Chapter 333: The Divine Hunter Flower
"Additionally, the jade token briefly lit up near a small continent outside the Nine Nether Continent but dimmed again shortly after."
At the entrance to the Ancient Secret Realm outside Luo Shui City, Xiao Tiance frowned deeply upon hearing Liu Changkong's report.
The token lighting up was a sure sign of one of his companions being present in the area. However, the light fading so quickly afterward complicated matters. This could mean one of two things: either his companion had left that location quickly, or the token had been destroyed by someone else.
In either case, it was clear that Tianluo Hall's attempts to locate them had failed.
Reassurance from Xiao Xuan
Xiao Xuan, observing Xiao Tiance's furrowed brow, tried to offer comfort. "Tiance, there's no need to worry. Even though we don't know Min'er and the others' whereabouts, their Dou Qi should soon fully transform into spiritual energy.
"With their strength, as long as they don't encounter some top tier expert, they'll be fine. Who knows? By the time we leave the Ancient Secret Realm, we might have news of them."
Although still uneasy, Xiao Tiance nodded. He couldn't miss the opportunity to explore the Ancient Secret Realm. Additionally, Tianluo was still in Xitian Battle Palace, and he wouldn't leave without first resolving the matter with the Western Heaven Battle Emperor and bringing Tianluo back.
"I suppose that's the only choice," Xiao Tiance muttered.
Preparing for the Secret Realm
With a flick of his mind, Xiao Tiance commanded Qinghou to toss Liu Ming's corpse to Liu Changkong.
"The corpse is yours, but I'd advise against damaging it. After we leave the secret realm, I'll help you refine it into a Sky Demon Puppet. If all goes well, you'll gain a protector at the level of an upper Earth Supreme," Xiao Tiance said casually.
The moment he spoke, Luo Tianshen and the dean of Tianqiong Academy both stared enviously at Liu Changkong.
Even the dean of Tianqiong Academy, who was at the peak of the lower Earth Supreme realm, couldn't help but imagine the advantage of having an upper Earth Supreme puppet by one's side. It would make Liu Changkong one of the most formidable figures in Tiancang Continent.
"Thank you, Lord Tiance! Thank you!" Liu Changkong's voice trembled with gratitude.
Had Xiao Tiance not reminded him, Liu Changkong would likely have destroyed Liu Ming's corpse out of hatred. But compared to venting his anger, having the corpse refined into a Sky Demon Puppet to strengthen himself was far more beneficial.
The stark reality of strength dawned on him again. Without reaching the Earth Supreme realm, he wouldn't even qualify to hold Xiao Tiance's attention.
A Generous Offer
Seeing Liu Changkong's excitement and the undisguised envy in Luo Tianshen and the dean's eyes, Xiao Tiance chuckled.
"Elder Luo, Dean, if you want a Sky Demon Puppet as well, it's not impossible. Just gather the materials yourselves. Any powerful corpse can be refined into one. The stronger the material, the stronger the puppet," Xiao Tiance said, smiling faintly.
"Thank you, Lord Tiance!"
Luo Tianshen and the dean both responded enthusiastically, their eyes sparkling with anticipation. The thought of having a puppet as strong as themselves, or even stronger, meant a massive boost to their safety and power.
However, Xiao Tiance wasn't planning to hand out too many Sky Demon Puppets. He envisioned using these terrifying creations to guard the gates of the superpower he intended to build in the future.
The Secret Realm Awakens
Just as Xiao Tiance was about to continue speaking, the earth trembled violently.
"The Ancient Secret Realm is opening!" Luo Tianshen exclaimed, his voice filled with excitement.
Before them, about a kilometer away, spatial ripples intensified. These ripples carried such strong spatial vibrations that the ground beneath them trembled as though an earthquake was underway.
"Buzz!"
Moments later, a spatial rift appeared. Xiao Tiance had expected the rift to continue growing, but Luo Tianshen explained, "Lord Tiance, this rift is the entrance to the secret realm. The spatial pull within it serves as a filter to prevent weaker individuals from entering.
"Every time the Ancient Secret Realm opens, some overconfident lower Supremes try to force their way in, only to be torn apart by the spatial forces."
"Understood. Let's go," Xiao Tiance said, adjusting his attire before leading his group into the rift.
Trials of the Rift
The moment they stepped into the spatial rift, they were immediately separated.
Xiao Tiance felt an immense spatial pull tearing at his clothes and skin. Sharp spatial blades seemed to materialize around him, slicing relentlessly at his body.
However, despite their ferocity, the spatial blades couldn't leave a single mark on his body, which sparked faintly under the onslaught.
"As expected of the Ancient Secret Realm opportunity and danger coexist. This is quite entertaining," Xiao Tiance muttered with a smile, unfazed by the relentless attacks.
He continued pushing forward, and along the way, he saw several Supreme level individuals fall to the spatial blades. The deeper he ventured, the more frequent these casualties became.
After about ten minutes, he finally exited the danger zone, leaving the range of the spatial blades.
A Curious Discovery
Ahead, Xiao Tiance noticed a strange object emitting the spatial blades. His spiritual senses extended to probe it, and what he discovered left him astonished.
"So this is the entrance, and they dared to use a supreme grade spiritual artifact to create spatial blades. Impressive, truly worthy of the Heavenly Dao Sect," Xiao Tiance marveled inwardly.
A supreme grade spiritual artifact was a treasure that even some prominent sects might not possess. Yet here, it was being used simply to form an obstacle. And considering that there were four entrances to this Ancient Secret Realm, this meant there were likely three other supreme grade artifacts in play.
This realization deepened Xiao Tiance's admiration for the Heavenly Dao Sect during its peak.
As he approached the artifact generating the spatial blades, Xiao Tiance discovered that while the artifact was remarkable, it wasn't a standalone entity. Removing it would require locating the other three artifacts to fully unlock its potential.
"What a pity, but a clever method. Without such precautions, this artifact couldn't have lasted this long," he sighed. Instead of feeling disappointed, Xiao Tiance's curiosity about the treasures and dangers deeper within the realm only grew stronger.
Into the Valley
After moving further into the secret realm, Xiao Tiance found himself in a quiet valley. Sweeping the area with his spiritual senses, he found no humans nearby but detected numerous spiritual beasts of decent strength in the nearby forest.
Interestingly, each beast bore a distinct mark, likely left by the Heavenly Dao Sect when it domesticated them. Xiao Tiance speculated that these beasts were either descendants of the sect's original creatures or had been marked by lingering sect mechanisms.
"Could these marks be hereditary, or is there some remnant power from the Heavenly Dao Sect actively imprinting them on new generations?" Xiao Tiance pondered.
This thought led him to a faint but unlikely hypothesis one that he wasn't entirely ready to dismiss.
The Hunter Flower
As he walked through the valley, a delicate fragrance wafted through the air, leading Xiao Tiance to a bright crimson flower. Its vivid hue and graceful appearance made it stand out amidst the greenery.
"Is this some kind of rare herb?" he mused, squatting to examine it.
In the Great Thousand World, rare herbs were akin to high grade medicinal ingredients in the Dou Qi Continent, though they were known by different names.
As Xiao Tiance reached out to study the flower, a sharp sound pierced the air.
"Swish!"
A flying sword shot toward him, aiming straight for his face. Despite its speed, Xiao Tiance easily dodged it, moving as casually as if avoiding a crawling snail.
"Halt! Stay away from my Hunter Flower!"
A voice followed the sword. Turning, Xiao Tiance saw a middle aged man in black robes, with meticulously groomed hair and an air of arrogance. A supreme grade spiritual sword hung from his waist, adding to his flamboyant appearance.
Unfortunately, his strength was underwhelming a mere early stage eighth grade Supreme. Xiao Tiance, finding such power hardly worth his time, didn't even feel like retaliating.
"So this flower is called the Hunter Flower," Xiao Tiance said with a calm smile.
"Where did this bumpkin come from? You don't even know what a Hunter Flower is? It's one of the most sought after treasures in the Great Thousand World! Whether for restoring spiritual energy or enhancing the soul, it's second to none.
"This Hunter Flower is a top grade specimen. Its fragrance spreads for ten miles, and it's worth at least 300 Supreme Spirit Liquids!" the man declared proudly.
His confidence stemmed from Xiao Tiance's apparent early stage seventh grade Supreme aura, making him believe there was no threat.
Xiao Tiance nodded in realization. No wonder the flower's scent alone had made his mind feel clearer. Its properties were indeed extraordinary.
"Thank you for the explanation. In that case, I'll be taking this Hunter Flower," Xiao Tiance said with a chuckle.
"Hah! You think you can just take it? Not while my sword has a say in it!"
The man drew his sword and pointed it at Xiao Tiance, his posture suggesting he was ready to skewer him at a moment's notice.
However, Xiao Tiance remained indifferent. Ignoring the man's threats, he crouched and prepared to pluck the flower.
The Hunter Flower's Trap
As his fingers brushed the petals, a faint sense of danger prickled at Xiao Tiance's instincts. Surprisingly, the threat didn't come from the arrogant man but from the flower itself.
The moment he touched it, the Hunter Flower turned from crimson to black, exuding a more intoxicating fragrance.
"What's this?" Xiao Tiance muttered, narrowing his eyes.
Before he could think further, the middle aged man burst into laughter.
"Hahaha! Someone as foolish as you actually dared to touch the Hunter Flower with your bare hands!
"The Hunter Flower is notorious for its deadly poison it can kill Supreme level experts in seconds! You're finished!"
The man's laughter grew louder, clearly relishing Xiao Tiance's supposed doom.
But as the seconds passed, his laughter faltered, turning into confusion and then sheer terror.
"How is this possible?! You're fine? That's impossible!
"Aren't you just an early stage seventh grade Supreme? Even peak ninth grade Supremes who touch a Hunter Flower die writhing in agony within three breaths!" he screamed, his eyes wide with disbelief.
Xiao Tiance stood up, holding the flower casually, his expression calm. "Who told you I'm an early stage seventh grade Supreme? Perhaps you should take another look at my true strength."
As he spoke, his aura shifted to that of an early stage eighth grade Supreme.
The man's face twisted in horror. "You you're hiding your strength? Or do you have an artifact that conceals your true cultivation level?!"
(To be continued…)
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