Chapter 115: Chapter 113: Fated Opportunity, Relocation, Myriad Poisons

After a brief investigation, Madam Ye took a graceful step and walked into the Dragon’s Mouth.

The next moment, her figure flashed and disappeared.

Fang Cheng and Ye Yan exchanged a glance. She took his hand, and they walked in together.

Upon stepping into the Dragon’s Mouth, a white light flashed before their eyes. In an instant, the world around them changed, and they found themselves inside a Secret Realm.

What met their eyes was a desolate, barren mountain peak. The three of them were standing on the mountainside.

Madam Ye stood on a large boulder not far ahead.

Beyond the mountain was a vast expanse of white, where wind and thunder periodically surged, letting out deafening roars.

Fang Cheng instinctively sensed a heart-pounding danger and couldn’t help but frown.

They heard Madam Ye say, "Do not fly. Outside is chaotic void turbulence. If you enter it, with your Cultivation, you will have no hope of survival."

There was a narrow, winding path on the mountainside. Following it upward, they soon reached the summit.

A simple and ancient Bluestone Ruined Pagoda stood on the summit, drawing their attention.

The top of the ruined pagoda had collapsed, leaving only the bottom five floors intact. In front of the pagoda stood a Stone Stele covered in writing.

After reading the text on the Stone Stele, Madam Ye sighed softly. "So it truly is a ruin of the Myriad Phenomena Immortal Sect. This is their Trial Pagoda. Not only does it contain the Myriad Manifestations Celestial Dew, but also the Inheritance Celestial Book left behind by the Myriad Phenomena Immortal Sect..."

"This Secret Realm drifts within the Endless Void, appearing in the mortal world once every three thousand years. It must be searching for a destined successor to carry on the legacy of the Myriad Phenomena Immortal Sect."

Fang Cheng walked up to the main gate of the ruined pagoda. It was covered in complex and profound Spirit Patterns, clearly a powerful restriction that couldn’t be easily bypassed.

’I wonder if Madam Ye can break this restriction?’

His expression shifted slightly.

As if sensing his thoughts, Madam Ye said directly, "The Cultivator who left this Secret Realm was clearly of an extremely high Cultivation Realm. It’s impossible to force one’s way in. Besides, the Stone Stele states that only Sensing Realm cultivators may enter the pagoda for the trial. We should wait for the restriction to open on its own before going inside."

Fang Cheng nodded, then asked, puzzled, "The Myriad Phenomena Immortal Sect was destroyed over thirty thousand years ago. According to the Stone Stele, this Secret Realm should have appeared at least nine times. I wonder if there’s any Celestial Dew left in the pagoda?"

Madam Ye smiled faintly. "This pagoda may look ruined, but there seems to be a Profound Mechanism within. There must be an Array operating, automatically refining the Myriad Manifestations Celestial Dew."

A glint flashed in Ye Yan’s eyes. "No wonder it only appears once every three thousand years. It seems that’s how long it takes to replenish the Celestial Dew after each appearance!"

Madam Ye looked at her daughter and said, "The Celestial Dew is an incredibly rare treasure. Now that there are no Myriad Phenomena Immortal Sect Cultivators to refine it personally, it relies solely on the Array’s Spiritual Mechanism to replenish itself. It’s not surprising that it takes three thousand years."

She looked at the restriction on the pagoda gate, silently calculating for a moment. "In another three years... no, perhaps in two years at the earliest, the restriction on the pagoda will dissipate."

"According to the ancient texts, when that time comes, this ruined pagoda will detach from this Secret Realm and enter the real world."

"The two of you can pose as Loose Cultivators and settle down here. The moment the restriction dissipates, you must be the first to enter the pagoda and fight for this opportunity."

According to the rules set by the Myriad Phenomena Immortal Sect, only Sensing Realm cultivators could enter the pagoda.

In two years, given Fang Cheng and Ye Yan’s cultivation speed, they would likely have reached the Ninth Layer of Sensing.

Especially with Fang Cheng’s Divine Techniques and Sword Technique, very few within the same realm could contend with him.

If they could also secure the first-mover advantage, they would surely come out on top when this Secret Realm appeared!

’This son-in-law’s future prospects are truly immeasurable...’

Madam Ye glanced at Fang Cheng, thinking to herself.

Naturally, Fang Cheng and Ye Yan had no objections to Madam Ye’s arrangements.

The only unfortunate thing was that the Spiritual Qi in Brocade Cloud Stream was so thin that even Cultivators from Netherworld Valley were unwilling to establish a Cave Mansion there.

Fortunately, he had three Upper-Grade Spirit Stones, enough to support his cultivation for a long time.

Having settled on a strategy, the three of them returned down the mountain. On the mountainside, they triggered the Secret Realm’s exit mechanism and returned to the cave.

Madam Ye laid down a Second-Order Array to conceal the cave before leading the young couple out.

...

「Two days later.」

「Xiaocang Island, Cangwu Mountain, Cyan Demon Cliff.」

Fang Cheng stood before the Spirit-Devouring Tree. He executed one of the Divine Techniques from the Cyan Yuan Demon Tree Skill, continuously casting Spells at the tree.

The massive Spirit-Devouring Tree flickered with spiritual light and began to slowly shrink.

In about the time it takes an incense stick to burn, the tall, verdant Demon Tree had shrunk to about three feet tall and as thick as a wrist.

Fang Cheng uprooted it and placed it in a Jade Basin, making it look like a bonsai plant brimming with Spiritual Qi. He then stored it in his storage bag.

Meanwhile, Ye Yan and Die’Er were packing their belongings, preparing to move.

Soon after, the two women finished packing and joined Fang Cheng. They then went to the Outer Sect’s Dragon Spine Archipelago.

In the Outer Sect Cave Mansion, the Late-stage Second-tier Demon Beast Flesh and Blood in the Gu Pit had vanished. Only five Vajra Gu remained in the pit; the other Gu Insects had likely been devoured by each other.

A golden light pulsed erratically around the five Vajra Gu as they lay dormant, seemingly at a critical point in breaking through to the next realm.

Fang Cheng collected the Gu Insects, and together with Ye Yan and Die’Er, he quietly left the Cave Mansion and flew north.

...

「Netherworld Valley, Brocade Cloud Stream.」

Fang Cheng, along with Ye Yan and Die’Er, returned to the base of Purple Flower Cliff.

All three wore appearance-altering Magical Artifacts, making their faces look ordinary. They had also changed into the simple attire of Loose Cultivators, keeping a very low profile.

Ye Yan activated a Yellow Turban Warrior Talisman, summoning three Yellow Turban Warriors. Using the original grotto as a foundation, they excavated a new Cave Mansion.

She enjoyed decorating Cave Mansions, and while the furniture and decorations she brought this time looked plain, they possessed a certain understated elegance.

The grotto that Madam Ye had concealed with an Array was ultimately hidden deep within the new Cave Mansion, separated by a secret chamber.

Although the three of them tried to be discreet, their activities still attracted the attention of a few Loose Cultivators from Netherworld Valley.

An Escape Light flew from the depths of the valley, landing from a distance to reveal a handsome man with a feather fan, a silk turban, and dressed in wide robes with long sleeves.

The man looked to be in his thirties, with a handsome, jade-like face and bright, piercing eyes. He strode toward the newly constructed Cave Mansion and called out in a clear voice, "I wonder which Fellow Daoist has settled here? Wang Daqian of Carefree Cave has come to pay a visit!"

Fang Cheng walked out of the Cave Mansion. His gaze swept over the handsome man, and he realized the man had the same Cultivation as him: the Seventh Layer of Sensing.

He cupped his fist in greeting. "A pleasure to meet you, Fellow Daoist Wang!"

Wang Daqian sized Fang Cheng up with a chuckle. "A pleasure indeed. This place is just a few miles from my Carefree Cave. As your closest neighbor, I came over to have a look. May I ask for your name, Fellow Daoist?"

Fang Cheng gave the alias he had prepared. "I am Chen Miao."

Wang Daqian asked curiously, "Where have you come from, Fellow Daoist Chen? The Spiritual Qi here in Brocade Cloud Stream is thin. Very few Cultivators choose to settle down here."

Fang Cheng smiled. "I was originally cultivating in the Southern Mang Mountains, but things have become unsettled there, so I moved north. Although the Spiritual Qi here isn’t ideal, the scenery is beautiful."

In truth, the areas in Netherworld Valley with dense Spiritual Qi were mostly already claimed. Newly arrived Loose Cultivators wanting to open a Cave Mansion had to slowly search for a suitable location.

Wang Daqian’s face showed his understanding. He nodded. "No wonder. So you’re a Loose Cultivator from the south. I’ve heard that the Southern Mang Mountains have been thrown into chaos by the Yinluo Sect’s Demon Cleansing Conference."

He paused, looked around, and then lowered his voice. "Fellow Daoist Chen, since you’re new to Netherworld Valley, you probably don’t know much about this place. As your neighbor, I’d like to give you a few reminders. I hope you don’t mind me being long-winded."

Fang Cheng raised an eyebrow and said seriously, "Please speak, Fellow Daoist Wang."

Wang Daqian said in a low voice, "There are over two hundred Loose Cultivators in this Netherworld Valley. Normally, we don’t interfere with each other and just focus on our own cultivation. But if we’re invaded by outside Cultivators or the Demon Race, we need to unite against them... so some necessary interaction is indispensable."

Fang Cheng nodded. That made sense.

Wang Daqian continued, "There is also one person in the valley you must not offend. His name is the Ten Thousand Poison Taoist. He’s a Poison Cultivator at the Peak of Sensing Realm, and he leads the Ten Thousand Poison Gang, the largest power in Netherworld Valley."

’A Poison Cultivator?’

’I wonder whose is more powerful, his poison or my Poison Gu?’

Fang Cheng expressed his thanks. "Thank you for the warning, Fellow Daoist. If I encounter the Ten Thousand Poison Gang in the future, I’ll be sure to steer clear."

Wang Daqian chuckled. "You can’t steer clear of them. In a few days, they’ll come knocking. First, they’ll collect a ’settling-in fee.’ Second, they’ll give you a Jile Pill. Whatever you do, Fellow Daoist, don’t refuse. That gang responds to appeasement, not resistance. They’re capable of the most heinous things. If you just go along with them, you’ll be fine." 𝕗𝐫𝚎𝗲𝘄𝐞𝕓𝐧𝕠𝘃𝕖𝐥.𝐜𝚘𝚖

Fang Cheng frowned slightly. "What’s a Jile Pill?"

Wang Daqian’s expression was complicated. "After taking this pill, the circulation speed of your Magical Power will increase by twenty percent. However, it’s also highly addictive. You have to take it every month, on time. Otherwise, you’re very likely to suffer from cultivation deviation..."

Fuck!

Fang Cheng sneered. "So, are the subsequent Jile Pills free, or do you have to buy them yourself?"

Wang Daqian replied, "Of course you have to buy them from the Ten Thousand Poison Gang with Spirit Stones. The gang uses this pill to control all of Netherworld Valley. New Loose Cultivators are either forced to leave or end up in the same boat as the rest of us."

"Haven’t you ever thought of resisting?" Fang Cheng asked curiously.

Wang Daqian gave a bitter laugh. "The Ten Thousand Poison Gang is far more powerful than you can imagine. Forget the Ten Thousand Poison Taoist for a moment; half of the Late Sensing Stage Loose Cultivators in Netherworld Valley are members of the gang... And it’s said that the Ten Thousand Poison Taoist has a Tier Two Poison Beast by his side. Even an ordinary Life Talisman Cultivator might not be able to defeat him."

Fang Cheng looked at Wang Daqian and smiled calmly. "Fellow Daoist Wang, you also have a Late Stage Cultivation. Have you joined the Ten Thousand Poison Gang as well?"

Wang Daqian shook his head. "Once you join the gang, you become the Ten Thousand Poison Taoist’s dog, with no freedom to speak of. You could become cannon fodder any day. It’s better to be independent. Although we’re constrained by the Ten Thousand Poison Gang, it’s a problem that can be solved as long as you’re willing to part with some Spirit Stones."

He paused, then said, "In fact, there are quite a few fellow practitioners in the same situation as me. I can see that your cultivation is impressive, Fellow Daoist. If you were willing to join our little circle, we could watch out for each other and avoid a lot of trouble."

Fang Cheng replied, "Let me consider it."

"Of course." Wang Daqian smiled. "When you’ve made up your mind, Fellow Daoist, you can come find me at Carefree Cave."

As he spoke, he pointed in the direction of his Cave Mansion.

...