Among the six gray doves, two were at the 6th layer of Qi Refining. Guo Hao played a trick and directed both 6th layer gray doves toward Xiao Jingting and Xiao Jinfeng’s side.
Xiao Jingting threw out his Spirit Pagoda, trapping one 6th layer gray dove underneath it, then joined forces with Xiao Jinfeng to eliminate the other 6th layer gray dove.
With one sixth-grade gray dove dead and one trapped, the remaining gray doves were naturally no problem.
Seeing how cleanly Xiao Jinfeng’s side resolved the battle, Guo Hao couldn’t help feeling somewhat embarrassed.
Guo Hao had originally hoped that if the Xiao brothers and the gray doves suffered mutual losses, he wouldn’t need to give them face and could keep all the Twilight Mist for himself.
He hadn’t expected Xiao Jingting’s Spirit Pagoda to be so powerful, instantly trapping a sixth-grade gray dove. When Xiao Jingting fought, he was truly extravagant, throwing talismans like they cost nothing and quickly killed that gray dove.
Guo Hao had heard about the Spirit Pagoda that Xiao Jingting had bought for a fortune. Originally, he’d only heard it was good for farming, but he never expected it would also have miraculous effects for trapping demon beasts.
“You two Xiao brothers are truly formidable!” Guo Hao smiled calmly, showing no guilt about his previous schemes.
Xiao Jinfeng looked at Guo Hao coldly, “According to mercenary team rules, those who work more get more. We want two-thirds of the Twilight Mist.”
Guo Hao’s face darkened, “That’s not according to the rules. We agreed beforehand.”
“When we agreed before, we didn’t say that all the sixth-grade gray doves would be handled by me and Second Brother. Senior Brother Guo, if something had happened to me and Second Brother, I’m afraid we wouldn’t have gotten even a share of this Twilight Mist.” Xiao Jingting said coldly.
“Third Young Master Xiao is joking. I didn’t know why all the gray doves went to your side. Perhaps you two have greater charm. Very well, I’ll only take one-third.” Guo Hao said.
Guo Hao and the 5th layer Qi Refining people took the spirit herbs and left. Sun Miaomiao and several other 4th layer Qi Refining people were left behind.
Xiao Jinfeng looked at the Spirit Pagoda, “Should we release that gray dove?”
The demon beast that Xiao Jingting had trapped was close to the 7th layer of Qi Refining. If released, there would definitely be another big battle. Earlier, it was fortunate that Xiao Jingting had reacted quickly, or the situation would have been hard to control.
Xiao Jingting smiled, “No need.”
“Shrink.” Xiao Jingting controlled the Spirit Pagoda to become smaller. The dove trapped inside didn’t have the ability to shrink along with it and was crushed to death by the compression.
Xiao Jinfeng was amazed to discover that the dove’s aura had disappeared.
Xiao Jinfeng stared at Xiao Jingting blankly, “Jingting, you really have good judgment.”
Previously, when Xiao Jingting bought the Spirit Pagoda, Xiao Jinfeng had actually thought it wasn’t worth it. He never expected that Xiao Jingting’s Spirit Pagoda could not only help cultivate spirit medicines but also had such miraculous effects. As long as the Spirit Pagoda trapped demon beasts that couldn’t shrink, then contracted, it could crush the demon beasts to death.
Except for demon beasts with unique bloodlines, most demon beasts only gained the ability to grow larger or smaller after reaching Foundation Establishment.
Sun Miaomiao saw Xiao Jingting’s Spirit Pagoda display its might, and her gaze immediately became somewhat complex.
“Jinfeng, Jingting, you’re so powerful now!” Sun Miaomiao stepped forward to flatter them.
Xiao Jinfeng smiled, “It’s nothing much. Have you encountered any other Xiao family members?”
Sun Miaomiao shook her head, “No. After entering the secret realm, I was chased and killed. After escaping, I’ve been carefully hiding my tracks. Later, I encountered Guo Hao and his people.”
“Guo Hao and his people said they could provide protection for us, but we had to hand over identity badges as payment, so we did.”
“Those guys talked nicely, saying they would protect us. But when they saw spirit herbs, they wanted to push us out to attract demon beasts.” Sun Miaomiao said displeased.
Thinking of the spirit herbs Xiao Jingting had harvested, Sun Miaomiao couldn’t help feeling envious. Twilight Mist could be exchanged for Yangyuan Pills, which were good things! Unfortunately, after Xiao Jingting and Xiao Jinfeng collected the spirit herbs, they showed no intention of sharing any with them.
Sun Miaomiao secretly sighed. After entering the secret realm, she was first chased and killed, then encountered Guo Hao’s group. They helped with menial work, but when it came time to divide the harvest, those at the 4th layer of Qi Refining could only watch.
“Sister-in-law, what are your plans next?” Xiao Jinfeng asked.
“I’ll follow you.” Sun Miaomiao said without hesitation.
Sun Miaomiao had always been pampered and spoiled in the Sun family, and hadn’t suffered much grievance after joining the Xiao family. But this competition made her deeply experience the cruelty of this world. Those people completely ignored her, and after several brushes with death, Sun Miaomiao’s pride had long been worn away.
“Second Brother and I are going to the deep forest to seek opportunities. Taking you along would be inconvenient.” Xiao Jingting said coolly.
Sun Miaomiao looked at Xiao Jingting with some resentment, but Xiao Jingting remained unmoved. He had no particular relationship with Sun Miaomiao, and her brother had once tried to harm the original owner. Saving Sun Miaomiao’s life was already his limit. The forest was so dangerous that no one could guarantee they’d escape unharmed – he didn’t want to carry a burden.
Sun Miaomiao looked at Xiao Jingting’s indifferent expression and couldn’t help feeling anxious, “Jingting, you won’t care about me anymore?”
Xiao Jingting shook his head, “I’m powerless to help. Sister-in-law, there are many dangers in the deep forest. Entering it won’t benefit you, and Second Brother and I might not be able to take care of you.”
According to what Xiao Jingting knew, this Biyue Forest was a blessed land where people had previously discovered cultivation caves of reclusive cultivators. He had many secrets, and traveling with Xiao Jinfeng was already his limit. Xiao Jingting didn’t want Sun Miaomiao following along and getting in the way.
For the sake of the slight marriage connection between the Sun and Xiao families, Xiao Jingting and Xiao Jinfeng took Sun Miaomiao to a hidden place before leaving.
…
After getting rid of Sun Miaomiao, Xiao Jingting and Xiao Jinfeng wandered in the forest for several more days but still had no harvest.
Seven days later.
“Moongrass mature specimen.”
“Three-colored Butterfly Orchid semi-mature specimen.”
“Cyclamen semi-mature specimen.”
“Seven-leaf Lucky Grass semi-mature specimen.”
…
A series of alert sounds rang in Xiao Jingting’s ears. Xiao Jingting couldn’t help feeling puzzled. Spirit herbs usually repelled each other – precious spirit herbs generally didn’t grow in the same place. But the jade pendant had suddenly detected more than ten different spirit herbs, which could mean they’d encountered a medicine garden.
Xiao Jingting couldn’t help feeling excited. A medicine garden! Encountering a medicine garden was tremendous fortune!
Following the jade pendant’s guidance, Xiao Jingting walked to the front of a mountain. After some effort, he broke through the concealing array on the mountain wall and entered a cave dwelling with Xiao Jinfeng. When Xiao Jingting acted, he was careful, only destroying a small part and doing some camouflage afterward to prevent others from following.
“Jingting, how did you know there was an illusion array at that place outside?” Xiao Jinfeng asked curiously.
“My attribute is wood. I noticed the wood-element spiritual energy here was very dense and there should be high-grade spirit herbs, but I didn’t see any, so I tried testing.” Xiao Jingting said half-truthfully.
“This place is so hidden. For us to find it is truly great fortune.” Xiao Jinfeng said excitedly.
Xiao Jingting and Xiao Jinfeng entered the cave and discovered that someone had carved out a cave dwelling inside the mountain.
The cave dwelling had a cultivation room, a medicine garden, a library, and a cultivator who had died in meditation in the cultivation room. Xiao Jinfeng judged that the cultivator had been dead for about a hundred years.
Beside the deceased cultivator was a jade slip. Xiao Jingting learned that the dead cultivator was named Wang Huacheng, a wood-element cultivator who had once reached Foundation Establishment but was ambushed at that level, greatly reducing his cultivation and shortening his lifespan considerably.
To avoid his enemies and recover his cultivation, Wang Huacheng had opened this cave dwelling in Biyue Mountain, planted spirit herbs, and cultivated while waiting for the spirit herbs to mature. Unfortunately, he died before the spirit herbs matured, but after his death, the spirit herbs he planted gradually matured.
Wang Huacheng had Foundation Establishment cultivation, so naturally his chosen cave dwelling was extraordinary. Xiao Jingting discovered that Wang Huacheng’s cave dwelling was built on a spirit vein.
The spiritual energy in the cave dwelling was very dense, and there was also a stone pool filled with spirit milk.
Xiao Jingting and Xiao Jinfeng simply repaired the illusion array at the cave entrance, did some camouflage, and began cultivating in the cave.
With abundant spiritual energy in the cave dwelling, spirit milk to expand meridians and regulate the body, plus some pills they found on Wang Huacheng, their cultivation advanced by leaps and bounds, entering the 7th layer of Qi Refining.
…
Xiao Jingting divided the mature spirit herbs from the medicine garden with Xiao Jinfeng, secretly transplanting some seedlings into the jade pendant space.
Xiao Jingting discovered that although the jade pendant space could accelerate spirit herb growth, doing so would reduce the spiritual energy in the space.
Therefore, the more spirit herbs thrown into the jade pendant space, the better wasn’t necessarily true. Jade and spirit stones could increase the spiritual energy density in the jade pendant space. To accelerate more spirit herbs, he needed to earn more spirit stones to maintain balance between the spiritual energy provided by spirit stones and the spirit herbs placed inside.
Xiao Jingting found quite a few low-grade pills on Wang Huacheng but didn’t discover many spirit stones. Xiao Jingting guessed that Wang Huacheng had used up all his spirit stones, while the pills survived because they were too low-grade. After all, Wang Huacheng had once been a Foundation Establishment cultivator – even after his cultivation fell, he wouldn’t be too weak.
More than a month passed in a flash, and soon it was time for the secret realm to close. Through continuous cultivation, Xiao Jingting and Xiao Jinfeng successfully became 7th layer Qi Refining cultivators.
“We should hurry out.” Xiao Jinfeng said.
Xiao Jingting nodded, “Alright.”
Once time was up, Biyue Forest would be sealed. When it reopened, it would be more than ten years later.
Actually, Biyue Forest was rich in resources, and some people were willing to stay. But before the forest closed, the Marquis Manor would send Foundation Establishment cultivators to sweep through and clear out cultivators who hadn’t left yet. Those discovered lingering would have all their gains confiscated. Those with legitimate reasons who couldn’t leave were fine, but those who stayed maliciously would also be punished.
Of the thousands of cultivators who had originally entered the secret realm, only one or two out of ten emerged, and many looked disheveled.
Quite a few people had also gained opportunities in the forest and soared to great heights.
Xiao Jinfeng gave all his gains to Xiao Jingting. The top ten in the competition would each receive an Ice Heart Pill. Xiao Jingting and Xiao Jinfeng had spent their later time cultivating and couldn’t compare with those who produced large handfuls of identity badges. Fortunately, they had obtained many spirit herbs from the medicine garden, and high-grade spirit herbs could be exchanged for many points.
Xiao Jingting kept at least one copy of each spirit herb obtained in the secret realm as backup in the jade pendant space, then took out the rest to exchange for points and pills.
After submitting his harvest, Xiao Jingting achieved eighth place and exchanged for some useful pills.
Xiao Qingyan’s luck was neither good nor bad. He had formed a team with people from Bifeng Academy for joint hunting, but halfway through, they split up due to unequal distribution of spoils. Although Xiao Qingyan had used special means to advance to the 6th layer of Qi Refining, he had indeed reached the 6th layer, so he gained quite a bit along the way.
However, when leaving the secret realm, he encountered a team led by a 7th layer Qi Refining cultivator that specialized in intercepting cultivators leaving the forest. Xiao Qingyan was forced to use his entire fortune to save his life, resulting in gaining nothing from this competition, though at least he preserved his life.
Many of the Xiao family members who came together this time had died. Xiao Muhong was nowhere to be found, but Sun Miaomiao survived, though without any gains.
oh shit that lin xiu would go ape shit crazy when she found out