Wu Yuan was now a handsome teenager in his mid-teens, with delicate features. His cultivation had already reached the Fourth Layer of Qi Refining, and he was gazing at Xu Yang with excitement.
Xu Yang raised a hand and beckoned him over. "You've grown up, little fellow, and your cultivation has improved quite a bit. Looks like you've been working hard these past few years! Have you been listening to Senior Sister Li?"
Wu Yuan beamed. "Of course I have. I've been working hard at cultivation all these years, hoping to improve as quickly as possible so I can explore the cultivation world with you."
"Haha! Little fellow, your cultivation isn't enough for that yet. You'll have to keep working hard and try to catch up with me as soon as you can. With your talent and Master's guidance, it shouldn't take you long," Xu Yang said with a laugh.
Wu Yuan looked smug. "Of course! I'll catch up to you soon. Auntie Li is always praising me, too!"
At that, Xu Yang turned to look at Li Qingqing. She said, "Wu Yuan has been very well-behaved these past few years and has kept working hard at cultivation. My adoptive father has also been doing his utmost to foster him. Next, he'll be going to my adoptive father's cave abode to cultivate. Breaking through the Qi Refining Realm is relatively easy, but advancing too quickly can leave one's foundation unstable and affect future breakthroughs. My adoptive father wants to keep an eye on him himself."
Xu Yang nodded and said no more about it. The three of them chatted and laughed together. Time flew by. Xu Yang glanced up at the sky and saw it was getting late, so he stood and said to Li Qingqing, "Senior Sister, it's already late. I'll take my leave. Tomorrow, I'll go to see Master and await his instructions."
Then Xu Yang turned to Wu Yuan. "Cultivation calls for alternating tension and relaxation. Don't get too impatient—I don't want you to suffer cultivation deviation. Also, listen to Senior Sister Li. She won't harm you." Wu Yuan nodded seriously to show he understood and would listen to Li Qingqing.
Seeing this, Xu Yang nodded to Li Qingqing, turned, and left her pavilion for his own residence. Li Qingqing and Wu Yuan watched him go until he was no longer in sight, then finally turned away.
Back at his residence, Xu Yang pondered Li Qingqing's words, utterly puzzled. He had no idea what Master Qing Yuanzi wanted with him. After thinking for a while and coming up with nothing, he stopped dwelling on it. He would find out when he went to pay his respects to Master the next day.
Early the next morning, Xu Yang left his pavilion and flew toward the back mountain on his sword. He soon arrived outside his master Qing Yuanzi's cave abode. Before he could announce himself, the doors slowly opened, and Qing Yuanzi's voice came from within. "Sixth Disciple, come in at once. I have something for you to do." Xu Yang promptly bowed and answered, then entered the cave abode.
Xu Yang soon found Qing Yuanzi in the cave abode's main hall. He stepped forward and bowed. "This disciple Xu Yang pays his respects to Master. It's been a long time since I last saw you. I hope you've been well. You summoned me here—please tell me what you need."
Qing Yuanzi smiled. "I'm well. It's kind of you to ask. I called you here because I have something for you to do. It's both a good thing and a bad thing for you. But judging by your current cultivation, it's no longer a bad thing. As long as you're careful and cautious, you can return unharmed—and you may even receive a Foundation Establishment Pill."
At the words "Foundation Establishment Pill," Xu Yang's heart skipped a beat. He hurriedly asked, "A Foundation Establishment Pill? Please explain, Master. What is this task that could earn me one?"
Qing Yuanzi laughed and explained the whole story in detail. Xu Yang listened, his expression dawning with understanding. He was overjoyed. It was as if a pillow had been sent just as sleep came over him—now he had a chance to obtain his Foundation Establishment Pill.
As it turned out, a Secret Realm was about to open. It held a considerable number of Foundation Establishment Grass and Marrow Cleansing Flowers. The great orthodox forces, including Bailian Pavilion, would all enter the Secret Realm to gather them. But only cultivators in the Qi Refining Realm could enter; anyone above that level would be blocked at the entrance.
Foundation Establishment Grass and Marrow Cleansing Grass were the primary ingredients for refining Foundation Establishment Pills. A large portion of the spirit herbs used by the major sects to make those pills came from this Secret Realm, so all the sects attached great importance to the operation.
Each sect would select its elite disciples to enter, most of them cultivators at the Ninth Layer of Qi Refining. The Secret Realm also had a strict limit on numbers: only thirty-six people could enter. Under the rules established in the past, each of the three major orthodox forces, including Bailian Pavilion, sent ten disciples, while the Loose Cultivator Alliance sent six.
The reason the Loose Cultivator Alliance was included was that the Secret Realm lay very close to Chu Kingdom, where the alliance was based. To win the alliance over, the other forces had given them six places.
A Secret Realm was a small world opened up by ancient cultivators, one that had endured to this day without vanishing. Such realms generally contained precious treasures, so whenever one opened, it drew the covetous attention of cultivators. Opening up a space required an immensely powerful level of cultivation—something present-day cultivators simply couldn't achieve.
Qing Yuanzi wanted Xu Yang to enter the Secret Realm and gather Foundation Establishment Grass and Marrow Cleansing Grass for the sect. Nine others would go with him, and two Foundation Establishment Realm cultivators would lead the group.
If they gathered enough spirit herbs, the sect would naturally reward them with at least one Foundation Establishment Pill. The more they gathered, the richer the reward. In the past, some disciples had even received two or more pills.
The rewards were so generous because competition among the major sects was fierce. They often fought bitterly in the Secret Realm, killing disciples from other sects and stealing their spirit herbs. Some even slaughtered every disciple their rivals had sent, leaving them with nothing.
With danger like that, the sects naturally had to offer generous rewards. Otherwise, who would willingly go? One careless mistake could cost them their lives.
Qing Yuanzi had chosen Xu Yang for this trip as a reward, too. He was very pleased with Xu Yang's work with Wu Yuan, so he wanted to commend him. That was why he had secured Xu Yang a chance to enter the Secret Realm. Otherwise, Xu Yang would never have been selected. There were plenty of Ninth Layer of Qi Refining cultivators in the sect, and they would have fought tooth and nail for a chance to obtain a Foundation Establishment Pill.
Now that he knew the whole story, Xu Yang was thrilled. The Secret Realm journey was perilous, but it offered a chance to obtain a Foundation Establishment Pill—a rare opportunity he was determined to seize. He bowed to Qing Yuanzi. "Thank you, Master, for securing this opportunity for me. I won't let you down. I'll gather plenty of spirit herbs for the sect."
"Haha! Good! In that case, go to the External Affairs Hall and find Xu Xianzhong. He's one of the leaders for this operation and will explain the details. Also, take care. Don't bring shame on your master."
Xu Yang promptly answered yes and left the main hall. Outside the cave abode, he mounted his sword and flew straight to the External Affairs Hall to report to Xu Xianzhong.
With a disciple of the External Affairs Hall guiding him, Xu Yang soon met Xu Xianzhong. Xu Xianzhong greeted him with a smile. "Young Friend Xu, you've heard the news, I assume? This operation is extremely dangerous, but you can earn a Foundation Establishment Pill. If Elder Qing Yuanzi hadn't strongly recommended you, you wouldn't have gotten this opportunity. It seems Elder Qing Yuanzi thinks highly of you."
"It's all thanks to Master's recommendation. I'm deeply grateful. I'll give it my all this time. Senior Xu, since you're leading the group, please tell me more about the situation."
Xu Xianzhong nodded. "Of course. This sect is sending ten disciples to the Secret Realm. The other nine are on their way back to the sect. They were all out gaining experience and weren't here."
"Their cultivation ranges from the early stage to the peak of the Ninth Layer of Qi Refining, putting them on par with you, Young Friend Xu. The Secret Realm will open in three days. Tomorrow, we'll gather and head to the border between the two kingdoms of Spring and Chu. The Secret Realm lies near the border, and the other three forces will be waiting there."
"As for the Secret Realm, I don't know many details. I only know it's called the Cloud Forest Realm and opens once every ten years. Inside is a dense forest filled with trees called Cloud Forest Trees. They're extremely hard and can hardly be damaged by blades or swords. They're used to make Dharma Artifacts. Foundation Establishment Grass and other spirit herbs grow at their roots. As for the depths of the forest, no one has ever reached them, because powerful demon beasts are entrenched there."
"There are demon beasts in the outer reaches, too, but most are at the Qi Refining Realm. The disciples who entered before gathered spirit herbs in the forest's outskirts. Few ever ventured into its core, since cultivators at the Qi Refining Realm couldn't stand against those powerful demon beasts."
Now that he'd learned the details, Xu Yang finally had a clear picture. He said gratefully to Xu Xianzhong, "Thank you for explaining, Senior. I'm to report there tomorrow—please tell me where to go."
"Just come to the External Affairs Hall tomorrow. The other nine will gather here as well. You'll need to get to know one another and look out for each other. Competition among the major sects is fierce every time the Secret Realm opens. If you can't work together, things may go badly." Xu Xianzhong warned him solemnly.
Xu Yang's heart tightened. He bowed at once. "I understand. Thank you for the warning, Senior. I still have preparations to make, so I'll take my leave. Please forgive me."
Xu Xianzhong nodded, understanding, and signaled that Xu Yang could go. Xu Yang saluted him, turned, and left the External Affairs Hall. After parting from Xu Xianzhong, he didn't wander around. Instead, he returned straight to his residence, sat cross-legged, and adjusted his condition to prepare for the operation ahead.
Time sped by as Xu Yang cultivated. Early the next morning, he woke from his practice, feeling full of energy and in peak condition. Pleased with how he felt, he wasted no time. Xu Yang left his pavilion and headed straight for the External Affairs Hall.
Once he arrived, a sect disciple escorted Xu Yang to a side hall. Five or six cultivators were already waiting inside. Xu Yang glanced over them; all were around the Ninth Layer of Qi Refining. They must be the companions who would accompany him to the Secret Realm.
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