Chapter 122: Plans for the Tianyan Secret Realm
The war, at long last, had finally stopped.
The delegations from both sides had spent months haggling at the negotiating table; as for the specific details, a small fry like Fang Hao naturally had no clue.
In any case, the final result was that the Great Qin Empire withdrew its troops, and the Mingling Empire tacitly accepted the small advantages the other side had seized at Black Wind Canyon. It was a mutual step back, a temporary cessation of hostilities.
Once the siege of Iron Rock City was lifted, the tense atmosphere dissipated instantly, like a receding tide.
The garrison in the city took time to rest and reorganize, or swapped shifts as needed.
The three Nascent Soul Great Experts and the elite imperial troops who had come from the capital didn’t stay long before returning to the capital.
After all, the capital needed them to hold the fort; they couldn’t just keep wandering outside.
Fang Hao and the group of Guest Elders and troops who had come from the Western front to provide support also received orders: the mission was complete, and they could return to their original stations.
Hearing this news, Fang Hao couldn’t quite describe how he felt.
He felt a bit relieved, as he no longer had to live in constant fear, with his head constantly on the line.
Yet, there was also a sense of emptiness; having spent the past few months rolling and crawling on the battlefield, getting used to the blood and carnage, he found it somewhat difficult to adjust to the sudden quiet.
The journey back was much easier than the journey there.
The army moved slowly, with no need to worry about ambushes.
Sitting in the flying boat, looking down at the green mountains and clear waters below, Fang Hao felt as though he had just woken up from a nightmare.
Little Grandson was quite excited, chattering all the way about which restaurant he wanted to feast at upon returning to Tianqing City, and sending a letter home, among other things.
Fang Hao listened and just smiled.
He didn’t seem to have much sense of belonging to Tianqing City; it felt more like a temporary place to stay.
The journey passed without incident, and they successfully returned to Tianqing City.
The Seventh Princes Mansion was not stingy with rewards for those who had contributed to this campaign.
Because of his outstanding performance with Formations at Black Wind Canyon and Iron Rock City, Fang Hao was credited with a great contribution, and his Guest Elder Rank was promoted directly from Yellow Rank High Grade to Profound Rank Low Grade!
His monthly salary increased significantly, and he could now exchange for more Advanced Cultivation Techniques and resources.
In addition, he was awarded a generous amount of Spirit Stones and several bottles of precious Medicinal Pill.
Commander Lei, Master Zhao, and others also received their respective rewards.
It was worth the effort.
After receiving his rewards, Fang Hao returned to his small courtyard, ’Zhuyun Garden,’ which had been uninhabited for a long time.
Pushing open the gate, he found it cold and desolate inside, covered in a thin layer of dust.
He cast a few Cleansing Spells and checked the Formation he had set up, finally feeling a bit of life return to the place.
After taking a hot bath and changing into clean clothes, Fang Hao lay down on the meditation cushion in the quiet room, finally able to fully relax.
Once relaxed, his mind involuntarily began to ponder future matters.
The war was over, but the trouble with the Gongming Family was far from finished.
Although he now carried the title of Seventh Princes Mansion Guest Elder and the Gongming Family dared not move against him openly, there would surely be no shortage of underhanded schemes.
Improving his strength remained the top priority.
Great Perfection Foundation Establishment... the next step was forming golden core.
This was a major hurdle on the path of cultivation; countless people were stuck here their entire lives.
There were many things to prepare; the items for forming golden core were essential, and he also needed suitable Cultivation Techniques and sufficient Spiritual Qi support.
These all had to be planned out slowly.
While thinking, he subconsciously reached for his storage ring and took out an object.
It was a palm-sized token, neither gold nor jade, with a warm texture to the touch.
The token had an archaic design, engraved with complex star patterns, and in the center were two ancient seal characters—’Tianyan’.
The heavenly derivation secret key.
Looking at this item, Fang Hao’s eyes became somewhat complex.
This was the reward he had obtained after fighting with all his might to win first place at the West Province Five Sect Martial Competition.
Only the top three received it.
With this key, one could enter the legendary Tianyan Secret Realm.
It was said that unranked Loose Cultivator had no right to even know about it, and he had only found sporadic information in the secret files of the Seventh Princes Mansion library after becoming a Guest Elder.
The Tianyan Secret Realm opened only once every ten years, allowing only one hundred people to enter each time.
Inside, there were countless Opportunities, and it was said there were even heaven and earth spiritual treasures that could help people form a High Grade Golden Core!
However, the danger was equally immense; every time it opened, less than half of those who entered made it out alive.
The quotas for this Secret Realm were said to be firmly controlled by the Mingling Empire and several major Sects under its jurisdiction, with extremely strict allocation.
For a Loose Cultivator Guest Elder without any background like him, under normal circumstances, he wouldn’t even be able to touch the fringe of it.
This key could be said to be the greatest Opportunity he currently possessed, as well as his greatest trouble.
’There’s still about a year left...’
Fang Hao stroked the cold key, calculating in his mind.
According to records, the next time the Secret Realm opened would be at this time next year.
As for the location... the files only vaguely mentioned’somewhere in the southern border of the Empire,’ with no specific details.
He guessed that only when the time came would those holding the key receive guidance.
Who were the other ninety-seven quotas given to?
Were they top Geniuses from other states of the Empire? Or Core Disciples from those major Sects?
They were certainly not pushovers.
For a Foundation Establishment Loose Cultivator like him to sneak in and compete for Opportunities against a group of heaven-favored children with deep backgrounds and endless resources, the difficulty could be imagined.
’To go, or not to go?’ Fang Hao asked himself.
Go, and the risks were immense; he might lose his life.
Not go? Watch this heaven-sent Opportunity slip away right before his eyes?
Then what about forming golden core?
If he just cultivated step by step, how long would he have to wait?
Without strength, how could he deal with the Gongming Family?
How could he stand firm in this Immortal Realm?
The answer was almost certain.
He had to go!
The path of cultivating immortality was inherently about fighting against Heaven-Defying odds; if he didn’t dare to take risks, he might as well go home and farm!
Thinking of this, Fang Hao’s eyes became firm once again.
Over the next year, he had to make thorough preparations.
He needed to polish his cultivation to the limit of the Foundation Establishment Stage and strive to reach the False Core Realm before entering the Secret Realm.
His Formations, Spells, and life-saving measures all needed to be strengthened further.
He also had to find ways to get more Spirit Stones to exchange for powerful Talismans and Medicinal Pill.
He put away the heavenly derivation secret key and let out a long breath.
The bloody battle at Iron Rock City was over, but another ’war,’ even more treacherous and concerning his own Dao path, had just begun.
After resting for a few days, Fang Hao became busy again.
He spent most of his time in the Seventh Princes Mansion’s library, researching all texts related to the Tianyan Secret Realm and forming golden core.
The rest of the time, he either cultivated and practiced Spells in his small courtyard or went to the Mission Hall to accept relatively safe, well-paying missions to accumulate resources.
Life seemed to have returned to its previous rhythm, but Fang Hao knew in his heart that under the calm surface, undercurrents were surging.
The Tianyan Secret Realm a year from now would be a major test on his cultivation path.
Succeed, and he would leap over the Dragon gate; fail, and... he might be doomed forever.
He clenched his fists and looked towards the south.
Tianyan Secret Realm, wait for me.
