16
Having received Qing Xuan's tacit approval, Xiao Qing then looked at Zi Yan, who was gazing at him expectantly, and said with a hint of admonition in his tone:
"I can take you with me, but once we enter the Secret Realm, you must follow instructions in everything. You must absolutely not be willful or act on your own as you have in the past. Do you understand?"
"I know! I promise to be obedient!" Zi Yan immediately raised her small hand as if to swear an oath, a brilliant smile blooming on her face. With a cheer, she stood obediently by Xiao Qing's side.
However, her large, incessantly rolling eyes could not help but excitedly begin to scan the surroundings, and soon she noticed Qing Xuan standing to the side.
Xiao Qing then introduced her, saying: "This is Qing Xuan!"
Zi Yan then looked toward Qing Xuan and greeted her with a curious gaze: "Big Sister Qing Xuan!"
Upon hearing this, Qing Xuan nodded with a faint smile at the corner of her mouth; it was evident that she also quite liked this little sister Zi Yan.
...
One day later, deep within a desolate mountain range in the Northwest Region of Central Plains, a place rarely visited by humans.
Amidst the originally silent mountains, a colossal spatial rift that spanned across the heavens and earth was strikingly visible.
The edges of the rift were radiant with flowing light, constantly twisting and expanding, emitting an aura of spatial destruction that made one's heart palpitate.
Through that unstable rift, one could vaguely see the outline of a dilapidated and ancient set of Ancient Ruins, as if fragments of another world were embedded here.
On the perimeter of the Ancient Ruins, a transparent Seal barrier visible to the naked eye was already in a state of utter disrepair.
It was covered in dense cracks like a spiderweb, its light flickering uncertainly, as if it could completely shatter at any moment.
Boom!
Another violent shockwave of spatial energy emanated from the rift, causing the surrounding rocks to tumble down.
Several powerful auras approached from afar, descending like meteors and landing steadily upon several huge rocks on the periphery of the valley.
As the light dissipated, it was revealed to be Xiao Qing and his party.
Dressed in green robes, Xiao Qing swept his gaze over the ancient Seal that was on the verge of shattering. His brows furrowed imperceptibly as he thought to himself.
'The degree of damage to the Seal is faster than expected, and the energy leakage is so obvious. It seems that trying to enter early by relying on the Law of Space no longer has much meaning.'
'The only plan now is to wait for the Seal to completely dissipate and enter along with everyone else.'
By his side, Qing Xuan, dressed in a purple dress, wore an expressionless look on her stunningly beautiful face.
Her pale purple eyes calmly scanned the numerous figures already gathered around, and her cold, clear voice rang out:
"The aura of the Secret Realm has been leaking for more than a day or two; it is within expectations that it could attract so many experts."
Zi Yan, unable to suppress her curiosity, widened her amethyst-like eyes and excitedly examined the entrance of the Secret Realm in the distance, which emitted ancient and mysterious fluctuations. Her small face was filled with eagerness.
At this moment, the figure of Venerable Tianhuo, Yao Tianhuo, quietly appeared beside Xiao Qing. With a grave expression, he cupped his hands toward Xiao Qing and whispered:
"Young Master, the personnel from all the various factions have basically arrived. Look over there..."
He pointed toward an area on the left where faint lightning flickered.
"Those are the people from the Wind and Thunder Pavilion, led by Venerable Lei."
One could see that Venerable Lei was tall, with silver electric arcs leaping around his body, his aura quite ostentatious.
Venerable Tianhuo then pointed to the other side: "The one carrying an ancient sword with an aura as sharp as a sword is Sword Venerable from the Ten Thousand Swords Pavilion."
"And over there, hidden in the black mist with a ghostly aura, is Venerable Huang Quan from the Yellow Spring Pavilion."
Xiao Qing's gaze followed, committing the appearances and auras of these individuals to memory. These three factions were three of the "Four Pavilions," which, alongside the "Three Valleys," were as famous as the Starfall Pavilion.
"Tang Zhen of the Burning Flame Valley has also come in person." Venerable Tianhuo pointed in a direction.
Xiao Qing looked over and saw a burly, red-haired man standing there, a hot, fiery Qi faintly rising around him.
The burly man sensed Xiao Qing's gaze and turned to look. A rather friendly smile appeared on his face as he cupped his hands toward Xiao Qing from afar.
Xiao Qing also smiled and returned the greeting. He knew clearly that besides the Secret Realm itself, Tang Zhen had likely come because of his status as a Grade 8 Alchemist Grandmaster and because he had the "Medicine Saint" as a teacher, intending to build a connection.
"The one emitting cold air over there is Ice Venerable from the Ice River Valley. This person has a reclusive personality and is not easy to deal with." Venerable Tianhuo indicated another direction.
Ice Venerable had a cold expression, his body seemingly congealing with frost. He merely glanced indifferently at Xiao Qing's side before withdrawing his gaze.
Besides these major factions on the surface, there were also many rogue cultivators with varying strengths scattered around the valley.
Among them were not a few Dou Zun experts who had deliberately concealed their auras, clearly all attracted by these Ancient Ruins.
Just at this moment, Xiao Qing felt a gentle gaze.
He turned to look and saw a beautiful woman dressed in a simple, elegant long dress, with a gentle and quiet temperament, looking at him. Seeing him look over, she nodded slightly to him, and a soft voice transmission rang in Xiao Qing's ears: "Grandmaster Xiao Qing, I have long admired you!"
"Thank you, Your Excellency, for your previous assistance to our Sound Valley successor, Yin Li, and the other disciples."
This beautiful woman was none other than the Third Elder of Sound Valley, Yin Yu.
Xiao Qing realized, recalling that on his way back to the Starfall Pavilion, he had indeed casually rescued several Sound Valley disciples who were besieged by enemies; the leading young girl seemed to be called Yin Li.
He hadn't thought much of it at the time and did not expect Sound Valley to still remember this favor.
He cupped his hands toward Elder Yin Yu in return and transmitted his voice: "Elder Yin Yu is too polite; it was merely a small favor."
Venerable Tianhuo observed the Seal barrier, which was constantly trembling and developing more cracks, and said in a deep voice:
"Young Master, looking at the speed of this energy dissipation, I fear the Seal of these ruins will not last through today."
"Judging from the aura leaking out, the master of this Secret Realm in their lifetime was at least a Half-Saint expert."
"The treasures and Inheritance within are certainly no small matter. I fear... there will be a brutal struggle ahead."
Xiao Qing nodded, his gaze once again cast toward the massive spatial rift, his eyes becoming deep.
A Half-Saint ruin, high-quality Heavenly Flame...
Chapter 150, "Indestructible Golden Body," Eight Desolations Destruction Flame 【Two-in-one, one extra chapter for reaching 2500 favorites】
This trip to the Secret Realm, which gathered many experts from the Northwest Region of Central Plains, was destined not to be peaceful.
With the addition of Sound Valley's Third Elder, Yin Yu, the strength of Xiao Qing's party became even more formidable.
Traveling through the dilapidated and vast Ancient Ruins, they avoided many dangerous energy turbulence and remnant Restrictions, reaping quite good harvests.
During this time, they found several scrolls of Earth Rank Intermediate and Advanced Dou Techniques and cultivation techniques, collected many high-grade medicinal herbs rare in the outside world, and also discovered some rare ore used for forging weapons.
What interested Xiao Qing the most was an ancient Grade 8 three-color Pill Formula accidentally discovered in a side hall's stone chamber.
It recorded a method for refining a Medicinal Pill that could gently nourish and enhance soul Power; although the medicinal herbs were hard to find, its value was immeasurable.
As they delved deeper, they finally arrived at the core area of these ruins: a massive, towering main hall.
The bronze doors of the main hall, standing dozens of zhang high, were already wide open, with rosy light flowing inside and energy swirling.
Even standing outside the door, one could feel the extraordinary aura contained within; it was clear that it held heavy treasures.
Stepping into the main hall, the scene before them made everyone hold their breath slightly.
The hall was extremely spacious with a high-hanging dome. At this moment, no fewer than thirty Dou Zun experts with formidable auras had gathered inside.
Everyone's gaze, as if attracted by a magnet, was burning and focused on an ancient stone platform in the center of the hall.
Above the stone platform, a dark golden scroll was quietly floating.
On the surface of the scroll, profound and complex runes were slowly circulating like living things.
Vaguely, it seemed to form the phantom images of a Dragon and an elephant coiling and roaring around it.
It emitted an aura as heavy and indestructible as an ancient mountain, making one feel awe.
"Heaven-Rank Low-level Body Refining cultivation technique, 'Indestructible Golden Body'!"
In the crowd, an old man who recognized these runes could not help but exclaim, his voice trembling with excitement.
Heaven-Rank cultivation technique!
These four words exploded in everyone's heart like a thunderclap.
Even for first-class factions in the Central Plains like the Wind and Thunder Pavilion and the Ten Thousand Swords Pavilion, a Heaven-Rank cultivation technique was absolutely a peerless treasure capable of serving as a foundational Inheritance and suppressing their Qi Fortune!
The atmosphere of the entire hall became incomparably oppressive and tense at this moment, with swords drawn and bows bent, as if a single spark could ignite the entire scene.
"This item is compatible with my Physique; it should rightfully belong to me, Longxiang!"
A thunderous roar suddenly rang out, breaking the frozen atmosphere.
One saw a burly man nearly three meters tall, his muscles knotted and bulging, his skin shimmering with a bronze metallic luster as if cast from refined iron, take a step forward.
As his foot fell, the incomparably hard ground trembled slightly.
This person's aura was incomparably violent, and he was shockingly an expert who had reached the Nine-Star Dou Zun level!
His name was Venerable Longxiang, an old-school Dou Zun who had lived in seclusion for many years, did not concern himself with worldly affairs, and was known for his formidable physical body.
Venerable Longxiang stared fixedly at the "Indestructible Golden Body" with a burning and greedy gaze, as if looking at a divine object exclusive to himself.
He scanned his surroundings, his voice like a great bell, carrying undisguised threats: "This cultivation technique, I have decided to take! Whoever is not satisfied can come up and test if my fists are hard enough!"
Feeling his violent Nine-Star Dou Zun aura and the cold Killing Intent in his words, some Dou Zun experts with strengths around five or six stars changed their expressions slightly and subconsciously retreated a few steps, not daring to contend with him.
Even the likes of Venerable Lei from the Wind and Thunder Pavilion and Sword Venerable from the Ten Thousand Swords Pavilion showed strong unwillingness on their faces.
But calculating that in a one-on-one fight, they truly had no confidence in defeating this Venerable Longxiang who specialized in Body Refining, they hesitated for a moment and did not immediately make a move.
Seeing this, Venerable Longxiang's expression of triumph and arrogance grew stronger. He laughed loudly and hesitated no more.
He stretched out his palm, which was as huge as a cattail fan and covered in calluses, and reached directly toward the dark golden scroll on the stone platform.
"This item, I, Xiao, am also quite interested in."
Just at the moment his palm was about to touch the scroll, a calm and clear voice, neither loud nor soft, accurately reached the ears of everyone present.
Venerable Longxiang's movements stopped abruptly. He turned his head suddenly, his eyes filled with viciousness, instantly locking onto the group that had just walked into the main hall.
At the lead was Xiao Qing, dressed in green robes with a calm expression.
Behind him followed the cold and stunningly beautiful Qing Xuan, the wide-eyed and curious Zi Yan, as well as the steady-aurad Venerable Tianhuo and the gentle Elder Yin Yu.
Venerable Longxiang looked Xiao Qing up and down, a trace of impatience and contempt flashing in his eyes.
He did not know Xiao Qing at all, merely assuming he was some young junior who did not know the height of the heavens and the depth of the earth, relying on some background to try and fish in troubled waters.
He laughed in anger, his voice mocking: "Where did this greenhorn pop out from?"
"You haven't even finished growing your hair, yet you dare to come and covet a Heaven-Rank cultivation technique? If you don't want to die, get lost immediately!"
Xiao Qing was not angered by his insults. His gaze remained calm as he looked at him, as if looking at a dead man, and said: "Searching for treasure in a Secret Realm depends on one's own fated opportunity. The cultivation technique is here; naturally, it belongs to those with affinity. You are not qualified enough."
The grin on Venerable Longxiang's face grew wider, and his Killing Intent surged without concealment.
"Kid, if you say one more word of nonsense, I will cripple you first today and let you know the height of the heavens and the depth of the earth!"
He had an exceptionally explosive temper. Seeing a seemingly young junior dare to offend his dignity again and again, he immediately stopped talking nonsense.
The majestic Dou Qi within his body erupted with a bang, and a heavy, earthy-yellow light rose upon that huge palm.
Carrying a shrill whistle that tore through the air, it struck directly toward Xiao Qing like a small mountain!
This palm contained the full strength of his Nine-Star Dou Zun level and the terrifying physical body strength that had been tempered thousands of times.
Where the palm wind passed, the space twisted slightly; its power was enough to crush a mountain of refined steel into powder.
Some people around who had just emerged from seclusion and did not know Xiao Qing shook their heads secretly.
Some even closed their eyes, seemingly unable to bear seeing the tragic scene of this ignorant young man being crushed into meat paste in the next moment.
But there were also those who knew that Xiao Qing was a disciple of a Dou Sheng, such as Venerable Lei, Sword Venerable, and others.
Although they did not believe Xiao Qing could withstand an attack from a Nine-Star Dou Zun on his own, they couldn't ignore that Xiao Qing had a Dou Sheng as a teacher; he might have some unknown trump cards.
However, facing this violent strike that would make even a peer Dou Zun prepare seriously, Xiao Qing merely raised his right hand unhurriedly.
His movement did not look fast; he simply clenched his fingers into a fist.