Seeking Immortality in a Bizarre World-Chapter 497 - 492 Tianling Secret Realm, Poisoning_1

Chapter 497: Chapter 492 Tianling Secret Realm, Poisoning_1

"The start of hostilities between the Lingbao Sect and the Xuantiandao Sect will only allow others to profit from the turmoil."

"Ancestor Qingyuan, why must you, because of a moment’s anger, place both sects in such dire straits?"

The Sixth Elder of the Lingbao Sect stepped forward to act as a peacemaker, unwilling to rashly initiate a battle.

Tian Lingzi couldn’t speak out. As the Sect Master, he represented the face of the Lingbao Sect and couldn’t bow to the Xuantiandao Sect.

Inside the Lingbao Sect, a dead silence prevailed; Grand Ancestor Taiyuan had still not appeared. The Xuantiandao Sect was aggressively pressing its advantage; it was clear they intended to subsume the Lingbao Sect.

For two orthodox sects, such tactics were surely too despicable.

Many considered the longer-term implications. Even if the Lingbao Sect resolved the current issue with the Xuantiandao Sect, without a Mahayana Realm powerhouse presiding, other sects would still be coveting their position from the shadows.

Today’s events would likely reoccur.

The Lingbao Sect would not enjoy peace in the future!

"Hmph, the Lingbao Sect occupies our Xuantiandao Sect’s Great Divine Power, Law of Heaven and Earth, and dares to kill our Xuantiandao Sect disciples. As long as you hand over the Great Divine Power, Law of Heaven and Earth, and Ma Tianbao, there is still room for reconciliation between our sects," Ancestor Qingyuan said, his tone shifting as his words took a different turn.

He brought up the old issue, wanting to obtain the Great Divine Power, Law of Heaven and Earth, and incidentally, take Ma Tianbao.

Killing Ma Tianbao would only eliminate a genius of the Lingbao Sect. However, if they took Ma Tianbao to the Xuantiandao Sect, controlled him, and waited until he refined a Mysterious Heavenly Spiritual Treasure before killing him, that would maximize their benefits.

Mysterious Heavenly Spiritual Treasures were extraordinarily precious; no one would complain about having too many.

The Xuantiandao Sect was employing a strategy of slow attrition, gradually eroding the Lingbao Sect’s strength and consuming their vital forces.

By the time the Lingbao Sect realized the grimness of their situation, they would already be powerless to resist.

This way, the war’s impact on the Xuantiandao Sect would be minimized, while they could still reap the maximum benefits.

This all hinged on the Lingbao Sect bowing its head.

"The Xuantiandao Sect harbors treacherous ambitions, seeking to harm our Lingbao Sect’s geniuses!"

"The Lingbao Sect will absolutely not tolerate the Xuantiandao Sect’s slander, nor will we allow them to demand and take as they please!"

"If you want war, the Lingbao Sect will exhaust all its resources to make you understand the price of provoking us."

Having lived for over two thousand years, how could Tian Lingzi not understand the Xuantiandao Sect’s intentions?

Bow down? Doing so would only lead to the Lingbao Sect being completely devoured by the Xuantiandao Sect, leaving them with no strength to resist.

The Mysterious Realm had seen countless bloody precedents; Tian Lingzi naturally knew the consequences of submission.

The Lingbao Sect had never faced such a situation in the Mysterious Realm, especially since they had not yet entered a period of serious decline.

In aspects such as the Divinity Transformation Stage, the Lianxu Stage, and the Body Integration Realm, they were not far behind the Xuantiandao Sect; only the Mahayana Realm was their weak point.

Relying on their sect-protecting Sky-reaching Spirit Treasure for defense, it would be impossible for the Xuantiandao Sect to easily defeat the Lingbao Sect.

The Xuantiandao Sect thinks they can swallow the Lingbao Sect whole? They really aren’t afraid of breaking their own teeth.

"Hmph, we shall see each other on the battlefield!"

To this day, Grand Ancestor Taiyuan had yet to appear, and this, along with the subtle information disclosed by the Lingbao Sect, told the Xuantiandao Sect one thing: the Lingbao Sect’s Mahayana Realm cultivators were gone.

Not long ago, the Lingbao Sect’s Second Elder had failed in his attempt to advance to the Mahayana Realm. Consequently, they lost a Body Integration Realm cultivator. This created an opportunity for the Xuantiandao Sect.

For countless years, the Xuantiandao Sect had harbored thoughts of annexing the Lingbao Sect but lacked the strength.

Now, the Xuantiandao Sect boasted two Mahayana Realm cultivators, while the Lingbao Sect’s only Mahayana Realm cultivator had ascended to the Immortal Realm.

This was the Lingbao Sect’s weakest period. If the Xuantiandao Sect didn’t firmly seize this opportunity, it would become much harder to make a move once the Lingbao Sect produced another Mahayana Realm cultivator.

The two Mahayana Realm cultivators from the Xuantiandao Sect quickly departed without making a direct move.

They were unable to breach the Lingbao Sect’s formations and annihilate the sect in one go.

Many sects coveted the Lingbao Sect. A prolonged war was the least desirable outcome, as it would give other sects a chance to profit from their struggle.

The next time they come, it will be with the full force of their sect.

"Prepare for war with all your might!"

The command spread throughout the sect, reaching many ears.

There was no turning back from the war between the Lingbao Sect and the Xuantiandao Sect. Delays today would only postpone the inevitable.

The battle had begun. Whether the Lingbao Sect could successfully navigate this crisis depended on the depth of its foundation.

"Fully open the Tianling Secret Realm and the Haiyuan Secret Realm! Lower the entry threshold for the Lingbao Cave Heaven; each person is limited to one entry."

"Eighty percent of Spiritual Materials obtained from the Haiyuan Secret Realm must be handed over to the sect."

"Sect contributions for Artifact Refining, Alchemy, Talisman Crafting, Puppetry, and other such activities are doubled..."

"Notify the Shenxiao Sect of our friendly relations and request the assistance of a Mahayana Realm cultivator for the upcoming battle."

The behemoth that was the Lingbao Sect awakened and began operating at full capacity. War puppets and warships, preserved for thousands, even tens of thousands, of years, began maintenance.

Access to the secret realms, which ensured a steady output of resources, would neither be time-limited nor require sect contributions to enter.

Everything was prioritized to increase strength and boost the sect’s combat power.

As long as the sect remained, the secret realms would remain. In the future, after a period of recuperation, they would eventually recover.

If the Lingbao Sect were defeated, these so-called secret realms would fall into the hands of the Xuantiandao Sect, and all plans would be nothing but empty talk.

With the sudden onset of war, the disciples of the Lingbao Sect realized the crisis. In an instant, the newly opened secret realms were teeming with countless people eagerly entering.

Should I go to the Tianling Secret Realm first, or the Haiyuan Secret Realm?

Both secret realms were time-sensitive. The former needed to accumulate energy to restore the Spiritual Energy within the Tianling Secret Realm, and the latter to replenish Spiritual Materials. One was to quickly improve cultivation levels, the other for external resources.

Due to the outbreak of war, the requirement to hand over Spiritual Materials from the Haiyuan Secret Realm had risen from fifty to eighty percent.

Cultivation level is more important than external items; the benefits are greater.

Jia Ren decisively chose to enter the Tianling Secret Realm.

In the Eastern District, many cultivators were entering the Tianling Secret Realm, forming a long queue. In the Cultivation World, there are few fools. Cultivation level is more important than external possessions, so they all wished to enter the Tianling Secret Realm to enhance their strength further, increasing their hope of surviving on the battlefield.

Jia Ren queued for a long while before it was finally his turn.

"Identity Token, entry to the Tianling Secret Realm."

Jia Ren took out his Identity Token and handed it over. After his name was recorded, he stood on the teleportation array that transported ten people at a time.

"The Tianling Secret Realm is now full with one hundred people. You may try again in a month."

Enrollment for the Tianling Secret Realm halted, and the cultivators still queuing behind were on the verge of cursing.

Not to mention that in a month, the war would have already erupted, and they would have long since entered the battlefield. How would they get an opportunity to enter then?

Moreover, after a month, the concentration of nature’s Spiritual Energy in the Tianling Secret Realm wouldn’t compare to what the first batch of entrants experienced.

Seeing the unfavorable turn of events, others rushed towards the Haiyuan Secret Realm.

Jia Ren, hearing that only a hundred could enter the Tianling Secret Realm, secretly rejoiced.

Luckily, I arrived in time; otherwise, the opportunity would have slipped through my fingers.

With a flash of Transmission Light, Jia Ren entered the Tianling Secret Realm.

What met his eyes was a boundless river. In its surging waters, he could see exotic beasts formed from Spiritual Energy racing through the currents.

Occasionally, he could spot spiritual deer and ganoderma lucidum, all manifestations of incredibly pure nature’s Spiritual Energy.

Not only that, but the nature’s Spiritual Energy within the Tianling Secret Realm was even gentler than the outside world’s, making it more conducive to conversion.

This meant that absorbing the unique nature’s Spiritual Energy in the Tianling Secret Realm would lead to faster cultivation.

If not for this, the Tianling Secret Realm wouldn’t have drawn so many people, all vying to enter what they considered a treasured cultivation ground.

"This is indeed a remarkable place!"

Jia Ren took a deep breath. Rich Spiritual Energy surged into his body, clearing his mind and invigorating his spirit.

The cultivators who had arrived with him were also cheering joyfully.

These were some of the few smiles seen since learning about the outbreak of war between the Lingbao Sect and the Xuantiandao Sect.

Several of them soon dispersed, seeking places for secluded cultivation, determined to seize this hard-won opportunity to enhance their cultivation levels.

If they happened to reach a bottleneck, they could achieve a breakthrough, and perhaps even avoid the immediate fighting. At least, as long as the Sect wasn’t at its most critical juncture, they could focus on their breakthrough safely at the rear.

Jia Ren initiated his Escape Light, searching for a sparsely populated area.

Along the way, he encountered several nodes where the Spiritual Energy was even more concentrated; cultivating in such places would be faster.

In these areas rich with Spiritual Energy, one could invariably see other Lingbao Sect cultivators nearby.

Whether summoning the Demon-Sealing Spirit Tower to absorb nature’s Spiritual Energy or using the Final Law Treasure Mirror to devour it, both methods are too conspicuous. Compared to that, I prefer to find a secluded spot. The concentration of nature’s Spiritual Energy doesn’t matter much to me; after all, no one can compare to my absorption speed.

Just then, Jia Ren’s Identity Token vibrated. The internal message was from the Lingbao Sect’s Refining Palace.

"Jia Ren, the Sect needs you to hold the fort at the rear and refine Spiritual Treasures. The usual rules apply," it said.

Being an Artifact Refiner meant one could stay safely at the rear without directly participating in the war. This was the best assignment. Even if the Lingbao Sect were truly annihilated, the Xuantiandao Sect wouldn’t be willing to kill a Spirit-level Refiner. High-level talents are also resources. The Xuantiandao Sect wouldn’t know how long it would take to cultivate suitable talents themselves. Compared to that, what could be more satisfying than acquiring readily available talent?

"I am currently in the Tianling Secret Realm and can only return in a month," Jia Ren replied simply before continuing his search for a suitable place to cultivate.

Another voice transmission arrived, this time from Ma Tianbao.

"Uncle, stay put in the Lingbao Sect. Its foundation is deeper than you imagine. This war will be over soon."

"There are other things I cannot reveal to you. You must not casually disclose this to outsiders," added Ma Tianbao.

Ma Tianbao’s message was baffling.

Is this his way of telling me to stay loyal to the sect? The Lingbao Sect’s foundation is deep? Could it be that the Lingbao Sect has hidden Mahayana Realm cultivators? No, that can’t be right. If that were the case, the Lingbao Sect wouldn’t be bullied to this extent, nor would it have gone to war with the Xuantiandao Sect. Could there be some other ace up their sleeve?

Ma Tianbao’s status and position far exceeded his own, and he had access to more information, so he would not make such remarks without reason. Limited in his sources of information, the only thing Jia Ren could think of was Grand Ancestor Taiyuan sweeping through the war.

Grand Ancestor Taiyuan... Could it be that he hasn’t ascended? Is this all a ploy by the Lingbao Sect? Are they feigning retreat to advance, luring the Xuantiandao Sect into a trap to strike opportunistically?

This was Jia Ren’s speculation, with no guarantee of accuracy.

Perhaps, besides the Mysterious Heavenly Spiritual Treasure, the Lingbao Sect possessed other means to deal with Mahayana Realm cultivators.

As Jia Ren pondered these thoughts, he spotted a furtive figure in the distance.

Because Jia Ren had activated the Bewildering Spirit Bead, he could not be easily sensed, and the other party had not discovered him.

The man quietly took out a bag of medicinal powder, activated it, and a colorless, tainted spiritual energy silently merged with the surrounding nature’s Spiritual Energy.

Jia Ren, who possessed the Mixed Spirit Poison Pot and was an expert in poison crafting, recognized at a glance that the powder was poisonous!

Someone is poisoning the Tianling Secret Realm!