88: Chapter 88 Different Fate

It was actually a Positioning Teleportation Talisman.

And the positioning location was right beside the stone table in the Treasury Pavilion from just a moment ago.

"I had seen an introduction to this kind of Talisman in a book before, but I didn't expect to encounter it here."

"However, this positions to a hidden location; I estimate that as soon as one teleports in, they will be randomly teleported out again by the rules of the Secret Realm."

"Never mind, I will keep it for now."

"At the very least, it can be used as a life-saving teleportation Talisman."

"There is no time to lose; I should prioritize increasing my cultivation first."

Li Changsheng looked around, quickly searching for a suitable place for a Breakthrough in the area.

Finally, he found a safe cave, sealed the entrance, and began to refine the Medicinal Pill to increase his cultivation.

After entering the Sumeru Grotto-Heaven, the situation in various places was also different.

On the other side, when Li Changqing opened her eyes, she discovered that she was lying on a beach of scattered stones.

Her back was aching from the hard stones, and her mouth was full of the taste of dust and dirt.

She coughed a few times, propped herself up to a sitting position, and looked around.

This was a dried-up riverbed, covered everywhere with cobblestones of various sizes, some as large as a millstone, others as small as a fist.

On both sides of the riverbed were steep earthen slopes covered in unknown weeds.

The sky was still that uniform grayish-white; there was no sun, yet there was light.

She moved her limbs to confirm she wasn't injured, then began to check her personal belongings.

Her standard longsword was still there, the Medicinal Pills and Talismans in her bosom were there too, as were her dry rations and fresh water.

Fortunately, nothing was lost.

She stood up and was just about to leave this rocky beach when she suddenly heard footsteps behind her.

Looking back, she saw two youths dressed in green robes walking over from the other end of the riverbed.

On their chests were embroidered golden auspicious clouds—the mark of the Jinyang Sect.

Both were at Qi Refining Level 4.

Those two also saw her.

One of them, a youth with sharp cheeks, had his eyes light up, and a malicious smile curled at the corners of his mouth.

"Yo, from the Qinglan Sword Sect? All alone?"

He looked Li Changqing up and down, his gaze lingering for a moment on the pouch at her waist.

"Little girl, this Secret Realm is very dangerous; it's not safe to be alone."

"Hand over your things, and the two of us will protect you, how about that?"

Li Changqing's expression turned cold.

"Move aside."

The two looked at each other and burst into laughter.

"Quite feisty!"

Another fat youth stepped forward, reaching out to grab her shoulder.

"Little girl, be sensible."

Before he could finish his sentence, a flash of sword light had already pierced to his front!

Li Changqing's sword was as fast as lightning!

The man was greatly alarmed and hurriedly retreated, but he was still half a beat too slow.

The tip of the sword slashed a bloody mark on his arm, and blood splattered!

"You—!"

The sharp-cheeked youth's expression changed; he also drew his sword and sneered.

"Refusing a toast only to be forced to drink a forfeit! Attack together!"

The two pounced forward at the same time!

Li Changqing said nothing and met them with her sword!

Li Changqing had not been training in vain for the past year at the Sword Guard Hall on Heavenly Sword Peak.

Every day she had to get up before dawn, practice horse stance, practice sword moves, spar, and get beaten, day after day, rain or shine.

Although Uncle Master Jiang was strict, he taught extremely well.

She had practiced the Golden Peak Sword Art until she had mastered it perfectly.

At this moment, facing the two Jinyang Sect Disciples, she felt no fear, only calmness.

The first sword strike parried the sword of the one at Qi Refining Level 4!

The second sword strike forced back the attack of the one at Qi Refining Level 5!

The third sword strike was a backhanded thrust toward the chest of the one at Qi Refining Level 4!

The fat youth was greatly alarmed and hurriedly dodged, but the edge of the sword still cut a gash under his ribs!

The sharp-cheeked youth's face turned livid, and he gritted his teeth and attacked fiercely.

His swordsmanship could be considered proficient, but compared to Li Changqing's sharp and ruthless style, it was ultimately a notch inferior.

Ten moves, twenty moves, thirty moves—

When the thirty-first sword strike was thrust out, the sharp-cheeked youth could finally no longer hold on; he was struck in the shoulder by the sword and retreated with a scream!

"Retreat!"

He clutched his wound and gritted his teeth.

The two ran away without looking back, quickly disappearing at the end of the rocky beach.

Li Changqing sheathed her sword, stood in place, and panted heavily.

She looked down at her sword.

The blade was stained with blood, gleaming with a cold light in the grayish-white light.

She remembered what Uncle Master Jiang had said: The Dao of the Sword Cultivator lies in pressing forward without hesitation.

To become stronger when facing the strong, and to never retreat.

Today, she had done it.

She wiped the sword, put it back into the scabbard, and turned to walk in the opposite direction.

Ahead was a sparse woodland.

She took a deep breath, gripped the sword hilt tightly, and stepped into the forest.

At the same moment, on a cliff somewhere in the Secret Realm, when Shi Tiezhu opened his eyes, he discovered that he was suspended in mid-air.

No, he wasn't suspended; he was falling!

He looked down and was instantly terrified, his Soul Flying Away and Spirit Scattering.

Below him was a bottomless abyss, shrouded in clouds and mist; he couldn't see the bottom at all!

And he was falling downwards at an extremely fast speed!

"Ah—!!!"

He screamed instinctively, waving his hands wildly in the air.

But at this critical moment, he suddenly remembered the Earth-element Spell he had learned at Houtu Peak.

Earth-element: Gravity Spell!

He desperately channeled his spiritual power, formed hand seals, and slammed his hands down toward the Void Realm beneath him!

In an instant, his falling speed suddenly slowed, as if an invisible force was supporting him.

He hung in mid-air, panting heavily, cold sweat streaming down his entire body.

After catching his breath for a few moments, he finally steadied his mind and began to observe his surroundings.

It turned out he had fallen from the cliff.

The cliff towered into the clouds; he must have been teleported to the edge of the cliff just now, lost his footing, and slid straight down.

He looked up, then looked down.

It was too far up to climb.

Below... was still bottomless.

Just as he was in despair, he suddenly discovered several strange things growing on the cliff wall.

They were pale golden Lingzhi, tightly attached to the rock; there were fine patterns on their caps, faintly emitting a soft spiritual light.

Rock Lingzhi.

Shi Tiezhu's eyes lit up.

He had heard of this thing at Houtu Peak.

Rock Lingzhi, a Grade 2 Spirit Medicine, grows on cliffs and precipices, formed by absorbing the essence of the rock; it can greatly strengthen the Physical Body and is a supreme treasure for Body Cultivator practitioners.

These few stalks looked like they were of quite high age.

He swallowed his saliva, carefully controlling the Gravity Spell, and slowly floated toward the nearest Rock Lingzhi.

Closer, even closer.

He reached out his hand and gently touched the cap of that Rock Lingzhi.

Warm and smooth like jade, hard in texture; it was indeed a Rock Lingzhi without a doubt.

He took a deep breath, carefully plucked it from the rock, and tucked it into his bosom.

Then he floated to the next one, and the one after that.

A total of six stalks, all harvested.

He floated in mid-air, looking at the Rock Lingzhi in his bosom, and grinned.

Although he almost fell to his death, it was worth it!

He tucked away the Spirit Medicine and began to float upwards.

The Gravity Spell consumed a great deal of spiritual power; he had to return to the top of the cliff before his spiritual power was exhausted.

Inch by inch, he slowly ascended.

When his hands finally grabbed onto the edge of the cliff, the spiritual power in his body was almost bottomed out.

He used his last bit of strength to flip up, collapsed on the ground, and panted heavily.

After resting for the time it takes to burn half an incense stick, he finally recovered.

He stood up and looked around.

This was a bare rocky area; in the distance, a patch of green could be vaguely seen.

He identified the direction and walked toward that patch of green.

After walking a few steps, he suddenly remembered something and touched the Rock Lingzhi in his bosom.

Six stalks.

He remembered what Li Changsheng had said.

Good things found in the Secret Realm can be exchanged for Medicinal Pills and Cultivation Techniques after going out.

He grinned and quickened his pace.

Somewhere in the Secret Realm, a sea of flowers.

When Li Xiaocao opened her eyes, she discovered she was lying on soft grass.

A rich fragrance of flowers lingered in her nostrils, sweet and extremely pleasant.

She sat up, looked around, and her eyes widened instantly.

So beautiful!

Before her eyes was a boundless sea of flowers, with colorful blossoms competing to bloom.

Red like fire, pink like clouds, white like snow, purple like a dream.

A breeze blew, the flowers swayed, setting off layers of colorful waves.

She had never seen such a beautiful place before.

She stood up and subconsciously wanted to run into the sea of flowers.

But just as she took a step, she suddenly remembered what Li Changsheng had said.

"Xiao Cao, in the Secret Realm, the more beautiful something is, the more dangerous it is."

"When you encounter something you haven't seen before, you must observe it first; don't be in a rush to approach it."

She stopped and bit her lip.