Chapter 5502His eyes held a resolute look, as if he had lost hope in these people.“Master Hu, let’s go,” David said to Hu Mazi beside him.Hu Mazi was stunned for a moment, then realized that David had given up.He looked at the monks who were still cursing, shook his head helplessly, and followed David back to a corner outside the Soul Gathering Altar.They stood there, watching the events unfolding on the altar in silence, their hearts filled with mixed emotions.Seeing that David had stopped attacking, the golden-robed monk smiled triumphantly.He shouted to the crowd, “Did you see? This spy is guilty! Everyone, maintain your concentration and don’t let him distract you. In a few moments, it will be time for your breakthrough!” As he spoke, he raised the Jade Ruyi again, muttering something to himself.The jade ruyi once again emanated a soft yet hypnotic glow, and the black runes beneath the platform also revived. The cracks were surprisingly healing.The monks, shaken back, hesitated for a moment before actually closing their eyes again, sinking back into the state of “listening to the teachings.”Pale blue soul threads once again drifted from their brows, flowing toward the groove.Like tiny streams, the soul threads converged within the groove, as if speaking of their ignorance and sorrow.Hu Mazi’s teeth clenched in anger, his fists clenched. “These people… are incredibly foolish!” Read complete version only at FιndNovel.netHe couldn’t understand how these monks could be so easily deceived by the golden-robed monk, willing to sacrifice their souls for a illusory “breakthrough opportunity.”David watched silently, his eyes calm.He could see that as the soul threads flowed into the groove, the soul urn deep within it continued to swell. He could faintly hear the clearer sound of souls within, filled with despair and pain. It must have contained the souls of many monks.The souls struggled within the soul urns, uttering silent cries that no one could hear.As time passed, the jade ruyi’s radiance grew brighter, and the black runes beneath the dais seemed to come alive, flickering with an eerie, dim light. Thesoul threads emanating from the brows of the monks, who closed their eyes in concentration, grew thicker. The once pale blue threads gradually took on a grayish-white hue, a sign that their soul’s essence was being drained.These grayish-white threads, like polluted streams, carried an ominous aura.After about an incense stick of time, the golden-robed monk abruptly retracted the jade ruyi, and the runes beneath the dais dimmed instantly.The soul urn deep within the recess had swelled to half a person’s height, its surface covered in twisted soul patterns, resembling faces of agony.The soul cries emanating from within were muffled and agonizing, as if countless wronged souls were struggling within.The sound echoed throughout the soul gathering altar, sending a chill through everyone.“Fellow Daoists, congratulations on your breakthrough!” The golden-robed monk plastered a false smile and bowed to the crowd.His smile shone with a smug and sinister air, as if he were admiring his own masterpiece.The monks opened their eyes one after another, feeling a sense of lightness throughout their bodies. The spiritual energy within them seemed to flow more smoothly than before, and they actually believed they had broken through a bottleneck.Lost in the joy of their breakthrough, they completely failed to realize how precious something they had lost.A monk in coarse shorts excitedly pumped his fist. “Thank you, Immortal! I feel like my bottleneck has truly been loosened!”noveldramaHis face beamed with joy, as if he envisioned a glorious future of immense advancement.Another middle-aged monk was so overwhelmed with emotion that tears welled in his eyes. “I’ve been stuck at the peak of the Earthly Immortal Realm for three years, and today I’ve finally broken through! Immortal, your kindness will be forever unforgettable!”He dropped to his knees and kowtowed repeatedly to the golden-robed monk, as if he were his adopted parent.