18: The celestial thread, Lu Piao's chance

The temporary retreat of the Ye Family and the Dark Guild bought the Yun Family precious time to recuperate and develop.

Under Yun Feng's tireless 'sublimation' and 'analysis', the Yun Family's overall strength underwent visible changes every day.

Younger disciples Cultivated optimized Cultivation Techniques and Martial Skills, steadily improving their strength; the quality of resources in the storerooms far exceeded those outside, and the Family's wealth rapidly accumulated; even the equipment and combined battle formations of the guard 隊 were completely renewed.

Brother Yun Feng, stationed in the Family, spent most of his time utilizing the 'Rule Analysis' function, greedily absorbing the knowledge System of this world, and then feeding it back to the Family after optimization.

His Rule Energy was slowly but steadily recovering and growing.

One day, Brother Yun Feng was analyzing a stealth Secret Skill obtained from a Dark Guild assassin, when his Divine Sense captured a familiar aura—it was Lu Piao, and several other Tianhen Aristocratic Family disciples who had been rescued with him earlier.

They seemed to be purchasing supplies at the market outside the Yun Family's stronghold, with a hint of anxiety in their expressions.

Brother Yun Feng's thoughts stirred, and his figure disappeared from the quiet room, appearing in the market like an ordinary passerby the next moment.

"Brother Lu, what troubles you?" Brother Yun Feng walked up to Lu Piao and asked in a calm tone.

When Lu Piao saw Brother Yun Feng, he was first startled, then as if seeing a savior, he quickly pulled Brother Yun Feng to a less crowded spot and whispered, "Brother Yun Feng, you've finally appeared! We were just looking for your help!"

"Oh? Speak freely."

"It's Boss Nie Li!" Lu Piao said with worry on his face, "Ever since he came back from going out with you last time, he's been in seclusion, and his aura is very strong, so we didn't dare to disturb him.

But our Tianhen Aristocratic Family has been in trouble recently.

A small ore vein under the Family's jurisdiction was occupied by a group of wandering Yao Beasts, and there seems to be a particularly powerful one inside.

A few of us took on the mission to clear it, but... we almost didn't make it back."

A disciple named Wei Nan next to him added, "That beast has thick skin and flesh, and it can also spew poisonous mist.

Our attacks couldn't break through its defense at all, if we hadn't run fast..."

Brother Yun Feng's Divine Sense moved slightly, instantly covering the ore vein area Lu Piao mentioned.

Indeed, deep within an abandoned mine shaft, lurked a mutated 'Iron Armored Poison Lizard', whose strength was comparable to a five-star Silver rank, and its defense was astonishing, making it a tricky problem for Lu Piao and the others at present.

But more importantly, Brother Yun Feng sensed an extremely faint, yet ancient and profound spatial fluctuation deeper within that mine shaft!

This fluctuation... was seventy to eighty percent similar to the description of the Heavenly Illusion Sacred Realm's entrance in his memory!

Heavenly Illusion Sacred Realm!

That was the key Secret Realm where Nie Li gathered his core team in the early stages, acquiring his first batch of loyal companions and a large amount of resources!

He hadn't expected the clue to its entrance to be hidden here!

A plan instantly formed in Brother Yun Feng's mind.

He couldn't directly tell Nie Li, as that would seem too deliberate and easily expose his own secrets.

But if Lu Piao and the others 'accidentally' discovered it and then informed Nie Li after he came out of seclusion, it would be logical.

"I see." Brother Yun Feng showed a thoughtful expression, "The type of Yao Beast you mentioned, I seem to have seen it in an ancient book, named the Iron Armored Poison Lizard, and its weakness lies beneath a slightly lighter-colored scale on its abdomen.

Moreover, this type of Yao Beast usually likes to inhabit places with special energy fluctuations..."

He deliberately guided the conversation.

"Special energy fluctuations?" Lu Piao scratched his head, "We were only focused on escaping at the time, we didn't notice."

"Perhaps... there's something else in the depths of that mine shaft?" Brother Yun Feng said meaningfully, "If you can deal with that Poison Lizard, you might even have an unexpected discovery."

Lu Piao and the others' eyes lit up!

They now firmly believed Brother Yun Feng's words!

"Brother Yun Feng, can you..." Lu Piao began somewhat awkwardly, wanting to ask Brother Yun Feng for help.

Brother Yun Feng, however, shook his head: "A mere Iron Armored Poison Lizard is a very good object for your tempering.

If I were to intervene, it would lose its meaning."

He changed the subject, "However, I can help you 'prepare' a little."

He led Lu Piao and the others to an unmanned corner, took out several bottles of the previously sublimated 'Highly Effective Detoxification Powder' and 'Powerful Armor-Piercing Pills', and handed them over.

"This Detoxification Powder should be able to counter the Poison Lizard's poisonous mist, and the Armor-Piercing Pills, when applied to weapons, can temporarily enhance the armor-piercing effect, allowing you to attack its abdominal weakness," Brother Yun Feng explained.

"Remember, you only have one chance, be sure to pinpoint the weakness and kill it in one blow."

Lu Piao and the others took the Medicinal Pills, feeling the abundant medicinal power within, and were overjoyed: "Thank you, Brother Yun Feng!"

"Go, and be careful.

If there truly is something unusual deep within the mine shaft, do not venture in rashly; come back and we'll plan further."

Brother Yun Feng finally instructed.

Watching Lu Piao and the others leave with high spirits, Brother Yun Feng's lips curved slightly.

The seed had been planted, and it was just waiting to blossom and bear fruit.

Changing the destiny of Lu Piao and the others, guiding them to discover the entrance to the Heavenly Illusion Sacred Realm, would yield a considerable amount of Rule Energy.

Indeed, not long after, System prompts rang out one after another:

【Successfully altered the fate trajectory of supporting characters Lu Piao, Wei Nan, and others, helping them overcome a life-and-death crisis.

Received Rule Energy feedback: 80 points.】

【Successfully guided a key character to discover the clue to the 'Heavenly Illusion Sacred Realm', significantly impacting the subsequent plot direction.

Received Rule Energy feedback: 300 points!】

【Current Rule Energy: 1180 / 5000.】

Energy steadily increased again.

A few days later, Nie Li successfully emerged from seclusion, his Cultivation greatly advanced, and he had even initially grasped the Profound Truths of the Wind and Snow Spirit Record.

As soon as he came out, he was surrounded by an excited Lu Piao and the others, who recounted the thrilling process of clearing the ore vein, and most importantly—the mysterious light gate they discovered deep within the mine shaft, emitting strange fluctuations, suspected to be the entrance to an ancient Secret Realm!

"Secret Realm entrance?!" Nie Li's heart was greatly shaken.

In his previous life, by the time he learned about the Heavenly Illusion Sacred Realm's entrance, he was already a step too late and had to pay a considerable price to enter.

He hadn't expected that in this life, Lu Piao and the others would discover it ahead of time!

He immediately realized the importance of this Secret Realm!

"Thanks to the Medicinal Pills and reminder given by Brother Yun Feng, we were able to kill that Poison Lizard and discover that place!" Lu Piao said sincerely.

It was Brother Yun Feng again!

Nie Li was filled with emotion.

Brother Yun Feng seemed to be his lucky star, always bringing him Opportunity and guidance at critical moments.

"This matter is of great importance, we must investigate as soon as possible!" Nie Li made a decisive decision, while secretly thinking, "This favor, I owe more and more... It seems I need to find an Opportunity to visit Brother Yun Feng again."

Nie Li began to busily prepare for the exploration of the Heavenly Illusion Sacred Realm, while Brother Yun Feng, like a director behind the scenes, sat back and waited for the next wave of 'plot' and 'energy' harvest.

He felt that as he continuously intervened in the main storyline, the tides of this world were being guided by him step by step towards an unknown and interesting direction.

And his power and the Yun Family's foundation were also quietly accumulating in this tide, waiting for the moment of an earth-shattering breakthrough.