Chapter 145 - 140: Cyan Wood Secret Realm

Chapter 145: Chapter 140: Cyan Wood Secret Realm

Xiaoqing reached Tier 2. Another three years passed, and Jiang Zuo reached Grandmaster Great Perfection in the Golden Qi Jade Body Skill.

When he fully circulated the Golden Qi Jade Body Skill, Jiang Zuo could cover his body with a faint aura of Jade Qi. This Jade Qi aura actually had the effect of isolating him from external influences.

He felt that if he returned to the depths of the Ancient Beast Forest now, his physical body could venture even deeper without the Ten Thousand Beasts Armor.

Even in the deepest part of the Ancient Beast Forest, the Jade Qi aura could allow him to last for several seconds.

The Gold Qi, on the other hand, possessed a power almost like "Alchemy."

After being infused with the Gold Qi from Jiang Zuo’s hands, an ordinary stone could take on properties nearly identical to metal for a short time.

Of course, this duration was extremely short. Once the Gold Qi Inner Breath dissipated, the stone would revert to its original state and even suffer some damage.

Nevertheless, the Golden Qi Jade Body Skill was even more impressive than Jiang Zuo had anticipated.

Martial Artists who could use this Cultivation Technique to break through to the Innate realm would possess formidable combat strength.

Jiang Zuo had now cultivated four Martial Arts Techniques capable of opening the one hundred and eight acupoints. Aside from the Blood Sea Creation Skill—which showed no special properties because he had learned it by piggybacking on his Ten Thousand Beasts Armor form—the other three, the Blood God Skill, Life Essence Returning Skill, and Golden Qi Jade Body Skill, all displayed remarkable supernatural effects upon reaching Great Perfection.

After a careful comparison, Jiang Zuo discovered that these three Cultivation Techniques were, in fact, all connected to the Cultivation Realm in different ways.

’But on second thought, a Cultivation Technique wouldn’t be circulating in the Cultivation Realm if it didn’t have impressive effects.’

Now that his Golden Qi Jade Body Skill had reached Great Perfection, Jiang Zuo thought for a moment and decided to start cultivating the Nine Revolutions Returning Essence Skill.

Once the Nine Revolutions Returning Essence Skill also reached Great Perfection, he would have mastered five elemental Cultivation Techniques to the level of Great Perfection and could choose to break through to the Innate realm at any time!

There were still eighteen years until the Cyan Wood Secret Realm opened, so he had plenty of time to cultivate.

「Twelve years later.」

『The Celestial Dao rewards the diligent! Through continuous nurturing of the Black-Scaled Pangolin, you have obtained the pangolin Racial Ability "Digging"!』

——Digging: A pangolin Racial Ability. When digging burrows by hand, your palms and fingernails can break through soil more easily, and your eyes can directly see which soil is easier to dig.

"It really is a digging ability, and it seems pretty good, too."

Jiang Zuo couldn’t help but click his tongue in amazement.

’The Racial Abilities of these Pet Beasts are truly bizarre.’

Jiang Zuo’s body was already like a human-shaped weapon, but he tried using the pangolin’s digging ability anyway.

Without using any tools, Jiang Zuo really could dig burrows quickly, just like a pangolin.

If he was willing to put in a little more effort, his speed could be considerably faster than a pangolin’s.

However, compared to the digging itself, Jiang Zuo felt the intuitive ability to see where it was easier to dig was even more powerful.

The description mentioned soil, but it was actually useful on some rocks as well.

Now, Jiang Zuo could tell where the weakest point of a rock was with just a single glance.

At that weak point, Jiang Zuo only needed to apply a little force to shatter the rock with ease.

’Six years left. I’ll just raise some other Pet Beasts and wait for the Cyan Wood Secret Realm to open.’

’I don’t know how long the Cyan Wood Secret Realm will be open. I should bring plenty of food.’

As Jiang Zuo thought this, two storage bags appeared in his hands.

One was the one Subai had given him, and the other was the one his Blood Qi Avatar had dug up before. Both were storage bags that could be used by mortals.

With these two storage bags, Jiang Zuo could pack a lot of supplies.

’I need to find some time to get rid of these Magical Artifacts and pills.’

Jiang Zuo looked at one of the storage bags.

On the night the Xu Family was wiped out, Jiang Zuo had looted several storage bags.

After Jiang Zuo retrieved these storage bags, he took them to a distant place and buried them for over a decade.

Later, after confirming that no one was looking for them, Jiang Zuo finally dug them up, broke them open, and took out the contents.

In the end, Jiang Zuo obtained over seventy thousand low-grade Spirit Stones, seven or eight Tier 1 and Tier 2 Magical Artifacts, a few bottles of pills, and some Talismans.

Jiang Zuo subsequently placed these items into the other storage bag.

Now that he needed the storage bags, it was the perfect time to deal with the items inside.

In the blink of an eye, more than five years passed.

Only a few months remained until the opening of the Cyan Wood Secret Realm.

「Divine Wood Sect.」

「Wen Family.」

"Yusheng, when you enter the Cyan Wood Secret Realm this time, do your best to find opportunities, but you absolutely must be careful!"

"If you see any strangers you don’t recognize inside the Secret Realm, stay as far away from them as possible! Don’t approach them rashly!"

Wen Yaoju instructed Wen Yusheng in a secret chamber.

As one of the Ten Great Sects of the Ancestral Land Continent, the Divine Wood Sect had offered a hefty reward for any information on the Life Essence Returning Skill’s Cultivation Jade Stone. While the results weren’t entirely satisfactory, they had managed to find seven or eight Cultivation Jade Stones over the past few decades.

According to convention, most of those who could enter the Cyan Wood Secret Realm were talented Inner Sect disciples.

However, there were also a few spots for outstanding Outer Sect disciples.

Decades had passed, and a disciple with good aptitude had finally appeared in the Wen Family. He now ranked highly among the Outer Disciples and had secured a spot to enter the Cyan Wood Secret Realm.

"Third Elder, why is that? Surely no one would dare to secretly use a Cultivation Jade Stone to enter the Cyan Wood Secret Realm, would they?"

Wen Yusheng asked, slightly confused.

Anyone who knew of the Cyan Wood Secret Realm knew that it belonged to the Divine Wood Sect.

Even sects with close ties to the Divine Wood Sect had to obtain permission to enter.

Anyone who dared to sneak into the Cyan Wood Secret Realm would be skinned alive, if not killed outright.

"Sigh, it’s just a precaution."

Wen Yaoju sighed and recounted an incident that had occurred decades ago.

"Liu Xuan Cheng went to the Mortal Territory to seize a Cultivation Jade Stone and ended up with not even his bones remaining?"

Wen Yusheng cried out in shock upon hearing this.

"Not only that, but the Lv Family also dispatched two Dao Foundation cultivators at the time. It’s said they even brought a treasure from the Lv Family with them, yet they also died there."

Wen Yaoju shook his head.

After Liu Xuan Cheng was severely injured, the Wen Family had secretly rescued him.

For that mission to seize the Cultivation Jade Stone in the Mortal Territory, Wen Yaoju felt Liu Xuan Cheng was the most suitable candidate, so he didn’t send anyone from the Wen Family, instead asking Liu Xuan Cheng to go on their behalf.

He had thought it would be an easy task for Liu Xuan Cheng.

Unexpectedly, what happened next made Wen Yaoju’s jaw drop.

He had Liu Xuan Cheng’s Life Soul Lamp. Not long after Liu Xuan Cheng went to the Mortal Territory, the Life Soul Lamp was extinguished.

He had initially wondered if the Lv Family was responsible, but unexpectedly, the Lv Family had also suffered heavy losses.

From the sect’s subsequent investigation, it seemed that both Liu Xuan Cheng and the members of the Lv Family were killed by the person who possessed the Cultivation Jade Stone.

For some unknown reason, that person had deliberately set a trap to lure them in and kill them.

Decades ago, that person already had the means to kill Liu Xuan Cheng. If they don’t enter the Cyan Wood Secret Realm this time, then so be it.

But if they do appear in the Cyan Wood Secret Realm, that individual will be extremely dangerous.

"Third Elder, I understand. I will be exceptionally careful!"

Hearing this, Wen Yusheng was even more terrified.

He was only at the mid-stage of Dao Foundation. Against such a ruthless person, he was afraid he wouldn’t stand a chance.

「Four months later.」

Eighty elite disciples were gathered on a wide training plaza in the Divine Wood Sect. Seventy of them were at the Dao Foundation realm, with most at the late stage and a few at the mid-stage.

The remaining ten were young Martial Arts Grandmasters, all in their early forties.

"The Cyan Wood Secret Realm is about to open. This time, the Secret Realm will be different from the past. All of you must listen carefully!"

Instructor Elder Ge Fangrong said indifferently as he looked down at the disciples below.

Within the Divine Wood Sect, the Cyan Wood Secret Realm was an existence comparable to the Inheritance Hall and had always been managed by the Instructor Elder.

Hearing that the Cyan Wood Secret Realm would be different from previous years, the disciples below couldn’t help but look toward Ge Fangrong.

"Compared to previous years, the Demon Beasts inside the Secret Realm will be stronger and more ferocious this year! You must be careful inside the Secret Realm, or it wouldn’t be surprising if you died in there!"

"When you enter the Secret Realm this time, treasure hunting is secondary. The most important task is to escort the inheritors of the Cultivation Techniques to the Cyan Wood Longevity Stele!"

"Before this mission is complete, any and all treasure hunting is forbidden!"

"Once the escort mission is complete, everyone in the team who contributes will receive at least one thousand Sect Contribution points! Those with great merit will receive additional rewards!"

"After the escort mission is complete, you may hunt for treasure freely within the Secret Realm."

"Lin Huayang, Fang Changtao, and Master Jianqin will be the leaders for this expedition. When you meet them, you are to follow their commands to ensure the safety of the Cultivation Technique inheritors."

Ge Fangrong said, pointing to three people in the crowd.

The three consisted of two young male cultivators and one young female cultivator, all at the Perfection stage of Dao Foundation.

"Yes, Elder Ge!"

Many disciples only just learned that the Cyan Wood Secret Realm would be different from previous years, but at this point, they couldn’t possibly say they weren’t going, so they could only reply in unison.

"Alright, spread out into your teams. When the portal opens, do not interfere with the others. After you enter, you will find yourselves in different locations within the Secret Realm. The Cultivation Technique inheritors will send out a signal to gather. When you see it, you must head over immediately."

After Ge Fangrong gave one last instruction, the eighty disciples split into eight teams and spread out to different parts of the plaza.

「An hour passed.」

One of the Cultivation Technique inheritors took out a Cultivation Jade Stone and activated his Life Essence Returning Skill.

The Cultivation Jade Stone in his hand immediately flew out in front of him, forming a cyan portal of light.

This person, along with the nine Dao Foundation disciples behind him, stepped into it one after another.

After the ten people had entered, the cyan light vanished.

Then, the other Cultivation Technique inheritors also took out their Cultivation Jade Stones one by one, opening the gates to the Cyan Wood Secret Realm.

Soon, all eighty disciples from the Divine Wood Sect had entered the Cyan Wood Secret Realm.

"Only eight candidates... I hope a talented inheritor emerges from this group."

Only then did Ge Fangrong let out a heavy sigh.

「Meanwhile, in a distant location.」

A cyan portal of light also appeared before Jiang Zuo, and he stepped inside.

After he entered, the cyan light lingered for about a quarter of an hour before it too disappeared.

"Such dense Spiritual Qi!"

The scenery before Jiang Zuo’s eyes changed, and he found himself in a dense forest.

Although he could not yet practice Cultivation, the moment he arrived, he instantly sensed the difference between this place and the outside world.

The Spiritual Qi here was incredibly dense, at least ten times more so than in the valley from which he had entered.