Luo Chuan stood in silence, gazing at the towering World Tree, deep in thought.
He was contemplating how to deal with this thing…
Meanwhile, high above the ancient ruins, the Monster Beast Royal Clan and their entourage were flying swiftly through the skies.
Unlike Luo Chuan, they weren't wandering aimlessly.
They had a clear destination.
Luo Chuan had only stumbled upon the World Tree by sheer accident.
The royal clan, on the other hand, clearly knew their way through these ancient lands.
As for why Luo Chuan didn't know?
He forgot to ask.
Typical.
Their massive group—dozens strong, many already at the Pathseeker realm—was anything but discreet. Their movement caused ripples through the spiritual fabric of the ruins, drawing attention from nearly every corner.
Many cultivators within the ancient ruins noticed the disturbance.
At first, there was confusion.
After all, when the ruins first opened, few high-level monster beasts had been seen entering.
Everyone knew that the Nine Stars Mountain Range housed powerful creatures—so where had they gone?
Now the answer was clear.
The elites of the monster beast royal clan had entered the ruins quietly.
Upon realizing this, many cultivators quickly made a decision.
Follow them.
Because if the royal clan had a destination in mind—
Then there must be opportunity there.
However, those paying close attention would notice something odd.
Despite their direction and power, the expressions of every member of the royal clan were deeply solemn.
The air itself around them grew heavier as they flew deeper into the eroded lands.
"This world is close to being completely consumed by the abyss..." murmured the High Priest, his voice low and grim as his eyes scanned the corrupted landscape below.
Beside him, Yao Ziyan hesitated for a moment, then finally asked what everyone else was thinking.
"Grandpa Xu... is the abyss really that terrifying?"
It wasn't just idle curiosity—
Even those of noble blood felt the oppressive discomfort pressing in from all sides.
The air here wasn't just dense.
It felt hostile.
As if the world itself wanted to reject their presence.
"You'll only understand the horror of the abyss if you've lived through the ancient era," the High Priest replied with a sigh.
His eyes, clouded by memory, flickered with something far more disturbing than words—
Fear.
And if even someone at the Eminence realm feared the abyss—
Then its threat could not be overstated.
After a moment of silence, Yao Ziyan glanced upward at the darkening sky and sighed softly.
"I just wonder where the boss is right now."
She found it strange that Luo Chuan hadn't appeared with them when they entered the ruins.
Still, she wasn't worried.
With the boss's strength—
Whether in this corrupted realm or the world outside—
Nothing could threaten him.
Her faith in Luo Chuan was unshakable.
The name of Origin Mall had already spread far and wide thanks to the implementation of Luo Chuan's Plan B.
These days, the way cultivators greeted each other had even started to change.
"Hey, have you heard of Origin Mall?"
"Origin Mall? Yeah, that place outside the city, right? Sells weird stuff like spicy bars and Coke."
"Exactly! That's the one! I heard the shopkeeper's in the ruins now!"
"No way—seriously?"
"And get this—he helps people in danger without asking for anything in return. Just wants to promote his products!"
"...This senior really has… a unique personality."
Across the ruins, among those who had visited the mall before, Luo Chuan's name stirred reactions ranging from awe to confusion.
Without fail, the mood shifted each time he was mentioned.
"This is so like the boss," laughed Xia Yuan, unconcerned about maintaining his image in front of his students.
Liu Ruyu and Liu Rumei, who had been tense just moments before, exchanged faint, helpless smiles.
The heavy atmosphere around them seemed to lift, just a little.
With the boss here, surely things wouldn't spiral out of control…
Meanwhile, Bai and Ji Wuhui were still combing the ruins—
Trying to find Luo Chuan.
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