Huo Chen walked beside Huo Jian as they made their way toward the section of the valley where the Huo Clan had established their position.
Cultivators from various factions watched them pass but most paid them little attention, too focused on guarding their own territories or preparing for whatever conflict was clearly brewing in the air.
Huo Jian led the conversation as they walked, his tone casual but carrying an edge of seriousness. "You know of the Mu Family from the eastern domain, right?"
"Yes," Huo Chen said.
"They're one of the major forces here at the Cleansing Springs," Huo Jian continued. "Actually, they're probably the strongest faction present right now. Their people arrived early and claimed the largest section of the area."
Huo Chen glanced toward where Huo Jian had gestured earlier.
"Is their genius Mu Rong here?"
"No," Huo Jian shook his head. "Someone else is leading their group. One of their senior cultivators, I think. But they still have plenty of high-level people with them."
They reached the Huo Clan's position a moment later and Huo Chen took in the scene. Dozens of clan members had gathered around one of the larger pools, their red and gold robes marking them clearly among the other factions.
The group's strength varied widely, with cultivators ranging from sixth layer up through ninth layer Qi Refining scattered throughout the area.
Elder Huo Shun stood near the center of the formation, his ninth layer cultivation making him one of the strongest Huo Clan members present.
Two other ninth layer cultivators stood close to him—Huo Ming, a serious-looking man in his early thirties and Huo Lan, a woman in her late thirties whose sharp eyes constantly scanned their surroundings with calm alertness.
Elder Huo Rong was there as well, with his eighth layer cultivation.
The rest of the group consisted of other clan members at various cultivation levels, all positioned strategically around their claimed territory.
Huo Chen approached and cupped his fists. "Greetings Seniors."
Elder Huo Shun's eyes widened slightly when he saw who had spoken, and a mixture of surprise and amusement crossed his face.
"Huo Chen? Boy, you really have guts! Entering a dangerous place like the Emerald Void Realm with such little cultivation—I'm impressed you even made it this far!"
Huo Chen smiled faintly. He didn't correct the elder's assumption about his cultivation level.
The other clan members glanced at him briefly, their expressions showing mild curiosity before they turned their attention back to watching the surrounding factions.
This place was tense and dangerous, with conflict clearly on the horizon, and there was little time for casual conversation or catching up with a mediocre clan member who'd somehow managed to enter the realm.
Huo Chen moved to stand at the edge of the group with Huo Jian beside him, and from this position he had a clear view of the entire valley.
Cultivators from dozens of different factions filled the area around the various pools, each group marked by distinct robes bearing sect or clan emblems. Huo Chen noticed the variety immediately. Some cultivators wore robes of deep blue, crimson, jade green, or black, many marked with strange symbols or crests.
Among them were also groups of independent cultivators who had banded together without any formal affiliation, their mismatched robes and lack of emblems making them easy to identify.
They'd formed temporary alliances to harvest resources and protect themselves from the larger, more organized factions that dominated the best positions.
Huo Chen's gaze moved across the valley until it settled on the Mu Family's section.
They'd claimed a significantly larger area than any other faction, and over twenty cultivators wearing the Mu Family's distinctive green and silver robes occupied the space.
Most of them were seventh and eighth layer cultivators, but what caught Huo Chen's attention were the leaders.
Five ninth layer cultivators stood at the front of the Mu Family formation, their presence alone enough to deter most other groups from challenging their claim.
Among them, a man in his forties stood slightly ahead of the others with his arms folded across his chest.
His cultivation was also at the ninth layer and his posture radiated calm confidence as he surveyed the valley with the air of someone completely unconcerned about the tensions building around him.
Huo Chen studied the scene for a moment longer, then turned his attention to what lay ahead of all the gathered factions.
At the center of the springs area, growing directly out from the crystal-clear water, were five objects that glowed with a faint spiritual light.
They looked almost like crystallized marrow, pale white with veins of soft green running through them, and each one was roughly the size of a fist.
Spiritual energy radiated from them in gentle waves that Huo Chen could feel even from this distance. He'd never seen anything like them before.
"What are those?" he asked, nodding toward the center.
Huo Jian followed his gaze and his expression grew more serious.
"Void Spirit Marrow. They're extremely rare and only grow here in the Emerald Void Realm—you won't find them anywhere outside. They're foundation building treasures. Consuming one can cleanse your Qi completely, purify your meridians to an incredible degree, and strengthen your body in preparation for breaking through to Foundation Establishment. Even for someone already at the peak of Qi Refining, they're invaluable."
Huo Chen looked at the five pieces of Void Spirit Marrow again, his eyes moving over each one carefully.
He nodded to himself.
Very good.
His intent was clear in his own mind—he was going to take two of those for himself.
"When will they be ready for harvesting?" he asked.
"They're not fully matured yet," Huo Jian said. "It'll take about three more hours before they're ready to be collected. Once that happens..."
He trailed off and gestured at all the factions surrounding the springs. "This whole place is going to turn into a battlefield. Everyone here wants those Void Spirit Marrow, and there are only five of them."
Huo Chen studied the valley again, taking in the positioning of each faction and the tension that hung thick in the air.
Three hours. Then chaos.
"Alright," he said. "Thanks for the information."
Huo Jian waved a hand dismissively. "It's nothing. Just be ready when the time comes. Things are going to get violent fast."