489: Chapter 489 Outer Sect Training

[The fourth year,]

[Heavy snow fell continuously for over a month.]

[Everywhere in the mountain range was a vast expanse of white; the trees were white, the roads were white, and even the outlines of the distant peaks were becoming blurred.]

[In the pavilion in front of your Immortal Cave, a table was set with spiritual food and wine.]

[Chen Biao, the Yu Siblings, Ximen Huan, and you—the five of you had finally managed to gather together.]

[By now, the Yu Siblings had also reached "Foundation Establishment."]

[Ximen Huan took a sip of wine and suddenly asked, "Brother Qin, has that Zhao Gongming not caused you any trouble this past year?"]

[You smiled. "Yeah, I find it strange too. I suppose he's preparing some big move?"]

[“I suspect he wants you to lower your guard,” Yu Hong said slowly, holding his wine cup. “Once you’ve relaxed, he’ll set a trap for you.”]

[“Let him be,” Chen Biao waved his hand. “Soldiers to block, water to dam—we'll handle whatever comes.”]

[Ximen Huan suddenly sighed, looking at the snow outside the pavilion with a somewhat wistful tone. "Ah, time really flies. In the blink of an eye, several years have passed. It feels like just yesterday when we first met at the Fairy Maiden Tower."]

[Yu Ji's eyes lit up as she chimed in, "Speaking of which, you two even composed a poem for Fairy Xi He back then. Why not take this snow as a theme and compose another one today?"]

[Ximen Huan waved his hands repeatedly, shaking his head and laughing. "No, no, no, I won't make a fool of myself. I haven't even recovered the face I lost in front of Brother Qin last time. Brother Qin, you should do it."]

[The others all turned their gazes toward you.]

[You smiled, stood up, and walked to the edge of the pavilion, looking out at the vast white expanse.]

[The snow was still falling, fine and dense, silent and soundless.]

[The distant mountains were hidden in the whiteness, the nearby branches were weighed down, and between heaven and earth, there was nothing but snow.]

[You pondered for a moment and then recited loudly:]

["The grey mountains bear the snow, and all sounds are hushed; in this floating life, I steal half a day of peace."]

["Say not the path ahead is fraught with wind and snow; where the heart finds peace is the way home."]

["A fine poem!" Ximen Huan clapped and laughed. "Brother Qin's literary talent is as great as ever."]

[Yu Ji's gaze fell upon you, her eyes sparkling and a smile playing on her lips.]

[Chen Biao looked on with envy. "With such talent, Brother Qin will surely be valued by the upper echelons in the future. Don't forget your brothers when that time comes."]

[Just as he finished speaking, the expressions of all five changed.]

[You all opened your palms at the same time—your identity jade pendants were glowing with a faint spiritual light. It was a summoning signal from the Deacon Hall.]

[Yu Hong took a look and smiled. "It seems Zhao Gongming can't sit still any longer."]

[The group shared a smile and stood up simultaneously.]

[You picked up your wine cup and drained it in one gulp. "Let's go and see what 'good news' the Deacon Hall has waiting for us."]

[With that, five sword lights soared into the air, piercing through the falling snow and flying toward the Deacon Hall.]

[The square in front of the Deacon Hall was already packed with people.]

[At the highest point of the square, Zhao Gongming stood with his hands behind his back, several Deacon Hall Disciples standing beside him.]

[As soon as you arrived, Zhao Gongming spoke. His voice wasn't loud, yet it reached everyone's ears clearly:]

["Everyone, the triennial Outer Sect Secret Realm Assessment begins today..."]

[As you listened to him explain the rules, you gradually understood—]

[The Outer Sect holds a Secret Realm training session every three years.]

[These Secret Realms are all contained within the Sect's grotto-heaven magical treasures.]

[Those grotto-heaven magical treasures, like the Tianhuang Secret Realm, are worlds of their own, containing complete continents with mountains, rivers, and all manner of living beings.]

[The Sect has over a dozen such Secret Realms, each with varying degrees of danger.]

[Some Secret Realms are inhabited by humans, demons, and monsters, making them dangerously unpredictable; some only have the Human Race; others are entirely the domain of demons and monsters.]

[Throughout the entire process of explaining the rules, Zhao Gongming didn't look at you once.]

[After he finished, he began assigning the Secret Realms.]

[Everyone was sent to different places.]

[The Secret Realm you were assigned to was—the Taichu Secret Realm.]

[Ximen Huan leaned in and lowered his voice, "Brother Qin, the Taichu Secret Realm is the most dangerous among the ten major Secret Realms of the Outer Sect. Be very careful."]

[You nodded with a smile. "Don't worry, you all should be careful too."]

[Chen Biao patted your shoulder. "Waiting for your good news."]

[Yu Hong cupped his hands. "Brother Qin, take care."]

[Yu Ji took two steps, then looked back at you. Her lips moved, but in the end, she said nothing and only waved her hand.]

[You leaped onto a spirit boat.]

[This spirit boat carried about ten thousand Outer Sect Disciples.]

[Ninety percent were at the Foundation Establishment stage, and ten percent were Golden Core—those Golden Core Cultivators were ones who had failed the Inner Sect assessment and were temporarily remaining in the Outer Sect.]

[The spirit boat soared into the sky, piercing through the clouds and speeding toward the Secret Realm.]

[The wind whistled as clouds and mist streaked past.]

[Standing by the side of the boat and watching the shrinking mountain peaks, a hint of joy welled up in your heart instead.]

[The goal of this training was to collect a type of Heaven And Earth Treasure—tear of eternal frost.]

[tear of eternal frost are crystals of malice formed from the accumulation and condensation of the love, hatred, and deep emotions of billions of beings within the cycle of life, death, and Reincarnation.]

[They are formless and invisible, untainted by Karma, and difficult to track; only one drop condenses every thousand years.]

[tear of eternal frost are born in various worlds across the Immortal Realm, but they are simply too hard to find.]

[The Sect uses grotto-heaven magical treasures to nurture and contain them, narrowing the search area and making it slightly easier to find them.]

[Of course, the Small Worlds within the grotto-heaven magical treasures are no different from the outside world, and the Heaven And Earth Treasures they can produce are not limited to just tear of eternal frost.]

[You watched the receding clouds, a slight smile touching the corners of your mouth.]

[Several days later.]

[The spirit boat hovered over a vast mountain range.]

[Standing on the deck, you looked ahead—two majestic peaks flanked the sides, and between them stood a grotto-heaven magical treasure ten thousand zhang tall.]

[The Magic Treasure was dark all over, like a giant vertical eye, with a massive void vortex at its center, slowly rotating.]

[At the edges of the vortex, space was faintly distorted, with occasional flashes of lightning disappearing into the deep darkness.]

[This was the entrance to the Taichu Secret Realm.]

[On the mountain peaks on either side, dozens of pavilions were built along the slopes, layered one above another.]

[Hundreds of Disciples were stationed everywhere, either sitting cross-legged in meditation or patrolling back and forth.]

[At the summit of one of the main peaks, an Immortal Cave was faintly visible—it was said that a Void Refining Elder's Clone sat within, specifically responsible for guarding this Secret Realm.]

[The vortex was so massive it covered half the sky.]

[The Disciples behind you looked up, their chatter rising and falling.]

["So this is the Taichu Secret Realm..."]

["I heard this is the most dangerous Secret Realm in the Outer Sect. I don't expect to complete any training; I'll just find a place to hide until it's over."]

["I wonder what it's like inside?"]

["What else could it be like? Have you been to the Shattered Star Continent? It's similar to that."]

["Shattered Star Continent? Never been... what's it like there?"]

[As they spoke, a Nascent Soul Cultivator guarding the Secret Realm flew out and hovered in front of the vortex, his voice booming across the area:]

["Listen well, everyone! Within the Secret Realm, you are responsible for your own lives! Do not underestimate the beings inside, and try not to reveal your identities!"]

["The training period is one year. After one year, the Secret Realm will reopen, and you must return to this spot!"]}],"new_glossary_terms":[{"zh":" Brother Qin","en":"Brother Qin","entity_type":"person","gender":"male"},{"zh":" Primordial Secret Realm","en":"Taichu Secret Realm","entity_type":"location","gender":"neutral"},{"zh":" Tears of Eternal Freeze","en":"tear of eternal frost","entity_type":"item","gender":"neutral"},{"zh":" Immortal Realm","en":"Immortal Realm","entity_type":"location","gender":"neutral"},{"zh":" Secret Realm Assessment","en":"Secret Realm Assessment","entity_type":"event","gender":"neutral"},{"zh":" Jade Pendant of Identity","en":"identity jade pendant","entity_type":"item","gender":"neutral"}]}