An invasion from the Abyss? I, a demonic cultivator, laughed.

Chapter 247 The Hundred Demons' Furnace
Chu Xiu never expected to encounter such good fortune.

The world that was perfectly suited to him was none other than the [Forge of a Hundred Demons]!
The world is named The Forge because its main body is a huge, layered, downward-facing pit, but this pit is much larger than the crater in the world of the Corpse Demon!
If the calamity-infested crater, which is comparable in size to a city, is already astonishing enough, then the world of [Hundred Ghosts' Forge] is a continent!
What makes it special is that the entire world is filled with dense Yin energy, which constantly settles down, becoming more concentrated the deeper the pit goes! This dense Yin energy has given birth to a large number of ghosts, hence the name "Hundred Ghosts Furnace"!
"If I want to refine the Ghost King with my Thousand Soul Banner, I need to continuously smelt a large number of ghosts! The countless ghosts in this world are perfect for this!"

It's hard to imagine how many living beings were hidden in a giant crater the size of a continent!

Of course, if that were all, it wouldn't have made Chu Xiu so excited, since there are quite a few worlds with abundant Yin energy.

What makes this world special is its unique experiences.

It was a world that was discovered forty years ago, during a period of darkness and turmoil.

The method by which it was discovered was not through an awakening trial, but by a powerful [Heroic Spirit] who, while freely diving into the deep, discovered this unknown world.

Upon entering this world, the powerful figure immediately realized what a vast treasure trove this dense Yin energy and the ghostly creatures that filled the entire world truly were!

This world alone is probably enough to satisfy the cultivation needs of tens of thousands of [Soul-type] professions!

Therefore, without any hesitation, he directly consumed an extremely precious [Independent Anchor Point] to establish a connection with this world.

The [Independent Anchor Point] is one of the ultimate prizes Chu Xiu received after clearing the Old Trials. Its effect is that when used in a world, it can transform into a [Core Anchor Point]!
This item is incredibly valuable, essential for both pioneering and conquering other worlds. Usually, only powerful beings like Heroic Spirits or even Demigods have the chance to possess it by chance.

In the following years, that powerful [Heroic Spirit] made a fortune by constantly capturing ghosts and selling [Anchor Points].

However, the biggest difference between the worlds obtained through free dives and those obtained through awakening trials is that these worlds may not have been completely swallowed by the abyss.

The fact that it was not completely swallowed up means that civilization exists in this world!

Theoretically, Earth also belongs to this type of world, which means that awakened beings from other worlds may also come to Earth through [Free Deep Dive].

That's right, the world of [Hundred Ghosts Forge] has local natives, and not only do they exist, but they are also a huge civilization with a population of over 100 million!

This civilization, which developed by capturing and manipulating the ghosts in the deep pits to fight, calls itself the "Exorcist" civilization.

When the Exorcists' civilization collides with the Awakened, it goes without saying that it will be a life-or-death struggle between the colonists and the native civilization.

The world of the Hundred Ghosts Furnace is only a level 5 world, which means that the highest-ranking beings in it are only at the King rank. Naturally, they are no match for the Awakened Ones and are forced to retreat in defeat, suffering countless casualties.

Legend has it that even the Conqueror King was tempted to buy the anchor point from that [Heroic Spirit] so he could completely conquer this civilization and bring it under his control.

However, in times of crisis, heroes always step forward.

At that time, the strongest member of the [Exorcist] civilization gathered the power of the civilization and forcibly advanced to [Heroic Spirit], and set up a great array at the bottom of the furnace. A surprise attack directly killed all three [Heroic Spirits] of the Awakener camp!
Because the holder of the [Core Anchor Point] was killed, the [Core Anchor Point] naturally shattered, and the number of Awakened Ones could not be replenished. Under the pursuit of the entire [Exorcist] civilization, they had no choice but to flee back to Earth and dare not enter again.

Over time, Earth completely lost control of the world.

The Conqueror King felt a little regretful, but didn't pay too much attention. There were countless worlds in the abyss, and the [Hundred Ghosts Forge] was just an ordinary one among them. Although the world's structure was unique and very suitable for the development of [Soul-type] professions, the abyss level it was in was too shallow, and the world level was only level five. It wasn't worth a Heavenly King's much effort.

Everyone assumed that the two worlds would never intersect again, and that this was just one of the countless worlds that the awakened had failed to conquer.

But to everyone's surprise, just a month and a half ago, the [Hundred Ghosts Furnace] was chosen as the trial world during an awakening trial!
Only a world where civilization has been completely wiped out and swallowed up by the abyss can become a trial world!
This immediately attracted the attention of the government, and after an investigation, the investigation bureau pieced together the whole story.

It turns out that while the strongest member of the [Exorcist] civilization did indeed kill three [Heroic Spirits], it was at the cost of burning his own life.

Not only him, but also hundreds of King-level warriors who were assisting in the operation of the formation sacrificed their lives!

There was no way around it; the gap between Heroic Spirits and Kings was too great. The strongest one had only just advanced to the rank of Heroic Spirit. Even with the help of the formation, how could he possibly defeat three seasoned Heroic Spirits who were already powerful enough to begin their "Free Deep Dive"?
Therefore, although the Awakened were eventually driven out, the Exorcist civilization also suffered heavy losses and casualties.

And don't forget, this is a world with extremely dense Yin energy, perfectly suited for the birth of ghosts!
The souls of these numerous powerful deceased individuals, nourished by Yin energy, transformed into ferocious vengeful spirits, eventually evolving into Ghost Kings of the [Heroic Spirit] rank!

Under the leadership of the Ghost King, a riot broke out in the world. All the ghosts began to indiscriminately slaughter any living beings, and the dead beings were transformed into new ghosts!

Under this relentless pursuit, the [Exorcist] civilization, which originally had a population of over 100 million, was completely wiped out in less than ten years.

This horrific catastrophe even moved Chu Xiu, a demonic cultivator, to reflect on how a vast civilization had vanished because of human invasion.

However, this can be considered a characteristic of the human race.

As ordinary people, they possess a strong capacity for empathy, but as their power grows, they become increasingly indifferent and arrogant—a phenomenon observed throughout history and across cultures.

Only a few people can maintain their understanding and empathy for the underprivileged while holding high positions; these people are often worthy of respect as saints and heroes.

If power can cause such a loss, then extraordinary power capable of altering the very nature of life is even more likely to lead people astray.

In the eyes of many high-level awakened beings, they no longer consider ordinary people to be their fellow human beings; they regard themselves as some kind of more transcendent being.

Even if you slaughter tens of thousands of people, it's nothing more than raising your hand to unleash a skill for a powerful [Heroic Spirit].

"In short, the world of the [Hundred Ghosts Furnace] was swallowed by the abyss, and then reappeared last month during the Awakening Trial." Just as Chu Xiu was thinking, the host's explanation also rang out.

"As everyone knows, the flow of time is different in a world swallowed by the abyss. According to preliminary investigations, the [Hundred Ghosts Furnace] has been evolving on its own in the abyss for over two hundred years. Can you imagine how many new ghosts will be born and nurtured in two hundred years, and how powerful the existing ghosts will become?"

"Furthermore, its location in the abyss has dropped to a deeper level, and the stronger abyssal power has made the concentration of yin energy in the [Hundred Ghosts Furnace] even more concentrated than before, and the world level has also been raised to level six!"

"This means that the number, quality, and rank of ghosts have all seen a significant improvement compared to before!"

"Besides, both the lost [Exorcist Civilization] and the treasures possessed by the three deceased [Heroic Spirits] are a tremendous fortune! They are quietly waiting for a destined person to discover them!"

As the host finished speaking, the enthusiasm of the audience below was clearly aroused.

And the host seized the opportunity to add the final fuel to the fire!

"Another extremely important point is that, because the newly awakened ones generally do not have good means to deal with ghosts, there were a lot of casualties in the process of conquering the world mission. Of the top 30 contributors, only 7 survived! Of the top 3, only the second one survived! The first one, who had the most [anchor points], died in the end, taking the boss down with him!"

Without the host needing to say more, everyone present understood what this meant.

This means that anchor points are extremely scarce! And the scarcity of anchor points means a significant reduction in competitive pressure and a substantial increase in the resources available to each individual!

Now everyone fully understood why an "anchor point" could be the grand finale of the auction!
Chu Xiu was also making a quick decision in his mind.

Without a doubt, this world is a perfect fit for him.

However, this does not mean that it is without any drawbacks. First of all, its price is too high. If Chu Xiu wants to acquire it, he will have to pay a considerable price.

Secondly, the world level of 6, and the potential presence of powerful [Heroic Spirits] who might be attracted by the abundant resources, both mean an increased risk factor, which contradicts Chu Xiu's previously established plan for steady development.

However, he only considered it for a moment before making up his mind.

We must capture this anchor point!

A tremendous opportunity is right in front of him, and he is not so cautious as to back down because of this little risk!
That's not caution, that's cowardice!

Almost the instant Chu Xiu made up his mind, the auctioneer's gavel fell!
"Starting bid: 50 billion!"

Fifty billion!
As the highest starting bid of the entire event was set, a collective gasp rippled through the private room. The Xu family patriarch shook his head and said with a wry smile, "A starting bid of 50 billion... it seems this [Anchor Point] is meant for Heroic Spirits, not for us King-level beings."

"One hundred billion." Before he could finish speaking, Chu Xiu's calm voice rang out in the private room.

"."

An eerie silence fell over the private room, broken only by the increasingly heavy breathing of the group.

"One hundred billion?"

The two family heads stared wide-eyed, both doubting their ears.

An ordinary King-level Awakener's net worth is only around 10 billion, and even a high-level King-level Awakener's net worth is only 20 to 30 billion.

Without exceptionally great opportunities, only top-tier kings or clan leaders like them can accumulate wealth for over a decade to reach an asset scale of over 100 billion!
Chu Xiu casually mentioned hundreds of billions, and judging from his calm expression, his true net worth is most likely far more than that!

"If this person isn't mentally unstable and making random quotes, then..."

The two exchanged a glance, and two words flashed through their minds.

[Heroic Spirit]!
As for the Qin family members, their expressions were completely blank.

Originally, everyone thought that Chu Xiu was a little unhappy about spending the family's money, but now they realized that they were just frogs in a well. Would someone who could casually throw out a hundred billion care about such a small amount of money?
"VIP Box No. 3, 110 billion." Just as everyone was in shock, a new bid rang out from the loudspeaker in the VIP box.

This time, Chu Xiu's doubling tactic didn't scare anyone else, after all, the value of this [Anchor Point] was too great.

And Chu Xiu did not raise prices violently as he did last time.

The fact that the VIP box is the top-tier one most likely means that the person sitting inside is a heroic spirit!
This type of opponent requires a different strategy.

"The number one VIP box, 120 billion."

At this moment, someone else made a move.

Chu Xiu's brows furrowed even more.

"150 billion," he said coldly, instantly adding 30 billion.

However, not long after he finished speaking, a voice came from the No. 1 VIP box, which was not to be outdone.

"180 billion!"

They added another 30 billion, as if to show Chu Xiu their determination, which made his expression even more serious.

The others in the private room were too afraid to even breathe in the face of such a huge sum of money, and they all looked at Chu Xiu nervously.

"Brother Qin, maybe we should just forget about it. The number one VIP room is occupied by the Jiang family, one of the four great families in Kyoto! They recently produced a Civilization Envoy, and they're riding high right now!" The Xu family head swallowed nervously.

“Yes, yes,” the head of the He family also said, “The four major families act domineeringly, so be careful they don’t hold a grudge.”

Chu Xiu didn't reply, but narrowed his eyes again before calmly saying, "Two hundred billion."

"Twenty-one hundred billion!" the other party immediately followed.

"Twenty-two hundred billion!"

"230 billion!!"

"250 billion!!!"

As Chu Xiu shouted out this astonishing number, the opposing team finally fell silent, and the entire arena became completely quiet.

Even as an annual auction in Shanghai, such a sum of money is extremely rare!
The people in the private room were completely stunned.

"Dong dong dong."

Just then, a rhythmic knocking broke the deathly silence.

A servant approached Chu Xiu and whispered, "My lord, the distinguished guest in the number one VIP room wishes to see you."

Although his voice was soft, everyone present, being an Awakened One, heard it clearly. Their faces paled, and only one thought occupied their minds:
"It's over!"

"They've come knocking!"

Only Chu Xiu remained calm, simply saying, "Please come in."

He wasn't speaking to the waiter, but rather as if talking to himself, and his voice wasn't loud. But the moment he finished speaking, the door to the private room was pushed open.

A boy with rosy cheeks and white teeth, who looked no more than eight or nine years old, walked in.

The boy had a red mole on his forehead. Strangely, although he looked very young, his eyes were deep and profound, far beyond his years, and he exuded a faint but extremely powerful aura.

The moment he pushed open the door, everyone instantly realized that this was definitely a [Heroic Spirit]!
Everyone immediately stood up, their expressions becoming restrained, and cold sweat even seeped from their foreheads, except for Chu Xiu, who remained quietly seated in place.

The boy ignored everyone else and fixed his gaze directly on Chu Xiu.

After a moment, he chuckled lightly, "My name is Jiang Lingfu. You look unfamiliar, brother. May I ask your name?"

"Qin Yu," Chu Xiu said calmly.

“So it’s Brother Qin,” Jiang Lingfu nodded. “Time is of the essence, so I’ll speak frankly. I hope Brother Qin won’t take offense.”

"Brother Jiang, please speak."

"Our Jiang family originates from the ancient Jiang surname and is born with an extremely strong control over the soul. There are also many soul-type professions in the clan. This [anchor point] may involve the opportunity for several advanced heroic spirits. The funds prepared by the clan this time exceed 500 billion. Our Jiang family is determined to obtain it."

"The reason for speaking with Brother Qin in advance is that we don't want to drive up prices between us, which would benefit a third party."

"Brother Qin, would you be willing to part with it? Our Jiang family is willing to offer you appropriate compensation."

Jiang Lingfu's words left the other two family heads completely bewildered.

Wait, is this still the same Kyoto Four Great Families known for their domineering ways? Why the sudden change?

They not only offered kind words of persuasion, but were even willing to provide additional compensation!

The other party has already shown such sincerity, surely they should compromise now, right? They can't possibly really go along with the four major families.
"Feel sorry."

However, before the thought could even settle in their minds, Chu Xiu had already uttered his refusal.

He slowly turned around, calmly looking at Jiang Lingfu, whose expression was gradually turning ugly, and said indifferently:
"I am determined to get this [anchor point] as well."

"If your Jiang family can afford 500 billion, then I will offer 600 billion!"

(End of this chapter)