The copper-scaled wolf collapsed to the forest floor, its neck nearly severed from the final clean stroke of Li Qingyun's sword. Steam hissed from its dying breath, dissipating into the dense, qi-laden air.
Li Qingyun sheathed his blade in silence. The brief battle had been intense but manageable—he had neither overexerted himself nor underestimated the beast. It was a good first fight.
His gaze turned to the three glowing herbs near the base of the moss-covered stone. Now that the wolf was gone, the spiritual plants vibrated gently with life, no longer shielded by the beast's territorial presence.
He crouched and examined them carefully.
As Li Qingyun family majors in alchemy, he also had memorized and learned information about many spiritual herbs, as even if he decides not to practice alchemy himself atleast he can identify them and bring them home if they are rare and precious. And if they are not that rare or precious and are easily available in market then he will charge them into his system for energy points.
The first herb was a Crimson Vein Orchid.
A bright, flame-hued orchid with visible red lines running through its petals, pulsating like blood vessels. It strengthens blood qi and enhances vitality and combat recovery.
It was rare, but not unheard of. Li Qingyun decided that it was better for system to consume it and increase his energy points.
[System Notification]
(+10 Energy Points)
The second herb was a Moondew Clover.
A silver-blue clover that sparkled under the dappled moonlight even in daylight, exuding cool mist with faint yin energy. It nourishes the spiritual sea, and enhances clarity of mind, it also has affinity with yin attributes, making it ideal for mental-focused or yin-based cultivators.
"Better to store this and when I am home, I will give it to mother and see what can she do with it", Li Qingyun decided to store the Moondew Clover.
The last herb was Starlight Rain Lotus.
A luminescent lotus with translucent petals that shimmered with starlight. Contains pure soul energy, capable of refining one's divine sense or aiding in consciousness tempering. It was also extremely rare. Li Qingyun decided to store it as well.
[System Interface]
[Host:] Li Qingyun
[Realm:] Qi Gathering Realm (8th Stage)
[Physique:] Primal Chaos Vessel Physique
[Slots:]
Slot 1: Jade Body Tempering Scripture
Slot 2: Unoccupied
(Slot 3 Locked – Requires 100 Energy Points)
[Techniques:]
Jade Body Tempering Scripture – Perfect (Transcendent unlock at 100 points) — [Slotted]
Ninefold Essence Sutra – Perfect
Voidcleave Sword Manual – Perfect (Sword Intent: Budding Edge)
Phantom Step Art – Perfect
[Energy:] 33 points
–––
The Crimson Vein Orchid only increased 10 points. As it was not that rare, usually martial artists use pills made from crimson vein orchid and spiritual beast also consume them to increase their qi-blood and physical strength.
As he stood, something flickered faintly in the soil beneath the moss. Curious, he brushed the earth aside—only to uncover a circular jade token, slightly pulsing with warmth. His own token, gifted by the elders before the trial, vibrated faintly in response. He was surprised and happy to gain a jade token instantly after arriving in the secret realm.
The jade token bore a tiny star symbol on the front and it's back was empty.
> "So this is how we locate each other," he muttered. "If you are in vicinity of a token yours personal token will react. It seems that elders knew that some participants will try to survive so they must have used some sort of method to prevent it. And it is likely this mechanism to sense one token with another."
He slipped it into his robe and scanned the surroundings. No qi fluctuations. No footsteps. For now, he was alone. But that could change soon.
---
Within the vast secret realm, time flowed differently. A day passed outside, but inside, the participants were already deep into their own experiences.
Xia Shuying had settled beneath a cliffside, where a wind barrier she formed shielded her from the worst of the cold. She'd discovered a vein of frost jade embedded in the rock, and after carving out several fist-sized chunks, she began tempering her sword intent within the frigid environment. The icy qi sharpened her aura even further.
Qin Wushuang still sat unmoving in the thunder canyon. The lightning qi had condensed around him into a swirling cloud. Occasionally, arcs leapt to his skin and crackled across his meridians. His eyes remained closed, but the thunder pattern slowly forming behind him spoke of real gains—he was forging a new thunder-based secret art on the spot.
Mu Yihan, after collecting several moonlight lilies, now sat atop a misty boulder, purifying the yin qi into a usable essence pill. Nearby, soft spiritual creatures had begun to approach, drawn to her aura, but none dared come too close. Her control of the environment had stabilized her area of the marsh.
Feng Jue had escaped the shifting reflections with a few bruises and an amused expression. The floating fruit turned out to be a Mirage Spirit Fruit—a rare item. He was now sitting atop a mirrored branch, using the fruit's illusion qi to strengthen his soul perception. His tone when speaking to himself was light, but his eyes remained wary. The forest still had more secrets than he liked.
Bai Yu had deciphered the jade talisman she found—an old map fragment indicating a nearby energy convergence point. She followed its hints to a low dune where spiritual sand formed a faint vortex. After setting up defensive talismans, she began refining the local sand into condensed spirit dust, a useful material for both formations and pills.
Luo Min harvested several of the elusive Nightshade Spirit Fruits. With their poison-resistant properties, he was carefully concocting a specialized pill formula. He'd also begun to notice the trees subtly shifting when he wasn't watching. The realm was quiet, but he knew better than to relax completely.
Han Zhen was deep into refining. Streams of fire qi surrounded him as his skin emitted faint red light. His protective barrier held steady despite several small magma eruptions nearby. Steam hissed every few minutes, but his expression was peaceful, and the impurities in his meridians were visibly burning away.
Yu Qing, now aware of the presence lurking in the water, remained by the lotus pond but had set up a small circle of spiritual bamboo as a gentle perimeter. A snake-like spirit beast had shown itself and seemed content to circle at a distance, sensing his calm. Yu Qing hadn't driven it away. Instead, he shared a few of the lotus petals with it in exchange for peace.
In other parts of the realm, cultivators each faced their own small turning points.
Sheng Lian, examining the cracked formations in the ruin, salvaged several energy stones and recorded the layout for future reference.
Ji Wuxin, adapting to the slow-time mist valley, had begun practicing a movement technique that relied on spatial rhythm, gaining unexpected insight.
Lu Qingzhi harvested metal essence from the cave walls and even began crafting a low-grade spirit knife from raw ore.
Tang Hu had already subdued the spirit beast that attacked him, using a mix of brute strength and clever footwork, and was now using the beast's location as a temporary cultivation den.
Yan Wei uncovered traces of life beneath the barren land—subterranean spirit worms whose vibrations caused the earth to tremble. He dug out a few and stored them in a beast taming pouch for taming and for seeking treasures underground.
Guo Tiancheng left the eerie shrine after retrieving a charm that resonated with his spirit root. Though wary, he didn't find any traps—just a sense of foreboding he couldn't shake.
Rong Yue continued to cultivate by the waterfall, the light qi amplifying her own spiritual resonance.
Lin Xiang, trapped in the collapsed cave, had calmed down and begun carving a tunnel out using spiritual force. She wasn't panicked, just annoyed.
Zhao Ruyan managed to find safe footing amidst the jungle's chaos and had begun taming a few of the butterflies using a fragrant herb she found, turning the poisonous fog into a passive defense.
Wu Hong, atop the floating platform, entered a state of deep meditation, using the high-altitude qi to temper his spiritual sense.
Huo Zeming respectfully buried the remains of the fallen cultivator before leaving the area. That decision earned him the passing attention of a benevolent spirit qi current—his next cultivation session went more smoothly than expected.
Mei Xuan continued to observe the illusory lake and realized that the visions it showed were memory fragments drawn from her own fear and hatred. She turned her back on it and walked away, her heart steadier than before.
Si Yulan had drawn three blades from the sword grove and was experimenting with their resonance to amplify her own sword techniques.
Cheng Yuan uncovered more runes and sketched them quickly before the frost covered them again—he suspected they were part of a spirit vein network.
Duan Li sat before the sealed gate, his eyes sharp. He had no way to open it, but instead of being frustrated, he cultivated there, hoping to understand the inscriptions' rhythm.
Xie Fen, who had caught a thread of lightning essence, had begun incorporating it into his spirit technique, his aura gradually showing signs of elemental fusion.
---
As the second day of the secret realm approached, none had yet met, and most remained unaware of how others were faring. But across different zones, gains were being made, growth was happening, and a quiet tension built steadily. It wasn't fear—it was anticipation.
The true test hadn't even begun.