Si Yuanli had only recently broken through, but as a Purple Mansion Realm cultivator of the Azure Pond Sect, he was certainly qualified to be here.

Daoist Master Tianhuo replied at length, "He can't show himself openly at the moment. The Si Family is an important family of Ning State. Back then, there were many great families in Ning State, but those that still hold influence today are all attached to the Supreme Yang Dao lineage. One is his Si Family, while the other is the Xii Family of Chunyi Dao Gate.

"These two families must have a deeper understanding of the grotto heaven and will certainly come. But they won't appear openly. Everyone covets this place, and there's no telling who might follow them in secret or resort to other means..."

He smiled and said, "They'll wait until the grotto heaven descends, then slip in quietly, relying on their own knowledge and bloodlines to take a large share. They won't risk greater gains for small losses!"

Only then did Li Ximing understand where Si Yuanli had gone. He nodded to himself, then closed his eyes within the great void, cultivating while casually observing the situation. After an unknown stretch of time, a series of deep thudding sounds finally echoed through the purple expanse.

The destructive power of Foundation Establishment Realm cultivators was by no means small. With so many cultivators from north and south gathered in this secret realm and engaging in combat, even a realm of this size was quickly falling into chaos. Raising his gaze, he saw that some cultivators had already arrived before the Southern Reach Hall.

He heard Tianhuo spit and curse at his side, "Bad luck..."

It turned out that the first to arrive were the cultivators from Mount Changhuai. With a compass in hand, they broke through barriers and dismantled formations the moment they entered the secret realm, advancing smoothly all the way to the hall. The treasure they carried was extraordinarily powerful. Even Su Yan and Ding Weizeng, who had received guidance from Li Ximing beforehand, were a step behind and had yet to arrive.

The main hall of the Southern Reach Hall was tied to a crucial cornerstone of the secret realm, which Foundation Establishment Realm cultivators could hardly unravel. Yet Qing Jifang and the others remained calm. They were clearly prepared. As expected, the cultivators below began taking out talismans.

Boom!

Purple light surged along with the intensifying rumble. Streaks of escaping light were drawn in, breaking through from all directions toward Southern Reach Hall. The fighting grew fiercer, and the lights of various Dao lineages flashed in turn. One by one, the Purple Mansion Realm cultivators opened their eyes, watching closely.

Li Ximing raised his hand slightly and first drew out the injured Chen Yang and Li Wushao. One had low cultivation and the other a weak background, but both had been cunning enough to make it to the end despite their injuries. Chen Yang had even managed to bring out an ancient dharma artifact, a [Valley Water] bead.

Next came Li Jianglong. He had been particularly unlucky, as he was chased the entire way by several Buddhist cultivators. Though he had gathered quite a few treasures, he was gradually driven into a corner and was soon pulled out of the secret realm. Though unwilling, he silently rode the wind down.

The battle at the center grew even more intense. The great cauldron trembled under the blows as black-and-gold pills shot into the sky. Countless flashes of light clashed together. Ding Weizeng wielded his long and short staves in seamless succession, his momentum fierce.

The pills drew a hint of surprise from Tianhuo, who explained, "So they are [Southern Palace Profound Stabilizing Pills]! No wonder they were nurtured within the [Ancient Azure Medicine Cauldron]..."

Li Ximing was no mere novice in alchemy anymore, and had even inherited the Mifann Dao lineage. He immediately recognized these spirit pills, famed alongside the [Bright Truth Harmonizing Divine Pill], and felt a quiet surge of delight.

"[Southern Palace Profound Stabilizing Pills]... They can elevate divine abilities and open a profound chamber within the body, aiding cultivation. They work with many cultivation methods and follow the [Pure Essence] Dao, making them suitable for nearly all techniques..."

More importantly, the profound chamber opened by these pills could temporarily store various fire and demonic baleful energies, and even divine abilities themselves. Once the Purple Mansion Realm cultivation was complete, the chamber would be filled with stored divine abilities, which could either be absorbed in one go or extracted from the body and used as a talisman. Though of little use to Purple Mansion Realm cultivators, it served as a powerful protective item for juniors.

Tianhuo shook his head with a hint of emotion. "Back in the days of the Southern Reach Dao lineage... their junior cultivators were the last people you'd want to provoke, all because of these pills. Those old monsters would cultivate daily, carving open their bodies and giving each favored junior one for protection. How many of their peers would dare provoke them?"

Li Ximing listened with great interest and nodded inwardly. The gathered divine ability cultivators watched the battle below as if it were a stage performance. Some even took out tea and wine to drink, appearing completely at ease.

After watching for a while, Li Ximing could not help but smile. Li Jiangxia was also stirring up trouble below. Instead of competing for treasures or spirit materials, he had activated his Immortal Foundation and relentlessly attacked the Buddhist cultivators around him. With Ding Weizeng backing him up, and the Buddhist cultivators already lacking unity, the others simply enjoyed the chaos and paid him no mind.

When everything finally settled, the spirit artifact ended up in Pavillion Viewing's hands, while the medicine cauldron was taken by Mount Changhuai. No major conflict broke out, and no faction deliberately caused trouble, but what each party had taken for themselves remained known only to them.

Li Ximing, quite satisfied, pulled the two of them out and stood within the great void. Seeing Ding Weizeng's rather battered state, he praised him. "Good!"

Ding Weizeng wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth, quickly took out the two pills he had tucked away, and then produced a jade box, handing it to Li Ximing. The Daoist Master nodded in satisfaction. As for the other miscellaneous items, there was no need to take them out one by one.

At his side, Li Jiangxia suddenly said with a grin, "Hold on."

This third young master had always been sharp. Compared to his brothers, he was both more daring and more inclined to take risks. At some point, he had secretly hidden a jade bottle on his person.

Li Ximing praised him, "Good!"

His spiritual sense swept over the items. The two pills from Ding Weizeng were indeed [Southern Palace Profound Stabilizing Pills]. As for Li Jiangxia's jade bottle, it had been taken from a Buddhist cultivator and belonged to the [Gathering Wood] Dao, though it bore no name.

The jade box in Ding Weizeng's hand had been located earlier through Li Ximing's probing. As expected, it contained a Purple Mansion Realm spirit material, a [Heart-Trace Baleful Energy], and one aligned with the [Merging Fire] Dao.

Even Li Ximing could not help but smile at obtaining such rewards within the secret realm. At his side, Tianhuo was equally pleased and turned with a grin. "Fellow Daoist, quite the harvest. Congratulations!"

"The same to you!" Li Ximing smiled and thought, It truly takes an event like the fall of a grotto heaven. Otherwise, how often would one come across even a single spirit material...

The Purple Mansion Realm cultivators all raised their heads at once as streams of light appeared in the great void. Golden halls descended from the sky from the four directions like collapsing towers, crashing heavily into the Turbid Slaughter Mausoleum. Rogue cultivators surged into a frenzy, swarming densely like ants as they fearlessly rushed inside.

Some of the smaller halls attached to the Southern Reach Hall have fallen...

The contents within could not compare to those of the Southern Reach Hall and were of little use to Purple Mansion Realm cultivators. Li Ximing paid them no mind, casually sending the two down. Tianhuo likewise released several Golden Feather Sect disciples and instructed them.

"Just take a look around. Save your strength for the next secret realm!"

Li Ximing's thoughts had already drifted elsewhere. He smiled and asked, "I wonder how many more chances like this the juniors will have..."

Tianhuo glanced at him and replied with a smile, "My elders say there should be two or three more secret realms... The next one won't fall for another half a year or so. There's still time!"

If I hold things here for Zhouwei, and there are still two or three more, that should give at least another year or so...

Li Ximing calculated the time in his mind and quietly let out a breath of relief. Having settled his thoughts, he closed his eyes and began cultivating.