Chapter 289: Chapter 289: Sect Powerhouses

’The Seven-Colored Lotus is extremely precious. While I could consume it directly to increase my power, that would be far too wasteful. I’d better save it and wait until I find enough materials to refine it into a Pill.’

Having obtained the Seven-Colored Lotus, Ye Xuan didn’t consume it rashly. Instead, he put it away.

He had just broken through to Tier Four Celestial Martial Artist, and his realm hadn’t yet been consolidated. While the Seven-Colored Lotus could still boost his strength, it wouldn’t be ideal for his future development.

Besides, for an Alchemist, consuming a Spirit Medicine directly was undoubtedly the most wasteful approach.

The Little Purple Mink, however, wasn’t thinking about all that. Fearing Ye Xuan would snatch more treasures, it grabbed one of the lotuses and started munching away. CRUNCH, CRUNCH.

In just a few bites, it had swallowed the entire lotus.

After devouring the first one, it still wasn’t satisfied. It tossed a second lotus into its mouth, which immediately bulged.

’You little rascal, do you have a death wish?’

Ye Xuan was shocked and wanted to stop it, but it was too late.

BOOM!

A terrifying medicinal power erupted within the Little Purple Mink.

The Little Purple Mink’s eyes glazed over as if drunk. It swayed back and forth, then with a PLOP, it collapsed to the ground and started snoring loudly.

’This little guy.’

Ye Xuan was astonished. The Seven-Colored Lotus was a Tier Seven Spirit Medicine with incredible potency. An ordinary Martial Artist could consume it directly, but they had to be extremely cautious. Otherwise, the potent medicinal properties could easily overwhelm them, causing their bodies to explode.

Yet the Little Purple Mink had swallowed two at once and was completely fine, which was another huge shock to Ye Xuan.

’Oh well. This little creature has a bizarre background. I suppose it’s not too surprising that even a Seven-Colored Lotus couldn’t make it explode.’

SWISH!

The thought had barely crossed his mind when Ye Xuan shot out of the cave and vanished.

It had been less than half a month since they entered the Floating Light Secret Realm, and there was still over half a month left before it closed. In a place teeming with Spirit Medicines, Ye Xuan naturally didn’t want to waste any time. 𝓯𝙧𝙚𝒆𝙬𝙚𝒃𝙣𝙤𝒗𝓮𝓵.𝙘𝙤𝙢

「Meanwhile, hundreds of miles away from Ye Xuan, amidst a field of boulders.」

BAM!

Several figures landed in a sorry state, their robes tattered and their hair a mess.

"Damn it! I used up almost all the treasures I brought from the sect to fend off those Profound Beasts and Demon Beasts."

"Those Demon Beasts are vicious. They just wouldn’t give up the chase. We’re lucky Senior Brother’s Void Illusion Skill is so elusive; it’s the only reason we finally escaped their pursuit."

"Don’t let your guard down. This mountain forest is the Demon Race’s territory, after all. The next few days won’t be easy for us."

Luan Hong, Ye Fanxing, Bai Qi, and Zhou Liang all looked grim, with blood trickling from the corners of their mouths.

During the earlier pursuit by the Demon Race, they had used every trick up their sleeves, nearly exhausting all their trump cards just to escape.

Even so, they were all seriously injured and in a wretched state.

"Damn it. It wasn’t just Demon Beasts back there. Those Soul Refiners from the Thirteen Nations Alliance were hiding nearby, too. If we hadn’t reacted so quickly, we would’ve fallen right into their hands."

"Hmph! And that blow we took right as we escaped... if I’m not mistaken, that was the leader of the Zuo Yi Alliance from your Dongsheng Kingdom, Senior Brother Ye Fanxing."

"Those bastards were just after our treasures. Luckily, we reacted in time and saw through their scheme. Still, I lost a few of the talismans the elders gave me. Damn it all."

Indignation was written all over their faces.

"Haha, even though we were chased relentlessly and used up a lot of treasures, our haul wasn’t bad at all," Ye Fanxing laughed.

The Seven-Colored Lotus he alone had obtained was worth more than most of the treasures the four of them had lost, not to mention that Senior Brother Luan Hong’s haul was much, much greater than his own.

Hearing this, Zhou Liang and Bai Qi also broke into smiles.

Only Luan Hong’s expression remained dark.

"By the way, Senior Brother Luan Hong, what kind of Earth Fire did you get? Why don’t you take it out so we can have a look?"

"Yeah! The fire aura in that cave was so intense. Even among Earth Fires, it must be an exceptionally powerful one."

"And the roots of the Seven-Colored Lotus... While they aren’t as good as the flower for raising one’s tier, their healing and life-giving properties should surpass the lotus itself."

The three of them chattered excitedly, their gazes fixed on Luan Hong with great anticipation.

Luan Hong’s face darkened. "I didn’t get any treasures from that cave."

What?

Ye Fanxing and the other two were stunned, and their expressions soured.

"Senior Brother Luan Hong, don’t you trust the three of us?"

"We just want to see what kind of Earth Fire it is. We would never ask you to share it, Senior Brother."

"You can use that line to fool Zhu Tianlan and the others, but there’s no need for secrets between us martial brothers, is there?"

The more the three of them talked, the angrier Luan Hong became. He gritted his teeth and said icily, "Why would I lie to you? I swear I got nothing from that cave."

The three were stunned into silence. Judging by Luan Hong’s expression, he didn’t seem to be lying.

"But when we reached the cave, we clearly sensed the aura of both the Earth Fire and the Seven-Colored Lotus roots."

"Your senses weren’t wrong. It’s just that by the time I arrived, everything was already gone. Someone got there before me and took the Earth Fire and the Seven-Colored Lotus roots. And to top it all off, everyone thinks *I* was the one who took them! How infuriating...!"

Luan Hong smashed a waist-high boulder to dust with a single palm strike, a vicious light flashing in his eyes.

"That seems impossible, Senior Brother. When we arrived, the Seven-Colored Lotus had just finished maturing, and the flame’s aura had only just dissipated. Who could refine such a powerful and mysterious Earth Fire in such a short amount of time? Besides, the leaders of the major kingdoms were with us at the time."

Ye Fanxing and the others still found it hard to believe.

Earth Fire was far too powerful; it wasn’t something an ordinary person could refine so easily. In their minds, only the leaders of the five great kingdoms within the Floating Light Secret Realm possessed such power.

"I find it strange, too," Luan Hong said gravely. "However, besides the leaders of the five great kingdoms, there is one other person who might have the power to do it."

"Senior Brother, are you talking about Ye Xuan?"

The image of Ye Xuan instantly flashed through their minds.

"That’s right. It was him," Luan Hong snarled. "If I find out he’s the one who stole the Earth Fire that was rightfully mine, I’ll tear him limb from limb." An incredibly terrifying light erupted in his eyes.

Even though he didn’t know for sure who had plundered the Earth Fire from the underground cave, Luan Hong’s first suspect was Ye Xuan. In his mind, besides the leaders of the five great kingdoms, Ye Xuan was the only Soul Refiner capable of taming an Earth Fire in such a short time.

"Senior Brother, the Martial Artists of the Thirteen Nations Alliance are hunting us, and the Demon Race certainly won’t let us off the hook. What should we do now?"

The three of them looked to Luan Hong. As the strongest among them, he was their pillar.

If it weren’t for Luan Hong, they would have likely died long ago during the combined assault from the Demon Race and the Zuo Yi Alliance.

Luan Hong let out a cold, confident smirk. "Don’t worry. The Floating Light Secret Realm is vast. With our strength, it will be difficult for them to find us. What’s more, before I entered the realm, I sent word back to the sect. The sect’s experts should be arriving any time now."

"The Thirteen Nations Alliance? Before our sect, they’re nothing more than a bunch of clowns."

"Our top priority now is to find that Ye Xuan."

A violent glint flashed in Luan Hong’s eyes.

「The Water Mist Mountain Range, outside the Floating Light Secret Realm.」

Dense forests loomed, and Demon Beasts ran rampant.

Several figures were speeding toward the valley that housed the entrance to the Floating Light Secret Realm.

Their robes were all embroidered with the same pattern, clearly indicating they belonged to a powerful faction.

ROAR!

With a sudden roar, a Tier Five Saber-toothed Tiger leaped from the dense forest, lunging at the elderly man in the lead.

"Vile creature. You have no sense. What’s the point of you being alive?"

The lead elder’s voice was frigid as he let out a domineering shout. His fist shot out like lightning, striking the Saber-toothed Tiger’s head. The Tier Five beast’s skull burst open like a ripe watermelon, splattering blood and brains across the ground.

"Elder Gale, according to the message Luan Hong sent back, the entrance to the Floating Light Secret Realm should be somewhere around here," a burly man said after checking a message.

After traveling for several more dozen miles, the group abruptly stopped. They stared up in shock at the magnificent, seven-colored radiance filling the sky.

The rainbow aurora of the Floating Light Secret Realm was clearly visible before them.

"Such a perfect secret realm... Its degree of integration with the void is just as Luan Hong described in his message. No ordinary secret realm can compare to this."

"To think such a powerful secret realm exists in the remote Thirteen Nations Alliance. Judging by its aura, it’s on par with some of the powerful realms in our Dream Realm Plain."

"It’s a good thing our Profound Mystery Sect produced that renegade disciple, Lv Hao. If it weren’t for him, we never would have paid any attention to this backwater place."

"It seems this realm has existed for over a hundred years. Fortunately, the other powers of the Dream Realm Plain remain unaware."

"I suspect some powers might have an inkling, but they clearly don’t understand how powerful this realm truly is."

"Haha, it seems even the heavens favor our Profound Mystery Sect! If we take control of such a powerful secret realm, our sect will easily rise to a whole new level within the next century."

"Let’s go!"

The men spoke with excitement, then transformed into streaks of light, shooting toward the aurora. They came to a halt just outside the valley.

Inside the valley, in addition to the Soul Refiners like Ye Xuan who had entered the Floating Light Secret Realm, there were many others who had failed to get in, as well as top experts from the various major kingdoms.

"I didn’t expect so many people to be stationed in the valley. This complicates things."

The men all frowned.