Chapter 89: A Sudden Transformation in the Hidden Realm

Red Serpent Fruit! A third-grade spirit material!

The three disciples of the Sword Sect were struck dumb with shock, and even Rain Ink cried out in delighted surprise.

The spiritual treasures born of heaven and earth were generally divided into many grades.

A first-grade spirit material was mostly used by cultivators below the Qi Refining stage.

A second-grade spirit material was worth ten to dozens of times more, and only alchemists who had reached the Spirit Refining stage could fully refine and use it.

But once it reached the third grade, its value became almost unimaginable. On top of the worth of a second-grade material, it would increase by at least another ten to dozens of times, reaching an astronomical price.

A single third-grade spirit material was enough to tempt even immortals of the Spirit Refining stage beyond resistance, let alone Qi Refining cultivators.

Take the Red Serpent Fruit before them: a supreme treasure among third-grade spirit materials, worth over a million spirit yuan coins. Converted into the currency cultivators used, it amounted to more than ten thousand inferior spirit stones.

At the sight of it, Xu Xuan’s expression changed. He sprang to the side of the Red Serpent Fruit on the crimson rock wall, narrowed his eyes, and looked at the three of them.

“When I entered this serpent lair, everything else was negotiable. But this item is extremely important to me. I wonder whether the three of you might grant me this favor.”

The two handsome white-robed disciples of the Sword Sect changed expression, their faces uncertain.

“On what grounds? The spirit materials in this snake den were all nurtured by the essence of heaven and earth. Whoever sees them has a share.”

Another Sword Sect disciple, whose name was unknown, let out a cold laugh. His gaze was fixed on the Red Serpent Fruit, and his heartbeat quickened. This was a third-grade spirit material worth nearly ten thousand inferior spirit stones. Relying on the sect stipend alone, even decades of savings would not compare to this one treasure.

Xu Xuan ignored him and merely looked quietly at the Sword Sect girl, graceful as cold mist. He had already made his calculations. Whether she agreed or not, he had a plan.

This Red Serpent Fruit could help him break through to the tenth level of body refinement. He absolutely could not let it slip away.

“Silence.”

Rain Ink’s eyes were like icy stars as she glared at that disciple.

“If not for Junior Brother Xu, would any of you still be alive now?”

At those words, both white-robed disciples lowered their heads and dared not answer back.

“Junior Brother Xu discovered this Red Serpent Fruit first. Since it is of great use to you, we will not seize what another desires.”

Rain Ink smiled faintly at Xu Xuan. Without lingering, she led the two Sword Sect disciples away in a swift departure.

“My thanks.”

Xu Xuan let out a slight breath of relief. He thought to himself that the risk he had taken just now to help Rain Ink and the others kill the Serpent King had not been in vain after all.

The group wandered the serpent lair for half a day, gathering quite a number of natural spiritual treasures and rare curiosities. There were several second-grade spirit materials, but among third-grade treasures, only Xu Xuan obtained one.

Their harvest was abundant as they left the serpent lair. The three disciples of the Falling Star Sword Sect took their leave first.

Le Feng, Xu Xuan, and the disciples of the Wind Feather Immortal Gate returned to camp near the mountain forest where they had stayed before.

After such a fierce battle, all of them needed some time to recover.

Xu Xuan seized the time to stabilize his cultivation realm. Through the battle in the serpent lair, his use of the Art of Intimidation had reached an exceedingly subtle level.

In the intervals of cultivation, Xu Xuan would sometimes meditate upon the process from his previous life by which he had broken through to the tenth level of body refinement.

Once he advanced to the tenth level, it would be equivalent to stepping onto the ancient great path of body cultivation. It would mean he had become a true cultivator.

But that required Xu Xuan to comprehend for himself the Tenth Transformation of Dragon and Serpent.

In truth, the Tenth Transformation of Dragon and Serpent was not something created out of thin air through idle enlightenment. It had to be forged upon the profundities and essence of the Nine Transformations of Dragon and Serpent.

In other words, the Tenth Transformation had to be both a fusion of the essence of the Nine Transformations and, on that foundation, something that surpassed them.

It sounded simple enough in principle, but to unite the profound meanings of all nine transformation arts and blend them into a single move was no easy feat.

Harder still, it had to be elevated upon that base into a true metamorphosis: from serpent into dragon.

This transformation from serpent to dragon did not mean literally becoming a dragon. It referred to a leap, a shedding of old form, as though one rose from the lowly creature called a serpent into the higher being called a dragon.

And what kind of being was a dragon? Across the whole world, it was nearly confined to legend.

This metaphor alone was enough to reveal how fearsome the tenth level truly was.

Xu Xuan possessed the insights of his previous life, so it was not difficult for him to integrate the nine transformation arts. The true difficulty lay in creating a unique Tenth Transformation that belonged to him alone.

If he succeeded, he could give his self-created Tenth Transformation its own name. Such an honor would place him on the height of a master, even a grandmaster.

Over the following days, Xu Xuan devoted himself wholly to comprehending the Ninefold Transformation Art, slowly merging and penetrating its essence and profundities.

Throughout that process, flashes of insight and inspiration kept appearing in his mind.

That once distant and elusive tenth level of body refinement no longer seemed so far away.

Within the secret realm, many people were searching for further opportunities, but Xu Xuan wanted even more to seize this precious chance to seek a breakthrough into the Tenth Transformation.

And just as the remnant soul from his previous life had predicted, although Xu Xuan’s talent was not especially remarkable, his powers of comprehension far surpassed those of ordinary men.

Unknowingly, the Tenth Transformation had already formed a rough and indistinct outline in his mind.

As for how to sketch that outline in finer, clearer detail, that would require slow contemplation and steady refinement.

By this time, more than half a month had already passed in the secret realm, and only ten days remained.

During this period, the disciples of the two sects cautiously explored every corner of the realm, and much information had been gathered.

“Junior Brother Xu, the situation in the secret realm has basically been mapped out. We’re only waiting for Senior Brother’s instructions now.”

Le Feng approached with a cheerful smile.

“I wonder what the overall state of this secret realm truly is?”

Xu Xuan asked curiously.

“The secret realm spans roughly one to two hundred li. It is neither large nor small, and its spiritual energy is more than ten times denser than that of the outside world. But even within the realm, the distribution of spirit veins, spirit mines, and other geographic features is disordered, so the spiritual energy is unevenly spread. Any place with a special spiritual nature, such as the bat cave or the serpent lair from before, contains demonized beings at the very least—usually powerful individual beasts, or even whole demonized colonies...”

Le Feng explained tirelessly.

Xu Xuan’s experience was far beyond that of ordinary people, and he quickly understood.

“So that’s how it is. Under the influence of the secret realm’s highly concentrated spiritual energy, wherever there are natural spirit materials, there are usually demonized beings as well. Spiritual energy does not only affect the distribution of heavenly treasures; it also transforms the living creatures of the land.”

Le Feng was first startled, then clapped his hands in praise.

“Junior Brother Xu, what fine insight! That saves me a great deal of explanation. Brother Yun has already sent word...”

He then went on to describe several extremely dangerous regions in the secret realm where demonized colonies existed.

In any case, there were opportunities everywhere in the realm. After some disciples had been killed or wounded, most people had become much more cautious and conservative, no longer venturing alone into danger.

Those spiritually rich lands inhabited by demonized colonies would be tackled jointly by the two sects at the end.

While the two were discussing matters in low voices, suddenly—

A powerful fluctuation of spiritual energy burst forth from the central region of the secret realm.

The disciples scattered throughout the realm all turned to look in the same direction.

A shrill roar split the air—

A streak of sword radiance, like a dazzling rainbow, shot straight into the vault of heaven, making the spiritual energy throughout the entire secret realm tremble violently.

In an instant, wind and cloud surged between heaven and earth. Rings of purple-red sword aura spread outward for several miles, dyeing the empty sky and filling all who saw it with dread.

From afar, a storm seemed to be brewing around that sword light, sweeping arrogantly across every direction. Wherever it passed, devastation followed; all things were laid waste.

“What happened?”

Xu Xuan and Le Feng both changed color. Such movement and force seemed beyond what human power could produce.

That sword radiance piercing the clouds had stirred the spiritual energy of the whole secret realm into convulsions, nearly triggering a spiritual tide. If that happened, this secret realm would become unstable, and none who had entered it could hope to leave unscathed. The consequences would be unthinkable.

Streaks of distress smoke rose into the sky from the region stained by the sword’s light—the emergency signals of the two sects.

“A sect distress call!”

Le Feng cried out, hurriedly summoning the others.

“Everyone, prepare yourselves!”

Xu Xuan too was shaken by that world-shocking power, and he wondered what secret could be hidden in the depths of this realm to cause such vast and terrifying commotion.

“Oh? Power above the Core Condensation stage, though it only lasted for an instant...”

The remnant soul from his previous life spoke in his mind, with a trace of surprise.

In the world of cultivation, the first three great realms—Body Refinement, Qi Refining, and Spirit Refining—were known as the Three Mortal Transcendences.

Above the Three Mortal Transcendences stood the lofty Great Golden Core Path. The Core Condensation stage was one of the realms within it, and it was said that those who reached it possessed the divine ability to summon wind and rain, looking down upon all living things with supreme disdain.

Up to now, in the whole region around Pinghua Town, Xu Xuan had never heard of a single expert at that level.

“Core Condensation? How could that be? This secret realm cannot permit beings above the Spirit Refining stage. Otherwise it would trigger fluctuations in the spiritual energy and destabilize the entire realm.”

Xu Xuan immediately refuted it. If such a tyrannical being truly existed inside the secret realm, it could wipe out all the disciples of the two sects with a flick of a finger.

Second update. Asking for recommendations. There will be another update after midnight.