Chapter 402

After consuming all the spiritual liquid, Lu Qing withdrew the Five Elements Gourd into his body.

He then focused his mind and activated the Five Elements Gourd to begin refining the liquid inside.

The spiritual liquid capable of nurturing a supreme spiritual medicine like the Five Elements Treasure Lotus was anything but ordinary.

As the Five Elements Gourd operated, vast amounts of the Five Elements Spiritual Power were continuously extracted and refined.

Lu Qing's dantian and qi sea immediately felt as if they were on the verge of bursting.

Not daring to delay, he immediately circulated the heart mantra of the Five Elements Body Refining Technique and began cultivating.

As large amounts of Five Elements Spiritual Power were refined, Lu Qing's cultivation level began to rise steadily, growing stronger at an astonishing rate.

…

While Lu Qing was in seclusion, deep in the Hundred Thousand Mountains, the innate realm experts exploring the hidden realm had finally come to blows after some time.

“Brother Wang, I discovered this spiritual herb first. Isn’t it against the rules for you to snatch it so forcibly?”

In a mountain hollow, a burly man glared at a wiry middle-aged man standing before him.

The wiry man was holding a fiery red spiritual herb in his hand.

“Rules? What rules?” The wiry man chuckled faintly. “Brother Qiu, I think you’re confused.

This is a hidden realm; everything inside is ownerless.

Since there’s no owner, all treasures naturally belong to whoever takes them first.

If you want to blame someone, blame yourself for slacking off in your daily cultivation, which made your movement techniques so slow.”

Had Lu Qing been present, he would have recognized the two men as some of the innate realm experts he had encountered in the forest not long ago.

“Fine. Very well!”

The burly man’s face darkened as he growled. “Wang Yuanshan, you’re just relying on that innate-level Phantom Movement Technique of yours for speed.

Since you’re so arrogant, let me show you my Mountain Shifting Blade Technique!”

With that, the burly man drew the blade strapped to his back, and a heavy aura emanated from him.

The wiry man’s expression shifted as he also unsheathed a long sword.

In the next instant, fierce winds arose, and blade energy and sword energy collided in all directions. An intense battle at the innate level erupted in the mountain hollow.

The two who had once called each other brothers were now locked in a deadly fight.

“Wang Yuanshan and Qiu Fei are fighting?”

Not far away, a middle-aged woman sensed the murderous intent and looked on in surprise.

However, despite noticing the commotion, she made no move to intervene.

“Neither Wang Yuanshan nor Qiu Fei is easy to deal with. If I go over there, they might team up against me first—that would be troublesome. Better to keep my distance.”

The middle-aged woman scanned her surroundings, her eyes brimming with delight.

“To think this place not only has such abundant spiritual energy but also a rich concentration of Five Elements Spiritual Power. Truly deserving of its reputation as a legendary hidden realm.

Perhaps I can take this opportunity to master my secret technique.

Once I succeed, I’ll even be able to contend with perfected innate realm experts.

At that point, seeking greater opportunities will become much safer.”

Just as the middle-aged woman was contemplating where to find a secluded spot to cultivate her secret technique, a chill ran down her spine.

A powerful sense of danger surged within her.

Without thinking, she rolled sideways in an ungraceful maneuver to dodge.

The moment she moved, a black needle embedded itself where she had just been standing.

Not only did it leave a bottomless hole in the ground, but the surrounding grass and flowers withered within moments.

“A poisoned needle!”

Her eyes widened with shock and fury.

The shock stemmed from the needle’s potency—if she hadn’t evaded, even her innate-level body might not have withstood it. The fury was directed at the audacity of someone daring to ambush her.

“Who’s there!”

She gazed toward the direction from which the poisoned needle had come and heightened her spiritual sense to the utmost.

Yet even with her full effort, she couldn’t locate the assailant.

Internally, she felt a pang of bitterness.

Since the spiritual revival began and the world underwent its transformation, the spiritual sense abilities of innate realm martial artists had been continually suppressed.

Especially after the Five Sounds of the Heavenly Dao resounded, the stabilization of the world’s rules had further diminished their spiritual perception.

Where once an innate expert could sense the spiritual aura of another from miles away, now, if the other party deliberately concealed themselves, they might remain undetected even within dozens of meters.

And for an innate expert, a distance of dozens of meters could be traversed in the blink of an eye.

Although she couldn’t find the hidden assailant, the woman still felt an unshakable killing intent locked onto her, prickling like a thorn in her throat and causing her heart to ache slightly.

After a moment of stalemate, the middle-aged woman realized this wasn’t sustainable.

Her thoughts raced before she suddenly smiled charmingly and said in a soft, coquettish tone:

“Which gallant hero is teasing me like this? If you want to make friends, just say so. I’m always happy to befriend capable men.

There’s no need to frighten a defenseless woman like me; I’m ever so fragile.”

As she spoke, her body exuded an aura of charm, making her seem truly pitiful and alluring.

The hidden assailant, unable to hold back any longer, finally spoke, though their voice brimmed with hatred.

“You venomous witch, drop the act. I can’t believe I’d encounter you here—it must be the heavens’ will!

Today, I’ll kill you and avenge my elder brother and the entire Zhao family!”

As the voice fell, a figure stepped out from the forest.

“It’s you!”

When she saw the person’s face, the middle-aged woman’s expression turned to one of utter shock.

“How is this possible? I personally strangled you back then!”

“The heavens had mercy. I wasn’t fully dead and crawled out of my coffin.

You venomous woman, I’ve been searching for you all these years, and now you’ve hidden yourself in this remote Cangzhou.

If not for the allure of this hidden realm, you might have escaped me forever.

But this is fate, and I’ll ensure you die by my hand to bring justice to the Zhao family!”

The figure was a young man whose eyes burned with hatred as he stared at her, as if he wished to tear her apart.

The middle-aged woman scrutinized him and, upon confirming his identity, her initial shock gave way to a composed demeanor.

“So it’s really you. No wonder I’ve felt uneasy these past few years, as if someone were watching me from the shadows.

I even fled to this remote corner of Cangzhou to hide.

But it turns out I missed one of you wretches from the Zhao family!

Fine, let’s settle this today. I’ll ensure your Zhao family is utterly eradicated!”

Her once-alluring face contorted with malice.

A short sword appeared in her hand, and she charged at the young man.

Thus began a brutal fight amidst the forest.

…

The opening of the hidden realm in the Hundred Thousand Mountains had drawn experts from several surrounding provinces.

Some bore grudges, while others sought to claim spiritual items. Regardless, the first few days saw several battles between innate realm experts, resulting in significant casualties.

And this was just the beginning.

As time passed, news of the hidden realm in Cangzhou began to spread far and wide.

At last, it reached Zhongzhou.