Foundation Establishment Realm, Qigu Secret Realm

Inside the Time Tower.

Although the Time Tower's rules restricted members of the Sect, they had no effect on Li Moqing.

He could stay inside and cultivate for as long as he wished!

Whoosh!

The Sect's Source Qi surged into Li Moqing like raging waves.

"Hmm..." Li Moqing murmured. "After six hours of cultivation, I've already reached the peak of the ninth level of the Qi Refinement Realm!"

"Excellent. Then I'll break through in one go!"

With that thought, Li Moqing took out a high-grade Source Stone, liquefied it, and absorbed it.

Boom!

In an instant, the Source Stone's power filled his body.

"Just one was enough? And here I was, ready to absorb another."

Breaking through from the ninth level of the Qi Refinement Realm to the first level of the Foundation Establishment Realm required three high-grade Source Stones. Li Moqing had never expected one to be enough for him.

He smiled and put away the extra high-grade Source Stone he had taken out.

"Now I need to turn the Source Stone's power into a Source Mansion within my body. That will take some time."

Li Moqing murmured to himself.

Unlike his previous breakthroughs, reaching the Foundation Establishment Realm would form a Source Mansion within a cultivator's body to absorb and store Source Qi.

The size of that Source Mansion naturally determined how much Source Qi a cultivator could absorb and store.

That could make all the difference in a fight between cultivators!

Li Moqing knew what was at stake. He sat cross-legged, closed his eyes, and focused his mind. As he circulated the Divine Breath Pure Heart Scripture, he merged with the Source Stone's power while absorbing Source Qi.

Bang!

A cube-shaped Source Mansion appeared in his abdomen. It spun without pause, growing larger and larger.

Only after fifteen minutes, when it occupied half his torso, did it stop.

Though it was called a mansion and occupied his torso, the Source Mansion was merely a concentration of Source Qi. It caused a cultivator no discomfort.

"Hmm? It takes up half my torso at only the first level of the Foundation Establishment Realm? Not bad!"

Li Moqing opened his eyes, a faint smile playing on his lips.

For an ordinary cultivator at the first level of the Foundation Establishment Realm, the newly formed Source Mansion was only the size of a goose egg.

A Source Mansion that filled half the torso normally required the seventh or eighth level, and even then, only prodigies could achieve it.

"Only a little over six hours have passed, but that amounts to more than five days. I'll stop cultivating for now!"

Li Moqing sprang to his feet and departed in a streak of light.

The Sect's Discussion Hall.

"Sect Master, you're out?"

Mo Lingyuan asked as a streak of white light swept past.

"Mm."

Li Moqing answered mildly, then sat in the main seat.

Having just learned that Li Moqing's cultivation was above the Spirit Transformation Realm, Zhang Xingfeng, Dongfang Muxue, and Chen Guyu looked at him with even greater admiration. Lü Liu, meanwhile, regarded him with even greater awe.

The four of them stared so intently that Li Moqing grew a little uncomfortable.

Though he had no idea why, he took a sip of tea and smiled. "Now that everyone has tried the Time Tower, its rules will take effect starting today!"

"Yes, Sect Master!"

"Yes, Master!"

Mo Lingyuan and the others answered.

"Guyu, go choose your Spirit Weapon."

Li Moqing set down his teacup and gave the instruction.

"Okay, Master!"

Chen Guyu dashed out.

"Lü Liu, you've reached the third level of the Qi Refinement Realm. It's time you had a suitable cultivation technique."

"You earn fifty points each day you complete your chores. Over your twelve days in the Sect, that comes to six hundred points."

"Since the Sect's Mission Hall has not yet been established, I'll make an exception and allow you to exchange those six hundred points for an Earth-Tier Upper Grade cultivation technique. Would you like to?"

Li Moqing turned to Lü Liu as he asked.

"Yes, of course!"

Lü Liu answered without hesitation.

She had been worrying that having no cultivation technique might hold back her cultivation.

Now that she could exchange a mere six hundred points for an exceedingly rare Earth-Tier Upper Grade technique, how could she pass up the chance?

"In that case, Elder Mo, take Lü Liu to choose a technique."

Li Moqing gave the order.

"Yes, Sect Master!"

Three days later.

The Azure Feather Sect.

Within the Sect.

The Sect's Discussion Hall.

"Sect Master, word has been spreading lately that a 'Qigu Secret Realm' lies beneath Hope-for-Life Cliff."

"It's said to contain supreme treasures left behind when Supreme Qigu ascended, though the realm has yet to appear."

"What do you make of it?"

Yun Shengya, the Azure Feather Sect's Grand Elder, asked with a raised eyebrow.

West of the border between Search Province in the Eastern Region and Heaven-Opening in the Southern Region stood a cliff whose depths no one could see.

Even cultivators from either region faced certain death if they ventured in.

People of both regions had therefore called it "Death-Seeking Cliff." Later, finding the name inauspicious, they changed it to "Hope-for-Life Cliff."

"Hmm..." Jin Pingqi pondered what he had heard. "No wonder no one has ever been able to enter Hope-for-Life Cliff. A secret realm left by Supreme Qigu was hidden beneath it all along!"

"Indeed. How powerful must a supreme being have been? With our strength, we'd be reduced to ash the moment we drew near!"

Yun Shengya nodded. After a pause, he frowned in puzzlement. "But who was Supreme Qigu? Why have we never heard of him?"

"How could we know what happened nine hundred million years ago?"

Jin Pingqi knitted his brows. "All we know are the last two supreme beings from the end of the ancient era, eight hundred million years ago."

"Then, Sect Master, do you think the rumors are true?"

Yun Shengya took a sip of tea as he asked.

"With something like this, it's better to believe it exists than to assume it doesn't."

Jin Pingqi answered calmly.

"Perhaps the Qigu Secret Realm is about to appear, and some expert divined it. That would explain how word got out."

"In any case, tell everyone in the Sect to focus on cultivating for now. When the Qigu Secret Realm appears, we'll enter and seize its treasures!"

"Anything left by a supreme being must be a rare treasure. It may even help our Sect become a top-tier power!"

Jin Pingqi issued the orders solemnly.

"Yes, Sect Master!"

Heaven-Opening in the Southern Region.

The Dongfang Family.

The council chamber.

"Patriarch, what do you make of these widespread rumors about the Qigu Secret Realm?"

Dongfang Shengxiong looked toward Dongfang Huayu, who sat in the main seat with his brows tightly knit.

"Of course I believe them!"

Dongfang Huayu answered without hesitation.

His brows remained furrowed as he ordered, "Have the family cultivate diligently in the coming days. We must seize a great many treasures from the Qigu Secret Realm!"

"Perhaps this will let us turn our fortunes around and save the family!"

"Keep searching for Muxue in secret, too. You must find her!"

"Yes, Patriarch!"

Word of the Qigu Secret Realm spread across both regions. Hope-for-Life Cliff was so dangerous and mysterious that, though the factions large and small could not tell whether the rumors were true, every one of them preferred to believe rather than dismiss them.

And to compete for the secret realm's treasures, they rolled up their sleeves. Storm clouds gathered on every side!

The Heavenly Mist Sect.

Within the Sect.

The Sect's Discussion Hall.

Three days had passed, and Mo Lingyuan had entered the Time Tower again. Lü Liu was in the kitchen making herself something to eat.

After all, she had yet to reach the fourth level of the Qi Refinement Realm and could not abstain from food.

Thus, only Li Moqing and his three personal disciples were in the Discussion Hall.

"Master, do you believe these rumors about the Qigu Secret Realm?"

Zhang Xingfeng asked curiously.

"Of course I do."

A faint smile curled Li Moqing's lips.