Chapter 971: The Heavenly Light Pillar

In the Fluorescent Grassland, bathed in the glow of the night, a pillar of light shot straight into the sky, drawing the attention of many nearby.

As Li Qing flew, he sensed the approach of numerous powerful cultivators with condensed auras.

"As expected, many entered the Heavenlight Secret Realm specifically for the Earth Spirit Grass Fruit."

"There are so many late-stage Divine Transformation cultivators gathered near this Fluorescent Grassland."

For Divine Transformation cultivators, the Earth Spirit Grass Fruit was exceptionally precious, its value far exceeding that of medicinal pills like the Brahma Clarity Pill.

In the Giant Spirit Race's royal city, a single Earth Spirit Grass Fruit cost over 100,000 merit points to redeem.

This was because the fruit was highly effective even for late-stage Divine Transformation cultivators. Consuming one could enhance mana, boost cultivation, and accelerate one's progress toward perfected Divine Transformation.

Boom!

A massive figure strode forward, each step shaking the great earth violently.

The Giant Spirit Race!

This Giant Spirit Race cultivator was in the late Divine Transformation realm, clearly hoping to use the Earth Spirit Grass Fruit to reach perfected Divine Transformation faster and break through to the Void Refinement realm.

Upon seeing the Giant Spirit Race, who left deep pits with each stride, Li Qing's eyebrow twitched as he recognized the individual.

It was the same Giant Spirit Race member Li Qing had met upon his ascension to the spirit realm. His name was Gu Li, and he was incredibly powerful.

Running Gu Li also recognized Li Qing. He glanced back, a delighted smile spreading across his face.

"Hahaha! Human brother, you've actually come to the Heavenlight Secret Realm too! It seems your city lord values you highly!"

Li Qing smiled in return. "Fellow Daoist Gu Li, it's been a long time. Your presence is even more magnificent than before."

"Hahaha! You've noticed! An elder in my clan bestowed upon me a medicinal pill for breaking through. It allowed me to reach the late divine transformation realm just before entering the Heavenlight Secret Realm."

"But after that, my cultivation will be entirely up to me. If we don't gain enough from this trip to the Heavenlight Secret Realm, things could get troublesome."

Gu Li laughed heartily, clearly delighted to see a familiar face.

Though the Giant Spirit Race dominated the entire Tonggu Continent, internal competition was fierce. Even Gu Li felt immense pressure.

"By the way, that peculiar light pillar ahead seems unusual. Why don't we team up? If we encounter trouble, we can watch each other's backs!"

Li Qing eagerly agreed. Gu Li was a rising star among the younger generation of the Giant Spirit Race, and his knowledge of the Heavenlight Secret Realm was surely far more comprehensive than what City Lord Lingxu had gathered for them.

Naturally, Li Qing readily agreed. He then asked, "Brother Guli, you immediately recognized that light pillar was extraordinary. Has such a peculiar phenomenon never occurred in the Heavenlight Secret Realm before?"

Gu Li shook his head repeatedly. "Never. In the Fluorescent Grassland, everyone usually just buried their heads searching for Earth Spirit Grass Fruits. If they were lucky, they might find two or three."

Hearing this, Li Qing's expression grew more solemn.

The initial influx of powerful cultivators had already created a chaotic situation. Any further anomalies would only muddy the waters further.

As they spoke, Li Qing and Gu Li approached the light pillar's location.

Other clans' experts had already gathered here, including members of the Flying Spirit Clan and Wild Bull Ridge, and even Fuya had arrived.

As for the Giant Spirit Race, only Gu Li stood beside Li Qing. It remained unclear whether other members were still en route or simply uninterested in the opportunities within the Fluorescent Grassland.

"Ooh, Little Brother Li, it's been so long. You must have missed this sister terribly," Fuya said, her eyes lighting up as she spotted him. She approached with a flirtatious expression.

Before Li Qing could respond, he sensed several sharp gazes fixated on him.

It turned out to be three birdmen from the Flying Spirit Clan: two at the Divine Transformation stage and one at the Nascent Soul stage.

Fuya was clearly being targeted by the Flying Spirit Clan, and she breathed a sigh of relief upon seeing Li Qing.

"Tsk tsk tsk, has anyone figured out what's causing this pillar of light?" Gu Li swaggered forward, attempting to approach the dazzling, blinding beam.

He was swiftly repelled by a powerful restriction array.

This was actually Heavenly Light, stored underground for countless years and now erupting completely.

Unlike the Heavenly Light in Condensed Light Lake, this pillar was extremely dangerous. Even a Divine Transformation cultivator would die horribly if exposed to it.

In Condensed Light Lake, the peculiar lake water provided nourishment, making the Heavenly Light relatively gentle and less perilous.

"This appears to be Ether Golden Light mixed with other otherworldly Heavenly Lights. This eruption shouldn't last long; it should subside soon."

The speaker was a bull-headed man from Wild Bull Ridge, clad in thick armor. Though the refining technique was somewhat crude, the quality of the spiritual materials was excellent, suggesting it was a yellow-grade defensive spirit treasure.

Gu Li nodded thoughtfully. "I see. Judging by the current situation, the Heavenly Light accumulated underground should be fully discharged within a day. Then we can enter and investigate."

It was common knowledge that places like this were the most likely to harbor Earth Spirit Grass Fruits.

When the Heavenly Light falls upon the Fluorescent Grassland and is refined by the great earth, the soil becomes imbued with a peculiar spirituality, giving rise to the Earth Spirit Grass Fruit.

This fruit grows solely within the earth, never breaking the surface until maturity. It continues to mature deep within the ground.

Because of this, finding Earth Spirit Grass Fruits is extremely difficult. Unless someone were to meticulously dig through every inch of the Fluorescent Grassland, turning over every clod of earth, it would be nearly impossible to find them.

But this was unrealistic. The time required would be too long, and no one would waste such precious time on such a task.

After all, there were far more valuable opportunities within the Heavenlight Secret Realm.

As time passed, more and more powerful cultivators arrived, mostly from the Flying Spirit Clan, whose speed was generally faster.

Within half an hour, five Flying Spirit Clan cultivators at the Divine Transformation stage and six at the Nascent Soul stage had gathered at the site.

Li Qing surveyed his surroundings, his brow furrowing slightly as he sensed something amiss.

It wasn't the hostility from the Flying Spirit Clan that put him on guard, but the presence of powerful figures from all three races. Even the Giant Spirit Race had sent at least two or three divine transformation experts.

Only the Tree Demon Clan remained conspicuously absent.

Though he had never seen the Tree Demon Clan before, Li Qing knew that even the slowest of their kind couldn't possibly have taken this long to arrive.