Chapter 336: The Secret Realm is Too Dangerous
Chapter 336: The Secret Realm is Too Dangerous
In the abandoned palace, Lu Chen's figure flitted through the halls like a fleeting shadow, moving at incredible speed.
Even before he entered the herb garden, he had sensed that something was amiss in this secret realm.
The mutated Spirit Herbs gave him a clue—the Five-Star Longevity Peach, influenced by an eerie presence, had transformed into the Strange Longevity Peach.
This indicated the presence of an unusual and powerful force within the secret realm.
Upon entering the jade chamber and witnessing the commotion over the four treasures, Lu Chen's suspicions were further confirmed.
It seemed that the seals weren't merely containing the treasures but also restraining the countless tendrils of dark energy that lurked beneath.
Each of the four treasures, with their otherworldly characteristics, seemed to be absorbing, suppressing, and refining this dark energy in their own unique way.
Putting these clues together, Lu Chen realized that a formidable and sinister presence was sealed within the dark energy, and breaking the seals to retrieve the treasures would undoubtedly release this malevolent force.
Without giving this entity a chance to regain its strength, Lu Chen immediately opened the Five-Star Pure Yang True Fire Manual and summoned the remnant soul of the Golden Crow. A blazing, scorching pure yang flame engulfed the dark energy, incinerating every trace of it.
Lu Chen didn't regret using the precious opportunity of the Golden Crow's remnant soul within the secret realm, knowing that he could recharge it later with pure yang flames.
His top priority was ensuring his survival.
As Lu Chen made his way out of the deserted island, he noticed that many cultivators from various families and sects had already arrived, their figures scattered across the land.
Finding a secluded corner, he removed the Fourth-Grade Thousand Soul Odd Mask, reverting to his true identity as a humble spiritual herbologist.
Without further delay, he crossed through the broken water wall and returned to the Song family's treasure ship.
"Uncle Lu, you're finally out!"
The moment Song Yu, the head of the Song family, laid eyes on Lu Chen, his entire body relaxed.
Although he had immense confidence in Lu Chen's abilities, he couldn't shake off a nagging sense of worry.
If something unfortunate had befallen Lu Chen in the secret realm, he wouldn't know how to explain it to the Celestial Sword Sect.
"Yes, I managed to scrape by," Lu Chen replied calmly as he sat down.
"Uncle Lu, did you find any fortuitous opportunities within the secret realm?" Song Yu asked cautiously.
"There were too many Foundation Establishment cultivators, and many of them were far more powerful than me. I consider myself lucky to have made it out safely," Lu Chen said nonchalantly.
"As for opportunities, I merely eliminated a few Third-Grade demons and acquired some spirit herbs and seeds."
Lu Chen then proceeded to brief the Song family cultivators about the Ice Chamomile and the bizarre stone formation, hoping to save them from taking unnecessary detours.
"Friend Song, I didn't expect to meet you again outside the secret realm," Lu Chen said as he greeted Shi Zhong and Zhou Bingyu, who had arrived together shortly after his return.
"Where did you go after navigating the stone maze, Friend Lu? We haven't seen you since," Zhou Bingyu asked curiously, eager to hear about Lu Chen's experiences.
"After escaping that bizarre stone formation with great difficulty, I intended to enter the palace directly to meet up with you two and search for treasures," Lu Chen explained.
"However, something unexpected happened. One of my spirit insects started behaving strangely."
"Following its guidance, I ventured into a secluded herb garden and discovered some spirit seeds and herbs."
Lu Chen's expression remained unchanged as he recounted his tale.
"After scouring the herb garden, I realized that I was already much later than most cultivators in entering the palace, so I only explored the lower levels briefly."
"When I thought about venturing upward to the core area, I stumbled upon a passage where more than one Foundation Establishment cultivator had perished. Sensing the strong fluctuations of energy above and weighing my options, I reluctantly gave up and turned to other areas of the secret realm, hunting demons and searching for spirit herbs instead."
"May I inquire as to what treasures and opportunities you acquired in there, fellow daoists?" Lu Xuan asked, his tone filled with curiosity and a hint of envy.
"You give us too much credit, fellow daoist Lu," Shi Zhong replied, a subtle hint of embarrassment flashing in his eyes. "While we did venture into the core area of the secret realm together, our strengths were among the weakest. Despite our efforts, we ultimately couldn't compete with those powerful solitary cultivators in the mid to late stages of the Foundation Establishment."
"Oh? That is quite unfortunate," Lu Chen said, his tone filled with disappointment. "To have the treasures so close yet be unable to claim them, fellow daoists, ah..."
"It is a pity that my strength was lacking, and I didn't have the qualifications to vie for the treasures. Otherwise, with the two of you working together, we might have been able to obtain a high-grade treasure or two," he finally sighed.
"It's admirable that you had the intention to join forces, fellow daoist Lu," Shi Zhong said gently. "As for the regret, while it's unavoidable, it's something we can accept. After all, the gap in strength was just too vast, and we've still obtained quite a few treasures. Our hearts aren't as desperate as they once were."
"The most important thing is that we managed to preserve our lives," Zhou Bingyu added.
"Fellow daoist Lu, you have no idea how perilous the situation was. Aside from the two of us, the rest were all mid to late-stage Foundation Establishment cultivators," Shi Zhong continued, a hint of lingering fear in his voice. "There was one particularly despicable cultivator who appeared to be at the same stage as us but possessed a powerful sword talisman that could easily slay a mid-stage Foundation Establishment cultivator! He took out one of them in a single exchange!"
Shi Zhong's anger was evident as he recalled the deceitful behavior of that unknown cultivator.
"A sword talisman capable of slaying a mid-stage Foundation Establishment cultivator with ease? Even in the Celestial Sword Sect, such a treasure would be a rare sight. I never expected it to appear in this secret realm," Lu Chen said, his tone filled with surprise and a hint of envy.
Interpreting Shi Zhong's attitude as admiration and envy, Lu Chen continued, "I wonder how their battle turned out in the end? Who ended up claiming those four treasures..."
"Going by the power of that pure white flame, I'd say quite a few cultivators must have perished," Shi Zhong said with a light sigh.
"According to what you've said, fellow daoist Shi, not just one but several mid to late-stage Foundation Establishment cultivators met their end in this secret realm," Lu Chen said, shaking his head slightly. "It's too dangerous. I think I'm better suited to cultivating spirit herbs and raising spirit beasts."
A fleeting look of relief crossed Lu Chen's face as he recalled his narrow escape from the secret realm, and he added self-deprecatingly, "The most valuable items in the secret realm have already been discovered. Any further ventures would only yield demon beasts, spirit herbs, and materials. We shouldn't indulge in any fantasies beyond that."
Shi Zhong nodded in agreement. "Fellow daoist Lu, we both need to rest and recuperate. Once the storm of this secret realm calms down, we'll find you for another outing to catch sea beasts."
"Oh, right! I almost forgot," Shi Zhong continued, reaching into his storage bag. "Before we entered the secret realm, I obtained the Spirit Essence Elixir that I promised you on a small island. Let me give it to you now." He handed over a bottle containing a clear, spiritual liquid.
(End of Chapter)
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