"The Qingchuan Secret Realm opens once every ten years. It will open again in two years and sell a large number of entry slots. Cultivation is restricted to Qi Refining."
So Azurewood Sect actually controlled such an immortal secret realm. It contained countless spirit herbs and treasures, including three important spirit herbs needed to refine the Foundation Establishment Pill.
However, judging by Azurewood Sect's announcement, it seemed they had truly picked most of the good things clean.
After purchasing more detailed information about the secret realm from an information broker,
Wei Zhong discovered that this secret realm had been passed down by Azurewood Sect for a long time. Its output was the very foundation that allowed Azurewood Sect to dominate this region.
GOOGLE search TWKAN
"Most of the demonic beasts within have already been cleared out by Azurewood Sect, so there is no need to worry about demon attacks. Even if there are any, they are merely insignificant little demons.
"As a secret realm, it does have some dangerous areas that Azurewood Sect cannot deal with. But as long as one strictly follows the methods in the intelligence to pass through them, or simply detours around them, there should be no major problem.
"Then the only danger will come from fellow cultivators entering the secret realm alongside us in search of treasure."
After pondering for a moment, Wei Zhong made his decision. He would participate.
His strength was not among the very best at Qi Refining, but he was certainly among the elite.
So long as he did not clash with cultivators traveling in groups, even if he encountered someone powerful, escaping would not be a concern.
More importantly, it would be a pity to miss such a safe secret realm.
It would be even better if he had the chance to find the spirit herbs needed for a Foundation Establishment Pill. That way, he would not need to deliberately curry favor with Luo Mingyan.
He carried too many secrets. It was better to stay away from these sect forces.
Within the market, the secret realm slots had yet to go on sale, yet the place was already boiling over.
Countless shops began selling all manner of magic artifacts, medicinal pills, talismans, and other items. The merchants knew that cultivators intending to explore the secret realm most needed to improve their strength at this time.
Azurewood Sect had already said that resources within the secret realm were scarce. Without strengthening themselves, how could they compete with other cultivators?
"Returning Spring Pills, Returning Spring Pills! Excellent Returning Spring Pills! Take one, and injuries will immediately recover! A fine helper for cultivators in battle and secret-realm exploration..."
"Spirit Seeking Art! An essential spell for searching for spirit treasures in the secret realm! If you do not wish to miss out on treasures, you must learn this art!"
Wei Zhong became interested and stepped forward to check the price. One hundred Low-Grade Spirit Stones.
Truly expensive. Though it is a high-grade first-tier spell, this price is still outrageously excessive.
Wei Zhong remembered that he had once spent merely fifty Spirit Stones to buy a collection of spirit arts. Although the spells within were low-tier and badly incomplete, they had still provided him with powerful assistance.
But seeing the surging crowd, Wei Zhong scattered a handful of Spirit Stones and took a spell Jade Slip from the sales cultivator.
A male cultivator outside saw everyone coming to purchase the Spirit Seeking Art and sneered. "A bunch of idiots. There are only two years left before the secret realm opens. If you buy this spell now, I'm afraid all you'll be able to find in the secret realm will be wildflowers and weeds."
Wei Zhong's expression did not change as he brushed past him.
"Senior Brother Yuan, this is the shop of that True Disciple Zhuang from the sect. You should not speak recklessly here, should you?"
Then she tugged at his sleeve.
"For all we know, this may be the sect's idea as well. Haven't you seen how these shops have an endless stream of goods? Since when did our sect have so much stock?"
The latter's expression changed.
"Junior Sister Yun is right. Let us hurry and find a Spirit Seeking Rat. On this trip into the secret realm, I must gather all the spirit herbs needed to refine a Foundation Establishment Pill."
Before his words had even faded, the two had already left hand in hand.
Wei Zhong stepped out from the side and watched the backs of the two sect-uniformed cultivators as they departed.
Blue-and-white uniforms—Inner Sect Disciples. Once the secret realm opens, Azurewood Sect will ultimately be the one profiting the most.
They sell secret realm slots, then take advantage of cultivators' desperate need to improve their strength by selling medicinal pills, spells, and other items to safeguard their paths in great quantities.
As a modern man from his previous life, Wei Zhong was naturally very familiar with this routine. This round of sales would probably exceed all the profits Azurewood Sect could gain from the secret realm itself.
Spirit Seeking Rats? That really would be worth buying one. But the price is probably already sky-high.
As Wei Zhong headed toward a shop selling spirit beasts, he heard a familiar voice.
"Five hundred Spirit Stones? Why don't you just rob me?"
The male disciple's voice was somewhat hysterical. Spirit Seeking Rats were merely first-tier demonic beasts. Although there were not many demonic beasts in Mangyuan Prefecture, these rats had always been priced between two and three hundred Spirit Stones.
Yet now, the price had doubled.
"Junior Brother, there is nothing we can do during this special period. The sect elders set this price. You are free to purchase or not; we will never force you."
Ji Wenpeng was so frustrated he nearly coughed up blood.
"Then I won't buy one. I'll rent one."
"The rental fee is one hundred Low-Grade Spirit Stones, with a deposit of five hundred Low-Grade Spirit Stones."
"Why do Inner Sect Disciples need to pay a deposit?"
"It is a special period. Please understand, Junior Brother."
Ji Wenpeng clutched his Storage Bag and said nothing. In order to improve his strength, he had long since spent nearly all the Spirit Stones in his possession.
The three hundred Spirit Stones he had planned to use to buy a spirit rat had been borrowed from his fellow disciples. Who could have known the price of the rat would rise so absurdly? He needed twice as many Spirit Stones as before just to afford one.
Renting one required a five-hundred-Spirit-Stone deposit. He had never heard of Inner Sect Disciples needing to pay deposits when renting spirit beasts before.
Wei Zhong, watching from the side, nearly burst out laughing.
Azurewood Sect is truly ruthless. At a time like this, they are even butchering their own disciples.
But the price of the spirit rat was indeed too high. Rather than spend so many Spirit Stones on it, he might as well gather some more and buy an excellent magic artifact.
Wei Zhong turned and left.
The two continued speaking behind him.
"Senior Brother, I still have some Spirit Stones here."
"Sigh, Junior Sister, how could I possibly use yours..."
Their voices gradually faded into silence.
Wei Zhong knew full well where his advantage lay: his cultivation speed in spells and cultivation techniques far surpassed that of ordinary cultivators.
Though he could spend these two years raising the beast-taming art to an extremely profound level, spirit beasts had their limits.
It was far more worthwhile to grind the Spirit Seeking Art himself.
He took his Spirit Stones to the Spirit Artifact Pavilion and exchanged them for a high-grade first-tier magic sword and a high-grade first-tier shield. Only then did he stop.
Wei Zhong changed back into Chu Zhong's appearance and returned home. Carrying a pot of Spirit Wine, he went to find Ning CanKun, only to discover that the steward responsible for the Spirit Fields had been replaced.
After asking around, he learned that Ning CanKun had completed his assignment and was cultivating in seclusion, preparing for the secret realm two years from now.
Wei Zhong left the Spirit Wine with the new steward.
On his way back, he recalled that Ning CanKun was now also at the ninth level of Qi Refining. Yet without a Foundation Establishment Pill, he did not dare attempt Foundation Establishment.
His lifespan was likely running short, which was why he intended to take a gamble in this secret realm.
Perhaps they might even meet within the secret realm.
Of course, Wei Zhong would enter then as an unfamiliar Rogue Cultivator.
After returning to his courtyard, Wei Zhong immersed himself in cultivation.
His only task now was to cultivate his mana to completion, then train his spells—especially the Spirit Seeking Art.
Resources in the secret realm were scarce. If he wanted to seize the initiative ahead of the other cultivators and obtain spirit herbs, he would have to rely on this art.
Three months later, Azurewood Sect held a grand ceremony for Luo Mingyan, the Eighth True Disciple.
To Wei Zhong's surprise, Luo Mingyan had not entered the Pill Hall, but instead became a disciple of Hall Master Yu of the Law Hall.
At the same time, secret realm slots went on sale and were immediately "snatched up" by high-level Qi Refining cultivators.
Before you continue