Cultivation: Immunity to Negative Effects

The owner of these bones was once a disciple of the Celestial True Monarch. He ranked seventeenth among all disciples, yet he was the most senior and had the highest Cultivation among those left behind.

He was therefore the leader of this Secret Realm Medicinal Garden, as well as the Deputy Sect Leader appointed by the Celestial True Monarch.

He led his fellow disciples, holding out in this Secret Realm for several hundred years.

But because the Demon Tide outside was too strong, they were completely unable to leave. As a result, many problems arose within the Secret Realm Medicinal Garden.

For example, the population kept growing, but resources became scarce, and there wasn’t enough Spiritual Qi to go around. Some felt the distribution of resources was unfair, while others, trapped for too long, began to suffer from mental breakdowns.

Some Cultivators were even mentally infiltrated by powerful Demons from the outside, causing them to fall to heresy and even transform into monsters.

In short, holding their ground here was no easy task.

Furthermore, the ten passageways were specifically established by this Deputy Sect Leader to select talented individuals.

This Deputy Sect Leader had exhausted every ounce of his being, all for the sake of developing the enclave and awaiting the Sect’s return.

But in the end, he failed.

After struggling to maintain order for several hundred years, even though he had already reached the Nascent Soul realm, he was betrayed and ambushed by his own Disciples over that seed. To save his own life, he was forced to hand over many of his possessions.

That was why so few items remained in his Storage Ring.

But in the end, his enemies still wouldn’t let him go. He used his authority as Deputy Sect Leader to escape into this Cave Mansion’s stone chamber.

Even with the Beast Hide, the traitors lacked the authority to bypass his ultimate control over the Array. Thus, they could only flee, taking the majority of the treasures and all the other Disciples with them.

That was also when the Beast Hide fell into outside hands.

Even the Spirit Medicines that Zhang Chi and the others had collected had grown in the time since.

The Cave Mansion Stele and the items within the passageways were not taken because they were sealed behind Restrictions that the traitors’ authority couldn’t bypass.

Of course, Zhang Chi had inferred these latter details himself.

These last words made Zhang Chi sigh with emotion.

But in the end, it was someone else’s story. He quickly put it out of his mind.

In his last words, the Deputy Sect Leader had also asked whomever found him to avenge him and deliver the seed from his Storage Ring to the Celestial Repair Sect, promising that person could then become a Core Disciple.

But Zhang Chi simply scoffed.

Countless years had passed. The man’s enemies had surely been claimed by time itself. It was doubtful the Celestial Repair Sect even still existed. He certainly wasn’t going to concern himself with the empty promises of a ghost.

Next, Zhang Chi swept through the Cave Mansion one last time. Finding nothing he had missed, he quickly departed.

He had already scraped the Cave Mansion clean. The only things of value left were the Array and the Spiritual Vein.

Unfortunately, the two were interconnected—and even linked to the entire Secret Realm—so he had neither the authority nor the ability to take them.

Besides, in his judgment, this Secret Realm Medicinal Garden wouldn’t last much longer anyway.

Especially now that the Ten Great Immortal Sects had discovered it. With the outer Restrictions forcibly broken, the Spirit Medicine harvested, and the Demon Beasts slain, the Secret Realm’s collapse was bound to accelerate dramatically.

’So, I have to gather as many Spirit Medicines and kill as many Demon Beasts as I can. An opportunity like this will never come again.’

Of course, Zhang Chi was unaware that by taking the Cave Mansion Stele, he too had greatly accelerated the Secret Realm’s demise.

In fact, the moment he collected the Stele, the isolating Restriction within the Secret Realm vanished. Even the entrances to the ten passageways on the cliff face opened.

Meanwhile, the Array outside the Cave Mansion remained active. However, with the cultivation chamber now open, the Heaven and Earth Spiritual Qi from within burst through the Array’s concealment, soaring into the sky in a pillar of light visible from across the Oasis.

Zhang Chi had noticed this phenomenon. That, combined with his eagerness to get out and search for more Spirit Medicine, was why he had left the Cave Mansion so quickly.

—

"Heavens, there’s actually an Ancient Cultivator’s Cave Mansion here? I knew it! I knew there had to be a great opportunity in this Oasis!"

"Dammit, I can’t get in?"

The next moment, an Escape Light landed nearby, revealing Senior Brother Wen.

Senior Brother Wen was ecstatic when he saw the Cave Mansion, but his joy quickly turned to rage when he found he couldn’t break the Array Restriction.

He clearly didn’t have the Beast Hide that Zhang Chi possessed.

It was a complete coincidence that Zhang Chi had managed to obtain two Beast Hides.

What made him even more anxious was that if this dragged on, even if he did eventually get in, he certainly wouldn’t have the Cave Mansion to himself.

At that, Senior Brother Wen immediately decided to summon his Puppets to help him break the Array.

The Puppets were his trump card. He had used them to obstruct others before, and exposing them now would surely draw the ire of the crowd.

’But there’s no one else here. If I act quickly, it shouldn’t be a problem.’

"Senior Brother Wen, what’s going on here? Do you need a hand? I have an item with me, related to this Secret Realm. It might be the key to this Cave Mansion."

Just then, however, a voice rang out. Senior Brother Wen looked up to see Zhang Chi flying over from the distance.

"Junior Brother, are you serious?"

A murderous glint flashed in Senior Brother Wen’s eyes, but he immediately suppressed it upon hearing the rest of Zhang Chi’s words, even managing a smile.

"Of course," Zhang Chi said with a nod. "But we’ll have to test it to know for sure. And if it works, we must first sign a Spirit Contract and agree on how to divide the spoils."

In truth, he had already left, but he had been monitoring the area with his Phantom Beetle. That’s how he spotted Senior Brother Wen the moment he arrived.

He then recalled that Senior Brother Wen had used Puppets to ambush him before and immediately decided to set a trap for the man. That’s why he had flown over, feigning to have just arrived.

Of course, his acting was full of holes, but his opponent was so captivated by the Cave Mansion that he was certain not to notice such minor details.

"This is a map I found by chance. It marks the location of a Core Formation Spirit Pill, and also marks this Cave Mansion. But regarding this Cave Mansion, it only has a general direction..."

As he spoke, Zhang Chi took out the newly acquired Beast Hide. While offering a quick explanation, he feigned an attempt to use it.

WHOOSH!

Standing near the Array, Zhang Chi used the Exorcism Technique to guide the Beast Hide, easily passing it through the Array Light Curtain.

"It really works!"

Zhang Chi retracted the Beast Hide, his voice filled with excitement. Then, as if changing his mind, he made to take the Beast Hide and enter the Cave Mansion by himself.

"Stop! Hand over the Beast Hide, or don’t blame me for what happens next!"

But just then, Senior Brother Wen moved, instantly blocking the path between Zhang Chi and the Cave Mansion.

At the same time, five humanoid metal Puppets suddenly appeared. Two were at Tier Two Peak and three were Tier Two Upper Grade. They immediately surrounded Zhang Chi.

"Senior Brother, what is the meaning of this? Didn’t we agree to explore the Cave Mansion together? And... you’re the master of these Puppets? You’ve hidden your strength well!"

"But don’t think you can threaten me, Senior Brother! Worst comes to worst, I’ll just destroy this Beast Hide, and then none of us will get into the Cave Mansion! Besides, when the other senior brothers and sisters get here in a moment, even if you find a way to break the Array, you won’t be able to take everything for yourself!"

Zhang Chi, however, just looked furious as he shouted.