“Escape? I’m afraid that’s no longer possible…”
Right as Jared said that, a scream echoed throughout the area. They couldn’t see what had happened due to the black fog obscuring their view, but Jared’s spiritual sense revealed that a cultivator had exploded after absorbing too much energy.
After the cultivator exploded, a white light rose into the air and disappeared seconds later. Most of the cultivators woke up from their cultivation state after the explosion.
Some of them looked extremely pale as their bodies had reached their limits, but they couldn’t stop the energy from entering them.
Cameron, the Five Slayers, and the others had all realized that as well. Everyone began to panic when they tried to stop their bodies from absorbing that energy.
“What’s going on here? Why can’t I stop it? The ice soul fragments’ energy just keeps forcing its way into my body!”
“I can’t stop it either! I’m at my limits now!”
“I’m going to explode! I’m going to-”
Boom! As another cultivator exploded on the spot, yet another white light went up into the air. The black fog shrouding the altar slowly dissipated as more explosions took place.
By the time the black fog was completely gone, the surviving cultivators saw the elderly man levitating in the air and staring down at them.
The altar was covered in bloodstains that the dead cultivators had left behind after exploding. It was such a gruesome sight that it stunned everyone at the scene.
“What’s going on here, Sir? Why are we unable to stop the cultivation process? The energy from the ice soul fragments is still pouring into our bodies!” Typhon exclaimed anxiously.
“That’s right! Do you guys really think I reward people for no reason? How naive of you to think you could just come in here and take my treasure! What a joke!” the elderly man replied with a disdainful snort. Everyone shuddered when they heard what he said.
“Why would you do this, Sir?” Typhon asked in confusion. “Why should I explain myself to you?” the elderly man retorted with a sneer. There was no way he would reveal the truth to them.
“I’ll tell you guys why!” Jared said.
Everyone shifted their gaze toward him upon hearing that.
“You know why, Jared?” Sunny asked. “Of course! There is no treasure here because I already have it all on my person! These ice soul fragments are nothing but bait. He wants us to absorb their energy so he can force it into us and make us explode. Those who die will turn into a white light that gets absorbed by something. As for what that something is… this old man is the only one who has the answer to that,” Jared explained while glaring at the elderly man.
“What are you talking about, Jared? Do you mean this was all a lie?” Sunny asked in confusion. “Yeah, is this all a lie? This elderly man is the elder of the Archaic Body cultivators, isn’t he?” Lofton asked.
“No, he isn’t the elder of the Archaic Body cultivators. The real elder is someone else who looks like him, but they are slightly different in terms of their personality, their aura, and the way they do things,” Jared said.
“What are you going on about? You speak as if you’ve met the elder of the Archaic Body cultivators yourself!” Typhon shouted.
“Go ahead and try asking this old man over here if I’m making this up!” Jared said while looking sternly at the elderly man.
Everyone shifted their gaze toward the elderly man in response, only to shudder when they saw him smiling creepily without denying Jared’s accusations.
