Chapter 2851: Chapter 2851
After landing, Ye Liuyun briefly explained the situation to Qiong Qi, mentioning that they might need his help with any encountered formations. He then instructed everyone to begin cultivating, adapting to the conversion of mystic energy.
Their current location wasn’t particularly close to the secret realm’s entrance, but with his formidable divine sense, Ye Liuyun could monitor it effortlessly. The moment Li Xinran stepped inside, he would detect her.
However, given the limitations of their own divine senses, none of them could perceive Ye Liuyun’s presence. This allowed him to observe their strength from the shadows, preparing for the right moment to strike.
The numerous demonic beasts dispersed to the territories they had claimed, cultivating separately rather than gathering around Ye Liuyun. If too many of them absorbed the mystic energy too aggressively, it could create turbulent vortexes, attracting both martial cultivators and feral beast to investigate.
Yet, once Ye Liuyun immersed himself in cultivation, he still generated swirling currents of mystic energy, surging violently into his body. His mystic core, parched for far too long, seized the opportunity to replenish itself greedily.
The Divine Command Token absorbed energy just as swiftly as Ye Liuyun, accelerating its intake the moment he began cultivating. His spatial world also drew in mystic energy, resulting in three distinct vortexes swirling before him, funneling energy relentlessly into his being.
Fortunately, he restrained the absorption rate of his mystic core and spatial world, and the Divine Command Token also exercised moderation. Thus, the vortexes remained subtle enough to avoid detection by the martial cultivators nearby.
His doppelgänger, positioned farther away, similarly generated twin vortexes, continuously channeling energy inward. Sensing the dense mystic aura, the Purple Kylin Snake immediately emerged to absorb it directly, clearly reveling in the environment.
Other demonic beasts also drew mystic energy into their spatial worlds, though all maintained controlled absorption rates. Unlike Ye Liuyun, their cultivation process was far quieter, producing no noticeable disturbances.
After a while, Scarlet Lotus, Little Blue Ice, the Falcon, and the Black Tiger reached their saturation point and could absorb no more. Qiong Qi, the Vermilion Bird, the White Tiger, Thunder Roar, and the Nine-Headed Demon Dragon persisted a little longer, though even they struggled to continue.
Only the Stone Ape, the Dragon Maiden, Black Mountain, and the Purple Kylin Snake remained unceasing in their cultivation, still refining mystic energy.
Some of the realm’s more sensitive beasts, drawn by the fluctuations in mystic energy, approached to investigate. Ye Liuyun directed the demonic beasts and companions who had finished cultivating to ambush them, ensuring none escaped alive. Meanwhile, the Demon Vine took on the role of protector, shielding them from potential attacks by stronger foes.
Ye Liuyun himself remained deep in cultivation, noticing that the quality of his mystic core was rapidly improving as it fused with the mystic energy. Once his core reached full capacity, his dantian could absorb no further.
He then replaced the mystic energy stored in his Energy Reservoir Stones, enhancing its quality before finally ceasing his cultivation. However, he slightly increased the absorption rate of his spatial world.
He also realized just how vast his spatial world truly was—what little mystic energy entered it became so diluted that it was practically negligible.
So after some thought, he specifically retrieved a secret realm and channeled the mystic energy into it to prevent dissipation. His method quickly caught the attention of other mystic energy-hungry beasts, who promptly followed suit. Those creatures with no need for mystic energy didn’t bother exerting any effort.
They absorbed energy throughout the night, and by dawn, Ye Liuyun could sense that the mystic energy around them had noticeably thinned. He immediately signaled everyone to halt their absorption.
"We still have time later. I’ll make sure everyone gets their fill before we leave. Let’s pause for now—we don’t want any sharp-eyed martial cultivators noticing us."
The others complied, stopping at once. The Divine Decree Slate also slowed its absorption, no longer forming visible energy whirlpools, though it never fully ceased. Ye Liuyun had no way to control it, so he simply let it be.
Once they stopped, fresh mystic energy soon replenished the area. The secret realm’s source power continuously released this energy to compensate for the loss. As long as the source remained intact, the mystic energy here would never run dry.
"If only we could take this source power with us!" Qiong Qi mused, glancing at Ye Liuyun. The Dragon Maiden, Stone Ape, and other beasts also turned hopeful eyes toward him.
Ye Liuyun understood their silent plea and nodded. "We’ll see. I’ll do my best to take this entire secret realm with us."
This promise delighted the Stone Ape and the others who had grown particularly fond of this place.
Even the Purple Kylin Snake, who usually preferred solitary cultivation, chose to stay outside with the group. Just breathing in the mystic energy here filled him with contentment.
*It seems the Stone Ape, Dragon Maiden, Black Mountain, and Purple Kylin Snake still retain some ancestral memories from the ancient times,* Ye Liuyun mused silently. *But Thunderclap, White Tiger, Vermilion Bird, and Qiong Qi have far fewer such recollections in their bloodlines.*
Still, after absorbing the mystic energy, the quality of their primal energy had improved—some more, some less. The Purple Kylin Snake, who had been cultivating within the doppelgänger’s spatial realm, had already reached the seventh level of the Dominator realm. Now, with the enhanced energy, he sensed he was on the verge of breaking through to the eighth level.
At daybreak, Ye Liuyun stored the beasts and the women back into his spatial realm, leaving only the Purple Kylin Snake and Thunderclap outside. He then changed out of his alchemist robes, and together with his doppelgänger, donned invisibility cloaks before moving closer to the secret realm’s entrance.
Meanwhile, Li Xinran, accompanied by her ten guards, had already gone to meet Li Daoyuan.
Li Daoyuan assigned her forty experts at the Harmonization realm. Among them were two martial cultivators—one, Lin Qing’ao, was Li Daoyuan’s scheming advisor, always devising ruthless plots, while the other, Pang Yuan, served as his enforcer, specializing in massacring weaker martial clans with brutal efficiency.
Li Xinran was quite pleased with Li Daoyuan’s arrangement, seeing it as a perfect opportunity to eliminate these two troublemakers. After informing Li Daoyuan, she promptly led her team away.
Lin Qing’ao and Pang Yuan knew Li Xinran’s temperament all too well—her disdain for their behavior was no secret. Not daring to curry favor, they silently followed her out of Li Daoyuan’s residence with their own men in tow.
The group moved in silence and soon entered the secret realm.
The moment they stepped in, Ye Liuyun spotted them. Through the slave mark, he informed Li Xinran of their arrival, instructing her to proceed toward the heart of the realm as planned and carry on with her mission, leaving the rest to him.
Upon receiving Ye Liuyun’s command, Li Xinran initially considered letting the group acclimate to the oppressive pressure of the environment. But then she realized that if Lin Qing’ao and his men adjusted too well, it might complicate Ye Liuyun’s plans. Without hesitation, she led them deeper into the realm.
Lin Qing’ao, ever the concerned one, advised her to take it slow. But Li Xinran ignored him, forcing the others to follow suit.
"Where are all the savage beasts? This place used to be crawling with them!"
It didn’t take long for Lin Qing’ao to notice something was off. Since their arrival, not a single beast had attacked them.
