Chapter 122: Vengeful Leaf Compendium
Vengeful Leaf Compendium. That was the name of the manual Li Lang had copied down to his computer.
It was exactly what Li Lang had asked for. He had been given a choice between one that went into more detail about how Qi poisons were created as opposed to a singular, powerful technique. The latter would likely only include the production method for a single specific type of poison. It would have been the choice if short-term gain in strength was his goal.
As expected of a zealous researcher like Li Lang, he went with the choice that would feed him the most information. From there, he could unravel the mechanics himself, and hopefully create his own poisons.
The compendium went in-depth on the topic, and took Li Lang days to read over it once, and weeks to really comprehend the contents.
Having received multiple manuals from the pocket realm, Li Lang knew they all came from different authors. Their quality varied, as well as their way of explaining. There were no academic guidelines for how they organized the contents. In fact, the theories each author used were wildly inconsistent. That meant there was a lot of junk mixed in with the tidbits of information, which was why Li Lang took so long.
In a way, Li Lang had felt like he was deciphering ancient herbal remedies.
Phew. Hopefully, I got everything right. Time for the exciting part of testing my findings.
From the compendium, Li Lang had gained new insight into the nature of Qi poisons. The texts went into detail about the properties of various plants one could use in brewing poison. It also went into detail how they interacted with other material in order to produce the desired effect. It was this mumble jumble of the author that tried to explain how poisons worked in their own made-up framework.
The reason why Li Lang knew it was garbled was because he learned that Qi poisons weren't so different from the mundane poisons he knew, after all. They simply had an extra component that Li Lang didn't know how to handle.
Previously, the toxins he formulated were simply infused with Qi. In the context of the Vengeful Leaf Compendium, he simply employed the simplest form of empowering. It gave Qi energy to the poison, but didn't include any methods of utilizing it. It was as if a boxer with amnesia was sent into the ring. He had a well-trained body, but no idea how to even throw a punch.
This allowed the defensive mechanism in living creatures to walk all over the poison, weakening its effects.
"So Qi poisons, true to their name, simply combine Qi techniques with poison," Li Lang muttered. "That means I can create the poisons I know about…as long as I have the materials on hand. No, most of the active ingredients from the samples I have on hand are entirely different from what I'm familiar with. I'll need to formulate entirely new poisons with the native Qi plants. If what the book says is true, powerful Qi plants produce deadlier toxic substances than anything I knew. Plus, it synergized with the imbuement of Qi."
Just like the tools used in creating Moon Brushes or weapon artifacts, different poisons had varying properties. It was more important to find one that allowed for a larger capacity of Qi and worked well with the technique, rather than relying on the poison itself. That was because Qi poisons comprised two parts, and their synergy together dictated its effectiveness.
One part was the mundane poison. The second part was the Qi infiltration system. It was like a spy team that delivered the payload. It snuck poison past the defense systems of its target, allowing the effects to persist longer and be more effective.
The compendium said it was akin to sending out tiny Qi soldiers to fight off the enemy. The various infiltration systems were how one trained their agents. The better it was, the more free rein the poison had to do its thing.
For Li Lang, he believed it was similar to computer viruses and antivirus software.
With that said, he still needed to perform a lot of testing to learn how to 'code'.
Right now, he only knew how to employ the existing poisons recorded in the texts. The manual was dated, with numerous materials he had never heard about, so his selection was severely limited.
He didn't mind though, as what he needed was a stable poison to perform tests with. He would further analyze how it worked after confirming the things he learned.
While Li Lang had plentiful materials for refining pills, his catalog was lacking for poisons. Many of the things he lacked were things he had seen before, but didn't see a reason to stock up on.
It made Li Lang rely on his companions once more.
During the evening, he found his acquaintances gathered as usual.
"Hey guys, I don't suppose you have these materials listed here, do you?"
The group gathered around the paper Li Lang placed on the table.
"Nima Roots, Cavandar Leaves, Branches from a Baleful sapling, and more?" Huang Si frowned. "Those are some unusual items you're looking for. I think only alchemists with a specific area of interest would have those on hand."
"Do you want me to ask around?" Sima Xue offered. "I have a few juniors that are alchemists."
"Yes, please. Thank you."
While Li Lang waited to hear back, he objectively analyzed his current standpoint and planned how to proceed.
He knew the artifact spirits of the pocket realm wouldn't let him stay forever. They told him Ruby was disturbing the energies in the realm, and they were a ticking time bomb. There was still a lot he wanted to get done.
In Brushweaving, he had yet to start learning how to enchant artifacts. Without his mentor, Yi Lin, he knew his progress would be slow, so he had put it off for the moment.
In Alchemy, he was tasked with refining a variant of a Qi Replenishment Pill that was of a specific element. It wasn't something he knew much about. He had failed every attempt so far without knowing why. As a result, it was placed on the lowest priority compared to the other trials.
As for the martial trials, it wasn't something he wanted to force. He would only take it when he was confident about completing it. After all, Li Lang wasn't a fighter, and he'd hate to get hurt. It would result in him having to rest instead of researching. That meant he would likely wait for his breakthrough to the seventh stage before proceeding.
Li Lang was confident in being able to juggle these three topics without losing any trial points for a long time, but alas, that was no longer the concern. He needed to wait for Blue, Green, and Orange's decision before he knew if he was welcome to stay. Either way, he would need to make plans for when things went awry.
To the onlookers, Li Lang had appeared no different from usual, completely ignorant of his woes. After coming up with some contingency plans, he continued like any other cultivator in the realm. He diligently worked on the techniques the trials had awarded him.
For a time, the pocket realm appeared to have quieted down. Everyone had their heads down, focused on their own training.
While Li Lang occasionally checked in with Blue to get an update, he was always met with the response that they needed more time.
It made Li Lang start to suspect that their perception of time was different from his. After all, the spirits lived for who knows how long. For those who were hundreds or even thousands of years old, months may just feel like minutes to them.
Lost in the flow of time, a month passed, then another. Before anyone knew it, two years had passed since the opening of the pocket realm.
Things only got more peaceful as time went on, as the unqualified were ejected from the place. There were fewer and fewer people left to lash out at others, which meant things were quiet. Everything was nice and fine until it was not.
In the early morning of a seemingly normal day, the skies suddenly rumbled, scaring away every Qi beast within the realm. The sun that had illuminated the place every day had begun to move backward, setting right after dawn.
The unnatural phenomenon caused all the cultivators to panic. It was nothing they had ever seen before, nor was it recorded in their organization's texts.
Only one person among the cultivators had any inkling as to what was happening.
"Ruby, does this mean those three are running out of time?"
Before the Origin artifact spirit could answer, three lights seeped into his room. They swiftly formed into three young humans. Each looked crestfallen.
"I'm assuming you guys have made a decision?" Li Lang asked, steeling himself for what was to come.
Either they accepted Ruby's offer to submit to him or they didn't. In the latter's case, there were several ways it could play out. They could turn violent, attempt to eject Ruby along with him, or even simply beg them to leave. Regardless, it would be a pivotal moment of his life.
Chapter 123: The Artifacts' Decision
"I'm assuming you guys have made a decision?"
Upon hearing Li Lang's questions, the three lifted their heads and made direct eye contact.
Each of them had many things going through their minds, but a consensus had been formed before they arrived. They had to swallow down any lingering regrets.
"That's right," Blue declared as she stepped forward. "We have run out of time. Our realm will collapse in a month's time, so we've made a decision."
"Hold on one moment. Ruby would like to join the conversation as well. Please place your hand here again."
As Li Lang held out his hat, Green and Orange wore bitter expressions. To them, Ruby was a supreme existence they couldn't defy. If they did, they would need the resolve to forfeit their lives.
"You three! About time, you've decided."
"Esteemed Ruby, thank you for your patience," Blue respectfully replied with a curtsy before urging her companions to speak as well.
"Umm, sorry for the delay. I hope you can forgive us?"
Green shook his head at Orange's pathetic display. Determined to have a better showing, he puffed out his chest.
"I appreciate you for being so accommodating. We have thought long and hard about your proposal and have come to a conclusion. We have decided to accept and submit to your master on one condition."
"Conditions? You want to talk about conditions with us?" Ruby's displeasure grew as she spoke.
"Please calm down," Blue interjected. "Our condition isn't anything that would make you lose out. We simply ask that you swear not to replace us."
At the artifact sprit's words, Li Lang frowned. He wasn't entirely sure what they were talking about, and he couldn't ask Ruby when they were also in contact with her, or so he thought.
"Master, what do you think?"
"Ruby? Can't they hear us?"
"Oh Master, didn't I tell you? I can do simple tasks, like controlling who I talk to."
"I see… I wanted to ask you what their deal is anyway. What do they mean by replacing them? Can you do that?"
"Not exactly. If I was in better condition, I could likely erase their existence, but I can't create new artifact spirits or anything like that."
"So they're simply afraid of something we can't do?"
"Yes. Once Master grows more powerful and learns how to create artifact spirits, we could replace them if you want. It'll take some time though, it's not easy to make any changes to Spirit-grade artifacts."
"As long as they submit to me, I don't see why I'd want to replace them. I don't think we even threatened them about this either, so why did they bring this up? Hmm, perhaps they're trying to get this promise because they're thinking ahead into the future."
"The future?" Ruby parroted.
"As spirits who have lived for a long time, they might simply be waiting out my lifespan. They don't think they can resist us right now, so they can only submit for the moment."
"They dare?! I'll go teach them a lesson right away!"
"Wait, stop! It's fine. Their intentions aren't exactly malicious, and it doesn't change that they'll be submitting to me."
While Li Lang and his Origin artifact conversed, the three artifact spirits of The Great Trial of Water Crest were internally panicking. They had stated their intentions to submit but received nothing in response.
It made them think the other party had some issues with their terms, which in turn meant they were planning on replacing them!
Through their connection, the three conveyed their emotion to each other. It added to their alarm. Thankfully, Li Lang finally broke the silence.
"We accept your conditions. How shall I proceed to take ownership of you guys?"
"Esteemed Ruby? Do we have your word?" Blue didn't fail to confirm with their object of fear first.
It was a rude gesture to bypass their soon-to-be owner, but it couldn't be helped, as Li Lang really was just too weak. The disparity between a sixth stage Energy Gatherer and a Spirit artifact was just too vast. It wasn't an exaggeration when they said most people around his level would often go about their entire lives without ever coming into contact with such a powerful artifact.
"My Master has spoken! Whatever he says, I listen, so of course you have my word! I hope you never doubt our master again!"
Ruby's aggression had made Orange take a step back, but Blue didn't falter. She nodded with a relieved expression.
"Thank you."
With the matter decided, the group soon found themselves back at the summit of the mountain again. The three spirits used their power to teleport them up there, allowing them access to the lone hut once more.
The outside world had calmed down somewhat, but the sky was still dark. There was enough visibility to see, but the dreary atmosphere was ever-present.
That all changed when they stepped into the hut.
Thrust into the world of yellow clouds and purple skies, Li Lang stared around curiously, waiting to see what would happen next. With Ruby, he took ownership when it absorbed his Qi Stone and blood. It was easy to imagine how it worked when the artifact was a small item that one could hold. in regard to the pocket realm, it was hard to make heads or tails of it.
"So the artifact you represent is this entire pocket realm, right?" Li Lang asked.
"Hmm, sort of?" Orange answered without hesitation. "We're three, but one at the same time."
His explanation didn't clarify anything, and Blue knew that, so she elaborated.
"We aren't a single artifact in the traditional sense at all. A single Spirit-grade artifact wouldn't have the power to sustain such a large realm. Our progenitor tried many times but failed at creating a Divine-grade artifact, so he combined us three Spirit-grade artifacts together instead."
"Interesting!" Li Lang exclaimed.
He hadn't even gotten started in artificing yet he was already intrigued.
"So," he continued, "where can I see your real bodies? It has to be somewhere here if you're taking me here, right?"
Instead of using words, the three artifact spirits used action to respond.
The clouds began to part, and a large looming shadow approached. It closed the distance silently. It appeared slow, but in the blink of an eye, it suddenly appeared right before Li Lang.
It was an island. A floating island.
It was large enough to hold three football fields and had a modest dwelling at the center of it. Other than the lone structure, there was only grass and a small field at the center of it next to the house.
Before Li Lang could get a good look at the dwelling, the three spirits urged him to follow them.
"It's just inside here."
Entering the house, Li Lang was a little taken aback at the modest sight. There wasn't anything special inside. It was just a simple room, like any mortal would live in, except larger. There were no interior walls, and the entire building was like a giant studio apartment.
Various things were messily scattered about. However, the things weren't covered in a thick layer of dust or anything. Despite the mess, it added credence to the theory that someone actively lived there.
"Do you guys live here?"
"Hmph, of course not," Green grunted. "This place belonged to our previous master. We kept it the same way he left it."
"I see."
The group continued their way toward the bed in the corner. Once they got there, the three sprits closed their eyes and the wall beside the bed began to shake. Three flashes of light abruptly shot out from the wall and fell onto the bed.
Li Lang leaned in and examined the object that had newly appeared. It was a strange item made of three large balls, made with pearl-like material. They were stuck together, forming a triangle.
Just as he was about to speak out, he noticed the melancholic expression the three spirits wore.
Li Lang knew the three were still attached to their old master, so he allowed them a brief moment to reminisce. They only agreed to serve him for the sake of self-preservation. He felt a little guilty inside, but the deal was just too good to pass on.
For Li Lang, it was a huge step toward gaining some sense of security
He may not have vocalized it, but he was constantly on edge ever since he got into this world. A lot had happened. His foster family was torn apart, and he was left to fend for himself in an unfamiliar place. He couldn't even fully lose himself in research, as he knew he had to be on guard at all times and plan for his uncertain future.
Now that may change.
With a powerful Spirit artifact on his side and one that contained an entire miniature world, he fancied the prospect of having a safe haven to fall back on.
If none of the large organizations outside can claim this pocket realm, it means this place is a natural fortress, right?
Chapter 124: Artifact Binding
"Li Lang, this is our real body. Place your hand on it when you're ready," Blue wistfully said.
Not wanting to overstep, Li Lang ignored the somber mood and did as instructed. He held up the strange object that comprised three large pearls of different colors, stuck together to form a triangular shape.
Unlike its appearance, it weighed close to nothing. If Li Lang hadn't known better, he would have thought it was just some eccentric ornament.
"We will begin the binding process," Blue said. "It may hurt just a bit and we will have to do it three times, but it should be quick."
"Go ahead."
Li Lang had thought of this possibility when he recalled how it went with Ruby. Seeing how Li Lang had nothing to say, the artifact in his hand began to glow.
Immediately, Li Lang felt his Qi being drained into the artifact in his hand. It had such a strong suction force that he couldn't resist. He was like a raft in the middle of a storm, only to be pushed around by a greater force.
The entire process only lasted several seconds, but to Li Lang, it felt much longer. Within a second, he could feel fatigue beginning to set in. The rapid loss of Qi sapped him of his energy. It made his mind dull, as if he had lost a significant amount of blood.
Then he felt a prick on his thumb holding the blue pearl. He watched as a dash of red entered into the ball as if it contained water within. It quickly settled, leaving Li Lang staring, aghast.
"Is that it?" he questioned.
Blue didn't have to verbalize her response as a shock ran through Li Lang's body. It caused him to feel indescribable pain deep within his being. As a bio-defense expert, he was knowledgeable about the human body, but he had no idea what the source of his pain was. That was because the pain came from his literal soul and spirit!
Binding with artifacts was a regular thing for most cultivators. Most people in the Foundation Establishment would have experienced it at least once. However, none of them felt the same pain because it was rare for someone to bind with an artifact that was vastly more powerful than them.
Artifacts were treasures. However, it needed capable hands to take control of them. Otherwise, it would just be a waste. A low-level cultivator wouldn't be able to make use of its power. In the first place, the artifact spirits wouldn't allow themselves to take someone that much weaker than them as masters. It was in their interest to sell them off for additional cultivation resources instead.
Nevertheless, there were still some cases of these low-level cultivators taking in more than they could chew. It left them in a precarious situation where they wouldn't have full control of the artifact. In those instances, only those who learned how to get along with these spirits and grow rapidly in strength would prosper. Others lost control, hurting themselves in the process, or became targets of those lusting for their treasure.
Thankfully, Li Lang didn't have to worry about any of this. With Ruby's presence, it was hard to imagine an artifact spirit being stupid enough to go against him.
After what felt like an eternity to Li Lang, he finally broke free from the chilling pain that seeped into every inch of his body. He found his robes soaked with sweat and breathing heavily.
"Master, are you okay?" Ruby's voice rang out.
"That was… worse than I expected. It wasn't this painful when I bounded with you."
"That's likely because the pain back then crossed your threshold and immediately knocked you out."
Before Li Lang could answer, he felt himself being shaken. He opened his eyes to find Blue, just a few inches away, staring intently at him.
"You're awake? Good, it seems like you didn't get injured either."
"Yeah, I'm fine. Are we done?"
Unfortunately, Blue shook her head.
"There's still two more to go."
She stepped to the side, revealing Orange and Green standing there. Orange had an embarrassed expression, while Green smirked.
"Right, two more times…"
After the painful experience, Li Lang had finally taken ownership of The Great Trial of Water Crest. With this far-reaching event behind him, he began to plan for the future.
His situation had drastically changed. His new artifact spirit did not possess ultimate combat potential, but it contained valuable knowledge.
It brought him closer to power, and one step closer to being able to confront the infamous Abductress who had kidnapped his two childhood friends. After all, the Abductress was someone rumored to be in the Spirit Divide realm, the same level of power as his new Spirit-grade treasure.
It had been years since he had last seen Zi Xi and Zi Xiao Mei. It was hard to say if they were still alive. The only thing he could go on was the Abductress' words that she wouldn't take their lives. Li Lang could only furrow his brows as he thought of the fate his friends had met.
At the same time, he felt a little guilty for being ecstatic at having attained the pocket realm. It had everything he wanted. A safe haven, knowledge, and a sense of security.
I just need to work harder at trying to save them. Trying is the least I can do.
If only there was a reliable expert who I could trade this artifact in return for saving them. Unfortunately, I'll likely end up being betrayed instead. It's just too easy to screw over a weak Energy Gatherer with no background.
For a moment, Li Lang envied Sima Xue and Tang Yulian's powerful background. They likely had elders to rely on, and a family they could unconditionally trust. He was happy for them, but yearned to have things on easy mode as well.
He knew that humans were social animals. They thrived when they united their power together. It allowed them to specialize in their respective field and pool their resources together. As great as The Orchid Covenant was for Li Lang and his peers, it simply was too hard to trust them fully.
The organization was too loose, with mostly benefits being the driving force. At the same time, it was hard for the boys to utilize their resources, as they weren't in a position of power. They were just newcomers. Only those at the top could utilize the collective resources of an organization.
Thinking up to that point, an idea struck him.
Why don't I create my own organization? Hmm, we're too weak for anyone to want to join, but we can still establish a foothold first, right? As long as I use it correctly, the Cleansing Drug is my biggest trump card in this matter.
The more he thought about it, the more attractive the idea sounded. Taking control of an organization meant control of all the resources as well. It would surely accelerate his progress in whatever endeavor he wanted to do. It didn't take much for Li Lang to set his new long-term goal.
"Have you recovered already… Master?" Blue immediately inquired as soon as Li Lang opened his eyes.
"Yes, I'm fine now, thank you. Can you bring me back to my room? I want to get a change of clothes."
"No worries, Master!" Orange interjected. "I can just fetch them like this."
With a snap of the finger, Orange materialized some familiar-looking clothes as if he were a genie.
Li Lang didn't comment on the scene as it wasn't surprising considering he could teleport living beings such as himself. Lifeless objects must surely be easier. As he got changed into new clothes, he began questioning his new helpers.
"So now that I've taken ownership of you guys, does that mean I can control who comes and goes from here?"
"That's right, we can kick out anyone you don't want here or open up the entrance as well," Green said as he flexed his arms.
"Mas…ter, we should first open up the Qi channels to the outside world," Blue interjected. "We did say we still had a month, but it's better to restore the place to normality sooner rather than later."
"Okay, what should I do?"
"We simply need your command. Should we carry out the task of opening the Qi channels?"
"Yes, go ahead."
The three artifact spirits closed their eyes and stilled for a moment. After a few moments, nothing happened. Even when they declared they had completed the task, the entire place still seemed to be unchanged.
However, the most unsettling fact was how his three new artifact spirits remained quiet, as if they had their attention drawn to something serious.
"Umm, is everything okay?"
Chapter 125: Teahouse
Outside The Great Trial of Water Crest, numerous organizations still had representatives gathered around. They were there to await the return of their disciples.
It wasn't a rare scene, as these organizations often had a history with each other. It would be unthinkable to leave their talented future generation vulnerable to the malice of their enemies.
At the same time, they gathered to collect information with each other. Unlike in the modern world, the sects didn't have diplomats stationed in each other's territory. A chance to communicate with their peers and acquire intelligence was too good to pass up on. That was why, while they each had their own camp set up, they also had one central hub, where the elders from various organizations gathered.
It was a simple teahouse that one would see in any town. No one would blink an eye at it if not for how out of place it was, existing outside any permanent settlements. However, for the cultivators present, it was nothing special. It simply meant a qualified woodsmith had applied their expertise.
The atmosphere inside this teahouse varied depending on the floor.
On the first floor, many sat around and chatted while sipping on their drinks. The only thing missing from a usual teahouse was a storyteller.
The second floor was slightly less boisterous. It was where the private rooms were, for when they needed to discuss matters requiring discretion.
As for the third floor, it was much quieter. As if there was an invisible barrier that blocked out all the sound from below. It was eerily silent. That was because it was designed that way. It was where cultivators could cultivate in earnest, free from any distractions. While the cultivators could return to their own organization's camp, it was simply more convenient if they planned on staying around.
As it was currently noon, most of the people within this establishment gathered on the first floor.
While they merrily drank their beverage of choice, a discourse had once again broken out.
"Old An, I heard another one of your disciples had just been kicked out yesterday! That means you owe me that bottle of hundred-year White Blossom Wine!"
"You old snake. You've been eyeing my wine for all these years, so how can I know you didn't order your disciples to play any tricks? I'm calling this bet off!"
"You damn fossil, who still plays with worms at your age. You dare to go back on a bet? Do you think I'm as soft as tofu, and will bend as you want? Willing to bet, then you must be willing to lose. Pay up!"
The two elders slammed their tables and stood up to their full height, glaring at each other. The people in the background continued chatting as if nothing was happening. While it partly might have been due to their confidence in their powerful cultivation, a bigger reason was definitely due to the presence of a certain personage.
This special character was Jian Beiyun, the current head disciple of the Nightmoon Valley. As the de facto leading organization within the Luminescent realm, all the elders present gave the young man some face, treating him as their equal. In fact, they gave him more than that. That was due to Nightmoon Valley's tendency to police the realm. They knew to leave it to a member of their organization when conflict broke out.
"Elder An, Guardian Su, how you are both doing today?"
Jian Beiyun approached with a jovial demeanor, as if he hadn't witnessed the fighting at all. The two older men in question didn't disregard him, but instead acted as if they were little boys caught by their parents doing something naughty.
"Young Master Jian! We're both doing great! Thank you for asking."
"That's right, we're just getting a little too excited due to the small bets we made in jest."
"Oh, bets? I heard that's been getting popular among folks around here these days." He scanned the room, but no one met his gaze. "Seeing how there are significantly fewer youngsters left in the pocket realm, why don't we make the betting more official? I can be the host, so rest assured to place your bets with me."
"Ohoho, interesting," a high-pitched voice laughed out, coming from a large man built like a sumo wrestler. "Brother Jian, let me join in on the fun too. My Myriad Bones Pavilion can co-host it with you. With Brother Jian's credibility and my financial capabilities, I assume no one has any complaints, right?"
The large man guffawed once more while holding onto his sizeable stomach with both hands. Soon, words of agreement came one after the other, and the matter was settled.
A space in the corner was swiftly cleared out, allowing a gambling table to be set up.
"Place your bets, place your bets! You must bet spirit stones if you're betting against the house. For side bets using other resources, please go to the other side over there," a young woman cried out.
"I place twenty orange spirit crystals on Tang Yulian staying the longest!"
"One hundred on Sima Xue!"
"Two hundred on Liang Po!"
As the betting ramped up, Jian Beiyun watched on with his co-host off to the side. Upon seeing the rowdy scene, Jian Beiyun nodded appreciatively.
"Does this satisfy you, Brother Jian?" the extra large-sized man asked.
"Of course, Elder Quan. It's all thanks to you."
"Haha, no need to be so formal, and stop calling me elder. I'm not that old yet!"
Jian Beiyun revealed a trace of hesitation through his smile but quickly adjusted it. He had to hold his tongue, lest he offend the large man before him for no reason. Swallowing down his reluctance along with the knowledge of the man's four-digit age, he replied back merrily.
"Sure thing, Brother Quan. I was just happy to see everyone getting along for once. This is how we should be. United, so those so-called righteous hypocrites won't dare to overreach."
The portly elder simply let out a hearty laugh in response.
Their happy times didn't last long. All of a sudden, the entire venue went silent.
Every cultivator turned to the same direction, at the entrance of the pocket realm. No one spoke for several dozen breaths. But then, all hell broke loose.
"What in the world is happening?! This has never happened before for hundreds of years since the discovery of this realm!"
"Please excuse me, everyone, I must report back to my leader at once."
"Likewise. Good day to you all."
While everyone rushed into action, Jian Beiyun and Elder Quan did the same. They rapidly exited the building and flew up to a better vantage point. With their cultivation, they could easily count the blades of grass by the pocket realm at this distance.
However, what they were focused on at the moment wasn't something tangible. Each cultivator employed their own methods to observe the flow of Qi in the area. Their vision presented a violent vortex of energy rushing into the pocket realm.
"Elder Quan," Jian Beiyun inadvertently reverted his way of addressing the imposing giant. "As the most experienced person here, what do you make of this situation?"
"Strange. Very strange. Artificial pocket realms normally don't do this by themselves. We know this realm was created by a powerful organization in the past, but it still can't operate by itself. We've confirmed no one was inside before the kids went in. There's no way anyone below the peak of Violet Core could subdue an artifact powerful enough to host such a sizable pocket realm. Hopefully, it is a special function of the artifact created with the old ways unknown to us. Otherwise, I fear it would mean someone had managed to avoid our detection. That is someone far more powerful than what we can handle. We should inform our ancestors to be safe."
Jian Beiyun swallowed hard at his companion arriving at the same conclusion. He had hoped this senior had the knowledge about strange artifacts that could activate themselves. As the possibility of the situation getting out of control grew, he could only silently pray for his junior sister's safety as well as all the young cultivators still inside.
The strange phenomenon that took hold of the pocket realm had alerted all its inhabitants. However, it didn't last long. After half a day, everything returned to normal, and the cultivators put it long behind them. As curious as some of them were, they had more important things to attend to.
After two years since entering the pocket realm, a little over half the people had already been ejected. A majority of those who remained struggled with the few points they had left. Every day was a struggle. This included Wei Ping in Li Lang's group.
He had been stressing about his next breakthrough to the sixth stage of Energy Gathering. Perhaps due to this stress, he was still stuck in his bottleneck. Thankfully, they all entered the pocket realm, having gotten started on a craft. They were ahead of those at their age. That was why their entire group still remained.
However, there was another reason why Wei Ping still had plenty of trial points to spare, despite the bottleneck he faced in his cultivation. It was still fresh in their memory during the day, after the pocket realm was in disarray. Li Lang had invited both him and Long Yi into his room that day to break some news to them.
"I don't know how to say this, so I'll just be direct. I've taken control of this pocket realm."
"Come again?" Long Yi replied.
"I have taken ownership of this pocket realm. I can control who enters and leaves."
"What?!"
Chapter 126: Alerting All Parties
"Umm, is everything okay?" Li Lang asked as he noticed the three artifact spirit's troubled expressions.
The three of them were silently staring off into the distance with their eyes closed.
"Hmm, it's hard to say, M…Master," Blue replied.
"You don't have to force yourself to call me master if you don't want to. I don't mind you just calling me Li Lang or something else."
"I can't do that," Blue hesitantly answered. "Your esteemed Origin artifact would reprimand me if I took such a casual tone with you. Do not worry, I can adjust. We all will."
"Don't sweat it. We have time. So what's gotten you guys so puzzled?"
"Here, it'll be faster to show you."
At her words, a small yellow cloud flew up from below. It flew just above them before beginning to rain. The strange part was that none of the rain landed on Li Lang. The water had a mind of its own, gathering right before Li Lang. It swirled and soon formed a water mirror depicting the scenes from outside.
Hundreds of cultivators could be seen floating up in the sky. They surrounded the four pillars that marked the pocket realm, each staring at it unflinchingly. Their serious demeanor showed they meant business. Li Lang could only imagine the tension in the air if he was there in person, in the presence of numerous Foundation Establishment and Violet Core cultivators.
"What are they doing? Did they find out someone took ownership of you guys? Because if that is so, we're in trouble."
"Umm, we're not sure if they know. That's why we are so concerned," Orange timidly clarified.
"Yeah," Green joined in. "If they do realize something, they may contact those grand elders of theirs. If those guys come, while they may not be able to hurt us, they could forcibly move us if they band together."
"Is my previous command what alerted them?"
"Yes, Master," Blue nodded. "They likely noticed the inflow of Qi."
"Why didn't you three warn me, then?"
"Our hands were forced. We needed to open the Qi channels eventually, or we'd start collapsing. Don't worry. It's likely they'll just observe from a distance."
Are they taking me lightly because of my low cultivation or young age? Well, it's likely both. I can't let the beginning of our relationship turn out like this.
"Blue, Orange, and Green! All three of you will have to promise me you'll never withhold any crucial information like this again. Got it?"
"Of course, Master."
"Uh, I'm so sorry, master. We won't do it again."
"Got it."
"Now tell me. What else can you guys do besides being a giant trial for the younger generation?"
"Master, there isn't much else we can do," Blue said. "All our power goes into maintaining this large space, so we have no offensive capabilities."
"That's…understandable. How long do you need to absorb the outside Qi before you can stop, then?"
"If you plan on staying inside, Master, it's better to keep it open and allow the flow to stabilize. Things will calm down soon."
"Won't the cultivators outside remain suspicious, then?"
"They've seen it already. It won't change much. This way, they may think we're just carrying some old orders left by our previous master."
Li Lang could only sigh at his ignorance in the matter. He didn't know what was best for them in this situation. He simply was too inexperienced in dealing with artifacts.
"They don't look to be doing anything, so let's just watch and see for now. If they do try something, are you guys able to relocate?"
"No. With your cultivation, you won't be able to move us. You'll at least need to be in Foundation Establishment to do that."
"Then it's out of our hands. There isn't much we can do now."
Realizing the futility of overthinking it, Li Lang decided to be more productive. He may no longer need to worry about the trial points, but that didn't mean he needed to stop progressing. Besides, he also had to care for his companions.
He got the artifact spirits to teleport him back to his room, where he then sauntered off to find his peers. It didn't take long, as he found every member already gathered in the mess hall.
"You guys are early. I thought I'd have to wait for you if my searches ended up empty."
"What are you talking about, Li Lang?" Long Yi replied. "Of course, we're all going to gather here after the stuff that's been happening. The entire realm shook, and all the Qi beasts were disturbed. It was even dark out when it was still daytime. Then it all returned to normal as if nothing had happened!"
"Oh, right."
The entire table looked at Li Lang strangely, but quickly wrote it off as his usual eccentrics. Li Lang sat down and listened to them discuss the situation for a while. He waited for the moment the conversation died down and split off into smaller ones.
"Wei Ping, Long Yi, can you come with me for a second?"
They both nodded without hesitation and stood up. They were used to Li Lang doing this when he needed to discuss sensitive information. Their most frequent topic was regarding the Cleansing Drug, which was followed by Li Lang taking some samples of their flesh and blood.
When they closed the door to the room, they sat down as they usually did. However, Li Lang stayed by the door, facing away from them.
"W-what's the matter, boss?"
"You losing trial points again? It hasn't been easy for any of us, but I think you'll be able to hang in there with three things you could be working on. We just have two."
Li Lang ignored them and kept his back facing them with his eyes closed as he was deliberating how to break the news. He suddenly banged on the door and turned around.
"Screw it. I don't know how to say this, so I'll just be direct. I've taken control of this pocket realm."
"Come again?" Long Yi replied.
"I have taken ownership of this pocket realm. I can control who enters and leaves."
"What?!"
Li Lang took a moment to survey Wei Ping's reaction and found him surprisingly calm.
"You're not surprised by this?"
"N-no, I am. It's j-just that I know you w-wouldn't joke with us like this. I'm all ears if y-you want to explain. It's fine if y-you don't, too."
Li Lang sighed at the scene.
"I can't give you the details, but I somehow subdued the artifact that controls this realm. I've told them to allow you two to remain inside unconditionally already."
"Then we don't have to worry about making progress anymore?" Long Yi muttered. "Hooray! I can finally take a break! You can keep your secrets if you want. Just make the realm give me some real food! I'm so tired of these Nourishment Pills."
The other two only spared Long Yi a glance before ignoring him.
"B-boss, this is," Wei Ping sucked in his breath, "very significant. Wouldn't the a-artifact of this place be very powerful?"
"It can't attack, but it'll serve well as an impregnable fortress. In fact, once I break through to Foundation Establishment, I plan on using this place as our home base."
"T-that will probably t-take a few years if we continue to d-do our best. Let's p-proceed as we have been."
"What?" Long Yi interjected. "Come on, guys. Let's have a break for one day. Or even one meal, at the very least. You can get us free food now, right?"
"I probably can," Li Lang replied. "But I'd rather not do that while so many other cultivators are still around. People will start asking questions if you start stuffing yourself with food."
"Y-yeah. Like his s-sanity for spending points on food."
"Does this mean I have to continue as it is? Noooooo!"
All the experts from various organizations camping outside The Great Trial of Water Crest didn't have to wait long before they received news. An entire two years had passed since the opening of the pocket realm. Multiple disciples were ejected each day. Very few manage to stay inside for three or more years. From this point forth, every day was an achievement.
Even the people from a prestigious organization like the Nightmoon Valley were no different.
"Junior Wong, tell me everything that happened yesterday inside the pocket realm."
"Senior Jian, you guys noticed it too from outside?"
Jian Beiyun nodded.
"Just tell me your side of the story for now. It's important information that I have to include in my report. You can ask your questions with the others later."
"Well, the entire realm suddenly went into chaos. The outdoor area inside remained dark despite it being daytime, and the entire place rumbled. It recovered very fast, though. Less than the time it takes to burn an incense."
"That's all? Nothing else? No disciples acting suspiciously or anything like that?"
"Oh, Tang Yulian had broken through to Foundation Establishment a while back. Senior Sister Sima is gearing up for her own breakthrough as well, along with that Liang Po."
Jian Beiyun sighed at the lack of useful information. The junior before him obviously didn't take note of the incident relating to the pocket realm.
"You may go."
Not long after Junior Wong had left, Jian Beiyun took out his sound transmission jade.
"I have an important report to make that should be relayed to the grand ancestor."
Chapter 127: Various Investigations
A few weeks passed after Jian Beiyun had reported back to his superiors, but nothing happened. There was no movement. He was told that the grand ancestor had been informed, and that was the end of it. No further instructions or news.
This strange reaction wasn't an isolated incident. From conversing with the members of the other organization, they all received similar responses. It was as if the highest-level cultivators within the Luminescent Domain had unanimously decided to ignore the issue.
Left with no choice, Jian Beiyun could only helplessly stare out at the pocket realm every day, hoping for the best.
Very soon, the incident had been pushed to the back of most people's minds. All the members of the younger generation who came out of the pocket realm had nothing to add. Everything inside remained normal. Several organizations had even left, as all their disciples had returned.
While that meant the place quieted down, but there was one place that didn't. The betting table Jian Beiyun had set up remained lively every day. More and more cultivators placed a bet as the days passed. There were even more that were waiting for there to be fewer people remaining within the pocket realm. They waited for the number of contestants to go down from the three-digit to the two-digit ballpark.
Like this, months passed.
An entire year after Jian Beiyun's report, an important incident took place that shook every cultivator in the vicinity. They couldn't be blamed, as several powerful figures from various organizations had arrived together.
A group of eight Spirit Divide cultivators had appeared!
They each varied in appearance. Some took the form of a young child, while others, an old man with hunched backs. There were quite a few who even had scales instead of skin, making them look like beasts rather than humans.
Their auras were restrained, but every cultivator present could instinctively feel the level of threat each of them posed. It wasn't an exaggeration to say every single one of these Spirit Divide cultivators could take on everyone else present by themselves.
At the forefront of this group was an old man. Despite his age, he had well-defined muscles and strong features.
Jian Beiyun immediately stepped forward and respectfully greeted him.
"Master, you have personally come?"
"That's right. On ancestor's instructions."
"Understood. I look forward to your guidance," Jian Beiyun bowed.
"Remain on standby. We are simply here to observe for now."
"Very well…"
Hearing the esteemed elder's words, everyone on the first floor of the teahouse began to disband. That included the eminent Spirit Divide experts, who dispersed into their own respective organizations.
Instead of returning to their own encampment as well, Jian Beiyun proceeded to guide his master up to the second floor. They sat down inside a private room and he began brewing tea like a model disciple would.
"What's the matter, Beiyun? How many times have I told you not to bottle things up? Speak when something troubles you. If you continue to ignore my teachings, you'll only have yourself to blame when cultivation deviations befall you."
"I apologize," he lowered his head. "It's just that this incident is too strange. You guys ignored us for a whole year and then suddenly showed up. I'm just feeling unsure if I would be overstepping if I pressed for answers."
"Uncertainty creates stress, but there are matters that will stress you out even more if you knew about them. Ignorance is bliss. Alas, you will one day assume a position where you will have to shoulder these woes. I chose you as the head disciples for a reason. I have no intention of hiding these matters from you. This is a burden you will have to learn how to carry."
"I thank you for your consideration, Master. I will do my best to live up to your expectations."
The old man nodded as his young disciples poured him tea. He waited until he had a chance to take a sip before continuing.
"After your report, the ancestor paused their closed-door cultivator and personally went out to investigate."
"What?! The ancestor himself?"
"Beiyun, you should know that matters that may involve Celestials in the Heaven Link realm are not to be taken lightly. Our ancestor knows that, and so do all the other Spirit Divide cultivators. That's why they immediately mobilized to search for news from the mainland."
"Right. I'm not questioning the ancestor's decision. I know if there really is such an expert, they must be from the mainland. But even if one needs to be at least in the Spirit Divide realm to cross the cloud seas, it doesn't mean all the ancestors had to be mobilized. Couldn't you have gone yourself, Master?"
"I tried convincing him, but he wouldn't have it any other way. It wasn't for nothing, though. People like our ancestors who have been around for such a long time naturally have their connections. We were able to swiftly secure reliable intel."
"And the results?"
"No movement at all. None of the human factions on the mainland observed any Celestials leaving the mainland."
Jian Beiyun was visibly taken aback at the news.
"There's no way someone on Violet Isle broke through without anyone noticing. Does that mean it's someone from the hundred races?"
"Nothing can be confirmed. The most favored theory is a newly ascended Spirit Divide expert. That's why we're here."
"Hmm, we've thoroughly swept the area and found no signs of that. We should've been able to detect a newly ascended Spirit Divide cultivator."
"Maybe, if they were the sole person there. Are you able to confidently say the same if they hid themselves among the large crowd that came here after?"
"That…makes no sense. Why would they do that? Even if they hid among the disciples, they shouldn't be able to enter the pocket realm with their bone age."
"Beiyun, never assume what we know as absolute. Things are always changing and new information is discovered every day. They may have discovered a way into the pocket realm that we don't know of. Anyway, I've also investigated the background of each person who had entered the realm. Please give me a list of all those who were inside when the event happened."
"Of course, Master. I have it right here."
"Oh, it's rare to see you so organized without being told. Good, good, good. You've improved, Beiyun."
Jian Beiyun could only politely clasp his fist toward his master as he kept quiet. There was no way he would explain how the list was compiled for gambling. It was something he would keep quiet about unless directly asked.
"You two, we should prepare to leave the realm soon," Li Lang declared.
"What? I thought we could stay for as long as we liked?"
"We can, but that would be detrimental to us. I've spoken to Blue, one of the artifact spirits of this place. She told me we could resume our trials at a later time. We need to leave here before we draw too much attention to ourselves. The last thing I need is someone discovering the fact that I obtained this place."
Having obtained the pocket realm didn't mean Li Lang could now isolate himself for all of time. He still needed to be part of society in order to obtain resources and knowledge.
Blue had told him that it was impossible for the current him to overturn the rules of the pocket realm. That meant he could only obtain the rewards after passing the relevant trials. Despite being the owner, he would have to play by the existing rules. However, he didn't have a time limit and could make his attempts at a late date.
"I thought you couldn't move this place yet?"
"Correct. We can come back for it later. It's not like it'll be going anywhere."
"B-boss," Wei Ping interjected. "Can we h-hold off for a little while longer first?"
It only took an instant for Li Lang to realize why Wei Ping made such a request. He was extremely close to breaking through his bottleneck. Having access to the martial trial was a huge boon.
"Hmm, I don't want us to be the last ones out and draw attention, but maybe I can have everyone else remain longer, then?"
Wei Ping wasn't the only one close to breaking through. Practically everyone who remained was in a similar situation. Li Lang himself could retain the connection with his Qi at a small distance, if only for a split second. Both Sima Xue and Liang Po were now at the peak of Energy Gathering.
Li Lang also wanted to stay longer as he was close to completing his research on his newly devised Qi poison. At the same time, he knew there were many materials awaiting him out in the real world, so he had reluctantly listened to the logical side of himself. Now that Wei Ping was also begging for more time, he easily relented.
Unbeknownst to the young cultivators, it was their decision to prolong their stay that caused a commotion outside.
Three years after the opening of the pocket realm, over two dozen people still remained inside.
Four years after the opening, that number remained unchanged.
To put into perspective, in the previous decade, the person who came in eighth place for staying in the pocket realm for the longest only remained inside for three years.
This caused everyone outside to panic. One strange phenomenon came after the other. Some feared the disciples inside had met an untimely end. Yet, they were powerless to do anything. No one could enter inside.
It was only five years since the opening of the pocket realm that their hopes were reignited. Several figures could be seen emerging from The Great Trial of Water Crest!