After transforming into a fairy, I, in my simulation, wreaked havoc in the cultivation world.

"Teacher, haven't you detected Qingyu's presence yet?"

Lin Bufan, frustrated, rampaged through the secret realm, relying on the terrifying aura of the old man with the ring to intimidate others; no demonic beast dared to block his path.

【"No."】

Seeing that he was not in a good mood, the old man comforted him:

"Don't worry, that little girl's 'Mirror Flower Water Moon' technique is nearing completion. She's determined to escape, and no one in this secret realm can stop her."

"I'm afraid she'll do something dangerous on her own initiative."

Upon hearing this, Lin Bufan's expression did not relax; instead, it became even more anxious.

"Qingyu may seem gentle, but she is actually very strong-willed."

The old man also fell silent, for he had watched you improve little by little over the past three years; you were indeed a cultivator of unwavering will.

"Then let's create some commotion and lure all the experts over."

Lin Bufan's eyes lit up.

"As expected of our master!"

【"Hmph~"】

The old man scoffed, "Young people are always so impulsive."

"Achoo!"

You had just sat down cross-legged in the cave when you suddenly sneezed.

Is someone plotting against me?

You suspiciously scanned your surroundings, and after confirming there was no danger, you took out a Spirit-Nourishing Fruit and swallowed it in one gulp.

The fruit pulp melts in your throat, and a unique, refreshing energy, like a clear spring, instantly explodes from your dantian and rushes straight to your crown chakra!

In an instant, it felt as if an invisible needle had gently pricked his brow, and his consciousness trembled violently.

The previously confused and vague perception suddenly became clear.

The spiritual energy channels of heaven and earth, the breathing of plants, the crawling of insects—all unfold in my consciousness like a scroll painting.

The world has become clearer in your "eyes".

[Is this divine consciousness?]

[One zhang, two zhang, three zhang... My consciousness rapidly expanded outwards, only stopping slowly after reaching about ten zhang.]

[As expected of the Spirit-Nourishing Fruit. You must know that when an ordinary late-stage Qi Refining cultivator first awakens their divine sense, it is only a pitiful three zhang in length.]

Of course, this range of divine sense is nothing special, but the benefits brought by the Spirit Nourishing Fruit are implicit.

[Only after you reach Foundation Establishment will you experience a true breakthrough, during which the strength and range of your divine sense will far surpass that of ordinary cultivators.]

[You didn't stop; you took out a second one and swallowed it.]

[Eleven zhang, twelve zhang... this time it stopped at around sixteen zhang.]

[The effect was reduced by almost half?]

Looking at the third Spirit-Nourishing Fruit in her hand, she wondered if she should save one for Xiao Fanzi.

[We can't give you a single penny!]

A third of a second later, you mentally berated yourself and quickly extinguished the terrible thought.

That guy is incredibly lucky to have slept with such a perfect woman like you.

[If I feed him any more spiritual fruit, his Dao heart will probably shatter on the spot, causing him to suffer a cultivation deviation. Therefore, for Xiao Fanzi's safety, I'll reluctantly feed him the fruit.]

Without hesitation, you popped the Spirit-Nourishing Fruit into your mouth, even feeling like you'd done a good deed.

The familiar feeling returned, and the range of my divine sense had reached approximately twenty zhang.

The greatest benefit of possessing divine sense is the qualitative change in perception, allowing one to introspect, observe the meridians, and monitor the flow of spiritual energy in the dantian.

[It allows for a more precise grasp of every subtle change during cultivation, greatly enhancing the benefits to one's practice.]

In battle, they are better able to anticipate their opponent's moves and even multitask.

In battles between high-level cultivators, the strength of one's spiritual sense is an extremely important factor.

Secondly, the ability to control spiritual power and magical artifacts will be greatly enhanced.

[You summon a Blood Spirit Shuttle, and with a slight thought, the short shuttle spun lightly in your palm, its trajectory changing at your command, as if it had come to life, no longer as straight and rigid as before.]

Just as you were experiencing the wonders of divine consciousness, the secret realm had already descended into chaos.

[The news, though its origin is unknown, claims that a magical artifact has been created in the central area.]

[A spiritual artifact surpasses a magical artifact; it contains a trace of spirituality and can initially resonate with its master's mind, allowing for effortless control and even automatic protection in times of crisis.]

Although it's only one rank higher, its rarity has increased several times over.

After all, most cultivators in the early to mid-Foundation Establishment stages of Sword Fighting Peak still only wield magical artifacts.

Moreover, if the materials used to forge a spiritual weapon are of superior quality, and it is nurtured and refined by its master over a long period of time, it may even have the chance to transform into a magical treasure.

Therefore, the value of a spiritual artifact is immeasurable for a Qi Refining cultivator.

At this moment, a considerable number of cultivators have gathered before the giant lake in the central area.

The once mirror-like blue lake now shows subtle glimmers of silver light, spreading slowly like ripples from its depths.

"Senior Brother Feng Yuan, is that spiritual artifact truly beneath the center of the lake?"

The group stood beside the strikingly handsome, wielding young man in white, their eyes burning with undisguised fervor, yet daring not to overstep their bounds in the slightest.

Not only them, but also glances were frequently cast from all around, clearly indicating that people were quite wary of this person.

The young man was none other than the champion of the recent Sword Fighting Peak competition, who defeated all his opponents with overwhelming force.

[Not only are they formidable in combat, but their talent is also exceptional.]

[With superior dual spiritual roots of metal and fire, he has already reached the peak of Qi Refining at the young age of twenty.]

What's most terrifying is that his swordsmanship has already reached the second realm—the clarity of the sword heart.

[He is known as the number one person below the Foundation Establishment stage in the past thousand years of Doujian Peak, and is said to be a personal disciple of a certain elder.]

Although there were still several cultivators at the peak of Qi Refining in the arena, even if they joined forces, none of them dared to claim they could face him head-on.

Sword cultivators excel at defeating enemies beyond their own realm, but even among sword cultivators, if their cultivation level is suppressed, they are defeated faster and more miserably than ordinary cultivators.

Feng Yuan remained silent, his eyes still closed, as if the surrounding noise had nothing to do with him.

The scene suddenly became somewhat eerie; for a moment, no one dared to make a move to seize the treasure.

"Master, how is it? How many people came in total?"

Behind the gnarled shadow of an ancient tree, Lin Bufan, clad in black robes, quietly concealed himself, secretly observing the situation unfolding before him.

"Nearly two-thirds of the late-stage Qi Refining cultivators have arrived. The rest probably can't make it or don't want to come, since there are still quite a few good things in this secret realm."

A phantom image of an elderly man with white hair and a youthful face was silently hovering beside Lin Bufan.

"Can that second-tier demonic beast at the bottom of the lake really handle so many people? Especially..."

Lin Bufan's gaze swept over the tall figure standing at the front of the crowd, and his heart sank slightly. Even with his confidence, he couldn't help but feel a bit wary of Feng Yuan.

[The opponent's invincible prowess in the Sword Fighting Hall that day, where he defeated late-stage Qi Refining cultivators with a single sword strike, was truly unforgettable.]

"Hehe, little guy, have you forgotten that Foundation Establishment cultivator surnamed Wang who almost killed you with a single punch from a distance using only his physical strength?"

The old man chuckled, a hint of mockery in his voice.

"The gap between Foundation Establishment and Qi Refining is not something that can be bridged by ordinary means. The two are no longer on the same level; it wouldn't be an exaggeration to say they are two different kinds of beings."

Upon hearing this, Lin Bufan's face turned ashen for a moment. If it hadn't been for his master's secret intervention that day, he would likely have been seriously injured.

"Is there no trace of Qingyu?"

"She probably didn't come; after all, this kind of situation is not something she should get involved in."

The old man sensed it carefully again, then shook his head.

【"Um."】

Lin Bufan nodded slightly, his knuckles gripping the tree trunk, tightening his grip quietly, and the wood chips crumbled silently beneath his palm.

As dusk settled, a dark figure silently crept up behind the group and disappeared into the depths of the trees.

"Hehe~ It's so lively here!"

...