"A Loose Cultivator more skilled than our Profound Origin Sect’s own Tier Three Array Master? I find that hard to believe. We’re all part of a Sect, so we understand how greatly a Sect’s resources can amplify a Cultivator’s strength." Jiang Xu voiced his doubt.

"That’s precisely why I have such great admiration for Master Su. For a Loose Cultivator to reach that level, they must not only possess exceptional talent but also be blessed with great destiny."

Qin Muxian explained:

"Master Su led our group of more than ten Foundation Establishment Cultivators from the various Sects all the way to the border of the core region. But then we were stopped cold by the Grand Array protecting it.

According to the two Array Masters, the Array surrounding the core region is a Tier Four Array, which means it’s at the Nascent Soul Stage."

Nascent Soul!

Jiang Xu was stunned.

If it was a Nascent Soul-level Grand Array, didn’t that mean it was impossible to get in?

In that case, Qin Muxian’s plan to find the Treasure Medicine for Zong Ziqi had fallen through.

Even if there were Nascent Soul Level Treasures inside, Jiang Xu felt they would have no choice but to give up on them.

"Although the Array is Tier Four, its power has waned considerably over the long ages. There’s still a sliver of hope it can be broken, but it would take a very long time," Qin Muxian added.

"Master, are there really that many treasures in the Inner Area?" Zong Ziqi asked curiously.

Qin Muxian recalled:

"There are quite a few treasures, yes, but we were heading straight for the core, so we didn’t spend much time in the Inner Area.

The power of that ancient Cultivation Clan was clearly immense. While you couldn’t say treasures littered the ground, the wealth we saw was certainly befitting their status.

But those are just the minor finds. The real haul is inside the various restricted areas, places like the Spirit Medicine Garden and the Alchemy Pavilion.

However, these places are protected by certain Restrictions, some Tier Two and some Tier Three.

After tens of thousands of years, some of these Restrictions are so damaged they’re no longer effective, while others remain as powerful as the day they were set.

It’s basically impossible to judge their status without being an Array Master, so without the help of one, we Foundation Establishment Cultivators didn’t dare go check them out on our own."

At this point, Jiang Xu voiced a doubt that had been nagging him:

"Elder Qin, since there’s a Spirit Medicine Garden in the Inner Area, why didn’t you just search there instead of being so set on reaching the core? This Secret Realm is clearly extraordinary; surely the Spirit Medicine Garden must contain Tier Three Treasure Medicine?"

Qin Muxian shook his head with a wry smile:

"If only we just needed to search the Inner Area. Unfortunately, the Treasure Medicine capable of repairing a Qi Sea isn’t an ordinary Tier Three medicine. It’s actually a key secondary ingredient for a Tier Four Elixir, the Nascent Soul Breaking Pill.

The Nascent Soul Breaking Pill increases the chances of a Golden Core Cultivator breaking through to the Nascent Soul Realm. Why would a Treasure of such importance be left carelessly in an outer area?

Of course, if we keep failing to break into the core region, I’ll have no choice but to search the Inner Area."

"Then why did you come back? After going through all the trouble to breach the Grand Array to the Inner Area, shouldn’t you have scoured the place clean first?"

"*Sigh*, I wanted to. But Master Su said that because we had triggered the core Array, the Secret Realm had become dangerous. He had us all evacuate. Only Master Su, Pavilion Master Zhu from our Profound Origin Sect, and Elder Liu from the Purple Flower Palace remain inside the Secret Realm."

Pavilion Master Zhu is the Profound Origin Sect’s Tier Three Array Master. He has a Golden Core Cultivation, just like that Independent Practitioner Array Master, Master Su.

Besides those two Golden Cores, there is also one from the Purple Flower Palace named Liu Yushan, who is also standing guard in the Secret Realm.

Jiang Xu wanted to ask something more, but just then, a commotion erupted in the distance. Judging by the sound, it was quite a ruckus.

The three of them heard it and turned to look toward the source of the disturbance.

There, at the very edge of the encampment, it looked like a battle was underway. Various kinds of Magic were being unleashed indiscriminately, creating a chaotic scene.

Qin Muxian’s expression turned grim.

’Could it be? Did the Cultivators from Wind and Thunder Manor and the two other sects decide the last fight wasn’t satisfying enough and, in a fit of madness, tear up the truce?’

’Or is one of the Loose Cultivators we recruited causing trouble?’

’Or have our own Sect Disciples started a fight over some squabble?’

Radiating a fierce aura, Qin Muxian summoned his sword and flew off toward the commotion.

Jiang Xu and Zong Ziqi followed close behind.

A Foundation Establishment Elder was incredibly fast, so by the time Jiang Xu arrived, Qin Muxian had already dealt with the source of the disturbance.

But even though the commotion had been quelled, Qin Muxian’s expression remained grim.

No, it was darker than before, and now held a faint trace of horror.

Jiang Xu followed the terrified gazes of the disciples to see what they were staring at.

To his shock, he saw a dozen or so monster carcasses on the ground, each cleaved in two at the waist by a sword.

Nearby lay the bodies of several Sect Disciples from the Profound Origin Sect, the Celestial Blade Sect, and others.

"What is that!" It was the first time Zong Ziqi had ever seen such a monster, one that had been warped and mutated by an invasion of black gas.

"That’s a Demonized Beast. It’s a Demon Beast that has been corrupted by Demonic Qi, or just Demon Beast for short. Because they’ve been transformed by Demonic Qi, their temperaments change drastically. Every one of them becomes incredibly bloodthirsty and terrifying." Qin Muxian had appeared beside the two at some point.

"’Demons? Demon Beasts?’" Jiang Xu was suddenly reminded of the various Ancient Texts he had seen at Shen Ji’s home. One of them had contained an introduction to demons.

He had only skimmed the topic at the time, however, and hadn’t specifically sought out Ancient Texts on the subject.

"Correct. You disciples are too inexperienced; you probably don’t know the terror of demons.

In truth, I only have a fragmented understanding myself. After all, hundreds, even thousands of years ago, the Demon Sects in Dinghai State were soundly beaten by our Profound Origin Sect in alliance with other Sects and driven out like stray dogs.

The righteous-demonic war back then was on an immense scale. Over a dozen Golden Core Ancestors entered the fray, and it’s rumored that an Upper Sect even sent a Nascent Soul Elder Monster to lend their aid.

After that, there were no more Demon Sects in Dinghai State; they were all driven out to the other State Domains of the Great Qi."

A storm of shock raged in Jiang Xu’s mind.

’If Qin Muxian said these are Demon Beasts created by Demonic Qi invading a body, doesn’t that mean the surface of that Array is made of Demonic Qi?’

’So this Array is actually a Demon Array?’

’But who could have set up this Demon Array?’

’Judging by the scale, this must be a Tier Three Demon Array at the very least. Does that mean it was set up by a Demon Cultivator at the Golden Core Realm?’

’But how did they manage to set it up?’

’There are several Golden Core Ancestors and Tier Three Array Masters right here. An Array of this scale couldn’t have been set up without causing a huge disturbance.’

’Could it be that the Demon Array was already in place before the Secret Realm was even discovered?’

’In that case, the discovery of this Secret Realm was all a trap, set by Demon Cultivators to annihilate them all?’

The more Jiang Xu thought, the more horrified he became. He looked into the distance and saw that the Demon Array had already advanced a significant distance inward. If this kept up, in a few months, there wouldn’t be any room left for him to even move!