16: The sect leader's decree: The Emerald Wilderness Secret Realm!

Having prepared all necessary supplies, Su Ling closed his door and set off for the Mission Hall.

The resources needed for long-term cultivation were already prepared.

Su Ling did not want to stay in the Sect for even a moment longer.

He accepted a few open-ended missions at the Mission Hall and headed straight for the Sect exit.

When he took out his identity token and prepared to place it before the human puppet guard, the token suddenly began to vibrate violently.

A message quickly entered Su Ling's mind.

【Xuanming Sect Leader's Decree: Three years from now, the Cuiye Secret Realm will open.

Within this Secret Realm lie abundant Spirit Medicine and Spirit Materials, a supreme Opportunity to achieve a Breakthrough in Dao foundation and increase Cultivation.

All Foundation Establishment Stage Disciples of our Xuanming Sect may enter using their Sect token to seek Immortal Opportunity and contend for Luck for the Sect.

Rewards for the Secret Realm journey will be based on merit: Those ranked in the top ten of the Secret Realm exploration leaderboard will receive the following rewards:

1. One Low Grade Magic Treasure (can be selected from the Sect Treasure Pavilion, suitable for Peak Foundation Establishment to Core Formation Cultivator);

2. One Ink Lotus Pill (contains Earth Vein Spiritual Qi, helps Foundation Establishment Cultivator stabilize Dao foundation and nourish the embryonic Golden Core);

3. One Core Formation Stage Cultivation Technique (taken from the Sect's Scripture Pavilion Medium Grade scrolls, containing the essential methods for Golden Core condensation).

In addition, all who return from the Secret Realm and make contributions will be rewarded!

The path to immortality is long and the journey is difficult.

All Disciples must Cultivate diligently and temper their Dao Heart, both to seek longevity for themselves and to bolster the Sect's prestige!】

"Low Grade Magic Treasure?!"

"Ink Lotus Pill?! This is a High Grade Medicinal Pill that can assist in Core Formation!"

"A Medium Grade Core Formation Cultivation Technique worth tens of thousands of contribution points; the Sect is truly generous!"

"I am already at Foundation Establishment Great Perfection and am just missing a Core Formation Stage Cultivation Technique essential method. I must make the top ten in this Secret Realm exploration!"

"Three years from now, Foundation Establishment Stage can enter... I am already at the Tenth Layer of Qi Refining. I don't need three years; I will surely achieve Foundation Establishment within two years!"

"I am only at the Eighth Layer of Qi Refining. If I want to achieve Foundation Establishment in three years, I can only go out to execute missions."

"We just joined the Sect; how could we possibly achieve Foundation Establishment in three years!"

"What are you afraid of? If this Secret Realm can open once, it can open a second time. As long as you achieve Foundation Establishment quickly, you might be able to catch the next one."

"That is true..."

"..."

This message was clearly aimed at all Disciples below the Foundation Establishment Stage.

Even the over one hundred Spirit Seeds who had just joined the Sect received the message simultaneously.

Not to mention those below the Foundation Establishment Stage, even many Core Formation Cultivators had never heard of this matter.

For a time, the entire Sect was buzzing with noise and discussion.

"It has been hundreds of years; our Xuanming Sect finally has an Opportunity to take flight."

"Indeed. Since the Sect arrived here, just preparing the teleportation formation took a hundred years. Now, it can finally be activated."

"It is just, Senior Brother Sect Head, is it too hasty to arrange for Foundation Establishment Stage Disciples to go?"

At the top of the highest Peak of the Xuanming Sect, a middle-aged man dressed in dark purple robes said with a hint of helplessness, "The Cuiye Secret Realm is fraught with danger. Relying solely on Foundation Establishment Stage Disciples to go there will yield too little in terms of harvest."

"There is no other way. If those at the Core Formation Stage and above enter, and the formation collapses, the losses will outweigh the gains."

A young man wearing a black jade crown and dressed in black robes said indifferently, "Let these Disciples go and scout the path first. When the formation is stable enough to support Core Formation Cultivators, we will make other arrangements!"

"That is true. Having cultivated them for so long, it is time for them to repay the Sect."

The middle-aged man nodded, smiling enigmatically.

"There are still too few Foundation Establishment Stage Disciples. Urge those Qi Refinement Stage Disciples to achieve Foundation Establishment as soon as possible..."

The young man waved his sleeve, turned around, and walked away.

As he moved, the collar and cuffs, embroidered with dark gold thread, displayed blood-colored demonic patterns that coiled and squirmed slightly as if they were alive.

"I obey the decree!"

The middle-aged man bowed and replied. After a long while, he slowly straightened up.

Looking at the Disciples below the mountain who were discussing the matter, the smile at the corner of his mouth seemed somewhat meaningful.

...

"Three years, Secret Realm, Foundation Establishment Stage..."

Operating his Phantom Shadow Technique and traveling through the mountains and wilderness, Su Ling pondered inwardly.

Half a year ago, the Sect harvested a large amount of Spirit Medicine for Alchemy and issued numerous missions regarding refining materials.

At the same time, it very unusually spent two consecutive years plundering a large number of Spirit Seeds.

It is estimated that all of this was in preparation for this Cuiye Secret Realm.

However, in three years, how could these Spirit Seeds possibly advance to Foundation Establishment?

Moreover, frequent plundering of Spirit Seeds meant a higher probability of the Xuanming Sect's location being exposed.

The Sect's higher-ups could not possibly be unaware of this.

Yet they did it anyway!

Su Ling could not help but guess that the danger of the Secret Realm far exceeded everyone's imagination.

Otherwise, the Sect would have no need to do this.

"With low strength, one is cannon fodder everywhere. Only when one is sufficiently powerful can one establish a foundation for survival."

Releasing a Wind Blade with a wave of his hand, he sliced open a Black Rock python.

Su Ling did not even look at the still-squirming corpse and shot away like lightning.

Several hours later, Su Ling's figure appeared near a cliff.

Calming his heart and condensing his Qi, he released his Spiritual Perception to the maximum.

All movements within a thirty-zhang radius around him were imprinted in his mind.

Maintaining this state, Su Ling wandered around the area continuously for a full hour before slowly stopping his figure.

"No abnormalities found; I can go in."

Su Ling took a deep breath, operated his Phantom Shadow Technique and Flowing Wind Technique, and shot toward the cliff like lightning, soon disappearing into the cliff face halfway up the mountain.

This was the very cliff where he had previously slain the Bloodfang Ghost Bat and stumbled into the Immortal Cave of a Cangyun Sect Core Formation Cultivator.

When he realized that there might be danger within the Sect, this place was the first thing that came to Su Ling's mind.

With the Medium Grade Formation Plate Illusion Concealment Array, plus the Low Grade defensive Formation Plate he had purchased, Su Ling could not think of anywhere safer than this.

Having been away for half a year, the Spiritual Qi in the Spirit Stones within the Illusion Concealment Array plate was almost depleted.

"To be able to maintain it for so many years, it must at least be a Medium Grade Spirit Stone."

The exchange rate for Spirit Stones in the Xuanming Sect was 1:100.

One Medium Grade Spirit Stone could be exchanged for one hundred Low-Grade Spirit Stones.

One High Grade could be exchanged for one hundred Medium Grade.

However, this was only the nominal exchange method.

Higher-grade Spirit Stones had purer Spiritual Qi, and in actual transactions, few people would use High Grade Spirit Stones to exchange for Low Grade ones.

Besides serving as currency for transactions, Spirit Stones themselves were also resources needed for cultivation.

The higher the quality of the Spirit Stone, the greater the role it played when breaking through a realm.

Arriving deep in the cave, Su Ling first went to the corner to pay respects to Yu Ruoli, then simply tidied up the cave.

He used the Fire Cloud Sword to cut out a stone table and stone chairs, as well as a stone bed for resting.

He placed his Medicinal Pills and classics in the most convenient locations.

"Next, I will go all out to achieve a Breakthrough to the Ninth Layer of Qi Refining!"

Sitting cross-legged on the stone bed, Su Ling crushed ten Spirit Stones in one go, rapidly operated his Cultivation Technique, and began to absorb and condense spiritual power.

He was already at the Peak of the Eighth Layer of Qi Refining, only one step away from the Ninth Layer of Qi Refining.

As the Nine Nether Secret Record began to operate, the stray spiritual power in the surroundings was rapidly absorbed into his body.

It flowed ceaselessly along his Meridians and was slowly incorporated into his Dantian.