Chapter 181

The two stared at each other, and among the cultivators who heard their conversation, someone couldn't help but say, "Daoist friend, most likely this hall cannot retain anything; everything has been taken away."

He wanted to say they were too greedy to be tolerated, but then saw Elder Qian jump down from the celestial crane and immediately changed his tone to snatch the crane.

"Are you feeling better? Hold on; we'll go down to gather some spirit trees and spirit fruits." Elder Qian had already seen that the people who had previously gone up to the second floor were flying into the mid‑mountain spirit‑plant area.

Jiang Tu, however, said, "They're all below the seventh tier; collecting them wastes time. Let's leave quickly and find another place to hunt for treasure."

It was having a great time looting tonight; regardless of how much it took, the main point was that it was fun.

Elder Qian naturally disagreed, "When you go out, it's best to form a team, especially when we have treasures on us."

Seventh‑tier spirit trees are still very precious to our human race.

Jiang Yu thought Elder Qian's suggestion was pragmatic, so she ran elsewhere, where eight percent of her assets had already been swindled.

On the contrary, this place was abundant with treasures, the water plants were lush, and because no one had entered for years, the spirit‑plant quality was superb, so she readily agreed.

They descended less than half a step when Xu Wu and her master Huangfu Zhenren caught up, and the four of them teamed up to collect spirit plants.

Because of daytime patrols, everyone had a clear sense of what each area contained, even without saying it outright; it was roughly the same.

Huangfu Zhenren was a female cultivator of striking beauty, though she usually dressed in masculine attire.

When everyone found a few ten‑thousand‑year giant trees and began harvesting with spells, she asked Jiang Yu, "I heard you often practice swordsmanship; why haven't I seen you use a sword in combat?"

That handle‑less spirit sword, though flawed, could be taken out of the cave this time to trade some materials with other Daoists for a sword hilt.

Jiang Yu replied honestly, "Senior, that sword has already been given away; there's no need to forge anything else."

The junior, however, often admires the Ten Thousand Swords Sect's reputation for forging magical swords, and might someday return to that esteemed sect to craft a sword blank.

"A life‑destined treasure?" Huangfu Zhenren thought of it immediately.

Jiang Yu nodded gravely, "The sword, king of a hundred weapons, feels natural in hand."

In fact, she hadn't refined her body much; she was more of a method cultivator, and weapons like knives and spears were too heavy for her.

When she mentioned this, Huangfu Zhenren smiled, "The sword is indeed essential to learn."

To cultivate it, there are abundant experiences from seniors to reference.

However, it's best, under suitable conditions, to amass high‑grade materials so that a solid foundation for a magical sword can be forged, and after forming a Nascent Soul, additional materials can be added for upgrades.

"If the foundation is strong, could anyone someday refine the sword to a spirit‑treasure level?" Jiang Yu hoped the Ten Thousand Swords Sect had ten‑thousand members, so she could give a piece of Geng Metal to her master.

"Ahem, Jiang Yu, if you wish to invoke the True Lord of the Nascent Soul to fire the furnace, you'll need peerless prime material." Elder Qian deliberately interrupted their conversation; the little girl's ideas were unusual.

Seeking a core‑pill to recommend the Nascent Soul gave the impression of distrust while still needing others' assistance.

Jiang Yu was jolted awake by the elder's glance and immediately changed her tone to Huangfu Zhenren, stopping the rambling and no longer mentioning sword forging.

As they discovered the ten‑thousand‑year red‑crown tree, more and more cultivators descended the mountain, searching at mid‑mountain and foothills for the spirit plants they most desired.

Everyone scattered like droplets in the sea, leaving not a single ripple.

But when Jiang Yu's party of four took away four ten‑thousand‑year giant trees, the Celestial Crane Mountain forcefully expelled them from the great formation.

Here, Jiang Tu was not considered; the trees he harvested were directly added to Jiang Yu's body, since their auras were merged.

Indeed, after the cultivators entered, the mountain‑guard formation sealed itself again.

They and Jiang Tu fell outside the formation, and at the foothill a cluster of tents appeared, housing spatial cultivation huts.

Elder Qian released a spatial cultivation hut and invited Huangfu and his disciple to stay.

Since it was already occupied, they obviously couldn't stay, which turned out cheap for Jiang Yu and Jiang Tu—each took a room.

But after a short while, Jiang Tu came to Jiang Yu again. "Sigh, I've claimed a bed; I'll stay with you after all."

"Tell me, after returning to the sect, do you want to switch to a larger cultivation hut, like Elder Qian's which has multiple rooms?"

"No matter how big, it's just one bed to sleep on; we should rest quickly, and when everyone emerges, we'll have to travel at night." Jiang Yu touched the four pieces of Geng Metal again, thinking they were enough for her to forge her life‑destined sword.

Jiang Tu cautiously asked, "Do we need a large troop as well?"

"No, it's just the usual splitting and rejoining within the secret realm." Jiang Yu had already placed the Geng Metal, closed her eyes, and began practicing the Starry Celestial Technique.

After she settled down, the still‑energetic Jiang Tu entered the Dragon Pearl to arrange the formation array.

He had thought it was merely a low‑rank cultivator's practice piece, but unexpectedly it also contained several high‑tier array formations.

When Jiang Tu tried to call Jiang Yu, he found she was fully immersed in the operation of her method, so he didn't disturb her; instead he sorted things once more and, together with some items from the wooden hut, placed everything into Jiang Yu's storage ring.

Night fell, moonless, only countless stars radiated their light, speckles of starlight sprinkling over the mountain and the human tents.

Elsewhere in the secret realm, it was far from peaceful; everyone was either battling for treasure or battling to obtain treasure.

Even worse, some were trapped in mechanisms or formations, unable to get out.

For example, Lin Yuan and two senior sisters were underwater; although they had obtained a treasure‑granting technique through a minor chance, they couldn't remain trapped there forever.

Various methods were tried, yet the confinement formation showed not a single crack.

However, this gave Lu Ruochan ample time to rest; her cultivation had fully recovered, though her complexion was slightly pale, likely needing a period to replenish blood‑Qi.

When Lin Yuan saw Xia Bing wielding a sheathed sword and stirring about, an idea suddenly struck him.

"Sister Xia, could you use your Ice Chi Sword to freeze a small patch of the formation's light?"

"Huh? If you activate the protective law, I'll strike with the sword to freeze, then break the ice, and the formation's light shield will also crack." Xia Bing had thought of it, but she intended to freeze the entire formation's shield.

Unfortunately, her cultivation was limited, and she couldn't accomplish it at that moment.

Lin Yuan's suggestion was excellent; after she agreed, the two acted swiftly, and Lu Ruochan naturally joined.

In an instant, the two initiated an attack on the great formation; Xia Bing quickly selected a spot about a zhang wide, and with spiritual energy she drove the Ice Chi Sword in a fierce slash.

Immediately the surrounding temperature dropped, and a small sheet of ice formed on the formation's light shield.

The three simultaneously launched fireballs; the moment they shattered the frozen spot, the water‑based confinement formation cracked open by about a zhang.

"Quick!" Xia Bing punched again, fully clearing the breach, and the three leapt out in succession.

Before they could even break the water's surface, a seventh‑tier giant fish swam before them, and the three: …

Meanwhile, Jiang Yu was still there; after a full day of practicing the Starry Celestial Technique, her spirit was full, only a bit sleepy, but otherwise fine.

Before long, everyone inside the mountain teleported out, and, as expected, the groups quickly departed.

The people with Jiang Yu are all disciples of the Dao Sect on the Tianyuan Continent.

Everyone was flying low on their swords, and from time to time someone would draw near to exchange voice transmissions, after which a piece of news began to spread.

"Jiang Yu, someone from the East Continent cultivators heard that you obtained Geng Metal; you must be careful from now on." Xu Wu immediately went to find Jiang Yu to report the news.

Jiang Yu secretly startled, guessing it was that cultivator who had almost bumped into her on the second floor who had leaked it.

She had already put it away as quickly as possible, but still gave herself away: "Of course, but everyone has some great treasure in their hands; even if someone tried to openly rob us, we wouldn't be afraid."