Chapter 71: Revisiting

’If I become a Loose Cultivator and stay in the Cultivation Realm, my safety will become a major issue.’

’Knowing how the Cultivation Realm is, dangerous incidents would probably crop up every other day.’

’As for returning to the Mortal World, my safety would be guaranteed, but my cultivation would stagnate.’

’The Mortal World lacks Spirit Veins and has thin Spiritual Qi. Without Elixirs, it’s impossible to improve my Cultivation.’

’And joining another Sect... To be honest, with my age and Spirit Root, no Sect would take me.’

Previously, Jiang Xu had planned on finding an escape route from the Sect.

That was a fallback plan for when he could no longer stay in the Sect.

If he could continue to stay here peacefully, Jiang Xu had no desire to leave.

It was just that the existence of the Secret Realm made Jiang Xu uneasy.

Going to the Purple Profound Celestial Marketplace just like this left Jiang Xu feeling utterly unsettled.

Jiang Xu glanced at Zong Ziqi, and a matter he had overlooked all this time came to mind.

’At the end of the day, all my current worries stem from a lack of information about the Secret Realm.’

’If only I could see the Secret Realm with my own eyes...’

’No, that’s not right. At my current Realm, I probably wouldn’t be able to figure anything out.’

’But a Foundation Establishment Cultivator should be able to uncover some clues, right?’

’Zong Ziqi and his master have a deep bond. His master stopped him from entering the Secret Realm, but not from entering the Endless Forest...’

’This might mean that the dangers of the Secret Realm are actually confined within it...’

Jiang Xu’s eyes flashed.

’The Purple Profound Celestial Marketplace has always been on the front lines against the beast tides, so its defenses are naturally formidable. Its ability to handle danger is also relatively high, so it should be quite safe.’

Jiang Xu agonized over it for a long time. Both options—fleeing or staying—were fraught with risk, and his inability to choose was driving him mad.

’Dammit! Which damn Elder had nothing better to do than drag me into this mission?!’

Seeing Jiang Xu fly off on his Ten Thousand Laws Gourd, Zong Ziqi couldn’t help but ask curiously,

"Brother Jiang, where are we headed? It looks to me like we’re going toward the Primordial Magnetic Ore Mine."

Jiang Xu was taken aback. After carefully checking his bearings, he realized that he was indeed heading in the direction of the Primordial Magnetic Ore Mine.

The last time he came out, Jiang Xu had recorded the surrounding environment along the way from the Silver Moon Ship.

He hadn’t expected to be unconsciously flying in this direction now.

Jiang Xu didn’t change course and just continued flying toward the mine.

He now had an idea.

Jiang Xu realized he had been thinking about it all wrong.

He wasn’t rooted to the spot.

He could leave when he wanted and stay when he wanted!

The Secret Realm was still in the process of being unsealed.

According to Zong Ziqi’s master, the rarest items were in the core area of the Secret Realm.

And the Profound Origin Sect hadn’t yet unsealed the core area; they hadn’t even started on the Inner Area!

’I can totally wait until they’re about to unseal the core area and then slip away!’

The things he was worried about weren’t a concern as long as the core area remained sealed.

Therefore, he decided that for now, he would stay in the Purple Profound Celestial Marketplace, save up enough Spirit Stones, and raise his Cultivation Realm.

When Zong Ziqi’s master started to head for the core area, Jiang Xu would run.

This way, it would be safe, and he could still obtain resources. It was killing multiple birds with one stone!

Jiang Xu looked back and saw that in the distant sky, several dark and golden lights were still clashing.

’The battle must still be pretty fierce.’

’Looks like it’s best not to stay here. There’s too much fighting. It would be bad if I got caught in the crossfire. Better to leave for now; that’s the safest bet!’

...

After a long flight, having consumed too much Magical Power, Jiang Xu finally canceled the Invisibility Ability of his Concealing Breath Spell.

Seeing that Jiang Xu had no intention of revealing anything about this Invisibility Ability, Zong Ziqi didn’t press the matter.

"Brother Zong, what’s the story behind Wind and Thunder Manor, Flame Dragon Stronghold, and Cyan Island Valley? How did they end up at odds with our Profound Origin Sect?"

Zong Ziqi’s master was an Elder, after all, so he was well-informed and knew about these three sects:

"Well, it’s just a conflict of interest between the upstart sects and the old guard.

"Wind and Thunder Manor and the other two sects only rose to prominence in the last thousand years. Our Profound Origin Sect and the other two of the Three Sects have been around for several thousand years.

"Between the new and old guards, when one side takes more resources, the other has to give some up."

Jiang Xu was astonished.

"Are these new sects really that powerful? Logically speaking, established sects like ours have deep foundations and formidable strength. Those newcomers shouldn’t be a match for us at all!"

Zong Ziqi chuckled.

"In theory, that’s correct. If you just calculate pure strength, the combined power of those three sects isn’t even a match for our Profound Origin Sect and the Celestial Blade Sect together, let alone all three of our sects.

"But in reality, one plus one plus one doesn’t always equal three. Sometimes it’s less than three, and sometimes it’s more.

"As newly promoted Golden Core Sects, Wind and Thunder Manor and the other two are completely united, advancing and retreating as one. They’re the ’greater than three’ type.

"But as for our Three Sects..."

At this, Zong Ziqi’s expression grew odd.

"Although our Profound Origin Sect and the Celestial Blade Sect are allies in name, in reality, our relationship is mediocre at best. Do you know why?"

"I don’t know." Jiang Xu shook his head.

Zong Ziqi glanced left and right, and only after confirming they were alone did he whisper to Jiang Xu:

"Our Profound Origin Sect’s Sect Leader Zhenren and the Celestial Blade Sect’s Sect Leader... are actually love rivals!"

"What!"

Jiang Xu was shocked!

’This is juicy!’

’But I love it!’

"Back when they were young, both of them were in love with the current Sect Leader of the Purple Flower Palace. The three of them met long ago, before they reached the Golden Core or even the Foundation Establishment Realm, back when they were still in the Qi Cultivation Realm!

"But for some reason, something changed after they reached Foundation Establishment, and their relationship fractured.

"Some say the Purple Flower Palace Sect Leader liked our Sect Leader and not the Celestial Blade Sect’s Sect Leader, which is what caused the rift between the two sects.

"Others say... it was actually because the Celestial Blade Sect’s Sect Leader liked both the Purple Flower Palace Sect Leader and our Sect Leader, and wanted to take them both as Dao companions.

"Oh, by the way, the Celestial Blade Sect’s Sect Leader... is a woman."

CRACK!

That was the sound of Jiang Xu petrifying and shattering.

’Immortal Cultivators truly do love to defy the heavens, and they certainly don’t sweat the small stuff.’

’I have to admire the Sect Leader of the Celestial Blade Sect.’

"It seems the other three sects have figured that the Profound Origin Sect and the Celestial Blade Sect won’t join forces over some trivial matter, and they aren’t afraid of the Profound Origin Sect on its own, which is why they’re so brazen."

"Yeah. Now we just have to see if our Sect Leader Zhenren will swallow this loss or strike back directly."

...

「Time passed.」

Jiang Xu and Zong Ziqi arrived at the Primordial Magnetic Ore Mine.

Half a year had passed since their last visit.

It was the dead of winter.

A light snow had coated the mining area in a layer of silvery frost.

Countless sins lay buried beneath it.

Jiang Xu had returned to this place.

He wanted to see the aftermath of their last mission.

Whether the culprits were still at large, or if they had already met their deserved end.