"May I ask how to address you, young friend?"
"I am Xu Mingxian, a disciple of Great Wei's Xu Family," Xu Mingxian replied with a cupped fist salute.
"Daoist friend Xu's mastery of formations is profound. Even I failed to realize it was an illusion formation the moment the yellow mist surged out. Could it be that you have encountered this type of formation before?"
"I have seen something similar in an ancient classic."
Cultivator Xiang nodded and swept his gaze across the surroundings. "Are there any other Daoist friends skilled in formations who can join hands to break this array? If we cannot break it, we can only pack up and go home today."
The crowd frowned.
Xu Mingxian looked at a person standing next to the elder of the Cao Family and said, "I observe that this Daoist friend seems to know formations, but for some reason, he is hiding it."
The others all looked over.
The Cao Family elder's face turned slightly pale, and he said indifferently, "Young friend Xu must have guessed wrong. We came in a hurry this time, originally thinking that relying on everyone's combined strength would be enough to break the defensive grand array just like before.
"Perhaps I guessed wrong," Xu Mingxian replied.
Cultivator Xiang smiled faintly. "Then Daoist friend Xu, it is only up to the two of us to take a look. If we cannot crack it, we will just have to give up."
Xu Chuan nodded at Xu Mingxian.
Only then did he approach the edge of the yellow mist with Cultivator Xiang to investigate carefully, even venturing back into the yellow mist.
Many people gazed at the yellow mist shrouding Profound Moon Peak, deep in thought.
To have such a profound illusion array acting as a defensive barrier, this ancient cultivator's Grotto-Residence seemed quite extraordinary.
Perhaps it was not a Grotto-Residence belonging to a regular cultivator at Foundation Establishment Perfection.
In their hearts, they also hoped that this was a Golden Core stage Grotto-Residence. If true, their harvest this time would certainly be massive.
The elder of the Cao Family spoke up, "Daoist friend Xu, you truly came fully prepared, even bringing your own Array Master. But if he were to accidentally perish here, I fear your Xu Family would not be able to handle the blow."
"Thank you for your concern, Senior," Xu Chuan said, cupping his hands. "Actually, I am quite curious. Which aristocratic family was the one to discover this Grotto-Residence and spread the news?
Presumably, they must have known how formidable this grand array was, so they should have brought an Array Master."
Hearing this, cold sneers appeared on the lips of the people from the Sima Family and the Liu Family.
They did not believe Xu Mingxian would say those words earlier without reason. As a Grandmaster Formation Master, his sensitivity toward other Array Masters was naturally sharper than that of ordinary people.
And with Xu Chuan pointing it out so clearly.
They immediately realized that the news had been spread by the Cao Family.
However, even if the Cao Family had a scheme to deal with them, it would depend on whether the Cao Family could actually stomach them all.
A quarter of an hour later.
The two men flew out from the yellow mist.
Cultivator Xiang said, "This array is not merely a brilliant illusion array, but it also contains a killing formation. It is a combined illusion and killing array, making it extremely dangerous.
Fortunately, we exited the illusion array early.
If we had waited until the killing array activated while still trapped in a Heart-Demon Illusion, I fear many Daoist friends present would have perished on the spot."
Everyone's expressions changed, turning as rigid as cold iron.
They glared in the direction of the Cao Family, furious but not daring to speak out.
The Cao Family elder acted as if he saw nothing, but he was cursing furiously in his heart.
A perfectly good opportunity to weaken the Foundation Establishment aristocratic families of Great Wei, Great Liang, and Great Jin had just been ruined.
As the first to discover the place, the Cao Family naturally knew how formidable this grand array was.
They had even paid with the life of an Early Foundation Establishment immortal cultivator.
As for what exactly lay behind this grand array, the Cao Family did not know either.
However, just in case, they had brought along a Grandmaster Formation Master.
The elder of the Liu Family looked at Cultivator Xiang and asked, "Daoist friend Xiang, can this array be broken?"
"Yes, but it will require a sacrifice!" Cultivator Xiang replied. "This method was actually proposed by Daoist friend Xu, so I will let him explain it."
Xu Mingxian stated calmly, "This junior has mastered a certain formation. If we had intact Formation Flags, we could immediately proceed to break the array. However, right now, we can only use four Top-Grade Magical Artifacts of the wood, gold, fire, and water elements to act as the array cores.
Although it will not completely destroy the Dharma Tools, it will permanently decrease their power by thirty to forty percent."
Hearing this, the crowd fell silent.
Sacrificing thirty to forty percent of a top-grade magical artifact's power was a price that ordinary Foundation Establishment aristocratic families simply could not bear.
"How about we allow the Daoist friends who provide the Top-Grade Magical Artifacts this time, as well as the Daoist friend breaking the array, to have priority in choosing a specific category of items from the Grotto-Residence?
If the item is present, it belongs to them. If not, they are just out of luck."
"A specific category of items?" the Lei Family's Eighth-Layer Foundation Establishment elder asked in surprise.
"For example, my son Xu Mingxian," Xu Chuan elaborated. "He desires items related to the Array Dao. If there are any in the Grotto-Residence, let him pick one item or one ancient classic first.
The others can choose a Top-Grade Magical Artifact, or Pills, or Demonic Beast Inner Cores, Spirit Grass, and so on."
Although there was an element of gambling involved, it was undeniably an enticing proposition.
Especially the aristocratic families who were confident in their ability to protect their newly acquired goods—they all wanted to give it a try.
At this time, Xu Chuan added, "Great Wei, Great Liang, and Great Jin should each select one person first. The remaining spot will temporarily go to Great Wei, considering that the Array Master breaking the formation is from Great Wei.
Of course, if no one from Great Wei is willing to step forward or if no one possesses a Dharma Tool of the required attribute, we will yield the spot to the others."
The elders of the three major Golden Core Aristocratic Families pondered for a moment after hearing this and felt the method was quite fair.
"My Cao Family will provide a Gold-Element Top-Tier Flying Sword first, and we claim a Dharma Tool from the Grotto-Residence."
The Cao Family elder glanced at a middle-aged man surnamed Cao beside him. The man sighed inwardly but did not hesitate too much. Slapping his Storage Pouch, a gold-element Flying Sword flew out.
"My Liu Family will provide a Water-Element Flying Sword, and we claim a stalk of Spirit Grass from the Grotto-Residence!"
"My Sima Family will provide a Fire-Element Flying Sword, and we claim an Artificing material from the Grotto-Residence!"
That left only the wood-element top-tier magical artifact.
The people on the Great Wei side looked at each other. Finally, a member of the Lin Family declared, "My Lin Family will provide the remaining wood-element Flying Sword!"
Xu Chuan smiled. "My Xu Family is breaking the array, so my Xu Family will be the first to choose an Array Dao classic."
"Also, everyone needs to swear an oath. No one is allowed to forcefully rob others inside the Grotto-Residence. To ensure that those who contributed to breaking the array get the items they want, the rest must not hide anything for themselves.
Otherwise, if any Daoist friend secretly hoards a precious Spirit Grass or accidentally obtains a Dharma Tool, the five of our families will suffer a massive loss.
Once outside the Grotto-Residence, however, it will be up to everyone's own abilities.
If you lack confidence, it is best not to be greedy."
Everyone fell into deep thought upon hearing this.
In this way, they would at least be safe while inside the Grotto-Residence.
As for after leaving the Grotto-Residence, as long as they weren't greedy, they could indeed preserve their lives.
This was far better than the practically rule-less brawls of the past.
Many aristocratic families on the Great Wei side immediately agreed. The Great Liang side did the same. Although Great Jin wanted to act without any scruples, facing the combined forces of Great Liang and Great Wei, they had no choice.
They wouldn't be able to gain any advantages anyway, so they could only agree.
At the very least, once they exited the Grotto-Residence, they could still pillage and kill to their hearts' content.
Those who contributed Dharma Tools severed their connections with the artifacts to prevent suffering mental backlash should the tools be damaged.
Xu Mingxian took the Dharma Tools and proceeded to break the array.
Cultivator Xiang followed closely to observe and learn.
Xu Chuan asked Xu Mingxian how long breaking the array would take, to which he replied it would take about a day.
Everyone took a brief rest in the vicinity.
The next day.
Just past midnight.
Xu Chuan began to perform a divination.
[How is the fortune today?]
[Today's Divination: Neutral. No harvest today.]
"No harvest?!"
Xu Chuan's heart trembled. 'This shouldn't be!'
The defensive formation was an extremely brilliant trapping and killing array. The master of the Grotto-Residence had to be at least at Foundation Establishment Perfection. This was practically the consensus among everyone present.
Some people even felt it might be a Golden Core Grotto-Residence.
'There's too little information. Let's wait until the array is broken and see.'
Nearly half a day later.
Four pillars of colored light shot into the sky, and the yellow mist gradually dispersed.
The crowd eagerly gathered.
"Everyone, the array is broken!" Xu Mingxian announced as he returned to Xu Chuan's side.
Once the yellow mist completely dissipated.
Everyone immediately began searching the area to locate the Grotto-Residence.
It didn't take long.
They found the Profound Moon Cave Dwelling.
A stone stele stood in front of the Grotto-Residence, inscribed with blurred writing. The only clearly visible words were "Profound Moon".
The crowd did not pay it much attention.
Because they quickly discovered another glowing formation barrier right in front of the Grotto-Residence.
Cultivator Xiang examined it and said calmly, "It's a Tier 2 High-Grade defensive formation."
"Then let's break it by force!" the Liu Family elder declared coldly.
"Agreed!"
The Cao Family and the Sima Family also agreed.
The three major powers immediately took action.
In the next instant.
The Tier 2 High-Grade defensive formation was brutally shattered to pieces.
'There's an illusion array outside, and a Tier 2 High-Grade formation in front of the Grotto-Residence. So why did the divination indicate no harvest?'
After going inside.
Xu Chuan finally understood.
This was merely a very small, temporary Grotto-Residence, and it was completely empty inside.
Everyone was severely disappointed.
The Liu Family elder said, "No one has set foot in this Grotto-Residence for at least a thousand years. Either this is a fake Grotto-Residence, or the occupant moved away a long time ago."
The Fifth Elder of the Zhao Family mused, "If they moved away, why would they leave behind formations of such high grades?"
"Exactly. Even if it's a fake Grotto-Residence, they should have left at least something behind. It's so clean, as if everything was taken away by someone long ago."
The Cao Family elder was also deeply puzzled.
"Perhaps there is some hidden mystery. Ancient cultivators mostly liked to play tricks and act mysterious!" the Sima Family elder said. "Let's go. We'll search other parts of the mountain peak."
The Sima elder led the rest of the Sima Family cultivators away.
Following that, the others dispersed as well.
Over a hundred Foundation Establishment cultivators painstakingly searched for an entire day, yet they found absolutely nothing.
'The divination was quite accurate.'
Xu Chuan grumbled silently to himself. He too had originally thought that there would be a hidden mystery somewhere on this peak.
"What a wasted trip!"
The Sima Family members dropped that line and were the first to leave.
The people from Great Jin followed and departed.
The Liu Family took one last look at Profound Moon Peak, let out a soft sigh, and gracefully drifted away.
The last to leave was the Great Wei contingent.
Outside the Ancient Serene Mountain Range.
Xu Chuan said to Zhou Qingfang, "Brother Zhou, since we have come out this time, I intend to take the children to experience the outside world for a bit. Let's part ways here."
Seeing the determination in his eyes, Zhou Qingfang nodded and said, "Alright, then I'll head back first."
"Let's go. We can't let this trip be for nothing after all," Xu Chuan said to Xu Mingwei and the others.
One of the reasons Xu Chuan stayed behind was indeed to hunt for peak Tier 2 Demonic Beasts in the Ancient Serene Mountain Range, but the second was that something still felt off about Profound Moon Peak.
He wanted to take advantage of these few days to perform a few more divinations.
From a distance, the Cao Family elder caught sight of Xu Chuan's group returning to the Ancient Serene Mountain Range.
A Cao Family cultivator suggested, "Should we ambush and kill the Xu Family members in the Ancient Serene Mountain Range? If those few die, the Xu Family will never be a hidden threat to our Cao Family again."
"No," the Cao Family elder said, raising his hand to stop him. "Xu Chuan is not simple. His mind is meticulous, and we still haven't figured out exactly what trump cards the Xu Family is hiding.
What we see in front of us doesn't represent the whole picture!
The Ancient Serene Mountain Range is dangerous. I don't want us to fail the ambush and end up getting outsmarted and killed here instead.
If that happened, we would just die for nothing, and the clan wouldn't be able to seek justice for us at all.
We will take our time planning regarding the Xu Family.
It's just a pity that the First Elder's Open Scheme didn't succeed!"
"Indeed. Who would have thought that such a heavily guarded Grotto-Residence would turn out to be empty?"
"Over a hundred immortal cultivators above Mid Foundation Establishment failed to spot any clues. It's either truly empty, or only a Golden Core stage or higher cultivator can uncover its mysteries."
The group from the Cao Family then flew toward Great Wei.
In the blink of an eye.
Xu Chuan and his group spent seven or eight days in the Ancient Serene Mountain Range.
There were many Demonic Beasts in this area, making it impossible to brazenly spread out their Divine sense. After all, Demonic Beasts had Divine sense too. If they carelessly provoked all the beasts within several miles...
Their situation would become incredibly perilous.
The best approach was naturally to conceal their realms and auras, act cautiously, and once they spotted a peak Tier 2 Demonic Beast, let Moyue strike swiftly for the kill before they quickly retreated.
That night.
Right after midnight passed.
Xu Chuan performed a divination regarding Profound Moon Peak again.
He hadn't harbored much hope, but the divination returned highly auspicious results.
[Today's Divination: Highly Auspicious. Head to Profound Moon Peak at night, and there will be a harvest!]
'Night is one factor, and then there's the date. Today is a full moon. What's left? Cultivation level?'
Xu Chuan couldn't completely figure it out, but that didn't stop him from feeling overjoyed.
After all, he had rarely ever encountered a highly auspicious divination.
"Today, we are taking another trip to Profound Moon Peak."
"Father, what are you..." Xu Mingwei looked at Xu Chuan in surprise, his face showing confusion.
Xu Mingxian asked, "Father, do you feel that Profound Moon Peak truly harbors a mystery?"
"First Elder, could you be overthinking this? So many of us searched carefully before without gaining anything."
"Whether there is or not, we'll know once we go take a look today."
Night fell.
The moon hung high in the center of the sky; a perfectly round moon illuminating the world.
Silver radiance poured down, draping the entire mountain peak in a coat of silver.
Xu Chuan's group scouted Profound Moon Peak from the foot of the mountain all the way to the summit.
Xu Mingxian sighed softly, "Father, it's still completely empty."
Xu Mingwei and Ren Xiaoyao both nodded in agreement.
Only Xu Chuan stared intently at a spot in the space above the mountain peak, his brows slightly furrowed.
His Divine sense was comparable to that of a Foundation Establishment Perfection cultivator, allowing him to faintly detect a subtle fluctuation in that spot.
"No, this is not where the Grotto-Residence is located. It is an ancient Secret Realm!"
"A Secret Realm?!" Xu Mingwei and the other two immediately widened their eyes in shock.
Any Secret Realm was considered a massive opportunity that would easily draw out the Golden Core ancestors of the three major families to fight over it.
"Moyue, come take a look. Is the space above here an entrance to a Secret Realm?"
Xu Chuan patted his Spirit Beast Pouch.
A flash of blue light streaked by, and the ten-foot-long Moyue materialized before their eyes.
Yawning, he grumbled, "Why have you summoned me? If it's not something important, don't blame me for getting mad."
"My Divine sense is on par with Foundation Establishment Perfection, and I faintly felt some fluctuations over there, but it's not clear. Although your strength hasn't returned to its peak, your Divine sense remains at the Tier 3 level. Take a look."
Moyue turned his head toward the direction Xu Chuan pointed out. "Oh? This fluctuation... an entrance to a Secret Realm?"
"You guys actually discovered a Secret Realm!"
Moyue's interest was piqued, his dragon tail swaying continuously.
A Secret Realm often signified opportunities at the Golden Core stage or higher, and only an immortal cultivator at the Golden Core stage or above could forcefully open one.
"Wait, no. This Secret Realm seems to be on the verge of collapsing. I sense that if it's forcefully opened a few more times, it will completely vanish."
Xu Mingxian asked curiously, "Uncle Moyue, what happens if it vanishes?"
"Everything and anything inside will be swept into the turbulent streams of space. It's rumored that only mighty figures above the Divine Transformation stage, or materials and Magic Treasures of the same tier, could possibly survive.
Any other living beings or items will be ground to dust."
"Let's not talk about that for now. I will forcefully open it and hold it for half an hour. You all need to be quick—go in, grab everything useful, and empty the place out."
"Wait!" Xu Chuan turned to Xu Mingxian and instructed, "Set up formations around this area first to cover up the fluctuations. Lay down Restrictions to block sight and sound."
"Understood, Father."
Xu Mingxian immediately did as he was told.
The time it takes to drink a cup of tea later.
A half-mile radius around the summit of Profound Moon Peak was blanketed in the obscuring mist of formations.
Only then did Xu Chuan let Moyue make his move.
Moyue soared into the air, releasing a resounding dragon's roar.
Then, his ten-foot-long body rapidly expanded like it was being inflated. His scales parted layer by layer before snapping tightly shut, each one glowing with deep blue patterns. He grew to twenty feet, thirty feet, and all the way to over a hundred feet.
As he raised his dragon head, he shattered the clouds lingering around the peak. His two flood dragon horns shone with a cold, metallic luster, tearing through the air and creating a sharp whistling sound at their tips.
He violently raised his front claws—each a full ten feet wide—their tips gleaming with a bluish-black, icy light as he pressed against the fluctuating point of the Secret Realm.
Ripples instantly erupted across the space.
A faint silver film of light materialized.
Suddenly.
An aura burst forth from Moyue, completely comparable to the Golden Core Pressure they had felt from the Cao Family earlier.
"Rip!"
The dragon claws exerted force abruptly, tearing outwards to both sides like ripping silk.
The light film emitted a piercing cracking sound. The crack instantly spread from the claw tips, widening to dozens of feet across, as if the void itself had been forcibly ripped open.
Spiritual energy from inside the Secret Realm surged outward.
This continued until the entrance to the Secret Realm had been torn into a gap over ten feet wide.
"Go in quickly! Remember, you only have half an hour!"
Xu Chuan, Xu Mingwei, Xu Mingxian, and Ren Xiaoyao rushed into the Secret Realm one after another.
This time, they were not teleported randomly.
Instead, after a moment of dizzying disorientation, they appeared mid-air inside the Secret Realm.
The group stabilized their figures.
Looking around, they spotted several palaces connected together, built right into the side of a mountain peak.
At the foot of the mountain lay a Medicine Garden enveloped in a formation.
"Mingxian, you and Mingwei head to the Medicine Garden first. Xiaoyao and I will go check the palaces."
"Understood!"
With that, they split up to take action.
After arriving at the mountain palaces, Xu Chuan and Ren Xiaoyao separated as well.
"Daoist Canon Pavilion!"
Upon catching sight of this pavilion, Xu Chuan transformed into a streak of light and rushed over.
"There are actually no Restrictions here?!"
Xu Chuan pushed open the main doors and walked inside, immediately dumbfounded.
"It's empty?!!"
Floor after floor held bookshelves, yet the shelves were completely barren. Judging from the dust and traces, no one had been here for thousands of years either.
'Why is it exactly the same as the Grotto-Residence at the foot of Profound Moon Peak?'
Xu Chuan didn't hesitate and quickly flew toward the other palace pavilions. A suspicion was forming in his mind.
And reality proved his suspicions right.
Thousands of years ago, someone had already entered this Secret Realm and taken away all the Inheritances here.
As for the Secret Realm itself, a sect must have left their Inheritance here in the past.
Xu Chuan rendezvoused with Ren Xiaoyao.
Ren Xiaoyao reported, "First Elder, I went to the Pill & Medicine Pavilion and the Artifact Pavilion, but they were both completely empty inside."
"The Daoist Canon Pavilion and the other palaces are the same," Xu Chuan sighed softly. "It seems we are at least a thousand years late."
"Let's go check on Mingxian and the others. The Medicine Garden, at the very least, appeared to have something inside."
The two of them instantly flew down toward the Medicine Garden at the foot of the mountain.
At that moment, Xu Mingxian was busy breaking the formation.
Seeing them arrive so quickly, Xu Mingwei felt surprised and asked, "Why are you back so soon?"
"Don't even mention it!" Ren Xiaoyao sighed. "The place was emptied out ages ago."
Xu Chuan noticed a Bamboo Hut about a hundred meters to the left of the Medicine Garden. Pointing at it, he asked, "Have you checked over there yet?"
"Mingxian said the formation here is only Tier 2 Mid-Grade, but he needs my help to break it quickly."
"Then you guys stay here and help. The sooner we break it, the better. I'll go inspect the Bamboo Hut."
"Yes, Father."
Xu Chuan walked over and pushed the door open to enter.
Straight ahead on the wall hung a portrait of a man in a cyan-and-white robe, standing with his hands behind his back and holding a sword.
In front of it was a desk.
Resting on the desk were a Token, a Jade Stone, and a ring.
Xu Chuan picked up the Token to examine it. It bore the words "Profound Moon" but didn't seem particularly special.
He then picked up the Jade Stone. After sending his Divine sense inside, the frivolous voice of a young man suddenly rang out in his mind.
[Latecomer, to be able to enter the Profound Moon Secret Realm, you must be someone with destiny. Unfortunately, I, Zhang Fan, got here before you.
This Secret Realm is the Inheritance ground of the Profound Moon Sect.
I am a Rogue Cultivator.
So, as you can guess, all the Inheritances have been taken by yours truly.
However, I have also taken on the karma of the Profound Moon Sect. If you ever hear the name of the Profound Moon Sect somewhere in the Southern Heaven Region, that will be the sect I established.
If you ever come with the ancient Token one day, you may directly join the inner sect of my Profound Moon Sect.
If I am still alive, I will definitely take good care of you.
I've harvested all the mature Spirit Medicine in the Medicine Garden, but I left behind some younger ones. Among them are the main ingredients needed for the Foundation Establishment Pill and the Core Formation Pill, as well as several other rare Spirit Grasses.
Additionally, the ring on the desk is a Storage Ring. It's one of the standard storage Dharma Tools used by immortal cultivators at the Golden Core stage and above, and its space is comparable to a high-grade Storage Pouch.
Inside, there are a few gifts I left behind.
The path to longevity is long and arduous. I wish you, Daoist friend, a prosperous journey on the Great Dao!
If we meet in the future, let us share a drink together!]
The voice ended there, and the Jade Stone immediately crumbled into fine dust.
At the exact same time.
Far away in the south, within a palace at the summit of a certain mountain peak, an old man with completely white hair and a matching beard opened his eyes from his cultivation.
"A thousand years... someone has finally triggered the Jade Stone this old man left behind."
"Only an Individual with Great Fortune could enter the Profound Moon Secret Realm. Relying on its Inheritance foundation, I walked step-by-step to reach the Late-Stage Nascent Soul realm today.
According to the messages left by the ancient Profound Moon Sect, that person is highly likely a practitioner of a Wood-Element Cultivation Method. The Alchemy Dao Inheritance classics I left behind should be useful to them.
Individuals with Great Fortune often achieve extraordinary feats. I wonder what heights this person will reach in the future."
After muttering to himself for a moment, the old man slowly closed his eyes once again.
"So it was a sound-recording stone."
Xu Chuan murmured to himself, his gaze falling onto the Storage Ring.
It was a rare item, boasting a capacity comparable to a high-grade Storage Pouch.
Xu Chuan immediately branded it with his Divine sense.
Refining a storage Dharma Tool was far easier than refining one meant for combat.
In just a short moment.
Xu Chuan successfully established a mental connection with it.
He sent his Divine sense inside to take a look.
The space inside was vast—a full thousand feet across and hundreds of feet high.
He quickly discovered the items Zhang Fan had left behind.
There was the complete Golden Core Inheritance Cultivation Method, the Wood Sovereign Scripture; over a dozen Pill Recipes related to Foundation Establishment Stage and Golden Core Stage cultivation; and numerous relevant Alchemy Dao ancient classics.
Among these Alchemy Dao ancient classics were Alchemy Records and Alchemy Hand-Seals, which were countless times more profound than what Yun Zhongzi had left him.
"A Wood-Element Cultivation Method and Alchemy Dao classics?" Xu Chuan's body trembled slightly, a look of disbelief flashing in his eyes. "Why does it feel like all of this was prepared specifically for me?!"
'Could it be that the other party knew exactly what kind of person would enter, even a thousand years ago?'
Xu Chuan furrowed his brows deeply.
A brief moment later.
He let out a sigh. "Whatever. Whether it's the Wood Sovereign Scripture, the Pill Recipes involving the Foundation Establishment and Golden Core realms, or the Alchemy Dao classics, they will all be of immense help to me."
With his time in the Secret Realm strictly limited, Xu Chuan didn't have the luxury to examine everything closely, so he simply exited the Bamboo Hut.
By this time.
Breaking the formation had reached the final critical juncture.
"Big Brother, Xiaoyao, attack these two spots!"
Xu Mingwei and Ren Xiaoyao launched themselves into the air.
One drew his bow, merging three arrows into a single devastating shot.
The other executed the Five Elements Sword Formation, condensing a massive Five-Color Great Sword.
Boom! Boom!
When their combined attacks slammed into the formation barrier, Xu Mingxian also formed hand seals, summoning the spirits of the Four Symbols to shatter the array with another array!
In just a few moments.
The light barrier guarding the Medicine Garden shattered into endless specks of spiritual light and vanished into the air.
An unimaginably rich fragrance washed over them, instantly invigorating their spirits.
"Purple Monkey Flowers, Heavenly Spirit Fruits, Jade Marrow Mushrooms, Heavenly Fragrance Flowers, Heavenly Whisker Grass, Snow Dragon Ginseng... This..." Xu Mingwei exclaimed in wild ecstasy. "Father, they're all rare Spirit Grasses!"
"Not only that, but these are all several thousand years old," Xu Chuan pointed out. "Alright, hurry and collect these Spirit Grasses. We are pressed for time."
"Also, be careful not to damage their roots and stems."
"Yes, Father!" "Yes, First Elder!"
Soon, Xu Chuan noticed that the soil here was extremely peculiar. "Could this be some kind of Spirit Soil?"
Xu Chuan carefully gathered all the Spirit Grasses into a few Wooden Caskets and had Xu Mingxian set up Restrictions to isolate their spiritual energy.
Afterward, he scraped away the ground of the entire Medicine Garden three feet deep, stowing all the soil into his Storage Ring.
Xu Mingwei and the others had also sensed something unusual about the Medicine Garden's soil. Seeing Xu Chuan's actions, they secretly nodded in approval: 'As expected of Father. He isn't even leaving a single inch of dirt behind!'
"Let's go!"
The four of them instantly rocketed toward the rift in the sky.
Whoosh— Whoosh— Whoosh— Whoosh—
As Xu Chuan and the rest burst out of the Secret Realm, Moyue finally released his dragon claws. His massive body deflated like a punctured balloon, shrinking back to a length of several feet in the blink of an eye.
"I'm exhausted to death. I won't be able to lift a finger for the next half a month."
"In that case, let's return to Dongxi."
Moyue retreated into the Spirit Beast Pouch to rest and slumber.
When Xu Chuan looked up again, the faint silver film in the sky had already completely healed.
With a flicker, it vanished without a trace.
Now, even when Xu Chuan probed with his Divine sense, it was incredibly difficult to detect.
Xu Mingxian dismantled the formations. The mountain breeze brushed past them, uplifting their moods.
Shortly after.
The four of them rose into the void and shot off into the distance.
Several days later, they arrived back at Dongxi.
Ren Xiaoyao, meanwhile, had diverted midway to Guangling Commandery.
Upon returning to Dongxi, Xu Chuan, Xu Mingwei, and Xu Mingxian immediately went to the Jade Cold Pool.
They wanted to see if they could use the Spirit Soil from the Secret Realm to cultivate those Spirit Grasses.
Xu Mingshu happened to be feeding her spirit silkworms at the Jade Cold Pool. Seeing them arrive, she promptly asked, "Father, Big Brother, Mingxian, you're back. How was the harvest this trip?"
"Naturally, there was one. You'll see in a moment," Xu Mingwei smiled softly.
Xu Chuan got to work and cleared out a plot of five acres, moving away all the regular soil three feet deep to form a massive pit.
Then, he lightly stroked the ring with his right hand.
A flash of light gleamed.
A patch of earth of roughly the same size suddenly materialized out of thin air, skillfully guided by Xu Chuan into the massive pit.
Once settled, there wasn't a single gap left.
Following that, he flicked his sleeve, and several wooden boxes appeared on the ground.
Xu Chuan painstakingly began to replant the Spirit Grasses into the Spirit Soil, one by one.
Nearly half a day later.
He cast both the Minor Cloud and Rain Spell and the Yimu Azure Light Spell, directly infusing them with Life Force.
Only then did he finally stop.
"Father, which Golden Core Aristocratic Family's Medicine Garden did you rob?!" Xu Mingshu asked, utterly dumbfounded. "There are even the main ingredients for the Foundation Establishment Pill!"
Remembering something, Xu Chuan tossed the Spirit Beast Pouch holding the Purple Thunder Azure Fire Eagle back to Xu Mingshu. He smiled faintly and said, "Close enough."
"Mingxian, set up a Tier 2 High-Grade formation around this area. I will tend to it personally. Besides me, no one else is permitted to enter."
"Yes, Father, but that will take a few days."
"That is fine," Xu Chuan nodded.
Xu Mingwei began recounting their journey to Xu Mingshu, and she listened with her eyes sparkling in sheer amazement.
"An illusion killing array? An empty Grotto-Residence, and a Secret Realm?!" Xu Mingshu sighed wistfully. "If I had known, I would have gone too."
"By the way, Father, other than this Medicine Garden, was there any other harvest?"
"Naturally," Xu Chuan replied. "A complete wood-element Golden Core Inheritance that can be cultivated to the Nascent Soul realm, as well as an Alchemy Dao Inheritance. However, they are only useful to me.
What's left is a Token keepsake. I reckon it will only be of use once our Xu Family steps out of this region and reaches the prosperous lands of the Southern Heaven Region."
"Father's massive opportunity is our Xu Family's massive opportunity," Xu Mingwei said, breaking into a beaming smile.
"Alright, all of you go attend to your own matters."
Xu Chuan shook his head with a chuckle. For the next several days, he stood guard right there, closely observing the growth condition of those spirit plants.
During that time, he also inquired with Moyue regarding the Spirit Soil.
It turned out that this Spirit Soil was called Five-Color Spirit Soil, a premium soil used by massive sect powers in the cultivation world to nurture their spirit plants.
For ordinary Spirit Grass, it could accelerate their growth speed by at least a dozen times.
Even for exceptionally rare and precious Tier 2 or Tier 3 Spirit Grasses like the Purple Monkey Flower or Heavenly Fragrance Flower, it could boost their growth speed by several times.
Although five acres wasn't considered a lot, it was more than enough for the Xu Family's current needs.
Several more days passed.
Seeing that the spirit plants had fully stabilized, he breathed a sigh of relief and immersed himself in his cultivation.
In the blink of an eye, two years slipped by.
Xu Chuan broke through to the Fifth-Layer Foundation Establishment stage, and smoothly transitioned into practicing the Foundation Establishment chapter of the Wood Sovereign Scripture.
This Cultivation Method refined spiritual energy at a much faster rate than the Yimu Azure Spirit Art. The wood-element Magical Arts and Secret Methods recorded within it were far more profound.
He had already mastered three or four top-tier wood-element Magical Arts, as well as a Secret Method that could explosively enhance his strength.
He also had Xu Mingqing switch to cultivating this method.
In the Xu Family, Zhang Wanqing and Shen Qingyi also practiced a Wood-Element Cultivation Method.
Xu Chuan planned to wait until they broke through to Foundation Establishment before having them practice the Wood Sovereign Scripture.
The rest of the family mostly practiced fire-element or gold-element methods.
Only Xu Deyue practiced a cold-attribute method.
Ren Xiaoyao had now also broken through to the Fifth-Layer Foundation Establishment, while Xu Deling was at the peak of the Fourth-Layer Foundation Establishment, just two or three months away from stepping into the fifth layer.
The rest of those who had reached Foundation Establishment had basically all broken through to the early stage of the Second-Layer Foundation Establishment.
Only Xu Mingxian stood out; his Mana accumulation had already reached the mid-stage of the Second-Layer Foundation Establishment.
For the core members of the Xu Family, Xu Chuan's supply of Pills to them was perfectly uniform.
However, Xu Mingxian possessed the Swallowing Mountains and Rivers Fate Talent, giving him a massive advantage on the path of cultivation.
Whether it was refining Pills or absorbing spiritual energy, his talent made him comparable to someone with an Earth Spiritual Root aptitude.
Looking at it this way, if Xu Mingxian were to break through to the Golden Core stage in the future, his cultivation speed might even rival that of a Heavenly Spiritual Root possessor.
Moon Lake and Guangling Commandery remained calm and tranquil.
But a fall into the pit is a gain in your wit. To prevent a repeat of what had happened previously to Xu Deqian and the Chong generation.
Whenever the Xu Clan members of the main branch and branch bloodlines went out for tempering, a Foundation Establishment elder wearing a mask would shadow them, concealing their true appearance and disguising themselves as a Qi Refining cultivator.
Xu Chuan fully devoted himself to his own cultivation, only performing divinations during his occasional free time.
He needed to cultivate to Late Foundation Establishment as quickly as possible, or even to Foundation Establishment Perfection, so as to avoid falling behind when clashing with others in the future.
As for his clan members.
Many of the De generation had produced offspring again, and those of appropriate age in the Chong generation had all gotten married and had children of their own.
In just these past two years alone, their ranks had grown by seven or eight new members.
One day.
Zhou Qingfang suddenly came to Dongxi for a visit, a heavy look of worry etched across his brows as though weighed down by deep concerns.