"So this was a Core Formation phenomenon. In the past, I could only catch fleeting glimpses of such things in miscellaneous records. I never imagined I would get to see it with my own eyes this time. I wonder when I might receive such an honor." Zhang Tie murmured softly, his face filled with envy and longing. The fervor and anticipation in his eyes seemed ready to take in the spectacle filling the sky.
Just then, Zhang Tie suddenly noticed an unusual fluctuation coming from his Storage Pouch. He hurriedly opened it and found that Second Senior Brother's transmission jade slip had stirred. Written clearly upon it were the words: Master summons you. Come at once.
Zhang Tie did not dare delay in the slightest. With a flash, he sprang forward like an arrow released from its bow and vanished into the vast mountain forest after only a few leaps.
Inside the main hall of True Man Miao's cave dwelling, True Man Miao sat calmly upon a stone chair. Aside from First Senior Brother Mo Feng and Sixth Senior Brother Ye Chen, all his disciples had gathered.
"I summoned you here today, and I presume you have already guessed the reason." True Man Miao's brows were relaxed, his complexion ruddy, and he appeared to be in excellent spirits. He continued, "Your First Senior Brother possesses extraordinary talent. He successfully broke through to Core Formation at the mere age of one hundred and ten. This is a great joy for Jing Ling Peak. One month from now, the True Man Title Conferment Ceremony will be held. Duan Feng will oversee all arrangements for this ceremony, and the rest of you must cooperate with him fully."
"Yes, Master!" everyone answered in unison with cupped fists, their voices neat, loud, and resolute.
"Zhang Tie, I heard that you are in dire need of Spirit Stone resources, to the point that you even borrowed Spirit Stones from your senior brothers and sisters?" True Man Miao shifted his gaze to Zhang Tie and asked.
Zhang Tie's heart lurched. What was coming could not be avoided. Fortunately, I had prepared for this long ago.
Though he thought this, he did not dare hesitate aloud and hastily replied, "Reporting to Master, that is indeed the case. This disciple possesses only a Quadruple Spiritual Root. If I wish to achieve Foundation Establishment in this life, the hope is exceedingly slim and far beyond reach. This disciple once came across a method in an old miscellaneous record. It said that after cultivating to the ninth layer of the Qi Refining stage, one could disperse one's cultivation and cultivate anew. Repeating this three times could increase the chances of Foundation Establishment. This disciple therefore wished to attempt Foundation Establishment within the secret realm after entering it this time."
True Man Miao's expression was as calm as still water, revealing neither pleasure nor anger. After several breaths, he slowly said, "I am greatly pleased that you possess such ambition. However, you must understand that a person's lifespan is limited. The path of body refinement is several times more difficult than the path of Qi Refining. Trying to grasp too much may instead leave you with nothing. Do not ruin yourself through momentary impatience."
"Yes, this disciple has received your instruction!" Zhang Tie replied respectfully, his expression full of reverence and sincerity.
"The sect's Secret Realm Grand Competition is imminent. If you need any other resources, tell your master now." True Man Miao gave a slight nod at Zhang Tie's attitude.
"This disciple wishes to request some more third-rank Spirit Beast blood to bring into the secret realm, so that I may attempt to break through to the Meridian Casting late stage within it," Zhang Tie answered truthfully, his gaze firm and persistent.
"Very well. I will prepare it for you. This contains information regarding the secret realm. It details the rules of the Secret Realm Grand Competition, a map of the secret realm, and many other key matters requiring attention. In the days ahead, study it diligently and make sure you understand it thoroughly." True Man Miao handed Zhang Tie a thick book.
"Yes, Master!" Zhang Tie accepted the book with both hands and answered respectfully.
"If there is nothing else, you may all leave. Duan Feng, remain behind." True Man Miao spoke. The disciples cupped their fists and acknowledged the order. Then, apart from Second Senior Brother, everyone quickly departed from the cave dwelling.
The moment they left the cave dwelling, Fifth Senior Sister tossed a Storage Pouch to Zhang Tie and said, "Little Junior Brother, I expended a great deal while carrying out missions away from the sect this time. This is only a small token from your senior sister. Do not think it too little."
"Thank you, Senior Sister." Zhang Tie cupped his fists. "If you ever need my help in the future, please do not hesitate to ask. So long as it is within my ability, I will not refuse."
"You are thoughtful, Little Junior Brother." Fifth Senior Sister smiled faintly, then bid him farewell and flew away.
After Zhang Tie said goodbye to his other senior brothers and sisters, he made several ghostlike leaps and disappeared from their sight in the blink of an eye.
Upon returning to his cave dwelling, Zhang Tie opened the Storage Pouch Fifth Senior Sister had given him. There were only two thousand Low-grade Spirit Stones inside.
Though the amount was not much, Zhang Tie knew that it had not been easy for his senior sister to produce these Spirit Stones under such difficult circumstances. He carefully put them away and did not intend to continue refining them for the time being. Instead, he took out the book about the secret realm that his master had given him.
Zhang Tie took the book from his Storage Pouch. It was thick, nearly two fingers wide at its spine, and must have contained a vast amount of information. Sitting cross-legged on a meditation cushion, Zhang Tie immersed himself in it completely. Before he knew it, three days had passed. It was not because he had finished reading it, but because he received a message through Second Senior Brother Duan Feng's transmission jade slip, ordering him to gather at his cave dwelling.
After a brief thought, Zhang Tie knew it must be related to First Senior Brother's ceremony. Though reluctant, he put away the book on the secret realm and headed outside his cave dwelling.
Inside Second Senior Brother Duan Feng's cave dwelling, Zhang Tie and the other senior brothers and sisters sat around a stone table, holding their breath as they listened to Second Senior Brother's arrangements. In truth, they were not assigned many arduous or complicated tasks for the ceremony.
The sect's External Affairs Hall would handle most of the basic work properly. Dedicated personnel would manage every matter in an orderly fashion according to established procedures. Zhang Tie and his senior brothers and sisters only needed to take charge of several crucial tasks.
Those tasks mainly involved careful inspections and strict supervision, warmly receiving important guests, and flexibly handling unexpected situations. Since Zhang Tie had only recently entered the Hundred Skills Sect and was also the youngest junior brother, he was not assigned any specific duty. He was mainly to remain on standby, ready to accept orders at any time and respond to unforeseen circumstances.
The arrangements and discussion lasted for more than two hours before everyone finally dispersed.
After returning to his cave dwelling, Zhang Tie continued reading the book on the secret realm. This time, he read for another two days. Only then did he finally understand the true nature of this secret realm. More precisely, its full name should have been the Ancient Space Secret Realm.
Simply put, in ancient times, a mighty cultivator had opened up a vast secret realm within this mysterious space, specifically for disciples to undergo trials and temper themselves.
After countless long years, treasures could be found everywhere within this secret realm.
According to the book's records, even now, the area explored and discovered by all the sects amounted to less than one-tenth of its total expanse. More than a hundred rare varieties of spirit herbs unknown to the outside world had already been discovered. The oldest among them were more than ten thousand years old and contained immense, pure spiritual power. Besides spirit herbs, there were also unknown strange spirit fruits, precious spirit ores, and other valuable resources.
According to the book, a disciple of the Yan Fire Sect had once luckily eaten a blue spirit fruit within it and gained a special ice-attribute physique. From then on, cultivating ice-attribute techniques became twice as effective for half the effort, and his cultivation advanced by leaps and bounds.
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