Chapter Forty-Three: The Triumphant Return
Of course, the Five Element Spiritual Essences that could be gathered in this secret realm were all condensed from the full original sources of cultivators in the Nascent Soul stage and above, forged at the moment of their death. During the process of condensation, most of their essence would inevitably dissipate... Their only hope was to benefit future generations.
To Old Qin, who had seen enough of the world, such things hardly counted as significant, but for Gu Xiaopang, currently only at the mid Foundation Establishment stage, they were undoubtedly treasures.
Once he advanced to the Golden Core stage, he could then seek out even higher-level Five Element Spirits.
...
A bell rang.
The month had come to an end.
"Open!"
Within the forbidden grounds, the sect master, several peak lords, and all the elders of the peaks had gathered. The Grand Elder gave the order.
One by one, the silhouettes of disciples were transmitted out from the secret realm.
And then, a scene so astonishing that it left everyone speechless unfolded 'very soon.'
Especially the tens of thousands of disciples stationed at various peaks, those who had not qualified to participate in the secret realm and could only guess at the harvests of the top hundred disciples by watching the contribution rankings.
...
"Disciple Sun Baikang, in the secret realm, slew thirteen first-tier profound beasts, collected sixty varieties of spiritual herbs and fruits; cultivation advanced by one tier to early Foundation Establishment."
"Disciple Song Erbao, slew eleven first-tier profound beasts, forty-three spiritual herbs and fruits; cultivation advanced by two tiers, now officially entered Foundation Establishment."
"Disciple Jiang Siyu, slew seven second-tier profound beasts, one hundred and three spiritual herbs and fruits; cultivation advanced by two tiers to late Foundation Establishment."
...
"Excellent! Wonderful!"
"It seems the disciples have gained much from this secret realm."
The elders listened to the reports of each disciple as they emerged, each recounting their achievements, and the elders were deeply gratified.
"Disciple Zhao Xianyun, slew twenty-six second-tier profound beasts, three hundred and twelve spiritual herbs and fruits, cultivation at the peak of Foundation Establishment."
"Disciple He Xier, slew twenty-one second-tier profound beasts, two hundred and ninety spiritual herbs and fruits, cultivation at the summit of late Foundation Establishment."
...
As the elders were listening to these rapid advances and laughing heartily, suddenly all their gazes were drawn to a newly transmitted female disciple, and their eyes grew wider and wider.
She stepped calmly out of the portal of light, pulling behind her a string of at least fifty or sixty second-tier sand scorpions...
The elders, already shocked, watched as the female disciple walked further, each step revealing more sand scorpions, until they formed a thousand-meter-long procession...
All second-tier... And at the very end—was that...? Could it truly be a Golden Core realm sand scorpion?!
...
Even the peak lords, who had maintained a calm demeanor throughout, were now left gaping, rubbing their eyes, some accidentally pulling out a tuft of their beard...
The scene remained silent for at least ten breaths, until a voice, brimming with excitement and pride, finally broke the spell.
"My dear disciple, you truly bring honor to your master! Hahaha..."
"Master..."
"These... these are not... my spoils."
"Ahem, ahem! What did you say?!"
"All these sand scorpions were slain by Senior Brother Gu Changqing..."
"You mean that Gu Xiaopang kid? Impossible!!!"
...
With the many disciples returning from the desolate desert, everyone soon pieced together the story of the human-scorpion battle, including the sect master and Fifth Elder Gu, all were left utterly astonished.
Though the disciples could neither understand nor explain why Gu Xiaopang, who had only been mid Foundation Establishment and clearly exhausted when first seen in the desert, suddenly experienced a surge of strength and ultimately defeated the Golden Core sand scorpion...
It did not stop everyone from regarding him as a prodigy beyond compare.
...
A few more disciples were transmitted out...
Another male disciple from the inner sect emerged from the portal, pulling several dozen second-tier water-type profound beasts: Black Claw Beast, Azure Blade Fish, Whirling Turtle, Bloodthirsty Shark...
The further he walked, the more beasts he revealed, until another thousand-meter-long spectacle appeared before the crowd.
Fortunately, this time, all were only second-tier...
If another third-tier or Golden Core creature appeared, no heart present could have withstood it.
...
With the precedent set, everyone, though still shocked, instinctively wondered if this too was Gu Xiaopang’s handiwork.
"Reporting to the sect master and elders, this Deep Sea Eight Immortals String was slain by Senior Brother Gu Changqing."
...
"Deep Sea Eight Immortals String?"
"Yes. That’s how Senior Brother Gu described it when he handed it to me."
...
As more and more disciples were transmitted out, the journey through the secret realm finally approached its end.
"Why hasn’t Senior Brother Gu come out yet?"
"No idea. Could something have happened?"
"Impossible. If anything happened to you or me, nothing would happen to him."
"True, Senior Brother Gu is indestructible!"
...
"Look, Senior Brother Gu is coming out!"
At a disciple’s excited shout, everyone fixed their gaze upon the figure emerging from the portal of light.
"What!"
"What’s going on?"
...
Gu Xiaopang, startled by everyone’s unwavering stare, nearly jumped back through the portal in fright.
...
As he calmed himself and walked slowly out, yet another procession appeared...
Countless hastily woven vine baskets, piled high, overflowing with spiritual herbs and fruits...
...
Everyone, including the peak lords and elders, could not help but wonder if he had looted the secret realm clean, and all internally marveled, "Just as expected."
...
Meanwhile, outside the portal, the stewards of all seven peaks and tens of thousands of disciples, who were closely watching the changes in the contribution rankings...
All noticed the numbers beside Gu Changqing’s name surging—again and again—and each wave left them ever more astonished.
...