Chapter 20

Various sects have carried out two inspections, but it's impossible to finish them.

Moreover, some people, seeking advancement, have recently turned to demonic cultivation.

Perhaps it's because they recently heard that the Dao and demon sides announced a formal ceasefire, and they have popped up again.

The Cangshan secret realm recognizes only the token, not the person—not to mention that loose cultivators will resell them, even inside the sect there are people who resell them. Lin Yuan also wasn't sure why the secret realm entrance couldn't detect demonic cultivators.

Jiang Yu naturally knows that the sect's quota for loose cultivators will certainly have someone reselling it.

But for demonic cultivators to sneak in among a hundred loose cultivators and also want to steal the ore is truly unwise.

"Senior Brother, do you know? In the past, the various sects recruited disciples near Tiannan, conducting separate trials; why are they combined this time?"

"I'm not entirely sure about that either." Lin Yuan didn't expect Jiang Yu to suddenly turn to this question.

And having received his uncle's message to go to the Tiannan Mountains for trials, he could only obey; he also couldn't ask about the reasons.

But he could guess somewhat: "In the past few years, the various sects have suffered many casualties, and resources have been depleted considerably."

Moreover, if it were like before, with separate trials held in the same period, everyone who failed to pass one sect's trial couldn't go to another sect.

When combined, applicants who fail to get into one sect still have a chance to choose another.

And the various sects can quickly replenish their personnel.

"It can't be that simple." Jiang Yu expressed slight doubt.

Lin Yuan fell silent for a moment, then said: "Regardless of whether there is any deeper meaning, we currently can't control it."

"Doing our best to advance our cultivation is the priority."

"So, let's bid farewell to Senior Sister Tang, gather more century-old spiritual herbs to exchange for more cultivation resources." Jiang Yu had consumed many talisman scrolls during her recent duel.

Even though she can draw talismans, blank talisman paper still needs to be bought with spirit stones, which are all costs.

"…" Lin Yuan felt a bit dazed; Junior Sister Jiang's sudden change of topic always caught him off guard.

"Senior Sister Lu wants to inspect the restrictions here; shouldn't we wait for her?" He was referring to Lu Chenxia.

Only then did Jiang Yu notice that Lu Chenxia was aboard the flying vessel of Senior Sister Tang, Senior Brother Cao, and others, now circling the mountaintop.

She hesitated slightly, then sent a sound transmission to Lu Ruochan, who was observing the mine entrance from a hundred meters away.

The latter ran over and said, "Senior Sister Lu said inspecting the restrictions will take at least three days."

"Let us go look for spiritual herbs; we don't need to wait for her."

But I think our harvest is already sufficient; there's no need to really gather spiritual herbs for seven days, right?

Seeing Jiang Yu's disapproving expression, she lowered her voice and said, "As the days go on, our sect's disciples become more eager, while the law enforcement team concentrates here and cannot patrol elsewhere."

If another incident like the Ye family's occurs, with a team forming to rob our own people, wouldn't we be working for nothing?

"If they dare to rob us, we'll fight back; at worst we'll activate the teleport and leave early."

"I will definitely go around again to draw a map of the secret realm." Jiang Yu looked at Lin Yuan; if he also chose to stay, she would act alone.

Lin Yuan nodded: "I also want to go around more, then turn in a new map; the sect also offers rewards."

Over the years, the secret realm has changed unpredictably, but the sect always hopes to find some pattern from each variation.

Take Wanflower Ridge, for example; the sect has discovered that it appears only once every hundred years, so that place has the most century-old or older spiritual herbs.

But in the past, disciples had to fight demonic birds for a long time before they could harvest them.

This time they've basically picked up a great bargain.

"Are you really leaving?" Lu Ruochan hesitated for a moment, feeling it safer to stay beside Lu Chenxia.

Jiang Yu nodded firmly: "No problem, rest two days; if you want to form a team to gather herbs again, just send me a message."

Cultivators are mostly people of action; the two flew away from the spirit mine as Lu Ruochan waved goodbye.

The following days were uneventful; Jiang Yu and Lin Yuan avoided crowded places, choosing a direction where century-old spiritual herbs were very scarce, and to obtain them they had fought several battles with demonic beasts.

Finally, in a desert rarely visited by people, they gathered some refined iron and century-old or older spiritual herbs and fruits.

To that end, they first fought desperately against the pursuit of red foxes and flame beasts.

Afterward, they were chased by a swarm of over ten thousand silver-winged fire ants, making them wish they could sprout wings and run.

Don't underestimate the ants' small size; when thousands upon thousands unite, they spray fire and bite, each bite leaving a fiery red pustule—goodness, what terror.

Fortunately, when the time came, the token automatically teleported them out of the secret realm.

At the entrance, a row of giant trees swayed gracefully in the deep autumn, yet they could not shake the hearts of the two Golden Core cultivators standing beneath them.

They were silently counting the number of disciples who had fallen out, to be received by over a hundred Foundation Establishment cultivators.

The secret realm is both a gift and a devouring beast; each time, for one reason or another, it causes those who enter to eternal sleep within it.

Disciples were flung down like rain; those with slightly weaker body techniques might even land headfirst.

Worse still, some fell into a kind of illusion and, upon dropping out, were still swinging their swords.

As for how Jiang Yu and Lin Yuan landed, it was also quite special—their robes burst with sparks and sizzling flowers.

"Good heavens, what demonic beast did you encounter?" Lu Ruochan ran over and, together with a Foundation Establishment uncle, extinguished the fire.

Jiang Yu wiped sand from her face: "Swarming silver-winged fire ants."

"…" If Lu Chenxia hadn't tugged her, Lu Ruochan would have said, "Even Golden Core cultivators don't lightly provoke winged fire ant swarms, yet you dared to face them."

Look, both of them have poisonous pustules on their hands and faces.

"Did you gather red sand dates?" The two Golden Core cultivators, including Master Tan, beckoned them closer.

He also gave them two top-grade detox pills: "Take them to expel the poison."

"We've gathered a dozen or so berry-like fruits, thank you, Elder Tan." Jiang Yu and Lin Yuan, who needed this most, immediately took out a few dates for her to check the year.

Master Tan, being an alchemist, loves collecting various medicinal ingredients; red sand date is an auxiliary ingredient for Dust-Reducing Pills, and it's not easy to obtain berry-like fruits that are a century old or older.

When Dust-Reducing Pills are taken together with Golden Core formation, they increase a cultivator's chance of forming a Golden Core.

She specially set up separate barriers for the two of them and gave each a bottle of top-grade Gathering Qi Pills so they could focus on healing their wounds.

Jiang Yu eagerly took the medicine to expel the poison; the red pustules were truly itchy and she wanted to scratch them—she hadn't noticed while fleeing, but once she relaxed, the discomfort became unbearable.

The top‑grade detox fruit really is powerful; after taking it for just half a quarter‑hour, the pimples on her hands and face vanished without a trace, not even a red dot remained.

Jiang Yu let out a long sigh; she didn't want to be youthful with a face marked by pimple scars.

Shao Qing, the entrance to the secret realm automatically closed, the disciples boarded the tower ship to return to the sect, and the free cultivators also boarded to hand over spiritual herbs.

This place is only two or three thousand li from the sect; Jiang Yu only needed a nap in the ship's hold and was already back at the sect.

After handing in the earnings and receiving merit points, she instantly repaid the loan and still managed to save 8,585 merit points.

Other demon‑beast materials and pelts also sold for over three thousand low‑grade spirit stones.

Of course, she didn't hand in ice and fire, because the Grand Void Sect only accepts medicinal spiritual herbs and fruits; other items she can handle herself.

Jiang Yu loved the sect's dedication and generosity; she happily bought the little turtle at home the spiritual beast pill it kept nagging for.

As soon as she entered the house, she presented a treasure: "Jiang Tu, a gift I brought for you."

But this time the little turtle didn't hop onto the pill bottle; instead it came close to her and sniffed back and forth: "What other special thing did you bring back?"

"A ball of fire wrapped in ten‑thousand‑year ice."

"Quickly take it out and see."