101: Chapter 100 Spiritual Paradise

From afar, he saw the waterfall descending from the sky. It was about a hundred zhang wide and of unknown height, the water roaring and mist swirling. The entire waterfall was a pale blue, shimmering with a faint light under the moon, beautiful beyond the mortal realm.

Below the waterfall was a massive pool. The area around the pool was densely packed with people.

Yun Ming lowered his cloud and landed on the outskirts.

This was a spontaneously formed small market.

Some laid a cloth by the road, displaying several Spiritual Plants; others set up wooden racks to hang various Yao Beast furs; some simply sat on the ground with a wooden sign in front of them that read "Buying such-and-such Materials." The sounds of hawking and bargaining rose and fell, as lively as a fair.

Yun Ming took a leisurely stroll around.

They were indeed low-grade goods—Rank 1 and Rank 2 Spiritual Plants, Qi Refining Stage Yao Beast flesh, and occasionally a few Rank 3 items, which were also of ordinary quality with nothing special about them. He swept his Divine Sense around, but nothing caught his eye.

It seemed the truly good things were deep within the Secret Realm.

Yun Ming withdrew his gaze and didn't linger.

There were no guards or Restrictions at the entrance of the Secret Realm—after all, it was the Sect's own Secret Realm, and everyone entering or leaving was their own Disciple, so there was no need for defenses.

Stepping on his taiqing wanderer, he slowly rose into the air.

The waterfall grew larger and closer. The pale blue water was within reach, and the roar was deafening.

Yun Ming took a deep breath.

The taiqing wanderer turned into a streak of light and plunged headlong into the waterfall.

Lingze Cave-Heaven.

As Yun Ming passed through the pale blue waterfall, the scene before him suddenly opened up.

The sky was a soft bluish-gray; there was no sun or moon, yet there was light. The light fell from somewhere unknown, spreading evenly across every corner of this world. Beneath his feet was soft green grass, the blades long and thin with a faint glow, rustling as he stepped on them.

In the distance were rolling hills, the terrain gentle and covered with lush forests. Streams could be seen winding through the trees, their waters shimmering. Further away, several towering peaks pierced the sky, their summits shrouded in mist and difficult to see clearly.

The air was filled with a fresh, sweet scent of vegetation mixed with the faint fragrance of Spirit Medicine. Occasionally, a few spiritual birds would fly overhead, their feathers vibrant and their songs crisp.

Yun Ming took a deep breath and squinted slightly.

This place was much more beautiful than he had imagined.

He glanced back at the pale blue waterfall—that was the exit, and the only exit. One would be randomly teleported upon entry, but to leave, one had to return here.

His luck was quite good; he hadn't been teleported too far away.

Yun Ming withdrew his gaze and began to explore.

He spread out his Divine Sense, and his Golden Core Stage Divine Sense spread out like a tide. One li, ten li, fifty li—the range of his Divine Sense grew larger and larger, yet he still couldn't find the boundary.

This Secret Realm was much larger than he had expected.

Initially, he had looked down on those low-grade Spiritual Plants. Rank 1 Dragon Beard Grass and Rank 2 frost dew flower were of ordinary quality and young in age, hardly worth any Spirit Stones outside.

But after walking a few steps, he suddenly thought of the map of mountains and rivers.

That world needed Heaven And Earth Treasures to be perfected. Although these Spiritual Plants were low-grade, they were still spiritual flora; planting them inside should be of some use, right?

So, he no longer looked down on them, plucking every one he saw and throwing them all into the map of mountains and rivers. Jiu Jiu flew back and forth within the map, busily helping to plant those Spiritual Plants in the herb garden made of Living Soil.

Walking and stopping like this, about four hours passed, and Yun Ming finally realized a problem—

This Secret Realm was too big.

His Divine Sense covered a hundred-li radius, yet he hadn't detected a single living person. Hadn't they said thousands of Disciples had entered? Where had they all gone?

Yun Ming felt a bit of regret.

Before entering the Secret Realm, he had heard people hawking maps outside for not much—just a few dozen Spirit Stones each. At the time, he thought that as a Golden Core Cultivator, what couldn't he find with a sweep of his Divine Sense? Why waste that money.

Now, he was completely in the dark.

If only he had known, he would have bought one.

He sighed and was about to continue exploring when the edge of his Divine Sense suddenly caught several auras.

Someone is there.

Yun Ming was delighted and immediately changed direction, heading toward them. Those auras weren't strong, at most Foundation Establishment Middle Stage; they should have maps on them. When he arrived, he would just speak politely and make a copy.

He quickened his pace, passing through a forest and over a small hill—

Then he stopped.

A hundred zhang ahead stood two people.

One had white hair and a white beard, a lean face, and wore a black Daoist robe, standing with his hands behind his back. It was the Sect Leader of the Cangxuan Immortal Sect, Cang Xuanzi.

The other had a gloomy face and sharp eyes, his entire aura faintly exuding a sense of pressure. It was Ming Huazi.

Yun Ming's pupils constricted slightly.

He instinctively wanted to retreat, only to find that the surrounding space had been sealed at some point. That invisible binding force was like a wall of bronze and iron, trapping him firmly in place.

And just now, he hadn't noticed the presence of these two at all.

Yun Ming's heart sank.

They came with ill intent.

Cang Xuanzi didn't speak, just watched him quietly with eyes as calm as water, revealing no emotion.

Ming Huazi, however, spoke, his voice as cold as ice:

"Fellow Daoist, we have been waiting for you for a long time. Tell us, what exactly is your motive for infiltrating the Cangxuan Immortal Sect?"

Yun Ming's heart skipped a beat, but he remained calm on the surface. "Where is this coming from, True Lord Ming Hua? I am a Deacon who officially joined the Sect; how can you call it infiltrating?"

Ming Huazi sneered. "A Deacon? A Nascent Soul Cultivator disguising himself as a Foundation Establishment Late Stage to sneak into the Sect—do you think I am blind?"

Yun Ming was silent for a moment.

These two had been watching him for a long time.

Explaining was useless.

He took a deep breath and simply stopped hiding it.

"Since the two True Lords have asked, I will not hide it." Yun Ming looked directly into Ming Huazi's eyes. "I do have other motives, but I mean no ill will. I only wish to use the Sect's Teleportation Array to go to the Ximing Continent."

A hint of surprise flashed in Ming Huazi's eyes, which then turned back into a sneer. "Use the Teleportation Array? Just with you?"

Yun Ming didn't speak.

Ming Huazi continued, "The matter of the Teleportation Array is a Sect secret. How could an outsider like you know? You must have other motives, infiltrating the Sect with ill intent!"

Yun Ming looked helpless; 'Sect secret'? Everyone outside knows about it.

Before he could complain, Ming Huazi turned to Cang Xuanzi and cupped his hands. "Sect Leader, this person's origin is unknown and his actions are suspicious. In my opinion, there's no need to waste words with him; just perform a Soul Search directly!"

Cang Xuanzi still didn't speak, only casting a glance at Yun Ming.

That one look sent chills down Yun Ming's spine.

Soul Search.

That was a method even more ruthless than killing. Once soul-searched, one's Divine Soul would be severely damaged at best, or they would become an idiot at worst. His secrets—the map of mountains and rivers, the System, the golden crow feather, the Dao Scripture—would all be exposed.

He couldn't let them perform a Soul Search.

Yun Ming's mind raced, frantically searching for a way to escape.

But the space was sealed, and he was facing two Nascent Soul True Lords. How could he, a newly broken-through Early Golden Core Stage, possibly run?

At this critical moment—

A black shadow descended from the sky!

The black shadow was incredibly fast, reaching Ming Huazi in the blink of an eye. A pitch-black longsword thrust out silently, its tip pointing straight at Ming Huazi's throat!

Ming Huazi's expression changed drastically. He retreated while striking out with a palm. The palm wind collided with the sword light, producing a dull roar, and the spatial seal trembled violently under the impact.

"Who!"

Ming Huazi barked.

The black shadow didn't answer, its sword light turning as it lunged again.

Yun Ming stood frozen in place.