The Hehuan Sect cultivates alchemy; my senior sister helps me refine alchemy throughout the world.

Turning her head to the side, a hint of surprise flashed in her phoenix eyes.

"You're quite an interesting guy. The men I've had before were either afraid of me, lusting after me, or hating me. You're the first one who could fight me to the death just now and then calmly discuss business afterwards."

Su Yao picked up the undergarment from the ground and slowly tied it on. "But I have a condition."

"What are the conditions?"

"From now on, I'll prioritize having you refine pills for me. Don't let Qin Wan, Li Ruolan, and that little girl outside all come to you, leaving my needs to be put on the back burner."

Shen Yifei chuckled: "Senior Sister Su is quite well-informed."

"Having spent so many years in the Hehuan Sect, I would have been reduced to ashes long ago without having some informants." Su Yao finished dressing, and her legs were still a little weak when she stood up. She held onto the edge of the bed for a while.

Shen Yifei reached out to help her, but she slapped him away.

"Don't give me that crap. If your thing hadn't been so outrageous just now, would you be in this state now?"

"They're about the same," Shen Yifei said honestly.

Su Yao laughed again, this time laughing so hard she was doubled over, tears streaming down her face.

"I think it's more than that..." She wiped her eyes, took out a jade pendant from her bosom and tossed it to him, "This is my communication jade talisman, contact me if you need anything."

After Su Yao left, Shen Yifei closed the door, leaned against it, and let out a long sigh.

That night was even more exhausting than when he fought the Ironback Wolves in the Hengduan Mountains.

Ironback Wolf only suffered physical pain back then. But after spending the night with Su Yao, he was thoroughly ravaged from head to toe.

That woman was scheming against him from beginning to end; every inch of her skin, every breath she took, every glance was a trap.

Shen Yifei touched his lower abdomen; the mist in his dantian was still there, though much thinner. He had expended too much energy that night and needed to replenish it.

He took out the twelve top-grade Qi Gathering Pills refined by the Myriad Things Cauldron, hesitated for a moment, then took one out and put it in his mouth.

The pill melted instantly upon entering the mouth, and a warm medicinal power flowed down the throat and into the dantian.

The thin mist, like firewood doused with oil, suddenly flared up with a "boom".

He quickly sat down cross-legged, circulated his spiritual energy, and digested the medicinal power! It took two whole days for the medicinal power of this Qi Gathering Pill to be completely digested.

He felt the mist in his dantian had become much thicker, and with a thought, the flame in his palm was also much larger than before.

It seems that this Qi Gathering Pill can not only replenish spiritual energy, but also improve cultivation to some extent.

However, the effects of this medicine are too strong; if you're not careful, your dantian meridians could burst.

In the days that followed, Shen Yifei lived a busy and fulfilling life.

He studied alchemy during the day and practiced the Yin-Yang Absorption Technique at night. Occasionally, Li Ruolan would come to buy a few pills, Qin Wan would come to repay her debts twice, and Liu'er would come to stay overnight every few days.

With no worries about food and drink, earning spirit stones, and having women to keep him company, Shen Yifei felt that this was the life of an immortal.

That evening, Shen Yifei was studying the formula for the Foundation Establishment Pill in his alchemy room when he suddenly heard a bell ringing outside the courtyard.

"Clang, clang..."

The bell rang loudly, and could be heard throughout the entire inner courtyard.

Shen Yifei was stunned for a moment. He had been in the Hehuan Sect for three years and had never heard this bell before.

"Junior Brother Shen! Junior Brother Shen!" Qin Wan's voice came from outside the courtyard gate, sounding very urgent.

He hurried to open the door, and Qin Wan stood outside, looking anxious.

"Senior Sister Qin, what's wrong?"

"Sect summons: All inner disciples, assemble at the training ground. Hurry, we'll talk as we go."

Shen Yifei followed her out. There were already quite a few inner disciples on the way, heading towards the martial arts arena in twos and threes. Their expressions were all different, some were excited, and some were nervous.

"What exactly happened?" Shen Yifei asked.

"The secret realm is about to open."

"What secret realm?"

Qin Wan glanced at him, her eyes looking at him like he was an idiot: "You really don't know?"

"How long have I been an inner disciple? How would I know these things?"

Qin Wan sighed and explained to him as she walked.

"The Heavenly Origin Secret Realm opens once every hundred years. It's located on Heavenly Origin Mountain, eight thousand miles north of our Hehuan Sect. Legend has it that in ancient times, there was a rogue cultivator named Tian Yuanzi who failed his tribulation and, before his death, sealed all the treasures, elixirs, and cultivation techniques he had collected throughout his life within the secret realm. It opens once every hundred years, and each time it lasts for a month. Anyone who goes in and comes out alive can reap some benefits."

"It's held once every hundred years?" Shen Yifei did the math. "Then the last time it was held, we weren't even born yet."

"Yes, so this is a rare opportunity. And I heard that this time the secret realm is open differently than before. In the past, only those at the Golden Core stage or above could enter, but this time, for some reason, even those at the Foundation Establishment stage can enter."

Shen Yifei's heart skipped a beat: "Even Foundation Establishment stage cultivators can enter?"

"Yes, that's why the sect summoned everyone." Qin Wan glanced at him. "So, do you want to go?"

"Listen to what I have to say first."

When the two arrived at the training ground, there were already several hundred people standing there, all of them inner disciples.

A high platform was erected directly in front of the training ground, and several people stood on it. In the very center was an old man with white hair and beard, wearing a gray robe. He looked unremarkable, but his presence alone commanded the entire training ground.

"Who is that?" Shen Yifei asked in a low voice.

"Vice Sect Master! The Vice Sect Master of the Hehuan Sect, True Person Yun Cang, Nascent Soul stage."

Shen Yifei gasped.

Nascent Soul stage!

He had been in the Hehuan Sect for three years and had never even seen the face of the deputy sect leader or the sect leader. Today, seeing them for the first time, he felt as if an invisible mountain was pressing down on his head, making it difficult to even breathe.

Master Yun Cang glanced around at the crowd below; the hundreds of people in the arena were completely silent.

"Is everyone here?" he asked.

"Reporting to the Vice Sect Master, all 523 inner disciples have arrived." The one who answered was a middle-aged man standing behind True Person Yun Cang, whom Shen Yifei did not recognize.

Master Yun Cang nodded: "Then I'll say a few words." He paused, "The Heavenly Origin Secret Realm opens once every hundred years. This time, there are some changes. In the past, only those at the Golden Core stage and above could enter, but this time, those at the Foundation Establishment stage can also enter. We don't know the specific reasons. But since the opportunity has come, we can't miss it."

He waved his hand, and a map appeared in mid-air, showing the terrain of Tianyuan Mountain.

"The entrance to the secret realm is at the top of Tianyuan Mountain, and it will open in three days. At that time, all the major sects will send people in. Our Hehuan Sect has twenty slots."

A murmur immediately broke out in the audience.

"Twenty spots? That's too few!"

"Won't they have to have a martial arts competition to determine who gets a spot?"

……

"Quiet." Master Yun Cang gestured for silence. "Those who wish to go, register at the Mission Hall tomorrow and pay 800 spirit stones for the boat ticket. We will select participants based on their cultivation levels, according to the number of registrations!"

Eight hundred spirit stones!

Another commotion erupted in the audience.

"Vice Sect Master," a male cultivator at the Golden Core stage raised his hand and asked, "Are there any restrictions this time the secret realm is open?"

"There are no restrictions. Once inside, your life or death is in your own hands!"

The moment he said, "Life and death are up to fate," the audience fell completely silent.

Entering the secret realm is gambling with your life. If you come out alive, you'll reap a rich reward; if you lose your life inside, you'll have nothing!

After the meeting was dismissed, Qin Wan told him not to have any ideas. In the face of the Golden Core realm, the Foundation Establishment realm was no match for them. Going in would just be sending them to their deaths.

Shen Yifei bid farewell to Qin Wan, returned to the courtyard, closed the door, and sat cross-legged on the bed to begin his calculations.

Eight hundred spirit stones is a considerable sum. However, if you miss this opportunity, you'll have to wait another hundred years.

He spent three years tending the fire in the alchemy room, enduring countless scornful looks, before finally managing to climb into the inner sect.

Now there is an opportunity to rise to the top in one step. If we don't seize it, what difference will there be between us and the old wood-chopping and fire-starting servant?

Go! We absolutely have to go!

With my current physical strength and the powerful weapon, the Cauldron of Myriad Things, I'm confident I can survive once I'm inside!

Shen Yifei gritted his teeth, counted out eight hundred spirit stones from his ring, and put them in a cloth bag.