Soon, Xu Shaoqi led Li Mu to the fifth floor of the Scripture Pavilion. This floor was completely different from the lower ones; although there were fewer bookshelves, each one held precious and rare ancient books. These ancient books were meticulously collected by successive Elders of the Sect, and each one contained unfathomable mysteries.
Xu Shaoqi pointed to one of the bookshelves and respectfully said to Li Mu, “Elder Li, the scriptures on this bookshelf are all ancient books related to the Chaotic Secret Realm. Please feel free to browse them, and if you need anything, just let me know.”
Li Mu nodded, expressing his gratitude. He walked to the bookshelf and began carefully perusing the ancient books.
Opening these ancient books was like opening a mysterious world, causing Li Mu to become involuntarily immersed, forgetting the passage of time.
…
As night fell, the lights of the Scripture Pavilion flickered in the quiet air, revealing a mysterious and solemn atmosphere.
Li Mu searched through one ancient book after another, his mind completely immersed in the sea of books. As time passed, he gradually gained a clearer understanding of the concept of the Chaotic Secret Realm.
Secret Realms are fragmented worlds that exist outside the main world. They are independent of the main world, yet they have intricate connections with it.
These Secret Realms contain the most primitive and purest power in the world, making them cultivation Holy Lands that Cultivators dream of. Secret Realms exist in various forms and possess myriad attributes. For example, the Cang Yuan Secret Realm, previously mentioned by the Kun Family, is a Secret Realm focused on wood and earth elements, where a large number of high-grade Spiritual Plants grow, some of which do not even exist in the main world.
The Xuantian Sword Sect also seems to control several Secret Realms.
As for the Chaotic Secret Realm, it is the pinnacle of all Secret Realms. Legend has it that it is a fragment left over from the genesis of the Universe, containing the Origin of the Heavenly Dao—Chaos Power.
Chaos Power is one of the most mysterious and powerful forces in this world. If one can obtain a wisp of Chaos Origin Power, it can forge an supreme Dao foundation for a Cultivator, helping them comprehend the Great Dao and achieve the supreme immortal Dao.
As Li Mu read through the ancient books, he marveled at the power of the Chaotic Secret Realm. The Chaotic Secret Realm must contain precious Dao foundation items that even Divine Lords would covet.
However, although he had reached the Soul Transformation Realm, he was still a minor existence in the Xuantian Sword Sect. The treasures and Opportunities in the Chaotic Secret Realm were both a huge temptation and a great challenge for him.
To enter the Chaotic Secret Realm and obtain the Opportunity to achieve the Dao without attracting attention, his Cultivation was still far from enough. He needed to advance to Void Refining, or even Body Integration Realm, before it would be suitable to consider entering the Chaotic Secret Realm.
Therefore, Li Mu silently made a decision in his heart, beginning to consider how to conceal the Five Elements Shifting Array that led to the Chaotic Secret Realm on Seven Gods Mountain.
This Five Elements Shifting Array within the Five Elements Yin and Yang Spirit Gathering Great Array was the key to accessing the Chaotic Secret Realm. If discovered, it would likely attract countless troubles. To protect himself and the safety of the Secret Realm, he had to devise a Formation to hide this sub-array.
Soon, Li Mu made up his mind. After putting down the ancient books, he bid farewell to Xu Zhishu and left the Scripture Pavilion directly.
After leaving the Scripture Pavilion, Li Mu flew his sword towards Cangjian Peak. He already had a clear plan: first, go to the Contribution Hall to exchange for some high-grade Spiritual Plant seeds, high-grade Spiritual materials, and auxiliary Cultivation resources. These were essential for his upcoming Cultivation and for planting high-grade Yin and Yang Five Elements Spirit Plants. Then, he also needed to visit the Hall of Dharma Transmission to exchange for some Divine Sense Cultivation Techniques and Cultivation Techniques to enhance his Cultivation and strength.
Not long after, Li Mu arrived at the Contribution Hall on Cangjian Peak.
Cangjian Peak, unlike the sharp prominence of Heaven Sword Peak, emphasized the introversion and tempering of Sword Intent. Clouds and mist enveloped the peak, making it seem like a celestial realm.
As Li Mu flew to the front of the Contribution Hall, he saw its doors wide open, with a continuous stream of Disciples entering and exiting. Almost all of these Disciples were experts at the Nascent Soul and Soul Transformation Cultivation, their Sword Intent sharp and their Aptitude extraordinary; each one was an elite of the Sect.
“Disciple greets Elder!”
Just as Li Mu paused to observe, a Disciple waiting in line to enter the Contribution Hall noticed him and immediately stepped forward to salute.
“Are you here to exchange for materials? Elder, please go first!”
Upon hearing this, several Disciples in the queue, seeing Li Mu join behind them, respectfully saluted and made way. Others followed suit, all letting Li Mu go first.
For a moment, facing the deference of so many Disciples, Li Mu felt a bit awkward.
Just then, a gentle yet firm voice sounded: “Fellow Daoist, is this your first time at the Contribution Hall? Why contend with those ordinary Disciples? Follow me through the Elder’s passage.”
Li Mu turned his head and saw a middle-aged man, also wearing an Elder’s robe from the Sect. His demeanor was steady, and he walked towards Li Mu with a smile, gesturing for him to follow.
The two walked side by side, chatting casually. After a brief self-introduction, Li Mu learned the other’s name—Qi Yun, the Managing Elder of Zhijian Peak, with a Cultivation at the early Void Refining Realm. Qi Yun wore a green robe, with a long sword hanging from his waist, exuding an aura of awe-inspiring Sword Intent.
“I didn’t expect to meet the newly promoted Elder Li. What a pleasure!” Qi Yun said with genuine sincerity.
Li Mu smiled slightly and humbly replied, “Elder Qi is too kind. I am just a newly promoted Elder, having only recently joined the Sect, and there is still much I need to learn.”
“Elder Li is too modest!” Qi Yun shook his head and smiled, his eyes bright, looking at Li Mu with a probing gaze. “There are quite a few rumors circulating about Elder Li in the Sect now! I heard that Elder Li is a master of both swords and Artifact Refining, a Grandmaster Refiner, and a Grandmaster of Formations, capable of refining sixth-tier Spirit Swords. Is this true?”
Upon hearing this, Li Mu couldn’t help but be speechless, not expecting his reputation to have already spread throughout the Xuantian Sword Sect.
“Uh! I can indeed refine sixth-tier Spirit Swords!” Li Mu smiled awkwardly, nodding frankly.
Qi Yun’s eyes flashed with surprise upon Li Mu’s confirmation. He looked deeply at Li Mu, then joyfully said, “Elder Li, you truly are a treasure of our Sect! To possess such astonishing talent in Artifact Refining and Formations at such a young age is truly admirable! It is Qi’s great fortune to meet Elder Li today. This is a small token of my regard; I hope Elder Li will not disdain it.”
With that, Qi Yun took out an exquisite box from his Pregnant and handed it to Li Mu. Although the box was not large, the faint Spiritual Qi emanating from it told Li Mu that it was no ordinary item.
Seeing this, Li Mu quickly waved his hand, refusing, “Elder Qi, this is not necessary. You have already helped me; how can I accept your gift?”
Qi Yun insisted, “Elder Li, this is just a small token of my sincerity. If Elder Li has time in the future, Qi would like to commission Elder Li to refine a sword, and I hope Elder Li will not decline.”
Li Mu looked at Qi Yun’s sincere gaze, knowing that he genuinely wanted to befriend him. So, he no longer refused, took the box, and said, “Then I thank Elder Qi. If you need Artifact Refining in the future, come find me on Seven Gods Mountain, and I will certainly refine a satisfactory Spirit Sword for you.”
“Good! Thank you, Elder Li.” Qi Yun nodded repeatedly, happily.
The two walked and chatted, their conversation gradually expanding from Li Mu’s Artifact Refining and Formation talents to Cultivation insights, Sect affairs, and other topics.
As the Managing Elder of Zhijian Peak, Qi Yun was well-versed in all kinds of Sect affairs, and his experience and insights greatly benefited Li Mu. Li Mu, in turn, used his rich experience in Artifact Refining and Formations to answer many of Qi Yun’s Cultivation doubts.
Unbeknownst to them, the two had already reached the end of the Elder’s passage. Qi Yun stopped and looked at Li Mu, saying, “Elder Li, I hope we will have more opportunities to communicate in the future. If you need any help, feel free to come find me.”
Li Mu nodded gratefully and said, “Elder Qi, thank you for your guidance.”
The two exchanged smiles, then each entered a Contribution Exchange Room.
The Managing Disciple in the Contribution Exchange Room, seeing an Elder-level figure arrive, quickly stood up to greet him respectfully.
“Disciple Jiang Fangyuan greets Elder!” The Managing Disciple respectfully looked at Li Mu, introducing himself and greeting him.
“Give me a catalog for exchanging high-grade Spiritual Plant seeds to choose from.” Li Mu handed over his identity token, indicating.
“Of course, no problem.” Jiang Fangyuan readily agreed, then searched through a pile of tokens and found a green Jade Slip, handing it to Li Mu. He explained, “This Jade Slip records all the precious Spiritual Plant seeds stored in our Sect, totaling over thirty-two thousand types.”
Li Mu’s eyes widened in surprise upon hearing this number. So many Spiritual Plant seeds, it was practically a huge treasure trove! He quickly took the green Jade Slip, immersed his Divine Sense, and began to read rapidly.
Soon, tens of millions of dense Spiritual Plant information filled Li Mu’s mind. He found that these Spiritual Plant seeds were mainly third and fourth-tier, accounting for over ninety percent. The remaining ten percent were mostly occupied by fifth, sixth, and seventh-tier Spiritual Plant seeds. The value of these high-grade Spiritual Plant seeds was undoubtedly more precious, and they were more attractive to Li Mu.
However, what excited Li Mu even more was that he actually saw the existence of eighth and ninth-tier Spiritual Plant seeds in the Jade Slip. Although their numbers were scarce, the Contribution Points required for exchange were astronomical.
During his browsing, Li Mu suddenly saw a familiar Spiritual Plant name—reversing death spirit grass. This was precisely the Spiritual Plant he had promised Heavenly Evolution Divine Lord to help him acquire when he obtained the Painting World Treasure Mansion. Li Mu was thrilled, never expecting to find the reversing death spirit grass seed in the Xuantian Sword Sect’s Spiritual Plant library. This was not only an unexpected gain for him but also an Opportunity to fulfill a promise.
Looking at Li Mu, who held the Jade Slip, his expression shifting between joy and surprise, his face changing constantly.
“Elder, which Spiritual Plant seeds do you wish to exchange for? I will prepare them for you now.” The Managing Disciple, Jiang Fangyuan, quickly prompted.
Upon hearing this, Li Mu suddenly came to his senses, waking up from browsing the Jade Slip catalog. He took out the Elder’s token from his waist and handed it to the other party, indicating, “Help me exchange for a batch of fifth-tier Five Elements Spirit Plants, specifically: Fire Scale Flame Fruit, Blue Spirit Moon Lotus, Golden Edge Sword Chrysanthemum, yellow vein essence fruit, and Green Vine Spirit Sunflower.”
Jiang Fangyuan quickly took Li Mu’s token and immersed his Divine Sense to check it.
“No problem, fifth-tier Spiritual Plant seeds are 10 Contribution Points each. Elder Li, how many of these five types of Spiritual Plant seeds do you wish to exchange for?” Jiang Fangyuan asked respectfully, looking at Li Mu.
Fifth-tier Spiritual Plant seeds only cost 10 Contribution Points each, a price more than a hundred times lower than when he was in the Xuanqing Sect. Moreover, the quantity and variety of high-grade Spiritual Plants were incomparable to the Xuanqing Sect.
However, it was understandable. The Central Continent Spirit Domain had an abundance of Spiritual Plant resources, far surpassing the Southern Wilderness Spirit Domain. Additionally, the Xuantian Sword Sect was the largest immortal Sect in the Central Continent, with incredibly rich resources, and the value of Contribution Points was significantly higher. Furthermore, the Xuantian Sword Sect primarily focused on Sword Cultivators, and few people cultivated Spiritual Plants. All these factors combined led to this exchange result.
Li Mu thought for a moment and was not surprised, saying happily, “One mu of Spiritual Plants requires many seeds. Help me exchange for ten mu of each. Do I have enough Contribution Points?”
“Replying to Elder, regarding the planting of Spiritual Plant seeds, this Disciple has never cultivated high-grade Spiritual Plants, so I don’t know how many seeds are needed for one Spiritual mu of land. However, a Great Master of Spiritual Plants once came to exchange for six thousand Fire Scale Flame Fruit seeds for three mu of land.” Jiang Fangyuan answered with some hesitation, clearly not very confident in his answer to Li Mu’s question.
Li Mu frowned slightly upon hearing this, calculating silently. If he were to exchange for ten mu of each Spiritual Plant, his three hundred thousand Contribution Points would probably not be enough. He motioned for Jiang Fangyuan to continue, hoping to hear more details about Spiritual Plant cultivation.
Jiang Fangyuan looked at Li Mu and kindly reminded him, “Hmm, if you want to exchange for ten mu of each, your three hundred thousand Contribution Points will indeed be a bit tight. Moreover, cultivating these Spiritual Plants also requires a lot of high-grade auxiliary Spirit items. For example, cultivating Fire Scale Flame Fruit requires consuming fifth-tier Fire Profound Crystals, and cultivating Blue Spirit Moon Lotus requires fifth-tier Great Moon Spirit Dew, and so on.”
After hearing Jiang Fangyuan’s words, Li Mu immediately understood his predicament. Although the Xuantian Sword Sect indeed possessed a massive amount of high-grade Spiritual Plant seeds for him to exchange and Cultivate, meaning he would no longer have to worry about high-grade Spiritual Plant seeds in the future, the problem was that he couldn’t even afford to exchange for a batch of fifth-tier Spiritual Plant seeds. Even if he barely managed to exchange for them, he wouldn’t be able to successfully Cultivate these high-grade Spiritual Plants due to insufficient auxiliary Spiritual materials for their growth.
What’s more, the Contribution Points required to exchange for even higher-grade sixth and seventh-tier Spiritual Plant seeds would be even greater, and the quality of the auxiliary Spiritual materials required for their growth would also be higher… This plunged Li Mu into deep thought, knowing that his current Contribution Points were far from enough to support his current cultivation plan.
In order to purchase and Cultivate more high-grade Spiritual Plants in the future, Li Mu decided to temporarily set aside the idea of exchanging for Spiritual Plant seeds. He decided to first use his limited three hundred thousand Contribution Points to earn more Contribution Points.
Li Mu sighed helplessly, handed the green Jade Slip back to Jiang Fangyuan, and indicated, “Hmm! Let’s put aside the matter of exchanging Spiritual Plant seeds for now. First, give me a catalog of sixth-tier Artifact Refining Spiritual Materials!”
“Yes!” Jiang Fangyuan took the green Jade Slip and respectfully found another Jade Slip catalog to hand to Li Mu.
