Confucian and Taoist scholar

Chapter 449 Deep in the Secret Realm
Seeing that everyone didn't quite understand, Lu Zheng patiently explained, "Some high-level formations are based on the terrain. For example, the Nine-Layer Mountain Formation creates nine mountain peaks connected together to form a special formation with great power."

“Every mountain peak created has the same layout. Even if you leave a mark or cause damage in the places you pass through, it will change over time… When you are in the mountains, everything is real, but you can mistake it for an illusion…”

"This is not an illusion array in the ordinary sense, but it can have a more powerful effect of trapping people."

Lu Zheng learned about such large-scale formations from the formation manuals of the Yunmeng Sect.

However, being in the mountains, he couldn't be completely sure of the situation at the time.

Now that they had found another way, Lu Zhengcai realized that what they had just experienced was not an ordinary illusion array, but a terrain array.

Upon hearing this, Zhong Qing exclaimed in surprise, "Using nine identical mountains as an array, what kind of person could have set up such a grand array?"

Lu Zheng said calmly, "At least one must reach the sixth level of the Profound Realm to have a certain understanding of the power of heaven and earth."

Lu Zheng paused for a moment, then said, "Of course, these are just my personal guesses, and they may not be correct. We are still in the mountains and haven't really left yet."

Despite saying that, no one questioned Lu Zheng's words.

After all, it was Lu Zheng who led them to another path, so they didn't have to keep going in circles in the mountains.

Without Lu Zheng, they might have been stuck in the mountains for ages.

Zhong Ying sighed inwardly and said, "We have never encountered or understood such a grand formation before. I'm afraid we'll have to trouble you to lead the way..."

“Okay.” Lu Zheng didn’t refuse.

There are paths in the mountains; just follow them. It doesn’t matter who walks in front.

Lu Zheng and Qing Wan walked in front, with Zhong Ying and the others following closely behind.

The group wound their way down the mountain.

Before long, a stone pavilion appeared by the roadside ahead.

Inside the stone pavilion, a figure could be vaguely seen.

Lu Zheng's gaze paused. It was a hazy, indistinct figure, not a real person, but rather formed from spiritual energy.

The figure turned around, its face blurred and unseen, but everyone could feel the gaze directed at it.

Lu Zheng noticed that the other party also had a whisk in their hand, which he guessed was left behind by a Taoist in the pavilion.

Lu Zheng stepped forward a short distance, politely cupped his hands in greeting, and said, "We have found this secret realm and have come to explore it. May I ask how you are addressed, senior?"

The figure in the pavilion did not respond.

Lu Zheng looked at it carefully again, but he couldn't sense any fluctuations in the other party's spiritual power or consciousness. It seemed that the other party had no consciousness at all.

Thinking of this, Lu Zheng stepped forward again.

Just then, the figure in the pavilion suddenly moved.

The Taoist priest flicked his whisk, and countless threads of spiritual energy, almost invisible, flew toward Lu Zheng.

Seeing this, Lu Zheng reacted quickly, raising his hand to create a water curtain that blocked the incoming silk threads.

Those spiritual threads, like steel needles, were stuck straight into the water curtain, causing countless tiny water droplets to splash up.

Lu Zheng narrowed his eyes slightly. It seemed that if he wanted to get through, he would have to pass this test.
Lu Zheng said without turning his head, "I'll deal with him. You guys find a chance to go over there."

After saying that, Lu Zheng took a step and headed straight for the stone pavilion.

But then the person in the pavilion waved his whisk again, and an invisible force struck, causing the air to tremble and explode with a loud bang.

Lu Zheng remained unfazed, raised his hand and threw a punch, revealing a huge, ferocious tiger head.

"Roar!"

The tiger's head bared its teeth, exuding a domineering aura, and charged towards the stone pavilion.

This roar made the Zhong family members feel a little uncomfortable. It was the aura emanating from the Tiger Subduing Fist that had a certain restraining effect on them.

Lu Zheng's figure flashed, and he rushed into the stone pavilion to face the figure directly.

However, even if it is a phantom formed from spiritual energy, it probably cannot reach the fifth realm. Lu Zheng is quite confident in dealing with it.

As soon as Lu Zhenggang stepped into the stone pavilion, the Taoist priest flicked his whisk, which instantly transformed into a long sword.

A flash of sword light appeared, and a pure and powerful sword intent shattered the charging tiger's head, then aimed directly at Lu Zheng's heart.

Without hesitation, Lu Zheng transformed the water surrounding him into a sword.

With a single slash of the longsword, the incoming sword intent was shattered.

The two figures moved with graceful ease, and they began to fight right there in the pavilion.

Seeing this, Qingwan walked briskly across the pavilion.

Upon seeing this, the Zhong family and others quickly went over and stood waiting not far away.

Seeing that everyone had passed safely, Lu Zheng realized that the person in the pavilion could not do anything to him.

He seized the opportunity and slammed a punch into the opponent's misty body, the powerful force shattering the illusory figure.

A barely perceptible wisp of energy attempted to enter Lu Zheng's body.

Lu Zheng keenly sensed it and, with a thought, enveloped the energy.

He soon discovered that it contained some kind of meaning, a magical inheritance, which was the reward for defeating the people in the pavilion.

Seeing that there was no harm, Lu Zheng put it away. In the blink of an eye, he had learned a sword technique, a very good one, which improved his understanding of the way of the sword.

Unfortunately, he was not a sword cultivator, so such a reward was not very valuable to him.

Of course, Lu Zheng was happy to see himself acquire more skills.

Lu Zheng left the stone pavilion at a leisurely pace and went to where Qing Wan and the others were.

Inside the stone pavilion, another illusory figure gradually materialized.

Seeing this, the group quickly moved away from the pavilion to avoid having to deal with the figure inside.

Zhong Ying glanced at Lu Zheng, her eyes flickering uncertainly.

The figure in the pavilion displayed skills that had reached the fourth realm, indicating considerable combat power.

Lu Zheng, however, handled the situation with ease and suppressed his opponent.

This made it difficult for him to imagine what level of cultivation Lu Zheng had.

Lu Zheng felt Zhong Ying's gaze but didn't pay it any mind.

The group quickly descended the mountain, and another small hill came into view.

The hills exude a spiritual aura, and one can see patches of cultivated land, but they look like they have been abandoned for a long time, overgrown with grass and trees.

“It’s a medicinal herb field!” A member of the Zhong family exclaimed, his eyes lighting up.

The group quickly went to the hill and found that the fields were full of weeds and low-grade spiritual herbs, but there were no high-quality medicinal materials.

They could see some pits and bumps, clearly indicating that the medicinal herbs had been dug up.

Judging from the condition of these traces, they are from different periods.

Zhong Ying led her people to search around the mountain and found several fresh soil pits.

"damn it……"

Zhong Ying couldn't help but curse. Those pits were clearly made by the person who infiltrated this place. She wondered what kind of rare treasures they had dug up, which made Zhong Ying feel inexplicably heartbroken.

They hadn't gained anything along the way, so they couldn't just go back empty-handed, could they?
Lu Zheng stood on the mountaintop, looking at this medicinal mountain.

He imagined that this medicinal mountain must have originally contained many rare and precious herbs, as well as array formations and restrictions. However, because this secret realm had been abandoned for too long, the array formations and restrictions had lost their effectiveness, and those good herbs had either turned to dust or been dug up by others.

Qingwan squatted down and turned over the soil, muttering, "This soil is good stuff, it can be used for planting..."

This medicinal mountain also exudes a spiritual aura, mainly because the medicinal soil here is of very high quality.

Upon hearing this, Zhong Ying, who was not far away, generously said, "These spirit soils are indeed quite good. If you want them, feel free to fill them up. It's not considered payment."

Zhong Ying pondered that this medicinal mountain was not small, and some spiritual soil was nothing.

Qingwan blinked, looked up slightly at Lu Zheng, and thought to herself that if they were just pretending, they could move this mountain.

Seeing Qingwan's gaze, Lu Zheng said, "Let's go look around elsewhere."

The spiritual land is good, but this secret realm must have something even better.

Pang Yun is a capable professional. What if he manages to loot all the treasures? Wouldn't we all have made a wasted trip?
Zhong Ying couldn't help but look at Lu Zheng and said, "There are traces left by that person here. Should we continue looking for him, or go explore other places?"

Zhong Ying felt that if she continued to pursue that person, she probably wouldn't even get a taste of the soup. It would be better to go to an area that the other person hadn't been to yet, where she might run into him.

Upon hearing this, Lu Zheng looked at a majestic mountain peak not far away and said, "How about we go there? I feel that's where the main peak is."

Lu Zheng had previously used his Qi Observation technique to discover that the mountain peak was the most special, and its location should be in the center of the secret realm.

Zhong Ying followed Lu Zheng's gaze and also felt the extraordinary nature of that mountain.

He nodded and said, "As you say, let's go there directly!"

No one had any objections, and they went straight down the mountain to the main peak.

There was a path in the mountains; following the bluestone path, we encountered no more formations or restrictions.

Before long, the group arrived at the foot of the mountain and saw a wide jade staircase leading straight to the top, where they could vaguely see buildings on the mountain.

Lu Zheng stepped onto the stairs, but after taking only one step, he felt something was wrong.

Others also climbed the steps and discovered the same anomaly.

The oppressive aura here is even stronger than in other parts of the secret realm, giving people a suffocating feeling and suppressing their own cultivation level.

With each step you climb, the pressure increases.

Lu Zheng and Qing Wan were fine; they quickly adapted to the changes and walked ahead with ease.

The Zhong family members, however, were struggling to move forward. They had exhausted themselves on the journey and had not rested at all, so it was difficult for them to relax.

Lu Zheng proceeded at a leisurely pace, not in a hurry to reach the summit, but rather at his own pace, feeling the oppressive force of the mountain and trying to dispel it.

After climbing nearly a thousand steps, Lu Zheng discovered a platform above.

As he climbed the steps, before Lu Zheng even stepped onto the platform plaza, his eyes had already caught sight of the platform.

Jade palaces stand on either side, exuding a rich spiritual aura.

In the center of the square, there were two figures, real people, not phantoms.

(End of this chapter)