From the fake emperor to the concubine

The master and apprentice began selecting treasures from the vault.

After careful comparison and consideration, they finally chose three treasures:
The first item was a pill called "Breakthrough Pill," which could help cultivators break through realm bottlenecks and was very helpful for Zhang Yunfan's cultivation.

The second item is a sword manual called "The Myriad Swords Manual," which records various lost sword techniques from ancient times and is of great use in improving one's swordsmanship.

The third item is a refining material called "Hun Yuan Stone," which contains the power of chaos and is an essential ingredient for refining top-tier magic weapons.

"These three treasures are all very useful." Zheng Yi nodded in satisfaction. "The Breakthrough Pill is for you, the Myriad Swords Technique will be studied together by us, master and disciple, and the Primordial Stone will be kept for future use in refining magic weapons."

"Master, are you really going to give me the Breakthrough Pill?" Zhang Yunfan asked, somewhat embarrassed.

“Of course,” Zheng Yi smiled. “You are currently at a crucial stage in your cultivation, and this pill will be most useful to you.”

After selecting their treasures, the master and apprentice returned to the room with the teleportation array.

"Yunfan, before you leave, deal with the Immortal Sword Technique in your consciousness," Zheng Yi reminded him. "We can't let this hidden danger persist."

"Yes, Master." Zhang Yunfan nodded, then sat down cross-legged and began to deal with the Immortal Sword Technique sealed in his consciousness.

With the help of the Breakthrough Pill, the process went much more smoothly than expected.

About an hour later, Zhang Yunfan opened his eyes, a joyful smile on his face.

"Master, it's a success!" he exclaimed excitedly. "That Immortal Sword Technique has been completely integrated into my swordsmanship system, and my cultivation has broken through to the late Foundation Establishment stage!"

"Very good." Zheng Yi nodded with satisfaction. "It seems the harvest this time was indeed quite substantial."

After finishing everything, the master and apprentice stood in the center of the teleportation array.

"Are you ready?" Zheng Yi asked.

“Ready.” Zhang Yunfan nodded.

Zheng Yi activated the teleportation array, and the array pattern immediately emitted a dazzling light.

Surrounded by light, the figures of the master and disciple gradually blurred and eventually disappeared into the Immortal Trial Hall.

As the light from the teleportation array gradually faded, Zheng Yi and Zhang Yunfan found themselves back in the sea area on the outskirts of the secret realm.

The azure sea shimmered under the sunlight, and in the distance, many cultivators still hovered and waited in the sky, clearly waiting for their disciples to emerge from the secret realm.

"Master, we're out." Zhang Yunfan breathed a sigh of relief as he looked at the familiar seascape.

"Yes, we're finally out safely." Zheng Yi nodded, then carefully felt the changes within his body.

Although he hadn't formally refined the Immortal Essence Pearl yet, just the contact had already benefited him immensely. His previously suppressed cultivation was slowly recovering, and he could feel that his overall strength had significantly improved compared to before entering the secret realm.

"Yunfan, how are your injuries?" Zheng Yi asked with concern.

"I'm much better now, and the sword intent I absorbed during the Immortal Sword Technique also had a healing effect on my injuries." Zhang Yunfan stretched his body. "I'm basically fine now."

"That's good." Zheng Yi nodded in satisfaction. "We'll return to the family now. You need time to consolidate the inheritance you just received, and I also need to refine the Immortal Essence Pearl."

Just as the master and disciple were about to leave, a strong fluctuation of spiritual energy suddenly came from afar.

A dozen figures rapidly approached from different directions, surrounding them completely. These people were all masked and dressed in black, clearly part of a premeditated ambush.

"Master, be careful!" Zhang Yunfan immediately became alert and drew his longsword.

"It seems someone doesn't want us to leave safely." Zheng Yi sneered, showing no sign of panic.

The leader of the men in black stopped in mid-air and said in a hoarse voice, "Hand over the treasures you obtained in the secret realm, and we might consider giving you a quick death."

"Is that so?" Zheng Yi glanced disdainfully at the ambushing group. "I'd like to see what you're capable of, daring to rob us here."

Judging from the aura emanating from these people, most of them were at the Golden Core stage, with a few even reaching the Nascent Soul stage. Such a lineup was indeed not to be underestimated; if an ordinary cultivator encountered them, they would likely be helplessly captured.

"Since you're so ungrateful, don't blame us for being impolite!" the leader of the men in black said coldly. "Attack!"

Instantly, more than a dozen men in black launched an attack.

Various spells rained down on the master and disciple like a storm, including lightning, flames, ice spikes, and wind blades, covering the sky and earth.

"Yunfan, step back!" Zheng Yi shouted, taking the initiative to meet the attacks.

"The Righteous Yang Sword Technique: Ten Thousand Swords Return to Their Origin!"

A dazzling golden light erupted from Zheng Yi's body, and countless sword shadows appeared in the air, blocking all attacks like a net.

"What?!" the men in black exclaimed in shock. "Wasn't his cultivation suppressed? How can he still possess such strength?"

It turned out that these ambushers had been waiting outside for a long time. They knew that Zheng Yi's cultivation level had been suppressed to the Foundation Establishment stage when he entered the secret realm, and they thought that now was a good opportunity to strike.

But to their surprise, Zheng Yi's strength had not only recovered, but was even stronger than before.

"A bunch of lowly scoundrels, how dare you be so insolent in front of me!" A cold killing intent flashed in Zheng Yi's eyes. "Since you're courting death, then I'll grant your wish!"

During his contact with the Immortal Essence Pearl, Zheng Yi not only recovered his cultivation, but more importantly, his understanding of swordsmanship reached a new level. Now, his strength is at least 30% greater than before he entered the secret realm.

"The Righteous Yang Sword Technique - The Great Sun Shines in the Sky!"

A huge golden sun rose behind Zheng Yi, its light even more dazzling than the real sun.

A terrifying pressure spread outwards, and those black-clad men with weaker cultivation levels immediately felt difficulty breathing, as if a mountain was pressing down on them.

"Impossible! How could he be so strong?"

"Retreat! This is no match for us!"

Some of the men in black began to panic and tried to escape.

But how could Zheng Yi possibly let them have their way?
"Trying to leave? Too late!"

"The Righteous Yang Sword Technique - Blazing Sun Scorches the Sky!"

The golden sun suddenly exploded, and countless blazing sword lights shot out in all directions like a meteor shower.

Each sword light contained terrifying power, enough to severely injure a Golden Core cultivator.

"what!"

"Help!"

"What kind of swordsmanship is this?"

Screams rose and fell as most of the men in black were struck by sword flashes, their blood raining down on the sea.

In the blink of an eye, half of the dozen or so men in black lost their fighting ability. Some were seriously injured and collapsed to the ground, while others were directly pierced through the body by the sword light, their fate unknown.

"Damn it! How did this guy suddenly become so strong?" The leader of the men in black's expression changed drastically. "Could he have obtained some incredible treasure in the secret realm?"

"Brother, let's retreat!" another man in black said fearfully. "This guy is too wicked; we can't handle him." "Retreat?" the leader of the men in black gritted his teeth. "We've already been exposed. If we don't kill them, how are we going to explain to the sect?"

"Blood Demon Grand Technique - Blood Sea Raging!"

The leader of the men in black suddenly bit his tongue, spitting out a mouthful of blood. The blood quickly spread in the air, forming a blood-red mist.

Under the shroud of the blood mist, his aura began to surge wildly, and his cultivation level soared from the early stage of the Nascent Soul realm to the mid-stage of the Nascent Soul realm.

"The Blood Demon Sect's evil arts?" A murderous glint flashed in Zheng Yi's eyes. "So it's you beasts!"

The Blood Demon Sect was the very evil cultivation force he had previously wiped out in the oasis. It seems they weren't completely destroyed, and some remnants are still active outside.

"I didn't expect it to be an old acquaintance." The leader of the men in black tore off his mask, revealing a cold, sinister face. "I am Xue Tianxie, an elder of the Blood Demon Sect. Today, I've come to avenge my fallen brothers!"

"Revenge??" Zheng Yi sneered. "With your kind of evil cultivators?"

"Hmph! You think you're so great?" Xue Tianxie grinned maliciously. "Today I'll show you what the true power of the Blood Demon Sect is!"

"Blood Demon Grand Technique - Devouring Souls of Ten Thousand Ghosts!"

Xue Tianxie formed hand seals, and countless ghostly figures immediately surged out from the blood mist. These ghostly figures were all vengeful spirits he had created using evil magic, each possessing intense resentment and specifically designed to attack the cultivator's consciousness.

"Master, be careful! These evil spirits are very sinister!" Zhang Yunfan warned from the side.

"Mere heretics and demons dare to harm me?" Zheng Yi scoffed. "The Righteous Yang Sword Technique - Universal Illumination!"

A pure golden light emanated from Zheng Yi, as warm and bright as the rising sun.

Under the light, the vengeful ghosts immediately let out shrill screams, and then one by one they turned into wisps of green smoke and vanished.

"What?! My Ten Thousand Ghosts Formation!" Xue Tianxie exclaimed in utter shock. "What kind of sword technique is this? Why does it have such a strong restraining effect on evil arts?"

"Because this is a righteous sword technique!" Zheng Yi said coldly, "It's specifically designed to counter you heretics and evil sects!"

The Zhengyang Sword Technique is inherently a supremely yang and righteous martial art, possessing a strong restraining effect against all evil forces. This restraining effect became even more pronounced after Zheng Yi received nourishment from the Immortal Essence Pearl.

"Impossible! I don't believe it!" Xue Tianxie roared madly, "Blood Demon Grand Technique - Blood God Descends!"

This is one of the Blood Demon Sect's most powerful forbidden techniques. The user must burn their own lifespan and essence to summon the phantom of the Blood God worshipped by the Blood Demon Sect.

A huge, blood-red figure emerged behind Xue Tianxie. This figure was tens of feet tall and exuded a terrifying evil aura.

"A phantom of the Blood God?" Zheng Yi narrowed his eyes. "I didn't expect the Blood Demon Sect to have such a trump card."

As soon as the phantom of the Blood God appeared, the temperature of the entire sea area dropped several degrees. The pure aura of evil instilled a deep-seated fear in everyone.

"Hahaha! Scared now?" Xue Tianxie laughed wildly. "The Blood God Phantom possesses the strength of the late Nascent Soul stage. What do you have to fight against it?"

"Late Nascent Soul stage?" Zheng Yi's lips curled into a cold smile. "So what?"

Although the Blood God's phantom was indeed very powerful, Zheng Yi was no longer the same person he once was. Under the influence of the Immortal Essence Pearl, his strength had reached a new level.

More importantly, the Immortal Essence Pearl in his arms seemed to sense the evil aura and actively emitted a faint light, providing Zheng Yi with a continuous source of power.

"Since you want to witness true strength, then I'll open your eyes!" Zheng Yi slowly drew his longsword, golden light swirling on its blade. "The True Yang Sword Technique - Ultimate Secret - Sun God Sword!"

This is a new move that Zheng Yi has just mastered, which combines the power of the Immortal Essence Pearl with his latest understanding of swordsmanship.

A massive golden lightsaber materialized in mid-air, its blade stretching for hundreds of feet and radiating a heat as intense as the sun.

"What kind of sword technique is this?" Xue Tianxie felt the power of the light sword and his face turned pale instantly.

That pure and powerful force filled him with deep fear. This was no ordinary swordsmanship; it was a divine ability approaching the level of immortal magic!
"Go!" Zheng Yi pointed his finger, and the Sun God Sword whistled as it slashed towards the Blood God's phantom.

"Roar!" The phantom of the Blood God roared, swinging its enormous blood-red fist to meet the attack.

But before the Sun God Sword, the Blood God's phantom was as fragile as paper.

The golden sword light easily tore through the blood-red fist, and then cleaved the blood god's phantom in two with a single strike.

"No!" Xue Tianxie cried out in despair. The Blood God phantom was destroyed, and he suffered a severe backlash, spitting out blood.

But the power of the Sun God Sword was not over yet. After shattering the Blood God's phantom, the sword light continued to slash at Blood Heaven Evil.

"Spare me!" Xue Tianxie cried out in terror, but it was too late.

"boom!"

The Sun God Sword struck Xue Tianxie heavily, sending him flying hundreds of feet away, leaving a long trail of blood on the sea.

The other men in black were terrified when they saw this.

Even Xue Tianxie, a Nascent Soul cultivator, was severely injured by a single sword strike; these people were no match for Zheng Yi.

"Run!"

"This guy is a devil!"

"Even Elder Xue is no match for him!"

The remaining men in black scattered and fled, wishing they had more legs.

But how could Zheng Yi let them escape?

"The Righteous Yang Sword Technique - Ten Thousand Swords Chasing the Soul!"

Countless sword shadows shot out from Zheng Yi's body, chasing after the fleeing men in black as if they had eyes.

"Puff puff!"

A series of blood blossoms bloomed as the men in black were pierced by the sword shadows and fell from the sky into the sea.

In the blink of an eye, only Xue Tianxie remained alive out of the dozen or so ambushers.

"Now, it's your turn." Zheng Yi slowly walked towards the heavily injured Xue Tianxie, his eyes filled with murderous intent.

"No, don't kill me!" Xue Tianxie pleaded weakly. "I can tell you all the secrets of the Blood Demon Sect."

"The secrets of the Blood Demon Sect?" Zheng Yi sneered. "I have no interest in the secrets of you heretical cultivators."

"Wait!" Xue Tianxie suddenly remembered something. "I know some important information! About your Zheng family!"

"About the Zheng family?" Zheng Yi stopped in his tracks. "Speak!"

"The Heavenly Dao Sect is joining forces with other powers to deal with your Zheng family!" Xue Tianxie hurriedly said. "They say your Zheng family is developing too rapidly and threatens the balance of the cultivation world!"

"Heavenly Dao Sect?" Zheng Yi frowned.

Just now in the secret realm, Li Xiaoyao, the sect leader of the Heavenly Dao Sect, was indeed hostile towards him; it seems this was not a coincidence. (End of Chapter)