Chapter 51

Without needing Shen Duheng's answer, Shan Heyuan quickly grasped the key point. "Cities in the cultivation world have been dying off since ancient times. Was Spirit Jade Dao Ancestor creating small worlds also an exploration of ways to save the world?"

"Now that they've opened this secret realm to cultivators freely, are they observing whether cultivators can live normally in a small world?"

Shen Duheng nodded. "It's pretty much what you guessed."

"So all the major sects are working hard."

Looking at the lush forest ahead, Shan Heyuan realized that since this was an experiment by the Spirit Jade Palace, they shouldn't act recklessly in this secret realm.

Otherwise, it would definitely have been discovered by the Spirit Jade Palace was closely monitoring this secret realm.

The two walked forward.

Shan Heyuan quickly discovered that in the outermost areas, the quality of the Spirit Plant and beasts was relatively low, while in certain inner areas, the quality of the Spirit Plant and beasts would suddenly increase.

If he wasn't mistaken, those circles that suddenly became filled with Spiritual Power were the circles where the formation was located.

After walking for a while, Shan Heyuan had a better understanding of the situation. He said to Shen Duheng, "I've seen a similar formation before, in the library of the Sword Reverence Academy. If I'm not mistaken, there's a gate in the center, where the highest-grade Spirit Plant and beasts reside."

Shen Duheng: "Then let's go take a look."

The dense fog and array formations of the West Jing Secret Realm could not stop Shen Duheng at all.

He strolled around as if he were in his own backyard.

Soon, they arrived at the center of the formation, as Shan Heyuan had guessed.

Within this central circle, the Spiritual Power is significantly denser than outside, much like being on a top-tier Spirit Vein.

Shan Heyuan looked around and said, "I can't say for sure about other things, but there are definitely Top-Grade Spirit Stone in here."

Thinking of the top-grade Spirit Stone he absorbed when Core Formation, Shan Heyuan felt a pang of heartache.

If he's still alive a hundred years from now, he might still regret it and slap his thigh in remorse.

His eyes darted around, staring straight at the center of the formation.

Shen Duheng sensed the longing in his eyes and said to him, "It's fine if we take something else, but if we dig up the Spirit Stone inside the formation, the people from the Spirit Jade Palace will definitely come down and fight us to the death."

"Then forget it." Shan Heyuan reluctantly withdrew his gaze. "It's good enough to have a look around."

Shen Duheng smiled, "Go dig up Spirit Plant?"

"Go! It's a pity this secret realm isn't very high-grade; I estimate the highest grade of the Spirit Plant inside won't exceed Core Formation."

"You no longer want to grow Core Formation level Spirit Plant?"

"No, we can still grow them." Shan Heyuan lowered his voice. "My small world is so big, we can grow more Core Formation grade Spirit Plant. Even if we don't really need them ourselves, we can sell them outside and get a lot of Spirit Stone."

"Cultivation is the most important thing. Once you've used the Spirit Stone, that's it. Don't keep thinking about them."

"How can I just stop thinking about it?" Shan Heyuan said with a pained expression. "Now that the Spirit Stone are used up, I have to find a way to replenish them somewhere."

They walked on and soon found many Spirit Plant.

Most Spirit Plant are guarded by Demon Beast or insects, making it extremely difficult for ordinary cultivators to dig Spirit Plant up.

Shen Duheng level was at its peak at the Spirit Transformation Late Stage. Although he is currently only at the Nascent Soul Early Stage Formation stage, as a sword cultivator, he is still more powerful than most Spirit Transformation Early Stage in a real battle.

Those Core Formation Stage or Nascent Soul Realm stage demonic insects Demon Beast guarding outside the Spirit Plant were no match for him; they would be defeated in a single move.

Shen Duheng was responsible for defeating the guards, Shan Heyuan dug up the Spirit Plant.

The two worked together and were extremely efficient.

As a planter, Shan Heyuan always preserves some vitality for Spirit Plant when digging them up, never killing them completely.

Therefore, the Spirit Plant he dug up were only of lower grade; the entire plant was not dug up.

The Demon Beast or insects guarding outside might get impatient and anxious, but they wouldn't necessarily fight them to the death.

Their journey was smooth, and in just two days, Shan Heyuan unearthed eleven Foundation Establishment level Spirit Plant and three Core Formation level Spirit Plant.

He only dug up a portion of these Spirit Plant, intending to cultivate them himself when he returned to Sword Reverence City.

Perhaps because they weren't completely uprooted, the people of the Spirit Jade Palace never noticed them.

Shan Heyuan planned to keep a low profile and leave after digging for two more days.

By now, they've already broken even, so there's no need for them to dig up every single plant.

Just as Shan Heyuan was happily digging up a Spirit Plant, Shen Duheng suddenly drew his sword and looked straight ahead.

Shan Heyuan looked over, and suddenly a figure appeared in front of them.

A beautifully sculpted little girl appeared out of thin air like a ghost, staring at them with a sinister gaze.

This little girl-like cultivator possesses the cultivation level of Spirit Transformation cultivator!

The little girl stared at Shan Heyuan: "Little cultivator, you have spatial aura on you, very pure and rich spatial aura?"

Being targeted by such a person, Shan Heyuan broke out in a cold sweat.

He glanced at Shen Duheng out of the corner of his eye, Shen Duheng had already placed his hand on the spirit sword without making a sound.

No wonder Spirit Jade Palace dared to release the West Jing Secret Realm; it turns out it has Realm Spirit with the Spirit Transformation cultivator.

The Realm Spirit was watching closely, not allowing Shan Heyuan to delay any longer.

Shan Heyuan took a silent breath and smiled at Realm Spirit, "Senior Realm Spirit of the West Jing Secret Realm?"

Chapter 51

Shan Heyuan and Shen Duheng exchanged glances and quickly noticed the surprised expression on Shen Duheng's face.

He probably didn't expect that this Realm Spirit cultivator already possessed the Spirit Transformation stage.

Realm Spirit looked at Shan Heyuan and frowned. "Little cultivator, you haven't answered my question yet."

Shan Heyuan looked bewildered. "I didn't quite understand what you meant, senior."

The Realm Spirit repeated, "You possess a very pure and rich spatial aura."

Shan Heyuan stretched out his hand, sniffed his arm, and said cautiously, "I can't smell anything. Maybe it's because I'm a cultivator who traveled from another dimension, and the time I traveled left traces on me?"

Realm Spirit tilted her head, seemingly not quite believing his words, yet unable to find any flaw in his statement.

Shan Heyuan took out the jade token given to him by a disciple of the Spirit Jade Palace and carefully looked at Realm Spirit: "Senior, we bought tickets to come in, we didn't trespass, you see—"

Realm Spirit frowned.

Shan Heyuan continued, "If it's a problem with the Spirit Plant, we didn't dig up that many, and we left the Spirit Plant of each Spirit Plant, so it won't hinder their continued growth."

Realm Spirit remained silent, staring at them, presumably deep in thought.

Shan Heyuan said, "Senior, since there's nothing else, shall we head back?"

With that, Shan Heyuan pulled Shen Duheng and prepared to fly away on his sword.

Realm Spirit flashed forward and blocked his way. "Wait, show me your Spiritual Power."

Without saying a word, Shan Heyuan released his Spiritual Power.

Unlike before, his Spiritual Power now carries a strong fire element aura.

Realm Spirit's expression became even more puzzled. "You're not a planter?"

Shan Heyuan said honestly, "I have Chaos Spirit Root, which contains Fire Spirit Root Spirit Root, so I can subdue spiritual fire."

The Pu Core Fire at the Core Formation Middle Stage was already extremely powerful, and after being completely refined by Shan Heyuan, when it was released, its intense fire elemental aura completely masked all other auras.

This includes the Breathing Earth and the Spiritual Power of the Spirit Plant in his Dantian.

Even the Realm Spirit couldn't discern anything mysterious about it.

Realm Spirit couldn't find any problem and stopped talking.

Shan Heyuan said goodbye, "Senior, we have other matters to attend to, so we'll be leaving now."

As he spoke, he grabbed Shen Duheng, intending to make a quick getaway.

The Realm Spirit of Xijing were exceptionally skilled in Movement Method; even when they reached their maximum speed, they couldn't shake off the little Realm Spirit behind them.

Shan Heyuan glanced back a few times, and each time he looked back, he could see Realm Spirit's figure appearing faintly in mid-air.