UGB Chapter 223: Secret Back Then
Chapter 223: Secret Back Then
Chapter 223: Past Secrets
It didn't take long for the elders to reach a consensus.
The Illusory Mist Secret Realm is widely recognized as a treasure trove. Since they plan to reopen it, they will definitely send people inside, even though it is dangerous and both the Heavenly Human Race and the Palace of Calamitous Fate may have ill intentions.
The key is that the other side is also unaware of the true strength of the Cloud Dream Heavenly Palace. With a casual calculation, Mu Yinghua is confident that, just like last time, they can send tens of thousands of experts inside to secretly collect various rare resources, and then have Qin Muling use her innate Divine Ability to transport them back.
After the last closure of the secret realm, the massive amount of rare resources has greatly improved the overall strength of the Cloud Dream Heavenly Palace, which cannot be ignored. The Law Weapons distributed to all the miscellaneous disciples, outer disciples, and inner disciples have all been upgraded by one level, and the Law Weapons distributed to the core disciples have been upgraded by two levels. The monthly allocation of cultivation resources such as pill ingredients has also significantly increased.
The benefits of doing this have already begun to show. The disciples' cultivation efficiency is higher, their strength improves faster, and the chances of getting injured or dying during external training are significantly reduced. Over time, more suitable core disciples will emerge, strengthening the foundation of the sect.
Furthermore, almost all the external debts accumulated by the Cloud Dream Heavenly Palace over the years have been paid off. They even have surplus resources to trade with other forces, purchase more cultivation resources urgently needed by the sect, expand the scale of cultivating new disciples, and increase the strategic resource reserves of the sect.
Not to mention the overall increase in luck brought by the restoration of the sect's main altar. The concentration of spiritual energy on the vast land has greatly increased, leading to further improvement in healing and cultivation efficiency, and even a significant reduction in the failure rate of alchemy and artifact forging. The tangible and intangible benefits are too numerous to mention.
If this time, the Cloud Dream Heavenly Palace can transport back more resources from the secret realm, after this Demon Race catastrophe, the sect's high-level officials can consider the possibility of significant expansion, even competing with the Dao Court.
"There is still half a year before the official opening of the Illusory Mist Secret Realm. We can take this opportunity to prepare carefully, arrange more reliable manpower, and obtain Law Weapons with large storage capacity."
Heavenly Monarch Bing Yuan said that she did not participate in this matter last time, but she had been inside the secret realm before she was injured and fell asleep, so she was naturally familiar with the situation inside.
Mu Yinghua smiled and said, "That's for sure."
After the closure of the secret realm last time, the sect's high-level officials had already anticipated this possibility. Therefore, they purchased and customized many Law Weapons with large storage capacity through various secret channels. They also mobilized the senior elders in the sect to refine a batch of them, which can accelerate the effect of time. This kind of thing is also convenient and fast.
Anyway, Qin Muling's Azure Lotus Shadow's internal space has greatly expanded, so it is not a problem to carry tens of thousands of Law Weapons at once. With a round trip, the total amount of rare resources that can be obtained will reach an astonishing level.
In addition, they need to build enough Grotto-Heaven worlds to store resources. This is also not a problem. The sect now has many True Immortal-level experts, and they have abundant manpower and resources to handle this matter.
"I think we shouldn't waste this half year. Little Junior Brother's cultivation can still be further improved, right?"
Yu Lingzhou said that Qin Muling's cultivation in the Destiny Realm is already quite high, but the upper limit of cultivation that the Illusory Mist Secret Realm can accommodate is the Immortal Ascension stage. Therefore, if Qin Muling can successfully overcome the Immortal Transformation Tribulation in time, her various innate Divine Abilities will be enhanced, and she will have more self-defense power.
Mu Yinghua said, "Mu Ling can definitely overcome the Immortal Transformation Tribulation now, but the required heavenly and earthly merits are still not enough. We will have to rely on the efforts of all the senior sisters to expedite this matter and hopefully catch up in time."
The elders nodded in agreement, and the matter was settled.
After the meeting ended, Qin Muling was about to leave when Yu Lingzhou approached with a smile and said, "Junior brother, how about we continue eating? Senior sister can also teach you how to cook."
Before he could answer, the clear and pleasant voice of Heavenly Monarch Yue Yi sounded, "What's there to learn about cooking? Junior brother, why don't you come to my Cave Mansion instead? Senior sister can teach you how to draw talismans. It would be beneficial to have another Divine Ability skill when traveling in the future, wouldn't it?"
She reached out and held Qin Muling's arm, giving Yu Lingzhou a warning look without a trace: Last time, you took advantage of me carelessly. This time, you better not compete with me again!
Yu Lingzhou didn't back down, saying, "Why learn to draw talismans? Junior brother has been tired enough lately and needs to relax. Isn't that right, junior brother?"
Heavenly Monarch Bing Yuan smiled and said, "Resting is necessary. In my Daoist temple, there are many hot springs nourished by the earth's veins. They have excellent effects in relieving fatigue and replenishing the body and spirit. Why not visit me and enjoy a hot spring with senior sister?"
Qin Muling: "......"
The three of them started the discussion, and the other elders were immediately intrigued. In the current situation within the sect, whoever Qin Muling gets close to will receive the blessings of luck. The only difference is the degree of luck. Of course, the ones benefiting the most are still Mu Yinghua's direct disciples.
If they could establish a good relationship with Qin Muling, regardless of the extent of the benefits, at least there would be no harm. Therefore, the elders couldn't help but consider it.
"You three, stop arguing. Qin Muling will stay for now. I have something to discuss with him."
Mu Yinghua's voice came at the right time, instantly relieving Qin Muling from the dilemma. He immediately agreed and naturally escaped the enthusiastic entanglement of his senior sisters.
The three women, Yu Lingzhou included, looked at each other with some frustration and gave up. Even the Supreme Sect Master personally intervened, so what else could they say?
When only the master and disciple were left in the Cave Mansion, Qin Muling quickly climbed onto the cloud bed and hugged Mu Yinghua from behind.
"Don't mess around!" Mu Yinghua turned around and glared at him reproachfully. "If I hadn't helped you just now, you would have been deceived by those three and taken advantage of. Really... Why provoke them for no reason?"
Qin Muling also felt helpless. "I didn't provoke them. They were the ones eyeing me, right? I just wanted to find a quiet place. Teacher, please don't drive me away."
Mu Yinghua smiled ambiguously. "Blame yourself! Why do you have to be so outstanding? Isn't it better to be mediocre?"
Qin Muling sighed. If he were truly mediocre, the sect wouldn't have gained so many benefits. This was indeed a difficult problem to balance.
Fortunately, Mu Yinghua did not continue to make things difficult for him. She straightened her expression and said, "Regardless of whether you plan to accept more dao companions, at least before you advance to the True Immortal realm, don't have any ideas about those elders. With your current cultivation level, you won't be able to handle it."
"Mm, I understand," Qin Muling replied. Facing these elders who were at least starting from the Golden Immortal realm, or even the Taiyi or Great Principal Golden Immortal realm, if he dared to overestimate himself and have any intimate contact with them, the only consequence would be being completely drained, with nothing left.
Many things in this world cannot be rushed. Taking it slowly is the right way.
Gently caressing the smooth and tight waist of his master, with a lingering fragrance in the air, Qin Muling asked in a low voice, "Over there... there shouldn't be any recent activity, right?"
Mu Yinghua naturally understood what he meant and whispered, "You're mistaken. According to the rumors from the Palace of Calamitous Fate, there have been visits from an unknown force to that place recently, and their strength is quite terrifying. All the spies they sent out were completely eliminated."
"According to the analysis of the palace lord, this matter is likely to be the work of the Genesis Star Palace's forces. Since they have already returned, it seems that the owner... should not be too far from a full recovery, right?"
That place naturally referred to the Genesis Star Palace.
After bringing Qin Muling back to the sect's territory, Mu Yinghua went to the storeroom and searched through all the available records and scrolls about the Genesis Star Palace. This place was even more prestigious and influential in the Extreme Void Starry Sky than the Dao Court.
During the heyday of the Genesis Star Palace, it was the number one immortal sacred land. All the sects and many ancient tribes' leaders would regularly pay homage to the owner of the Genesis Star Palace, listen to their teachings, and offer abundant resources as offerings.
At that time, all the outstanding talents and elites aspired to enter the Genesis Star Palace. Even if they could only start as ordinary outer disciples, countless people fought for the limited spots.
All of this was because of the owner of the Genesis Star Palace. Not only was she recognized as the strongest in the Extreme Void Starry Sky at that time, closest to the realm of the Supreme Primordial Saint, but she had also glimpsed the key path to achieving saintliness. Given time, she would be able to take that final step and attain the supreme Dao Fruit of eternal bliss, immortality, and eternal freedom.
Since the opening of the Extreme Void Starry Sky, there had not been a true Saint Supreme. Perhaps there had been in the past, but the relevant secrets had been lost in the river of time and could no longer be known by future generations.
If the owner of the Genesis Star Palace could successfully take that step, then all the old folks aspiring to achieve the Dao Fruit of saintliness would see real hope. This significance could not be underestimated.
However, what happened later was something that no force had anticipated.
Overnight, an unprecedented calamity struck, burying not only the Genesis Star Palace in ruins but also destroying most of the Daoist forces in the Extreme Void Starry Sky. Countless quasi-saint powerhouses and Great Principal Golden Immortals perished.
Many years passed after the calamity, and the cultivation world gradually recovered its vitality.
"... So, it means that the immortal civilization of the Extreme Void Starry Sky has been destroyed by various calamities many times? And this current era has also evolved and developed on the ruins of the old era?"
Qin Muling's hand paused for a moment on the plump snow, asking with some surprise.
"Your guess is correct, that is indeed the truth," Mu Yinghua said without a trace, continuing, "Since the birth of the ancient world, the immortal civilization and the body refining system in the Extreme Void Starry Sky have undergone many changes. The era where Genesis Star Palace is located is just one of them."
Qin Muling pondered and said, "Since it is no longer possible to achieve enlightenment and become a saint, then what is Ascension? I remember that in the early days of Cloud Dream Heavenly Palace, cultivators seemed to be able to Ascend."
According to the secret records in the sect, the founder of Cloud Dream Heavenly Palace ascended to a new and magnificent space with all the second-generation disciples and most of the third-generation disciples, which should be a existence similar to the Immortal World, at least a higher level and more abundant in the origin of the world than the Extreme Void Starry Sky.
"That place should have been discovered by the immortal civilization of the previous era," Mu Yinghua frowned and said, "According to those old guys' analysis, it is actually a special passage to a brand new space. The other side of the passage is a more powerful immortal civilization, with significantly better conditions in all aspects than the current Extreme Void Starry Sky, especially the environment and the density of spiritual energy."
"However, since the previous immortal civilization in the Extreme Void Starry Sky came to an end, that special Ascension passage has gradually closed. The founder of Cloud Dream Heavenly Palace should belong to the last batch of successful Ascension immortals, right? Since then, there has been no news of anyone in the Extreme Void Starry Sky being able to Ascend."
"I see, that's a pity," Qin Muling sighed. With no hope of achieving enlightenment and becoming a saint, and no hope of Ascension, the Quasi-Saint Emperors and other powerful beings in the Extreme Void Starry Sky are like trapped beasts in a cage, wasting their time in this almost end-time era, unable to see any future.
Mu Yinghua looked at him and said softly, "The truth of this matter is not difficult to guess. It is simply that this world is gradually declining, lacking the spiritual essence and the harmony of the Dao, which displeased the higher realm, so they cut off the Ascension passage."
"That's very possible," Qin Muling quickly understood. In his understanding, it should be that the energy level of the entire space-time world has declined, and the average quality of Ascension cultivators has also declined from generation to generation. So the legendary powerful beings in the Immortal World looked down on them and deprived the cultivators of this world of the qualification for Ascension.
Nowadays, the spiritual essence in the Extreme Void Starry Sky is gradually recovering, and the spiritual energy is becoming more abundant. The vast and magnificent world has just shown some signs of improvement, but unfortunately, it has encountered this calamity of the Demon Race. It's...hard to say what to do.
"If the Extreme Void Starry Sky can continue to recover to a certain level, there may be a chance to reopen the Ascension passage in the future, right?" Qin Muling's hand once again held the round and tall snow, gently caressing it. "At that time, as long as cultivators can reach the realm of Quasi-Saint Emperor, they should be able to go to that space, right?"
Mu Yinghua still gently moved his hand away and said, "That should be possible, but we have to wait until the calamity of the Demon Race is over. Moreover, the hope of the world's recovery mostly depends on you."
She remembered Qin Muling's talent for transforming the floating land environment with his Divine Ability. With his increasing cultivation, it would not be a problem to purify the demonic energy on a large scale and restore thousands of floating lands one by one. In this way, while gaining a massive amount of heavenly merits, it would also accelerate the recovery of the harmony of the Dao in the world.
(End of this chapter)