112: Chapter 112 Qi Refining Perfection

Counting the days, it has been exactly ten days since the Xuanbing Secret Realm opened.

No one expected that the level of danger in this Secret Realm would far exceed everyone's previous expectations.

The freezing winds and snow blowing across the sky cut like knives against the body, and the seemingly flat ice surface underfoot could split open into a bottomless crevasse at any second, leaving no trace of a corpse if one fell in.

In some valleys, colorless and odorless poisonous mist drifts year-round; touching it corrodes one's Spiritual Qi, causing the body to fester and die.

In addition to the deadly environment, the Secret Realm hides countless bloodthirsty Yao Beasts. Each has adapted to the extreme cold, is exceptionally ferocious, and will target anyone who is not careful.

And the most insidious danger is the ill-intentioned Cultivators nearby, who would stab you in the back for even the smallest resource.

The harsh environment, ferocious Yao Beasts, and vicious human hearts—these three combined have turned this Xuanbing Secret Realm into a living Hell.

In this Xuanbing Secret Realm, several Disciples die every day at the hands of the environment due to collapsing ice, getting lost in wind and snow, or exposure to poisonous mist. Everyone is long since accustomed to it; after all, they can barely protect themselves, and no one has the time to care about the life or death of others.

A massive, snow-white Ice Plains Giant Wolf lies on the ground, tearing at the corpse of a Cultivator, the smell of blood mixing with the chill of the ice and snow, drifting far away.

The Cultivator's chest has been ripped open by the Yao Beast, blood still gushing out, and they are long since dead.

Not far away lies the corpse of an Ice Plains Bear, its head blasted to pieces by Spiritual Qi. Clearly, this was the Disciple's desperate final counterattack before death. Although they killed the Ice Plains Bear, they ultimately could not escape the sneak attack of the Ice Plains Giant Wolf, meeting their end with their Dao dissipated.

But compared to Yao Beasts, the malice and cruelty of human hearts are the most chilling. The number of Disciples who die at the hands of their own kind is far greater than those who die at the hands of Yao Beasts or the environment.

Outside a hidden cave deep in the Secret Realm, torn robes, mottled bloodstains, and a few drops of uncoagulated blood are scattered on the ground, clearly indicating a recent struggle.

A burly man with a fleshy face and fierce eyes holds a rusty long blade, its tip still dripping with blood. He glares viciously at the young girl in front of him and roars coldly:

"Hand over the mysterious ice flower in your hand right now, and I might just let you live!"

The young girl is covered in injuries, blood hanging from the corner of her mouth, and a wound deep enough to see bone on her arm. Her Spiritual Qi is nearly exhausted, yet she still clings tightly to the mysterious ice flower in her arms. This is the Spirit Medicine she risked her life to find; how could she possibly hand it over so easily?

She looks at the burly man before her, both angry and afraid, and curses through gritted teeth:

"You are too despicable! I clearly found this Spirit Medicine first, yet you actually ambushed me from behind!"

"Ambush?"

The burly man, upon hearing this, immediately lets out a hideous, grimacing laugh, his eyes full of disdain and greed.

"In this wretched Secret Realm, there is no such thing as first come, first served; might makes right! Hand over the mysterious ice flower obediently, and I will give you a quick end so you suffer less. If you dare to disobey, hehe, you'll have a hard time!"

As he speaks, he looks the young girl up and down, wearing a lecherous smile, his malice impossible to hide.

"You... you sham..."

The young girl is trembling with rage, but before she can finish her sentence, the burly man loses patience and no longer wants to waste words with her.

With a flick of his wrist, the burly man swings his long blade directly at the young girl. The attack is fast and ruthless, giving her no chance to resist at all.

"Ah!"

A shrill, miserable scream pierces the dense forest, and blood instantly splashes onto the snow, blooming like a dazzling red flower.

The young girl falls straight to the ground, dead on the spot, and the mysterious ice flower she was protecting in her arms is snatched away by the burly man.

Clutching the precious mysterious ice flower, the burly man doesn't even look at the corpse on the ground, nor does he wipe the blood from his blade. He dives into the dense forest without looking back, disappearing in the blink of an eye.

Before leaving, he spits fiercely, his mind full of greedy calculations:

"Pah! With this mysterious ice flower, my chances of Foundation Establishment have increased a bit more. Once I achieve Foundation Establishment and my cultivation level rises, what kind of woman can't I find? It's not worth wasting time on this girl!"

The greed, indifference, and cruelty of human nature are infinitely magnified in this lawless Secret Realm. Everyone is only concerned with seizing resources to survive; they would even stab a fellow Disciple they once cultivated with in the back.

Of course, not all Cultivators are struggling on the edge of death, living in constant fear.

In these ten days, there have also been many Cultivators with good luck and strong strength who have gained a full harvest and are thriving, showcasing the other side of the Secret Realm where opportunity and danger coexist.

By the edge of an ice lake in the Secret Realm, Spiritual Qi swirls, and light shimmers.

A young Cultivator dressed in exquisite brocade robes with an extraordinary air stands by the lake. At a glance, one can tell he is a Core Disciple of a major Sect, with profound cultivation.

He raises his hand and waves it, sending a condensed ice-blue Spell straight into the lake water. The originally shimmering lake surface instantly freezes at a speed visible to the naked eye, turning into a thick sheet of ice.

A top-grade ice lotus growing at the bottom of the lake is directly exposed to view. This ice lotus is even rarer than the mysterious ice flower, with much denser Spiritual Qi. It is a main ingredient for refining high-grade foundation establishment pills and could be sold for a sky-high price outside.

The young Cultivator's face shows joy. He carefully uses a Spell to harvest the ice lotus and cautiously puts it into his Storage Pouch, afraid of damaging it.

He is accompanied by two fellow Sect brothers. The three of them coordinate with great tacit understanding: one is responsible for scouting the path and checking for danger, one stands guard as a Protector, and one focuses on harvesting the Spirit Medicine, making them highly efficient.

Clearly, their Sect had long since done its homework on the Xuanbing Secret Realm. Everyone who entered is an elite Disciple with not-low cultivation, and they had formed teams in advance to look out for each other, avoiding most dangers.

Over these ten days, they have had a bountiful harvest, not only finding several rare Spirit Medicines but also picking up quite a few Spirit Stones and Magical Artifacts, living smoothly and without trouble.

On a dilapidated ancient altar in the Secret Realm, several Loose Cultivators are gathered around a broken stone tablet, trembling with excitement.

Under the stone tablet, they found a well-preserved Jade Slip, which actually contains a complete Foundation Establishment Cultivation Technique!

You must know that for them, Cultivators in the Qi Refining Stage, a Foundation Establishment Cultivation Technique is a rare treasure. Many Sect Disciples need quite a lot of Sect points to exchange for a single Foundation Establishment Cultivation Technique, let alone them, the Loose Cultivators.

The group is both surprised and happy. They agree to study the Jade Slip together, not keeping secrets from each other, and carefully put the Jade Slip away, filled with gratitude, feeling that this trip to the Secret Realm was worth it.

Besides those who are legitimately treasure hunting, there are also some malicious Cultivators who specialize in reaping without sowing. They form small looting teams in groups of three or five, not looking for Spirit Medicine or killing Yao Beasts, but specifically hiding in the ice, snow, and dense forests, targeting those lone Cultivators.

Once a lone Cultivator finally finds resources, they jump out to kill and rob them, using ruthless means with absolutely no bottom line. After robbing them, they change locations, becoming a cancer that everyone in the Secret Realm fears.

For ten full days, the Xuanbing Secret Realm has been staging all kinds of human life.

Meanwhile, Li Qing is sitting cross-legged on a meditation cushion in the training room, fully immersed in Cultivation.

After several consecutive days of seclusion, he has refined the medicinal power of five top-grade qi gathering pills. The Spiritual Qi within his body has continuously washed over his Meridians, and finally, at this moment, he breaks through the final barrier.

Li Qing suddenly opens his eyes, two rays of sharp light flashing and disappearing. A thick, steady, and powerful Aura belonging to Qi Refining Perfection bursts forth from his body, sweeping through the entire training room!

He has finally succeeded in his Breakthrough, firmly stepping into the Qi Refining Perfection Realm, taking a big step closer to Foundation Establishment!