SPMT : Chapter 165

“Young Master Yun, still haven’t found your lifesaver?” Liu Jinrong asked with curiosity.

Yun Beixian shook his head with some regret and said, “Not yet. The other party is an expert who seems unwilling to reveal their identity.”

After Yun Beixian regained consciousness, he had spent considerable effort investigating the other party’s background. However, the person who delivered the teleportation box at the time was very inconspicuous, and the person responsible for reception hadn’t paid attention either, so there had been no progress all along.

Yun Beixian was a persistent person. The more mysterious the other party was, the more he wanted to uncover their background. So even without any progress, Yun Beixian still hadn’t given up.

Liu Jinrong nodded and said, “There are always some cultivators who possess extraordinary skills and act strangely.”

Yun Beixian nodded and said, “Yes! The other party is indeed very strange.”

“By the way, I heard that entire nest of Golden-Topped Red-Tailed Scorpions disappeared. I imagine that was Junior Brother Yun’s handiwork,” Liu Jinrong said. In Liu Jinrong’s view, since Yun Beixian had suffered at the hands of the Golden-Topped Red-Tailed Scorpions, he wouldn’t let it go. After recovering, he would certainly seek revenge against the Golden-Topped Red-Tailed Scorpions.

Yun Beixian smiled bitterly and said, “I’m ashamed to say it wasn’t me.”

Liu Jinrong said with some surprise, “It wasn’t you?”

Yun Beixian nodded and said, “Right! The Golden-Topped Red-Tailed Scorpions are extremely poisonous. Because of my incident, Lingbao Pavilion was in chaos. Naturally, I wouldn’t go looking for more trouble. It’s truly strange that this entire nest of Golden-Topped Red-Tailed Scorpions disappeared.” In fact, Yun Beixian had also thought about revenge, but there were too many things going on. Others couldn’t attend to him for a while, and by the time things stabilized, that nest of scorpions had vanished without a trace.

Liu Jinrong frowned and said, “In that case, could it be that someone subdued those insects?”

Yun Beixian nodded and said, “That’s possible.”

Liu Jinrong’s eyes widened, then he smiled bitterly and said, “This secret realm is truly full of talented people. It’s quite humbling.”

Yun Beixian smiled and said, “Senior Brother Liu needn’t belittle yourself. Whether these Golden-Topped Red-Tailed Scorpions were subdued by someone or eaten by natural enemies is still unclear.”

Yun Beixian had later visited the Golden-Topped Red-Tailed Scorpions’ cave. The entire cave was clean and empty. If they had encountered natural enemies, there should have been traces of battle left behind.

Yun Beixian felt that nest of Golden-Topped Red-Tailed Scorpions had been subdued by someone, and that person was very likely the same one who gave him the antidote. Since the other party had antidote pills, they naturally had nothing to fear. However, the Scorpion King was at late Foundation Establishment stage with a nest of helpers under its command. Even with antidotes, subduing them would be very tricky.

“Senior Brother Liu, is this all the people your Qingyun Immortal Sect has here?” Yun Beixian asked.

Liu Jinrong nodded and said, “More or less, this is about it.”

“I heard that Senior Chen’s grandson Chen Xu has a good relationship with one of your sect’s cultivators. I wonder where they are,” Yun Beixian said.

“Young Master Chen was feeling a bit unwell just now. Junior Brother Xiao Xiaodong went to accompany him,” Liu Jinrong said.

Yun Beixian said with a half-smile, “Is that so? It looks like their friendship is indeed quite good!”

……

Xiao Jingting’s group came out. Xiao Jingting saw a butterfly perched on Yun Beixian’s shoulder. When he entered, the butterfly had flown a circle around Xiao Jingting and the others, then returned to Yun Beixian’s shoulder, which gave Xiao Jingting quite a fright.

Seeing Yun Beixian’s expression remained normal, Xiao Jingting thought he had probably been cleared of suspicion and calmed down considerably.

“Young Master Chen, pleasure to meet you!” Yun Beixian called out to Chen Xu.

Although Xiao Jingting had the highest cultivation, Chen Xu had the highest status. Chen Xu walked in front while Xiao Jingting and the others walked behind. When Yun Beixian saw the four people enter, he only greeted Chen Xu alone, which made Xiao Jingting secretly breathe a sigh of relief.

“Young Master Yun, pleasure to meet you,” Chen Xu said.

Yun Beixian looked toward Xiao Xiaodong behind Chen Xu. After hearing that Chen Xu had repeatedly rejected Qiao Xiang for Xiao Xiaodong’s sake, Yun Beixian had investigated Xiao Xiaodong. He knew the other party had no background, dual spiritual roots, and mediocre aptitude. Worth mentioning was that he had a single spiritual root younger brother who seemed quite extraordinary.

Chen Xu nodded lightly and said, “I heard Young Master Yun is also investigating the person who stole the honey! I wonder if there’s been any progress.”

Yun Beixian shook his head and said, “No progress yet. The other party acts very carefully. But without being careful, it would be impossible to steal so much honey.”

Chen Xu nodded and said, “Right! I heard that person escaped through water in the end.”

Yun Beixian nodded and said, “Yes! Large numbers of Golden Bees lingered by the lake unwilling to leave. After those Golden Bees dispersed, many cultivators surrounded the area. Many people still haven’t dispersed even now.”

Chen Xu exhaled and said, “Maybe when we leave the secret realm, we’ll know who took so much honey. Then perhaps we can buy some.”

Yun Beixian smiled without speaking.

Xiao Jingting looked at Yun Beixian and rubbed his nose. He had saved this very person and received a high-grade Spirit Stone for it. Looking at Yun Beixian, Xiao Jingting couldn’t help but feel it was miraculous – this guy was racking his brains trying to track down his whereabouts, yet when he stood right in front of him, the guy couldn’t recognize him.

……

The search for the honey thief made no progress. The several major sects that had originally joined forces to search together fell into mutual suspicion and soon had a falling out.

Although Golden Bee honey was a good thing, there were many good things in the secret realm. With the search proving fruitless, these cultivators stopped pursuing the matter.

About half a month later, Xiao Jingting followed Liu Jinrong’s group and left the small island.

Xiao Jingting stroked his chin and said, “Where do we go next!”

“We can prepare to go to the inner city,” Chen Xu said.

Xiao Jingting hesitated and said, “But there’s still a year before the inner city opens, right?”

Chen Xu nodded and said, “That’s right.”

Xiao Jingting asked in confusion, “Then do we need to be in such a hurry?”

Chen Xu thought for a moment and said, “We can start preparing early. Crossing the swamp will take two months even if things go smoothly. Going early can secure us a good position.”

Xiao Jingting stroked his chin and said, “In my opinion, there’s no need to rush.” The early bird gets the worm, but it also gets shot. Going so early to become a thorn in the side of those major powers would be pointless.

Chen Xu nodded and said, “If Uncle Xiao feels there’s no rush, we can stay in the outer area a bit longer.”

Xiao Jingting stroked his chin and said, “I think we don’t need to be so hasty. Young Master Chen, didn’t you say there are many dangers in the swamp? We can let those impatient people clear the obstacles first. As for us, we’ll wait outside for a while before making our move.”

When the tigers are away, the monkeys rule the mountain. Once those major sect people were gone, it would be his turn to reign supreme.

Chen Xu nodded seriously and said, “Uncle Xiao is right. I can use this time to cultivate harder.” Chen Xu thought to himself: The swamp is very dangerous. Taking advantage of this time to cultivate hard, even improving cultivation by a little would be good.

Xiao Jingting nodded and said, “Mm, that’s right.”

Xiao Jingting’s group left the island covered with Fanxing flowers and found a place to settle down.

After resting, Xiao Jingting found an opportunity to enter the jade pendant space and contracted all the Golden Bees inside.

After contracting the Golden Bees, Xiao Jingting often felt his soul power was insufficient.

Xiao Jingting scratched his forehead, couldn’t help but feel somewhat troubled. Controlling contracted beasts required consuming soul power. Generally, cultivators could only contract a few beasts with cultivation similar to their own before reaching their limit. Yet he had contracted quite a number of Foundation Establishment stage insects all at once. Although they were insects, they were still Foundation Establishment stage insects!

If he couldn’t solve the soul power problem, Xiao Jingting himself might have problems at any time.

After entering the secret realm, Xiao Jingting had collected many spirit herbs and discovered quite a few medicinal herbs that could be refined into pills to increase soul power. Xiao Jingting planned to spend some time refining pills to replenish his soul power.

Xiao Jingting’s group rested and recuperated in the secret realm’s outer area for a while. People continued to cross the swamp heading toward the inner city.

Xu Mu’an mysteriously started a business reselling Fanxing flowers, earning quite a lot of Spirit Stones through this trade.

……

“Mother-father, you’re back?” Xiao Xiaodong asked.

Xu Mu’an nodded and said, “Right.”

“Mother-father, how’s the situation outside now!” Xiao Xiaodong asked.

Xu Mu’an narrowed his eyes and said, “The swamp seems to have more than just miasma – there are also many mud monsters. Those mud monsters drag cultivators into the swamp. Quite a few people have died already, and many cultivators have turned back halfway.”

Xiao Xiaodong narrowed his eyes and said, “Is that so?”

Xu Mu’an smiled and said, “I noticed many people from major powers haven’t made their move yet.”

Xiao Xiaodong nodded and said, “It’s still early. Many people aren’t in a hurry yet. Although things in the outer area can’t compare to what’s inside, there are still quite a few good things.”

Xu Mu’an nodded and said, “Right! I heard Tianshen Sect produced two extraordinary geniuses, both with single spiritual roots – one lightning spiritual root, one wind spiritual root. Both are in their early twenties and already at late Foundation Establishment stage. They’re competing to kill demon beasts in the secret realm, sweeping through many demon beast lairs and seizing many good things.”

“Tianshen Sect has Spirit Transformation stage cultivators, so naturally they’re far beyond what ordinary sects can compare to,” Chen Xu said.

“Spirit Transformation,” Xiao Xiaodong tilted his head, showing some longing in his eyes.

Xiao Jingting knocked Xiao Xiaodong’s forehead and said irritably, “Don’t think too much. People should be down-to-earth.”

Xiao Xiaodong pouted and nodded, saying, “I understand.”

After Xiao Xiaodong and Chen Xu left, only Xu Mu’an and Xiao Jingting remained in the cave.

“Went to resell Fanxing flowers again?” Xiao Jingting asked.

Xu Mu’an nodded and responded, “Mm.”

“Too dangerous,” Xiao Jingting said.

Xu Mu’an nodded and said, “I know. I’m very careful. Besides, these things are useless if we take them out, but selling them can earn us a good profit.”

Xiao Jingting said helplessly, “Making money can be done slowly. Money can be earned again after it’s spent.”

Xu Mu’an smiled and said, “In any case, this place is somewhat safer than the outside world in certain respects.”

Xiao Jingting smiled, thinking to himself: That’s indeed true. No matter how powerful the cultivators and demon beasts in Tianxia Secret Realm are, under the secret realm’s suppression, they can’t advance to Golden Core. A place like where the Golden Bees were located – if it existed in the outside world, those Nascent Soul cultivators would have swept it clean long ago. Where would it be his turn to take advantage?

“Currently, we have enough Spirit Stones to spend,” Xiao Jingting said.

Xu Mu’an smiled bitterly and said, “The expenses are huge! If Xiaodong really likes Chen Xu, we’ll need to spend quite a sum of Spirit Stones.”

Xiao Jingting: “……” Xu Mu’an really thinks far ahead! But speaking of it, given Chen Xu’s status and background, they couldn’t be stingy when making their move.

R TMI:

Are you going on vacation? ☀️
I’m still deciding, but before that… I’m getting a bunch of chapters ready—just like last year! ψ(◣_◢)ψ

If I remember right, we rushed and finished at least two whole novels in one week! I’m not even sure how we pulled it off
The team and I are planning to do the same again before taking a break.

I’m really looking forward to it! ٩(๑˃́ꇴ˂̀๑)۶