35: Chapter 35 A Close Call

It suddenly opened its large mouth, and a demon core, the size of a human head, completely black, and wreathed in pure water-elemental spiritual energy, slowly emerged from its maw.

As the demon core appeared, the surrounding temperature plummeted, and the water vapor in the air frantically converged towards it.

“Not good! It's going all out! Attack with full force, interrupt it!” Senior Brother Li's expression changed, and he roared.

The four Disciples' hearts pounded, not daring to be negligent in the slightest, frantically injecting their spiritual energy into the sword formation.

But it was already too late.

The Dark Water Flood Dragon Turtle's demon core burst forth with brilliant light, and a black light pillar, thicker and more condensed than any before, shot into the sky with incredible speed, directly striking the sword formation diagram in mid-air.

“Crack… Boom!”

With a crisp sound, the 'Four Symbols Sword Formation', jointly set up by the four Late Qi Refining Stage Cultivators, was directly pierced by the black light pillar and exploded!

“Puff!”

With the sword formation broken, the four Qingxuan Sect Disciples all spat out a mouthful of fresh blood, falling from mid-air, their Auras weak. They were clearly severely injured.

“Damn it!” Senior Brother Li was both shocked and enraged. He had never expected this beast to be so troublesome.

In this flash of lightning, a figure no one had anticipated moved.

It was Su Chengyuan.

While everyone, including Senior Brother Li and the Dark Water Flood Dragon Turtle, had their attention focused on the clash between the sword formation and the demon core, he moved.

He was like a cheetah that had been lurking in the dark for the longest time, seizing this fleeting, sole flaw!

His figure erupted without any warning, and the ground beneath his feet cracked under a tremendous force.

His cultivation, suppressed at the Eighth Layer of Qi Refining, burst forth at this moment. The powerful Aura of Peak Tenth Layer Qi Refining was unleashed without reservation!

He pushed the Wind Riding Steps to an unprecedented extreme. His entire being seemed to transform into a true breeze, without making a single sound, skimming across the surging water surface with a ghostly speed, rushing straight towards the stone platform in the center of the pool!

Too fast!

His speed even left an afterimage on the Cultivators' retinas.

By the time Senior Brother Li reacted from the shock of the broken sword formation, and when the Dark Water Flood Dragon Turtle fell into a brief weakness from activating its innate demon core, Su Chengyuan's hand had already touched the nine-leaf dragon ganoderma grass emitting a magnificent red light!

“How dare you!” Senior Brother Li's eyes were bloodshot, and he let out an angry roar.

“Roar!” The Dark Water Flood Dragon Turtle also reacted, letting out an unwilling roar.

But it was all too late.

Su Chengyuan pulled the Spiritual Plant up by its roots and, without even looking, directly threw it into his Storage Pouch.

He lightly tapped his toes on the stone platform, his figure not pausing in the slightest. He used the momentum to change direction, and fled wildly in the opposite direction from the Qingxuan Sect Disciples and most of the Loose Cultivators!

“Stop him!”

“Don't let him escape!”

Only then did the shocked Loose Cultivators awaken as if from a dream. With red eyes, they unleashed Magical Artifacts and Spells, frantically bombarding the direction Su Chengyuan was fleeing.

Senior Brother Li, suppressing his internal injuries, commanded his Flying Sword to transform into a streak of light and pursued at top speed.

The killing intent in his heart had already boiled to its Peak.

To have a treasure snatched away by a secretive Loose Cultivator right under his nose was an utter disgrace!

Facing the overwhelming attacks from behind, Su Chengyuan did not look back.

He reached into his robe and pulled out two Talismans, flinging them backward.

They were precisely the High Grade divine movement talismans he had bought at a high price in the black market, with one still remaining!

The Talismans ignited without fire, transforming into two streams of pure wind-attributed spiritual energy that attached to his legs.

His speed, already incredibly fast, doubled once again!

His entire being almost transformed into a streak of light, difficult for the naked eye to catch. Before the Spells and Magical Artifacts landed, he had already broken out of the encirclement and disappeared into the distant dense forest.

Behind him, only a mess remained, and a group of exasperated Cultivators staring at each other.

After Senior Brother Li chased for several miles, he could only watch helplessly as the streak of light went further and further, eventually disappearing completely from his sight. He was so angry that he roared to the sky, and with one sword strike, shattered a giant rock several zhang high next to him.

The instigator, Su Chengyuan, only burrowed into a hidden mountain cave after sprinting for a full thirty li.

He quickly concealed the cave entrance, then leaned against the wall, panting heavily.

His back was already drenched in cold sweat.

His actions just now seemed seamless, but in reality, they were extremely perilous.

Every step was within his precise calculations. If even the slightest mistake had occurred in any single part, he would probably be a cold corpse by now.

Although he was strong, the combined efforts of dozens of Cultivators could probably turn him into dust in an instant.

Su Chengyuan calmed his mind and took out the two hard-won Spirit Medicines from his Storage Pouch.

One was wreathed in purple Qi, shaped like a monkey's face – it was the purple monkey flower.

The other radiated crimson light, with nine leaves like jade – it was the nine-leaf dragon ganoderma grass.

Two of the three main ingredients for the foundation establishment pill were now acquired!

He carefully put away the Spirit Medicines, with no intention of venturing out again.

The Meteorite Ravine was too deep. He had twice snatched food from the tiger's mouth, thoroughly offending the Qingxuan Sect.

For the remaining time, it was the wisest choice to honestly hide.

For the following period, Su Chengyuan completely disappeared within this mountain cave.

He meditated daily, adjusting his state to its Peak, while repeatedly rehearsing his escape route in his mind for after leaving the Secret Realm.

On the last day of the one-month deadline, the jade token on his chest began to subtly warm.

He calmed his emotions, took a deep breath, and crushed the jade token.

A white light flashed, and the familiar sensation of spatial distortion came.

The next moment, he was already back outside the canyon at the Meteorite Ravine entrance.

At the exit, the Foundation Establishment Elder stood with his hands behind his back, expressionless, accompanied by several Disciples responsible for registration.

Every Loose Cultivator who emerged was questioned and had their Storage Pouch briefly inspected.

The instant Su Chengyuan emerged, he suppressed his cultivation and Aura to the lowest possible level, blending into the crowd, head bowed, not uttering a word.

His appearance at this moment was that of an unremarkable middle-aged man.

When it was his turn, a Qingxuan Sect Disciple scrutinized him from head to toe: “Name? Any gains inside?”

Su Chengyuan replied in a hoarse voice: “Wang Er, bad luck, almost died inside, how could there be any gains?”

The Disciple told him to open his Storage Pouch.

Su Chengyuan's heart tightened, but his expression remained calm.

He opened an empty Storage Pouch he had prepared beforehand, containing only a few worthless First Grade Spiritual Plants and a shattered bone from a Yao Beast.

The Foundation Establishment Elder's Divine Sense did not linger long on these disheveled Loose Cultivators.

Activating Divine Sense to investigate was exhausting, and in his view, the treasures within the Meteorite Ravine would ultimately gather in the hands of the Qingxuan Sect.

After all, exchanging Secret Realm gains for Medium Grade foundation establishment pills provided by the Sect was an irresistible temptation for any Qi Refinement Stage Loose Cultivator.

Who would be foolish enough to cling to a pile of Heaven And Earth Treasures that might not be useful, and give up the chance to ascend to the heavens in one step?

The Disciple casually glanced, and seeing nothing of value, impatiently waved his hand: “Go on, go on!”

Su Chengyuan did not hesitate, quickly blended into the crowd, and left this place of trouble without looking back.

Just as he had left the canyon area and entered the mountains less than the time it takes for an incense stick to burn, several disheveled figures stumbled out of the Secret Realm exit.

Leading them were a pale-faced Lu Ya and Senior Brother Li.

Fortunately, although the first few days were not smooth, the Qingxuan Sect members had all gained something in the later period. Otherwise, this Secret Realm trip would have likely made them furious to the point of spitting blood!

However, they immediately asked the Elder and the remaining Disciples about the whereabouts of the Cloaked Man.

Senior Brother Li quickly walked up to the Foundation Establishment Elder. Although his tone was anxious, he did not dare to neglect etiquette, respectfully saluting before asking: “Reporting to Elder, we were pursuing a Loose Cultivator in the Secret Realm who murdered and plundered. His distinctive feature is wearing a bamboo hat, and his cultivation is at the Tenth Level of Qi Refining. Has the Elder noticed him?”