If You Didn't Take Them, You'd Be Disrespecting the Secret Realm

[Behind the broken monument, a monk in white robes stands in the yellow mist.]

[Wuming held Wooden Prayer Beads in his left hand and a golden bowl in his right.]

Three poisonous moths lay dead beside him.

[The powder from the wing of the poisonous moth fell to the ground, corroding and creating tiny pits.]

[Wuming saw you approaching, he clasped his hands together in prayer.]

"Fellow Daoist Li, you've arrived faster than I expected."

[You walk up to Wuming and stop.]

"The master's methods are truly admirable."

Wuming glanced at the poisonous moth on the ground.

"It seems the situation here is even more dire than the intelligence indicated. Fortunately, we have your Pills."

[Wuming took out a map and said,]

"The Soul-Severing Stream is located in the northwest of the secret realm."

[You glanced at the map; in the northwest, there were three circles drawn, with the word "suspected" written next to them.]

You looked up at Wuming, Wuming seemed a little embarrassed and explained,

The man selling the map said that anyone who had seen the Soul-Severing Stream couldn't accurately recreate it after returning home.

Some say it's in the northwest, some say it's in the southeast. Others say it's behind them.

[After you've listened, release the Fire Crows.]

[The Fire Crows flew along the yellow mist, their reflections constantly echoing back at the terrain they saw.]

[You quickly identified the problem.]

[The terrain is chaotic, and the medicinal properties are obscured by the yellow fog.]

[Ordinary cultivators who have walked here for a long time will even forget the way they came.]

[Salty Fish, in effect.]

[ For Heavy Tomato Users, this is in effect]

[The effects of the drug cannot shake your State of Mind.]

[You turn to look at Wuming.]

[Wuming sat cross-legged and plucked the Wooden Prayer Beads one by one.]

[As he finished chanting the Purifying Heart Incantation, wisps of gray mist dissipated from his shoulders, and the surrounding yellow fog receded by half a foot.]

[This monk really is a monk.]

[Not the kind that only collects incense money.]

[After Wuming got up, he also looked at the Fire Crow on your shoulder.]

"Fellow Daoist, your fire technique is extraordinary."

[You take back the Fire Crow.]

"The master's teachings aren't cheap either."

[The two of you exchanged a smile, then walked one after the other into the depths of the yellow mist.]

[The Fire Crow was in charge of scouting.]

[Wuming is responsible for dispelling the yellow fog of delusion.]

[You are responsible for leaving markers along the route.]

[Besides that, you also picked up some medicinal herbs.]

[While it's said to be easy, it's not actually that easy.]

Most of those medicinal herbs grow in the areas where the poisonous fog is densest.

[Some were rooted in the rotten soil, some climbed beside the nests of poisonous insects, and a few simply grew in the center of puddles formed by condensed yellow mist.]

[Most ordinary Foundation Establishment cultivators would hesitate for half an hour before taking this opportunity, or even choose to detour.]

[Poison? What a coincidence.]

[ For Heavy Tomato Users, this is in effect.]

[You walk into the poisonous fog, bend down, gather the herbs, pack them into a box, and retreat, your movements as practiced as if you were weeding your own medicinal herb garden.]

[Wuming stood outside, watching you pull a three-hundred-year-old Corroded Heart Vine out of a yellowish-green miasma.]

His hand, which was moving the Wooden Prayer Beads, paused for a moment.

"Fellow Daoist, this poisonous fog..."

[Close the jade box.]

["Good."]

[Wuming remained silent for a moment.]

He suddenly realized that his understanding of this teammate might only be superficial, limited to the fact that he "knew how to make pills" and "was very cautious."

The Fire Crow continued to fly low ahead.

[Every time it sees a gathering of poisonous insects, you casually collect the medicinal herbs that no one else dares to touch.]

[You didn't even deliberately loot.]

[But this secret realm is too overwhelming.]

[The resources just stood there, exposed, in the toxic fumes.]

[If you don't accept it, it will seem disrespectful to the secret realm.]

[Over the past three days, you have collected fourteen Yellow Mist Fruits, seven Corroded Heart Vines, two sections of Black Jade Poison Ginseng, and a high-grade Mistheart Orchid.]

[The quality and value of some medicinal materials have surpassed those of the Golden-Pattern Yellow Fang Ganoderma.]

[However, the Golden-Pattern Yellow Fang Ganoderma becomes the protagonist of this secret realm because of its unique ability to break through realms.]

[You're too lazy to distinguish between many low-grade medicinal herbs, so you just hoard them all into your Storage Ring.]

[Wuming watched as you dodged the swarm of bees, tears welling in your eyes as you stuffed the medicinal herbs into your Storage Ring.]

He finally murmured a Buddhist chant.

"Only today did this humble monk understand what it means to be destined for something."

[You nod.]

"The master is right."

"These medicinal herbs have a special connection with me."

[After walking for another day, the yellow mist ahead suddenly thinned, and a stream appeared between the rocks.]

The stream was narrow, and the surface was calm.

[You see some fragmented characters carved on a stone by the stream.]

[The soul departs.]

[You have finally found the Soul-Severing Stream.]

[The next moment, many figures emerged from the stream.]

[Some of them wore the uniforms of Mine' slaves, some wore short jackets from the Black Tiger Gang, and some wore clothing from the Greenwood Sect.]

[Han Changqing was also standing in Blood Furnace, his hand raised and pressing against the edge of the furnace.]

[Salty Fish, in effect.]

[All illusions were dispelled the moment they arose from your Sea of Consciousness.]

You stood by the stream, not even taking a step back.

[Wuming raised the Wooden Prayer Beads and softly chanted the Rebirth Incantation.]

A golden light spread out from beneath his feet, causing his reflection in the stream to crumble away layer by layer.

[Those violent, lingering resentments actually calmed down, then transformed into golden light and dissipated.]

[You look towards Wuming.]

[Master Wuming truly knows how to perform rituals to help the deceased.]

[You said to Wuming,]

"I'll lead the way, you can follow behind and chant your scriptures in peace."

[Having said that, you stepped into the stream.]

The stream water barely covered my shoes; a cool sensation crept up my veins.

[Wuming watched your retreating figure, paused for a moment, and then followed.]

[A golden bowl hangs above his head, radiating golden light; at this moment, Wuming is dispelled, and the Buddha's light shines upon him.]

The resentment in the Soul-Severing Stream gradually dissipated.

[Just as you crossed the Soul-Severing Stream, you suddenly heard footsteps in the distance.]

[The Zhao Household's procession emerged from the yellow mist.]

[Zhao Mingchuan stood at the very front, dressed in clean blue robes, Zhao-Character Jade Token hanging from his waist.]

[The four Foundation Establishment Late Stage Guards dispersed.]

[The old servant in gray stood at the back, carrying a black wooden staff, the base of which was stained with blood.]

[It seems this old servant in gray has been quite busy along the way.]

[Zhao Mingchuan saw you and Wuming and raised his hand to stop the group.]

"Two Rogue Cultivators?"

"It seems my luck has been quite good on this journey. You two, hand over your Storage Bags."

Then, Zhao Mingchuan said to the Guards behind him,

"Give them a proper burial. After all, our Qingyang Zhao Clan is a respectable and prestigious Aristocratic Clan. There's no need to always reduce them to ashes."

[Wuming gently flicked the Wooden Prayer Beads.]

"Benefactor, this humble monk is unwilling to kill."

[Zhao Mingchuan's face showed a mocking smile, a mockery of Wuming's overestimation of his abilities, as if saying another word would be beneath his dignity.]

[As soon as he raised his hand, all four Guards drew their swords simultaneously.]

The old servant in gray struck the ground with his black wooden cane, causing fine cracks to appear on the stone surface by the stream.

[Options pop up.]

[A: Hand over part of the spoils and avoid the Zhao Household for now.]

[B: Join forces with Wuming to wipe out the Zhao Household's forces.]

[C: Sell the Secret Realm Accident Insurance to Zhao Mingchuan, and fill in yourself as the beneficiary.]