140: Chapter 140 Within the Secret Realm, a Unique World Unveiled!

Passing through the light gate was not an instantaneous space shift.

Su Changge only felt his Divine Soul being pulled by an invisible great force, falling into a kaleidoscopic River of Time. Around him were fragmented shadows of eras, and in his ears were the wails of ten thousand Daos collapsing.

He did not know how much time had passed—perhaps an instant, perhaps an eternity—before his feet finally touched solid ground.

The next moment, an almost tangible primordial Spiritual Qi, mixed with the fresh fragrance of vegetation and the ancient scent of soil, rushed toward him, pouring straight into his limbs and bones.

The pores all over his body opened uncontrollably, greedily devouring the gift of this world.

The Qi Refining First Layer barrier, which had been stagnant for who knows how many years, actually let out a nearly imperceptible "crack" under the washing of this Spiritual Qi, showing signs of loosening.

Su Changge's Dao Heart nearly failed.

The concentration of Spiritual Qi here was more than a hundred times greater! This was not the Spiritual Qi cultivated through Acquired means, but the primordial Spiritual Qi from when the world had not yet opened and Chaos had just separated!

He forced himself to calm his mind and looked up at this Secret Realm world.

This one glance caused even his Divine Soul to tremble.

Above the firmament, there was no sun or moon. Several broken, ancient sun-stars hung in the high sky, emitting a soft yet eternal radiance, illuminating this ancient world in vivid detail.

Beneath his feet was not ordinary grass; every blade flowed with a jade-like luster, and the edges of the leaves naturally generated fine Dao patterns.

The dew condensed on the blades of grass was not ordinary water, but nectar formed from liquefied Spiritual Qi, with every drop containing astonishing vitality.

Not far away, a small stream gurgled; the sound of the water was clear and pleasant, seemingly carrying a mysterious rhythm.

The stream was so clear that not a single trace of Impurities could be seen. What paved the bottom of the water was not sand or stone, but mountains of various Spirit Stones, which, under the reflection of the water, refracted magnificent rays of light, forming a flowing river of wealth.

Su Changge's breathing stopped.

Those were Spirit Stones, the most basic yet core currency of the cultivation world. In the outside world, a single Low-Grade Spirit Stone would be enough to make Cultivators of the Qi Refining stage fight until they were battered and broken. Yet here, they were treated as the most ordinary pebbles, paving the entire riverbed.

His gaze slowly swept across.

On the banks of the stream and along the roadside, ancient Spirit Medicines branded with Dao patterns grew wantonly, bathed in radiance. They were shrouded in colorful mists, with treasure energy rising; the medicinal fragrance was so thick it could not be dissolved, and taking a single breath made one feel refreshed.

"That is... Purple-Veined Dragon Saliva Grass? It is rumored that only where the saliva of the Dragon Clan drips, after ten thousand years, can a single stalk grow. It can revive the dead and regrow flesh and bone!"

"And there is the Seven-Orifice Exquisite Flower, with seven petals of different colors. It is the main ingredient for refining the Divine Pill 'Seven-Orifice Golden Core'!"

"And that... blood-red, shaped like ginseng, could it be the legendary, extinct Ten-Thousand-Year Blood Ginseng King?"

Su Changge identified a few of them; the name of any one of them would be enough to set off a catastrophe in the Eastern Wasteland. Yet now, they grew here as inconspicuous as wild weeds in the mortal world.

His hands began to tremble uncontrollably.

This was boundless wealth, a foundation sufficient to drive any Holy Land crazy!

As long as he could take away one percent—no, one-thousandth—of the resources here, he could instantly leap from a Qi Refining Cultivator struggling for survival to a wealthy tycoon of the cultivation world.

Why Cultivate? Why do System missions? He could just find a blessed land, lie flat, and enjoy ten thousand years of leisure!

A green light almost appeared in Su Changge's eyes.

He was even calculating in his mind what excuse he could use to "inadvertently" pocket these treasures without losing his Master demeanor.

However, just a moment before his Dao Heart was about to completely fall, he caught a glimpse of Mo Wentian and Lin Gujian behind him from the corner of his eye.

Both of them were completely stunned by the scene before them. Mo Wentian's mouth was wide open, his eyes dull; clearly, his Divine Soul had received a huge shock.

Lin Gujian's fingers, gripping the hilt of his sword, were white from excessive force. Even his sharp Sword Intent showed ripples in the face of such immense temptation.

Their gazes were fixed on those Spirit Medicines and Spirit Stones, with shock, longing, and a trace of almost uncontrollable greed intertwined.

But the next moment, the two seemed to sense something and turned their gazes in unison toward the imposing figure in front.

Su Changge's heart skipped a beat, and his Divine Soul returned to his body instantly.

He had been careless! He had almost tripped up in his Master persona.

He immediately restrained all exposed emotions, suppressing the ecstasy and greed originating from the depths of his Soul with endless indifference.

He carried his hands behind his back, lifted his chin slightly, and looked straight ahead, his footsteps not stopping in the slightest as he continued to walk forward. That expression, that bearing, made it seem as if this treasure land, which would move even an Immortal, was nothing more than ordinary, barren scenery by the roadside in his eyes.

Mo Wentian and Lin Gujian looked at each other, seeing unspeakable shock and shame in each other's eyes.

"Senior... actually didn't even take a look?" Mo Wentian gasped, his voice dry.

That was Purple-Veined Dragon Saliva Grass, that was the Seven-Orifice Exquisite Flower, that was a river of Spirit Stones covering the riverbed! Any one of them would be enough to tempt a Deity Transformation Great Power, yet Senior ignored them, as if walking through the mundane world.

"In our eyes, this place is supreme Immortal Opportunity, a blessed land." Lin Gujian muttered to himself, his voice tinged with a trace of realization and bitterness, "But in Senior's eyes, these... perhaps are really just ordinary plants and stones."

He recalled the "junk" that Senior had casually thrown away outside the Secret Realm, which everyone had regarded as supreme treasures. At that time, he only felt that Senior's foundation was unfathomable. Now, seeing such a scene with his own eyes, he realized how meager his imagination had been.

Senior's vision had long transcended the scope of material things. What he saw was perhaps the Dao behind this world, the ancient era that had long since passed away.

"Junior... developed greed, and became obsessed. I am extremely ashamed!" Mo Wentian lowered his head in shame. Compared to the Realm of Senior, who looked down upon the ages and was not attached to objects, his own thoughts just now were as small as dust.

Lin Gujian also withdrew his gaze, focused his mind, and his Sword Intent returned to clarity. He no longer looked at the Spirit Medicines that tempted his heart, but followed closely behind Su Changge, his breathing even softening.

Walking at the very front, Su Changge appeared calm on the surface, but his heart was bleeding.

My Purple-Veined Dragon Saliva Grass! My Seven-Orifice Exquisite Flower! My Spirit Stone river!

Those were all mine! They were the capital to keep me alive in this dangerous world!

Why couldn't I pick them up! Why did I have to maintain this damned persona!

Su Changge wanted to slap himself twice, but his reason told him he couldn't. Once the persona collapsed, he, an ant at the Qi Refining First Layer, probably wouldn't even know how he died in front of these two Prodigies.

He could only endure the heart-wrenching pain and walk forward firmly, step by step. Every step felt like he was stepping on his own broken heart.

Just then, a rustling movement came from the Immortal Plant bushes that reached his knees.

"Swish, swish, swish!"

More than a dozen fox-like Yao Beasts, with bodies burning with red flames, leaped out of the bushes and blocked the path of the three.

These Yao Beasts were not large, but the scorching aura emitted from their bodies actually caused the surrounding air to distort. They bared their sharp teeth, let out threatening low growls from their throats, and their pairs of crimson beast eyes viciously locked onto Su Changge and the others.

"Fire Cloud Foxes!" Mo Wentian's expression changed slightly, "Each one has the cultivation of the Foundation Establishment Stage, and they are gregarious Yao Beasts, extremely difficult to deal with!"

Lin Gujian's hand was already on his sword hilt, and an incomparably sharp Sword Intent soared into the sky, tearing the air and making a sharp hissing sound.

"Mere beasts, dare to block Senior's path?"

Lin Gujian's eyes turned cold, his sword was unsheathed by half an inch, and the dazzling sword light was about to erupt.

"Cough."

A light cough came from Su Changge at the very front. The sound was not loud, but it carried a strange rhythm, like the sound of the Great Dao, instantly smoothing out Lin Gujian's surging Sword Intent.

Lin Gujian paused, looking at Senior's back in confusion.

Su Changge did not look back, only calmly watching the baring-teeth Yao Beasts in front.

The Old Yellow Ox behind him, which had been lowering its head as if dozing off, slowly raised its head at this moment. Its turbid ox eyes glanced casually at the group of Fire Cloud Foxes.

It was just a glance.

The fear originating from the ancient times in the Bloodlines of that group of Fire Cloud Foxes, which were originally fiercely arrogant, was instantly detonated.

The flames on their bodies suddenly extinguished, their fur stood on end, their bodies stiffened, and their eyes widened until they were about to split, revealing a most primitive fear in the face of a natural predator, in the face of death.

"Squeak—!"

The leading Fire Cloud Fox let out a shrill, distorted scream, turned, and fled, even stumbling and crawling back into the depths of the bushes due to excessive fear.

The remaining Fire Cloud Foxes woke up as if from a dream, scattering like birds and beasts, disappearing into the distance in a panic.

In less than three breaths, the bushes returned to tranquility, as if nothing had ever happened.

The air was deathly silent.

Mo Wentian and Lin Gujian stood frozen in place, their Divine Souls blank.

What happened?

Senior's mount, that mount they had always regarded as an ordinary ox, used just one glance to scare a dozen Foundation Establishment Stage Yao Beasts into Soul Flying Away and Spirit Scattering?

"This ox..." Mo Wentian swallowed a mouthful of saliva with difficulty. He remembered that he had been holding the ox rope earlier, feeling smug; now, thinking back, he only felt a chill rushing from his tailbone to his spirit platform.

He had actually been leading such a terrifying existence, and he had treated it as an ordinary object.

"To be able to make Foundation Establishment Stage Yao Beasts terrified just by its pressure, this ox's Realm is at least Golden Core!" Lin Gujian gasped, his voice trembling.

"No! I'm afraid it's higher!" The more Mo Wentian thought, the more frightened he became, "Nascent Soul, or even... a Yao King at the level of Nascent Soul Ancestors!"

A Soul Transformation-level Yao King, willing to serve as a mount for Senior?

Then what kind of earth-shattering existence must Senior himself be?

The two did not dare to think further; the meaning behind that had already exceeded the scope of what they could understand.

Just as their minds were surging, Su Changge's calm and waveless voice slowly rang in their ears.

"All things have spirits, and all are evolutions of the Dao."

"Unless it is time to cut off Karma and verify the Dao, do not easily commit the sin of killing."

This sentence hit the hearts of the two like a morning bell and evening drum.

Mo Wentian's whole body shook violently, and Lin Gujian was even more struck by lightning, his hand gripping the sword loosening.

So that was it!

They instantly "realized".

It was not that Senior could not kill, but that he did not want to kill!

Senior cared for the world, viewed all things as equal, and even held compassion for these low-level Yao Beasts that might be no different from ants in his eyes. This was not a question of killing or not killing; this was a Great Realm of overlooking all living beings and transcending Reincarnation!

"Junior... was wrong." Lin Gujian lowered his head in shame. He had only been focused on drawing his sword to kill; although the sword was sharp, his heart was covered in dust. Compared to Senior's Realm, he was just a naughty child who had just learned to wave a sword.

"Senior cares for all living beings, and the Dao follows nature. Junior... is filled with admiration." In Mo Wentian's eyes, awe had already sublimated into a kind of fanatical faith.

Su Changge breathed a long sigh of relief in his heart.

Fortunately, the Old Yellow Ox was capable; otherwise, if that group of Yao Beasts had really rushed up, he, a fake Master at the Qi Refining First Layer, would probably have had his true form revealed on the spot.

"Let's go."

He said lightly and continued to move forward.

The goal was very clear: the ancient palace floating between heaven and earth.

According to the System's guidance, the core Divine object needed to repair it was there. Only by repairing the System and unlocking more means to maintain this layer of Karma could he continue this sky-high lie in this dangerous cultivation world.

Three people and one ox walked step by step toward the suspended Divine Court in the depths of the Secret Realm that radiated an ancient aura.

The closer they got, the heavier the pressure from the primordial era became.

Su Changge narrowed his eyes and looked at the silent palace.

He hoped that the "Opportunity" hidden there would satisfy the System.

Otherwise, the price of this trip would be too great.