plumnovel Chapter 294 begins
Chapter 294 begins
"..."
Zhan Hongxiu gazed at the celestial beings in front of her, speechless for a moment.
In a daze, she seemed to hear the whistling wind and the scene of wind and rain, and even felt that what was in front of her was not an ordinary person, but a spring of spiritual water...
"You call this a regular water-attribute technique?"
She thought to herself, "Old turtle?"
"I specifically had you cultivate that secret technique this time, so you can sense the aura of the 'Sea Devouring Technique.' You shouldn't ask me; you should ask yourself..."
Elder Gui hesitated, clearly also: "Or perhaps, Bai Jianfeng and this Lord Fang Qingdao are not the same cultivator at all."
"My secret technique couldn't detect even the slightest trace of the 'Sea Devouring Technique'..."
"As you said, Elder Turtle, the 'Turtle and Crane Longevity Technique' I cultivate is a top-tier wood-attribute technique, which greatly enhances my ability to sense vitality and aura, so it shouldn't be wrong..."
Zhan Hongxiu sighed inwardly: "But so be it. Regardless of whether this person is that person or not, they have been kind to me... and I still need to ask for help to enter that secret realm."
"Hmm...that's more like it, they know they've made offerings."
Fang Qing listened to the inner thoughts from the side with the foundation of "Phoenix Seeking Phoenix" and couldn't help but nod in agreement.
Zhan Hongxiu said, "I've heard that the secret realm is about to open, and I wish to enter. I wonder if you would allow me to?"
Currently, the Azure Sea Sect is still the landlord, and the secret realm theoretically belongs to the Azure Sea Sect.
Unlike the previous two times, this time it's a case of one company dominating the market!
Therefore, if Zhan Hongxiu wanted to enter, she had to obtain permission from Fang Qing, the nominal master.
Although there was still Cui Zhe, Zhan Hongxiu clearly ignored him...
That's how it is in the cultivation world, even though Cui Zhe is the nominal Supreme Elder of the Azure Sea Sect.
"Okay, so what can you offer?"
Fang Qing asked curiously.
"How about one Heavenly Infant Fruit?"
Zhan Hongxiu immediately offered a condition that even a Core Formation cultivator could not refuse.
"make a deal!"
Fang Qing readily agreed. If any cultivator was willing to exchange this spiritual item for a spot in a secret realm, he would be more than happy to have a few more.
"It's just a possibility... Fellow Daoist, are you familiar with the Guixu Secret Realm? This secret realm is the greatest opportunity for Nascent Soul cultivators in the East Sea cultivation world, producing Heavenly Infant Fruits, and it will open within a few decades... And I have already obtained a Star Palace Token! With this token, I can protect several Core Formation cultivators as they enter the Guixu Secret Realm."
Zhan Hongxiu said, "If we join forces then, I know a secret route that greatly increases our chances of obtaining the Heavenly Infant Fruit..."
"After all that, it's just one spot for another... Little Red's gotten smarter."
Fang Qing sighed inwardly, but he also knew that Zhan Hongxiu didn't actually have many good things on her at the moment, and there was nothing that he urgently needed.
After all, he had already considered it before even meeting them...
"Exchanging one spot in the Ruins of Return Secret Realm for this one isn't unreasonable..."
Although Fang Qing also possessed the Sea-Swallowing Token, he still preferred to act alongside the Woman of Destiny, and then asked with a smile, "So... what about the commission?"
In the past, regardless of whether they were Qi Refining cultivators or Foundation Establishment cultivators, they all had to pay a cut upon exiting.
"Commission?"
Zhan Hongxiu looked at Fang Qing, utterly bewildered.
This week, the Heavenly Star Palace Secret Realm opened for the first time, with the Core Formation Ancestor restricting entry to Qi Refining cultivators. The second time, the restrictions were relaxed to include Foundation Establishment cultivators.
Only those with absolute realm suppression dare to mention such a thing as taking a cut from low-level cultivators and sucking their blood.
She is now in the early stage of Core Formation, only one minor realm below this Old Ancestor Fang Qing. How dare he do that?
The moment the thought crossed her mind, Zhan Hongxiu suddenly felt a chill run down her spine.
A powerful divine sense swept over her, making her feel that her life was threatened.
"Core Formation...complete?"
She stared at Fang Qing, her beautiful eyes filled with shock.
How many years has it been since the other person reached the Core Formation stage? No, it's only been a few years since they last advanced to the mid-Core Formation stage!
How could there be such terrifying divine consciousness at the peak of Core Formation?
"To be honest... I've just advanced to the late stage of Core Formation, and my spiritual sense is exceptionally strong..."
Fang Qing smiled.
A late-stage Core Formation cultivator is hailed as a great cultivator of the same level; he is no ordinary person.
Killing an ordinary early-stage Core Formation cultivator would be easy, if not effortless.
"Old man Turtle?"
Zhan Hongxiu immediately called out in her heart.
"This person's spiritual sense is so strong that it far surpasses that of a typical Core Formation Perfection cultivator... It even gives me the feeling that he's approaching the Nascent Soul stage."
Within his sea of consciousness, the old tortoise's voice was grave: "Of course, relying on the secret techniques I've taught you and your natal tortoise shell, you can barely protect yourself and escape, but defeating your opponent is almost impossible... Your cultivation level is too low; many secret techniques can only be practiced at the late Core Formation stage, which is a fatal flaw."
But this is not Zhan Hongxiu's fault; her cultivation speed even surpasses that of some people with Heavenly Grade Spiritual Roots.
"Then... how about 30%?"
Zhan Hongxiu gritted her teeth: "However, I want to choose one item first."
"Oh? What is it?"
Fang Qing laughed. He already knew that the old tortoise came from this secret realm. It seems he knew exactly what was going on this time and was ready to take away the most valuable item.
Zhan Hongxiu smiled sweetly: "I haven't even entered the secret realm, how would I know what treasures I might obtain?"
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"Hmm, that makes sense."
Fang Qing's heart stirred slightly, and he secretly cast a divination, his pupils instantly shrinking.
"After all, the divination is ambiguous; it's merely a hint, representing a significant difference in spiritual realm..."
"Besides that, it actually seems quite dangerous?"
A thought struck him, and he smiled, "I agree, but only for your own spoils..."
Fang Qing will go with them, so it's impossible for him to get any treasures himself; he'll have to let Zhan Hongxiu choose first.
"Can."
As Zhan Hongxiu agreed, she thought to herself, "Old Turtle, is this alright?"
"No problem, I know that secret realm well!" the old tortoise said. "I guarantee you'll reach the core 'Soul Nourishing Hall' faster than that kid... Once you get the 'Nine Soul Agate,' you can use a secret technique to hide it inside my tortoise shell. Outsiders won't be able to find it, and I won't have to worry about that kid going back on his word... After all, it involves the Nascent Soul stage, so we have to be careful no matter what."
"So it was Nine-Soul Agate."
Fang Qing's heart stirred: 'This item has only appeared a few times in the cultivation world of the East Sea, each time causing a bloodbath. In terms of value, it might even surpass a Nascent Soul Pill.'
After all, even one Nascent Soul Pill cannot guarantee the successful formation of a Nascent Soul.
It may only provide assistance in the initial step of shattering the core and forming the nascent soul. However, for subsequent challenges such as inner demons and tribulations, various spiritual items for nascent soul formation, treasures for overcoming tribulations, and secret techniques will still be needed to assist in the process.
However, a piece of "Nine Soul Agate" can guarantee that a cultivator who has overcome the tribulation of inner demons will 100% avoid the lightning tribulation and successfully cultivate the Dharma Body and Nascent Soul!
Although the power of the Dharma Body Nascent Soul is slightly inferior to that of the early Nascent Soul stage, and it can no longer cultivate, it is still an old monster of the Nascent Soul stage, living for thousands of years!
"This item... will be of great use to me!"
Fang Qing's heart stirred.
Although he could not possibly cultivate a Dharma Body or Nascent Soul, both the "Swallowing the Sea Technique" and the "Turtle and Crane Longevity Technique" contain secret methods for cultivating a second Nascent Soul.
And one of the best choices for the main material it carries is 'Nine Soul Agate'!
"But... why would a mere fourth-tier spiritual artifact pose such a threat to me? Could it be hiding some other method? A fourth-tier restriction? A puppet beast? A curse?"
In the cultivation world, this is all that has survived the passage of ten thousand years.
Fang Qing secretly calculated several times but couldn't find a solution. He could only look at Zhan Hongxiu and say, "I'll just follow behind her and have her test the waters for me..."
……
Several months later.
Tianxin Island.
The underground bronze palace.
The sword light roared and cleaved through the sea, revealing a cultivator in the early stage of Core Formation, none other than Cui Zhe, the Supreme Elder of the Azure Sea Sect.
He arrived at the palace and met Fang Qing, Zhan Hongxiu, Qin Ruxue... Several Foundation Establishment disciples were also standing nearby, including Xiang Dahu.
Outsiders all thought Xiang Dahu was only at the mid-Foundation Establishment stage, but Fang Qing had secretly bestowed upon him a rank, making him the guardian of his own rear.
After all, the opening of this secret realm was more like a total collapse, with no more suppression whatsoever, allowing even Core Formation cultivators to enter.
I, Qin Ruxue, Zhan Hongxiu, and Cui Zhe will all enter, and then someone will need to guard the void rift outside.
Of course, in reality, only Zhan Hongxiu and Cui Zhe truly needed this escape route.
I and Qin Ruxue do not have such trouble.
But you can also take the opportunity to go fishing...
"Junior Sister Qin, Fellow Daoist Zhan..."
Cui Zhe took a deep breath and looked at Fang Qing again: "Senior Brother Fang..."
He thought to himself, "Although they claimed to be out seeking opportunities, why are they reacting so quickly this time? They might not have left at all..."
"Luckily I was honest, otherwise who knows what might have happened..."
He was genuinely scared.
"Is Junior Brother Cui also going to enter this secret realm now that it's open?"
Fang Qing was still wearing a green robe, the [Ji Shui] between his brows shimmering with light, and the 'Phoenix Seeking Phoenix' Dao Foundation was still entrenched in his dantian.
When running dungeons with a woman of good fortune, especially if she also has an elderly male companion, this is the standard setup.
Therefore, he also heard the cricket chirping in Cui Zhe's heart...
However, he was always magnanimous and did not hold a grudge against Cui Zhe.
"Indeed... I've longed to visit this secret realm for a long time, and besides... after this, there probably won't be another chance, will there?"
Cui Zhe looked at Qin Ruxue.
Qin Ruxue, who had previously been protected by Cui Zhe, replied softly, "That's right... This time, any cultivator can enter the secret realm, but all the restrictions are collapsing... The advantage is that many treasures buried in the past will surface one by one, greatly reducing the power of the restrictions... The downside is that the opening time is short; even if we try our best to maintain it, it will only last less than ten days... If we cannot get out of the secret realm within ten days, the void passage will collapse, and we will be left inside until the secret realm collapses completely, when we are swept away by the void turbulence..."
Let alone Core Formation cultivators, even Nascent Soul stage monsters would face a near-death experience if caught in the void turbulence...
"Of course... if any of you have Void Treasures, you can give it a try."
Qin Ruxue glanced at Zhan Hongxiu and smiled.
Zhan Hongxiu sighed inwardly.
Those kinds of void treasures would be fiercely contested even by Nascent Soul cultivators. She, a Core Formation cultivator, only had a single void attribute talisman as her trump card, which she had picked up from corpses after the last battle among many Nascent Soul cultivators. It might not even be enough to save her life in the Great Void...