Chapter 403

Chapter 403: Jindan’s Journey

In Zhongzhou, atop a renowned mountain or river,

two figures sat cross-legged, cultivating.

Each breath they took rippled the spiritual energy of heaven and earth for miles around, a sight of terrifying intensity.

Half an hour later, the two figures finished their breathing and slowly drew back to their feet.

“Junior Brother, how is it?” the gray-robed man asked.

“Brother, this secret realm is primarily water-based, and the essence within has been quite beneficial to me.

It’s a shame it’s so small, and a lot of it was wasted by those idiots.

Otherwise, I should have been able to reach the Second Stage of Perfection.”

At this thought, a hint of anger flashed in the white-robed young man’s eyes. He

had finally found a secret realm rich in the essence of the Five Elements, a realm perfectly suited to his path of cultivation.

Yet, so much of it had been wasted by a swarm of ants.

Thinking of it now, he still felt a surge of murderous intent.

It was a shame he had so easily reduced those ants to ash; otherwise, he would have wanted to capture them and torture them once more.

“Brother, how about you? Can you reach the fourth stage of the Golden Core?”

“How could it be that easy?” the gray-robed man sighed. “The Golden Core has nine stages, and each stage is like climbing a ladder to heaven, incredibly difficult. These third and fourth stages are even more fraught with obstacles.

Our foundation is still too shallow. It’s too difficult for a low-grade Golden Core to reach the fourth stage.”

The white-robed young man fell silent.

Indeed, the nine stages of the Golden Core are each extremely difficult to break through.

Every third stage is a significant hurdle.

Trying to reach the fourth stage with a low-grade Golden Core is truly difficult.

Even with my brother’s accumulated experience and the gains from this trip to several secret realms, he still couldn’t break through the third stage.

“However, the Earth Essence I obtained in that small secret realm has significantly improved my cultivation.

My Golden Core has been refined and become much purer.

Not only has I reached the perfection of the third stage, but I’ve even seen a glimmer of hope for a breakthrough.

I estimate that with a few more days of practice, I should be able to achieve a breakthrough,”

the gray-robed man said, his tone suddenly changing.

“A breakthrough will be possible in a few days?” The white-robed youth was immediately delighted. “Brother, are you telling the truth?”

“Of course it’s true,” the gray-robed man laughed. “I never thought this small world would be so magical.

The secret realm derived from it can even breed the essence of the Five Elements.

This is rare even in the great world.

No wonder those people say that in the last era of immortal cultivation, many powerful souls were born here.”

“Unfortunately, it’s only a small world after all, with limited resources. Even if powerful souls have emerged, I think they only experienced the first or second soul tribulation at most. Otherwise, they wouldn’t have feared the Five Decays of Heaven and Man and been forced to leave,”

the white-robed youth said disapprovingly.

They had also done some research in recent days and learned some of the ancient history of this small world.

“But a small world can give birth to so many powerful souls, which is enough to show the extraordinaryness of this small world.

Junior brother, we have really encountered a great opportunity this time.”

“It’s a pity that the degree of recovery of this small world is still a little lacking. Now there are only a few small secret realms that have appeared, and the opportunities in them have been destroyed by those ants.

Otherwise, you should have entered the fourth level.”

“There is no need to be too regretful. It doesn’t matter if it’s a little slow. I should be able to break through after I go into seclusion for a while.”

The two brothers were chatting. At this time, a figure walked up the mountain cautiously, prostrated on the ground, and saluted the two gray-robed men with great respect.

“Your Excellencies, I have something to report.”

“What is it? Please tell me.”

The white-robed youth glanced at the man calmly.

As Jindan cultivators, they naturally didn’t do everything themselves.

So, over the past few days, they’d used subtle tactics to subjugate certain factions and use them for their own purposes.

Whether or not these individuals truly submitted was of little concern

to them. To them, they were nothing more than ants, easily annihilated.

The visitor felt the white-robed youth’s gaze and shuddered, his heart trembling.

Although his own cultivation had reached the perfection of the Xiantian realm, making him considered a supreme master throughout the world,

he remained deeply apprehensive in the face of these two terrifying beings.

After all, he had witnessed them that day, annihilating numerous Xiantian realm masters with a single wave of their hand.

Even now, recalling that terrifying power, he still found it incomprehensible.

However, despite his fear, he also knew that these two could be his chance.

If he could please them, perhaps his chance to enter the immortal path would be right around the corner.

So, despite the immense pressure, the visitor fortified himself and calmed his mind, speaking with utmost respect:

“Your Excellency, I received news today from below that a new secret realm recently appeared in a small, marginal state called Cangzhou, one of the outer states, causing considerable strife.

Knowing that your Excellencies were very interested in this secret realm, I immediately came to report.”

“You said a new secret realm had appeared?”

The white-robed youth heard this and, in a flash, was in front of the man, staring intently at him.

“This is absolutely…absolutely true. I only dared to report this to Your Excellency after I had fully confirmed the news.”

The man, struck by the white-robed youth’s gaze, stiffened, his mind almost suffocating. He replied tremblingly.

“Senior Brother,” the white-robed youth looked at the gray-robed man.

“It seems our luck is still on the rise. We were just discussing secret realms, and now another has appeared.”

The gray-robed man also showed joy.

“Brother, you’re on the verge of a breakthrough, so it’s best not to move around. How about I go over there and take a look at the secret realm?” the white-robed youth asked.

“Alright, but you have to be careful,”

the gray-robed man pondered for a moment before nodding.

He had just grasped a clue to the secret of entering the fourth stage of the Golden Core Realm. Cultivation and enlightenment were rare and fleeting, so it wasn’t suitable for him to venture out.

If the aura faded, delaying his breakthrough would be a loss.

“Don’t worry, Brother. We’ve already explored this little world thoroughly. Even the so-called four secret places are just names. Not even a single one has reached the Golden Core Realm. If it weren’t hidden in the secret realm, we would have razed it long ago,”

the white-robed youth said nonchalantly.

The gray-robed man agreed and stopped admonishing him, saying, “Then go ahead. Remember, don’t commit too many murders, lest you trigger a backlash from the laws of nature in this world.”

“I understand, Senior Brother. I’ll go now to prevent the new secret realm from being ruined by those ants.

I’ll send you a message once I’ve investigated the situation there.”

The white-robed young man responded, reaching out and grabbing the man who had been kneeling on the ground, then soaring into the air.

“Ant, show me the way!”

He then transformed into a stream of light and flew out.

(End of Chapter)