Chapter 20: Past Events

Half a month later, in a valley outside Qizhou City.

The Golden Core cultivator from the Spirit Treasure Auction House was already waiting there. As time passed, cultivators who had learned about the vanished secret realm at the Spirit Treasure Auction House that day began arriving one after another. Of course, the arriving cultivators were not limited to those who had been at the auction house that day. Over the past half-month, news of a new secret realm appearing outside Qizhou City had already spread within certain circles. Many cultivators whose cultivation levels were not high enough began calling friends and gathering companions, hoping to seize great opportunities within the secret realm.

For these cultivators, the value of a secret realm was unimaginable. An opportunity for rapid advancement lay within this realm. Pills, magic treasures, and cultivation techniques—all could potentially be acquired in the secret realm. Just as a horse cannot get fat without night grass, a person cannot become rich without unexpected wealth. The secret realm was the best source of such fortune.

Xu Yang and Ling Qingshu were among these cultivators. Compared to half a month ago, Ling Qingshu's aura was even more restrained. However, if one were to meet Ling Qingshu's gaze, they would notice a sharper intensity in her eyes—that was Sword Intent. Among cultivators, there existed a unique group who dedicated their lives to nurturing a single magic longsword, relentlessly pursuing mastery in combat. These were Sword Cultivators, and their combat prowess was among the best within the cultivator community. Sword Intent was their most distinguishing characteristic, and now, a trace of this Sword Intent was visible in Ling Qingshu's eyes.

Xu Yang was also surprised that Ling Qingshu had comprehended Sword Intent. That day, when he casually mentioned that Ling Qingshu might become a female Sword Immortal, he never expected a nascent form of Sword Intent to appear on her the very next day. This made Xu Yang ponder: could it be that during his ten thousand years of seclusion, his body's potential had been unlocked, manifesting a divine ability where his words would come true?

The Golden Core cultivator from the Spirit Treasure Auction House kept observing the continuous influx of people. When his gaze fell upon Ling Qingshu, she sensed it and directly met his eyes. An invisible Sword Intent was contained within Ling Qingshu's gaze. When the auction house cultivator met her eyes, he felt a stinging pain. He couldn't understand why Ling Qingshu, a cultivator who had just entered the Golden Core realm, had undergone such a significant transformation in merely half a month. Previously, at the Spirit Treasure Auction House, the Golden Core cultivator had also appraised Ling Qingshu, but she had shown no reaction. Now, with just a slight glance, Ling Qingshu had detected his scrutiny, and he felt that his own aura was unexpectedly a touch weaker.

After withdrawing his gaze, the Golden Core cultivator mused, "As expected of a long-established sect like the Sky Ridge Sect, they truly have their methods." An ancestor who appeared out of nowhere had first directly annihilated the Cloud Mountain Sect, and now had caused such a profound transformation in a Golden Core cultivator in just half a month.

As time progressed, more and more cultivators gathered in the valley. By midday, the Golden Core cultivator took out a jade token from his storage bag. He infused the jade token with spiritual energy, then tossed it into the air. Sunlight shone upon the jade token, and to everyone's astonishment, the light it refracted formed a landscape painting. It depicted palaces and mountains, but the scene within was desolate.

"Everyone," the Golden Core cultivator announced loudly, "in the time it takes for an incense stick to burn, the entrance to this secret realm will open. I hope you will all honor the agreement made with our Spirit Treasure Auction House that day. Our Spirit Treasure Auction House only requires one item from the secret realm; as for other treasures, you are free to take them. Furthermore, the secret realm is fraught with danger. Your lives and deaths are your own fates to bear!"

As soon as he finished speaking, the painting in the sky fully materialized. The Golden Core cultivator immediately soared into the air and plunged into the painting. Witnessing this scene, the cultivators present all circulated their spiritual energy and rushed into the painting.

Xu Yang held back Ling Qingshu, who was about to rush in, and carefully examined the painting from where they stood. The existence of a secret realm was unique; it could be understood as an independent space or a small world. The jade token the Golden Core cultivator had used was the key to this secret realm's entrance. The scene depicted in the painting floating in mid-air looked somewhat familiar to Xu Yang, as if he had seen it somewhere before.

As he gazed at the landscape within the painting, a deeply buried memory emerged from Xu Yang's mind. He couldn't recall how many years ago it was, but at that time, Xu Yang was still a youth, the founding senior disciple of the Sky Ridge Sect. During those years, he always had a young follower by his side. Later, while Xu Yang was stuck in the Qi Condensation realm, unable to advance to Foundation Establishment, his young follower began to display extraordinary talent. Subsequently, the young follower left the Sky Ridge Sect to wander the world alone. Before descending the mountain, he told Xu Yang, "Young Master, when I return, I will definitely help you break through to Foundation Establishment."

It was many years later when Xu Yang next saw his young follower. By then, the Sky Ridge Sect's sixth-generation sect leader had already ascended, and the exceptionally talented young follower had become the sect leader of a major sect. It was in such a landscape that Xu Yang, still in the Qi Condensation realm, sat and discussed the Dao with his young follower, who had by then achieved the Dao Integration realm. Later, Xu Yang returned to the Sky Ridge Sect to continue his seclusion, while the young follower left his sect once more to search for a method to help Xu Yang achieve Foundation Establishment. From that day on, Xu Yang never saw his young follower again, and the sect he had founded also vanished from the continent many years later.

Xu Yang hadn't expected to see such a familiar scene here today. Scene after scene surfaced in his mind as Xu Yang meticulously recalled each one. Seeing Xu Yang in this state, Ling Qingshu remained silent, simply watching him.

On Xu Yang's shoulder, a small creature was exceptionally active—it was the Cloud Beast. The Cloud Beast cub looked at the scene within the painting, then lightly brushed its small paw against Xu Yang's ear a few times. When it didn't get the expected response, the Cloud Beast cub exhaled a puff of mist, spraying it onto Xu Yang's face. The cool sensation interrupted Xu Yang's recollections. He gently stroked the Cloud Beast cub's head and softly asked, "Did you come from inside there?" The Cloud Beast cub listened to Xu Yang's words, looked at the painting, then at Xu Yang, and after a moment of thought, nodded. Receiving this response, Xu Yang's face broke into a smile. It seemed he truly had an extraordinary connection with this Cloud Beast cub.

"Let's go, we'll take a look inside."

Xu Yang took a step, and in the next instant, his figure appeared before the entrance of the landscape painting. Ling Qingshu followed closely behind Xu Yang and stepped into the landscape painting. After midday passed, the landscape painting abruptly vanished from the valley, and even the jade token disappeared without a trace.