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Chapter 1205: Chapter 1071: Suddenly_2
Da Qing was known for his mastery over various Defense Divine Abilities; resisting Tribulation Thunder was naturally no challenge for him.
Indeed, as Li Taichang had anticipated, the extraordinary Tribulation Thunder couldn’t break through Da Qing’s defenses, allowing him to easily resolve all of it with minimal effort.
As for the Heart Demon Tribulation? For Da Qing, it was even less of an issue, and within moments, he dispelled the Heart Demon. 𝓷ℴ𝓿𝓹𝓾𝒷.𝓬𝓸𝓂
Altogether, it took barely two hours for Da Qing to successfully break through to the Integration Realm. The entire process was devoid of any mishaps or hindrances.
Wow—
The various factions escorted out of Mount Wanxian by the Li Clan didn’t leave in haste; instead, they lingered nearby to observe.
When they discovered how swiftly Da Qing had overcome the Thunder Tribulation, they couldn’t help but exclaim in astonishment.
"This senior is too formidable to resolve the Thunder Tribulation so swiftly!"
"This might be the fastest Tribulation Transcendence I’ve ever witnessed!"
The incident left the crowd with even greater reverence for the Li Clan.
Meanwhile, within Mount Wanxian, everyone was cheering for Da Qing’s breakthrough, including Li Zhirui.
Having spent the longest time with Li Zhirui, Da Qing held a much deeper bond with him than the other Spirit Beasts, and naturally, Li Zhirui harbored high hopes for Da Qing to advance further.
"Finally broke through, eh? We’ve all been waiting on you," Xiaoqing said with a teasing laugh.
The smile on Xiaoqing’s face carried no malice; rather, it brimmed with playful triumph.
Throughout their cultivation journey, Da Qing had always overshadowed him. So now that he’d surpassed Da Qing, albeit briefly, Xiaoqing couldn’t resist showing off a little.
"Didn’t expect to be the one holding everyone back," Da Qing said lightheartedly, turning the moment into a jest.
Were it not for his age advantage, Da Qing wouldn’t have maintained his lead over the others for so long prior.
"Jiu, though, it’s been years since I’ve seen you, and you’ve already surpassed us by an entire major realm!"
Hearing this, Li Zhirui chuckled and responded, "I’ll wait for you all to catch up."
"I’d wager we won’t catch up at all. With Jiu’s cultivation speed, you’ll probably achieve Immortality long before we do!" Xiaoqing remarked with genuine admiration.
"Hahaha!"
The statement elicited a wave of hearty laughter from the group.
Li Zhirui shook his head faintly and said, "Da Qing, focus on stabilizing your cultivation realm. There’s a Seventh-Order Secret Realm awaiting your exploration a year from now. Don’t miss this chance."
"Understood."
Da Qing agreed, bid the others a brief farewell, then turned and entered his Cave Mansion to consolidate his realm and adapt to his cultivation.
The others dispersed as well, beginning their preparations for the Secret Realm exploration a year later. The Void Refinement Clan, in particular, had to exert extra effort. Despite their cultivation realms being inferior to that of Integration Realm cultivators, they planned to explore such a perilous Secret Realm. Without sufficient preparation, they were likely to lose their lives!
...
In a certain Immortal City.
"Have you heard? The Li Clan has gained control of a Seventh-Order Secret Realm and is allowing the factions that participated in the Mahayana Grand Ceremony to enter it."
"When has the Li Clan ever been so kind? They’re probably luring everyone in just to send them to their deaths."
"I think so too. A Seventh-Order Secret Realm is incredibly valuable. With the Li Clan’s heritage, why wouldn’t they keep it for themselves? Why would they share it with others?"
"Hmph! What do you know?"
A white-robed cultivator, wearing a proud expression, said, "That Seventh-Order Secret Realm wasn’t originally under the Li Clan’s control but belonged to another faction. The latter made some demands, and perhaps, being too weak to protect the Secret Realm, decided to let the Li Clan take the lead while they collected some Spiritual Objects in return."
"So that’s the reason. No wonder the Li Clan is so generous."
The other cultivators suddenly understood.
"I heard that after the grand ceremony, the Li Clan even hosted a massive auction. I wonder what precious Spiritual Objects were showcased. Fellow Daoist, why not share the details so we may broaden our horizons?" a cultivator suddenly asked.
"Indeed, with a demeanor as charming and extraordinary as yours, Fellow Daoist, you must have seen it all."
Most of the others were Individual Immortals skilled in discerning such characters. They could tell that this white-robed cultivator was relatively inexperienced and easy to flatter. Saying a few kind words cost them nothing.
The expression of the white-robed cultivator brightened at their flattering remarks. Wearing a proud smile, he began vividly recounting the events of the auction.
The crowd, listening intently, felt as though their horizons were significantly broadened.
"I wonder if I’ll have the opportunity to enter the Secret Realm next year?"
"Likely only the factions that participated in the auction will be allowed. Hah..." someone said with a sigh.
As loose cultivators, even if opportunities were to arise, they lacked the qualifications to seize them.
"We should give it a try when the time comes. Who knows, the Li Clan might allow us in. After all, if so many cultivators have already entered, a few more won’t make a difference."
"Exactly. Rumor has it the Secret Realm requires a large number of cultivators to explore and develop. We could offer to help."
Thus, many loose cultivators agreed to gather at Wanling Market in a year to try their luck.
If the Li Clan permitted them entry, it would be their golden opportunity. If not, it wouldn’t matter; surely the Li Clan wouldn’t slaughter them in front of so many witnesses.
Little did these Loose Cultivators realize the immense peril within a Seventh-Order Secret Realm. With their Divine Transformation or Void Refinement cultivation realms, few would return alive from such an endeavor.
The white-robed cultivator, listening to their discussion, quietly left and circled back to Mount Wanxian!
It was clear he had been dispatched by the Li Clan to spread the news among the loose cultivators.
Their purpose was to attract loose cultivators to the Secret Realm to clear out Devil Beasts.
Though the loose cultivators were weaker overall, their sheer numbers made them useful for handling lesser Devil Beasts, even if they couldn’t contend with the Great Devils.
And he wasn’t the only one spreading the word; there were many others like him.
...
Spring passed, and autumn arrived. A year flew by in the blink of an eye.
Months ago, Da Qing completed his realm stabilization and adapted to his cultivation. Like Xiaoqing and the others, he began preparing various Spiritual Objects.
This time, the Li Clan sent many members to the Secret Realm, including more than a dozen Integration Realm cultivators. Anyone who wished to enter was granted permission.
However, there were certain restrictions for the Void Refinement and Divine Transformation Clan members.
Jiang Fengwu, Da Qing, and others had no intention of forfeiting their chance to enter. The Secret Realm promised not only abundant Seventh-Order Devil Beasts for training but also rare, possibly extinct Spiritual Objects.
Finding just one such treasure could secure their cultivation resources for years to come.
On the appointed day, as the Li Clan cultivators set out, Li Zhirui personally saw them off.
"May your wishes be fulfilled, and may you return safely!"
Aside from this heartfelt blessing, there was little else Li Zhirui could do.
Of course, he had long prepared Precious Pills for rapid Mana recovery or life-and-death situations for the group.
Watching the enormous Cloud Boats ascend into the sky, disappearing into the horizon, Li Zhirui finally turned back.
For the foreseeable future, Li Zhirui would be the only Mahayana cultivator stationed at the Li Clan, with the rest being Divine Transformation or Void Refinement cultivators.
As such, Li Zhirui specifically instructed the clan members to conduct themselves cautiously during this period. Who could say if some cultivator, seeing the Li Clan’s weakened defenses, might harbor malicious intent?
He himself refrained from sinking into deep cultivation to ensure he could respond promptly to any emergencies, preventing things from spiraling out of control.
And indeed, Li Zhirui’s concern wasn’t unfounded!
Not long after the cultivators set out, chaos erupted in an Immortal City.
Fortunately, the Li Clan, having made preparations in advance, swiftly quelled the unrest with overwhelming force, executing the rogue cultivators and intimidating others with similar intentions.
In the meantime, the Cloud Boats, carrying numerous members of the Li Clan, soon arrived at Wanling Market.
From a distance, Jiang Fengwu and the others saw the vast assembly of cultivators outside the marketplace, numbering no fewer than ten thousand!
"So many loose cultivators trying to enter the Secret Realm? Are they not afraid of death?"
Among them, cultivators from various factions numbered around forty to fifty thousand, while the rest were all loose cultivators!
"Loose cultivators have no choice but to gamble their lives for a chance at survival," Jiang Fengwu remarked calmly.
Though it had been ages ago, she herself had once been a loose cultivator. The experiences of those times remained vividly etched in her memory.
