Chapter 20: Past Events

Half a month later, in a valley outside Qi Prefecture City.

The Golden Core cultivator from the Lingbao Auction House had already been waiting here.

As time passed, the cultivators who had learned about the disappearance of the secret realm from that day at the auction house gradually began to arrive.

Of course, the cultivators who arrived were not just those from the auction house that day.

During this half month, news of a new secret realm appearing outside Qi Prefecture City had spread within certain circles.

Many cultivators who were not yet strong enough started to gather their friends and companions, hoping to gain great opportunities within the secret realm.

The value of a secret realm is unimaginable for these cultivators.

The chance to soar to the heavens is right there within the secret realm.

Dan pills, magical treasures, cultivation techniques—all of these could be found in the secret realm.

Just as horses grow fat only with fresh grass, people grow rich only with unexpected fortune, and a secret realm is the best source of wealth.

Xu Yang and Ling Qingshu were among these cultivators, and compared to half a month ago, Ling Qingshu's aura had become more restrained.

However, if someone were to look into Ling Qingshu's eyes, they would notice a sharper edge in her gaze—it was sword intent.

Among cultivators, there exists a special group who only nurture a single magical sword throughout their lives, fully dedicating themselves to the pursuit of combat.

These are the sword cultivators, whose combat strength ranks among the top in the cultivation world.

Sword intent is the most distinctive characteristic of these people, and now, there was a trace of sword intent in Ling Qingshu's eyes.

Xu Yang was also quite surprised that Ling Qingshu had grasped sword intent.

When he first mentioned that Ling Qingshu might become a female sword immortal, it was just a casual remark. He never expected that the next day, a trace of sword intent would appear within her.

This left Xu Yang feeling somewhat moved. Could it be that during his ten thousand years of seclusion, his body's potential had been unlocked, forming a kind of miraculous ability?

The Golden Core cultivator from Lingbao Auction House had been observing the growing crowd.

When his gaze landed on Ling Qingshu, she instinctively sensed him and met his gaze.

An invisible sword intent was contained in Ling Qingshu's eyes, and when the Lingbao Auction House cultivator locked eyes with her, he felt a sharp pain in his eyes.

He couldn't understand why, in just half a month, Ling Qingshu, a cultivator who had just entered the Golden Core realm, had undergone such a huge transformation.

Earlier, when they were at the Lingbao Auction House, the Golden Core cultivator had also observed Ling Qingshu, but she had felt nothing.

Now, just a fleeting glance, and Ling Qingshu had already noticed. To his surprise, he was slightly weaker in momentum.

After retracting his gaze, the Golden Core cultivator couldn't help but marvel. The Tianlan Sect, a sect with such a long history, truly had a deep foundation.

An ancestor who seemingly came out of nowhere had first destroyed Yunshan Sect, and now, they had produced a Golden Core cultivator who underwent such a drastic change in just half a month.

As time passed, more and more cultivators gathered in the valley.

By midday, the Golden Core cultivator took out a jade tablet from his storage bag.

After channeling some spiritual energy into the jade tablet, the Golden Core cultivator threw it into the air.

Sunlight illuminated the jade tablet, and to the amazement of the onlookers, the light refracted from the jade tablet formed a landscape painting in mid-air.

There were palaces and mountains, but the scenes depicted within the painting were desolate.

"Everyone," the Golden Core cultivator called out in a loud voice, "In the time it takes for one incense stick to burn, the entrance to the secret realm will open. I hope everyone will abide by the agreement we made with Lingbao Auction House."

"Our Lingbao Auction House only wants one item from the secret realm. As for the other treasures, feel free to take them as you wish."

"Also, the secret realm is filled with dangers. May each of you accept your fate, for life and death are in the hands of heaven!"

As soon as he finished speaking, the landscape painting in the sky fully materialized.

The Golden Core cultivator immediately flew up and rushed into the painting.

Seeing this, the other cultivators present began to circulate their spiritual energy and rushed into the painting one after another.

Xu Yang held Ling Qingshu, who was about to rush in, and carefully observed the landscape painting.

The existence of secret realms is very unique. It can be understood as a separate space or a small world.

The jade tablet that the Golden Core cultivator threw was the key to the entrance of the secret realm.

The scene inside the floating landscape painting looked somewhat familiar to Xu Yang, as if he had seen it somewhere before.

As he gazed at the mountains and rivers in the painting, a deep memory surfaced in Xu Yang's mind.

He couldn't remember exactly how many years ago it was, but back then Xu Yang was still a young man, the first disciple of the Tianlan Sect.

During those years, there was always a little follower behind Xu Yang.

When Xu Yang was stuck at the Qi Refining stage and unable to break through to the Foundation Establishment stage, that little follower began to show his talents.

Later, the little follower left the Tianlan Sect and ventured into the world on his own. Before leaving, he said to Xu Yang:

"Young master, when I return, I'll definitely help you break through to the Foundation Establishment stage."

The next time Xu Yang saw the little follower, many years had passed.

By then, the sixth generation sect master of Tianlan Sect had already ascended, and that talented little follower had become the sect master of a great sect.

At that time, it was in such a landscape, and Xu Yang, still at the Qi Refining stage, sat and discussed the Dao with the little follower, who had already achieved the Dao Integration stage.

Afterward, Xu Yang returned to Tianlan Sect to continue his seclusion, while the little follower stayed behind to seek out a method to help Xu Yang break through to the Foundation Establishment stage.

From then on, Xu Yang never saw the little follower again, and the sect he founded disappeared from the continent many years later.

Xu Yang never expected to see such a familiar scene here today.

Scenes from the past flashed in his mind as he carefully recalled each one.

Seeing Xu Yang like this, Ling Qingshu remained silent, just watching him.

On Xu Yang's shoulder, a little creature, the Cloud Beast, was very active.

The young Cloud Beast looked at the scene in the painting, waving its little paw and gently swiping at Xu Yang's ear.

Not receiving the response it expected, the young Cloud Beast blew out a puff of cloud mist, spraying it on Xu Yang's face.

The cold sensation broke Xu Yang's concentration, and he patted the little Cloud Beast's head, quietly asking, "Did you come out from there?"

The young Cloud Beast, after listening to Xu Yang's question, looked at the painting, then at Xu Yang, and after a moment's thought, nodded.

With this response, Xu Yang smiled.

It seemed that he and this little Cloud Beast were indeed quite compatible.

"Let's go, let's see what's inside."

Xu Yang took a step forward, and in the next instant, appeared at the entrance of the landscape painting.

Ling Qingshu followed closely behind him and stepped into the painting as well.

By the time noon had passed, the landscape painting suddenly vanished from the valley, and the jade tablet also disappeared without a trace.