Starry Sky Professional

"A secret realm? What's a secret realm?"

Fang Xing's interest piqued; he realized this was the result of his earlier carefree attitude and ignorance of potential dangers.

“A secret realm? You really don't know what a secret realm is?” Ding Hongxiu eyed Fang Xing curiously.

"Ah… This friend seems to have been engrossed in martial arts, neglecting worldly affairs, and that's how he achieved his current level. Not knowing about secret realms is understandable. To us low-tier cultivators, secret realms are mere legends,” Ding Boushan remarked, putting away his wine gourd as he watched Fang Xing search bodies with a composed expression.

"Please enlighten me," Fang Xing stood up, sincerely asking for information.

"A secret realm is essentially a small world created by high-tier cultivators. Typically hidden in the void, it often goes unnoticed even if one passes by repeatedly. It only reveals itself at specific times or when summoned by special trinkets or secret rituals," Ding Boushan explained wistfully. "Some say a secret realm can be as small as several rooms or as vast as an entire landscape, sometimes inhabited by mystical beasts... For us low-tier cultivators, entering a secret realm could lead to great fortune. Acquiring powerful skills, treasures, or alchemical pills from past masters can elevate one's cultivation dramatically..."

"I see. How did this particular secret realm come to be known?" Fang Xing asked, intrigued.

"About two months ago, rumors started circulating in the marketplace. They claimed a mid-stage Qi refining old cultivator had clashed with the Black Tiger Gang over a secret realm in the Five Scorpion Valley... That secret realm held significant opportunities, allowing the old cultivator to breach his bottleneck and reach the peak of Qi refining." Ding Boushan's nose, already red from his drinking habits, seemed to turn an even deeper shade of envy.

'Qi refining perfection? Clearly exaggerated... Well, such fabrications are common in rumor mills…' Fang Xing inwardly rolled his eyes, "Then what happened?"

"Usually, such rumors pass every month in the marketplace and are taken lightly. But no one expected a Foundation Establishment elder from the Qingxuan Sect to immediately mobilize with a flying boat. Only then did we realize this time might be real. Chaos erupted in the marketplace, with many cultivators rushing to Five Scorpion Valley. Several battles broke out, costing many experts their lives—truly tragic," Ding Boushan shook his head. "In the end, the Qingxuan Sect secured the valley, driving away all rogue cultivators to monopolize the secret realm. Yet, within days, an error during the entry led to severe casualties, even destroying two of their flying boats."

"How devastating?" Fang Xing continued to play along.

"Yes indeed…" Ding Boushan's expression turned gleeful. "Apparently, Black Tiger Gang concealed some key activation details... Qingxuan Sect couldn't tolerate such a setback. When their Foundation Establishment elder returned, he targeted the Black Tiger Gang, threatening to annihilate them. However, the gang leader suddenly emerged, having secretly achieved Foundation Establishment, introducing a new power balance in Qinglin Market…"

"Even so, the Qingxuan Sect remains a Jindan Sect, overpowering both the Black Tiger Gang and the Zheng family. They've even summoned numerous core disciples to explore the secret realm, reportedly obtaining substantial rewards, including Foundation Establishment opportunities, formidable techniques, and fragmented artifacts..."

Ding Boushan lamented, "Recently, the main sect suddenly announced that they were opening the secret realm to us wandering cultivators, although I'm not sure why. Many cultivators are now preparing to try their luck... In my foolishness, I wanted to take my granddaughter there for a chance encounter, only to run into the Black Tiger Trio..."

"Open to wandering cultivators?"

Fang Xing stroked his chin, "If there were benefits, why would they open it to us? It's obvious they're looking for cannon fodder and scapegoats! Clearly, the secret realm is extremely dangerous!"

"Indeed..."

Ding Boushan had thought of this long ago, but the lure of benefits is powerful. Besides, aren't wandering cultivators always ready to risk everything for a sliver of opportunity?

That's why this danger was his own doing.

Fang Xing began taking stock of the spoils. Whether it was Second Tiger's bronze hammer artifact or Third Tiger's fan, all were stored in his bag.

"The 'Clear Wind Fan' of Third Tiger is a lower-grade artifact, not worth many spirit stones, but Second Tiger's pair of bronze hammers is a set of mid-grade artifacts, and even among mid-grade items, they're top-notch..."

Ding Hongxiu spoke softly, appraising for Fang Xing, "The most valuable are the gauntlets on Big Tiger's hands, definitely upper-grade artifacts, though they're only suitable for body cultivators. As for that white bone banner, it's a demonic artifact, incredibly powerful yet best kept hidden..."

"It's a pity we don't have Big Tiger's body refining techniques..."

Fang Xing sighed.

Storage bags were rare; it's difficult for a cultivator to carry too much when traveling.

Fortunately, these three were rogue cultivators, always on the move, and their coin bags were quite full.

Aside from the artifacts, they surprisingly contributed hundreds of lower-grade spirit stones in one go.

As for techniques? Naturally, they couldn't carry them around.

"Even if it's body refinement techniques, without spiritual roots, one can't begin training…"

Ding Hongxiu mentioned timidly.

"Hongxiu!" Ding Boushan glared at his granddaughter fiercely, his old face apologetic, "Hongxiu is still young and inexperienced; friend, please don't be offended!"

"It's nothing."

Fang Xing waved his hand, looking as if there was more he wanted to say.

Indeed, he wasn't a cultivator. He had no magic force or spiritual awareness, unable to accomplish many things.

But the grandfather and grandson pair before him were!

Fang Xing could very well entrust his most valuable spoils of war — the storage pouch — to them and have them extract the treasures inside.

Unfortunately, this matter was fraught with difficulties, the first being the need to hide anything privately stored!

However, multiple low-level cultivators could be allowed to inspect it, preventing any concealment.

More critically... the storage pouch was extremely precious, enough to warrant murder and silence!

Fang Xing felt that even if he spoke the truth, Ding Boushan wouldn't believe a word, and would do everything in his power to stay alive!

If Chen Yi's storage pouch contained high-level talismans or powerful artifacts and Ding Boushan used them against him, it would be trouble indeed!

This wasn't an impossible scenario!

After all, Chen Yi was among the first to discover that secret realm. He could have gained extensive benefits and would surely stockpile some life-saving items!

Realizing this left Fang Xing somewhat resigned.

'Forget it, even if there are treasures inside the storage pouch, they're likely usable only by cultivators; they would be useless to me...'

Fang Xing waved his hand: "In that case, we shall part ways here. Until we meet again..."

As soon as the words were spoken, he disappeared like a white cloud, swiftly drifting away.

"Sigh, now that's a true master."

Seeing this, Ding Boushan couldn't help but sigh.

"Grandpa, but you said earlier..."

Ding Hongxiu wanted to speak, but Ding Boushan clamped his hand over her mouth, ensuring they traveled in silence back to Qinglin Marketplace.

Only once they reached the shantytown did Ding Boushan let out a sigh of relief. "We don't know how far he's gone yet, and you, young lady, are blabbering as if you want to get your grandfather killed!"

"You were the one who looked down on him, always comparing him to others!" Ding Hongxiu retorted. She had long wanted to speak her mind to her somewhat snobbish grandfather.

"Ahem... that was all in the past," Ding Boushan sighed deeply. "Your grandfather had no idea he'd turn out to be so formidable. In these chaotic times, compared to that handsome young man who frequently visited for spiritual grains, it's these powerful individuals that seem more suitable for you..."

Ding Hongxiu simply rolled her eyes.

The two bickered as they entered the bustling marketplace. The place was as lively as ever, with no sign of decline despite the opening of a secret realm, and instead seemed busier with new faces.

Many rogue cultivators perished in the secret realm, yet even more rogue cultivators from the outside world came, bringing their own provisions and paying high fares, eager to try their luck here!

Amidst them, a couple of young men and women in azure robes passed by occasionally, their attire bearing the mark of the Qing Xuan Sect, each exuding a profound aura, clearly disciples of the sect.

‘This rundown place is still unbearable…’ Ding Boushan thought, feeling a toothache from the scenes before him.

Just then, a formation in the sky suddenly activated, a streak of light plummeting into the marketplace at an astonishing speed.

Along with the streak of light came an overwhelming aura of dread!

Caught off guard, several Qi refinement cultivators in the marketplace felt their legs go weak, nearly collapsing.

"What... what just happened?"

Ding Hongxiu clung to her grandfather's arm, feeling on the verge of tears. If they'd known the marketplace was so perilous, they wouldn’t have returned.

“It’s…a Golden Core cultivator!”

Ding Boushan’s voice was tinged with bitterness as he gazed at an elderly woman with white hair floating in midair.

The Golden Core cultivator from Qingxuan Sect was indeed a woman, her hair a radiant silver, her face as youthful as peach blossoms, and her spiritual power as deep as the ocean.

“Greetings, Grand Elder!”

The disciples of Qingxuan Sect all bowed in respect. From the peak of Qinglin Mountain and the Zheng Family’s ancestral home, streams of light shot forth, transforming into spirited Foundation Establishment cultivators, who saluted her in the air.

“The Black Tiger Gang has committed a grave offense and its leader has been executed.

You all had better watch yourselves!”

The silver-haired woman, her voice hoarse, took a corpse from her storage bag and hung it on the market's archway. It was none other than the Black Tiger Gang leader, who had achieved Foundation Establishment!

His eyes were wide open in rage, having died with deep resentment…

“Is that really the Black Tiger Gang’s leader?”

“Gasp… He was a formidable Foundation Establishment cultivator!”

“What of it? When a Golden Core cultivator is enraged, countless corpses litter the land and rivers of blood flow…”

“Alas…Poor Jiang Heihu had just recently reached Foundation Establishment and was so spirited, only to meet such an end…”

“The capability of a Golden Core cultivator truly reaches the heavens and penetrates the earth! I heard this Black Tiger leader had already fled…but was forcibly brought back…”

Many Qi Refining cultivators were horrified by this sight, trembling in fear.

The personal intervention of Qingxuan Sect’s Grand Elder to eradicate the Black Tiger Gang was undoubtedly a warning to everyone present!

This was no mere ‘killing the chicken to warn the monkey’—it was ‘killing the monkey to warn the chickens’!

Once the Golden Core cultivator departed, the atmosphere of the marketplace turned strangely fervent.

“This is bad!”

Ding Boushan’s elderly face turned somewhat pale: “What kind of opportunities lie within that secret realm to attract even a Golden Core cultivator? This water is too deep; it’s beyond our depth to handle…”

The moment Ding Boushan thought about how he wanted to sign up for the exploration earlier, he almost wanted to slap himself hard...

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(End of Chapter)