Lingxi Realm? This Map's Art Style is Wrong!

"Spiritual Stream Realm?"

Hearing the name, Li Wuyang's heart stirred. It didn't sound like the vast and majestic place names of the Primordial World. Instead, it felt a bit like... a starting village in an online Xianxia game?

He sized up the cultivators before him. Their robes were uniform in style and decent in material, but they lacked the natural Dao Rhyme of the great powers in the Primordial World, feeling more like standard issue gear. The Heavenly Immortal cultivator, the highest among them, had a superficial aura, far less refined and dense than cultivators of the same level in the Primordial World. The other Earth Immortal disciples had even more unfocused eyes and shallow foundations.

The overall impression was... cultivators produced on an assembly line? Lacking the wildness and spirit of those who contend with heaven and earth, defying the natural order.

Seeing Li Wuyang's silence and his scrutiny, the middle-aged Daoist's displeasure deepened. "I'm asking you a question! Are you deaf? Your demeanor is suspicious and your aura is strange. Could you be spies from the Demonic Path? Take them down!"

The Earth Immortal disciples behind him received the order, immediately summoning their flying swords, which transformed into streams of light and shot towards Li Wuyang! The sword light was sharp and carried killing intent!

Li Wuyang's eyes turned cold. Arriving in a new place and immediately trying to capture someone without a word? The atmosphere in this Spiritual Stream Realm didn't seem great!

In the past, he might have explained himself or found a way to slip away. But now, having just survived a life-or-death escape and lost companions, he was seething with anger and desperately needed an outlet! Moreover, he wanted to test just how capable the cultivators of this world were!

"You court death!"

Li Wuyang let out a cold snort, advancing instead of retreating! The Huang Ting Jing circulated, and the Golden Core in his dantian spun rapidly, infusing his limbs with pure Innate True Qi! He didn't even use the Sky-Opening Axe. Instead, he formed his fingers into a sword and unleashed a rudimentary offensive technique from the Huang Ting Jing—"Huang Ting Sword Qi"!

Ching! Ching! Ching!

Several incredibly condensed sword qi, pale gold in color, imbued with a balanced and upright yet incredibly sharp Dao Rhyme, struck after the flying swords but arrived first, precisely hitting the tips of those swords!

Clang! Clang! Clang!

A crisp sound! Those seemingly extraordinary flying swords, like something made of paper, instantly had their internal spiritual energy structures shattered by the Huang Ting Sword Qi. With a mournful cry, their spiritual light dimmed, and they fell to the ground! The Earth Immortal disciples, as if struck by a heavy blow, spat blood and were sent flying backward, crashing to the ground and losing their combat effectiveness!

Defeated with a single finger!

The middle-aged Heavenly Immortal Daoist's face changed drastically, his eyes filled with disbelief and shock. "You... Who are you?! Your True Qi... How can it be so pure and condensed?!"

As a Heavenly Immortal, he could naturally feel the terrifying power contained within Li Wuyang's seemingly casual finger strike! The quality of that True Qi far surpassed any cultivation technique he knew! It was simply not something a cultivator at this level should possess!

Li Wuyang was also somewhat surprised. He knew his True Qi was of high quality after cultivating the Huang Ting Jing, but he hadn't expected such a vast difference? These cultivators from the Spiritual Stream Realm seemed... very weak? Or perhaps their cultivation system had issues?

He flicked his fingers and looked indifferently at the Heavenly Immortal Daoist. "Now, can we talk properly?"

Cold sweat streamed down the Heavenly Immortal Daoist's face, knowing he had kicked an iron plate. He quickly put away his arrogance and cupped his hands. "Forgive... forgive me, senior! It was my eyes that failed me! This junior is Zhao Gan, an outer sect steward of the Spiritual Stream Realm's 'Qingyun Sword Sect,' on patrol duty at the border. I was unaware of your esteemed presence, and I have offended you greatly!"

Senior? Li Wuyang found it a bit amusing. With his Earth Immortal cultivation, he was practically insignificant in the Primordial World, yet here he was being called a senior? It seemed the overall level of the Spiritual Stream Realm was indeed not high.

He waved his hand, too lazy to dwell on it. "My disciple and I were traveling and arrived here without intending to offend. What is the situation in your Spiritual Stream Realm? Tell me in detail."

He casually assigned himself and Xuan the identity of "traveling master and disciple." Xuan was still meditating, ignoring the outside world, which perfectly fit the image of an aloof expert.

Zhao Gan dared not conceal anything and quickly replied, "Replying to senior, the Spiritual Stream Realm is a 'Lower Minor Thousand World' attached to the Primordial World's main world, opened by the ancient great power 'Primordial Spirit Ancestor,' with a history of a million years. The laws of this world are relatively complete, but the spiritual energy is not active enough, and the cultivation ceiling is not high. It can only reach the Golden Immortal realm at most, and it is extremely difficult to break through."

Lower Minor Thousand World? Li Wuyang understood. No wonder it felt off; it was an "attached instance"! And one with deficient spiritual energy!

Zhao Gan continued his introduction. "The Spiritual Stream Realm is mainly controlled by three major forces: the Qingyun Sword Sect, where I belong, which specializes in sword cultivation; the 'Hundred Herbs Valley,' skilled in alchemy and talisman crafting; and the 'Tiangong Workshop,' proficient in formations and artifact refining. There are also some smaller sects and cultivation families. All cultivators in the various realms aim to ascend to the Primordial World's main world as their ultimate goal, but the path to ascension is arduous, and no one has succeeded in tens of thousands of years..."

Listening to Zhao Gan's introduction, Li Wuyang gained a general understanding of the Spiritual Stream Realm. It was essentially a miniaturized, low-spec, and somewhat "involuted" cultivation world. Resources were limited, competition was fierce, and ascension was hopeless, leading to cultivators being generally... restless and utilitarian?

"Have there been any abnormalities recently? Or... have there been any unusual spatial fluctuations, or the appearance of strange spiritual beasts or spirits?" Li Wuyang tentatively inquired about his companions.

Zhao Gan thought for a moment and shook his head. "There haven't been any abnormalities. As for strange spiritual beasts or spirits... exotic beasts from the Primordial World occasionally fall through spatial rifts at the border, but they are quickly captured or killed by the major forces. I haven't heard of any particularly powerful ones."

Li Wuyang's heart sank. It seemed Huaihuai and the others hadn't ended up in this Spiritual Stream Realm, or... they had arrived but hadn't been discovered?

He temporarily suppressed his worry and asked more questions about the world's structure and resource distribution. Zhao Gan answered everything without reservation, his attitude respectful to the point of being fawning.

Finally, Zhao Gan asked cautiously, "May I ask, senior... what are your plans next? If you have nowhere to go, would you be willing to return to Qingyun Sword Sect with this junior as a guest? Our Sect Master will surely welcome you with open arms!"

He could tell Li Wuyang's strength was unfathomable (relative to the Spiritual Stream Realm) and desperately wanted to recruit him.

Li Wuyang glanced at Xuan, who was still meditating, and pondered. Arriving in a new place, he indeed needed a foothold to understand the situation. Qingyun Sword Sect sounded like a righteous sect, and staying there temporarily would be fine.

"Very well," Li Wuyang nodded. "Then we shall trouble your sect."

Zhao Gan was overjoyed and quickly led the way.

Li Wuyang helped Xuan up and followed Zhao Gan, flying towards the so-called Qingyun Sword Sect. He thought to himself: Since I can't return to the Primordial World for now, I'll establish a firm footing here in the Spiritual Stream Realm, recover my strength, and simultaneously look for news of my companions! And perhaps... see if there are any "loopholes" in this low-spec Primordial World that I can exploit for some benefits?

A new map, a new adventure, has begun!