184-196

Chapter 184: The Xuan Yin Sect's Conspiracy

After the lightning turned the Xuan Yin Sect Cultivator into charred remains, various objects suddenly burst from his body.

Lin Yi was stunned, it felt like a video game, killing monsters and getting loot.

He quickly deduced the reason. The lightning was probably too powerful and had destroyed the Storage Bag.

Looking at the charred remains, and scattered items of the Xuan Yin Sect Cultivator, Lin Yi rubbed his nose. He had been somewhat too cautious, lacking combat experience and not knowing about the impressive effects of Foundation Building Realm.

Based on this situation, he realized the damage from the Great Perfection Five-Thunder Spell from his Foundation Building Realm was more than enough. Also, he had the damage bonus from his Light Golden Spiritual Power and the inherent restriction lightning had against evil cultivators.

Therefore, there was no need to use his fury to enter a berserk state, especially given how hard it was to muster.

However, he had been just playing it safe. After establishing his foundation, he decided to start by killing wicked individuals around the Qi Refining sixth to seventh stage. The cultivator he just killed was his first at the ninth level.

Only the best disciples of each Sect could enter the secret realm, so who knew how many life-saving techniques they might have up their sleeves. It didn't hurt to be cautious. In future fights, he wouldn't use his fury lightly.

At that moment, a notification popped up before his eyes, showing that 

"[Elite Survivor]" experience-points had increased by 1. It appeared that just now, when he went berserk and dealt excess damage to the enemy, it was considered a pathway of surviving according to the system.

Lin Yi switched back his title and walked over to the Evil Cultivator of Xuan Yin Sect who had died with his eyes wide open, his face filled with shock and a hint of unwillingness.

Who wouldn't be shocked if a Qi Refining Eighth Stage spell suddenly exhibited the incredible power of the Foundation Building Realm?

He gently kicked the scorched body, which surprisingly turned into ashes that slowly dispersed in the wind.

"Ahem, he really turned into charcoal. The damage was indeed too excessive. He has turned into ashes, can he even be reincarnated?" Lin Yi awkwardly coughed and still took out the Rebirth Charm, initiating the reincarnation process.

The holy light of the Rebirth Charm shone onto the floating ashes, but no resentment surged out.

The Xuan Yin Sect was full of Evil Cultivators filled with Yin Qi. Lightning was  their greatest nemesis. Once it entered their bodies, it probably ignited the Yin Qi and reduced them to ashes, leaving nothing behind. Naturally, there would be no resentment left either.

After he completed the reincarnation process, another alert popped up before Lin Yi's eyes, telling him he had eliminated a Xuan Yin Sect Evil Cultivator and received karma in return. His Virtue Points had increased by 400.

The number displayed on the alert brightened Lin Yi's eyes. It was the greatest amount of Virtue Points he had obtained for killing a villain so far.

Previously, when he killed wicked individuals at the Qi Refining Sixth or Seventh Stage, he would only receive between 100 and 200 points.

It seemed that these Xuan Yin Sect bastards were all truly evil, having taken many lives already.

Otherwise, karma wouldn't award him such a large number of Virtue Points. It indicated that the Qi Refining Ninth Stage Evil Cultivator he killed would have caused more deaths in the future.

Lin Yi quickly estimated that if he killed all ten cultivators from the Xuan Yin Sect who had entered the Dan God Secret Realm, and multiplied that by ten, he would get 4,000 points.

After breaking through to the foundation, he had spent considerable effort killing evildoers and only managed to gain 7,000 Virtue Points. Now, his eyes were glowing with Virtue Points.

However, after giving it some more thought, he abandoned this idea because the secret realm operates on random teleportation, meaning that the other nine Xuan Yin Sect Cultivators might have been transported to entirely different areas.

He couldn't waste time and risk traveling long distances to hunt them down, so he decided to let fate take its course.

Then, Lin Yi organized the items that had scattered from the Xuan Yin Sect Cultivator. There were not many Spirit Stones, only a few hundred. The rest were Pills, Magic Artifacts, and Talisman templates.

The pills all contained a touch of Yin Evil Qi. He was more familiar with the medicine of the Righteous Sects and didn't know much about the concoctions of Evil Cultivators.

He inspected the three Magic Artifacts that had burst out, all embodying Yin Evil Qi, probably containing Evil Spirits. In two of them, the Yin Qi appeared to have merged with the Magic Artifacts.

The other artifact was a jar, radiating Yin Evil Q. It was as strong as a Qi Refining Ninth Layer.

What people feared about the Xuan Yin Sect's Evil Cultivators was the Evil Spirits they kept as personal aids. Like the cultivator he just killed, three of his Magic Artifacts contained Evil Spirits.

Evil Spirits possessed a certain degree of intelligence. Once fused with a Magic Artifact, they became like sentient utensils. In a Righteous Sect, only Foundation Building cultivators could control Spiritual Artifacts.

At that moment, Lin Yi noticed a book lying amid the scattered items. There was no title on its cover. He opened it and his face grew solemn.

The Evil Spirit of Qi Refining Ninth Stage contained in the small jar had been specifically cultivated by a Golden Core Monk of the Xuan Yin Sect. It could fuse with the body of a regular cultivator with a higher degree of compatibility.

Because of the difficulty in cultivating them, only the three most potent cultivators of the Xuan Yin Sect were given jars.

What they needed to do was enter the Secret Realm, find a cultivator from another sect, and murder them. Then, through special elixirs, they would fuse the Evil Spirit with the cultivator's body and gain control over it..

Chapter 185: The Plot of Xuan Yin Sect (2)

Besides their expressionless faces, the Yin Qi they exuded could also hide inside cultivators with the help of special elixirs, making them undetectable even through the Spirit Wood Technique used by Qi-refining cultivators.

Lin Yi's face became grave. He didn't believe that the Xuan Yin Sect cultivators simply wanted another helper by merging the Evil Spirits with a cultivator's body. Instead, they probably had a deeper purpose, which was to target their fellow sect members.

The secret realm was extremely dangerous and was full of random locations. Therefore, only a small number of cultivators would eventually reach the Alchemy Room or Cave Mansion.

The Xuan Yin Sect only had three such Evil Spirits, so they were definitely reserved for critical moments. They intended to use the bodies of possessed cultivators to attack their fellow sect members and reduce the competition.

This was indeed the work of the Evil Cultivation Sect. There was no end to their nefarious methods.

One could imagine that if the three Xuan Yin Sect cultivators eventually united, they might monopolize the Alchemy Room or the Cave Mansion. No wonder the Xuan Yin Sect cultivator had been following him; They had intended to turn him into a puppet. Unfortunately for them, they had followed the wrong person.

Lin Yi decided not to retain these Evil Spirit Magic Artifacts. He directly used a slightly weaker thunder and lightning attack, forcing these Evil Spirits to reveal themselves, and they exuded Yin Evil Qi. Then, he used the Rebirth Charms to guide them to reincarnation.

The Rebirth Charms he made were imbued with the cultivation power of a Foundation Building cultivator. The light golden spiritual power in them, under the effect of Realm Concealment, appeared to be normal spiritual power. However, in his eyes, they were Rebirth charms radiating with golden

After reaching the Foundation Building stage, when he killed those wicked men and guided their souls to reincarnation, such Rebirth Charms had a powerful effect. They were no longer limited to guiding one person to reincarnation per charm. Their guiding light could cover multiple people.

After guiding them to reincarnation, the three Evil Spirits, which had been emitting evil Qi, slowly turned into white illusions. Two of them bowed to Lin Yi, then turned into specks of light and disappeared into thin air.

And the Evil Spirit that had been sealed in the altar transformed into an illusion of a child with a pure and innocent face after its exorcism. It seemed to be uninformed of what had happened and curiously looked at Lin Yi before turning into a speck of light and vanishing.

Lin Yi's face was as calm as still water. The Xuan Yin Sect was truly a cancer in the Cultivation World. From his previous experience, the Evil Spirits would transform back into their forms before their death after they were guided toward reincarnation.

It was clear that this Evil Spirit, which had reached the Qi Refining Ninth Layer, was killed when it was an aster and its consciousness was collected and nurtured until it grew up. This was perhaps known as raising a little ghost.

After the guiding ritual was finished, he tidied up the scene and hid in a nearby tree. He then activated the Concealing Breath Technique to hide all his breaths.

The reason why he had the Evil Spirits from the magic artifacts reveal themselves and emit Yin Evil Qi was to bait his rivals.

Other sect's cultivators might have a weak sense of Yin Qi. However, the Xuan Yin Sect cultivators would definitely have a strong sense of it.

If there were Xuan Yin Sect cultivators in the nearby Wood Element, they would surely notice.

He allowed himself four hours to wait, after which he would proceed to Misty Forest regardless of the situation.

However, just before one hour had passed, Lin Yi felt a breath coming from afar. It did not approach this area but circled around it in the distance.

He smiled to himself. This Xuan Yin Sect cultivator was quite cautious.

After a while, an Evil Spirit flew over first and flew back after inspecting the surroundings.

Then, a cultivator exuding an evil aura quickly walked over. An Evil Spirit was following him. After sensing the surroundings, his brows furrowed.

"Strange, I clearly sensed a strong Yin Evil Qi emanating from this area. Why is it so calm here? There are no signs of a fight…"

Just as he was talking to himself, Lin Yi released a Thunder Spell without hesitation. The five thunder and lightning bolts, carrying the power of a Foundation Building cultivator, directly pierced through his multiple layers of defensive shields and turned him into a charred husk.

This time, he didn't enter into a rage. The damage was perfectly sufficient— the body of the Xuan Yin Sect Cultivator did not completely turn into charcoal, but parts of it, like the top of his head that was struck by the lightning, bore traces of carbonization.

As for the Evil Spirit accompanying the cultivator, it dared not move at all as five thunderbolts were suspended above its head.

Although it lacked much wisdom, its fear of thunder seemed inborn, dwelling in its bloodline, akin to a natural predator.

Without hesitation, Lin Yi took out a Rebirth Charm, performing a ritual for it, then took the storage bag from the carbonized body of the Xuan Yin Sect Cultivator, skillfully delivering the last rites to his body, coupled with the erosion of poisonous water.

However, even though the body was not completely charred, under the light of the Rebirth Charm, no resentment emerged from within it. The power of a Foundation Establishment Realm's Thunder Spell was just too overwhelming —it obliviated the spirit and form in a single strike.

Soon, the body had turned into a puddle of water, earning him more than 260 Virtue Points. It seemed the first Xuan Yin Sect Cultivator was a big fish.

Lin Yi waited a bit at the original site, not sensing any other presences approaching. Only then did he retrieve all the Evil Spirit Magic Artifacts in the storage bag, though there was no vat-like object inside, proving that this was a small fish.

He packed up the other items and headed towards the Misty Forest. Being able to catch something was still somewhat rewarding.

Of the ten Xuan Yin Sect Cultivators who entered the Secret Realm, two had already been dealt with, leaving eight presumably in other areas—it was left to fate.

On the way to the Misty Forest, Lin Yi didn't encounter much trouble. His poison sensing ability from [Fearless of Poison] allowed him to dodge certain poisons in advance.

As for some Monster Beasts present in the forest, before they could react, he had already dashed past them.

After killing two Xuan Yin Sect Cultivators, he temporarily removed the title of 

"Little Compassion Little Mercy", switching it for a speed-enhancing title, to reach the Misty Forest more quickly.

Meanwhile, the 

"Little Compassion Little Mercy" title was in reserve. He could rapidly switch the titles in the reserve slot. This was more convenient than removing a title and then putting on another one.

Based on his previous observations, Lin Yi was aware of his approximate location on the outskirts of the Secret Realm, and he wasn't moving in a straight line towards the Misty Forest.

Hence, at his current speed, it would still take about two days to get there. These two days, however, were based on a Foundation Establishment Cultivator's speed, adding the title's effect.

If an ordinary cultivator of the Qi Refining Ninth Layer was located similarly to him and traveled in a straight line to the Misty Forest, it would take at least four to five days.

Though the Secret Realm's transmission location varies, most people end up at the edge, an extensive area where you might end up teleported closer to the Misty Forest.

Before entering the Secret Realm, he had contemplated using Virtue Points to enter a minor lucky state, which might have taken him to a closer location.

But then he thought better of it. He entered the Secret Realm to find treasures, usually hidden in the most dangerous places. Entering the Minor Luck State might teleport him into a perilous area, making it a case of a loss outweighing the gain.

People typically travel in a straight line, but to play it safe, Lin Yi decided to move along an arch from his current position, reducing the probability of encountering cultivators from other sects.

On his journey, Lin Yi was lucky enough to trigger the special effects of the speed titles twice—Sprint and Instant Teleport. Of these, the Sprint Effect was triggered three times while Instant Teleport only once.

The Sprint Effect had a 15% trigger chance, increasing the speed up to 70% for nine seconds, with a cooldown of five minutes.

Instant Teleport had a 7% trigger chance, the teleporting distance depended on the cultivator's level with one hour cooldown.

Nonetheless, the teleported distance during Instant Teleport was far greater than what he achieved via three Sprints, shortening the journey by about fifteen minutes.

However, Instant Teleport posed risks. The one time he triggered it, he teleported right next to a pack of Wolf Demons. Luckily, he ran fast..

Chapter 186: Distress Flares in Misty Forest 1

The distance covered through instant teleportation seemed quite decent to Lin Yi. Fifteen minutes might not seem like a lot, but considering that it was the distance he covered at his maximum speed, it was not trivial.

However, it seemed like he couldn't control the direction of teleportation at will. Fortunately, the one initiated earlier didn't lead him too far off course.

After teleporting, a daring idea arose in Lin Yi t s mind—activating the Minor Blessing State.

Once in that state, he could think of his desired direction and possibly control his movement using the Lucky Effect. Doing so would make instant teleportation a very powerful ability.

However, this method did carry some risk, especially in the Secret Realm, and needed to be carefully considered.

As Lin Yi swiftly moved through the forest, he saw a flare that had the color of fresh blood explode in the distant sky above the forest, forming a skull. It was the gathering method of the Demonic Sect Blood Slaughter Gate.

This sect ranked fourth, just below the Xuan Yin Sect, and had eight spots. This sect practices cultivation by absorbing the spiritual power of blood—humans, monster beasts, and even cultivators themselves are all within their hunting range.

Now that all sects' means of sensing each other are invalid, they had to resort to such methods to find each other.

The Liu Yun Sect also issued such flares. However, cultivators who enter the Secret Realm generally don't use them.

That's because these flares can be spotted by not just their own sect members, but also by other cultivators. It's highly possible that members of opposing sects would arrive before their own.

Lin Yi didn't meddle and didn't follow the origin of the flare—he was content to stay out of it as long as it did not involve him. He first wanted to obtain treasures from the Dan God's Cave Mansion; other matters could wait.

With the aid of the sprint effect, he reached the outskirts of the Misty Forest in less than two days.

According to the Secret Realm Manual, this place is shrouded by mist all year

Round.

The mist on the outskirts is relatively thin, but the deeper into the forest, the thicker the fog becomes—so dense that even cultivators using the Spirit Wood Technique can't pierce through it.

Besides the mist, Dan God Zhang Dao Xuan didn't set up any illusion formations because the hazards lying in the Misty Forest were already quite high.

This mist doesn't just affect vision; it also weakens the sensing abilities of the cultivators. In the deepest parts of the Misty Forest, one might not even notice a monster beast until it is only a few meters away.

Lin Yi used the Spirit Wood Technique and found out that he could see through the mist. It seems that the Great Perfection Spirit Wood Technique, coupled with his Foundation Building cultivation level, meant that the mist had no effect on him.

In the Misty Forest, the medicine garden is located atop the narrow mountain rocks of the adjacent valley. It is unclear whether Zhang Dao Xuan did this intentionally or if the place happened to have a high concentration of nature's spiritual energy.

This situation determined that everyone had to pass through the medicine garden before crossing the valley.

Upon entering the Misty Forest, Lin Yi replaced the title 

"Meaningless Fight and Kill" with 

"Little Compassion Little Mercy" to guard against potential attacks from evil spirits.

Lin Yi advanced along the fringe of the Misty Forest and, when he reached the edge of the valley, moved towards the center to step onto the narrow connecting path.

As the mist became denser, he noticed that his Spirit Wood Technique was also beginning to be affected, and his sensing ability was gradually decreasing. Nevertheless, it was still within an acceptable range.

Any other Qi Refining cultivators who had gone this deep would probably not be able to see even their own hand in front of them or sense any situation around them.

At this moment, he saw another flare explode not far away in the sky. Unlike the Blood Slaughter Gate's flare, this one formed a blue cloud with unique markings after it exploded.

Despite being in the Misty Forest, he was unfailingly using his Spirit Wood Technique. Given the current density of the mist, he could barely see through it to look at the sky. If he were to go any deeper, he would probably not be able to see anything in the sky.

This flare caused Lin Yi p s expression to darken because it was released by the Liu Yun Sect, as indicated by the special markings that only a Golden Core Real Person would know. Other sects couldn't fake it.

Unless in critical situations, normal cultivators wouldn't use the flare. It seemed that a sect member was in danger, although it was not clear who from the Golden Core Peak had released it.

Since the Misty Forest is thick with mist, releasing flares here could easily go unnoticed; this disciple must have been forced to a dead end to resort to this last attempt.

Lin Yi pondered a bit. The Secret Realm Manual has a rule stating that one should try to assist those from their own sect who have released flares, provided one can ensure their own safety.

This rule could be flexibly interpreted. For example, one could claim they didn't see or were in danger themselves. After all, no one knew if there were sect members in the same area, or if anyone had seen the flare.

Lin Yi estimated the distance to the flare; he figured he could get there in about half an hour. That area was even deeper into the mist than his current location.

After some thought, Lin Yi decided to go and help. If he were a Qi Refining

Ninth Layer cultivator, he would certainly ignore it. However, he was a Foundation Building cultivator who could annihilate a Ninth Layer Qi Refining practitioner of the Xuan Yin Sect with a strike of lightning..

Chapter 187: Seeking Help in the Misty Forest with Fireworks 2

The path of survival isn't a cowardly one after all. He couldn't bear to see himself not coming to the rescue when he was obviously capable of trouncing the opponent.

Once Lin Yi made his decision, he didn't waste any more time and quickly headed into the depths of the Misty Forest. As the mist thickened, his own perception was greatly affected.

Son, he arrived near the location of the signal flares, activated the Concealing Breath Technique, and slowly approached the area.

He was already deep into the Misty Forest, not too far from the gorge passage.

The mist was so heavy that he couldn't even see the surrounding trees. Cultivators at the Qi Refining Ninth Layer could only rely on their remaining perception and walk carefully.

Like himself, running so fast, by the time he reached the gorge passage, he would probably look like a bruised Tathagata Buddha.

Although Lin Yi e s perception was greatly impaired, his cultivation in the Foundation Building Realm still allowed him to sense the nearby aura.

Eventually, during his incessant walk, he sensed two thick waves of blood, accompanied by a somewhat bloody smell. It seemed that two disciples of the Blood Demonic Sect had successfully met up and forced one of his peers to release the final distress signal.

He slowly advanced, but the Great Perfect Spirit Eye Technique in the Foundation Building Realm could only perceive things within a few meters. The suppression of the Misty Forest was indeed too strong.

After walking for a while, he vaguely saw three figures, one running in front, and the other two chasing behind, very close.

The figure in front seemed to be injured and was running very slowly.

"Hehe, the young lady from the Liu Yun Sect, stop running, come on, I'll stand still, let you use your illusion to confuse us."

"Are you hoping someone will save you in this Misty Forest? If you obey us, you may have a chance to survive."

Soon, the figure in front fell weakly, yelling with all her strength.

"L am Shen Yuting, a disciple of Jade Illusion Peak of the Liu Yun Sect, being chased by two cultivators of the Blood Demonic Sect. I am asking for help from capable peers and righteous senior cultivators. I will surely repay your kindness.'

"Still hoping someone will save you? Even if your peers saw the signal, they wouldn't come, not to mention this is the Misty Forest."

"Tsk, Jade Illusion Peak, the gorgeous Jade Illusion Zen Ren is your great-grandmaster. When I romance you later, remember to use illusion to make yourself look like Jade Illusion Zen Ren…"

"Brother Fan, you really know how to have fun. I didn't think of that, Jade Illusion Zen Ren, just a glance at her can arouse primitive impulses."

Lin Yi approached them and hid in a bush, listening to their conversation. His face was calm as he swiftly used the Thunder Spell twice, targeting the two of them.

His Thunder Spell was now at the Great Perfect Level. Under the Foundation Building Realm, he could use High-level Qi Refinement techniques without much cooldown time.

Pretty much every Righteous Cultivation Alliance sect has the Thunder Spell, so he wouldn't need to worry about revealing his identity after using it.

This female disciple from Jade Illusion Peak was quite respectful – she mentioned the number of enemies and called for help from capable peers and senior cultivators from righteous sects.

Given these two Blood Demonic Sect disciples' abilities, even Xie Jing Xing, the direct disciple of Gold Sword Zen Ren, may not necessarily be able to handle them.

Above their heads, five thunderbolts appeared out of thin air. Under their swift attack, the two's defensive shields and Magic Artifact Shields were broken instantly, turning them into charred corpses.

Then, using the Object Manipulation Spell, Lin Yi summoned the bodies, licked the bag, and collected two storage bags.

After he blew up the first equipment of a Xuan Yin Sect cultivator with his Thunder Spell previously, he had learnt to be more cautious, and tried to not attack their bodies as much as possible with lightning.

Then, he used the Rebirth Charm to perform rites. To get the karma reward, he had to perform this act of sending-off.

Killing, looting, sending-off, the whole procedure was as smooth and practised as flowing clouds and water.

After killing these two and rescuing the same sect disciple, he found that his Title 

"Little Compassion Little Mercy" experience increased by 10 points too.

Doing good deeds can increase experience points. This had been confirmed before.

The female disciple of Jade Illusion Peak saw the scene of two nearby disciples from the Blood Demonic Sect being struck by lightning and falling straight down.

However, the bodies of these two flew away instantly. She realized that someone must have intervened.

With gratitude on her face, she clasped her fists and called out, 

"May I ask which senior brother came to help, I hope you could show yourself, so I can express my thanks properly."

But there was no response around her. After briefly using her energy to heal her injury, she quickly scanned the vicinity but found no trace of anyone, not even the corpses of the two Blood Demonic Sect disciples were to be found.

Deep doubts arose in Shen Yutings heart. This senior brother had enormous power, able to kill a Blood Demonic Sect Cultivator at the Qi Refining Ninth Layer with a single thunder and lightning technique. If he were so capable, why didn't he show himself?

The Thunder Spell is a common technique amongst the various sects, and thus, she couldn't discern which sect the senior brother hailed from. The only one that could be excluded was the Heavenly Sword Sect, because all the disciples of this sect were sword masters, who generally wouldn't use spells.

The fact that even the corpses were missing was strange.

She shook her head and decided to heal her injuries right there. The most dangerous place was also the safest. Aside from disciples of her own sect and other Righteous Sects, very few would stick their noses into other people's business to save her.

Elsewhere, Lin Yi found a place to check the two storage bags after leaving. The two fellas were somewhat affluent. In addition to over ten thousand lower-grade spirit stones, there were also over thirty medium-grade spirit stones.

These two brought all their assets with them, either they were too confident in their own strength, or they were worried about leaving spirit stones at their sects for fear of being stolen.

Besides that, there were also a few magic artifacts and blood-red pills. He threw all of them into the Misty Forest, only keeping the spirit stones.

He felt a bit regretful because these 'sheep' were still lean, they hadn't even reached the first medicine garden yet. He decided to kill fewer people, and then wait for these 'sheep' to fatten up. It wouldn't be too late to make a move when they provoked him.

Lin Yi continued into the deeper parts of the Misty Forest. His perception was getting weaker, but it didn't really matter since he was only treading less-traveled paths.

While the Misty Forest wasn't very large, a Qi Refining Ninth Layer cultivator would still need at least a day to reach the canyon passage, as the deeper one got, the slower their progress.

Still, Lin Yi maintained some degree of perception, and his speed was as fast as before.

After only a few hours, he arrived at the canyon passage. The moment he stepped onto the passage, the surrounding mist disappeared instantly, revealing the bridge-like structure of the mountain rock.

In the middle of the mountain rock, there was a courtyard where one could see spirit grass growing in the neighboring land.

At this moment, someone inside the courtyard seemed to be waiting for the spirit grass to mature. It was noted in the Secret Realm Manual that the spirit grass in the medicine garden was protected by a formation, and it could only be picked when it had reached a certain age.

Lin Yi chuckled. The cultivator inside appeared to have been teleported to a good location and then rushed over without any stop.

He didn't plan to waste time in this medicine garden. Being the outermost one it wasn't deemed too valuable. It was better to prioritize finding a cave mansion.

Seeing Lin Yi approach, the man exuded an intense dark aura and used the Spirit Eye Technique. He sneered immediately, 

"Qi Refining Eighth Layer, and you still dare to come to the Secret Realm. Get lost."

Lin Yi presented a bright smile and didn't seem mad at all. He memorized the qi of this person secretly. With a polite tone, he said: 

"l hope you pick a lot of Spirit Grass, fellow Daoist. I'll take my leave now."

It was a pity to kill this guy now. It was better to let him be and let him pick spirit grass for himself.

Seeing Lin Yi's smiling face, the demonic path cultivator looked puzzled. He was insulted, yet was still happy. It was mysterious. He waved his hand dismissively, signaling Lin Yi to scram.

Without any hold-up, Lin Yi left via a narrow path in the medicine garden. Apart from this stone bridge, the surrounding canyon was also filled with fog.

If it weren't for the previous cultivator who risked his life to fly across using a Spirit Boat, no one would have known that there was a gigantic python lurking beneath the fog of the canyon..

Chapter 188: Heart Test in Medicine Garden 1

As Lin Yi passed by the Medicine Garden, he could feel the dense spiritual energy within; it was far more concentrated than the outer forest.

Such an environment significantly boosted the growth rate and medicinal properties of the spirit grass.

Lin Yi cautiously navigated the center of the canyon passage, dare not to peek at the beautiful scenery around him, despite its enchanting beauty.

The fog below occasionally rolled and tumbled, perhaps the giant python was engrossed in cultivating, absorbing the essence of sun and moon.

As recorded in the Secret Realm Manual, there was a tale of a cultivator who attempted to traverse the canyon using a spirit boat, only to be swallowed by the python several centuries ago. There's a saying, a python transforms after hundreds of years, becoming a Jiao Dragon after thousands of years, and then a proper dragon after tens of thousands of years. Perhaps, this giant python has already transformed into a Jiao Dragon.

Considering the lifespan of human cultivators, with a Golden Core one can live for five centuries, and with a Nascent Soul, a millennium. If this python has truly transformed into a Jiao Dragon, its realm might even have reached, or even exceeded, the Nascent Soul.

If one could truly claim this secret realm, the rewards would not merely be the Medicine Garden where spirit grass can grow, but also these powerful monster beasts.

After crossing the canyon passage, Lin Yi swiftly picked up his pace. He took off the title 

"Little Compassion, Little Mercy" and replaced it with one that would bolster his speed, thus hastening his journey to the Cave Mansion.

In the storage bags of the killed Xuan Yin Sect and Blood Demonic Sect cultivators, there were also maps of the secret realm pinpointing the concealed locations of medicinal herbs.

The places in the secret realm where the spiritual energy is highly concentrated are not limited to just the Medicine Garden – there were other secretive spots where wild medicinal herbs grew.

He had temporarily put these maps away. Regardless of how precious the spirit grass was, their priority could not be higher than reaching the Cave Mansion.

Although he had successfully crossed the Misty Forest and had formally entered the deep parts of the Wood Element area, the deeper it got, the more risks were hidden.

Dangerous insects, flying ants, some plants around him, as well as the monster beasts living within the forest, all could potentially attack.

However, with the disappearance of the mist, Lin Yi, being a Foundation Building Cultivator, had his strong perception restored. Also, the effect of the title 

"Fearless of Poison" allowed him to avoid many dangers in advance.

As he ventured deeper into the Wood Element area, the surrounding spiritual energy grew more and more dense and was almost enough to satisfy one in the late stage of Qi Refining.

This was the freely floating spiritual energy, even without the usage of a Spirit Gathering Array. The Wood Element area was the most suitable place for cultivation. Unfortunately, the Qi Refining cultivators who entered the Secret Realm could only stay here for a month.

Once the time was up, they would be forcibly teleported out. With such a short time frame, it was already a race against time to find spirit grass, leaving no time for cultivation.

According to the Secret Realm Manual, a total of four Medicine Gardens existed in the Wood Element area: one on the outside, two in the middle, and one at the farthest depth.

The Medicine Garden of the outer Misty Forest was the one with the most conflict, as anyone who wished to enter the deeply-seated parts of the Secret Realm had to pass through this particular garden.

Once that garden was crossed, there were no such required passes in the subsequent Wood Element area and one would enter a larger forest.

As one ventured deeper into the Secret Realm, the spirit grass in the Medicine Gardens would become increasingly precious and rare, with the ones growing in the deepest garden potentially possessing life-extending and transformative properties.

However, practically no one could enter the deepest garden. The last time it was opened, the disciples of the Golden Sword Peak returned empty-handed.

It was uncertain whether the garden would open now that the Secret Realm was fully accessible.

Apart from the deepest garden, the other three would usually open and were relatively safe, with no spirit beasts guarding them.

Regarding the wild herbs in the secret realm, there were definitely monster beasts guarding them until they matured and could be consumed to aid in cultivation. Thus, many cultivators' first objective was the Medicine Garden.

Only when the spirit grasses in the garden had been picked clean would they consider searching for wild spirit grass.

The primary source of danger within the Medicine Garden came from other humans, as some spirit grasses needed a few more days, or even weeks, to fully mature.

Consequently, more cultivators would flock to the garden, and some would not abide by the rule of first-come-first-serve. Disputes could easily escalate into fights.

Lin Yi was currently advancing forward in a straight line, based on the location he left the Misty Forest. With his quickness as a Foundation Building cultivator, he guessed that no one else could reach the Cave Mansion faster than him.

However, he had one doubt: Would the cave mansion of the Dan God, Zhang Dao Xuan, open as soon as he was the first person to reach there?

Or, would it only open after a certain period, waiting for more cultivators to gather?

Even though the latter seemed more likely, he would still make the trip, while grabbing some lambswool along the way.

Otherwise, if he failed to pass the trial of the Dan God's Cave Mansion and was unable to enter the deepest Medicine Garden, his trip here would have been for nothing.

In the central area of the Wood Element region, the two Medicine Gardens were quite far apart. It's essentially impossible to visit both, once you've chosen to visit one of them.

The Misty Forest was located at the center of the Wood Element area, thus both gardens were equally distant from it.

Lin Yi recalled the contents of the Secret Realm Manual and decided to head towards the garden with the more valuable herbs. In the Wood Element area, no one could outrun him..

Chapter 189: Heart Test in Medicine Garden 2

Although the Intermediate Talisman contains the Five Elements Escape Talisman, which allows rapid escape in Five Elements environments once activated.

However, this kind of talisman can only be crafted by a Foundation Building cultivator, and its power is at the Foundation Building Realm level, so naturally, it cannot be brought in.

These two medicinal gardens are located near the periphery of the deep part of the secret realm, one situated in a valley, and the other on a mountainside,

The medicine garden he was headed towards was located in the valley. According to the Secret Realm Manual, it had clear mountains and rivers, chirping birds and fragrant flowers, almost like a utopian wonderland within the secret realm.

For an ordinary Qi Refining Level Nine Cultivator, it would take four or five days to reach the Misty Forest Herb Garden from the outermost part.

From the Misty Forest to the centrally located medicine garden, it would take at least eight days for an ordinary Qi Refining Level Nine Cultivator.

From the central medicine garden to the one deepest in, it would take ten days. In total, it would take nearly half a month. If you then wait for the Spirit Grass to mature, the remaining time would not be enough to go elsewhere.

Lin Yi, with his Foundation Establishment Stage speed adding the effect of his title, was several times faster than a Qi Refining Level Nine Cultivator.

He reached the outskirts of the valley in three to four days, a journey that would have taken a regular Qi Refining Level Nine Cultivator eight days.

It could have been even quicker, but wearing the [Meaningless Fight and Kill] title unexpectedly triggered two instances of instant teleport. Because he had significantly deviated from his path, he was delayed for some time.

And this effect could not be stopped.

However, this effect was very useful when escaping from pursuit. Even he didn't know where he would teleport to, let alone his enemies.

Standing halfway up the mountain, Lin Yi looked down at the valley below, his face showing a hint of emotion. Surrounded by mountains on all sides and with two waterfalls flowing down from the mountains, this valley had streams running through it.

In the valley, there were also blooming flowers, truly an enchanting landscape of chirping birds and fragrant flowers.

Unlike the dangerous forests, this area seemed peaceful and serene. According to the Secret Realm Manual, this place was called Peach Blossom Valley.

Despite the charming scene before his eyes, Lin Yi was not fooled and remained alert as he walked towards the valley. Just because the Secret Realm Manual said there was no danger, did not mean there was no current danger. In the Secret Realm Manual, it was recorded that Peach Blossom Valley would test one's mental state. Those who enter here must maintain a calm heart. This made him somewhat curious. With this place appearing harmonious, would there be some sort of illusionary trials?

The medicine garden was situated in the middle of the valley with two streams crossing through it, a lot larger than the Misty Forest Herb Garden.

On his way there, he didn't encounter any dangers and was entirely captivated by this utopian-like world.

Arriving in the valley, Lin Yi saw the thriving Spirit Grass in the garden ahead. Although he had crammed a lot of knowledge about Spirit Grass, there were still some he could not name.

The spiritual energy in Peach Blossom Valley was much richer than that in the surrounding forest, it seemed to make people feel a bit lazy.

Alert, Lin Yi used a wooden stick to probe the entrance to the garden, but surprisingly encountered resistance. Every medicinal garden was protected by a Formation, which remained true even after the secret realm was opened.

However, the Formation was set to prevent Monster Beasts, and a cultivator could step into it. He slowly walked past, it felt as if he passed through a thin film, and also sensed a spiritual power scanning his entire body.

Upon entering the medicine garden, the spiritual energy became even denser, intoxicating the senses.

Looking at the beautiful scenery in the medicine garden and the serene flowing water nearby, Lin Yi couldn't help but stretch lazily, sitting on a stone bench, as if he wanted to stay in Peach Blossom Valley forever.

There were no dangers here, none of the cruelty found in the Cultivation World, only peace.

In the valley, several gentle animals lived, drinking stream water and eating the wild fruits from the mountainside, creating a warm scene.

He felt that living here, and having Zhi Ling join him, would be even better.

The valley was much larger than the Jin Qiao Peak Cave Mansion. Zhi Ling could run freely to practice her speed. He wondered how his diligent little companion was doing now.

Suddenly, Lin Yi realized something was off. Wasn't he striving step by step to cultivate into an immortal for eternal life? How could he just settle down here? No matter how many hardships lay ahead, he would never stop.

At that moment, his mind became clear again, and he couldn't help but laugh. So this was a test of the mind, testing whether a cultivator has the perseverance and determination to cultivate diligently.

If he chose to settle down here, who knew what the outcome would be? Perhaps he'd be compelled to leave after a month.

After this mental test, he felt as though his Divine Sense had grown stronger. Moreover, his experience in the [Training Expert] skill also increased by 10 points.

Lin Yi didn't waste any more time. He examined the Spirit Grass in the Medicine Garden that was ready to be harvested. Generally speaking, mature Spirit Grass could be touched, while those not yet mature were protected by formations and couldn't be approached.

"This is Golden Yuan Grass that can increase the success rate of reaching Golden Core from Foundation Building. It possesses properties of both gold and wood elements. According to the Secret Realm Manual, last time it was in the metal region…"

"This is Xuan Ling Fruit which a Golden Core Real Person can use to enhance their Cultivation levels…

Seeing all these precious spiritual grass and medicines that could be harvested, excitement lit up Lin Yi e s face. In haste, he pulled out the jade box from his Storage Bag and collected all the Spirit Grass.

The Storage Bag given by Gold Sword Zen Ren contained many jade boxes specifically for storing precious spiritual grass in order to preserve their medicinal properties for extended periods.

As the harvesting progressed, Lin Yi' s excitement gradually subsided. The Medicine Garden seemed to be full of Spirit Grass, but only very few specimens could actually be harvested.

Some needed several, or even dozens of, years to mature, while others simply required more time.

Lin Yi collected every Spirit Grass that could be harvested, leaving none behind. In total, he collected close to a hundred specimens.

From this journey into the Secret Realm, approximately one-third of the spirit grass, spirit medicine, and pills he found could be kept. The rest had to be turned over to the Sect. They would repay him with merit points, based on the value of the items.

After all, this was an opportunity to enter the Secret Realm provided by the Sect. Loose Cultivators would have no chance to get such opportunities without the backing of a Sect.

As for concealing any findings, that was impossible. When leaving the Secret Realm and returning to the real world, the Golden Core Real Person would seal the Storage Bag.

There wasn't anything in his Storage Bag that would expose his Cultivation levels. The Talisman Templates made during the Foundation Establishment Stage couldn't be brought in. Further, his Flying Sword was hidden in his Dantian, beyond the reach of others due to Realm Concealment.

After harvesting the Spirit Grass, Lin Yi didn't linger in the seemingly idyllic valley. Instead, he left immediately and headed toward the deepest part of the wood region's Medicine Garden. At this moment, several Cultivators should be on their way here.

During his journey, he never stopped using the title [Meaningless Fight and Kill]. Even if sometimes Instant Teleport would set him off course, this title had already advanced to the third level.

In normal circumstances, he could get a 30% speed bonus, but once out of combat, his speed could reach up to 70%.

Therefore, during his rush to get there, he occasionally teased some poisonous beasts, inciting attacks and entering a combat state. After running away and escaping the combat, he would get a temporary speed bonus.

However, the deeper he went into the wood area, the denser the Spiritual Energy, and the more Monster Beasts he came across. Lin Yi had encountered many troubles that slowed him down.

Despite all this, it only took him five days to reach the heart of the wood element sector. Now, he was much closer to the final Herb Garden.

Once he reached that Herb Garden, Lin Yi planned to try various means to gain entry. If all else failed, he would have no choice but to abandon the attempt and head to Dan God's Cave Mansion..

Chapter 190: Giant Spirit Tree Herb Garden 1

After a while, Lin Yi stood on top of a tall mountain, gazing at the location of the medicinal garden in the distance and revealing a look of astonishment on his face.

Even though the Secret Realm Manual held information about this garden, seeing it firsthand after crossing the tall mountain would still deeply astound anyone. It was truly a paradise of the Wood Element.

In a distant plain forest, a colossal tree pierced the sky. Its branches and leaves were tremendously dense, virtually covering a large part of the forest beneath it.

From the mountaintop, one could sense the strong wood spiritual energy emitting from this colossal tree. Its vitality was tremendously robust.

According to the Secret Realm Manual, the location of this giant tree was the heart of the spirit vein of the Wood Element Area. Its enormous size was due to the massive amount of spiritual energy it had absorbed.

The last medicinal garden in the Wood Element Area was located at the top of this towering tree. With supreme magic power, a piece of land had been formed on the dense branches for the cultivation of Spirit Grass and Spirit Medicine.

This colossal tree reminded Lin Yi of a game he used to play in his former world. It had a Golden Tree very similar to this one, only one was gold and the other green, one was on the verge of declining, and the other was full of life.

Lin Yi looked towards the top of the giant tree, seeing a stretch of land vaguely in the clouds. It was like a celestial paradise in the clouds.

The Dan God Secret Realm was famous and sought after by many Cultivators for two reasons, not just because of Zhang Dao Xuan's reputation, but also due to the uniqueness of the realm.

Although it was not documented in the Secret Realm Manual, Lin Yi speculated that Zhang Dao Xuan achieved his title of Dan God thanks to this Secret Realm's assistance.

This Secret Realm was indeed a natural Spirit Grass and Spirit Medicine production base, that can offer reserved supplies of alchemy materials. For an Alchemist who wants to improve his skills, continual alchemy is the only method.

This towering tree was within reach, but to get there with his speed would take two to three hours.

If he were to ride the Flying Boat from the mountaintop, the distance would be very short, unfortunately, flying in the sky of the Secret Realm was an extremely dangerous act.

Every warning in the Secret Realm Manual is an experience exchanged for the lives of fellow Daoists who have entered the realm.

The introduction of this last Wood Element medicinal garden includes a special warning reminding disciples entering the realm not to fly directly to the garden with the Flying Boat, they must reach on foot or risk losing their

Lin Yi was very obedient, even though he was a Foundation Establishment cultivator and completely suppressed the sect disciples who were in the Secret

Realm. he was nothing but a weakling when facing the Monster Beasts that

Had been cultivating in the Secret Realm for who knows how long.

He admired the magnificent view from the mountaintop for a while, then swiftly descended the mountain and entered the last forest in the Wood Element Area.

In this environment, he was highly alert and slowed his pace because the danger from the Monster Beasts in this Forest was far greater than in the previous one.

Upon crossing this mountain, he could clearly feel that the spiritual energy was incredibly dense. He could only imagine how dense the spiritual energy would be in the medicine garden on top of the Giant Tree. Most likely a

Divinity Transformation cultivator could even cultivate in it qith no problem.

Knowing a safer route from the Secret Realm Manual, Lin Yi advanced according to it, he still encountered some dangers but quickly escaped.

After a few hours, Lin Yi successfully arrived near the towering tree. This giant tree was simply named the Giant Spirit Tree in the Secret Realm Manual, which was simple and easy to understand.

Seeing the tremendous size of the Giant Spirit Tree from the previous mountain, Lin Yi realized, only when he got closer, that it was not ordinarily colossal. According to his estimates, its diameter was at least a kilometer.

The trees growing in the distance in the forest were incredibly robust, but the surrounding of this Giant Spirit Tree were all smaller trees. Naturally, this was because the Giant Spirit Tree had absorbed all the spiritual energy and nutrients.

Lin Yi came to the side of the Giant Spirit Tree, lightly tapped it, looked upwards, and saw no end in sight.

Standing underneath, the surrounding light became very dim, as if evening had descended. The dense branches and leaves had completely obscured the sky.

If he wanted to climb it, even a cultivator climbing upstairs would take almost an hour.

Fortunately, there was nothing dangerous under the Giant Spirit Tree. He can use the Flying Boat to pass through the gap between the tree branches and fly upwards.

Lin Yi also brought out the Flying Boat and removed the [Meaningless Fight and Kill], only leaving [The Road is at the Feet].

He did not want to suddenly trigger an instant teleport while flying above and transferring to another place suddenly.

Stepping onto the Flying Boat, he ignited his Spiritual Power, then found gaps between the branches, and flew towards the treetop. Along the way, it feels like playing an obstacle course, where he had to keep evading branches.

However, under the Divine Sense of the Foundation Building realm, his speed did not decrease too much, as he smoothly maneuvered between branches.

In a short while, Lin Yi successfully reached the treetop. As he passed through a cloud and stepped onto the land on the treetop, he suddenly felt a clear sight before him..

Chapter 191: Giant Spirit Tree Herb Garden (2)

No one would have thought that a medicine garden in a secret realm was built on the top of a giant tree, complete with a mountain and running waters. The capabilities of cultivators were indeed astounding.

While the giant tree's branches and leaves could stretch over a few kilometers, the garden atop the tree wasn't that large. It was even smaller than the two gardens in the central area of the Wood Element zone.

On the treetop, there was a small clearing for cultivators to rest their feet. Directly in front, there was a medicine garden flourishing with precious spiritual grasses. Although protected by a formation, it wasn't hidden away and could be clearly seen from the outside.

Lin Yi glanced around. Apart from the medicine garden, there was also a small thatched cottage, a stone table, and a few benches. The surroundings were straightforward and modest.

In Peach Blossom Valley, he found the same setup. He had also tried to enter the cottage and garden before he left, but they were both protected by formations.

He discovered that cultivators didn't aspire much when it came to accommodation. As long as there was abundant spiritual energy, a simple cave or a thatched hut would suffice.

After all, cultivators primarily focused on cultivation, and fancy buildings had no contribution to the improvement of their cultivation levels. The time spent on such things would be better used in honing their spells.

However, as Lin Yi looked around, he couldn't find any trace of the spirit beast that supposedly guarded this garden. According to the Secret Realm Manual, there were three spirit beasts that alternately provided protection in this Giant Spirit Tree Herb Garden.

Since the secret realm is opened every ten to twenty years, no one knows the rotation schedule of the beasts. As per previous records, the last time it was a Spirit Ape. Apart from the ape, there is a Giant Python and a White Deer.

When it's the turn of one, it would guard the Giant Spirit Tree Herb Garden, and the others would retreat into the secret realm for cultivation.

Senior members inside the Liu Yun Sect speculated that after the Spirit Ape, the Giant Python would likely be next. Lin Yi wondered whether this python might have any connection with the one he encountered in the Misty Forest Gorge or potentially be the same creature.

If the guardian was the Spirit Ape or White Deer, there wouldn't be much to worry about. However, the Giant Python represented a primal fear of humans, and just thinking about its long, smooth body made one shudder.

Finding no signs of the guardian beast, Lin Yi tried to enter the medicine garden but was stopped by the formation. It wasn't an illusion-like trial formation but simply an impassable barrier.

If it were an illusion-type formation, he could use the Minor Blessing State to possibly find the right path by chance even if walking randomly.

Before coming to the secret realm, Lin Yi had thought of some remedies. As he progressed through the realm, he came up with another one.

Now, he had four methods to try. Some were title effects, while others were results of his cultivation techniques.

The first method was the instant teleport effect that came along with the [Meaningless Fight and Kill] title. It had a 7% chance of activation, but the downside was the landing spot would be random.

However, if he entered the Minor Blessing State and controlled his height and distance accurately, he might be able to teleport into the medicine garden.

If the garden were on the ground, it would naturally be more accessible. For now, to make a successful attempt, he would have to maintain the same height as the medicine garden; otherwise, he might crash into the tree.

During his attempts, he discovered that instant teleport wouldn't place him in a life-threatening environment.

For instance, it never teleported him into rocks to be crushed to death, or within tree trunks to be immobilized.

The second method involved using the [Burst Out] title that came with the [Little But Enduring, Big Scheme] title. It could negate any limitation from the Golden Core Realm.

His inability to enter the formation could be considered a limitation.

This method would depend on whether the power of the formation exceeded the Golden Core Realm.

The third method was the safest and most reliable. Using the accrued Enlightenment effect from the [Grain Wisdom from One's Mistakes] title, he could research how to disable or enter the formation. Any formation surely had a way of being broken.

He could slowly discover the way to destroy it by continuously enhancing his Enlightenment. However, such a process would take time. He had spent approximately ten days since he entered the secret realm, and whether he would find the method to enter in the remaining twenty was still uncertain.

The fourth method was utilizing the Divine Shadow Dharma. This mystical technique could cast an illusory shadow onto a real one, confusing the enemy.

The only downside was Lin Yi mastered it only until the second level, which only allowed him to cast illusions and couldn't solidify his shadow into a tangible form.

However, he could try to cast his shadow into the formation from a close distance and let the illusion infiltrate it. He could control the illusion's actions to a certain extent.

Even though it was just an illusion, after reaching the second level, it was almost identical to a real person. Since it was formed from spiritual power, it could theoretically pick up spiritual grass.

Lin Yi pondered and decided to start with the second method and see if the powerful [Burst Out] title could negate the formation's limiting effect.

As he looked around and didn't find any trace of spirit beasts, he brushed himself against the barrier of the formation and put on the [Burst Out] title, entering a state of frenzy..

Chapter 192: Giant Spirit Tree Herb Garden—3

After two or three seconds, his body was still tightly pressed against the barrier, with no sign of it disappearing. It appeared to have no effect.

Either the power of this Formation exceeded the Golden Core Realm, or any restrictive effect did not involve entering the Formation from the outside.

Lin Yi immediately removed his title, stopping the consumption of his fury. However, he suddenly saw a pop-up notification indicating his failure to enter the Formation. He had encountered a setback, gaining a chance for Enlightenment.

Indeed, [Grain Wisdom from One's Mistakes] was more effective. A setback would yield enlightenment, regardless of how powerful the target causing the setback was.

Then, he decided to try the fourth method – Divine Shadow Dharma, to see whether he could project his shadow into the Formation.

If this method failed too, he could only go to Cave Mansion first and then come back to try the other two methods.

Upon entering the Secret Realm, Lin Yi had drawn his shadow into his body, hoping to hide it using the Realm Concealment effect of his title.

Now, he slowly released his shadow from his body. After cultivating to the second level, this shadow condensed into tangible form, looking exactly like him, even the aura he radiated was identical.

He ran Divine Shadow Dharma, merging his shadow into his own, wishing to turn the immaterial into material, but this could only likely be achieved in the middle or later stages of cultivation.

The Flower Thief of the past also confused him with his shadow in the darkness, along with some concealment techniques. It was not a direct transition from tangible to intangible. Otherwise, he wouldn't have discovered it so easily.

Lin Yi pressed against the Formation, seeing his shadow successfully projected into the Formation. Then, he ran the Divine Shadow Dharma, controlling the shadow to detach from his own.

However, he seemed to sense a powerful suppression force from the shadow, making it unable to break away from his form and solidify.

He immediately put on the [Burst Out] title, entering a frenzied state for a second. However, the suppression force still didn't lift. It appeared that the furious state only worked on his physical body and had no effect on his shadow.

Then, there were only two methods left. One was to rely on the continual accumulation of Enlightenment opportunities, while the other was to use Instant Teleport. If time was unlimited, using Enlightenment opportunities would undoubtedly be the safest.

However, besides the time he needs to enter Cave Mansion for the trial, there is not much time left.

It looks like he has to attempt using Instant Teleportation. This effect would not place him in a deadly situation.

Even if he teleports into the Formation and gets trapped, unable to escape even under a state of frenzy, as long as his life is not threatened, he would be forcibly teleported out when the time span of a month is up.

However, this method could only be used after completing the trial in the Dan God's Cave Mansion. If he used it now and got trapped, he would miss the trial in the Dan God's Cave Mansion.

Let's go to Cave Mansion first. Lin Yi immediately took off in his Flying Boat, heading towards the base of the Giant Spirit Tree.

Just as he descended to the branch position, he suddenly felt a gust of wind at the side. As he turned to look, he was so scared that he even lost control of his Flying Boat, which plummeted downwards.

Because he saw a giant python lying on the trunk, glaring at him with its round eyes filled with icy ruthlessness..

Chapter 193: Going to the Alchemy Room

In the instant of the fall, Lin Yi hastily activated the Wind Transformation Technique to stabilize his figure. His mastery over the technique was nearly accomplished at the second layer. Thanks to his body's integration with the wind element, he was capable of levitating in mid-air.

He glanced upwards toward the Giant Spirit Tree and discovered that the giant python had not given chase. It was then that he patted his chest with lingering trepidation.

Just from looking at its bulging eye, Lin Yi could guess the enormity of the python. However, it didn't have any horns on its head, indicating it was not the python from the Misty Forest.

He hadn't anticipated it, but it seemed the giant python was indeed protecting the medicine garden. It was likely it thought that since the Secret Realm had opened only ten days ago, no one would venture into the garden so soon, which prompted it to idle atop the Giant Spirit Tree and sleep.

Lin Yi recalled his Flying Boat and swiftly descended, heading to the deepest part of the Secret Realm without delay after landing. He didn't dare to linger.

The presence of spirit beasts like apes or white deer probably wouldn't be as terrifying. The python, a cold-blooded creature, had an icy indifference in its gaze.

With this giant python guarding the Medicine Garden, the chances of distracting it seemed slim. Unlike the last angered Spirit Ape that left the garden, a remorseless creature like a python could not be easily lured away.

Among the Five Elements Region in the Secret Realm, only the Wood

Element's Giant Spirit Tree Medicine Garden was guarded by a spirit beast. Perhaps the guardian wasn't only protecting the garden, but also the enormous Giant Spirit Tree itself.

Lin Yi had previously received the Secret Realm Manual and learned about spiritual beasts guarding the garden. Accordingly, he had made some preparations.

However, he had likely disturbed the python's slumber just now. It was clear that it wasn't the right time to return. He would wait until he reached the Cave Mansion, then try again after he left.

After departing the vicinity of the Giant Spirit Tree, Lin Yi went to a nearby mountain. According to records in the Secret Realm Manual, if an Alchemy Room appears in the Wood Element Area, it is generally located on top of a mountain not far from the Giant Spirit Tree Medicine Garden.

However, there were no signs of an Alchemy Room on the nearby mountains.

It appeared that this time, it was not present in the Wood Element area.

Lin Yi continued to delve deeper into the Secret Realm. In less than a day, he reached the end of the Wood Element Area.

Trees grew fewer and fewer, gradually giving way to a massive lake filled with lotus flowers. In the center of the lake, there was a small island.

At this sight, Lin Yi's face lit up with joy. Over hundreds of years, many cultivators who had entered the Secret Realm had explored this part of the Five Elements Region, just to be obstructed by an invisible wall.

Furthermore, the other side of the invisible wall was covered with mist, making it impossible to see anything beyond it.

However, now, the wall had vanished, and the mist had dissipated. This signaled that the Secret Realm truly was opening Dan God's Cave Mansion this time.

The lotus flowers in the lake had already bloomed in not only pink but also other colors. They radiated a dim glow, appearing exceptionally beautiful.

Lin Yi walked slowly to the edge of the lake, looking at the tranquil and beautiful lake surface. He couldn't help but worry; he had no idea what dangers the lake might hold.

Because for those who had seen Dan God's Cave Mansion, if they failed to inherit its wisdom, even if they passed some tests and obtained a certain treasure, their relevant memories would be erased upon leaving the Secret Realm, leaving behind only vague impressions.

This was the reason people only had rumors of the spirit grass protection test in Dan God's Cave Mansion. No one could clearly recall the nature of the tests or what the surrounding environment looked like inside the Mansion.

It seemed that the lake was formed with the water from the Water Element

Area. This lake was definitely connected to the spirit vein of the Five Elements Region. It likely gathered the Five Element Spiritual Energy on the island for cultivation purposes.

Dan God Zhang Dao Xuan, hailed as the foremost genius of the Heng Yuan

World a thousand years ago, was rumored to be in the Nascent Soul Realm. However, he mysteriously vanished, leaving behind this Secret Realm that opened intermittently in different parts of the Heng Yuan World.

In Lin Yi t s opinion, with help from this Secret Realm, Zhang Dao Xuan's realm should have far surpassed the Nascent Soul. Instead of mysteriously disappearing, he had likely ascended to the Upper Realm.

After joining the Inner Sect and progressing in his Cultivation levels, Lin Yi gained understanding of why there was only the Nascent Soul Ancestor among the Ten Major Sects of the Heng Yuan Cultivation World and no higher-level God Transformation Powerhouses.

Because once a cultivator breaks through from the Nascent Soul Realm to the

Divinity Transformation, they ascend to the Upper Realm, the world with denser Spiritual Energy for cultivation.

Just like the Liu Yun Sect, unless there were no Golden Core Real Persons in the sect progressing to the Nascent Soul Realm, the sect's Nascent Soul Ancestors would attempt to break through to the Divinity Transformation stage and ascend to the Upper Realm as soon as possible in pursuit of higher realms.

When Lin Yi learned this information, he couldn't help but formulate a thought in his mind. That is, after he broke through from the Nascent Soul stage to Divinity Transformation, under the Realm Concealment of the Path of Survivor's title, he would likely not ascend and could continue to remain in the Heng Yuan World.

Of course, if he were to become a transforming god cultivator, he wouldn't be able to don the title 

"No More Pretense, 1 1 m Spilling the Truth" anymore.

Because once his true cultivation aura was revealed, he would ascend to the Upper Realm involuntarily.

Lin Yi felt that if he really broke through, he would naturally want to stay in the Heng Yuan World and have a good time. After all, once he reached the level of Divinity Transformation, no one in this world would be his match.

If he ascended to the Upper Realm, a transforming god cultivator like him would probably be a bottom-level cultivator there..

Chapter 194: Heading to the Alchemy Room 2

In the Heng Yuan World, being called 'elder' and 'ancestor' by others all the time, and then suddenly in the Upper Realm, being referred to as a 'comrade' or 'junior', those nascent soul ancestors of the past probably found it hard to adapt.

This is an inevitable situation. To pursue a higher realm, one must ascend to a world with stronger spiritual energy.

Of course, among the various sects, there are some nascent soul ancestors who deliberately delayed their cultivation to postpone their ascension to the Upper Realm. However, these were mostly from small and medium-sized sects, and the number was very small.

Because the number of cultivators in the large sects who ascended to the

Upper Realm was stable, and they had already established sects in the Upper Realm, they naturally did not need to worry about being isolated.

Lin Yi stood by the lake, pondering how to go safely, because there was no bridge in this lake besides the lotus flowers.

As for stepping on the lotus leaves to move forward, this was also not possible, because the lotus leaves were widely scattered. Unless one chooses to leap in the air, one could not reach the other lotus leaf. It should be noted that in the Secret Realm Manual, there was a warning that one cannot fly in the entire Secret Realm.

Underneath the clouds of the Misty Forest Gorge, a giant python is hidden, who knows whether this calm and beautiful lake also hides Monster Beasts that are hundreds of metres long.

At this time, his face showed a look of confusion, because from the direction of the lake, he did not feel the existence of any wind. With his nearly perfect second layer of Wind Transformation Technique, his perception of wind was very sensitive.

He tried to extend his hand towards the lake surface, and indeed, there was a hindrance. It seemed that this lake also had some defensive Formations hindering him from entering.

He had guessed before that the Dan God's Cave Mansion would open after the Secret Realm had been opened for a while. It was not feasible that whoever ran faster could take the test first, and it seems he guessed right.

Lin Yi pondered for a moment, then bowed his fist towards the direction of the island in the lake, 

"Elder Dan God, I am a Qi refining cultivator who entered the Secret Realm, fortunately, managed to avoid some dangers, and arrived here early. I don't know when the Cave Mansion will be opened."

This Dan God Secret Realm was so huge, it wouldn't be unattended. He guessed that Dan God Zhang Dao Xuan might have left a trace of Divine Sense before leaving, to watch over the Secret Realm.

However, there was no response. He shook his head and prepared to leave. Since he didn't know when the Cave Mansion would open, he couldn't stay here all the time.

If the Cave Mansion only opens on the last day or two, then he would have wasted a lot of time. He wouldn't be able to go to the Giant Spirit Tree Herb Garden as planned after entering the Cave Mansion.

Just as Lin Yi was about to turn around and leave, he suddenly heard a sound of patting the water surface. He quickly turned around to look, and surprise showed on his face. It seems that this Secret Realm really had the Divine Sense left by Dan God Zhang Dao Xuan.

At this time, dozens of plump koi swam over in the lake, forming a number on the surface of the lake. He took a glance, and the number was three.

This probably doesn't mean that it will open in three days, but rather the last three days of the one-month period that the Secret Realm was open that the Cave Mansion test would begin.

Because power-wise, even the slowest of the Qi Refining Ninth Layer cultivators should be able to reach the Cave Mansion in twenty- seven days.

It took him less than two days to travel from the outermost part of the Wood Element Area to the Misty Forest, and three and a half days to travel from the Misty Forest Herb Garden to the Central Medicine Garden.

And it took about five days to go to the Giant Spirit Tree Herb Garden, and less than a day to head to the Lake Heart Mansion.

So, he should still have about sixteen days left to use. So, he absolutely can't waste time. The reserved three days were probably the time required for the entire test in the Cave Mansion.

Lin Yi thought about it by the side of the lake and decided to first go to the

Alchemy Room, because if he now goes back to the Giant Spirit Tree Herb Garden, he might not be able to open it.

However, the Alchemy Room is not in the Wood Element Area. And according to the records in the Secret Realm Manual, each time the Alchemy Room opens, there is no pattern. It can appear in any of the Five Elements Areas, namely Metal, Wood, Water, Fire, and Earth.

If it were any other cultivators at this time, they would probably be guessing blindly. But he was not the same, he could rely on luck.

Lin Yi then took a branch from a small tree nearby and drew a circle on the ground, writing the five elements characters of Metal, Wood, Water, Fire, and

Earth on it.

He needed to know exactly which of the Five Elements Area the Alchemy Room was in, not just a general direction. Otherwise, he would waste time in searching for it.

After finishing the drawing, he drew a mark at one end of the branch with the magic brush, and then placed it in the center of the circle.

Then he put on the title 

"Little Compassion Little Mercy", entering the Minor Blessing State.

At this moment, Lin Yi didn't forget to salute the small island in the lake, 

"Elder Dan God above, please bless this disciple in successfully finding the exact location of the alchemy room. The direction indicated by the branch's mark will be where the alchemy room is located."

After speaking, he gently moved the branch, sliding it among the five areas.

Very quickly, the branch stopped moving, pointing to one area where the character for 'fire' was written. It seemed that he wouldn't have to travel far.

Lin Yi immediately took off the title 

"Little Compassion Little Mercy" , and looked at his Virtue Points. Surprisingly, he had consumed more than a thousand points.

However, it was worth it to use these Virtue Points for the precise location of the alchemy room, as there were also quite a few opportunities to be found there.

The division of the Five Elements regions in the Dan God's Secret Realm did not follow the principle of mutual restraint, but rather the principle of mutual generation. Wood is the beginning of all things, wood creates fire, fire creates earth, earth creates metal, metal creates water, and water creates wood.

To the left of the Wood Element zone is the Water Element zone, and to the right is the Fire Element zone.

According to the Secret Realm Manual, the Wood Element zone represents vitality and hides danger, while the Fire Element zone represents destruction, laying danger directly on the surface for one to clearly feel.

The risk level of each of the five zones doesn't vary greatly, but relatively speaking, the Wood and Water zones provide a more comfortable environment.

After removing the title, Lin Yi once again saluted the small island in the lake,

"Many thanks for Elder Dan God's help."

After he finished speaking, he erased all the circles and words he had drawn on the ground, then along the edge of the lake he headed towards the Fire Element zone on the right.

If the danger levels across all regions are not much different, this also implies that the time it takes to reach deep into the secret realm is the same, and thus, he still maintains his lead.

He was curious to see whether the alchemy room would function in the same way as the Cave Mansion, having a fixed opening time.

After Lin Yi left, a gust of wind arose around him. The branch he had discarded was carried in the direction of the lake by the wind.

As he walked along the lake, Lin Yi encountered no danger on his journey. Perhaps this was because this was the location of the Cave Mansion, so the monster beasts did not dare to approach, and also because this was the shortest route to the Fire Element zone.

In the Secret Realm Manual, the Liu Yun Sect had also drawn a rough map of the Five Elements regions of the entire secret realm based on the disciples' travel times.

The periphery is the widest. As one delves deeper into the secret realm, the width gradually reduces. By the time one reaches the barrier of the Cave Mansion at the deepest part, the journey to other regions is almost half as short as it is from the periphery.

After confirming there were no dangers nearby, he began to move at his fastest speed, yet still didn't take to the sky. At a time like this, he didn't dare to let his guard down.

In less than three days, Lin Yi had reached the Fire Element zone. Even though it wasn't a scorched landscape, one could see currents of hot air forming within the area, and stubborn vegetation grew in sections.

As he slowly approached the Fire Element zone, he didn't feel the heat wave. The Secret Realm Manual recorded that isolation formations were present between each zone.

However, this formation had no effect on cultivators. Each zone was interconnected, and cultivators could choose to go anywhere freely.

But if one tried to progress through the peripheral areas of each zone, the time consumed would be too great, leaving no extra time to go to the Medicine Garden.

Ordinary Qi Refining Level Nine Cultivators would have already spent more than twenty days by the time they reached the Cave Mansion, and naturally, there would be no opportunity for them to go to other zones.

When he reached the boundary between the two zones, Lin Yi looked back at the Wood Element zone and then walked straight through. Immediately, he was hit by a wave of heat..

Chapter 195: Alchemy Test

Despite being mentally prepared, Lin Yi broke into a thin sweat as soon as he stepped into the fire realm.

The deep part of the fire realm was hotter than he expected. There's a stark contrast with the comfortable spiritual energy environment of the wood realm.

Contemplating, he did not activate his spiritual power to offset the heat, but instead chose to bear it with his body.

Although the environment of the fire realm was harsh, it might also serve to temper both body and will.

This was not limited to the body's sensation alone. The air he breathed in had a hot, spicy feeling too, and the spiritual energy inhaled here caused a burning sensation in his meridians when refined internally.

However, during his cultivation of the Five Thunder Spells, his meridians had been constantly refined by the absorbed thunder and lightning, making them incredibly resilient. As such, this degree of heat was practically negligible to him.

To the cultivators of the fire element, this area was nothing short of paradise. He wondered whether any of the four disciples of the Divine Fire Peak had randomly arrived in this fire realm.

Suddenly, Lin Yi heard a rumbling sound. Looking into the distance, it appeared to be a volcano in eruption, spewing magma and flaming rocks.

This was one of the dangers of the fire realm – the frequent volcanic eruptions, and sometimes even forest fires caused by them.

Moreover, within this realm filled with destruction, there were monster beasts and poisonous insects lurking. A single bite from them might lead to deadly fire poisoning.

According to the Secret Realm Manual, if the Alchemy Room was located in the fire realm, it would be within the biggest volcano at the deepest part of the realm. The earth core fire from within was used for alchemy.

Furthermore, not only was the Alchemy Room situated there, but the final Medicine Garden in the fire realm was also within the volcano, seemingly protected by formations, preventing it from being destroyed by the magma.

Lin Yi looked at the erupting volcano in the distance and recalled the map. With a bitter smile, he felt it was undoubtedly the erupting volcano he saw if things went as they usually did.

One couldn't enter the Alchemy Room during a volcanic eruption, because,

Like the Giant Spirit Tree, this deepest volcano was also a Spirit Vein.

The constant nourishment of spiritual energy made the magma very powerful.

It was too much for even the Qi Refining Cultivators or the Foundation Building cultivators to endure.

Thus, if there was a volcanic eruption, one could only proceed to the interior of the volcano to locate the Alchemy Room after its subsidence and the gradual retreat of the magma.

He pondered whether to rush towards the vicinity of the volcano and wait for the eruption to cease or to find a safe place and wait there.

After all, the closer to the volcano, the greater the danger.

He quickly made up his mind. Instead of wasting time waiting in a safe place, it would be better to head to the volcano and assess the situation.

As recorded in the Secret Realm Manual, the timing of volcanic eruptions was irregular. Sometimes it could last a few hours and sometimes several days.

Lin Yi quickly moved in the direction of the volcano. Along the way, he kept a high level of vigilance, encountering many poisonous insects and monster beasts. Flame from their breath, splattered on nearby trees, corroded large areas in an instant.

He couldn't help but shake his head and sigh. The flames carried a poison which double afflicted him — the Secret Realm was indeed fraught with dangers.

If bitten by these poisonous beasts and the fire poison entered the body, perhaps he would end up like Old Huang or Zhou Yun Feng, with his foundations severely damaged.

Once near the volcano, the magma and rocks sprayed out would fall incessantly, shattering upon hitting the ground. The extremely high temperature could almost create a hole in the ground.

The surrounding temperature had also become much higher than before, as if he was in a giant steamer, ready to be steamed alive.

However, his body was strong enough to handle it. Refinement by the Wind Transformation Technique and Five Thunder Spells had resulted in the cultivation of his body and inner abilities far surpassing the typical Foundation Building Cultivator.

The magma that was ejected by the volcano slowly ran down the mountain, raising clouds of smoke wherever it went.

Upon reaching the Giant Spirit Tree, he could ride the Flying Boat to the Medicine Garden, but the volcano that housed the Alchemy Room had been marked with a serious warning in the Secret Realm Manual. It was absolutely forbidden to fly near the crater, lest one risk their life.

Upon nearing the volcano, Lin Yi understood the reason for the warning. There were several giant phoenix-like birds, clad in flames, hovering in the sky. They continuously drew in the spurting magma with their beaks, ignoring the lava that flowed down onto the ground.

These giant birds had incredibly sharp talons and beaks, giving them a ferocious appearance. Especially the flames emanating from their bodies conveyed an oppressive force.

The Fire Spirit Bird raised by the Fire Fierce Senior Uncle from the Divine Fire Peak seemed like only a small bird in front of these giant birds.

Had anyone flown over the volcano, one can imagine that these giant birds wouldn't let go of food delivered to their doorsteps.

As this volcano was sitting atop the Spirit Vein of the fire realm, it housed the Earth Core Fire, hence, the spouted magma undoubtedly contained a rich density of spiritual energy. Otherwise, it wouldn't attract these gigantic birds to compete fiercely to draw from it.

If magma helped these giant flaming birds, it would similarly benefit the fire cultivators.

No wonder all the major sects placed such great importance on the inheritance of the Dan God's Cave Mansion. Once inherited, one might become the master of this Secret Realm, freely allowing disciples in for cultivation or trials..

Chapter 196: Alchemy Test (2)

As he reached halfway up the volcano, Lin Yi suddenly noticed the eruption stopped, and the magma about to spew from the crater retreated back inside.

Even the giant bird of flame in the sky flapped its wings and gradually flew away.

Seeing this, he showed a relief on his face. It was fortunate that he didn't wait in place, otherwise, it would just be a waste of time.

Without the threat of the volcano's eruption, Lin Yi employed all his speed and raced towards the crater.

Upon reaching the crater, he carefully peered inside. He could see that the magma had completely retreated, revealing the inside of the volcano.

However, with the magma having just retreated, the surrounding temperature was still high, and some rocks were still dripping with magma.

Lin Yi waited for a while before activating the Wind Transformation

Technique and slowly descended into the volcano. As the ability made him float, he slowly descended and saw the scenery inside the crater.

The constant eruption of magma had created a dazzling array of colors on the inner rocks, quite striking. It was his first time entering a volcano and seeing its interior.

On the rocks, he could see scorch marks left by the immense heat of the magma. It was a truly awe-inspiring sight.

According to the Secret Realm Manual, the Alchemy Room was located at the very bottom of the volcano, to harness the power of the Earth Core Fire.

The Medicine Garden inside the volcano was also located at the bottom and was likely inaccessible.

As Lin Yi slowly descended, he admired the stunning landscape inside. He was not worried that the magma below would suddenly erupt again.

While the timing of the volcano's eruptions was uncertain, there was usually a respite period of several days to months after each eruption.

As he descended deeper into the volcano, the internal temperature increased. He circulated his spiritual power to form a defensive shield to maintain his comfort.

Soon, Lin Yi reached the bottom of the volcano. The space at the bottom was larger than he imagined.

Inside, he could even see the magma constantly bubbling in a pit, with no signs of eruption.

When he was descending, he felt high temperatures, but when he reached where the magma was, it wasn't as hot. It seemed that a formation had been set up inside the volcano to isolate the heat.

He looked around and noticed some fire elemental Spirit Grass grown to the left of the magma pit. Some of the fruits even seemed to bear traces of burning flames.

These Spirit Grass were exceptionally precious treasures for fire attribute cultivators.

Lin Yi approached the Medicine Garden and tried to enter, only to meet an invisible barrier. It seemed that, like the Giant Spirit Tree Herb Garden, these Spirit Grass were beyond reach for Qi Refining Level Nine Cultivators in the Secret Realm.

He didn't waste any more time attempting to enter. Instead, he turned his attention to the other side of the magma pit, where he found a familiar little grass house with nothing else nearby.

However, a look of delight appeared on Lin Yi's face. For this little grass house was the Alchemy Room. It may look simple, but it contained great mysteries.

He slowly walked towards the grass house. The memories within the Dan

God's Cave Mansion would all be erased and could only be vaguely

Remembered. But, the Alchemy Room was different; Its memories would stay clear.

Thus, the Secret Realm Manual contained detailed information about the Alchemy Room. Once the Secret Realm activated the Alchemy Room, whoever arrived there first could be the first to accept the challenge.

The challenge was alchemy. One would be randomly given a set of raw materials to refine a dan medicine that suits Qi Refining Cultivators. The higher the quality of the pill, the better the reward.

Once the challenge was passed, one could enter the Alchemy Room to select a reward. The quality of the refined pill would determine what one could choose.

It was said that people had seen the God Refining Pill in the Alchemy Room, which could aid in the Nascent Soul Breakthrough to Divinity Transformation – it was the dan medicine that the Nascent Soul Ancestors of all sects wanted the most.

Moving from the Nascent Soul to Divinity Transformation is a qualitative leap, with immense difficulty involved in breaking through. With the God Refining Pill, their chances of success can be significantly increased. Especially if the pill is refined by Dan God Zhang Dao Xuan, its quality would undoubtedly be the best of the best.

After approaching the Alchemy Room, Lin Yi felt the surroundings rapidly changing. It seemed he had arrived in a cave. Judging by the rocks above him, he was still within the volcano.

There was an Alchemy Furnace and some materials next to him. Other than these, he couldn't see a single person or hear any prompts.

Lin Yi walked to the Alchemy Furnace and swept over the materials with his gaze. The crucial ingredient was a red Fire Element Spirit Grass. It appeared that a Spirit Fire Pill was to be refined, which would be beneficial to Qi Refining practitioners with Fire Element skills.

This was indeed the limit of what Qi Refining cultivators could refine, and the difficulty was enormous. However, it was within his expectations.

Since each Alchemy Room was located in a different area, the pill to be refined would share properties with the characteristics of the area.

Every Alchemy Room test was the same for all cultivators, and it was very challenging. If they wanted to get the benefits of the Alchemy Room, they had to have some real abilities.

The difficulty of making a Spirit Fire Pill was greater than that of other elemental Pills because Fire Element, an unstable element, required absolute control to blend Fire Element Spirit Grass with other materials to form a pill.

Even the slightest oversight could lead to the failure of the alchemy process and cause the furnace to explode.

In front of him now lay five sets of materials. Only five attempts were allowed. If all attempts ended in failure, it would mean that he had no chance of getting the treasures from the Alchemy Room.

In the test of the Alchemy Room, only dan medicine of middle grade or above would be accepted. Anything inferior in the eyes of Dan God Zhang Dao Xuan, would be seen as trash.

Lin Yi glanced at his waist. His storage bag had disappeared. During the test, one could only refine using the materials provided. It was impossible to bring your materials to warm up.

He glanced at the Alchemy Furnace in front of him. Refining would now solely depend on Earth Fire. After his alchemy title leveled up to third level, he practiced a few times in the Pill Refining Workshop within the inner sect Heavenly Cloud Immortal City.

This was a place solely for Inner Sect practitioners to refine pills using Earth Fire. Of course, the rental fee was exorbitant, but it afforded him the opportunity to familiarize himself with Earth Fire, and was thus worth it.

Lin Yi placed his hand on the Alchemy Furnace. In his mind, several controlling spells emerged. First, he channeled his Spiritual Power into the base of the Alchemy Furnace. Instantly, a flame erupted, revealing an extraordinary aura.

The Earth Fire in the Dan God Secret Realm was far superior to the Earth Fire in the Heavenly Cloud Immortal City.

He began to slowly control the Earth Fire, familiarising himself with its properties. Rushing into alchemy could easily lead to failure.

After six hours, Lin Yi had fully grasped the characteristics of Earth Fire, and he then plunged into deep thought.

There were two options now. He could directly enter into the Minor Blessing State and start refining, or he could initially refine with his actual abilities.

While a failure could potentially provide a chance for enlightenment, he could stack up enlightenment opportunities till the fourth failure and then rely on the effect of the Minor Blessing State to carry out the final refining process.

Failure didn't necessarily mean causing the furnace to explode. Even if a batch of materials could have produced twenty pills but only resulted in ten in the end, it would still be considered a failure, providing an opportunity for enlightenment.

According to the Secret Realm Manual, the number of refinements seemed to have no influence on the reward. The reward would be based on the highest quality pill produced in five attempts. Of course, the number of pills produced was also within the scope of reward evaluation.

However, Lin Yi had his own thoughts. If he were to succeed in his first attempt within the five opportunities, it would surely enhance the evaluation score, even if only as an implicit score.

His purpose of entering the secret realm was to enter the Dan God's Cave Mansion, to seek the opportunity to inherit the Dan God's legacy.

The inheritance of the Dan God would never just fall into anyone's lap. There must be unimaginable trials involved.

He speculated that the evaluation was not only based on the task of taking care of Spirit Grass in the Cave Mansion. The test of the Alchemy Room might be a part of it too.

So, if he wanted to acquire the inheritance, he would have to perform excellently in each test..