Welcome to Ability Store-Chapter 123 - 122: A Sudden Cataclysm

The group hurriedly exited the hall and sealed the entrance before rushing down the mountain.

After about ten minutes of walking, when they again passed the path near the cliff, the party suddenly noticed that the distant scenery had changed.

Or rather... Chang’an City had changed.

"Look over there!"

As soon as the first person noticed the anomaly, an inexplicable fear instantly gripped everyone’s heart.

The Immortal Alliance officials and Mo Shuyun stared at the direction of Chang’an in shock—only to see the distant city enveloped by a mass of black light. Its range was so large that it swallowed up several tall towers in the city center, leaving only the four corners of the city exposed.

"What on earth is that thing... clouds?"

"Oh my god, it seems to be expanding!"

"It wasn’t like this when we arrived; what on earth is happening in the city?"

The group discussed anxiously, their faces full of unease and fear. That was Chang’an City! The core of the entire Immortal Alliance!

A small sect like the Qingge Sect, even if it disappears, nobody would pay attention, but when incomprehensible mysteries occur in the heart of Chang’an, they can’t adopt the same detached observer’s attitude.

In the group, only Chen Xuan had seen similar scenes.

It was at the Botanical Garden, where the Wanderer’s repeated crossings at the invasion point caused the invasion to rapidly expand—this phenomenon only occurs then.

On the surface, the invaded place appears to be wrapped in a layer of oil film or halo, but in reality, it’s two spaces overlapping together!

A flash of lightning crossed his mind—all clues seemed to connect into a line.

He had guessed right before; there indeed exists an invasion point near Chang’an City, but he hadn’t expected that the invasion point was actually within the city.

So... Ji Yanshu is actually a Wanderer?

Thinking carefully, many things can be explained. Why did he leave the Qingge Sect to become a Loose Cultivator? Perhaps he didn’t want the Grotto Heaven to be occupied by the Sect Leader and elders... with only himself knowing, the resources in the Grotto Heaven could be entirely for his use.

And the Qingge Sect probably noticed this too, not entirely oblivious. That’s why they deliberately reported his unannounced departure as betrayal. Even if they couldn’t catch Ji Yanshu, they definitely shouldn’t let him take the Grotto Heaven resources and join another sect.

This explains why he hasn’t left the Chang’an vicinity in five years, hiding no more than in nearby county towns.

Because the "Grotto Heaven" is his most precious treasure!

Ji Yanshu would rather risk being found to stay in Chang’an, so he can occasionally sneak into the other world, continuing his cultivation!

And his disdain for Feng County’s sects and his distrust of the Immortal Alliance is fully understandable—when even small sects in Chang’an can freely manipulate their low-level cultivators, oppressing outsiders, let alone sects in places where the Immortal Alliance’s control is dwindling? Meanwhile, the Immortal Alliance didn’t verify the matter but directly put him on the list of fugitive cultivators, naturally unacceptable to him.

Moreover, Ji Yanshu’s bold claim in front of Jiu and Hua about establishing a sect independently likely stems from this hidden Grotto Heaven.

He’s not just boasting; with the Wei siblings, these two geniuses, plus the rare resources in the Grotto Heaven, establishing a sect isn’t that far-fetched. If Qingge Sect can establish itself in Chang’an, why can’t he?

Thinking of his guests, Chen Xuan felt a sudden sinking in his heart. He suddenly remembered that today was the day when Liu Shuyue’s team entered the city to register for the competition!

They should all be near the Moon Gazing Tower now!

How could such a coincidence occur?

"Don’t worry too much, everyone..." Historian Hongli tried to appear calm. "Think about it, how many sect experts, elders, and sect leaders are gathered in Chang’an now. No matter what changes occur, I believe the Immortal Alliance cultivators can solve it together."

"You are indeed correct!"

"Exactly, if the sky falls, the tall ones will hold it up. With major sects from the Central Plains all gathered, there’s nothing for us to worry about."

"Hahaha... if the Immortal Alliance can’t solve it, our anxiety is futile; let’s focus on our steps first."

The other officials couldn’t help but echo these sentiments.

"Bad timing!" Mo Shuyun frowned. "Aren’t you all considering another possibility? If this is truly an enemy’s doing, wouldn’t they be aware of the Immortal Alliance hosting a sect contest? What if they’ve been waiting for precisely this moment?"

The group fell silent simultaneously.

The scene became strangely quiet.

"Keep heading down the mountain. If the black light continues to expand, remember not to enter casually," Chen Xuan broke the silence.

"What about you?" Hongli asked, detecting meaning in his words, deeply surprised, "You’re not coming with us?"

"I recalled there’s a place in Qingge Sect left unchecked, need to return. You all go ahead, don’t wait for me." He ignored the others’ reactions and directly gestured to Marina, "You come with me."

Under the puzzled stares, Chen Xuan and the witch rushed back.

The uphill road took two hours, downhill at least an hour and a half. He wasn’t proficient with the Wind Riding Talisman and dared not fly straight to Chang’an from the mountainside cliff, so had only one option for quick entry.

After separating from the main team, Chen Xuan pulled out the scanning gun, immediately transmitting himself back to the shop. As for whether to summon Liu Shuyue or Marina next, after a moment’s thought, he chose the latter.

Regardless, Liu Shuyue was the strongest in the team; should danger arise, like encountering a mutated Demon Fiend like Zhang Zhi, she alone would be most capable of handling it.

Marina experienced her first customer recall, still in the forest one second, appearing in the shop the next—this unreasonable forced transit left her a bit stunned, "I-I’m here now, what happened?"

"It’s just a minor divine trick; don’t mind it. Go notify your witch sisters to come immediately to the shop for refuge."

"Chen Xuan, something big seems happening over at Chang’an City," Lin Qing, who stayed at the shop, noticed the anomaly outside, "I was just about to find you."

Chen Xuan saw her still in her shop uniform but with two rifles slung on her back, her waist full of magazines.

"You are..."

"Aren’t we fighting? I’m prepared." Lin Qing said, ready to act.

"Uh... there’s no need for you to go; this time the potential enemies may be invulnerable. Guns may have little effect." Chen Xuan shook his head, "I have another important task for you."

"What task?"

"Can you set up an antenna here to extend the WIFI signal into Chang’an City?"

His inability to flexibly utilize stored abilities was the most troubling issue for Chen Xuan. Especially since the invading enemy likely stems from a world steeped in eerie and malevolent aura, carrying only four fixed abilities gave him unease.

"Scanning... simplest signal amplification device..." Lin Qing’s eyes glowed blue, "Got it! Let me see... need some circuit boards and a few receiver modules. Can I dismantle some appliances?"

"Take apart whatever you need; there’s a welder for rent at the maintenance shop in block C5, and pliers and screwdrivers are in the main shop."

"Alright," Lin Qing gestured an OK sign, "Leave it to me."

"Make sure not to bring the guns outside." Chen Xuan reminded before turning towards Chang’an City.

The main road outside the manor was already crowded with fleeing townspeople, carrying their belongings, running south, fearing the black light might engulf them. Observing the invasion zone up close from the southern suburbs felt entirely different from the distant view from Zhongnan Mountain; Chen Xuan stood in the field, facing this mammoth occupying half the sky, feeling a sense of insignificance.

It was like a giant gaseous planet rising slowly, seemingly covering the sky and the sun. The formerly towering walls of Chang’an City looked like clay barriers built by children. He had to fully tilt his head up to include its dome within his sight; let alone the sharp towers inside the city—neither could the Eiffel Tower protrude a single bubble here.

He was witnessing a disaster-level erosion.