The earth trembled, and even the heavy stone blocks comprising the tower's basement shook as mere pebbles.

But neither that nor the constant shouting coming from near just a floor above, from the tower's entrance location, seemed to affect the two people sitting near an orb not bigger than a melon with their eyes closed.

One was a middle-aged man whose pale face and beads of sweat indicated a mind state far from the required one to meditate. As for the other, it was a young man whose partially white hair contrasted with the youth of his face.

Both men were covered in heavy wolf-fur robes and sat cross-legged with their eyes closed. And if not for the occasional strand of qi or mind power that they released towards the orb, it would be impossible to guess that they were cultivators.

Suddenly the heavy door that blocked the stairs leading from the 1st floor was pulled open, and a similarly dressed figure quickly descended.

"Shen Kun, how's it? Did you learn anything? The wolves will not fight for us and plan to leave the tower's area. And there are dozens of crazed bastards outside just waiting for that. Seemingly someone tossed in a rumor about a [Void Palace] member's head serving as a pass outside." Beginning to speak while taking the last step down, the figure's winter robe hood drew back, revealing an attractive young woman's face.

"It is as the young friend here, Bai Qi, guessed before. Whoever did all this is a madman, but a talented one indeed. The cores for the [Shearing Restriction], probably for the other formations as well, still exist and operate, but destroying them will not lead to anything. They are only being used as the link, so even if all are destroyed, the formation will not stop." The middle-aged man's eyes opened, and as he talked, only the mention of Bai Qi's name made a glint of life cross the otherwise tired and emotionless face.

"So, we need to find the new, main core as well the item or treasure that is feeding this aberration to stop it? But wasn't that apparent since the start?" The woman sat down on the last stair and asked with a tinge of dissatisfaction. She had advocated for leaving the tower right away and, gathering a few more people, beginning to scour the ravine. She was dissuaded, and she complied in the hopes of finding something, but it now seemed that it was just a loss of time.

"!" Suddenly, the youth's figure jerked, and opening his eyes, he sent a small qi strand that contained the image of a medium-sized room to both people present, "Seniors, do you recognize this room? And if you do, where its located?"

"Hmm? I can't say I do, or wait if we add the furniture, isn't that one of the guest's halls?" Shen Kun at first denied but then offered a guess. One confirmed by the woman just a moment later, "It is. Look at the carving on the wall. So, that's the 2nd guest courtyard's reception hall."

"Then we have our destination." Bai Qi abruptly stood up and winced as some of his still not healed wounds hurt because his circulation was kept to a minimum. A cultivation so slowed down that he even felt the cold of the ravine and so had to wear the winter attire in place of his usual light and flowing robes.

"Wait, you mean?" The woman's eyes glittered as she jerked on her feet as well.

"But how?" As for Shen Kun, he could only stare at the youth that had not only defused the tower's situation but had also proven to be the owner of a mind so keen that even the experienced formation grandmaster found himself amiss.

"For Senior He's question, the answer is yes, that's the location of the main core. As for Senior Shen's one, the item being used to feed the formation is of demonic nature, and to our luck, it's very similar to a part of my own qi. Thus, it was just infusing a small amount and following it until it reached the heart of the formation." While Bai Qi made it look easy, the truth was far from it.

Indeed, it was far from easy, especially considering the cost. Bai Qi had infused a decent amount of the already limited qi he had and then spent over half an hour following it with his consciousness, spending over a fifth of his entire reserves. And this time, there was no way to replenish his qi, except for the few pills he had on hand!

Bai Qi thought and took one from a bottle of them hanging on the belt of his current attire. Usually, he would have kept them in the [Void Ring], but with no surrounding qi, accessing the ring or any other storage treasure would drain him even more.

"But that zone is where no attacks are landing, and before it was guarded by the [Seven Souls] own. It will border suicide." He Delan was willing to go, but she was aware of what it would entail. After all, the numbers of the [Seven Souls] weren't low, and their strength was far higher than of the trash near the towers. She herself knew it very well, having crossed that area just a few hours ago.

"Indeed, should we gather a few dozens and try to break through the defenses? Or should we return to the main Palace with the news and launch a full attack?" Shen Kun wasn't the best fighter, but he had participated in most of the Palace's outings in the last twenty years and had always shown a knack for strategy. And now, he only saw two options, a riskier but unexpected one or the safer bet but one for which the enemies may have prepared.

"I would say neither." As Shen Kun and He Delan started going over the pros and cons of both options, Bai Qi interjected.

"What do you mean?" With Bai Qi having proven himself and more than required, to be honest, Chun Hua's master asked right away, not caring about the interruption.

"A distraction. It will be dangerous, but with no need to actually advance, it will be safer for the Palace's members, and they will be able to retreat." Bai Qi explained his own view on the situation.

Numbers would not matter much as any battle would turn short and bloody now that cultivators were limited only to their own reserves. And to make matters worse, the [Void Palace] members could not recover qi with pills, so they were even at a bigger disadvantage. As soon as their qi ran out, they would literally turn into mortals. Thus, the combat should be limited to a location from where the nearly depleted cultivators could withdraw.

He Delan nodded after a brief moment of thought and then asked, "I see, but who will go towards the hall? I will, but who else? We need at least five or six people to have a semblance of a chance."

"If I go, even one will be enough. But, first, tell me where." Suddenly a resounding voice filled up the basement, and the three people turned around to face the stairs. Bai Qi initially was alarmed, but seeing that the Palace elders showed not worry but surprise, he relaxed and examined the new arrival. The latter was an average-looking man of old age with short grey hair and a short beard. Still, even without sensing his cultivation, Bai Qi was sure he was not average at all.

"Vice-head Tao?!"

"Master? What the heavens is going on?"

***

"I see, so that's what you have found out. Indeed, young friend's Bai Qi idea is sound. And I have already cleaned all the towers around, so we have a few men to arm a distraction." The over two hundred years old Warrior Emperor agreed after listening to the retelling.

And after a few moments of silence, he muttered while in thought, "But it will be better for them to do so with a reason less we attract unwanted attention. Hmm..."

Neither the Palace elders nor Bai Qi tried to interject, and so it was Tao Xuegang the one to speak again, a few moments later, "I know. I will send everyone to carve a path towards the main building via the guest area. That will look reasonable for both sides, and with the Soul bastards around there, it will raise no questions about why we chose to cut a path through them."

"Then?" He Delan asked after the plan was decided upon, although by only one person.

"Elders Gong, Wei, Chun, and Lei arrived with me. I will pass them the orders, and after we give them some time to prepare, we can set out." Tao Xuegang motioned for the two elders to follow him and quickly left, leaving Bai Qi alone in the basement.

***

"Young friend Bai Qi, with that out of the way, it is nice to meet you face to face." Tao Xuegang returned a few breaths later, approaching Bai Qi with a light smile.

"It's an honor, Vice-head Tao." Bai Qi cupped his fists and lightly bowed. After these last two days, he felt nothing but goodwill for the [Void Palace], so one of their leaders merited respect even from Bai Qi.

"Heh, no need for that. You are not part of our Palace, yet you have fought more than us." Tao Xuegang motioned for Bai Qi to follow him towards the first floor and added as they approached the entrance, "Now, it is time for us to fight, so I would like you to retreat."

"No need for that, Senior. I will go along. After all, it is me who discovered the place." Bai Qi lightly shrugged, and while he was grateful for the care shown, he intended to take part in this battle.

The restriction may be no more, but Bai Qi was well aware of how taxing is an Emperor's or a King's cultivation, and so, while it may be arrogant of him to think so, he did consider he had to accompany them.

"I see, so my impression was right. Then, while we wait for everything to be prepared, can you explain what happened an hour ago?"

"Hmm? Does Senior Tao mean my arrival at this tower?

"Yes, and how did the matter with the wolves was settled. I see you three are dressed in their robes, and when I arrived, they only greeted and then left the tower. Thus, I am curious, just what did you do?" Tao Xuegang had asked He Delan and Shen Kun before asking Bai Qi, but neither had any idea of what transpired in the moments between Bai Qi's arrival at the 8th tower or the start of this no-qi formation and the moment He Delan was released.

"Then, please excuse me, Senior. I can not answer that." Seeing how the Palace Vice-head's eyebrows rose, Bai Qi quickly added, "It is not that I do not want to, but I simply do not know. One moment they bared their weapons at me, and the next one, their leader took out a [Memory Holding Orb], shattered it, and six words entered the ears of everyone nearby. After hearing them, the wolves immediately stood back and led me to Senior He."

"Six words? What may they have been?" Tao Xuegang asked with visible interest.

"I am unsure of their full meaning as they were not a phrase but indeed just six words, [Soul] [Devour] [Wolf] [Braves] [Defend] [Gang]."

"And did they say or do anything else?"

"No. After allowing me inside and starting to infuse qi into their wounded, they did not speak with any of us more than to reveal they would leave the tower and gather near the south part of the ravine." Bai Qi had been indeed surprised by such conduct, but as it saved him from both a losing battle and everything that could happen during it, he did not pry further.

Although, he did overhear a conversation between two [Brave Wolf Gang] members in which they discussed how their boss, Chihong Lang, had given them eight of such orbs, each to be shattered in the case of different events taking place.

But Bai Qi wasn't able to answer that inner questioning and probably, would never be.

***

Half an hour later, with only two hours passed since the beginning of what most of the cultivators in the ravine considered hell, a group of four left the safety and peace of the 8th tower, plunging into the bombarded, bare of qi, [Void Palace] grounds...