406: Chapter 406 Let me introduce you to someone

Seclusion... well, that wasn't exactly a lie.

Helping my Dao Seeking Sect test medicine—how could that not count as seclusion?

However, the foundation of a Heavenly Venerate level power is indeed unfathomable. The two people fighting below are both Cultivators comparable to the Mahayana Stage, and the Zhu Lang before me is at the Peak of the Body Integration Realm. I truly wonder how many high-cultivation Elders specialized in slaughter are still hidden within their Sect.

As for his own Dao Seeking Sect...

Sigh, they ultimately stepped onto this stage too early.

With the Aptitude of Qi Yue, Xiao Yun, and the others, breaking through to the Mahayana Realm in the future shouldn't be a problem. As for Wanqing's Aptitude, that goes without saying.

But for now...

There is only one Bai Ze who can be used as a decent fighter.

Gu Yunshen exchanged a few more polite pleasantries before saying, "Fellow Daoist Zhu, as the saying goes, opportunities in a Secret Realm are always won by the capable. We have wandered through this great desert for a long time before finally managing to reach this Camel Bell Ferry."

Hearing this, Zhu Lang's eyes narrowed slightly. "What, does Fellow Daoist intend to be polite before using force, and fight us to determine a winner?"

“Your Sect's Daoist arts are exquisite and have long been famous throughout the Nine Provinces. If we can take this Opportunity to learn a thing or two, we will certainly benefit greatly.”

Pavilion Master Shen chimed in at the appropriate time.

These words immediately made Zhu Lang's heart tighten. His gaze quickly swept over Gu Yunshen's group of four, secretly calculating the combat power of both sides. When his gaze fell upon the Man in White Robes...

This person's appearance was pure and his aura was transcendent. In his memory, the only person with such an evaluation was that Peak Revered Master from the Dao Seeking Sect.

“There's no need for a fight.”

Dongfang Li immediately interrupted, waving her hand casually. “Before even seeing a single Magic Treasure or Opportunity, having two Sects fight to the death—if word got out, wouldn't we become the laughingstock of the Nine Provinces' Cultivators?”

Chen Xuan's gaze scanned the three people from Tiangong Pavilion; it felt like they were playing good cop, bad cop.

Gu Yunshen feigned contemplation and gave a light sigh, then said, "In that case, how about this—for the sake of our respective Revered Masters' reputations, we will not interfere with the ownership of those two members of the Yao Race. However, we still have a few questions in our hearts. I hope Fellow Daoist will allow us to ask a few things. Would that be acceptable?"

Zhu Lang remained silent for a moment. If they truly started fighting, it would be a lose-lose situation, and there was also an unstable factor in the opposing camp.

“Fine, then it's a deal.”

The moment the agreement was reached, Gu Yunshen felt a slight sense of relief.

Compared to the opportunities in the Secret Realm, being able to investigate the tasks related to the guixu immortal ferry boat and fulfilling his Revered Master's entrustment was the top priority.

...

On the other side!

Deep in the great desert, astral winds swirled with grit across the Gobi, making a whistling sound among the jagged rocks.

Outside a hidden stone cave, two figures suddenly appeared, the corners of their robes lightly lifted by the wind and sand.

“Both you and I have stayed in the Demon Suppressing Tower for many years.” Fairy Hanyan's lips curled into a faint smile as she turned to the man beside her and said softly, “What do you think of the Yao Race? Or rather, how do you view them?”

Daoist Zhenyue frowned slightly and took out a flask of wine. Ignoring his image, he tilted his head back and took a gulp, the liquid sliding down his neck. “Ever since I left the Chusheng Sect, I haven't wanted to concern myself with these trivial matters anymore. It's nothing more than different camps. Both sides have been fighting for thousands of years; it's really quite boring.”

He paused and added, “To be honest, although the Yao Race are primitive and bloodthirsty, they ultimately cannot compare to the cruelty of the human heart.”

Fairy Hanyan opened her delicate lips, her voice flat and without ripples. “Then have you ever wondered how the conflict between the two races actually broke out thousands of years ago?”

Daoist Zhenyue was slightly startled, then pretended not to hear and continued to lower his head to drink.

“When I was in the Demon Suppressing Tower, I was already thinking about this matter.”

“Back when I was in the Demon Suppressing Tower, I was constantly pondering this.”

Fairy Hanyan did not stop and continued, “Why can the Yao Race maintain kindness toward those Half-Demons, yet they are so persistent against us humans, fighting for thousands of years? It wasn't until later that someone gave me the answer.”

“What answer?”

“What answer?” Daoist Zhenyue finally looked up and asked back.

“Because this Rain God Continent was originally the native territory of the Yao Race thousands of years ago.”

“Not just the Rain God Continent; eighty or ninety percent of today's Nine Provinces were once the ancestral lands of the Yao Race.”

Daoist Zhenyue looked astonished, but he did not speak to refute her. He simply changed the subject. “So what does Miss Hanyan want to say? Why not just say it directly? Are you trying to persuade me to defect to the Yao Race? I only entered the Secret Realm this time to try my luck and find some opportunities.”

“There's nothing to defect to.”

Fairy Hanyan shook her head gently, her eyes clear. “I am investigating these things not because I want to favor one side, but simply because I want to uncover the truth of this world.”

Daoist Zhenyue looked toward the deep, dark cave ahead. A faint scent of vegetation drifted from within, starkly different from the dryness outside.

“Is the truth you're looking for hidden in there?”

“No,” Fairy Hanyan responded calmly. “Bringing you here is just because I want you to meet someone.”

After saying that, she walked toward the depths of the cave on her own, her figure gradually merging into the darkness inside.

Daoist Zhenyue hesitated for a moment, but ultimately stepped forward to follow.

The inside of the cave was completely different from the dry heat outside. A moist breath carrying the fragrance of plants rushed toward them, and the rock walls were dotted with specks of fluorescence, dimly illuminating the path ahead.

The passage was not narrow, and the stone walls on both sides were polished quite smooth, appearing to be either man-made or naturally formed.

After walking only ten steps, an invisible ripple of spiritual power suddenly spread from ahead, steadily blocking their path.

“A Formation?”

Daoist Zhenyue paused. This cave was extremely hidden, yet it actually contained a protective Formation?

Fairy Hanyan's expression remained calm. She stretched out a palm as white as jade, a faint spiritual light swirling at her fingertips as she gently reached toward the spiritual power barrier.

Her fingertips danced, following a certain obscure trajectory. Her spiritual power merged into the Formation like a stream. The originally stagnant barrier gradually flickered with light and slowly opened a path.

“Let's go.”

She withdrew her hand and took the lead.

Daoist Zhenyue was secretly shocked. This Formation seemed simple, but it secretly contained the Five Elements Reincarnation. If it were him, he feared he would find it difficult to crack in a short time.

The two walked for about fifty steps when another semi-transparent barrier appeared ahead, its aura even heavier than the previous one.

“What kind of place is this exactly? Why are there so many Formations?”

Daoist Zhenyue looked around. The rock walls under the fluorescence showed no abnormalities, but two consecutive Formations made him unable to help but speculate, “Could it be that some great Opportunity is hidden here?”

Hearing this, an embarrassed faint smile appeared on Fairy Hanyan's face as she explained, “These Formations are not native to the Secret Realm; they were set up by someone later.”

“Just set up?”

Daoist Zhenyue couldn't help but be astonished again. The profoundness of this Formation was more than enough to trap a Void Refining Realm Cultivator like himself. The person who could set up such a Formation must have extremely high attainments in the Dao of Formations.

Perhaps even more powerful than Master Qing Xuan of the Tianque Sect, who was famous for his Formations.

“Was it set up by the person you just mentioned you wanted me to meet?”