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The secret realm would stay open for a month.
For Lan Chang'an, ti flew by quickly. But for the Immortals of the various factions, it felt like years.
With just an occasional glance, Lan Chang'an noticed that the faces of the Core Formation Immortals from several sects were becoming increasingly grave.
Especially the white-browed elder "Yuxiao Immortal" from the Fla Departing Palace, who had the deanor of an immortal.
Huanglong Immortal's face didn't look any better, the wrinkles on his forehead becoming more pronounced.
"Not good... Xia Fan!"
Half a month later, Yuxiao Immortal's expression changed dramatically, and he couldn't help but exclaim in disbelief.
His body surged with core power as his daoist robe billowed.
The terrifying pressure of a Core Formation Realm cultivator stirred the wind and clouds in the sky, causing the Foundation Establishnt cultivators several li away to feel a chill down their spines.
"Xia Fan? The Foundation Establishnt cultivator from Fla Departing Palace, with high-grade spiritual roots and the grandson of the law enforcent elder."
The Immortals from nearby factions exchanged glances. The law enforcent elder of Fla Departing Palace held a high position of authority and was at the peak of the late Core Formation Realm. In the cultivation world of Liang Kingdom, he was one of the strongest Immortals below the Nascent Soul Realm.
Judging by Yuxiao Immortal's reaction, Xia Fan's soul token must have shattered.
"Xia Fan was at the late stage of Foundation Establishnt and, as the grandson of the law enforcent elder of Fla Departing Palace, he likely had protective treasures. In the secret realm, probably no one could kill him easily."
"Decades ago, there was a rumor that the female disciple from the Xuan Yin Pavilion wasn't actually defiled and murdered by Liang Shaotian, but rather frad by Xia Fan."
"These were nothing more than baseless rumors, devoid of evidence, so Fla Departing Palace executed the evil cultivator who spread such slander."
Now that Fla Departing Palace had struck bad luck, the Core Formation Immortals from the other four major sects were happy to watch the spectacle, offering a few superficial words of comfort to Yuxiao Immortal.
...
"I'm afraid that the death rate of the Green Underworld Mysterious Realm this ti is higher than before."
Lan Chang'an, sitting cross-legged in the distance, didn't know what had happened but could make a rough guess in his mind.
Of course, the death rate would only be slightly higher, it wouldn't reach such an exaggerated level as to amount to near total annihilation. If that were the case, the Core Formation Immortals from the major sects would have jointly ended this secret realm expedition early.
The dangers of the secret realm were uncertain, and thus, the major sects were willing to sell so of the slots. Besides recouping the cost of opening the secret realm and appeasing the dissatisfaction of other factions, they also wanted to transfer so of the risks.
According to previous statistics, the survival rate of sect Foundation Establishnt cultivators was much higher than those from other factions and wandering cultivators. Non-sect Foundation Establishnt cultivators often served as cannon fodder for traps or beca harvests for others.
"Chen Fuhai is a variable. However, the direct power boost provided by The Hundred Abodes Soul Gu is limited, not enough to allow him to slaughter everyone in the secret realm without restraint." Lan Chang'an pondered.
A top-notch late Foundation Establishnt cultivator from the sects still had so self-preservation ability when facing ordinary Fake-Dan cultivators.
...
A month passed by.
"Open!"
The Core Formation Immortals of the five major forces once again activated the secret realm tokens, infusing them with their True-Dan level mana.
Above the hundred-zhang-high green-black stone wall, a giant dark vortex opened, creating a mysterious passage several zhang wide and tall.
As soon as the passage opened...
Swish! Swish! Swish!
One figure after another flew out.
The Foundation Establishnt cultivators erging from the secret realm were either severely injured, ntally exhausted, or their auras were in disarray.
Thud!
A few pale-faced cultivators collapsed unconscious as soon as they exited the secret realm.
"How did Xia Fan die? Does anyone know?"
Yuxiao Immortal's eyes were like the blazing sun, his spiritual sense locked onto the entrance of the passage as he questioned two Fla Departing Palace cultivators who had just co out.
"Reporting to the elder! Senior Brother Xia was fighting a quasi-third-rank exotic beast for a Core Formation opportunity, he was ambushed and injured, and later killed by the evil cultivator 'Li Hai.'"
"Li Hai? Liang Shaotian's first disciple, a genius with earth-grade spiritual roots, managed to sneak into the secret realm?"
The Core Formation Immortals present were astonished.
Before entering the secret realm, the Core Formation Immortals had used their spiritual senses to check the Foundation Establishnt cultivators. For Li Hai to disguise himself and get in, he must have had so rare treasure to help.
There was no place for evil cultivators to survive in Liang Kingdom's cultivation world. Liang Shaotian's evil cult stronghold was eradicated, and he fled to another country years ago.
Who would have thought that Liang Shaotian's genius disciple would dare to take the risk of nine deaths and one life to sneak into the secret realm?
"Are you sure it was Li Hai?" Yuxiao Immortal asked sternly.
"A fellow disciple witnessed it with their own eyes. Although he was only at the mid-Foundation Establishnt stage, his demonic arts were powerful, and he had mastered the 'Black Dipper Demon Fla.'"
"Is Li Hai still in the secret realm?"
"Yes, before the passage reopened, he was hiding inside the secret realm."
The Fla Departing Palace Foundation Establishnt cultivator replied.
"Good! Keep an eye on the exit, don't let that demonic thief escape." Yuxiao Immortal commanded, his spiritual sense covering the exit of the secret realm.
Swish!
Suddenly, a disheveled, blood-covered Foundation Establishnt cultivator fled from the secret realm, holding a head in his hand.
It was the head of an effeminate-looking man.
"Xia Fan!"
Yuxiao Immortal glared furiously.
Under the pressure of the Core Formation Immortal, the Foundation Establishnt cultivator holding the head collapsed in fear, blood seeping from his mouth and nose.
"Immortal, spare ! I was coerced and had restrictions placed on ..."
Before he could finish speaking...
A cold male voice rang out:
"Xia Fan, for dishonoring the female cultivator of the Xuan Yin Pavilion and framing my master, you shall now et your end!"
Behind the Foundation Establishnt cultivator holding the head, a cold, sharp-featured man appeared, holding an ancient jade talisman.
"Courting death!"
Yuxiao Immortal flicked his finger, and thunder rumbled in the sky, forming a cloud-shaped dark purple thunderfire.
Swish!
After crushing the ancient jade talisman, the cold man’s aura and figure disappeared from within a radius of twenty to thirty li.
"Minor Teleportation Talisman!" The Immortals present exclaid in unison.
The Minor Teleportation Talisman, at least third-rank, was extrely rare throughout the entire Great Qing due to the scarcity of materials and the stringent crafting thods.
"Elder! Li Hai not only killed Senior Brother Xia Fan but also took a main ingredient required for Core Formation." A Fla Departing Palace cultivator reported.
"Wait here for my orders. I am going to hunt down that demonic brat."
Leaving a final instruction, Yuxiao Immortal flew away on a fiery cloud of light in a certain direction.
...
By a distant desert hill.
"How will you track him?"
Lan Chang'an, sitting cross-legged, curled his lips in a slight sneer.
Yuxiao Immortal was just putting on a show. Using the Minor Teleportation Talisman, one could instantly escape the range of a Core Formation Immortal's spiritual sense. Chasing randomly in any direction was just a gamble. Unless all the Core Formation Immortals present joined forces to pursue in all directions.
But that was unrealistic. The various factions were busy receiving the Foundation Establishnt cultivators that ca out. Over half of the gains obtained by the sect's Foundation Establishnt cultivators in the secret realm had to be turned over.
A quarter of an hour later.
Lan Chang'an saw Zhao Siyao and Zhang Tieshan, and he couldn't help but breathe a sigh of relief.
Zhao Siyao was seriously injured, her shoulder stained with blood, her face pale, and her flight appeared labored.
Zhang Tieshan was slightly better off, his mana disorderly, his steps sowhat stiff, indicating only minor injuries.
The return passage of the secret realm would remain open for only one day. Those who didn’t co out in the latter half of the day were likely dood.
The one-day window was ant to give a lifeline to cultivators in special circumstances.
As expected, two hours later, hardly anyone could be seen erging from the entrance of the secret realm.
Lan Chang'an noticed that only two of the five Foundation Establishnt cultivators that Huanglong Immortal had brought with him had co out.
Of the two Foundation Establishnt cultivators from the Beast Taming Zhou Family, only Zhou Qingxuan ca out.
She showed no obvious injuries, but her body was weak, and her face was bloodless, suggesting she had used so secret technique that greatly depleted her vitality.
Lan Chang'an guessed that this young woman's survival likely owed to so lifesaving asure provided by the Zhou Family rather than pure luck alone.
For the Beast Taming Zhou Family cultivators, without risking it all, Core Formation would be unattainable; even achieving Fake-Dan was difficult.
"Qingxuan, did you injure your foundation?" asked the Zhou Family's old ancestor with concern.
"I'm fine, I just depleted so vital energy," Zhou Qingxuan replied. "However, after entering the secret realm, the pair of male and female Blood Demon Butterflies, which had been advanced using a secret technique, both died in the battle."
"No matter, those butterflies were at the peak of first-rank cultivation, and after the secret technique elevated them to second rank, they had little longevity left." The Zhou Family's old ancestor smiled, then handed her a dicinal pill.
Zhou Qingxuan swallowed the pill, closed her eyes for rest, and glanced toward the distant gray-robed young man.
...
"Eh? It's been two hours already, and Chen Fuhai still hasn't co out?" Lan Chang'an observed for so ti, surprised.
Among the dozen or so remaining cultivators of Qingzhu Sect, there was no sign of that familiar middle-aged man with his paunch.
After another while, Zhao Siyao and Zhang Tieshan flew over.
They had already handed over sixty percent of their harvest to Jin Yun Valley, and Zhao Siyao's injuries had also stabilized.
"Fellow Daoists, what is the situation within the secret realm?" Lan Chang'an asked directly.
The trio erected a soundproofing barrier before beginning their discussion.
Two unforeseen developnts had occurred during this Green Underworld Mysterious Realm.
"Chen Fuhai disguised himself as a Foundation Establishnt cultivator, assassinating several other Foundation Establishnt cultivators from various sects within the secret realm—including even mbers of his own sect. Later, he accidentally gave away his identity, and was surrounded by the crowd of cultivators and hunted to death."
The first developnt was Chen Fuhai. The manner of his death seed suspicious to Lan Chang'an.
In order to obtain the dicinal ingredients necessary for Core Formation, it was suspected that he sneaked up on Xia Fan of the Fla Departing Palace.
The second developnt involved Liang Shaotian's disciple, Li Hai.
During his early days within the secret realm, this individual targeted only loose Foundation Establishnt cultivators. Later, he turned on Xia Fan and exposed his identity by deploying techniques such as Black Dipper Demon Fla.
Lan Chang'an guessed that when Li Hai infiltrated the secret realm, his primary objective was to take advantage of any opportunity that presented itself, killing a few Foundation Establishnt cultivators along the way to relieve his anger.
Later, when he discovered the injured culprit who frad his master, it presented a rare chance.
"Fellow Daoist Lan, I must admit, your talismans and puppets were invaluable this ti in the secret realm; without them, I may not have survived," Zhao Siyao said with lingering trepidation.
She transmitted the ssage that one of the two puppets she purchased from Lan Chang'an had been destroyed, leaving behind only the severely damaged turtle puppet.
"Among the resources collected from the jade slip, Siyao has gathered two." Zhao Siyao handed over a brocade box.
Lan Chang'an didn't open it but scanned its contents with spiritual sense, and his heart stirred.
"Third-rank black iron crystal, commonly used material for crafting magical treasures and puppets, highly versatile."
"Black inkstone, a rare treasure, can be utilized to craft high-quality inkstone and enhance spirit ink quality."
These two items were relatively light and valued at only three thousand to four thousand spirit stones.
After so discussion, Zhao Siyao insisted on selling them for half price. Lan Chang'an paid half with spirit stones and the other half was offset with second-rank talismans. In addition, Zhao Siyao gave Lan Chang'an a jade slip containing information about so of the owners of the resources.
Next was Zhang Tieshan's turn. During the transaction with Zhao Siyao, he had faced the other direction and obviously didn't use his spiritual sense to probe.
"Fellow Daoist Lan, take a look at this item."
Zhang Tieshan smiled as he took out a piece of purple-patterned spirit wood, about one zhang long, its surface shimring with splendid light.
"Third-rank spirit wood: Purple Radiant Spirit Wood."
Lan Chang'an was overjoyed; this wood possessed strong spiritual properties, reaching mid-grade of third-rank materials.
With this single piece of third-rank spirit wood, Lan Chang'an's investnt in the secret realm had already t his expectations.
"This wood ca from the Foundation Establishnt cultivator I defeated during my counterattack. The situation was rather perilous. Originally, I obtained two pieces, but the bigger one of them was bought away by Uncle-Master Teng."
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