Immortality and cultivation begin with full comprehension.

Chapter 494 Is this the truth?
"You must also be searching for the 'Heavenly Ruins Secret Realm', right? Why not join us?"

Another, younger cultivator said with a smile.

Li Yunjing's heart stirred, and he quickly exchanged glances with Yu Yunyi, Lü Ruoxi, and Fu Chao.

The four never imagined that what they thought was a secret would be known to so many people!

Isn't this a joke?
Li Yunjing's gaze lingered on Fu Chao's face for a moment, the meaning of which was all too clear.

"What's going on? How come you all know about the 'Heavenly Ruins Secret Realm'?"

Fu Chao blushed, looked at the two of them, and asked.

"Hahaha!"

Seeing Fu Chao's appearance, the middle-aged man and the young cultivator exchanged a glance and burst into laughter.

"How many spirit stones did you spend to buy this information?"

After a while, the middle-aged cultivator asked with a smile.

How do you know our information was bought?

Fu Chao was stunned. After a pause, he realized what was happening and asked, "This isn't the information you sold to me, is it?"

"Fellow Daoist, please don't misunderstand!"

The middle-aged man waved his hand with a smile and continued, "It has nothing to do with us! We were just like you, we were all fooled. This information was released by 'Jubaolou'. They sold one copy each for 10,000 mid-grade spirit stones each. These unscrupulous merchants made a fortune!"

At this point, both the middle-aged man and the young cultivator gritted their teeth, clearly heartbroken by their loss.

"Holy shit! These bastards!"

Fu Chaoquan understood, jumped up, and started cursing loudly.

The sound carried far, and everyone by the lake turned to look, their expressions varied—some mocking, some sympathetic, and some smiling…

At such close range, everyone had already heard the conversation clearly.

While they were talking, Li Yunjing and the other three were also communicating with each other using their divine senses.

"Old Li, with so many people searching together, we might find it faster. Besides, there's strength in numbers, and we can help each other if we encounter danger."

Fu Chao reluctantly explained his intentions to everyone.

Soon, Li Yunjing and the other two gave an affirmative response.

Since so many people are searching for the "Heavenly Ruins Secret Realm," they might as well join in and search together; that would probably be more efficient.

“That’s great, we’d like to join.”

Li Yunjing nodded slightly and said to the two cultivators, "By the way! Fellow Daoists, how should we address you?"

"I am Qingfeng Daoren, from the 'Xianwu Kingdom' and the 'Xuanqing Temple'."

The middle-aged Taoist priest said with a smile.

"I come from the 'Immortal Martial Kingdom', Changhe County, Zhou family, Zhou Yi!"

The young man also introduced himself.

Both of them are peak Foundation Establishment Realm experts, with formidable cultivation!
This greatly surprised Li Yunjing and his three companions!
It should be noted that "Xianwu Kingdom" is almost at the northeasternmost part of "Southern Heaven Continent". Beyond "Xianwu Kingdom" lies another continent.

Even such a distant power has heard about the "Heavenly Ruins Secret Realm". Is it possible that people from other continents have also infiltrated the "Endless Mountains"?
Everyone's hearts sank; they all knew they were in trouble.

This time, the journey to the "Heavenly Ruins Secret Realm" was not as easy as imagined.

Fu Chao, Yu Yunyi, and Lü Ruoxi followed suit and also revealed their identities in the "Ten Thousand Poisons Sect".

Led by Qingfeng Daoren and Zhou Yi, Li Yunjing and his three companions entered the camp.

The monks in the camp looked at them with curiosity.

"Welcome fellow Daoists. I am Liu Changsheng from the Xuanqing Temple. May I ask where you all come from?"

A middle-aged cultivator at the Golden Core stage stood up and asked with a smile.

"We come from the 'Xize Kingdom' near the 'Youyue Kingdom'. Greetings, senior!"

Li Yunjing gave a brief introduction to the situation of the four of them.

"So you all came from the 'Youyue Kingdom'!"

Upon hearing this, a hint of surprise flashed in Liu Changsheng's eyes. "I heard that the 'Netherworld Ghost Sect' and the various demonic sects are locked in a fierce battle with the 'Divine Firmament Dao Sect'?"

Upon hearing this, Li Yunjing and his companions were slightly moved. It seemed that people far away had already heard about the "Shenxiao Dao Sect".

"That's absolutely right! We've gone through countless hardships to get here from the chaotic battlefield!"

Li Yunjing smiled calmly and said.

Seeing that everyone was curious about the battle near the "Crossing Mountains", Li Yunjing gave a brief introduction to the situation. Of course, his words were three parts false and seven parts true.

They only mentioned that the demonic forces were like stray dogs, living in constant fear, but never mentioned the losses of the "Shenxiao Dao Sect".

Li Yunjing even "exposed his own shortcomings," saying that the "Ten Thousand Poisons Sect" was about to collapse. Along the way, they were driven out of the "Hengyue Mountain Range" by the "Shenxiao Dao Sect," and they didn't even have the courage to enter the border battlefield.

The monks in the camp were all amazed upon hearing this.

"Fellow Daoist Li, please tell us quickly, what kind of supernatural power did the 'Divine Firmament Dao Sect' use to force the demonic forces into such a sorry state?"

A demonic cultivator dressed in black robes eagerly stepped forward, his eyes fixed on Li Yunjing, and asked impatiently, "Their magical treasures and spells must be incredibly powerful, right?"

Clearly, this was a demonic cultivator from another country. Hearing about the battlefield near the "Crossing Mountains" and the complete defeat of the demonic forces, he simply couldn't accept it and wanted to hear the details of why their demonic path had failed!

It should be noted that within the demonic path, the "Netherworld Ghost Sect" is extremely powerful. Every cultivator who makes a move is aided by thousands of fierce ghosts, giving them a significant advantage.

Legend has it that the "Netherworld Ghost Sect" can communicate with the "Nine Nether Lands" and summon powerful ghosts and gods!
How could such a powerful sect, leading a group of demonic forces, possibly be no match for the old Taoist priest?

This unscientific!

This doesn't align with their understanding!
Li Yunjing smiled slightly, feeling smug!

That's what scared you evil heretics!

We will prevent you from harboring evil intentions and getting involved in the chaos around the "Crossing Mountains"!

If time is delayed, and the "Crossing the Mountains" is fully developed in 180 to 190 years, the strength of the "Shenxiao Dao Sect" will double!
At that time, even if other forces unite, they will find it difficult to contend with us!

Since there are so many cultivators from different countries here, Li Yunjing couldn't wait to take advantage of this opportunity to scare them.

“The ‘Divine Firmament Thunder Technique’ of the ‘Divine Firmament Dao Sect’ truly lives up to its reputation.”

Li Yunjing cleared his throat and said in a pretentious manner, "The bolts of lightning, carrying the power to destroy the world, completely restrained us demonic cultivators wherever they went!"

"You know, thunder magic is practically the nemesis of ghosts and spirits!"

"Those members of the 'Netherworld Ghost Sect' lost 30% of their strength after being attacked by lightning magic. How can they compete with others of the same level?"

"The other members of the demonic sects are not much better off!"

"In short, this 'Shenxiao Dao Sect' is too sinister; we must not provoke them!"

In the end, Li Yunjing shook his head, looking extremely frightened.

Yu Yunyi, Lü Ruoxi, and Fu Chaoqiang, who were standing to the side, were barely holding back their laughter and almost convulsed. Li Yunjing was such a good liar.

Thinking of this, Yu Yunyi and Lü Ruoxi glared at Li Yunjing fiercely!
This guy has certainly charmed countless women!

The crowd listened intently, their faces filled with astonishment and fear.

"Fellow Daoist Li, I've heard that the 'Ghost Shadow Mystery' movement technique of the 'Netherworld Ghost Sect' is unpredictable and strange. How does the 'Divine Firmament Dao Sect' deal with it on the battlefield?"

At this moment, an elderly man with white hair stroked his beard and asked. Clearly, some people still didn't quite believe Li Yunjing's words, and specifically brought up the "Netherworld Ghost Sect's" most powerful concealment method to test whether Li Yunjing actually knew it!
If Li Yunjing didn't even know this "Ghostly Shadow" movement technique, then he was talking nonsense!
Li Yunjing reacted very quickly and immediately understood the other party's deeper meaning.

"The old folks are really hard to fool!"

Li Yunjing's heart skipped a beat, but his face remained calm as he said, "The cultivators of the 'Shenxiao Dao Sect' use a magical artifact called the 'Thousand-Mile Tracking Mirror,' whose origins are unknown, to always be able to detect the flaws in the 'Ghost Shadow Misty Track' movement technique. Once discovered, they naturally have nowhere to hide."

"Fellow Daoist Li, when your 'Ten Thousand Poisons Sect' clashed with the 'Divine Firmament Dao Sect' on the border battlefield, were there any special battles?"

Zhou Yi couldn't help but ask as well.

"Our 'Ten Thousand Poisons Sect' is simply no match for the overwhelming strength of the 'Divine Firmament Dao Sect'."

Li Yunjing shook his head with a wry smile, "Their approach to us is simply overwhelming strength!"

After hearing Li Yunjing's description, everyone gained a deeper understanding of the power of the "Shenxiao Dao Sect" and began to whisper among themselves, discussing the matter animatedly.

"In this light, the Shenxiao Dao Sect truly lives up to its reputation as the overlord of the Hengyue Mountain Range. Its strength is awe-inspiring."

Liu Changsheng sighed, "If we can obtain the opportunities within this exploration of the 'Heavenly Ruins Secret Realm' and improve our strength, perhaps we can also have a place in the future struggles."

Everyone nodded in agreement, their eyes gleaming with longing for the "Heavenly Ruins Secret Realm".

"The Shenxiao Dao Sect is indeed exceptionally powerful, ranking among the top sects in the Southern Heaven Continent. There's no doubt about that!"

As the gasps of surprise subsided, a cultivator in a gray robe stood up, his eyes gleaming with curiosity, and asked, "Let's talk about the current situation! Since news of the 'Heavenly Ruins Secret Realm' spread, various forces have been eager to make their move. I wonder how much you all know about this secret realm?"

Upon hearing this, everyone's attention turned to the center of the camp, and the topic of "Shenxiao Dao Sect" quickly shifted to "Tianxu Secret Realm".

No matter how powerful the "Divine Firmament Dao Sect" is, it has nothing to do with them. The key is to explore the location of the "Heavenly Ruins Secret Realm"!

"According to the ancient records I consulted at the Xuanqing Temple, the Tianxu Secret Realm appears once every hundred years, and each time it opens, it brings countless opportunities."

Master Qingfeng stroked his beard and spoke first: "The location of this secret realm is unpredictable, and the method of entering it is even more mysterious. This time, the location is very likely to be the 'Endless Mountains,' but the mountains are too vast and difficult to find!"

"My ancestors also participated in the 'Heavenly Ruins Secret Realm', but unfortunately they were no match for the experts from all sides and returned empty-handed."

Zhou Yi continued, "According to the elders of the family, the secret realm is fraught with danger. Not only are there powerful guardian beasts, but also various strange formations and restrictions. If one is not careful, one's life will be in danger."

Everyone chimed in, sharing their understanding of the "Heavenly Ruins Secret Realm," and the atmosphere in the camp grew increasingly tense, with everyone's expressions becoming serious.

Having no other choice, Li Yunjing and the other three revealed all the information they knew and their own analysis.

"I have heard that before the 'Heavenly Ruins Secret Realm' opens, the surrounding spiritual energy of heaven and earth will be extremely chaotic, as if it is being stirred up by an invisible hand."

A young Foundation Establishment cultivator from a remote sect frowned, pondered for a moment, and said, "We should still use this as a clue to search for areas with unusual spiritual energy in this 'Endless Mountains.' Perhaps we can find the entrance to the secret realm."

After hearing this, everyone nodded in agreement, feeling that although this method involved some element of luck, it was still a feasible strategy.

“This ‘Endless Mountain Range’ is vast and boundless. Even if we know that the disorder of spiritual energy is a clue, how easy is it to search such a huge area?”

Liu Changsheng shook his head slightly and added with a solemn expression, "Moreover, now that all forces are gathered together in search of the secret realm, conflicts are inevitable."

Liu Changsheng paused for a moment, then continued, "As far as I know, in addition to us cultivators, some major sects have also sent elite disciples to secretly infiltrate this mountain range."

"The number of cultivators from all sides is definitely not just a few hundred, but over a thousand!"

At this point, even a master like Liu Changsheng couldn't help but sigh.

The "Heavenly Ruins Secret Realm" is a chance to defy fate!
Anyone who heard the news wanted to come and take a chance!
As the saying goes, life offers few chances to fight; if not now, when?
When opportunity knocks, hesitation will never lead to success!

As for dying in the "Heavenly Ruins Secret Realm"?
We are all cultivators who defy the heavens. Life and death are indeed terrifying, but they are nothing in the face of the Great Dao.

“I suspect that since the ‘Heavenly Ruins Secret Realm’ is so mysterious, its location is likely related to some special terrain in the mountains.”

Li Yunjing gazed intently at the distant, continuous mountain range and slowly began to speak: "For example, those valleys that are shrouded in mist all year round and have treacherous terrain, or places where spiritual veins gather and are rich in spiritual energy."

After listening to Li Yunjing's analysis, everyone's eyes lit up, and they felt that it made a lot of sense.

Just as everyone was sharing their opinions, a sudden exclamation came from the crowd: "Wait! I think I have a clue!"

The crowd looked in the direction of the sound and saw a monk dressed in brown linen robes excitedly waving an ancient compass in his hand.

His name is Zhao Yan, and he is a freelance practitioner who has some knowledge of feng shui and geomancy.

"Everyone, this compass of mine was passed down from my ancestors, and it is extremely sensitive to fluctuations in spiritual energy."

Zhao Yan strode to the front of the group, pointed to the constantly spinning needle on the compass, and said excitedly, "After listening to everyone's discussion, I tried to activate the compass, and I didn't expect it to react!"

"The direction the pointer is pointing is very likely the place where the spiritual energy is disordered, and perhaps the entrance to the 'Heavenly Ruins Secret Realm' is hidden there!"

Upon hearing this, everyone became excited and gathered around, their eyes filled with anticipation as they looked at the pointer on the compass.

"Oh dear! How could I have forgotten!"

Looking at this person's compass, Li Yunjing slapped his forehead and remembered the "Mysterious Heaven Compass" in his hand!
That's a fourth-tier treasure!
There have been so many things to do these days that I haven't even had a chance to refine this treasure since I obtained it, which is a real waste.

If the "Mysterious Heaven Compass" is used in conjunction with his "Divine Firmament Forging Heavenly Secrets Technique", wouldn't his calculation ability be greatly enhanced, multiplied?

With my own cultivation and what I've learned, I'm not necessarily weaker than the person in front of me!

Li Yunjing is proficient in the five secondary professions, and has almost reached the limit of what can be cultivated. However, this is not his limit. In the field of "Heavenly Secrets Techniques", Li Yunjing also has extremely high attainments.

Although it wasn't a systematic approach, he still managed to train it to a level no less than that of a typical "master of divination."

However, using the "Heavenly Secrets Technique" to deduce heavenly secrets wastes lifespan and has significant side effects. In addition, Li Yunjing has sufficient power in other areas to handle almost any problem.

Therefore, Li Yunjing had long forgotten about the use of "Heavenly Secrets Technique". It was only when he encountered trouble and could not find the "Heavenly Ruins Secret Realm" that he remembered it.

It was seeing other people's actions that reminded him of this.

Otherwise, Li Yunjing would not have considered using the "Heavenly Secrets Technique".

"Fellow Daoist Zhao, are you sure this compass is pointing reliably?"

At this moment, Liu Changsheng, the backbone of the group, looked at the compass and asked with a solemn expression.

The others also looked at Zhao Yan. This matter could not be taken lightly. If they found the wrong person, they would waste time and might even encounter danger, resulting in unnecessary loss of manpower.

“Senior Liu, my compass has always been accurate and will never make a mistake.”

Zhao Yan patted his chest and assured, "Moreover, the pointer's reaction is so strong that the spiritual energy fluctuations there must be extremely abnormal, and it might really be related to the 'Heavenly Ruins Secret Realm'!"

"In any case, this is the most valuable clue we have so far, so let's take a look."

After a moment's thought, Li Yunjing said, "However, everyone should be prepared to deal with all kinds of dangers."

Everyone nodded in agreement.

So, led by Zhao Yan, the group packed their belongings, left the camp, and headed in the direction indicated by the compass.

Throughout the journey, everyone proceeded cautiously, remaining constantly alert to any disturbances around them.

The Endless Mountains are fraught with danger; a single misstep could plunge one into peril.

Dozens of people moved stealthily through the mountains at great speed. Before long, the terrain ahead gradually became treacherous, with towering peaks reaching into the clouds and deep, bottomless valleys.

"Buzzing..."

The compass needle in Zhao Yan's hand spun more and more violently, and he shouted excitedly, "Almost there, almost there! There must be something ahead!"

Upon hearing this, everyone perked up and quickened their pace.

After crossing several mountains and bypassing the territories of many demonic beasts, they finally arrived at a valley. A rich spiritual energy rushed towards them, and everyone felt refreshed and invigorated.

"The spiritual energy here is unbelievably dense! There aren't any powerful spiritual veins here!"

A Golden Core cultivator, his eyes gleaming with golden light, surveyed the terrain and exclaimed in delight.

(End of this chapter)