Chapter 115 : Teleportation Talisman
Buddha Sect's people arrived later than expected. Five days after Tiandao Sect's people reached Xihe Town, Buddha Sect's spirit boat finally arrived. However, before the two sects could say anything, they first noticed something amiss with Buddha Sect's arrivals...
Those entering the Mingzong Mountain Secret Realm for exploration were the most elite disciples of the three sects, naturally valued by their respective sects.
Xuanqing Sect had sent Peak Master Qingyu to lead the team, Tiandao Sect had dispatched the Grand Elder who rarely left the sect, and Buddha Sect was certainly not negligent either, sending one of their three Great Dharma Masters, Dharma Master Huiming. Dharma Master Huiming had cultivated Buddhism for many years, and his cultivation had reached the Fusion realm, specifically the late stage of Fusion, making him stronger than both Peak Master Qingyu and Tiandao Sect's Grand Elder.
Logically, with such a powerful figure escorting them, Buddha Sect's disciples should have had a smooth journey. But when Buddha Sect's spirit boat reached Xihe Town and Dharma Master Huiming led the disciples off the boat, Peak Master Qingyu and Tiandao Sect's Grand Elder immediately noticed their unstable auras, clearly indicating recent injuries that had not yet healed—it was one thing for the disciples to be in such a state, but more concerning was that Dharma Master Huiming was also seriously injured. Or rather, in order to protect his disciples, his injuries were even more severe!
Both being at the Fusion realm, Peak Master Qingyu and the Grand Elder's expressions became grave in an instant, and any questions about Buddha Sect's tardiness were completely forgotten. The two exchanged glances, invited Dharma Master Huiming onto the spirit boat, and the three entered the tea room alone.
Tiandao Sect's Grand Elder spoke first. At this moment, he no longer displayed the arrogance he had shown toward rogue cultivators, and with a serious face asked: "It's been a long time. What happened to the Dharma Master on your journey to sustain such serious injuries?"
Dharma Master Huiming was a kindly old monk with white eyebrows and beard, appearing similar in age to Tiandao Sect's Grand Elder with his white hair and childlike face. Among the three, only Peak Master Qingyu remained young and beautiful, seeming out of place standing with these two—indeed she was, as Peak Master Qingyu was the youngest of the three, less than five hundred years old, while the other two had already passed a thousand years, not originally from the same generation.
Being of similar age, Dharma Master Huiming and the Grand Elder truly had many years of friendship. Hearing the question, he pressed his palms together, recited a Buddhist invocation, and then related their journey's encounter: "This old monk and the disciples set out from the sect a month ago, and should have arrived on schedule. However, halfway through our journey on the spirit boat, an accident occurred. First, someone came seeking help while injured, and our sect's elders, unable to ignore his plight, took him in. Unexpectedly, this person harbored evil intentions and, after a few days, poisoned the tea consumed by everyone, then led his accomplices in a sneak attack..."
The Grand Elder's brow furrowed as he listened, thinking that besides Buddha Sect, probably no one else would take in people of unknown origin. However, the attackers clearly came prepared, and if they dared to target Buddha Sect, it wasn't inconceivable that they might try something against his Tiandao Sect as well. So he asked further: "Under whose orders was this person acting? Did the Dharma Master discover?"
Dharma Master Huiming recited another Buddhist invocation and answered: "This old monk engaged him in combat and observed that his techniques belonged to the demonic path. However, demonic path techniques are diverse, and this old monk doesn't know exactly which sect these people belonged to."
Hearing this, Peak Master Qingyu immediately thought of the "Nine Abyss Sect."
However, she didn't voice this thought. Firstly, with demonic path movements, it was hard to say whether it was the Nine Abyss Sect acting alone or all four demonic sects working together. Secondly, mentioning the Nine Abyss Sect would bring up the incident from a year ago when the demonic path broke into the sect's Enforcement Hall to rescue someone—not exactly a glorious event. Family shame should not be exposed; things even their own disciples didn't know certainly shouldn't be discussed with outsiders.
Although the Grand Elder didn't know about Xuanqing Sect's past affairs, his reaction was quick. Upon hearing this, he immediately thought of the rogue cultivators in Xihe Town. His brow furrowed even tighter, and his knuckles tapped the armrest twice: "The arrival of those rogue cultivators outside is suspicious, likely the work of the demonic path. Buddha Sect is most sensitive to demonic energies, but now that the Dharma Master and disciples are injured, your sensitivity to demonic energies is probably not as acute as usual."
Peak Master Qingyu continued with his thoughts: "With such a commotion, demonic cultivators are likely to fish in troubled waters."
Exploring secret realms has always been fraught with dangers, which come partly from the secret realm itself and partly from people. Compared to the former, the latter is more difficult to guard against—killing for treasures is most common, and assassinations are also frequent. Especially for these major sect disciples, who have their sects and elders protecting them outside, but once inside the secret realm, no one can intervene.
All three, having cultivated step by step to their current level, naturally understood these dangers. The Grand Elder was the first to frown and say: "This won't do. We cannot allow those rogue cultivators to enter the secret realm. These people are a mixed bunch, harboring who knows how many evil intentions!"
When saying this, the Grand Elder was very confident, because most rogue cultivators had poor talents and weak cultivation. Even if there were a few strong ones, whether they could unite was one matter, but against the joint blockade of their three sects, these rogue cultivators would be completely helpless. Moreover, the Mingzong Mountain Secret Realm was discovered by their Tiandao Sect; why should they allow others to interfere and seize treasures?
But as soon as he finished speaking, Peak Master Qingyu shook her head in rejection: "We can block the rogue cultivators, but what about the small sects? The sect has just passed down the news, and many small sects are heading here. Can we turn them all away?"
The three major sects were indeed powerful, but this didn't mean they controlled the entire cultivation world. The forty-eight small sects beneath them, though reliant on them, constituted a significant force when united. Presumably, the sects wouldn't want to offend everyone without good reason. And with forty-eight small sects, numerous factions and people, it wouldn't be easy to identify a few infiltrating demonic cultivators among them.
The Grand Elder was speechless, and after much consideration, was about to say something when he suddenly felt a change in the surrounding aura, with the spiritual energy in the air abruptly increasing. Then there seemed to be a commotion outside the tea room, perceptible even through the closed door.
In that instant, the same thought flashed through the minds of the three people in the room—the Mingzong Mountain Secret Realm was about to open!
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Those who discovered the impending opening of the Mingzong Mountain Secret Realm before the three elders in the tea room were the disciples chatting idly outside.
At that moment, Yun Qingyue was speaking with Zhong Heng when she suddenly felt the surrounding spiritual energy increase. This increase wasn't an instantaneous surge but came in waves like the tide. She instinctively looked toward the epicenter of these "spiritual energy waves" and saw a shaft of multicolored light shooting up from the direction of Mingzong Mountain. Dense spiritual energy tilted with it, and even a hundred miles away, one could immediately feel the change in the surroundings.
Everyone on the spirit boat was alarmed. Their previously scattered idle chat suddenly paused, and all eyes simultaneously turned toward Mingzong Mountain. Seeing the soaring radiance and feeling the overflowing spiritual energy, it was clear this secret realm was extraordinary.
While the people on the spirit boat were well-informed about the secret realm, the rogue cultivators in Xihe Town below were not. They too saw the radiance and felt the spiritual energy, and excitement immediately appeared in their eyes... perhaps not just excitement, but also madness and greed, their gaze toward the light as if looking at some priceless treasure.
Just then, someone shouted: "A treasure, it's a treasure! Mingzong Mountain indeed has a precious treasure manifesting!"
Immediately after, another person shouted: "Why are you still standing there? Hurry, first come, first served!"
As soon as these words fell, it seemed to awaken the stunned crowd. Countless flying streaks rose from Xihe Town. Red, white, green—all colors imaginable, rushing eagerly toward Mingzong Mountain.
As if in just an instant, the previously bustling Xihe Town emptied. The mortals in the small town were quite frightened, closing their doors and shutters, trembling as they watched this scene from their homes.
Such a commotion naturally alarmed everyone on the spirit boat as well. The disciples looked at each other, speechless.
Zhong Heng glanced at the still-closed door of the tea room and asked Yun Qingyue: "Senior Sister, what should we do now? Should we notify Master first?"
Hearing this, Yun Qingyue shook her head. Did their master need notification? With such a commotion from the secret realm's eruption, even if the tea room door had restrictions, the people inside must know. However, the Mingzong Mountain Secret Realm was a new secret realm, and its opening process was often longer than that of ordinary secret realms. Judging by the concentration of the spiritual energy eruption, it would take at least two or three days to fully open, so there was no hurry now.
Yes, they weren't in a hurry—only those rogue cultivators rushing to Mingzong Mountain to seize treasures were anxious. As for the other small sects, they were accustomed to following the lead of the three major sects, and knowing the news about the new secret realm, they naturally weren't in a rush to head to Mingzong Mountain either.
After a brief silence, seeing that the door of the tea room remained closed, the disciples also relaxed. Some turned back to continue chatting with companions, some gazed at the distant radiance with burning eyes, and others, feeling the continuously increasing density of the surrounding spiritual energy, simply sat cross-legged on the deck and began cultivating, not wasting the opportunity at all...
Zhong Heng stared at the radiance for a while, then turned his head to find his Senior Sister gone. Looking around, he discovered that Yun Qingyue was heading toward the cabin rooms. He instinctively stepped forward to follow, but before he could catch up, he saw his Senior Sister wave a hand at him: "I'm going to check on her. You don't need to come along."
Pausing his steps, Zhong Heng quickly realized that his Senior Sister was probably referring to Jianbing.
Speaking of Jianbing, the little white cat, who had been sound asleep in the dark room, suddenly gave a start and woke up. Although the restrictions isolated her perception of the outside world, Peak Master Qingyu had set them only to confine her, not to prevent her from cultivating. Therefore, the awakened little white cat quickly sensed the change in the spiritual energy in the air. She immediately became alert and called out: "System, quick, check if the secret realm has opened outside?"
The system promptly activated its scanning function upon hearing this, but the newly installed system baby had never witnessed the grand scene of a secret realm opening. It saw the soaring radiance in the distance and the crowds rushing toward Mingzong Mountain, naturally assuming the secret realm had opened.
So the system excitedly replied: "Host, quick, the secret realm has opened. We should get out now."
The little white cat, hearing this, naturally didn't dare delay. She quickly ordered the 1,800-point practice teleportation talisman from the system mall, then directly infused it with spiritual energy and used it—she had been confined to the innermost cabin of the ship, far from other people's residences. Usually, no one passed by outside, and she figured that at this moment, no one would be paying attention to her, making it the perfect time to slip away openly!
As the teleportation talisman activated, the little white cat felt a flash of white light before her eyes, and then she landed in a soft embrace. A familiar cool fragrance surrounded her nostrils. Looking up, she met those glaze-like eyes showing slight surprise.