Bang...
One of the stone piers in He Pingsheng's room was directly split into pieces by the Yellow Turban Warrior's axe.
So strong!
Seeing this, He Pingsheng himself was shocked.
If this axe were to strike a Cultivator, a Qi Refining Stage Cultivator would at least be severely injured.
"Receive!"
He Pingsheng waved his hand to retract the Spell, and the Yellow Turban Warrior transformed back into a golden Time of spiritual power, returning to He Pingsheng's Dantian.
For the next period, He Pingsheng continued to Cultivate.
His days were quite simple.
It was just meditation, Cultivating, and Alchemy!
After about another half a year, He Pingsheng's cultivation finally reached the Peak of the Qi Refining Stage Sixth Layer, only a hair's breadth away from breaking through to the Seventh Layer.
He estimated that it would take at most one month to complete.
At this moment, three profound bell tolls suddenly rang out from Yu Ning Palace.
He Pingsheng quickly put away his things and stood up. He knew that three bell tolls meant Master was summoning the Disciples under her, likely to give important instructions.
He Pingsheng dared not delay. He hurriedly changed into a clean Daoist robe and then went to the entrance of Yu Ning Palace.
When he arrived, many people had already gathered there.
"Come in, everyone!" Master's voice came from Yu Ning Palace.
The Disciples respectfully entered the main hall one by one.
In the center of the main hall was a stone lotus platform. Master Yu Ning was currently seated on this lotus platform.
On the ground below, there were three rows of meditation cushions.
Three in each row.
Nine in total.
He Pingsheng was ranked ninth, so these nine meditation cushions were naturally prepared for the Disciples.
"Greetings, Master!" The Disciples bowed to Yu Ning one by one.
The Daoist Nun, who was seated on the lotus platform and looked like a mortal woman of about fifty, nodded slightly and smiled, "Children, please sit down!"
"Thank you, Master!"
Everyone sat down in order.
Needless to say, He Pingsheng naturally sat in the last seat.
To his left was Eighth Senior Brother Xu Kunlun, and further left was Seventh Senior Sister Tian Xiaoqing!
In front of He Pingsheng sat Sixth Senior Sister Zhao Ling'er.
"Hey... Ninth Junior Brother, you're already at the Sixth Layer!" Xu Kunlun's eyes, next to him, widened like brass bells. "When did that happen? If you advance further, once you reach the Qi Refining Stage Seventh Layer, you'll catch up to me!"
He Pingsheng's Divine Thought swept over Xu Kunlun.
Indeed, this guy had a cultivation of the Qi Refining Stage Seventh Layer.
"Fool!" Above, Immortal Master Yu Ning's face instantly darkened as she looked at Xu Kunlun and said, "Eighth Junior Brother, what have you been doing all day? Your Foundation isn't bad, so why haven't you made any progress?"
"How many years has it been?"
Xu Kunlun's face fell. "Master, it's not that I'm stupid... I don't know what's going on, but this cultivation just isn't advancing!"
Yu Ning said, "It's still because you haven't put in the effort!"
"When your Junior Brother catches up to you and surpasses you, don't even think about being Eighth Senior Brother anymore. Let him be Eighth Senior Brother, and you go be Ninth Senior Brother!"
"If that doesn't work, I'll send you back to the Outer Sect!"
Xu Kunlun was about to cry. "Master, no..."
"Hmph..." Yu Ning snorted coldly, then her gaze turned to He Pingsheng. "Pingsheng, I remember that not long after you became my Disciple, you broke through from the Qi Refining Stage Fifth Layer to the Sixth Layer. Now, almost three years have passed, so why are you still at the Sixth Layer? What's the reason for this?"
Clearly, Yu Ning felt that He Pingsheng's Breakthrough was too slow.
"This..." He Pingsheng could only make up an excuse, saying, "Disciple... previously took too many Medicinal Pills, which harmed my body, so I recuperated for a period!"
"Master, don't worry, I'm not far from the Seventh Layer now. At most, one month, and I can Breakthrough!"
"Oh..." Yu Ning heard that He Pingsheng could Breakthrough in a month, so she nodded and said, "That would be best!"
Having said that, she retracted her gaze and looked at everyone, saying, "Everyone, I summoned you all here today because some of you may have already guessed why?"
"That's right, in another half a year, the Cuiping Mountain Secret Realm will open!"
"According to regulations, when the Cuiping Mountain Secret Realm opens, our Tai Xu Sect Inner Sect Disciples, as long as their cultivation reaches the Qi Refining Stage Late Stage, can participate!"
"I hope that all of you can participate and find your own Opportunities within it!"
"So, Pingsheng, you must hasten your cultivation pace!"
"Quickly enter the Qi Refining Stage Late Stage!"
He Pingsheng instantly understood.
No wonder Master repeatedly urged him to reach the Qi Refining Stage Seventh Layer earlier; so that was the reason.
The Qi Refining Stage is roughly divided into four levels: Early Stage, Middle Stage, Late Stage, and Perfection.
Early Stage refers to the first, second, and third layers.
Middle Stage is the fourth, fifth, and sixth layers.
Late Stage is the seventh, eighth, and ninth layers.
Perfection is the tenth, eleventh, and twelfth layers.
The minimum requirement to participate in the Cuiping Mountain Secret Realm is the Qi Refining Stage Late Stage.
Therefore, as long as one enters the Qi Refining Stage Seventh Layer, theoretically speaking, they will have the qualification to participate in that Secret Realm.
"Yes, Master!" He Pingsheng cupped his hands in a bow.
Yu Ning nodded and continued, "This Cuiping Mountain Secret Realm only opens once every thirty years. For Qi Refining Stage Disciples, it is a rare Trial Grounds. Today, I will explain the ins and outs of it to you, so listen carefully!"
"Yes!" The Disciples bowed.
Yu Ning then began to narrate.
It turned out that this Cuiping Mountain Secret Realm belonged to the public resource area of the Matou Mountain Dao Xuan Alliance. It was enveloped by a massive Formation, whose grade was unknown, but it was certainly set up by an Old Ancestor.
The Formation had a unique feature: it repelled Cultivators above the Qi Refining Stage from entering it.
In other words, anyone who was a Foundation Establishment Cultivator could not enter.
Of course, it wasn't truly impossible to enter.
Legend has it that in history, a Foundation Establishment Stage Disciple from a Sect once pretended to be a Qi Refining Stage Cultivator and entered. As a result, the Formation detected that Foundation Establishment Stage Disciple and immediately shut down, preventing everyone from undergoing the trial and seeking treasures.
This led to the trial, which only opened once every thirty years, being directly ruined.
The enraged Cultivators united and not only killed that Cultivator but even directly destroyed the Sect of that impostor Cultivator.
So from then on, no Foundation Establishment Stage Disciple dared to impersonate a Qi Refining Stage Disciple to participate in the trial.
As for the rules inside once entered, they were simple.
The answer was: no rules.
Once inside, anything seen could be contended for.
However, generally speaking, the various Sects still adhered to one point, which was internal unity, conducting searches as a Sect unit.
But if truly extraordinary treasures were discovered, it was not uncommon for Sect Disciples to fight among themselves, even to the death.
There were many such instances!
If they died, they died!
No one would inquire.
The various Schools basically reached a consensus that Disciples lost during the trial would not count as School grudges.
If you have the ability, resolve it within the Trial Grounds.
As for items obtained within the Trial Grounds, generally speaking, the Sect and the individual would split them fifty-fifty.
