh, he turned back to Jun Wudi. "Why has this world become like this?

"Back in Greenheaven Village, people mocked me, but no one ever treated my life as worthless. Why is it that after stepping into the wider world, life feels cheaper than grass?"

Jun Wudi gently patted Lu Chen's shoulder. "This is the reality of today's cultivation world. The seven aristocratic clans, together with tens of thousands of major sects, control the continent. They form an unbreakable chain of power."

He watched the endless bloodshed before him and sighed again. "After the invasion of the Abyssal Demonic Spirits, the world's spirit qi grew scarce. The major sects began fighting over the most gifted children while ruthlessly oppressing those of lesser talent.

"In the past, they did it in secret. But after the Seven Children disappeared, they grew bolder. The only thing holding them back now is the fear of the Seven Children's return.

"Now, once a person with talent is discovered, lower-level cultivators are given almost no chance to rise.

"Conflict across the continent has already reached its peak. All that's missing is an opportunity, and a leader. I once dreamed of changing this world, but in the end, I failed."

All he could do now was ensure that the cultivators of Heavenly Mandate Hall did not join in the carnage.

"Second Uncle, don't worry. Once I become a mighty cultivator, I'll rewrite this order." Jun Laoye stated loudly, his voice carrying his vow across the camp.

He had been a victim of that system himself. Born into a great clan, he was hounded by his elder brother. Hence, he had long despised such cruelty. For thousands of years, injustice had plagued the cultivation world. He harbored a strong desire to change the situation, but as someone with a bounty on his head, he lacked the strength to do anything about it.

"Little Jun... this isn't something you can change alone. But I feel the time for change is near."

Jun Wudi glanced at Lu Chen. Deep down, he sensed that if anyone could change it, that one would be Lu Chen.

"It's still too soon to talk about this now. Pack up, we're leaving."

He withdrew his gaze, sighed once more, and turned to leave with Jun Laoye.

Lu Chen stood at the outer perimeter of Heavenly Mandate Sect's camp. His brows furrowed as he watched the slaughter unfold. Behind him, Nantian Yijian and Nantian Wan'er stood in silence. All three watched, but each bore a different expression.

Jun Wudi's words echoed again and again in Lu Chen's mind, mingling with memories of the decade he had endured. Had he not obtained the Twin-Fish Medallion and stepped onto the path of cultivation, his fate would have been no different from the countless cultivators dying before him.

Sensing the turmoil in him, Nantian Wan'er quietly leaned closer, offering what little comfort she could.

She had been sheltered by her brother and grandfather for much of her life. Hence, she had rarely experienced the brutal class oppression of this world.

Lu Chen sighed softly and clasped Nantian Wan'er's hand. "This world..."

His gaze fell on a cultivator in the Qi Regulation Realm who happened to pass near the Herb King Manor's camp. When another cultivator tried to help him, one of the Herb King Manor's leaders simply kicked the would-be rescuer aside.

Bullying had become ingrained in the hearts of sect disciples with noble bloodlines.

Unable to watch any longer, Lu Chen turned his head away. With his current strength, he could not challenge those mighty sects. All he could do was focus on finding Nantian Xiu.

By now, few people remained on the field. With a glance, Lu Chen spotted Nantian Xiu.

He sat beneath a huge tree nearby, eyes closed, as if waiting for Lu Chen and Nantian Wan'er.