Chapter 341 - 232: Swords Drawn, Secret Realm’s Harvest

Chapter 341: Chapter 232: Swords Drawn, Secret Realm’s Harvest

Lin Changheng wasn’t too worried about having agreed to cooperate with the fat Cultivator who had approached him.

This confidence was born of his strength.

Although the fat Cultivator was likely an experienced Middle Stage Foundation Establishment Cultivator, around the Fifth or Sixth Layer of Foundation Establishment, that’s all he was to Lin Changheng.

With his Tier Two Late Stage Body Refining Cultivation, Middle Stage Foundation Establishment Magical Power Cultivation, and various Divine Abilities, Demon Techniques, Spirit Beasts, and Puppets to call upon, a Middle Stage Foundation Establishment Cultivator could hardly pose a real threat to him.

If the man let his guard down for even a moment and allowed Lin Changheng to get close, killing him instantly would be as easy as crushing a chick—a simple matter of lifting a hand.

And taking a huge step back, if the man really had any ill intentions, he would just end up delivering his treasures to Lin Changheng.

Lin Changheng was even looking forward to what the man might try next.

Of course, at the first sign of a Late Stage Foundation Establishment Cultivator, he would beat a hasty retreat.

Lin Changheng was crystal clear on this point.

However, when making acquisitions, even if he happened to find a large quantity of the items the man wanted, he would only acquire and hold two or three on his behalf.

Not too many, to avoid any accidents that would leave him stuck with them.

’Perhaps he has the same idea I do.’

Lin Changheng’s gaze was profound.

Cultivators who made it to the Foundation Establishment stage were rarely fools. Their various decisions were simply driven by calculations of self-interest and their own personalities.

Even the few who managed to break through by a stroke of luck would, if their minds didn’t quickly adapt and mature, eventually have their Cultivation dissipate back into the world one way or another. You would never even have the chance to encounter them.

In a word, one must never underestimate the Cultivators of this world!

...

In the time that followed, others tried to approach him for a chat, but Lin Changheng turned them away before they could even speak.

There was no need.

One such partnership was enough; any more and he wouldn’t have the spare time or funds to help others with their acquisitions.

Furthermore, Lin Changheng had been secretly observing the four Core Formation Cultivators from the corner of his eye.

He noticed that their expressions and demeanors hadn’t changed at all.

Logically, these families and Sects should have life-force-linked items, similar to Soul Lamps or Soul Tokens, that would allow them to know the life-or-death status of their bonded members at any time.

Once the lamp goes out or the token shatters, it signifies that the person has perished.

’Is the exploration of the Secret Realm going extremely well, with very few deaths?’

’Or is their self-control just that good, not a single one of them letting anything show, as if they wouldn’t flinch even if a mountain collapsed before them?’

’Or perhaps... the Secret Realm exists in a different spatial plane, severing the connection and making it impossible for them to know?’

Lin Changheng had originally planned to gauge the situation inside the Secret Realm based on their expressions, but he had miscalculated.

He had no choice but to wait patiently.

During this time, Ling Feng Master of the Extreme South Palace repeatedly tried to approach Master Xuan Ji and strike up a conversation, only to be politely but firmly rebuffed each time.

Although his expression remained unchanged, his eyes turned somewhat sinister, and it was obvious he felt he had lost face.

He then turned, his narrowed gaze sweeping over the other waiting Cultivators, as if looking for some unfortunate soul to vent his anger on. But he found everyone was either deep in meditation, lost in their own thoughts, or cultivating with their eyes closed. No one was paying him the slightest attention.

With no excuse to lash out, he could only let the matter drop.

Lin Changheng felt the man’s gaze and guessed his intentions. He sneered inwardly but simply remained seated, his face an emotionless mask.

But the heart-pounding fear he felt, akin to the saying "attending to a lord is like attending to a tiger," was very real—perhaps even more intense.

’From now on, I have to stay far away from Core Formation Cultivators like him. The gap in our strength is too vast; there’s no sense of security. Luckily, he’s from the prestigious and righteous Extreme South Palace, which rules the Song Territory. He has his scruples and is bound by a moral code, so he can’t lash out without a pretext. If this were a Demonic Core Formation Cultivator, they really do kill based on their whims—that’s far too dangerous...’

’A wise man does not stand beneath a crumbling wall...’

...

In the eyes of Foundation Establishment and Core Formation Cultivators, half a month wasn’t a long time, and it passed in the blink of an eye.

Suddenly, Master Xuan Ji, who had been meditating, rose gracefully. With another phantom-like flicker, she was standing silently in the air above the still-surging vortex on the river’s surface.

The hem of her robes fluttered in the turbulent Spiritual Qi, her expression as cold as ever, yet now imbued with a sense of solemnity.

Her movement was like a stone dropped into a calm lake, instantly capturing the attention of every Cultivator present.

"The Secret Realm is opening!"

It was a clear signal, identical to the one when the Secret Realm first opened half a month ago. Everyone was thrilled.

In an instant, all the Cultivators on the bank—whether they were meditating, talking, or resting with their eyes closed—jolted and sprang to their feet.

All eyes were fixed fervently on the spatial portal in the river, which had grown considerably dimmer. Their gazes were filled with anticipation. The half-month wait hadn’t dampened their passion; on the contrary, it had allowed their desire to ferment and grow even stronger.

Even the patriarchs of the Song and Sun Families, who had been seated in meditation, rose to their feet, waiting with a hint of tension for the outcome.

After all, their Foundation Establishment clansmen, bound to them by blood, were the ones who had entered. Their gains would determine the future development of their families.

Ling Feng Master of the Extreme South Palace, in contrast, maintained his smile. He seemed utterly nonchalant, unconcerned with the fate of his sect’s disciples, as if he were truly nothing more than an escort. His gaze also turned to watch Master Xuan Ji’s actions.

WHOOSH!

Master Xuan Ji’s jade-like fingers flew once more, casting one purple Technique seal after another into the spinning vortex.

The portal, which had been stabilizing, began to fluctuate violently again. The purple patterns on its surface re-ignited, emitting a low hum. Inside the gateway, the light and shadows began to spin faster, and the ancient, primeval aura of the Wilderness became distinctly tangible once more.