Chapter 203: Black Sand Secret Realm

203. Chapter 203 Black Sand Secret Realm

"Such a rich life aura..."

Xiao Zhangqing reached out, and with a flick of his hand his magical power snatched the box from Yang Wei's grasp; even though his divine sense had already roughly sensed it earlier, he couldn't help but exclaim in amazement at this moment.

Such a rich life aura, even those third‑tier healing holy pills and Soul Transformation treasures are far inferior.

Xiao Zhangqing wasn't quite sure what this treasure was, but he could vaguely discern that it resembled the third‑tier "Jiaolong Essence Pill" he had obtained at the Liyang Immortal City auction. "This is probably the essence of a fourth‑tier spirit wood?"

Xiao Zhangqing was shocked.

Some special spirit woods, upon reaching the third tier, develop sentience and become spirit beasts, which can already be considered a type of demon beast.

However, unlike most demon beasts that are ferocious by nature, spirit woods that have become refined are generally gentle, and they remain rooted in one place, moving little—or rather, they find it hard to move.

For example, the divine tree of the Giant Wood Sect is just like that.

It is unknown whether, hundreds or thousands of years ago, at the founding of the Giant Wood Sect, it was already a top‑tier third‑tier spirit wood, and it has never been moved since. Its massive size, with branches and roots spreading nearly hundreds of li, allowed the Giant Wood Sect to build a huge immortal city around it.

The Giant Wood Sect's divine tree, being too massive to move, possesses virtually invincible defense.

Even an ordinary Nascent Soul True Lord arriving in person might not be able to obtain it.

Thus the Giant Wood Sect's inheritance is as steady as Mount Tai, and in a sense its standing is even more solid than that of the Seven Star Sword Sect and Xingyue Palace.

Although the Giant Wood Sect's external deterrence is insufficient, as long as the divine tree exists, its inheritance will not be broken.

Meanwhile, the Seven Star Sword Sect and Xingyue Palace, though they intimidate the Da Yu Cultivation World, have jointly suppressed all sects for centuries.

But if one day the Nascent Soul Old Ancestors of these two great sects were to fall unexpectedly, or their lifespan ran out, and no new Nascent Soul True Lords emerged, it can almost be foreseen that these sects would not only lose their power dramatically but might even be wiped out, ending their lineage! In the Da Yu Cultivation World, it has only been in the past few hundred years that the Seven Star Sword Sect and Xingyue Palace have dominated.

A thousand years ago there were other Nascent Soul sects and families, but they have long faded into oblivion.

The lifespan of most Nascent Soul True Lords is only a few hundred years, never exceeding a thousand.

The Giant Wood Sect's divine tree, however, will persist for thousands or even tens of thousands of years if nothing goes wrong! At the same cultivation level, demon beasts often have lifespans far longer than human cultivators.

And spirit wood spirit beasts have even longer lifespans than demon beasts! "Where did you two siblings obtain this treasure?" Xiao Zhangqing couldn't help but ask.

Yang Wei felt a surge of resentment, but his eyes dared not betray a hint.

He who understands the times is a hero.

Now he also sees the situation clearly; the mysterious cultivator before him has unfathomable cultivation and power. Even if their Yang Family Fortress's Fake Core Old Ancestor came, it would likely be in vain, unable to reclaim this ten‑thousand‑year plant spirit.

"Reporting to the senior, this is what my sibling and I accidentally discovered in the Black Sand Secret Realm..."

Yang Wei dared not conceal or lie, and he recounted the whole cause and effect of obtaining the treasure.

The Black Sand Secret Realm opens for one month each year and is fairly renowned in the western region of the Da Yu Cultivation World. Although it lies within the Giant Wood Sect's jurisdiction, the secret realm is a natural marvel; no sect can claim it, and any cultivator who meets the criteria may enter to explore and seek opportunities.

The realm's level is not high; only cultivators at the Foundation Establishment Realm or below can enter.

Jie Dan True Person cannot enter and will be expelled outright.

Even a Fake Core True Person cannot.

Moreover, after countless years of exploration, the Black Sand Secret Realm no longer holds many great opportunities.

The various treasures cultivated inside mostly offer little help to Jie Dan cultivators. Only scattered cultivators and foundation‑level cultivators from second‑tier families or sects hold great expectations for the Black Sand Secret Realm, treating it as a rare chance.

For example, the Yang Family Fortress invariably sends foundation‑level cultivators into the Black Sand Secret Realm each year.

The Giant Wood Sect's foundation cultivators treat the Black Sand Secret Realm as an optional opportunity and do not scramble to enter.

As for top‑tier sects like the Seven Star Sword Sect, their foundation cultivators simply ignore it; perhaps only after several years would a disciple feel like exploring the Black Sand Secret Realm.

However, in the past ten‑plus years, whether the Giant Wood Sect has uncovered some clue, they have suddenly increased their exploration of the Black Sand Secret Realm, sending several times more foundation cultivators each year.

Of course.

Because the realm has no owner, even though the Giant Wood Sect dominates the western region, it cannot seal it off as private territory.

Factions like the Yang Family Fortress still send large numbers of foundation cultivators into the Black Sand Secret Realm each year.

What the Yang siblings didn't know is that after leaving the Black Sand Secret Realm, they were inexplicably targeted by members of the Giant Wood Sect.

At first, the Giant Wood Sect's people were quite courteous, offering to purchase the siblings' findings from the realm with Spirit Stones, and their price was rather generous, showing ample sincerity.

But when the Yang siblings refused and declined the trade, they were immediately pursued for death.

Initially the situation was manageable; only two foundation cultivators chased them, so the escape wasn't too pressured.

But as time passed, more and more Giant Wood Sect disciples surrounded and blocked them.

Had Xiao Zhangqing not suddenly appeared, the Yang siblings would certainly not have made it back to the Yang Family Fortress and would have been killed and robbed by Giant Wood Sect disciples.

"It seems the Giant Wood Sect had long noticed the Black Sand Secret Realm's anomaly, realizing that recent years might yield treasures far beyond the past..."

Xiao Zhangqing inferred silently.

The Giant Wood Sect clearly made two preparations.

First, they dispatched many of their own foundation cultivators into the realm to hunt for treasures, hoping to find them directly; second, they strictly monitored all entrants, and if any cultivator seemed off, they would employ forceful tactics to seize the loot.

"The Black Sand Secret Realm seems to hold a great secret..."

A thoughtful expression flickered in Xiao Zhangqing's eyes.

Come to think of it, he is merely a foundation cultivator, meeting the criteria to enter the Black Sand Secret Realm.

He just didn't know whether, besides the fourth‑tier spirit wood essence, the realm contained any other supreme treasures.

If there were other similar supreme treasures, even if not as precious as the fourth‑tier spirit wood, their slightly lower value would still make exploration worthwhile.

With his strength, various methods, and divine sense, entering the Black Sand Secret Realm is like walking through an uninhabited land; any remaining treasure would be hard for him not to discover.

Anyway, he's not in a hurry; he can fetch the Condensing True Pill from the Dan Dao Alliance whenever, a delay of two or three months is no big deal.

Just as Xiao Zhangqing was getting motivated, intending to seize a few severely wounded Giant Wood Sect members for interrogation about the Black Sand Secret Realm's details, the Giant Wood Sect members suddenly seemed to receive some information, their faces breaking into delighted expressions.

Xiao Zhangqing also sensed something, lifted his head and looked westward.

A flash of light was rushing toward him... (End of Chapter)