81: Chapter 81 Arrives in a Hurry

"Move aside! Move aside!"

"People from the Medicine King Valley are here!"

In the crowd, several Disciples wearing Medicine King Valley attire walked in swaggeringly.

Leading them was a young man at Qi Refining Level 7, his expression arrogant, his gaze scanning the crowd.

Behind them followed several servants carrying wooden crates, which were filled with various supplies.

Li Changsheng's eyes narrowed.

The people from the Medicine King Valley had also begun large-scale purchasing.

What did this mean?

It meant that news of the Secret Realm was no longer just an internal matter for the Qinglan Sword Sect.

He pulled Li Changqing and the others, quietly retreating to the edge of the crowd, watching that group of people pass by.

"Brother Changsheng," Shi Tiezhu asked in a low voice, "Are we still buying anything?"

Li Changsheng thought for a moment and shook his head.

"We have enough Medicinal Pills, Talismans, and weapons. Let's head back first. We'll see how things are tomorrow."

The next day, the situation had indeed worsened.

In the market, the prices of all supplies had doubled.

A bottle of qi gathering pill had risen to fifty Spirit Stones, a single Thunderstrike Talisman cost forty, and weapons like the green steel sword were simply unavailable regardless of price.

Those Disciples who were still hesitating yesterday couldn't afford to buy them today even if they wanted to.

What made Li Changsheng even more vigilant was that there were many unfamiliar faces in the market.

Those people did not wear the attire of the Qinglan Sword Sect; they were dressed in a motley assortment of clothing.

Some wore coarse cloth, some wore brocade and fine clothes, and some even wore animal skins.

They spoke in various regional accents and were purchasing wildly in the shops, throwing money around, often spending hundreds of Spirit Stones at a time.

These were Loose Cultivators.

And Disciples from surrounding Sects.

They had all come.

Li Changsheng stood on the side of the street, silently observing these people.

He saw a Loose Cultivator in grey robes, at Qi Refining Level 5, with two Storage Pouches hanging from his waist—he looked like an experienced veteran of the Jianghu.

He also saw a young man in green robes, at Qi Refining Level 6, with a golden auspicious cloud embroidered on his cuff—that was the mark of the Jinyang Sect.

There were also several men and women in Daoist robes, ranging from Qi Refining Level 4 to 6, with the characters "Qingyun" embroidered on their chests; they were Disciples of the Qingxin Pavilion.

Several Sects around the Qinglan Mountains had all sent people.

Just as he was thinking about this, he suddenly saw a familiar figure flash through the crowd.

It was a man in black tight-fitting attire, at Qi Refining Level 5, with an ordinary face but cold, sinister eyes.

He kept his head down, walking quickly, and soon disappeared into the crowd.

Li Changsheng frowned.

That person's aura... was somewhat familiar.

It felt like he had seen it somewhere before.

He thought for a long time, then his pupils suddenly constricted.

The Blood Fiend Sect.

That person's aura was exactly the same as the Blood Fiend Sect Disciple he had encountered in Qinghe Town back then.

Cold, bloody, and carrying a faint trace of Evil Qi.

He took a deep breath, suppressing the shock in his heart.

People from the Blood Fiend Sect had come too.

And they were brazenly mingling in the crowd.

What did they want to do?

Was it also for the Secret Realm?

Or... was there another agenda?

In the following days, the atmosphere in the Qinglan Sword Sect became increasingly tense.

The Outer Gate Deacon Hall dispatched additional patrolling Disciples, and the checks at the mountain gate were several times stricter than usual.

But those Loose Cultivators and Disciples from other Sects did not enter the Qinglan Sword Sect; instead, they scattered in the mountains and fields outside the Sect, either setting up temporary camps or staying in nearby villages and towns.

The Sect had no reason to drive them away.

The prices of goods in the market had reached an absurd level.

A bottle of qi gathering pill was eighty Spirit Stones, a single Thunderstrike Talisman was sixty, and one couldn't even buy a green steel sword.

Li Changsheng also took the Opportunity to quietly sell the long whip and ring pommel saber he had obtained last time, selling them for a good price.

Those who had acted earlier became the objects of everyone's envy.

"Thanks to Brother Changsheng's reminder," Shi Tiezhu scratched his head, looking relieved.

"Otherwise, I wouldn't even be able to afford a single Medicinal Pill right now."

Li Changqing also nodded, her gaze towards Li Changsheng filled with gratitude.

Li Changsheng didn't say much, only reminding them.

"Try not to go out these next few days. It's a mix of good and bad people out there; who knows what might happen."

He paused, then added.

"Also, prepare more food and clothing."

"We don't know how long we'll be in the Secret Realm. If we get trapped inside, these things could save our lives."

This reminded them.

That afternoon, the four of them went to the market again.

This time they didn't buy Medicinal Pills or Talismans, but spiritual rice, spiritual meat, dry rations, and so on, as well as several sets of spare clothes and some daily necessities.

Li Changsheng even bought a few jars of wine.

This stuff could both keep one warm and be used for disinfection, and it had other uses in critical moments.

"Brother Changsheng, you are truly thoughtful," Shi Tiezhu said with emotion, looking at the large and small bags of things.

Li Changsheng smiled and did not explain.

These experiences all came from the simulated world.

Lin Yue's more than one hundred years of traveling life made him deeply understand one truth.

In an unknown environment, having an extra bit of preparation meant an extra bit of hope for survival.

On the seventh day, early morning.

On the Martial Arts Field of the Qinglan Sword Sect's outer gate, over a hundred Disciples gathered.

They were all at Qi Refining Level 3 or above, people who might be sucked into the Secret Realm.

In the crowd, Li Changsheng saw Li Changqing, Shi Tiezhu, and also saw a few familiar faces.

Senior Brother Zhou from the neighboring herb field, Meng Qing from the Lingcao Hall, and several others he had interacted with in the market.

In the distance, that strange halo of light was getting brighter and larger.

What was originally just a faint phantom was now as solid as a light screen suspended in the air.

The color of the light screen shifted, sometimes golden, sometimes emerald green, sometimes deep blue, as if it contained infinite mysteries.

Just at this moment, a figure descended from the sky and landed on the high platform.

It was an old man with white hair and beard, wearing a green Daoist robe, his aura unfathomable.

His gaze swept across the crowd below, and everyone felt an invisible pressure.

Nascent Soul Stage.

A true powerhouse of the Sect.

The old man spoke, his voice not loud, but it clearly entered everyone's ears:

"I am an Elder of the Transmission Hall, my Dao name is 'Xuanzhen'."

"By the order of the Sect Master, I have come to inform you all about the Secret Realm."

The crowd immediately quieted down, and everyone pricked up their ears.

Elder Xuanzhen said slowly.

"In these past few days, I and several fellow Daoists have worked together to deduce and have generally determined the nature of this Secret Realm."

"According to the color, size, and momentum trajectory of its projected halo, combined with records in ancient books, this Secret Realm should be a 'Qi Refining-level Secret Realm' within the 'Sumeru Grotto-Heaven'."

Qi Refining-level Secret Realm.

As soon as these four words were spoken, there was an uproar below.

"Quiet."

Elder Xuanzhen raised his hand to suppress the discussion.

"A so-called Qi Refining-level Secret Realm means that the interior of the Secret Realm forms its own world, but has restrictions on the Realm."

"Cultivators at the Foundation Establishment Stage and above cannot enter."

"The entrance to the Secret Realm will automatically identify the Cultivator's cultivation level. Once a Foundation Establishment Cultivator tries to enter, they will be repelled, and it may even trigger spatial tremors."

He paused and continued.

"In other words, this Secret Realm only allows Qi Refining Stage Cultivators to enter."

In the crowd, some were overjoyed, while others looked regretful.

Those Deacons and Senior Brothers at the Foundation Establishment Stage clearly couldn't get in.

Elder Xuanzhen's gaze swept across the crowd below, finally landing on those Qi Refining Stage Disciples, and he said meaningfully.

"If you are sucked into the Secret Realm, you will face more than just the dangers of the Secret Realm itself."

"As far as I know, outside the Sect, a large number of Loose Cultivators and Disciples from other Sects have already gathered."

"They will also be sucked in. By then, within the Secret Realm, various forces will be mixed, competing for Opportunity, and conflicts will be inevitable."

His voice turned cold.

"During this period, most of our Sect's Late Stage Qi Refining Disciples are out on missions, and only a limited number have received the news and rushed back."

"After entering the Secret Realm, try to help each other among fellow Disciples and have fewer conflicts."

"Finally, I will only remind you of one thing: one must have a heart to guard against others. Although Opportunity is good, life is more important."

After saying this, he waved his large sleeve, transformed into a ray of green light, and disappeared into the horizon.

Below the platform, everyone looked at each other, their expressions different.