Begin your practice with the crane-shaped stance.

Chapter 129 Secret Realm

After all, in this era of dwindling spiritual energy, cultivating immortality is nothing short of defying the heavens and fighting for one's life.

Who can resist a sliver of hope when faced with an opportunity?

Anyway, whether there's a chance or not, just try your luck. If you run fast enough, and you actually find some ancient treasures that were missed, then you'll have completely turned your life around and made a fortune!

Seeing the solemn expressions on their faces, Lord Qian suddenly changed the subject, "Do you two know—how did these so-called 'secret realms' come about?"

Xia Dong and Zhao Ting were both taken aback upon hearing this, and then shook their heads simultaneously.

Seeing the two men's bewildered expressions, Lord Qian smiled in a somewhat enigmatic way.

It's normal that you don't know.

"This matter is of utmost importance, and even the independent cultivators and small and medium-sized sects outside don't really understand it. It's only in recent years that our Tongxuan Division in the capital has spent a great deal of effort to finally get some concrete clues about this matter—"

"The ancient remnants of the immortals remain an unsolved mystery to this day. The waters within are too deep, and even the imperial court cannot fully fathom their secrets."

"But Tongxuan Si has a general understanding of the origins of the 'Secret Realm'."

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He looked at Xia Dong and Zhao Ting, who were listening intently, and offered a very vivid analogy: "You might as well imagine this world as a living, enormous cultivator. Then the so-called secret realms are actually the spiritual apertures on this enormous cultivator's body. And these spiritual apertures are actually the top cultivators in this world who have achieved great things in the past."

Upon hearing this, Xia Dong was suddenly startled, vaguely grasping at some extremely crucial clue.

Qian Qianhu continued in a deep voice, "These great supernatural beings were like mobile spiritual apertures in their lifetimes, frantically absorbing the essence of the sun and moon and the vast amount of spiritual energy between heaven and earth, gathering it tightly into their own bodies."

When their lifespan is exhausted and they pass away, their powerful cultivation will be returned to Heaven.

Thus, their remains, forged through countless trials, would resonate with the surrounding天地 (heaven and earth), eventually collapsing and evolving into unique secret realms.

"That's why secret realms often retain the profound insights they gained into the laws of heaven and earth during their lifetime. Therefore, the laws of each secret realm are highly characteristic of their individual lives, making them extremely unique and exclusive." Qian Qianhu paused, then continued, "Moreover, according to the court's current explorations, the threshold for transforming into a secret realm after death is extremely high. If one hasn't opened their Purple Mansion during life, or hasn't reached the 'Sea of ​​Bitterness' realm in martial arts, it's simply impossible to solidify a secret realm after death."

"So, what kind of existence was this secret realm that we're going to guard in Nanyue Province this time?" Zhao Ting couldn't help but ask.

"A great swordsman who opened up the Purple Mansion and cultivated all the way to the Nascent Soul stage."

"You all know the way sword cultivators behave; they always insist on 'I am the only one, and the sword is the only one,' and they would rather break than bend. Whatever resources they have, they pour them all into their natal sword and their extreme cultivation." Qian Qianhu sighed and explained, "This Nascent Soul sword cultivator did indeed gather an extremely large amount of spiritual energy in his lifetime, but this spiritual energy was tainted by his extremely pure sword intent, and actually became exceptionally fierce and sharp, making it extremely difficult to absorb and refine."

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"In recent years, the imperial court has poured a lot of manpower and resources into this sword cultivator's secret realm, but it has never been able to crack this tough nut. In recent years, it is probably because the Tongxuan Division made a mistake in one step when trying to break the formation inside, triggering the sword cultivator's backup plan, which caused the entire secret realm to decay at an accelerated pace."

Qian Qianhu spoke at length, finally revealing the origins and background of the secret realm in Nanyue Province to Xia Dong and Zhao Ting.

While digesting these groundbreaking secrets of the cultivation world, Xia Dong couldn't help but ask, "My lord, since powerful beings transform into secret realms after death, is the existence of these secret realms also one of the culprits causing the spiritual energy of heaven and earth to gradually deplete?"

A hint of surprise flashed in Qian Qianhu's eyes, clearly not expecting Xia Dong's intuition to be so sharp. He nodded heavily: "Indeed! Xueyi, you see things very clearly. Although this cannot be considered the sole reason for the depletion of spiritual energy, it is definitely an extremely important factor."

Because for a secret realm to maintain the stability of its own space and the operation of its internal laws, it must constantly draw spiritual energy from the surrounding world!

Zhao Ting sat to the side and sneered, "This is truly a case of taking from the poor to give to the rich. The cultivators of the world can't even get a sip of soup, and those powerful figures still want to occupy mountains and become kings after they die, forcibly draining their blood."

"Who can argue with that? —"

"This is an unsolvable deadlock. The more the spiritual energy of heaven and earth depletes, the more likely those great supernatural beings are to perish; and the secret realms formed after their fall will further and frantically draw out the already scarce spiritual energy from the outside world, thus accelerating the depletion of the spiritual energy of the entire world."

A brief silence fell over the hall, and an indescribable sense of oppression enveloped the three of them.

After a moment, Qian Qianhu broke the silence again: "So, this is why so many powerful individuals are desperate to get to the Three Islands Sea. The situation there is much better than here in Da You."

"Not only is their spiritual energy more abundant than here, but what's even more terrifying is that—" Lord Qian's voice was extremely low, as if afraid of touching some taboo, "It is said that the sacred land in the Three Islands Sea area holds the ancient spiritual roots of heaven and earth."

This thing is extremely powerful; it can directly transform and replenish other impure primordial energy in the world, even the flesh and blood of cultivators and demonic beasts, into pure spiritual energy! Because of this, the rate at which their spiritual energy depletes is much slower than ours—”

The atmosphere in the hall was somewhat heavy because of this secret about the grand scheme of things.

Xia Dong's thoughts shifted slightly, and he decided to take advantage of this excellent opportunity to bring up the martial arts problem that he had been pondering for days without any clue.

"Lord Qian, I have recently reached a bottleneck in my martial arts cultivation," Xia Dong said solemnly, humbly seeking guidance. "I wonder how one can find a breakthrough opportunity in the 'True Intent,' which is comparable to a Foundation Establishment cultivator?"

Upon hearing this question, Zhao Ting, who was standing nearby, also perked up his ears.

Although he mainly cultivates the path of immortality, he is equally curious about the mysteries of the higher realms of martial arts.

Upon hearing this, Qian Qianhu looked at Xia Dong and smiled, a smile that held a deeper meaning: "Xueyi, Xueyi, I was worried that you might be resentful and think this mission wasn't going well. But now it seems that you really have no choice but to go to the sword cultivator's secret realm in Nan Yue Province."

Upon hearing this, Xia Dong's spirits immediately lifted: "Does Your Excellency mean that there is an opportunity to break through to the True Intent Realm within that secret realm?"

"Indeed." Qian Qianhu nodded, his smile fading as he explained seriously, "You cultivate both immortality and martial arts, so you should understand the difference between divine sense and martial intent. The strengthening of divine sense is actually closely related to the improvement of cultivation, and it's relatively safe. But the greatest challenge in the True Intent Realm lies in 'tempering and sublimating' one's own martial intent."

Qian Qianhu extended a finger and pointed heavily in mid-air: "Martial intent is the fusion of essence, energy, spirit, and personal will. This step is ten or a hundred times more difficult than tempering divine sense! You can't obtain true intent through elixirs, nor can you figure it out by working in seclusion. Throughout history, the vast majority of martial arts masters have only managed to unleash their full potential and successfully condense true martial intent by chance in life-or-death struggles and under the extreme pressure of a sliver of hope."

Xia Dong remained silent. Life-or-death struggles can indeed unleash potential, but deep down he was a person who sought stability.

To actively seek out experts and risk his life for a vague and uncertain breakthrough opportunity is far too risky and completely inconsistent with his style of doing things.

"But this way of seeking a breakthrough between life and death is far too dangerous, and nine times out of ten you end up becoming someone else's stepping stone." Qian Qianhu seemed to see through Xia Dong's concerns and changed the subject, "And this time, the sword cultivator secret realm in Nanyue Province happens to be an extremely special environment."

"That secret realm is not only the place where a Nascent Soul cultivator passed away, it is also a 'Sword Tomb'!"

"Within that secret realm, a large amount of extremely sharp and domineering sword intent still remains. Xueyi, if you enter it, you can use those wandering sword intents as a whetstone to constantly pressure and hone your own martial arts will. In this extreme mental confrontation, find the opportunity to break through the barrier!"

Upon hearing this, Xia Dong's heart skipped a beat.

Use the unclaimed sword intent as a whetstone! This method is worth a try.

However, Qian Qianhu immediately poured cold water on the idea, his expression becoming extremely serious: "Xueyi, don't be too happy yet. Although honing your martial arts will through the sword intent of the Sword Tomb is safer than a real life-or-death battle, at least your physical body is less likely to be directly destroyed, its danger should not be underestimated."

"The clash of wills and spirits is the most dangerous. Because once your mind can't withstand that intense pressure, and your martial spirit is directly shattered by the sword intent—" Qian Qianhu stared into Xia Dong's eyes, warning him word by word, "your martial arts realm will instantly collapse and plummet. At best, you'll suffer a qi deviation; at worst, you'll be stuck at this level for life, completely reduced to a cripple!"

Zhao Ting, who was listening from the side, felt a chill run down his spine; the price was far too high.

Qian Qianhu sighed, "In the past, our Eagle Wolf Guard had no shortage of self-proclaimed martial arts geniuses who relied on the imperial court's quota to enter the Sword Clan in an attempt to break through. And what was the result? Several of them were brought out with shattered Dao hearts, and they went completely insane. So, this path is just as difficult."

Faced with Qian Qianhu's stern warning, Xia Dong's face showed a solemn expression of awe, but deep down he was both surprised and delighted.

Afraid of being mentally defeated? Afraid of falling from a higher level?

In this world, the person who is least afraid of falling from grace is Xia Dong!

This means that for others, the swordsmanship school is a place where they can easily go astray and fall from their cultivation level if they are not careful. For Xia Dong, it is a perfect place to "gain experience" without any scruples and make endless mistakes!

As long as he doesn't die, he can let those sword intents hone him until he develops the true essence of martial arts!

Of course, Xia Dong did not show any joy on his face. He simply clasped his hands respectfully and said, "I will keep your teachings in mind, sir. However, the path of cultivation is inherently about defying fate. To break through to a higher realm, to find the right direction and opportunity is already a stroke of luck. I have no right to be picky or worry about gains and losses."

Upon hearing Xia Dong's calm and resolute statement, Qian Qianhu's eyes flashed with undisguised admiration.

"Good! You are neither arrogant nor impatient, and your character is resilient. No wonder you have achieved what you have today." Qian Qianhu nodded in satisfaction, then waved his hand, indicating that the private conversation was over.

"Alright, I've told you everything I knew. Xueyi, Zhao Ting, you two hurry back and prepare. Remember, although the imperial court is using a soon-to-be-abandoned secret realm as a baiting ground," those attracted will definitely be ferocious, predatory fish. The risks are real."

Qian Qianhu gave them one last, deep look and instructed them, "Bring plenty of talismans, pills, and life-saving tools. The more prepared you are, the better. I hope you go in groups of several and return in groups of several."

"This humble servant takes his leave!"

Xia Dong and Zhao Ting clasped their hands in a fist salute and solemnly withdrew from the hall of the Thousand Household Office.

The two exchanged a glance, both seeing the gravity in each other's eyes, and then hurriedly parted ways to begin making final preparations for the impending storm.

After returning to Tiger Hill Cave from the Thousand Households Office, Xia Dong began preparing for his long journey.

In fact, he didn't have much to pack.

In the spare time before his departure, Xia Dong laid out a detailed map of the Great You Dynasty's territory on the bluestone table, and his divine sense slowly glided over it like fine silk.

His gaze first fell on the location of the sword cultivator's secret realm in the neighboring Nan Yue province, which was marked in red by the imperial court. Then, his fingertips followed the direction of the mountain range, moving five hundred miles into the more remote, lush, and deep forest.

That place was the location of the Xuan Yin Sect's Golden Core Tomb, as revealed by Pei Hongling.

"Five hundred li—" Xia Dong looked at the distance between the two points on the map, a thoughtful look flashing in his eyes.

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This distance might seem like towering mountains and difficult terrain to ordinary people, but for cultivators who can fly or martial artists in the Transcendent Realm with abundant qi and blood, it is not particularly far.

However, Xia Dong frowned slightly when his gaze fell on the markings around the large tomb.

This endless stretch of primeval forest belongs to the core activity area of ​​the extremely exclusive "barbarian witch tribe".

Although the Great You Dynasty nominally ruled the world, it could only maintain a nominal bond with these ancient tribes hiding in remote and impoverished areas.

These barbarian witch tribes do not practice orthodox esoteric arts, nor do they practice martial arts or military tactics. For generations, they have cultivated the mysterious and unpredictable "Witchcraft and Ghost Path".

It is an extremely unorthodox lineage that specializes in vicious curses, innate poisons, and the imprisonment of living souls to create witch ghosts.

His methods are insidious and vicious, making him a notorious figure in the evil and demonic paths of the entire cultivation world.

"The Path of Witchcraft and Ghosts, the Barbarian Witch Clan—" Xia Dong murmured, but there was little fear in his eyes; instead, he appeared unusually calm.

He never fights a battle unprepared.

There's no point in staring at that large tomb now. He plans to complete the guard duties assigned by the imperial court step by step after arriving in Nanyue Province.

At that time, he could openly and legitimately access the internal confidential files of the local Eagle Wolf Guard in Nanyue Province under the identity of a centurion of the Eagle Wolf Guard, and thoroughly understand the true nature of the Barbarian Witch Clan and the changes in the earth veins around the Great Tomb.

Moreover, if everything goes smoothly in the secret realm sword family this time, and he successfully condenses his own martial arts true meaning with the help of sword intent and enters the True Meaning Realm in one fell swoop, then his strength will definitely be greatly improved.

At that time, we can then take the opportunity to explore the Xuan Yin Sect's Golden Core Tomb; that would be the best chance of success.

Xia Dong put the map back into storage on the table, and a red-clad figure flashed through her mind.

He was determined to bring Pei Hongling with him on this trip to Nanyue Province.

Firstly, Pei Hongling is, after all, a genuine female cultivator at the peak of the Qi Refining stage, making her a valuable asset.

Secondly, the core reason for the delusion is that Pei Hongling is "living evidence" that the Lonely Moon Immortal is still alive.

If we leave her alone in Pingyang County, and someone with ulterior motives investigates her secretly, or if something unexpected happens to the blind woman that leads to her death, it would not be a good thing.

Xia Dong flipped his wrist and took out the life-bound soul tablet belonging to Pei Hongling from the storage box.

He pointed his fingers like a knife, and a wisp of pure Xuan Yin magic power mixed with his divine sense gently pierced into the Soul Reporting Tablet.

In an instant, a faint yet incredibly clear mental connection, through some unseen link, directly crossed the border of Baoli Village and was precisely transmitted to Baoxian County.

As long as the distance between the two people is not too far, this soul tablet is a good invisible communication tool.

The two met in the living room of the mountain village.

Although Pei Hongling looked somewhat haggard, she exuded a calm and capable air. Upon seeing Xia Dong sitting on the couch, she didn't hesitate at all, obediently curtsying and saying, "Greetings, Master."

"Get up. It's a long day. How's the business in Pingyang County going?" Xia Dong asked calmly.

Pei Hongling straightened up and began to explain in an extremely casual tone: "Reporting to the master, it is true that some managers of that large medical clinic and business in Pingyang County were embezzling money behind the scenes, and even colluding with a local low-level gang to try to embezzle the master's money. After I went there, I investigated the accounts and publicly executed the martial artist who led the disturbance and the seven managers by burning their souls in the sky. The rest of the people have submitted, and I will reorganize all the accounts. From now on, every penny of the monthly revenue and worldly resources will be sent up the mountain without fail."

Her words were spoken casually, but the bloodshed and ruthlessness conveyed between the lines sent chills down the spine of the entire hall.

Xia Dong gave the young lady from the prestigious family a deep look, and couldn't help but admire her inwardly.

It must be said that professional tasks definitely need to be done by professionals.

Although Xiao Hong was loyal enough and diligent in her work, she was, after all, a commoner. Her vision and skills were limited by time, and when faced with great storms and those old hands, she inevitably became somewhat unable to control the situation.

Pei Hongling, however, was different. She grew up in a cannibalistic cultivation family, surrounded by power struggles and the distribution of benefits.

Managing Xia Dong's business was very simple for her.

The key point is that she is ruthless and has no scruples when she kills.

With ruthless and decisive methods, he was able to quickly and efficiently clean up the mess that was gradually rotting under Xia Dong's control.

"Very well done." Xia Dong nodded in satisfaction.

Pei Hongling was courageous and willing to take on responsibilities, so Xia Dong naturally wouldn't say that she was too ruthless.

That's just how the world is.

To correct a wrong, one must go to extremes.

Hearing Xia Dong's praise, Pei Hongling finally relaxed a little. She could be a bit gentler with her hands, but that wouldn't make a difference.

Moreover, Pei Hongling understood that the more ruthless she appeared, the more Xia Dong, her master, would show his kindness and favor to his subjects.

"It is Hongling's duty to share the burdens of her master." Pei Hongling bowed slightly, her expression becoming increasingly humble.

"Xingbao, pack your things now, we're going on a long trip together." Xia Dong stood up, walked over to her, and cut straight to the point. "The imperial court has assigned me a mission to guard a soon-to-be-abandoned secret realm in the neighboring Nan Yue province. You'll be taking me with you on this trip."

A hint of surprise flashed in Pei Hongling's eyes, but she didn't ask any more questions. She simply bowed her head and replied, "Yes, it's all up to Master."

Seeing her docile demeanor, Xia Dong said, "Although you were given to me by Senior Gu Yue while you were still serving your sentence, you are still considered one of my people. My current status is a centurion in the Eagle Wolf Guard of Pingyang County, and there happens to be a vacant position. I've already had someone arrange for you to be registered as a 'small flag officer' in the records of the thousand-household office."

The highest level of deception is to even deceive oneself.

In any case, Pei Hongling was a female slave given to her by Senior Guyue.

This is absolutely true.

At this point, Xia Dong patted her shoulder, "To outsiders, you'll be my personal guard, responsible for my daily safety. You should know the rules of the Great You Dynasty. Although a minor officer's rank isn't high, you still receive cultivation resources from the court every month. This time, you'll use this title. After you finish your mission, you can accumulate experience in Nan Yue Province and complete your errands. It won't be difficult for me to promote you to the rank of general."

Pei Hongling suddenly raised her head, her beautiful eyes filled with astonishment and shock.

She never expected that Xia Dong would not only keep her by his side, but also use his privileges to directly put her into the Eagle Wolf Guard, a privileged and violent government agency that reported to the Great You Dynasty!

Before, joining the Eagle Wolf Guard wouldn't have been difficult for her, but now, given her status, she's destined not to receive any preferential treatment.

The malice and spying lurking in the shadows are utterly devoid of any moral compass.

But joining the Eagle Wolf Guard meant that when she went out after her service, she would be wearing the legitimate tiger skin of the imperial court.

This greatly reduced the perceived danger she was in.

Of course, for Xia Dong, once Pei Hongling becomes a Xiuwu within the imperial court's establishment, most of the basic resources, spirit stones, and stipends she needs for cultivation will be provided by the imperial court.

There's no way around it; Xia Dong is a practical person. She always has to be careful with her money.

"Thank you, Master." This time, in her eyes as she looked at Xia Dong, in addition to the awe of having her life and death manipulated, there was also a kind of inexplicable sense of reliance.

Xia Dong understood that Pei Hongling was, after all, a woman; feelings were secondary, having money was what mattered.

Love can make you feel full even with just water, but drinking water can also starve you.

Among the six realms of hell, the realm of hungry ghosts is particularly miserable.

This also illustrates how terrible hunger can be.

"Go and prepare."

Xia Dong waved goodbye.