Chapter 1098: Massive Loot! Return!

"Jingming, the secret realm is collapsing—should we leave now?"

Compared to the panic of other ninth-rank cultivators, Ling Shuang was remarkably calm.

With her spatial ability, just a few teleports would get them out of the secret realm.

No danger at all.

"How long until the secret realm collapses completely?" Xu Jingming mused.

The main boss had already been slain; if he didn't take the spoils, he still couldn't let it go.

"About two more hours—but if I intervene to stabilize it, I can extend the collapse to four hours."

Ling Shuang closed her eyes slightly, sensing carefully before speaking.

"Four hours is enough."

Xu Jingming nodded slightly, "Eva, take control of all the Flowgold Guardians and collect the Greenwood Essence!"

"Qingli, Senior Brother, you two help me gather it too."

"Understood."

The group nodded in unison.

Dozens of Flowgold Guardians were pulled from Xu Jingming's space ring, controlled by Eva as they descended to collect the Greenwood Essence.

Ling Shuang ascended into the sky, her slender frame radiating vast spatial power to slow the secret realm's collapse.

Su Qingli and the Moonshadow Cleric flew farther out, slaying War Ancient Trees to collect Greenwood Essence.

"Fortunately, the Greenwood Essence in this giant ancient tree wasn't erased by Doushen Shenlei."

Xu Jingming flew to the ground, gathering Greenwood Essence from segments of wood that were either burning or still crackling with residual lightning.

It was clearly visible that the Greenwood Essence inside this quasi-ultimate-tier War Ancient Tree was far superior to ordinary Greenwood Essence.

"With this haul, I might even push the Ironthread Lotus to quasi-ultimate tier."

Xu Jingming's eyes flickered as he activated his movement technique to gather the remaining Greenwood Essence.

Three hours later, the entire secret realm had become utterly ruined, with massive spatial fissures visible everywhere.

Like black holes, the spatial fissures continuously devoured the entire secret realm.

Ling Shuang, hovering midair, was drenched in sweat—clearly, slowing the collapse was extremely taxing.

"Time's up, Teacher Ling—let's go."

Xu Jingming gathered all the Flowgold Guardians; Su Qingli and the Moonshadow Cleric returned from afar.

"Alright."

Ling Shuang exhaled softly, and a spatial gate appeared out of thin air.

Xu Jingming and the others stepped into it, their figures vanishing instantly.

Boom—

Without Ling Shuang's support, the collapse of the secret realm's space accelerated visibly...

Outside, the sky was boundless and cloudless, brilliantly clear.

Beneath the heavens, dozens of ninth-rank cultivators, plus Zhou Yuanwu and nine other ultimate-tier experts, stood in place.

Most ninth-ranks had already escaped the secret realm; those still inside would never make it out.

At this moment, all present ultimate-tier experts and ninth-ranks had learned the situation inside the secret realm from those who had witnessed it.

Alien corpses! Space rings!

The greatest opportunity of this secret realm had fallen into Xu Jingming's hands!

And he hadn't escaped yet.

Aside from the Xia Dynasty and the Xinhuo Divine Temple's experts, the other ultimate-tier factions were delighted by this.

Since this opportunity hadn't landed with them, they'd rather see it lost forever in the collapsing realm—better no one got it.

More crucially, they now knew the astonishing combat power Xu Jingming had displayed inside the secret realm.

If Xu Jingming himself couldn't escape, they'd lose a threat—and naturally, they were pleased.

"Wait ten more minutes. If Xu Jingming hasn't come out, I'll enter the secret realm myself."

Zhou Yuanwu's voice boomed like muffled thunder, causing the surrounding air to freeze.

The Xia Dynasty's ninth-rank experts exchanged glances, but none dared speak up to dissuade him.

Everyone knew this ultimate-tier expert's unbending nature.

They also understood what the chaotic spatial fissures inside the collapsing realm meant—even an ultimate-tier expert entering wouldn't guarantee a safe return.

Time ticked away second by second; the atmosphere grew so solemn it could be squeezed dry.

Just as the ninth minute was about to end.

Zhou Yuanwu's chiseled face suddenly relaxed, a smile tugging at his lips:

"He's out."

Just those few words lifted the weight off every Xia Dynasty expert.

All turned their heads sharply toward the spatial gate.

Hum!

The space violently trembled as a tall, spear-like figure stepped out first.

The young man stood nearly one meter ninety, his black combat suit still streaked with black lightning.

Behind him, Su Qingli, Ling Shuang, and the Moonshadow Cleric followed like stars circling the moon.

Instantly, ninth-ranks from other nations fixed their gazes on him.

Their gazes held regret, wariness, shock—each emotion different.

They knew: with this return, Xu Jingming would be unquestionably the strongest under the ultimate tier.

"Back." Xu Jingming exhaled softly.

Boom—!

Just after they fully emerged, the space gate behind them could no longer hold.

As the secret realm's space collapsed and shattered, it vanished completely into midair.

Xu Jingming turned to look back, his eyes reflecting the final radiance of the ten-thousand-year secret realm.

"A secret realm from ten thousand years ago... what a pity." He murmured softly.

Fortunately, all resources within the secret realm had been secured; otherwise, it would have been a devastating loss.

"Hmph!"

A cold snort suddenly broke the silence; Evelyn of the United States wore a frosty expression.

Her golden hair stirred without wind, her slender figure gradually fading amid spatial ripples.

The American elites behind her, having gained nothing, felt as if granted pardon and hurriedly withdrew.

Flame Divine Sovereign Lei Ding cast a deep glance at Xu Jingming, then vanished and departed.

Seeing this, other factions also dissolved into streaks of light and scattered.

"Jingming, come to the Ember Divine Temple when you have time."

As Yemose rejoined the group, her mental voice echoed in Xu Jingming's mind.

"Teacher, let's go together."

Watching Yemose prepare to return to the Ember Divine Temple with its nine-grade cultivators, Xu Jingming smiled and spoke.

Yemose was his teacher, and this time she had fully supported him with the full strength of the Ember Divine Temple.

He naturally owed her fairness; he couldn't keep making her wait for him every time.

Upon hearing this, Yemose clearly showed a look of surprise, a flicker of emotion passing through her pale golden eyes.

She had not expected that, before Zhou Yuanwu, Xu Jingming would still treat her this way.

Yet she still hesitated—after all, Xu Jingming was from Great Xia.

"Since my younger brother says so, then come along."

Zhou Yuanwu noticed Yemose's concern and said cheerfully.

"Then good, you all return to the Ember Divine Temple first."

Yemose nodded slightly, instructing the Ember Divine Temple's nine-grade cultivators to depart first.

She herself then stepped lightly toward Xu Jingming.

In an instant, only the Great Xia and Void Divine Temple groups remained near the teleportation gate.

"Brother Zhou, what now?" Xu Jingming looked at Zhou Yuanwu.

"First return to Great Xia. Sister Ling, we'll need your help." Zhou Yuanwu smiled at Ling Shuang.

Even though he was a supreme starlight second-grade cultivator, before Ling Shuang's spatial ability, he was truly outmatched.

"No trouble at all. Everyone, gather together—I'll teleport you all back at once."

Ling Shuang's clear voice rang out; all Great Xia nine-grade cultivators, including Lord Xue Jian, gathered as one.

"Mass Teleportation!"

With a soft cry, vast spatial power surged from Ling Shuang.

A single teleportation spanned over two thousand kilometers; after five teleportations,

the group had returned from Gomoro, ten thousand kilometers away, straight back to Great Xia.

Lord Xue Jian and the other nine-grade cultivators departed separately, while Yemose, Xu Jingming, and their group followed Zhou Yuanwu back to Xia Meng.

They prepared to examine the elf's corpse and the space ring on her hand.

Xu Jingming had a feeling that this time, they might uncover something extraordinary.