Half a year is but a fleeting moment for a cultivator.
When Xiao Chen opened his eyes from his seclusion, the gale outside the cave carried a different aura—it was the spontaneous gathering of spiritual energy from heaven and earth before the secret realm was about to open.
The cyan jade tablet in his hand was now slightly warm, and the character "隐" (hidden) on its surface was glowing faintly, clearly indicating that it had begun to guide the way to the entrance of the secret realm.
"Senior Brother, you're finally awake!"
Stone had been waiting impatiently for a while, gnawing on a golden-brown roasted beast leg. "If we don't leave soon, Misty Valley will open!"
In the past six months, besides cultivating with Xiao Chen, Shi Tou spent almost all his time "hunting for food." He tasted all the ferocious beasts and spiritual fruits in the Chaotic Star Belt, and his physical strength increased again. Now, even cultivators in the Creation Realm would have to put in some effort to break through his defenses.
Xiao Chen smiled and nodded, packed his things, and set off with Shi Tou on the road to Misty Valley.
As news of the opening of Misty Valley spread, many more cultivators hurried along the way, in twos and threes, each with a different aura. Some were independent cultivators, while others were disciples dressed in sect robes. All of them were in a hurry, their eyes filled with anticipation for the opportunities in the secret realm.
Along the way, Xiao Chen also heard many rumors about Misty Valley - in addition to the common rare treasures, the most talked-about thing was that there was an "unnamed treasure" hidden in the valley.
"I heard that the treasure can manipulate the laws of space. Back then, a Nirvana Realm ancestor stayed in the valley for three years, turning the entire secret realm upside down, but he still couldn't find it!"
"That's not all! There are also rumors that the treasure can help people break through to the Nirvana Realm directly, but no one knows its exact location, and even the secret realm itself is concealing its aura!"
"Tsk tsk, if we could find this treasure, we'd be on the rise to the top in one step!"
Xiao Chen listened to these discussions, but his heart remained largely unmoved. To him, the core value of Misty Valley was to nourish his mind and solidify his foundation. As for the secret treasures, he considered them as a matter of fortune or fate, and there was no need to force them.
The two followed the direction indicated by the jade tablet and walked along a deserted mountain path. Ancient trees towered on both sides of the path, and the spiritual energy was several times denser than outside. Occasionally, they could see rare spiritual herbs, but Shi Tou quickly picked them, either stuffing them directly into his mouth or into his storage bag.
"Young friends in front, please wait a moment."
A gentle voice suddenly came from ahead, breaking the tranquility of the mountain path.
Xiao Chen and Shi Tou stopped at the same time, looking ahead warily.
At the end of the mountain path stood two figures—the one in the lead was a middle-aged man in a gray robe, with an ordinary face and an extremely restrained aura, yet he made Xiao Chen's heart tighten. It was none other than Xu Hao, the city lord of Wufeng City!
Beside Xu Hao stood a young man in a red robe, about twenty years old, with a handsome face and a hint of arrogance between his brows. He was surrounded by a faint flame spiritual power, and his cultivation had reached the mid-stage of the Dao Proving Realm. His gaze toward Xiao Chen and Shi Tou carried a hint of contempt that was not easily detected.
"City Lord?"
Xiao Chen gripped his rusty iron spear tightly, his eyes wary. Xu Hao was a mid-stage Creation Realm expert; it was no coincidence that such a figure would suddenly block his path.
Shi Tou also dropped his playful grin and stood beside Xiao Chen, unarmed and ready to fight at any moment—last time in Wufeng City, he felt that this city lord was a deep and scheming person and not someone to be trifled with.
Seeing this, Xu Hao laughed and waved his hand: "Young friend, there's no need to be nervous. I have no ill intentions. I just want to discuss something with you."
He stepped forward, pointed to the young man beside him, and introduced him: "This is my son, Xu Qing, who just returned from Burning Flame Valley half a year ago."
"Burning Flame Valley?" Xiao Chen's heart stirred slightly. Burning Flame Valley was a first-rate power in the eastern part of the Xuanqiong Realm, famous for its fire-attribute techniques, and its strength far surpassed that of the three major families of Wufeng City.
Xu Qing nodded slightly to Xiao Chen, his tone calm, yet carrying a hint of arrogance befitting a disciple of a sect: "I am Xu Qing."
Xu Hao smiled and said, "Back in Wufeng City, I saw that you and Brother Shitou had extraordinary talents, and I wanted to recruit you, but Xu Qing was still cultivating in Burning Flame Valley at the time, so I didn't speak up rashly. Now that Xu Qing has returned, and he is also going to Misty Hidden Valley for training, I thought..."
He changed the subject, his gaze falling on Xiao Chen, his tone carrying a hint of temptation: "If you are willing to let Xu Qing accompany you, it will be good to have someone to look after you on the road. After we leave Misty Hidden Valley, Xu Qing can also recommend you to join Burning Flame Valley—with your talent, you will definitely receive special training after entering the valley, which is much better than being a rogue cultivator."
Xiao Chen instantly understood Xu Hao's thoughts.
The city lord valued their strength and wanted them to follow Xu Qing, both to protect him in Misty Valley.
On the other hand, they also wanted to use his and Shi Tou's talents to pave the way for Xu Qing in Burning Flame Valley—after all, having two powerful followers would also benefit Xu Qing's status within the sect.
As for the allure of joining Burning Flame Valley, it was merely bait thrown out by Xu Hao.
"Does the city lord mean for us to follow your son?" Xiao Chen asked calmly, neither agreeing nor refusing immediately.
A hint of satisfaction flashed in Xu Hao's eyes, and he nodded, saying, "Exactly. I know you have a spot, young friend, and Xu Qing also has a spot provided by Burning Flame Valley."
"Your journey together will allow you to support each other and increase your chances of success in the secret realm. After the mission is accomplished, I will also offer you 100,000 spirit crystals as a token of my gratitude. What do you say?"
Xu Qing added, "Following me will save you a lot of trouble in Misty Valley. Burning Flame Valley has a record of the terrain of Misty Valley, which is much better than you exploring blindly."
His tone remained arrogant, as if having Xiao Chen follow him was a tremendous benefit to Xiao Chen.
Shi Tou frowned upon hearing this, and was about to retort when Xiao Chen stopped him with a look.
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