Chapter 224: 223. Return Journey (1/4)
As time went on, the secret realm was no longer a secret.
Early that morning, Wen Ping successfully raised his realm to the Middle Profound Realm, intending to continue cultivating with the Wood Qi for another day before finally setting off back to the Immortal Sect tomorrow. But then strangers appeared around him.
A few Body Refining Cultivators unexpectedly appeared in the forest and were shouting with excitement as if discovering a new continent.
Wen Ping understood that these were newcomers.
With the first, the second soon followed.
In the blink of an eye, Wen Ping saw ten people. Seeing this scene, how could he not understand that the secret realm had been exposed?
What he didn’t expect was that a large number of people immediately flooded into the secret realm like locusts, leaving nothing in their path. Helplessly, Wen Ping decided to leave that day, taking Qin Mo, Yu Mo, and Qin Tian with him out of the secret realm.
It was pointless to stay any longer.
Zhantian Qingxuan had already left early because his granddaughter was outside, but they agreed to meet at his home.
Upon leaving the secret realm, Qin Tian intended to leave before entering the city. Before parting, he patted Qin Mo’s shoulder, saying, "Cultivate well in the Immortal Sect. It doesn’t matter who sits as Island Master of Flying Fish Island; your future shouldn’t be confined to Flying Fish Island. Don’t miss the greater for the lesser."
Qin Mo nodded.
Without his grandfather telling him, he had already been unwilling to be the Island Master of Flying Fish Island.
Joining the Immortal Sect, he understood much more, most importantly—Flying Fish Island was too small.
What is Upper Profound Realm worth?
In the secret realm, even Mountain Dogs could kill at will.
"Alright, don’t worry about your father, I’ll talk to him. You go."
"Grandfather, take care."
After a brief farewell, Wen Ping arrived in Fengyuan City, finding it neither under martial law nor having posted any arrest or bounty against him. After locating Zhantian Qingxuan and the others at the Zhantai family, the five of them left the city one after another.
...
Main Hall of Extreme Realm Mountain.
The Ten Talents Trial had ended, but with the secret realm opened, the Hundred Sects Alliance and three large powers gathered in Extreme Realm Mountain’s Main Hall. However, Qingkong Mountain’s people did not come, nor did Flying Fish Island’s.
Thus, only five or six people sat in the hall.
The main seat was occupied by three people from the Three-star Influence Mitian Sect, with two middle-aged cultivators in the Middle Profound Realm standing beside them. A rugged middle-aged man with a bushy beard sat in the main seat, his expression extremely stern.
"Master Nan Hao, for now, it’s unclear who possesses the secret treasure, but I can assure you, if someone from the Hundred Sects Alliance or Extreme Realm Mountain gets it, they would definitely present it to you first." The speaker was a gentleman in a blue robe.
He was one of the chief figures of the Hundred Sects Alliance in East Lake—Murong Qing.
Beside him stood a man with a zombie-like face, the Sect Leader of Extreme Realm Mountain—Han Feiyue.
Though both held high status in East Lake, they were not as prestigious as the bearded Nan Hao.
The mere mention of Divine Profound Realm could make the two not dare to lift their heads.
Moreover, he represented the Mitian Sect.
Nan Hao asked coldly, "But it’s been over ten days, why is there still no news? Don’t tell me that after acquiring the secret treasure, your people are still in there and just can’t be found by my men."
Nan Hao’s words turned the two ashen-faced.
However, they truly didn’t know where their people had gone.
Just then, a voice sounded outside the hall.
"Chief, urgent report!"
"Enter."
Murong Qing responded.
Immediately, a man holding a whip used for driving his mount walked in, gasping for breath.
"Master Han Yun has fallen."
"What!"
Murong Qing’s expression suddenly changed, grabbing the informant and roaring angrily, "What happened?"
"Over ten days ago, Master Han Yun suddenly returned to Huangli City, with only half a body left. Despite my efforts to extend his life, he only lived for a few more days. His injuries were too severe, and there was nothing I could do."
"How could this happen?"
Han Yun was a Half-Step Divine Profound.
Who in East Lake could kill him?
Moreover, someone forced him to use a Secret Technique at the cost of his lifespan. Without the help of the Wing Race Great Demon, Han Yun couldn’t have returned to Huangli City the same day he entered the secret realm.
"Immortal Sect!"
"Immortal Sect?"
"They took the secret treasure and killed Steward Shan Long, Elder Bai Peng, and Senior Han Zhan."
"What?"
The final two words were shouted simultaneously by Han Feiyue and Murong Qing.
The Immortal Sect took the secret treasure.
Not only that, but they also killed people from the Hundred Sects Alliance and Extreme Realm Mountain, including two peak ancestors.
At this point, Nan Hao stood up abruptly, asking coldly, "Immortal Sect! Didn’t you say you were unrivaled in East Lake?"
He was not concerned about how Extreme Realm Mountain and the Hundred Sects Alliance members died; he only cared about the secret treasure.
As he understood, the person who left the secret treasure was a Two-Star Vortex Divine Artisan, who might have left the creation book behind. The Two-Star Vortex Map Creation Book was a priceless treasure, and he had come from Bright Mirror Lake specifically for it.
But now he received news that it had been snatched?
Murong Qing couldn’t afford to be angry anymore and quickly responded, "Reporting to Master, the Immortal Sect is a Starless Sect, with the Sect Leader being an Anomalous Profound at the Lower Realm, but they might have a powerful backer."
"A Starless Sect, daring to seize the secret treasure?" Nan Hao’s eyes gleamed with killing intent, assuming it was a Major Sect.
"Master, the Hundred Sects Alliance’s Master Han Yun was a Half-Step Divine Profound, and he still died at their hands..."
"Someone stuck at Half-Step Divine Profound for decades, do they have the right to claim strength? Many within the Mitian Sect at the same realm can kill him. Tell me the way to the Immortal Sect later; the secret treasure is not something they can meddle with."
After coldly saying this, Nan Hao stepped out of the main hall.
If they dared to meddle with the secret treasure, they would face the sect’s destruction.
After Nan Hao left, Murong Qing continued to ask the informant, "Did Master Han Yun say anything else?"
"Flying Fish Island is connected with the Immortal Sect!"
"So that’s it. I was wondering how a Starless Sect could access the secret realm; it turns out they colluded with Flying Fish Island."
Despite his anger, he could do nothing.
Extreme Realm Mountain and the Hundred Sects Alliance now had no one in Upper Profound Realm to hold the fort, making them immediately inferior to Flying Fish Island. Initiating trouble with Flying Fish Island was nearly impossible, especially as Flying Fish Island held influence within the Hundred Sects Alliance.
Now, with East Lake dominated by him, their influence became even greater.
After a long silence, Murong Qing turned to Han Feiyue and said, "Flying Fish Island colluded with foreign enemies for the secret treasure and killed our Hundred Sects Alliance and Extreme Realm Mountain people. Sect Leader Han, you can write the Essence Blood Book, right?"
"Understood."
Han Feiyue nodded.
He understood Murong Qing’s implication, the Essence Blood Book was a memorandum written at the cost of lifespan!
Using life to accuse Flying Fish Island, surely those above would listen.
Murong Qing continued, "I still have Spiritual Cuisine, which can replenish your lifespan for this year."
"Immortal Sect is the mastermind, and Flying Fish Island is an accomplice?"
"Yes, just write it so."
Murong Qing said this, already stepping out the door.
He finally understood why people from Flying Fish Island didn’t come to this meeting; it turned out they were enjoying the victory celebration.
However, at this moment Murong Qing thought to himself: Let’s all wait, soon you’ll know the consequences.