Upon hearing Chen Changqing's question, the demonic cultivator dared not conceal anything and hurriedly said:
"Absolutely true! The Secret Realm left behind by the Purple Mansion True Person lies beneath the Blood Pool deep within the village."
A sharp gleam flashed in Chen Changqing's eyes. He directly shouted:
"Get up and lead the way."
The demonic cultivator slowly rose to his feet, not daring to play any tricks. Before long, he led Chen Changqing to a Blood Pool deep within the village.
"It... it's right here!"
"I told you the truth and brought you here. You can let me go now, right?"
Chen Changqing smiled faintly and nodded.
"Of course. We Mount Shu disciples always keep our word."
As though granted a great pardon, the demonic cultivator turned and fled.
Yet before he could get far, a sword cry suddenly rang out behind him.
"Clang!"
With a flash of sword light, the demonic cultivator had not even reacted before his head had already fallen to the ground!
Chen Changqing cast an indifferent glance at the demonic cultivator whose head and body lay apart.
"People of the Demon Sect slaughter the innocent without restraint!"
"Everyone has the right to execute them!"
"Did you really think I would let you go?"
With that, Chen Changqing withdrew his gaze and began examining the Blood Pool before him.
"That demonic cultivator just said that this was where the Secret Realm of that Purple Mansion cultivator was located."
Chen Changqing inspected the area carefully.
Yet aside from the Blood Pool before him, there seemed to be no other abnormalities here.
"Could that man have lied to me?"
Chen Changqing frowned, considering that possibility.
"But judging by the way he looked, he didn't seem to be lying."
"The Secret Realm of a Purple Mansion cultivator must be extremely well-hidden. How could it possibly be found so easily?"
"Even if it were found, that didn't mean one could enter it."
Chen Changqing pondered in secret.
There had been quite a few demonic cultivators from the Demon Sect who had come to Green Creek Village this time, led by even a Golden Core demonic cultivator.
So many of them had still failed to open the Secret Realm of the Purple Mansion cultivator. That alone showed how formidable this Secret Realm was.
After thinking for a moment, Chen Changqing took a deep breath and rose to leave.
After all, he was only at the fifth level of Qi Refining right now. He had come merely to try his luck.
Since he could not find it, it meant he had no such fortune.
Some things could not be forced.
Yet what Chen Changqing had not expected was this.
The instant he turned around, an unusual sound suddenly came from the Blood Pool behind him.
"Hm?"
Chen Changqing's heart tightened, and he quickly turned around to look.
At a glance, he saw that the previously tranquil Blood Pool was boiling as though it had erupted.
"What's going on?"
Before Chen Changqing could think further, a dazzling beam of bloody light suddenly shot from the Blood Pool into the heavens.
Within moments, that terrifying blood qi condensed in midair into an enormous blood sword and came slashing down at him!
"Not good!"
Chen Changqing's pupils contracted. Reacting with extreme speed, he immediately sent out the Shadow-Bearing Sword to block the blow head-on.
"Clang!"
Amid the ringing clash of metal, a terrifying force of impact burst forth.
Chen Changqing was knocked back several steps, his arms going numb.
"Th-this Blood Pool actually has an array within it?"
"And from the looks of it, it was set up by those demonic cultivators of the Demon Sect."
"Could it have been meant to break open the Secret Realm of the Purple Mansion cultivator?"
Such a thought suddenly arose in Chen Changqing's mind.
Just then, the blood sword transformed back into vast blood qi and fell into the Blood Pool once more.
The entire Blood Pool began churning violently, its dense blood qi writhing like living creatures, as though yearning for something.
"Hm?"
Seeing this, Chen Changqing frowned slightly and muttered in puzzlement:
"Looks like... there isn't enough blood qi yet."
"No wonder those demonic cultivators from the Demon Sect slaughtered every villager in Green Creek Village. They were collecting their blood qi."
"To use it to break open the Secret Realm of the Purple Mansion cultivator."
At this, Chen Changqing narrowed his eyes. The corners of his lips curled slightly, revealing a meaningful smile.
Earlier, he had been ready to leave.
He had not expected such a change to occur.
The Secret Realm of the Purple Mansion cultivator was right before his eyes. Naturally, Chen Changqing wanted to take a gamble.
"If that's the case, then use my blood!"
A resolute glint soon flashed through Chen Changqing's eyes. Gritting his teeth, he unhesitatingly drew his sword edge across his palm.
Then, with a casual flick of his hand, his blood immediately dripped into the Blood Pool.
The moment Chen Changqing's blood entered it, the entire Blood Pool boiled once more!
The vital essence contained within his blood far surpassed that of ordinary people, pouring into the blood qi array like a raging flood.
"Crack..."
Before long, strange and intricate array markings appeared within the Blood Pool.
Under the erosion of the blood qi, those array markings shattered inch by inch!
"Boom!"
A deafening explosion rang out.
When the dust settled and the mist dispersed, the Blood Pool had been blasted apart.
Beneath it, a dark passageway was revealed!
At the sight, Chen Changqing's eyes lit up, and he said with blazing eyes:
"Could the Secret Realm left behind by that Purple Mansion cultivator be inside?"
After a brief pause, Chen Changqing did not think further and directly stepped into the passageway.
The moment he entered, the scene before his eyes abruptly changed. He had actually arrived inside an independent cave abode.
At the center of the cave abode floated an ancient Stone Platform.
Brilliant light radiated from the Stone Platform, dazzling the eye.
Chen Changqing's heart surged with excitement at the sight.
He naturally saw that the treasure should be atop the Stone Platform.
He cautiously approached it, deeply afraid of triggering some restriction or mechanism.
Fortunately, everything passed without danger.
When he finally reached the floating Stone Platform, Chen Changqing was able to see clearly.
Resting quietly atop the Stone Platform was a token.
"This?"
Chen Changqing froze.
"That's it?"
"A single token?"
Chen Changqing had originally thought it would be some heaven-shaking secret treasure or peerless cultivation technique.
But it was just a token?
Upon closer inspection, he saw that the token was entirely black, carved with many intricate patterns. They seemed like talismans yet not talismans, like arrays yet not arrays.
"A Purple Mansion cultivator left a token inside his own Purple Mansion Secret Realm?"
"There aren't any other treasures?"
Chen Changqing murmured, not knowing whether to laugh or cry.
He had never expected that after going through so much trouble to get here, this would be the result.
After standing there in a daze for a moment, Chen Changqing helplessly shook his head and sighed.
Though he did not know what the token was for, since it belonged to a Purple Mansion cultivator, it was surely no ordinary object.
Then Chen Changqing put it away and turned to leave.
Outside, Elder Liu Mu's battle with the Golden Core demonic cultivator had already ended.
Elder Liu Mu was covered in blood, yet his momentum soared like a rainbow. At his feet lay the corpse of that Golden Core demonic cultivator.
"Where is Chen Changqing?"
Elder Liu Mu looked around and discovered that one person was missing.
Hearing this, Liu Ruyan said softly, "Junior Brother said he was going to hunt down the remaining demonic cultivator disciples..."
"Nonsense!"
Liu Mu's expression darkened as he rebuked:
"You let him go alone? What if he ran into an ambush?"
With that, Liu Mu prepared to personally search for Chen Changqing.
"Whoosh!"
Just then, a figure streaked over from the direction of the Blood Pool.
Before you continue