Volume One: The Celestial Cloud Palace Chapter Sixty-Nine: The Yellow Gourd

Chapter Sixty-Nine: The Yellow-Skinned Gourd

The crimson coral forest sprawled far and wide, stretching beyond the horizon—or so it seemed to ordinary sight. Of course, an immortal wielding their celestial vision could survey it all at a glance. At this moment, only twenty-two people remained; the rest could be presumed dead. Just Zhou Hao and Su Qing had slain six themselves. Previously, each of the four great factions had dispatched four members to search for treasures around Heart-Shaped Island, leaving thirty-one who ventured here. Along the way, nine more perished—some consumed by mysterious flames upon entering the volcano’s mouth, others killed in battles with shrimp and crab soldiers, or murdered in the coral forest through reckless actions.

Now, the survivors of the four great factions moved with utmost caution. For these perennial pillagers of other worlds, suffering such losses was a humiliation beyond words. They were accustomed to preying on others, never to being prey themselves; how could they tolerate such a setback?

Above the half-meter-high coral forest, several figures scanned the entire expanse, sensing there must be a pattern to its precise arrangement. And as fate would have it, some riddles are solved only by chance. Sure enough, those figures made a significant discovery.

“Hurry up here! We think we've found some clues,” they called out to those still searching. Though no one relished competing for treasure, the pressing matter was to unravel the secret of the red coral.

In a flash, a dozen figures soared above the coral, their puzzled gazes fixed upon the discoverers.

“We observed this coral forest closely and noticed its pattern resembles the nineteen lines of a Go board. We counted—there are precisely nineteen hundred corals in each direction. We think we should try referencing a Go board!”

“Go on,” said the strongest Golden Immortal disciple from Wind Desert, nodding for them to continue.

“Yes, as we pondered the Go board, we noticed several special spots within the coral. Look at those eight places!” They pointed to eight corals below.

“Huh? How can it be? Those eight corals have nothing atop them!” A voice cried out in surprise, echoed by the others.

“Could it be that some corals simply don't have treasures?” someone suggested.

“No, only those eight are bare—every other coral bears something,” replied the strongest Golden Immortal disciple from Fire Origin, his tone confident. With his immortal sight, no detail escaped him.

“I see! Look, those eight corals are arranged in a nine-grid pattern—wait, but where’s the center? The middle is missing, there isn't even a coral there!” someone exclaimed.

Instantly, all eyes were riveted on the eight peculiar corals. Indeed, they formed a nine-grid, but the central spot was empty. The corals were spaced closely enough that only a careful inspection revealed the missing center.

Zhou Hao too was stunned, a thought dawning on him. Yet, glancing at the disciples of the four factions around him, he shook his head.

“Never mind, it doesn't hurt to tell them.” Resolving so, Zhou Hao made his reasoning known.

“A Go board is the art of strategy, with nineteen lines in each direction. To mark positions, nine points are noted, called the Nine Stars in Go—the central one is known as the Celestial Origin. Since all our discoveries relate to Go, perhaps we should start from the Celestial Origin!” Zhou Hao addressed the pondering crowd.

“A fine insight—but how should we proceed?” The Golden Immortal disciples of Wind Desert and Fire Origin agreed with Zhou Hao's logic.

Zhou Hao raised a finger. “One word: dig.”

The two Golden Immortal masters exchanged a deep glance with Zhou Hao, then ordered their faction’s disciples, “Do as he says. Dig!”

Zhou Hao rejoiced inwardly, though worry gnawed at him; the idea to dig had come from the turtle, which deduced the array’s core was at the Celestial Origin. Yet Wind Desert and Fire Origin had now marked him, which could bode ill...

Next, everyone gathered at the Celestial Origin—clearly, four corals encircled an empty patch.

Reds corals carpeted the earth, save for the Celestial Origin.

Several figures stepped forward and began excavating. Soon, a large pit appeared, and at a depth of ten fathoms, they found something.

A yellow-skinned gourd lay quietly in the soil, resembling a common wine gourd, utterly unremarkable.

Swish!

With a gesture, the Golden Immortal disciple from Wind Desert summoned the gourd into his hand. All eyes turned to this newly revealed object.

The gourd was golden-yellow, seven inches tall, identical to a mortal wine gourd. Yet none doubted it was a treasure—after all, this was the Dragon King's treasury.

“Wait—don’t open it yet. We don’t know what this gourd is; opening it recklessly could be dangerous!” As Wind Desert’s Golden Immortal disciple was about to remove the stopper, Fire Origin’s Golden Immortal master quickly warned him.

“You’re right. Buried underground, this must be an extraordinary treasure, possibly harboring a deadly force. Better to be cautious.” Wind Desert’s disciple nodded, placing the gourd back at the Celestial Origin.

“Everyone, step back—leave this area. We'll try opening the gourd and see if it breaks the coral forest's secret!”

Twenty-two figures retreated, stopping only when the gourd vanished from sight.

Wind Desert’s disciple took a deep breath, standing at the forefront. With a pointed finger, a soft pop echoed from the Celestial Origin of the coral forest's Go board.

The gourd’s stopper was lifted...

Buzz!

At that moment, the entire treasury seemed to tremble. An invisible ripple surged from the gourd’s mouth, spreading outward. At the Celestial Origin, a dazzling white light appeared.

Swish, swish, swish!

With the white light came a barrage of piercing sounds, tearing through space. Everyone saw clearly: the void split open, and sword energy blasted across the coral forest.

Inexplicable—it was as if space itself was being sundered, unleashing countless sword beams. The vast coral forest was ravaged, destruction reigns; the sword energy was unstoppable, like frenzied demons. In mere moments, half the coral was shredded to nothing.

“Run for your lives!”

The sword energy surged from the shattered void, threatening Zhou Hao and the others, who fled in terror as the coral forest was swept away like a tidal wave, soon to engulf them.

“Elixirs, magical treasures, divine weapons... ah! Heavens, what is happening? Everything is gone! Are those sword energies meant to destroy all?” someone screamed, clutching their head, driven mad.

“My treasures, my hoard—damn it! What monster is that gourd, destroying all existence!” Watching priceless treasures annihilated before their eyes, the members of the four great factions felt their hearts bleed.

Each artifact would be worth a fortune outside; now all were destroyed. How could one not grieve? How could one not rage? It was sheer calamity.