Chapter 222: Meng Shushu's Harvest, Entering the Spirit Realm

Chapter 222: Meng Shushu's Harvest, Entering the Spirit Realm

Su Lingxuan retracted her aura and cautiously approached Meng Chong, but before she could get close, Meng Chong turned around and asked in surprise, "Junior Sister, have you cultivated the art of concealing your presence?"

Su Lingxuan's face fell as she replied, "Master taught me, but this technique is too ordinary. You noticed me from so far away, Senior Brother."

Meng Chong chuckled and said, "Junior Sister, I've comprehended the intent of the blade and awakened my blade soul. Your concealment technique can't hide from me, but others might not be able to detect you."

"I'm going to find Senior Brother Yan."

Su Lingxuan headed towards the mountaintop.

"Hmm, where's Senior Brother Yan?"

She looked around in confusion, as Senior Brother Yan usually cultivated the martial way right here.

Where could he have gone?

As she walked past Xu Yan, her eyes glanced over him, but she subconsciously ignored him, thinking he was just a rock.

She searched the mountaintop a few times, walking past Xu Yan twice, but still failed to notice him.

"Master, Master, Senior Brother Yan has left!"

Su Lingxuan hurried back to Li Xuan and spoke anxiously.

A worried expression appeared on her face as she continued, "I prepared those pills for Senior Brother Yan, but he didn't take them. Why would he leave without saying goodbye? Master, do you know where he went?"

She subconsciously thought that Xu Yan had entered the Spirit Realm.

The pills she had specially refined for the journey to the Spirit Realm hadn't even been given to Senior Brother Yan yet, and she couldn't help but feel a little dejected.

Li Xuan smiled and said, "Your Senior Brother Yan is still on the mountain."

"He's not here, Master. I just looked for him," Su Lingxuan shook her head.

"You two look again carefully," Li Xuan said with a laugh.

"Alright, I'll look again," Su Lingxuan blinked and ran back to the mountaintop.

This time, she searched meticulously, examining every rock and even circling each tree, but still, she found no trace of Senior Brother Yan.

"Master, I've looked at every rock and even checked the trees, but I didn't see Senior Brother Yan," Su Lingxuan reported as she ran back.

How could you have possibly found him when you kept mistaking him for a rock? Li Xuan thought to himself.

He couldn't help but marvel at the profoundness of the Light Integration Technique that Xu Yan had comprehended.

Su Lingxuan's strength was only at the Small Success stage of the Insight Realm, far inferior to Xu Yan's. It was impossible for her to detect Xu Yan's presence!

"Why would Master lie to you? Go and look again carefully," Li Xuan said with a smile.

Su Lingxuan fell into deep thought.

She ran off and approached Meng Chong, saying, "Second Senior Brother, Master said Senior Brother Yan is on the mountain, but I've searched everywhere and can't find him. Come with me to look."

Meng Chong was taken aback but quickly stood up and agreed, "Okay!"

The two arrived at the mountaintop, and Su Lingxuan looked around, asking, "Second Senior Brother, have you seen Senior Brother Yan?"

Meng Chong frowned and replied, "No."

He circled the mountaintop and asked, "Are you sure Master said Senior Brother Yan is on the mountain?"

"That's what Master said," Su Lingxuan nodded glumly.

Meng Chong stood still and carefully observed the surroundings, his blade intent sweeping across the mountaintop, leaving no corner unchecked.

However, he still couldn't find Xu Yan.

He took a deep breath, his heart filled with shock. Had Senior Brother Yan comprehended this concealment technique?

This art of hiding in plain sight was truly extraordinary.

To exist within the heavens and earth, yet remain unseen by them—if one truly reached this realm, it wouldn't be surprising if he couldn't detect them.

After all, Senior Brother Yan's strength surpassed his own.

Li Xuan kept his eyes on the mountaintop. Meng Chong's method of using his blade intent to search was correct, but he was up against Xu Yan, whose strength was superior and whose sword intent had also surpassed his own.

Xu Yan's third level of sword intent had merged with his surroundings, replacing the environment with his sword intent. Meng Chong's blade intent was weaker, so it was natural that he couldn't detect any clues.

Moreover, at this moment, both Meng Chong and Su Lingxuan had unknowingly stepped into Xu Yan's sword intent. Even Meng Chong, who felt that something was amiss, couldn't perceive the hidden danger within.

"If this were an ambush or a sneak attack, unless one was far stronger, it would be impossible to avoid," Li Xuan marveled inwardly.

He couldn't help but admire Xu Yan's ability to pull off such a feat. Even if someone were stronger than Xu Yan, they wouldn't be able to dodge it.

On the mountaintop, Xu Yan retracted his sword intent and revealed himself.

"I'm here!"

Su Lingxuan widened her eyes in surprise and exclaimed, "Senior Brother Yan, were you here the whole time?"

"Yes," Xu Yan nodded with a smile.

"I didn't notice at all," Su Lingxuan said, shocked.

She had been up and down the mountain several times and had searched the area multiple times, yet she had always overlooked him.

"Senior Brother Yan, have you comprehended it?" Meng Chong asked excitedly.

Xu Yan shook his head and then nodded, "I've comprehended a bit, but I haven't fully grasped the true meaning yet."

"Senior Brother Yan, teach me quickly!" Su Lingxuan pleaded eagerly.

"Alright!" Xu Yan agreed and proceeded to teach them the Light Integration Technique.

"It's too profound," Su Lingxuan marveled. "No wonder Master said the technique he taught me was very ordinary."

She would need some time to comprehend the Light Integration Technique.

Since Xu Yan had already comprehended the Light Integration Technique, it was time for him to venture into the Spirit Realm.

A few days later, Xu Yan prepared to depart for the Spirit Realm, and Li Xuan and the others planned to send him to the entrance of the Spirit Realm in the Cangbei region.

Just then, a figure rushed over in a hurry—it was Meng Shushu, whom they hadn't seen in a long time.

"Cousin, it's been a while since I last saw you. Were you off hiding from your debts?" Meng Chong asked in surprise, seeing the disheveled Meng Shushu.

"Of course not," Meng Shushu replied. "I discovered a treasure land and spent some time there."

Meng Shushu looked at the group, his heart filled with shock.

He had just come out of the treasure land and had heard about the series of changes that had taken place in the Inner Domain. The magnitude of these changes made him feel like he had missed out on a lifetime.

The powerful Great Yue Kingdom was gone, replaced by the Great Wilderness.

"Treasure land?" Meng Chong's eyes lit up, and he grabbed Meng Shushu's shoulder, eagerly asking, "Cousin, did you make a big haul?"

He no longer paid much attention to the fact that Meng Shushu owed him storage bags and money, as he already had storage bags and was no longer short on funds.

"A huge one!" Meng Shushu nodded excitedly.

He carefully took out five storage bags from his pocket, and these bags seemed to have an ancient feel to them.

"Look, storage bags," Meng Shushu opened his mouth wide in excitement. "They're bigger than regular storage bags and can hold more things."

He had made a massive haul this time, stumbling upon an ancient ruin.

"This one's for you, and this one's for Senior Brother Xu!" Meng Shushu stuffed two storage bags into Meng Chong and Xu Yan's hands, respectively.

He then handed one of the remaining three storage bags to Su Lingxuan, saying, "This one contains my harvest from this trip. The lowest grade spirit herb inside is a sixth-grade herb, and one of them seems to be a fourth-grade herb!"

Xu Yan and the others were astonished. They wondered what kind of treasure land Meng Shushu had found to yield such a tremendous harvest.

Even a fourth-grade spirit herb, which had never been seen in the Inner Domain before, was among his findings?

"Oh? And what is it?" Meng Chong asked, his eyebrows furrowing in curiosity.

"It's a Heavenly Man's cultivation technique!" Meng Shushu said solemnly. "A complete technique for cultivating beyond the Great Master realm to become a Heavenly Man!"

He looked at Xu Yan and the others, expecting to see looks of astonishment on their faces.

However, to his surprise, they all remained calm and indifferent, as if this Heavenly Man's cultivation technique was less valuable than the spirit herbs.

"Aren't you excited about a Heavenly Man's technique?" Meng Shushu asked, perplexed by their reaction.

Xu Yan patted him on the shoulder and said, "Heavenly Man, huh? I've killed one before, and it wasn't that impressive."

Meng Shushu was left speechless.

"Killed one?" he asked, swallowing his saliva. "Brother Xu, are you joking?"

"When I say I've killed one, I mean it. I'm about to enter the Spirit Realm, and the gateway to the Spirit Realm has already appeared. Didn't you know?" Xu Yan explained with a cheerful laugh.

Meng Shushu paused, his eyes widening at the mention of the Spirit Realm's gateway.

His gaze instinctively shifted to Su Lingxuan, a hint of suspicion creeping into his expression as he wondered if she knew something about it.

Noticing his glance, Su Lingxuan furrowed her brows and asked, "What? Do you know something, Shushu?"

"Ah, I just wanted your opinion on whether this is a fourth-grade spirit herb. Are you saying a Heavenly Man's technique is less valuable than a fourth-grade spirit herb?" Meng Shushu replied, trying to change the subject.

"I accidentally stumbled upon the gateway to the Spirit Realm in a certain treasure land, but I don't know much else about it," he added, his tone conveying his disappointment.

Meng Chong patted him on the shoulder and said, "Cousin, it seems like you know quite a few things. Don't keep us in the dark."

"I don't know anything! I swear!" Meng Shushu exclaimed, shaking his head vigorously.

"Never mind, Second Senior Brother," Su Lingxuan said, shaking her head as well. There was no need to pressure Meng Shushu further.

She thought about how her grandfather and Meng Shushu's grandfather had been close friends, and how they had both perished due to the Hidden Pavilion. It wasn't surprising if Meng Shushu knew some secrets or even something about her background.

However, since Meng Shushu wasn't willing to share, Su Lingxuan saw no need to force him. She had come to terms with her background and was now focused on improving her strength. If there were any remaining enemies, she would simply hunt them down and exact her revenge.

Meng Shushu breathed a sigh of relief and held the ancient tome awkwardly. "So, the Heavenly Man's technique really isn't that valuable?" he asked.

Xu Yan waved his hand, and the tome floated over to him. He flipped through it once before commenting, "It doesn't seem to be of much value. To break through to the Heavenly Man realm, one must enter the Spirit Realm. It's impossible to cultivate to the Heavenly Man realm within the Inner Domain."

"However, it's worth studying to gain a better understanding of the Heavenly Man's cultivation path," Xu Yan added.

Interestingly, this Heavenly Man's technique encompassed all three stages of the Heavenly Man realm.

Upon hearing this, Meng Shushu couldn't hide his disappointment.

"Cousin, where did you find this? In the Heavenly Man's tomb?" Meng Chong asked as he continued to flip through the tome.

"I accidentally stumbled upon it underground. It seems to have been a burial site for a sect, but not much remains. I found this tome in one of the storage bags," Meng Shushu explained, revealing the location of the treasure land he had discovered.

Meng Chong finished reading and handed the tome to Su Lingxuan. He patted Meng Shushu on the shoulder and said, "Cousin, why don't you switch to cultivating the Great Wilderness martial path? Otherwise, you'll have to enter the Spirit Realm to break through, and the Spirit Realm..."

He trailed off, sensing that Meng Shushu might know something about it.

"I understand!" Meng Shushu nodded solemnly, taking a deep breath as he made up his mind.

The Heavenly Man's technique thus made its way into Li Xuan's possession.

Meng Shushu's sudden return had caused a slight delay, but soon they were on their way again, heading toward the Cangbei region.

At the gateway to the Spirit Realm in the Cangbei region...

Li Xuan and his group arrived at the location.

"Master, I'm about to enter the Spirit Realm!" Xu Yan took a deep breath and turned to Li Xuan, his expression respectful.

"Mm," Li Xuan nodded.

"So this is the gateway to the Spirit Realm," Su Lingxuan marveled.

Meng Shushu gazed at the gateway, his expression a mix of emotions—nostalgia, sadness, and a hint of loss.

Xu Yan took a step forward, moving toward the gateway.

On the peak of Tianbao Pavilion, a group of powerful Tianbao Pavilion cultivators watched silently.

"Xu Yan is about to enter the Spirit Realm," one of them remarked.

"I wonder what will become of him in the Spirit Realm," another mused.

"He's exceptionally talented. I'm sure he'll be recruited by one of the major powers there," a purple-crowned man predicted.

"Not necessarily," another cultivator disagreed. "Xu Yan is quite proud, and that senior of his is unfathomably powerful. I doubt they'll join any other factions. Of course, Xu Yan will likely receive better treatment in the Spirit Realm due to his talent."

Wherever a genius appeared, they would always be treated favorably.

The more extraordinary and humble their origins, the more fiercely the major powers would compete to recruit them as powerful assets.

The gateway to the Spirit Realm shimmered with rippling waves of water, tightly closed.

As Xu Yan approached, a force emerged and rippled across the gateway, causing the watery surface to churn violently.

Spirit Realm...

Inside the grand palace in front of the gateway, two Gathering Spirit realm warriors sat cross-legged on either side, cultivating silently.

Guarding the gateway to the Spirit Realm was considered a relaxed assignment. Ever since the Blood Demon incident, the gateway had not been opened as frequently as it used to be, and the total number of openings could be counted on one's fingers.

As for Inner Domain cultivators entering the Spirit Realm, there were even fewer—scarcely enough to fill one hand.

The most recent openings had been for Shui Xinggong's Jiao Ming and that girl Ping'er.

If not for those two still being in the Inner Domain, they would have completely closed the gateway to the Spirit Realm by now.

As for allowing Inner Domain cultivators to enter, it had never even crossed their minds. The Spirit Realm's Spirit Sect had also never mentioned anything about Inner Domain cultivators coming to the Spirit Realm.

It seemed like they intended to completely shut off the path of ascension from that inferior realm.

Even the possibility of some exceptional geniuses emerging was not enough to change their minds.

Suddenly, a buzzing sound filled the air, and the two pillars in the grand palace began to vibrate. A layer of watery power rippled along the pillars, and a faint glow appeared on their surfaces.

"Is it Jiao Ming or that wild girl returning?"

From the vibrations in the pillars, it was clear that whoever was about to open the gateway to the Spirit Realm was not a weak Inner Domain cultivator.

"Open it," one of the cultivators guarding the gateway said. "Once those two return, we can finally close the gateway to the Spirit Realm for good."

The other cultivator channeled his power into one of the pillars, causing it to rotate slightly.

The gateway to the Spirit Realm opened.

Xu Yan turned to look at his master and the others one last time, took a deep breath, and resolutely stepped through the gateway.

Li Xuan's divine will clone, which had been secretly following Xu Yan, seized this opportunity to enter the gateway as well, disappearing in an instant.

As soon as Xu Yan passed through the gateway, he found himself between two towering mountains, with the gateway to the Spirit Realm situated in front of a massive palace.

The divine will clone was about to continue forward and pass through the palace when the connection with Li Xuan's main body suddenly weakened as the gateway to the Spirit Realm closed.

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end