Chapter 640: The Secret Realm of the Ancient Sect

However, for tens of thousands of years, although the "Profound Heaven Sect" has had many cultivators reach the peak of the Jin Dan stage, not one has broken through to the Nascent Soul realm, and they have ultimately been unable to reclaim the Feng Tianyuan Sea area from the hands of the demon beasts.

It was not until more than two thousand years ago, after Zhao Jibai succeeded as the Sect Master of the "Profound Heaven Sect," that he also came to the Feng Tianyuan Sea area twice in succession, entering the secret realm to search for spiritual items.

Originally, with his natural talent, having cultivated to the ninth layer of the Jin Dan stage before the age of three hundred, he also had no small hope of breaking through to the Nascent Soul realm.

It is only a pity that Heaven did not grant his wish; after Zhao Jibai emerged from this secret realm for the second time, on the road returning to the sect, he unfortunately encountered an encirclement by several formidable demon kings. After a bitter battle, he was severely injured, and after fleeing back here, he passed away not long after.

Furthermore, because the "Profound Heaven Sect" has spent so many years trying to cover up the secret of this secret realm, every generation of Sect Masters has passed it down only by word of mouth, and very few people within the sect are aware of this matter.

After Zhao Jibai passed away here, for so many years, no other cultivators from the "Profound Heaven Sect" have come searching, until Song Qingming, while evading the "Heavenly Wind Beast Tide," stumbled into this place and discovered his remains.

The reason why Zhao Jibai left this suicide note in his own storage magic treasure before he passed away was to clarify these matters.

Besides hoping that someone would find this place in the future and be able to bring his remains and belongings back to the "Profound Heaven Sect," it was also because he did not want the secret of this secret realm to be buried with him.

After finishing this suicide note, Song Qingming was also greatly shocked in his heart. He also never dared to imagine that in this inconspicuous stone chamber, there was actually a secret realm hidden that had been carved out of an independent space.

One must know that a secret realm developed by an ancient cultivator is basically a foundation that only sects above the Nascent Soul stage have the ability to possess.

The Xiaoyao Sect has been established for thousands of years, yet it cannot even possess the only Taiyuehu secret realm within its territory alone; it still needs to share it with other surrounding sects.

It is evident how precious this secret realm is. Once known by outsiders, even those major Nascent Soul sects in the cultivation world would be greatly tempted and come rushing to seize this place.

It is no wonder that the successive Sect Masters of the "Profound Heaven Sect" would place such importance on guarding this secret.

Compared to such a secret realm that can enhance the foundation of a Nascent Soul sect, these spiritual items in Zhao Jibai's storage magic treasure before his eyes, although also very precious, still have a large gap between the two.

Following the message left on the suicide note, Song Qingming quickly found a snow-white jade plaque magic treasure from the many relics left by Zhao Jibai, as well as a bamboo slip notebook recording the detailed situation of this secret realm.

Before long, Song Qingming, holding that white jade plaque, performed a spell, and after a burst of magic, this jade plaque quickly emitted a burst of spiritual light and flew into mid-air, subsequently automatically arriving at the location in the middle of the stone chamber, beginning to crazily absorb the surrounding heaven and earth spiritual energy.

A long time later, the white jade plaque, having absorbed its fill, began to rotate rapidly in mid-air, slowly forming a huge spiritual energy vortex over a zhang in diameter.

After carefully observing the spiritual energy vortex before him, Song Qingming performed a spell to test it again before raising his hand to retract it, taking the white jade plaque in mid-air back into his own hands.

Without the active guidance of the jade plaque, the huge spiritual energy vortex that had been constantly rotating in mid-air slowly stopped, then quickly disappeared, and the spiritual energy that had been surging into the cave dwelling gradually returned to normal.

"This spatial passage's barrier is still so formidable; I fear even ordinary Nascent Soul cultivators would find it difficult to break through. It truly came at a bad time!" After Song Qingming sighed lightly, he put the jade plaque and bamboo slip in his hand directly into his own storage magic treasure.

According to the records in Zhao Jibai's secret realm notebook, although there is no lack of many precious high-tier spiritual herbs and elixirs in this secret realm space, one can even find the main ingredients used for refining "Foundation Establishment Pills" inside.

However, this secret realm, like the "Taiyuehu Secret Realm," cannot be entered at any time; it also needs to wait for a specific time when the spatial barrier is weaker before it can be opened.

Originally, when the "Feng Tianyuan Sect" was still around, with the spiritual item for opening the secret realm left behind by that Nascent Soul late-stage Elder of the sect, it could be opened once every thirty years or so.

But after this ancient sect was destroyed, that spiritual item was also lost. The white jade plaque in Song Qingming's hand now is a replica made by a later Sect Master of the "Profound Heaven Sect" based on some records left by predecessors.

Using this replica spiritual item, although it can barely open this secret realm, the actual effect is relatively much worse, requiring about seventy or eighty years to open it once.

Song Qingming had just tested the spatial barrier to enter the secret realm and found it far more powerful than when the notebook recorded the secret realm could be opened. He estimated that it would take at least several more decades before he could attempt to reopen this secret realm.

Knowing that there was a secret realm right before him, yet being unable to enter it for the time being, this also made Song Qingming feel slightly disappointed in his heart, and he could not help but reveal a bit of helplessness. Sure enough, his luck was still slightly worse.

However, although he cannot successfully enter the secret realm now, he now knows this secret and has obtained the key to open the secret realm. As long as he waits patiently for several decades, he will definitely still have a chance to enter in the future.

Thinking of this, Song Qingming's mood finally calmed down, he put away the disappointment on his face, and refocused his gaze on the many precious spiritual items left by Zhao Jibai before him.

Regardless of whether there is a chance to enter that secret realm to search for treasure in the future, at least this predecessor before him still left behind quite a few good things for him.

After spending another half an hour carefully organizing the many spiritual items on the ground, Song Qingming slowly picked out all the spiritual items that were useful to him.

First and most conspicuous were those colorful spirit stones. After Song Qingming took inventory, he obtained a total of three top-grade spirit stones, one hundred and twenty-five mid-grade spirit stones, and more than ten thousand scattered low-grade spirit stones, which added up to a total value approaching sixty thousand.

Seeing the various spirit stones piled up like a mountain and flashing with bursts of five-colored spiritual light before him, Song Qingming's mood was also very comfortable. Whether it is a Qi Refining cultivator or a Jin Dan cultivator, no one would complain about having too many spirit stones.

After putting away these spirit stones, Song Qingming also found five magic treasures of the third tier or above in Zhao Jibai's storage magic treasure. Except for one that was already severely damaged and unusable, the other four were still intact.

Among them, the best in quality was a jade ruler magic treasure engraved with a white dragon, the "White Dragon Ruler," and a pair of golden rings the size of a palm, the "Golden Radiance Treasure Rings."

These two magic treasures, one for offense and one for defense, were both top-grade third-tier magic treasures of excellent quality and formidable power. When Song Qingming held these two magic treasures, he also could not put them down, and a trace of joy could not help but appear on his face.

The remaining two magic treasures were a third-tier mid-grade flying sword with quality similar to the "Ink White Sword" on Song Qingming's body, and a third-tier low-grade circular shield magic treasure.

Although the quality of these two magic treasures was not bad, and they could attract some Jin Dan cultivators to fight over them if placed in outside markets, they appeared relatively ordinary compared to the two magic treasures above.

Besides these four third-tier magic treasures of better quality, Song Qingming also dug out quite a few second-tier magic tools from these spiritual items.

However, because the materials used to refine these magic tools were not as good as magic treasures, having been in Zhao Jibai's storage bag for so many years, most of them were already covered in rust and unusable.

Song Qingming searched carefully for a while before finally finding only two or three of better quality that could still be used, and he put them away.

After putting these useful magic tools and magic treasures aside, Song Qingming picked out all the talismans that were emitting spiritual light from inside.

Compared to magic tools, as long as talismans are sealed with spiritual energy when refined, they can generally be preserved for a long time without being easily damaged.

It is just a pity that although there were quite a few talismans Song Qingming found on Zhao Jibai, they were basically all low-tier talismans, and there were only two high-tier talismans of the third tier or above, and both were third-tier low-grade talismans of average quality.

This also made Song Qingming, who had originally been very expectant of this type of spiritual item, reveal a trace of disappointment on his face.

He did not know if it was because Zhao Jibai had used up all the other high-tier talismans on his body in the final battle against the demon king's attack, or if he had forgotten to bring them when he went out.

Besides these spiritual items, Song Qingming also found a Jin Dan stage cultivation technique from the spiritual items left by Zhao Jibai, as well as some low-tier cultivation techniques that were more common in the market and some classics related to talisman making.

As for the remaining bottles, jars, and wooden boxes containing various spiritual medicines, spiritual herbs, and elixirs, after Song Qingming rummaged through them for a while, a bitter smile also appeared on his face as expected.

Although these spiritual items had all been sealed and preserved, the things inside had long since decayed with the passage of time, and even their original appearance could not be distinguished at all.

However, these were actually within Song Qingming's expectations from the beginning. After all, two thousand years had passed since Zhao Jibai passed away. Even fourth-tier or higher spiritual medicines would be very difficult to preserve for so long, let alone other low-tier spiritual items.

Looking at the various spiritual herbs and spiritual medicines in the wooden boxes that had all turned into black powder, a trace of regret also appeared on Song Qingming's face.

Among these spiritual medicines, there should have been quite a few that Zhao Jibai brought out from that secret realm, but it is a pity that they could no longer be recognized, and Song Qingming also did not know what good things he had brought out from inside.

From Zhao Jibai's storage magic treasure, he obtained nearly sixty thousand spirit stones and four third-tier magic treasures of high quality. Counting other spiritual items of lower value, the total was already nearly one hundred thousand spirit stones.

This was the biggest harvest Song Qingming had had in all his years of cultivation, besides his trip to the "Heaven-Reaching Tower" several decades ago.

When Song Qingming entered the "Heaven-Reaching Tower" back then, the reason he was able to harvest so many spiritual items, besides the help of the Fire Phoenix, was also because he himself had gone through several thousand dangers and fought life-and-death battles with demon cultivators several times before finally having some gains.

This time, Song Qingming was able to obtain these spiritual items on Zhao Jibai mainly because he had stumbled upon this place by chance while evading disaster.

Besides spending some effort to seal the "Golden Yang Five Thunder Formation" at the entrance, he basically did not encounter any major danger. Compared to that life-threatening trip to the "Heaven-Reaching Tower," Song Qingming's trip this time could be considered incomparably easy.

This also made Song Qingming feel a bit secretly fortunate for his good luck at this moment.

——

A brief intermission!

After putting away all the useful spiritual items he had picked out, Song Qingming found a cloth bag, wrapped up Zhao Jibai's remains on the ground, carefully placed them into his storage magic treasure, and then turned and walked out of this stone chamber.

In order to cover up this stone chamber well and not let other outsiders discover the secret here, Song Qingming was not in a hurry to leave this underground karst cave.

He first dismantled the "Golden Yang Five Thunder Formation" that was guarding the stone chamber outside, patiently spent quite some time restoring its original power, and then redeployed it in its original place.

Subsequently, he redeployed a second-tier top-grade concealment formation at the entrance of the stone cave outside, completely covering this stone cave, before he finally felt at ease.

Although the stone cave had already become an empty and abandoned cave dwelling after Song Qingming's handling.

But just in case someone stumbled into this place like him, attracting other high-tier cultivators to discover the secret of the secret realm inside the stone chamber, Song Qingming still patiently deployed several protective measures outside before leaving.

Fortunately, this stone chamber was located in an underground karst cave beneath the entire island, which was relatively very hidden; otherwise, no one would have found this place for two thousand years.

Plus, Song Qingming had restored the "Golden Yang Five Thunder Formation" at the entrance. Except for those powerhouses above the late stage of Jin Dan, even if ordinary cultivators could find this place, it would be impossible for them to have the life to enter.

After finishing these things, Song Qingming had also stayed under this karst cave for nearly a month. Seeing that there was nothing amiss, he left this place directly.

According to the guidance of the secret realm notebook left by Zhao Jibai, Song Qingming did not spend much effort to find a small water pool flooded by seawater in these karst caves that extended in all directions.

Song Qingming jumped directly into the water pool, performed a spell to use a "Water-Avoiding Technique," and then fled forward along a passage deep at the bottom of the pool.

After traveling downward for about twenty or thirty zhang, Song Qingming's eyes lit up, feeling as if he had already fled into the deep sea, and he hurriedly floated up to the water's surface.

After feeling the long-lost sunlight, Song Qingming scanned his surroundings and realized that he had already arrived at the other side of this island, and he could not help but sigh to himself.

"The entrance to this underground karst cave has always been hidden in the deep sea and covered by seawater all year round. It is no wonder that outsiders find it difficult to find this place."

After feeling his surroundings and finding no formidable demon beasts, Song Qingming immediately left the sea surface and flew onto a giant rock on the shore of the island not far away.

Carefully looking at this desolate island he was on, which did not look like anything special, Song Qingming recalled some things he had encountered when he came here, and it still felt like a dream even now.

From coming out full of confidence to hunt demon beasts, to encountering the "Heavenly Wind Beast Tide" and fleeing for his life to escape a disaster, to stumbling into the karst cave and finding a fortune left by a predecessor Jin Dan cultivator.

In these short two months, the things Song Qingming experienced were full of ups and downs and twists and turns, which also made him feel a bit unreal even now.

After standing in place for a good while, Song Qingming slowly raised his right hand, performed a spell to release his "Phantom Boat," and then jumped onto the flying boat, turning into a white light and disappearing from where he was.

After leaving this desolate island, Song Qingming did not want to look for the traces of the others, and the flying boat sped directly westward toward the near sea.

After separating from Li Xianyun and the others that day, everyone had agreed to return to Linggui Island to reunite. Although Song Qingming did not know if they had escaped the attack of the "Heavenly Wind Beast Tide" like him, more than a month had passed now, and if they were still alive, they should have returned long ago.

More than half a month later, at the port of Linggui Island.

A white light suddenly flew over quickly from the horizon and landed on a reef next to the port.

Song Qingming, standing at the position where he had set off a few months ago, looked at the familiar Linggui Island, the corners of his mouth curled up slightly, and a trace of a smile slowly appeared.

On the way back from the Feng Tianyuan Sea area, except for encountering a mid-stage Jin Dan demon king halfway, which Song Qingming quickly shook off, he did not encounter too much obstruction from demon beasts, and it could be considered a safe return to the relatively safe human territory.

Song Qingming, who had been rushing for the whole journey, was also a bit exhausted at this moment. After entering the city, he returned directly to the cave dwelling he had rented.

Just as he walked not far from the front of the cave dwelling, a very delicate figure ran quickly toward him.

"Senior! You are finally back, this is truly great."

Seeing Luo Li, who was full of excitement and coming toward him, Song Qingming rarely showed a smile at her and asked softly: "No one has come to my place recently, right!"

Before Song Qingming left the cave dwelling to go out hunting demons with Li Xianyun and the others, because the "Ice Fire Flood Dragon" had not finished advancing, he had left it in the cave dwelling.

To prevent anyone from forcibly breaking into his cave dwelling while he was away, Song Qingming had spent some spirit stones to ask Luo Li to look after the cave dwelling until he returned.

He asked her to come over and patrol every day, and once she discovered someone triggering the restrictions outside his cave dwelling, she was to immediately notify the cultivators responsible for managing the rented cave dwellings on Linggui Island below the mountain.

For Luo Li, who made a living on Linggui Island every day, just coming over to help look after Song Qingming's cave dwelling every day could earn her dozens of spirit stones. This was a rare good thing that fell from the sky, and she agreed without even thinking.

After hearing Song Qingming's inquiry, Luo Li hurriedly replied:

"Senior! A month ago, a senior came here to look for you several times, and even left me an address, telling me to notify him immediately when I saw you return. It seems there is some urgent matter to look for you.

Besides him, no one else has been here."

"Oh! What does this person look like? Tell me first." Song Qingming asked with a trace of curiosity.

"That senior is about the same height as you, and looks a bit cold..."

After Luo Li slowly described the general appearance of the senior who was anxiously looking for him, a trace of relief slowly appeared on Song Qingming's face.

The person who came here to look for him several times was none other than Li Xianyun, who had gone out hunting demons with him.

Hearing the news from Luo Li that Li Xianyun had already returned safely to Linggui Island, Song Qingming was also happy for him. He took out ten spirit stones and gave them to Luo Li, asking her to go help him send a message to Li Xianyun to report that he was safe.

Seeing the spirit stones Song Qingming took out, Luo Li waved her hand to decline, contrary to her usual behavior:

"Just helping to report a message, Senior doesn't need to give me so many spirit stones. You have already given me so many spirit stones before, if I take your spirit stones again, Luo Li would be too greedy!

Senior, don't worry, I will go help you send the message immediately. If you have any instructions, just contact me. If there is anything that needs spirit stones, I will take the initiative to say so."

Seeing this little girl's serious appearance, Song Qingming did not insist anymore. After putting away the spirit stones in his hand, he watched her leave quickly with a happy face.

"Knowing how to choose, knowing when to advance and retreat, this personality is really quite similar to mine!" After standing in place and laughing to himself, Song Qingming turned and came to the front of his cave dwelling.

After carefully checking the several restrictions he had set at the entrance of the cave dwelling and finding that no one had triggered them, Song Qingming felt at ease to open the restrictions and walk into the cave dwelling.

Just as he entered the door, a blue figure in mid-air flew toward him.

Seeing this! Song Qingming immediately released a golden protective shield in front of him, bouncing the blue figure that had suddenly attacked him back.

However, the next moment, when Song Qingming saw clearly what the thing that had just tried to "attack" him was, a trace of guilt immediately appeared on his face.

"Why is it you! Eh... this aura, you have already successfully broken through the realm!"

Seeing the "Ice Fire Flood Dragon" before him, which had grown several sizes larger and whose aura had changed greatly, Song Qingming suddenly felt a burst of surprise, and a trace of joy slowly appeared on his face.

The "Ice Fire Flood Dragon," which had been bounced to the ground on the side, looked at Song Qingming with some grievance, but still slowly crawled toward him and landed on Song Qingming's shoulder.

Having been away for several months, he did not expect that the "Ice Fire Flood Dragon" had also successfully advanced and broken through to the Foundation Establishment realm, which truly gave Song Qingming a not-so-small surprise.

Having spent quite a lot of his energy and consumed so many resources and spiritual items over so many years, he finally saw some results now, and Song Qingming was also very gratified in his heart.

For a demon beast with a relatively strong bloodline like the "Ice Fire Flood Dragon," once it grows up, its strength will definitely be several points more formidable than ordinary demon beasts. As long as Song Qingming is willing to spend more effort to cultivate it in the future, it will sooner or later be able to advance to the Jin Dan realm.

The "Ice Fire Flood Dragon," which had been stifled in the cave dwelling for a long time, immediately entangled itself around Song Qingming, its master, and refused to come down as soon as it saw him return.

It was not until Song Qingming took out a blood-red first-tier spirit fruit from his storage bag and threw it to it that it returned to the spirit beast bag with a satisfied face. (End of chapter)