135: Chapter 135 Beyond the Secret Realm

The Xuanbing Secret Realm was about to close, and chaos reigned within.

Outside the Secret Realm, however, the scene was entirely different.

Across the entire ice plain, the forces of Ten Great Sects had long been guarding the exit of the Secret Realm, standing packed together in dense crowds.

In the very front row were the authoritative figures of each Sect—the Core Formation Masters. Each possessed a profound aura; just by standing there, the Spiritual Qi around them would churn, and ordinary Cultivators dared not even approach them.

Standing behind the Core Formation Masters were the Foundation Establishment Masters of each Sect, all with solemn expressions, their eyes fixed unwaveringly on the light gate at the exit of the Secret Realm.

One must know that the Xuanbing Secret Realm opened once every fifty years. Inside, there were not only precious medicines like the mysterious ice flower but also the legendary top-tier Legacy left behind by Fairy Bingpo. It was a monumental Opportunity that could instantly elevate a Sect's strength by a whole tier, and all of Ten Great Sects had their eyes on it; none wanted to let it slip away.

After the Xuanbing Secret Realm opened, the various Sects had guarded this place, waiting for the Secret Realm to close while concerning themselves with the gains of their own Disciples, and even more so with the elusive Legacy of Fairy Bingpo.

At this moment, the light gate at the exit of the Secret Realm began to flicker violently, ripples spreading across it. Anyone with a discerning eye could see that the Secret Realm was about to close, and the Disciples inside should be coming out soon.

Standing in the very center was the Core Formation Master of the Luoshui Sect. His surname was Zhou, and his Daoist title was Master Lanshui. He was the Grand Elder of the Luoshui Sect, possessed profound cultivation, and held great prestige throughout the entire Yunling Mountain Range. This time, he was specifically responsible for overseeing the exit of the Secret Realm.

Master Lanshui stood with his hands behind his back, his expression calm, yet deep in his eyes, a trace of impatience was hidden.

He knew better than anyone that the Luoshui Sect had not only sent its talented Disciples this time but had also let Luo Bing enter. Luo Bing was a seedling the Sect was focusing on cultivating, born with an Ice Spirit Body, which was most compatible with the Legacy of Fairy Bingpo. Her entry this time was aimed directly at that Legacy.

Beside Master Lanshui stood the Core Formation Masters of the other nine of the Nine Great Sects, each with a different expression—some expectant, some nervous, and others glaring at each other, the air thick with gunpowder.

In particular, the Core Formation Master of the Blazing Flame Sect, Master Xuanhuo, had always been at odds with Master Lanshui. One Sect primarily practiced water-element Cultivation Techniques, while the other practiced fire-element Cultivation Techniques; their attributes were mutually restrictive, leading to constant friction in daily life. This time, competing for the Legacy of Fairy Bingpo, they were even more like mortal enemies.

Master Xuanhuo glanced at Master Lanshui beside him, a mocking curl at the corner of his mouth, and was the first to speak, breaking the silence:

"Old Daoist Lanshui, your Luoshui Sect is determined to win this time, isn't it? You even sent in your most talented Luo Bing. Do you really think the Legacy of Fairy Bingpo can fall into the hands of your Luoshui Sect?"

Master Lanshui swept a faint glance at him, his tone neither salty nor bland:

"The Legacy goes to those destined for it. Luo Bing was born with an Ice Spirit Body and is naturally compatible with the Legacy of Fairy Bingpo. That is certainly better than your Blazing Flame Sect, a group of fire Cultivators, going in to blindly join in the fun. Lest you fail to obtain the Legacy and instead have your Foundation ruined by the cold Qi within the Secret Realm."

As soon as these words were spoken, Master Xuanhuo instantly exploded, his temper flaring up:

"Old Daoist Lanshui, stop acting so smug! We made a bet back then. If the Legacy of Fairy Bingpo is obtained by your Luoshui Sect this time, my Blazing Flame Sect will hand over the three Spirit Stone mines on the south side of the Yunling Mountain Range to your Luoshui Sect! But if the Legacy falls into the hands of another Sect, especially my Blazing Flame Sect, those two ice marrow mines of your Luoshui Sect must belong to my Blazing Flame Sect!"

Once these words were said, people from the surrounding Sects all pricked up their ears, their eyes brightening.

Everyone knew that the Luoshui Sect and the Blazing Flame Sect had long been at odds over resources and territory. Before entering the Secret Realm this time, the Masters of both Sects had even established a wager in front of all the Sects. The bet was on the ownership of the Legacy of Fairy Bingpo, and the stakes were astonishing—all of them were highly productive mines, enough to make any Sect green with envy.

The Core Formation Masters of the Houtu Sect, Iron Sword Sect, and other Sects nearby also spoke up one after another, either to watch the fun or to take the Opportunity to knock their opponents down a peg.

Master Muqing of the Houtu Sect stroked his beard and said slowly:

"My two old friends, calm down. The ownership of the Legacy is still unknown; perhaps it will be obtained by the Disciples of my Sect, who knows?"

"Give it a rest. The Houtu Sect has always specialized in defense and has absolutely nothing to do with the Legacy of Fairy Bingpo, so don't bother joining in this excitement."

The Core Formation Elder of the Iron Sword Sect sneered, his gaze fixed tightly on the exit of the Secret Realm.

"In my opinion, the Legacy might be seized by my Disciples. After all, my Disciples are peerless in offense, and they have never suffered losses when fighting for treasures in the Secret Realm."

For a time, the Immortal Masters of the various Sects argued back and forth, unable to reach a consensus. No one was willing to concede to the other, and the air was filled with a thick scent of gunpowder. If it weren't for their status, they probably would have already started fighting.

Behind them, those Foundation Establishment Masters, who were the managers of each Sect, also gathered together, whispering to each other.

"Do you think someone can really obtain the Legacy of Fairy Bingpo in the Secret Realm this time? That is an ancient Legacy; how many times has the Secret Realm opened, yet no one has ever been able to find where the Legacy is located."

"It's hard to say. This time, the Luoshui Sect's Luo Bing went in. Her Ice Spirit Body is too special; perhaps she might really be acknowledged by the Legacy."

"I think it's doubtful. The Secret Realm is extremely dangerous, and with the Disciples of the various Sects fighting each other, they might have already fought to the death. They probably haven't found the Legacy, but instead suffered heavy casualties."

"When our Sect's Disciples went in, they brought quite a few Magical Artifacts. They should be able to snatch quite a few mysterious ice flowers, right? That stuff is also good; it can be used to refine foundation establishment pills, and it's quite valuable."

"Don't even mention it. With so many people from the Nine Great Sects entering, all of them eyeing the treasures, it's not even certain who will come out alive, let alone snatching treasures."

The discussions rose and fell, and the Foundation Establishment Masters of each Sect had their own calculations in mind.

They were all managers; the gains of the Disciples in the Secret Realm were directly related to their status in the Sect. If the Disciples returned with a full harvest, they would have glory, and upon returning, they could also receive rewards from the Sect.

If the Disciples suffered heavy casualties and didn't obtain any benefits, they would definitely be punished by the Sect Master upon returning.

The two Old Ancestors of the Gao Family and the Sun Family, in particular, looked especially nervous.

They had made an agreement with Li Qing before setting off: the Luoshui Sect would take half of the mysterious ice flowers in the Secret Realm, and their two families would split eighty percent of the remainder. If Li Qing failed to obtain enough mysterious ice flowers, they would not only have worked in vain.

Although they believed in Li Qing's strength, the Secret Realm was, after all, fraught with danger!

Gao Qingxiong secretly tugged at Ancestor Sun Zhenhai and lowered his voice to say:

"Do you think that Li Qing can successfully obtain the mysterious ice flowers? There won't be any mishaps, right?"

Ancestor Sun Zhenhai frowned deeply and shook his head:

"It's hard to say. The Secret Realm is too chaotic, and Ten Great Sects are all fighting for it. As a lone individual, he might not necessarily be able to take advantage. I just hope there are no accidents. If the agreement isn't fulfilled, our two families will have no future successors."

The two looked at each other, both seeing the worry in the other's eyes. They no longer had the heart to speak and stared fixedly at the exit of the Secret Realm, waiting for Li Qing to come out.

Just at this moment, the light gate at the exit of the Secret Realm shone brightly, and immediately after, figure after figure stumbled out of the light gate in a wretched state.

The first to come out were the Disciples of the Nine Great Sects, each covered in wounds, their clothes tattered. Some had broken arms, some had broken legs, and others had pale faces and chaotic Spiritual Qi. They looked absolutely miserable, nowhere to be found was the high-spiritedness they had when they first entered the Secret Realm; they looked just like a group of refugees begging for food.

As soon as these Disciples came out, they collapsed onto the ground, gasping for air, their eyes still lingering with undissipated fear. It was evident that they had been extremely terrified in the Secret Realm.

"We're out! We're finally out!"

"That scared me to death! I never want to enter the Xuanbing Secret Realm again!"