Chapter 308: Secret Realm Conspiracy
“Nascent Soul cultivators have stepped in!”
After returning to his cave abode, Lin Chang’an frowned tightly as he looked at the voice-transmission message Yun Yao had secretly sent him.
“The Mystic Yin Old Demon had clearly been in seclusion before, yet this time he came out. It seems this Secret Realm has truly attracted the attention of many people.”
Thinking about it carefully, it was understandable. Back then, the strength and foundation of the Sinister Soul Sect had not been inferior to the great powers among the Sixteen Sects of Zhenhai.
Or rather, at that time they should have been called the Twenty-four Sects of Zhenhai, among which the Sinister Soul Sect had been included.
With the foundation of such a Secret Realm, even Nascent Soul cultivators would be tempted.
“Troubled times indeed. Three years ago there were already rumors that Nascent Soul cultivators would step in, yet after waiting three years none appeared. Perhaps those old Nascent Soul monsters have been secretly plotting something behind the scenes.”
The recent movements surrounding the Secret Realm made Lin Chang’an deeply realize that only Nascent Soul cultivators truly had the qualifications to stir up storms in the world of cultivation.
Golden Core cultivators could only barely hold their ground within a certain region.
“Unfortunately, that level is still far beyond my ability to speculate about.”
Lin Chang’an shook his head and cast aside these thoughts. For now, the only thing he could do was cultivate and raise his strength as soon as possible.
“This trip yielded quite a decent harvest.”
With a solemn expression, Lin Chang’an took out the items he had exchanged for at the trading gathering.
A Spirit Jade that carried a trace of Clear Spirit Qi to assist cultivation, three Quasi–third-rank Puppets, a Second-rank Puppet Inheritance, and some ordinary materials.
These were all obtained from the trading gathering.
After all, not every Core Formation cultivator was as wealthy as he was. Most of them possessed no particular skill, and because they had families or descendants to support, they dared not easily risk their lives. As a result, their lives were often quite tight.
Perhaps the most valuable thing on them was just their Life-bound Magical Artifact.
“Puppets.”
Lin Chang’an finally fixed his gaze on the puppets.
There were three humanoid puppets. One held a bow and arrows, while the other two had their hands shaped like sharp claws.
When he activated them with his mana, the three puppets seemed to come alive, slowly standing up with creaking sounds.
The three puppets appeared almost to possess a kind of autonomous awareness, though their intelligence was low. They simply stared blankly at Lin Chang’an.
Using his spiritual sense to examine them while comparing them with the records in the Puppet Inheritance, Lin Chang’an nodded inwardly.
“The path of puppetry is rather sinister. Back in Yue Country, I once heard that the Ten-thousand-mile Yellow Sand Tribe bordering Shayun Kingdom was famous for its puppet techniques.”
Through the Guiding Technique, they extracted the souls from living beings, then used soul-condensing and soul-refining techniques to seal them into puppets.
That was the common method he knew for refining puppets.
But the Sinister Soul Sect actually used Sinister Spirits to refine puppets.
“To think such methods exist.”
Just by glancing through this Second-rank Puppet Inheritance of the Sinister Soul Sect, Lin Chang’an could not help but nod repeatedly.
The world of cultivation was vast indeed—there were truly countless strange techniques.
No wonder the Sinister Soul Sect had been classified among the demonic path. Their methods were indeed cruel.
There were even records describing methods of refining puppets using living humans.
“What a pity. It’s only a Second-rank Puppet Technique. For my current level, the help it provides is limited.”
The three puppets stood blankly to the side, while Lin Chang’an shook his head.
Puppetry was indeed a powerful craft. Some powerful Puppet Masters could produce hundreds of puppets of the same rank.
Imagine fighting an opponent of the same cultivation level, only for the other party to suddenly release hundreds of puppets with equivalent combat power.
Even sword cultivators or body cultivators would have to avoid such an onslaught.
“However, it’s not without drawbacks. Once a puppet is damaged, the cultivator must purchase materials to repair it. Over time, that becomes a considerable expense.
“In addition, the Spirit Stones consumed during battle are not cheap. And the number of puppets one can control simultaneously requires strong spiritual sense.”
That was not the most important weakness.
Though puppets were powerful, they were restrained by soul-based cultivation methods.
“These past three years, the third Mysterious Sky Withered Leaf has recovered much of its vitality. I’ve finally condensed the third external incarnation. I can use it to study puppetry as well.”
Lin Chang’an’s gaze flickered.
It was not that he wanted to learn broadly without specializing.
Rather, he simply lacked the capacity.
At present, he had already reached the Third Rank in the four major crafts of alchemy, talismans, formations, and artifact refinement.
At this stage, progress in these crafts had slowed considerably. One reason was the rarity of inheritances, and the other was the scarcity of materials.
The method he once relied on—improving skills simply through constant practice—was no longer viable.
Now he could only rely on seeking insights and experiences to improve.
“In the end, I’m still too weak. If only I had a complete Third-rank High-grade inheritance, why would things be so difficult?”
Lin Chang’an shook his head.
At this crucial moment, he had even taken out the nearly secret trump card Heavenfire Grand Formation, yet he still failed to draw out the Third-rank High-grade Formation Inheritance he wanted.
With a casual wave of his hand, the consciousness within the three puppets instantly plunged into darkness, their bodies stiffening as they stood motionless.
These three puppets were not particularly useful to him, so for now he decided to give them to the Sword Attendant for protection.
After all, these were troubled times.
From then on, Lin Chang’an ignored the outside turmoil and whatever preparations those Core Formation cultivators were making.
On Celestial Spring Peak, he continued cultivating as usual.
His three incarnations worked tirelessly on Blazing Fire Peak or within the Earthfire Cavern, diligently practicing their crafts.
Meanwhile, the Azure-Horned Ox leisurely soaked in the spirit pool each day while cultivating.
One month later, a powerful aura flashed within the Earthfire Cavern.
The Wind-Chirp Bird had finally broken through to the Mid-grade Third Rank.
This gave Lin Chang’an several more layers of assurance.
…
“I didn’t expect that you, Mystic Yin Old Ghost, would come out of seclusion as well.”
“Hehe… so it turns out the Sixth Elder of Bihai Palace has arrived in person.”
A thunderous sound suddenly erupted within the ghostly mist. A terrifying aura swept outward, shocking cultivators within a hundred miles.
“It’s a Nascent Soul cultivator!”
“Run!”
The terrifying aftershocks of the battle sent countless cultivators fleeing in panic.
In a fight between Nascent Soul cultivators, even a slight bit of bad luck could cause them to die from the shockwaves alone.
“Good! Good! Sixth Elder indeed. But there is one thing this old man must say to you: the Bihai Palace of today is not the same Bihai Palace of the past!”
Within the ghostly mist, a Nascent Soul cultivator cloaked in black robes spoke coldly while clutching his chest.
Opposite him, the Sixth Elder of Bihai Palace also had a somewhat damaged magical robe but sneered.
“Old ghost, then I also have something to say to you. No matter how weak Bihai Palace has become, taking you along with us would still be effortless.
“And besides, the Sixteen Sects of Zhenhai today are no longer the Twenty-four Sects of Zhenhai of the past.”
Hearing this, the sinister-faced Mystic Yin Old Demon bared his teeth in a cold smile.
“Fine! Sixth Elder, with Bihai Palace backing you and with such powerful magical artifacts and divine abilities, this old man admits defeat today.
“But the major powers of the Outer Sea are stirring. What are they suspecting?
“I believe I need not say more. I merely lead the Mystic Yin Divine Sect and earn some Spirit Stones for my disciples. Perhaps the two Palace Masters should come out of seclusion soon—only then can such chaos be stabilized.”
Faced with the Mystic Yin Old Demon’s insinuating words, the Sixth Elder’s expression turned ugly as he snorted coldly.
If the two Palace Masters were still present, would this old ghost dare act so boldly?
It seemed these old monsters intended to use this Secret Realm incident to test Bihai Palace again.
…
After the battle between the two Nascent Soul cultivators near the outer sea of the Secret Realm, the greed of countless cultivators was ignited.
Even Nascent Soul cultivators coveted this Secret Realm.
Some Core Formation cultivators who had still been hesitating now showed determination.
Of course, a portion of cultivators chose to enter seclusion and avoid this muddy water.
But many others—those with little lifespan remaining or those stuck at bottlenecks—resolutely set out on this journey.
When they first stepped onto the path of cultivation, they had already prepared for life and death.
Compared to quietly passing away in meditation, most cultivators would rather gamble everything in a desperate attempt.
…
Celestial Spring Peak.
“So you’re saying the Mystic Yin Old Demon only fought once with the Sixth Elder of Bihai Palace, and then went back into seclusion again?”
Inside the pavilion, Lin Chang’an looked at Yun Yao with surprise.
Ever since that incident, the situation surrounding the Secret Realm of the Sinister Soul Sect had grown increasingly unpredictable.
It had attracted countless cultivators.
Even those powerful rogue cultivators hidden deep within the Fog Sea of Tongtian had emerged.
Half a year after the event, Yun Yao secretly visited Lin Chang’an’s cave abode again and informed him that the Mystic Yin Old Demon had returned to seclusion.
Facing Lin Chang’an’s astonishment, Yun Yao nodded.
“That’s right. After fighting the Sixth Elder of Bihai Palace, the old demon reportedly held discussions with several other Nascent Soul old monsters before leaving with a dark expression.”
Knowing the Mystic Yin Old Demon had suffered a setback, Yun Yao showed a hint of satisfaction.
“It almost feels as if these people are deliberately attracting cultivators here.”
Lin Chang’an frowned slightly. Something felt wrong.
“I feel the same.”
Yun Yao also frowned.
“But opportunities like this are rare. Especially since the Sinister Soul Sect was once a famous Nascent Soul sect. I’ve heard that several Core Formation cultivators at the peak stage have already begun investigating secretly.
“They’re likely trying to seize that sliver of opportunity.”
Hearing this, Lin Chang’an sighed softly.
Yes, the opportunity to form the Nascent Soul was extremely rare.
Even if it was an abyss ahead, countless people would still rush forward.
“Brother Lin, I am determined to obtain the position of Saintess of the Demonic Sect this time. These are the intelligence reports about the Secret Realm gathered by the Demonic Sect, along with the restrictions discovered inside. I hope Brother Lin can help me.”
Seeing Yun Yao risking her life to explore the Secret Realm for that slim chance of survival, Lin Chang’an could only shake his head helplessly.
“I will do my best.”
Yun Yao then began consulting Lin Chang’an, the Mid-grade Third-rank Formation Master, about the restrictions discovered inside the Secret Realm.
Given their relationship, Yun Yao was not worried that Lin Chang’an would compete for treasures in the Secret Realm.
The problem was that she did not represent only herself.
Her identity was tied to the Mystic Yin Divine Sect. If Lin Chang’an entered the Secret Realm, information might be leaked.
Lin Chang’an understood this as well, so he helped her wholeheartedly with the problems she encountered.
“This restriction belongs to the Five Elements system. To break it, you should start searching from the northeastern sector…”
Lin Chang’an explained the method for breaking the restrictions with a serious expression, while Yun Yao listened attentively.
“Thank you, Brother Lin.”
Three days later, Yun Yao secretly left Celestial Spring Peak.
Only Lin Chang’an remained in the pavilion, frowning in thought.
“Even Nascent Soul cultivators are moving now. The situation is becoming increasingly chaotic. With my current strength, I clearly can’t keep up. I must increase my strength as quickly as possible.”
[Lifespan: 189/607]
[Realm: Early-stage Golden Core (68/100)]
Looking at his cultivation realm, Lin Chang’an shook his head.
Then he turned and entered the cave abode together with the Sword Attendant to cultivate through dual cultivation.
Not only did he need to grow stronger, but the Sword Attendant’s strength also needed to increase.
With the outside world so chaotic, if something happened to the Sword Attendant while she was outside, it would be a great loss.
…
Bihai Palace.
Inside a massive and magnificent hall, the imposing Chief Elder sat upright in his seat.
“Chief Elder, the Secret Realm of the Sinister Soul Sect has already attracted the attention of many forces. Even those rogue cultivators from the Outer Sea and the Fog Sea of Tongtian have emerged.”
Listening to the report, the Chief Elder could not help but reveal a mocking smile.
“The bait has only just been thrown out, yet a bunch of small fry that smelled it have already rushed over. These old foxes really won’t act without seeing the rabbit first.”
The Secret Realm attracting so many cultivators was, in fact, the work of these Nascent Soul powers.
They were using rogue cultivators as cannon fodder to probe the Secret Realm.
“Chief Elder, the Sixth Elder previously fought the Mystic Yin Old Demon and displayed the prestige of our Bihai Palace…”
The Core Formation cultivator reporting below spoke respectfully, even taking the opportunity to flatter Bihai Palace.
But the Chief Elder found it quite dull and waved him away.
After the hall became empty, the elder sighed and shook his head.
“That Old Six… his vision is too short-sighted. It looks like he gained an advantage, but in truth he was calculated against by those old demons and became bait to lure rogue cultivators.”
The Chief Elder was not surprised that the Sixth Elder had repelled the Mystic Yin Old Demon.
Although both were peak Early-stage Nascent Soul cultivators, the Sixth Elder specialized in fire techniques, which happened to counter the Mystic Yin Old Demon’s yin-based cultivation methods.
“Old Six… his selfishness has grown. Planning for his descendants is understandable, but personally stepping in like this truly damages the face of Bihai Palace.”
At that moment, an ethereal voice suddenly echoed through the hall.
The Chief Elder immediately showed joy and knelt on one knee.
“Your subordinate greets the First Palace Master and Second Palace Master!”
“Enough. We’re all our own people. There’s no need for such formalities.”
Points of spiritual light flickered, forming a light curtain.
Two breathtaking female figures slowly appeared before the Chief Elder.
“The etiquette of Bihai Palace cannot be abandoned. Its dignity cannot be violated!”
The rigid Chief Elder maintained his ceremonial posture. It was the unique salute of the Imperial Clan of Great Jin.
Seeing this, the two women in the light curtain could only shake their heads.
The Chief Elder was excellent in every aspect—except that he was far too rigid.
Even after all these years, he still followed the outdated rules of the Imperial Clan of Great Jin.
Among the two figures in the light curtain, the Second Palace Master smiled warmly and said:
“Back then, the Sinister Soul Sect provoked the authority of Bihai Palace. My elder sister was in seclusion, so I set a trap for those two old demons.
“I didn’t expect them to be so arrogant. They actually brought the shape-shifted Sinister Spirit Beast King back into their sect.
“That unexpected twist created the situation today. When the Secret Realm opens, I wonder how those greedy old monsters will react.”
As she spoke about her scheme, the Second Palace Master revealed a slightly mischievous smile.
She was actually looking forward to the moment those old ghosts encountered the shape-shifted Sinister Spirit Beast King.
“A shape-shifted Sinister Spirit Beast King!”
Hearing this, the Chief Elder also smiled and cupped his fists.
“That will certainly be interesting. It should give those old ghosts quite a headache.”
Meanwhile, the First Palace Master beside her remained cold and indifferent, showing no interest at all.