Wang Quan, Zhang Qiu, Liu Ruohan, and the others moved cautiously forward. The air ahead gradually became disturbed, filled with chaotic fluctuations of spiritual energy, as though a fierce battle was taking place.
"There's someone ahead," Li Yuan whispered, his expression tense.
Zhang Qiu immediately halted, raising his hand to signal for everyone to stay alert. His gaze darkened as the distant sound of explosions reached his ears, the unmistakable result of magical combat.
"Let's go check it out," Zhang Qiu said in a low voice, clearly unwilling to miss any potential opportunities, especially in the secret realm where battles often meant the imminent appearance of valuable treasures.
The four of them quickly concealed themselves and stealthily approached the source of the commotion. Not far ahead, they spotted four cultivators locked in a fierce standoff. These cultivators were clearly not from Yunxiao Sect, as they wore the distinct robes of Tianque Sect and Xuanshao Sect, their eyes filled with hostility as they confronted one another.
What drew their attention most was the plant growing quietly between the cracks of a rock in the middle of the four cultivators—a black-glowing herb. It was surrounded by a faint, dark aura and exuded a mysterious medicinal fragrance, as though it were a naturally formed treasure.
"That's…" Liu Ruohan's eyes narrowed, and she gasped softly, "Black Jade Grass!"
Hearing this, Wang Quan's heart skipped a beat. Black Jade Grass was an extremely rare herb, known for its ability to rapidly heal injuries. It could even be refined into the sacred healing pill, Black Jade Pill, one of the few medicines capable of treating internal injuries left behind from intense battles.
Such a herb was almost impossible to find in the outside world, yet here it was, appearing in the secret realm.
"Black Jade Grass!" Zhang Qiu also recognized the herb, and a flash of excitement crossed his eyes. For any cultivator, this herb was an invaluable treasure, especially in a place like the secret realm where battles could break out at any moment. A healing herb of this caliber was priceless.
"They're clearly fighting over the Black Jade Grass," Wang Quan whispered as his gaze flickered over the four cultivators.
Two of them were disciples of Tianque Sect, while the other two hailed from Xuanshao Sect. Their battle was fierce, with spiritual energy and magic colliding violently, shattering trees and rocks around them.
"Tianque Sect and Xuanshao Sect have already started fighting," Li Yuan muttered, his expression grave. Clearly, neither side was willing to let the other claim the Black Jade Grass, and the fight for it had escalated into a brutal struggle.
The Tianque Sect disciples specialized in wind techniques. One wielded a short blade, its sharp edge cloaked in cutting wind energy, while the Xuanshao Sect disciples used sinister poison techniques. The air around them was filled with a faint purple-black mist, making it hard to breathe.
As the battle grew more intense, the two sides showed no sign of backing down. Meanwhile, Zhang Qiu's eyes flickered, clearly calculating the best moment to intervene.
"Should we make a move?" Liu Ruohan asked softly, her eyes questioning.
Zhang Qiu thought for a moment before speaking in a low, resolute tone. "Since the Black Jade Grass has appeared, it's heaven-sent fortune. If we can obtain it, whether for refining pills or keeping it for emergencies, it will be invaluable."
Wang Quan silently agreed. Although they were few in number, if they struck at the right moment, they might be able to seize the Black Jade Grass while the others were preoccupied. The value of such a rare herb was too great to pass up.
"Let's move quickly while they're locked in combat," Zhang Qiu decided, his eyes gleaming with determination as lightning energy subtly coursed through his body.
Wang Quan nodded, his hand resting on his sword as he began to circulate his five-element spiritual energy. He knew this skirmish had to be swift. If they delayed too long, more disciples from Tianque Sect and Xuanshao Sect might arrive, complicating the situation.
The four of them stealthily advanced, keeping low as the battle between the Tianque and Xuanshao disciples raged on. The combatants were so focused on each other that they failed to notice the approaching Yunxiao Sect disciples.
Suddenly, Zhang Qiu made the first move. He raised his hand, and a bolt of fierce lightning streaked through the air, striking one of the Xuanshao Sect disciples directly.
"Boom!"
The lightning exploded upon impact, and the Xuanshao disciple, caught off guard, was sent flying backward, his black robes torn by the electric force as he spat blood.
"Damn it! Yunxiao Sect!" the remaining Tianque and Xuanshao disciples quickly realized they had been ambushed, their faces turning pale as they prepared to defend themselves.
Wang Quan, Li Yuan, and Liu Ruohan attacked almost simultaneously, unleashing their spiritual power. Sword light and wind blades shot toward the two Tianque Sect disciples, who were caught off guard. Panic flashed in their eyes—they hadn't expected Yunxiao Sect to strike so suddenly, and they were quickly put on the defensive.
"Retreat!" the Tianque and Xuanshao disciples shouted, realizing they were outmatched and couldn't hold their ground against four opponents. Without hesitation, the Xuanshao disciples released a cloud of toxic mist to cover their retreat, while the Tianque disciples used wind blades as a shield, quickly withdrawing from the scene.
"Running away already?" Zhang Qiu sneered, his lightning still crackling as he watched them flee.
Although the disciples of Tianque and Xuanshao had temporarily retreated, the cold, vengeful looks in their eyes made it clear that they hadn't given up and would likely return for another confrontation when the opportunity arose.
Standing beside Zhang Qiu, Wang Quan glanced at the retreating figures and said in a low voice, "They won't give up so easily."
Zhang Qiu nodded, his tone carrying a hint of coldness. "No matter. They're just backing down for now. There will be bigger confrontations later."
He then walked over to the Black Jade Grass, carefully plucking it from the crack in the stone and storing it in his pouch.
"The Black Jade Grass is ours. We won't divide it now—it'll be useful later," Zhang Qiu said. The others nodded in agreement, understanding that this wasn't the right time to argue over the treasure, despite each of them coveting it.
"Let's keep moving," Zhang Qiu commanded. Without further delay, the four of them quickly resumed their journey, heading deeper into the secret realm.