Chapter 132: Spirit Medicine Everywhere
This place didn’t look special, but exactly ten Floating Airships were suspended in the air.
These Floating Airships were from different Immortal Sects, and atop them were the distinct auras of ten Golden Core cultivators.
Moreover, the Floating Airships occupied specific positions, acting as nodes in a Grand Array. A massive Array Light Curtain, like a transparent white bowl turned upside down, enveloped a vast area.
Hordes of Demonized Beasts and even Demons surrounded them, roaring as they frantically charged the Array Light Curtain, but to no avail.
And the target Secret Realm was located within this array-covered region.
"This Array must be close to Tier Four, right? The Ten Great Immortal Sects really don’t hold back. It’s a good thing they paved the way. If I’d had to come here alone, it would have been even more difficult than I imagined."
On Zhang Chi’s Floating Airship, tens of thousands of Cultivators stood on the deck, gazing ahead in awe.
Zhang Chi was among them.
RUMBLE...
Upon seeing the eleventh Floating Airship arrive, ten Golden Core Masters of varying appearances, all exuding a powerful, otherworldly aura, immediately flew out. Azure Dragon Master and the other nine Golden Core leaders of the arriving group did the same.
The two groups exchanged simple greetings, then took up different positions and jointly unleashed a series of profound Spirit Techniques. As vast Spiritual Power surged, a massive passageway immediately appeared on the Array Light Curtain.
At the same time, the scene within the light curtain changed. A great expanse of black and gray clouds suddenly materialized, and within the swirling mists, a huge Secret Realm loomed, partially obscured.
The exterior of the Secret Realm was protected by layers of Array Restrictions, but the crowd could still sense the aura of abundant Spirit Medicines within, as well as the presence of many powerful Demon Beasts.
As time passed and beads of sweat formed on the foreheads of the twenty Golden Core cultivators, the clouds around the Secret Realm’s perimeter finally began to churn, and the Array Restrictions started to vibrate violently.
Then, the Grand Array’s massive passageway successfully extended forward, reaching all the way into the Secret Realm.
Waves of rich Spiritual Qi washed over them, carrying the faint, fresh scent of herbs.
Although the Spiritual Qi was inevitably tainted with Demonic Qi, it did nothing to dampen the excitement of the Low Tier Cultivators.
"If not now, then when!"
A Golden Core Powerhouse suddenly bellowed, jolting the Low Tier Cultivators from their reverie. They quickly followed their pre-arranged plans, flying into the passageway in groups.
"Let’s go, too!"
Chen Bufan and his group had already summoned their Top Grade small Flying Boat and immediately flew in as well. Zhang Chi, Chen Ling’Er, and the others were all aboard it.
SWOOSH!
Soon, Zhang Chi felt as if he had passed through a watery curtain. After a moment of dizzying disorientation, they had arrived inside the Secret Realm.
Looking ahead, they saw an endless expanse of rolling mountains, as if they had entered another world.
When they looked back, the passageway had vanished, leaving only a gray, hazy mist that seemed to conceal some immense danger, instinctively warning them away.
Moreover, the overall Spiritual Qi here was much richer and relatively purer than outside.
At the same time, Exploring Cultivators from the Ten Great Immortal Sects continuously appeared around them. They were all amazed upon entry, but none of them lingered. Instead, they all scrambled to be the first to fly deeper inside.
Zhang Chi’s group was no different; their Flying Boat didn’t stop for even a moment.
The Secret Realm was so vast that the tens of thousands of Cultivators who entered seemed like mere drops in the ocean.
Furthermore, since the Explorers intentionally avoided one another, the surrounding area quickly cleared of other teams.
"Look! A hundred-year-old Yellow Essence Grass!"
"Over there is a Tier One Middle Grade Vermilion Fruit..."
"Careful, a Tier One Demon Beast!"
"Heavens, this place is practically littered with Spirit Stones!"
Even without actively searching, the Cultivators soon began making numerous discoveries.
"Collect what you can, but abandon what you can’t. We need to push deeper as quickly as possible. There will be better and more Spirit Medicines inside!"
There were five Foundation Establishment Cultivators in the team, all from Azure Dragon Ridge: Chen Bufan, Zhong Yu, and the three who had traveled to Shifang Immortal City with them a few years ago.
The rest of the Qi Cultivation Cultivators were also from Azure Dragon Ridge, most of them at the Qi Cultivation Peak, and many were familiar faces to Zhang Chi.
As for the other Cultivators, some hadn’t come at all, while others who had were not in this group.
Zhang Chi had even seen some Foundation Establishment Late Stage and even Foundation Establishment Peak Cultivators participating in this Exploration.
But they were certainly not qualified to join those teams.
At this moment, Chen Bufan and the other Foundation Establishment Cultivators also noticed the Spirit Grass and other things, immediately lowering the Flying Boat’s altitude and issuing corresponding instructions.
"Alright."
The Cultivators naturally had no objections. Without disembarking from the Flying Boat, they used their various techniques to remotely collect Spirit Medicines, or to slay and retrieve the corpses of Demon Beasts along the way.
They didn’t mind if some items were damaged in their haste.
After all, the deeper they went into the Secret Realm, the better the treasures would be, and they only had one month. It wasn’t worth wasting time on these Low Tier Spirit Medicines.
Zhang Chi also joined in.
For instance, he was currently maneuvering his Golden Bamboo Leaf Flying Sword to circle the base of a Tier One Middle Grade Spirit Grass, instantly severing it from the earth.
Then, he used the Exorcism Technique, and the Spirit Grass, along with a large clump of soil around its roots, was lifted into the air and collected by him.
However, he was only doing it out of boredom and to avoid standing out, merely going with the flow.
In truth, like Chen Bufan and the other Foundation Establishment Cultivators, he didn’t think much of these Spirit Grasses.
Of course, this was only because they were in the Secret Realm. Outside, they would have cherished them.
Zhang Chi mused, ’I already made arrangements with Chen Ling’Er, and I have them to thank for registering successfully, so it wouldn’t be right to act alone right away. It would look strange. But once we’re deeper in the Secret Realm, I can find an excuse to leave. Besides, their pace isn’t slow, so it’s not holding me back.’
At this moment, his fellow sect members were all very excited, even squabbling over some of the Spirit Grass and Demon Beasts.
Those who reaped a large harvest were exultant, while those who failed to claim a prize were dejected.
But Zhang Chi remained perfectly calm.
Meanwhile, Chen Ling’Er, with her excellent Swordsmanship and the help of her Treasure-Seeking Mink, had gathered a great deal, her cheeks flushed with happiness.
Time flew, and in the blink of an eye, a day had passed. Chen Bufan and the others finally slowed down the Flying Boat.
The closer they got to the center of the Secret Realm, the richer the overall Spiritual Qi and the more abundant the Spirit Medicines became, so there was no risk of them heading in the wrong direction.
They had now reached the very edge of the outer region; any further and they would be in the Inner Circle.
In fact, they had just encountered a Tier Two Early Stage Demon Beast. However, they were here to gather herbs, not to hunt. Besides, there were too many Qi Cultivation Cultivators on the Flying Boat.
So, for safety’s sake, after detecting its powerful aura from a distance, they used the Flying Boat’s speed to detour around it.
"Everyone, we are about to enter the Inner Circle, an area suitable for Foundation Establishment Cultivators. Therefore, those at the Qi Cultivation Stage can stop here. Of course, you are also welcome to continue following us."
"But even as fellow sect members, we cannot guarantee your safety at all times. Furthermore, any Spirit Medicines we gather will be distributed based on individual merit..." Chen Bufan said, looking at the Qi Cultivation Disciples.