Chapter Sixty-Eight: Suspicions

Ever since entering this secret realm, Luo Tian had felt a faint, persistent sensation—his internal fire elemental energy seemed to be undergoing some strange transformation. He had no idea what caused this, but the feeling lingered in his heart, impossible to shake off. For this reason, he was genuinely eager to find a quiet place to try cultivating.

Sharpening the axe does not delay the work of cutting firewood; since there were twenty days at his disposal, it seemed wise to devote a little time to experimentation. If the benefits proved as great as he hoped, then, true to that principle, spending a few days to reach the mid-stage of the Seventh Turn would be entirely worthwhile.

Through his divine sight, he saw that most of the elemental energy in the surroundings was a verdant green, representing the wood attribute. Yet, this wood energy did not domineer or forcefully expel other elemental energies; rather, it coexisted with them in subtle harmony.

Noticing Luo Tian's inclination to act alone, Li Zijian decided not to press the issue. There is no sweetness in forcing a bitter melon, and in a place like this, it was better to do without an unreliable yet powerful companion than to risk betrayal. For the sake of resources and personal gain, stabbing someone in the back was certainly not out of the question.

“Brother Fei, that Luo Tian didn’t even bother to join you just now. What an arrogant brat—does he really think that making a little name for himself means he’s invincible?” one of the team members scoffed.

Liu Longfei, hearing this, felt his anger rise. He had extended a well-intentioned invitation, only to be ignored. “Hmph, that fool. There are plenty of dangers in this secret realm. I just worry he’ll die so quickly that he won’t even have time to beg me for his life!”

The tale of Luo Tian defeating Shen Lingfeng had spread rapidly among the Ziyang Mountain disciples. Although the four major regions were not sealed off from one another, and thus word traveled fast, the news did not cause much of a stir. Shen Lingfeng was not one of the Shen family’s most outstanding disciples, and comprehending true intent was not especially rare among the four great families. As such, no one found Luo Tian’s victory particularly impressive.

In the Divine Sun Sect, only a handful of disciples—including Luo Tian—chose to act alone; the same was true for the Great Origin Sect. Most formed small teams, with only a few exceptions venturing out by themselves.

After heading in a direction where no one else was present, Luo Tian soon came to a halt.

Time to give it a try!

He began circulating the Fire Elemental Scripture, refining the elemental energy around him. The fire energy poured into his body, surging through his meridians. After one full cycle, it was completely converted into his own strength.

But at that moment, the fire energy within his dantian seemed as if it was about to ignite.

Though puzzled, Luo Tian felt nothing amiss, so he continued absorbing and refining elemental energy.

Boom.

As the second wisp of fire energy entered his dantian, Luo Tian seemed to hear a thunderous echo reverberate within.

What was this?

With a focused mind, Luo Tian did not panic or resist; instead, he began guiding all the energy in his dantian to surge out. The violet energy rampaged through his meridians, becoming deeper and richer in color with each passing moment.

He was about to break through to the mid-stage of the Seventh Turn?

This advancement felt remarkably smooth—utterly natural. Moreover, for reasons unknown, the energy within him now seemed almost alive.

Channeling the power of his divine sight through his eyes, Luo Tian glanced skyward, and was immediately astonished. The elemental energy here was far denser than when he had first entered the secret realm. Ahead, in the direction farther from the entrance, the concentration was even greater.

The deeper within, the greater the opportunity?

Luo Tian raised an eyebrow. If that was true, he could not afford to linger on the outskirts.

Drawing his green-glimmering longsword, he tightened his grip and prepared to venture deeper. Whether seeking treasures or hunting magical beasts, the inner regions would clearly be more rewarding.

Outside the secret realm, the disciples had already stowed their essentials in new storage pouches; after all, the sect would not send them into danger empty-handed.

“What did that disciple who escaped last time bring out that made you so eager to organize a team to go in?” Liu Changtian asked Feng Jinbo calmly.

“This!” Feng Jinbo replied, making no attempt to hide it. He retrieved a plant from his storage ring.

Liu Changtian narrowed his eyes. “Yuanlan Herb?”

Yuanlan Herb was a superior-grade, human-level medicinal plant, rich with elemental energy. Pills made with it as the main ingredient could help cultivators at the Meridian Flow Realm quickly restore their strength, and even eaten raw, it would significantly aid their cultivation.

“Exactly. Take a closer look—see anything special?” Feng Jinbo smiled smugly.

Liu Changtian examined it closely, his expression focused. This Yuanlan Herb emitted a faint blue glow; its leaves were thick and full, a clear sign of vigorous growth. From the flow of energy within, he could tell it held abundant power.

“This herb is about ten years old, yes? Not bad, but surely it’s not enough to spur your eagerness to investigate this place?” After voicing his judgment, Liu Changtian quickly countered with a question of his own.

Given Feng Jinbo’s character—never lifting a finger without promise of profit—there had to be more to this than met the eye.

“No, you’re wrong, Old Liu. This herb is only three or four years old,” Feng Jinbo corrected him with a chuckle.

“Three or four years? You’re not deceiving me?” Liu Changtian’s eyes widened in disbelief.

Feng Jinbo pursed his lips. “Our disciples are already inside—why would I lie?”

“Is there anything else unusual about this secret realm?”

“If I had to say, the plants inside differ from those outside. Whether flora or magical beasts, everything is more tenacious, volatile, and formidable than normal. Otherwise, those youngsters wouldn’t have died so mysteriously.”

Liu Changtian nodded to himself, pondering before asking, “What do you think is the reason?”

“In my view, there must be some hidden secret within this realm!” Feng Jinbo’s expression was earnest, his eyes alight with curiosity.

“That’s quite the insightful platitude,” Liu Changtian sneered, a mocking smile on his lips. “You really have grown dull in your old age.”

“Old Liu, what do you know? Metal attribute cultivators are useless in this situation. Fortunately, I practice water elemental power, which gave me some clue!” Feng Jinbo grinned triumphantly and paid Liu Changtian no further heed, looking for all the world as if he had everything under control.

Today there will only be one update. I just realized there was only one yesterday as well, and I forgot to let everyone know I was taking a break—how embarrassing.

My thanks to the friends who supported me with tips yesterday! Please continue to vote and give me encouragement—thank you!