Soon, a widely spread rumor arose among the Outer Disciples:

"The farmer's son Lou Yi is in love with the Great General's daughter You Qingyi, and they are about to be engaged. Besides, Lou Yi has a Lower-Grade Spirit Root, while You Qingyi has an Upper-Grade Spirit Root..."

The story of a poor boy and a rich girl, regardless of the world, is always a favorite, as everyone has a natural curiosity for gossip.

Soon enough, this rumor spread even further and became more distorted.

Things like You Qingyi chasing after Lou Yi and using her family's power to force him to agree... or that Lou Yi had a unique talent that You Qingyi simply couldn't leave him...

After this news spread.

Someone saw You Qingyi with red eyes, her silhouette lonely, standing alone on the mountaintop, gazing into the distance.

As expected.

That morning, when Lou Yi went to find You Qingyi again, he found no response, as if she wasn't there.

But with his powerful and precise senses, Lou Yi could distinctly feel that You Qingyi was still inside the cave.

After a brief thought, Lou Yi understood the reason; she was deliberately avoiding suspicion.

'Young girls are young girls, thin-skinned.'

Lou Yi shook his head helplessly, feeling little to no disturbance in his heart.

After all, he wasn't really interested in her, just a bit regretful for not being able to walk with a 'pretty girl.'

Today, the lecture was conducted by Elder He, who was discussing Talisman Technique.

He had previously taught Lou Yi and others the Rain Technique, and was an eccentric and unconventional elder.

But all the disciples waited at the top of the Guest Welcoming Peak for half a day without seeing a trace of Elder He.

"Why hasn't Elder He arrived yet? Could it be that he overslept?"

"Get out of here, do you think he's like you?"

Just as everyone was perplexed, suddenly someone ran up the mountain in a hurry, shouting loudly, "Elder He is saving someone at the foot of the mountain. A group of Senior Brothers and Sisters are injured!"

What?!

Lou Yi and the others were shocked and hurriedly ran down the mountain.

When they arrived at the scene, everyone was stunned, a deep chill rising in their hearts.

Dozens of blood-stained stretchers were disorderly placed on the large open space at the foot of Guest Welcoming Peak.

On these stretchers, about half of the disciples in blue robes had permanently lost their vitality.

Among the remaining people, almost everyone was covered in blood.

There were some with open bellies, some with broken limbs, some with charred bodies... Cries, groans, and sobs echoed continuously, filling the entire space with sorrow.

"It hurts, it hurts so much, I can't take it anymore... Kill me, just kill me!"

"My leg, my leg, where on earth has my leg gone?"

"Damn it, I haven't progressed far in the Immortal Path, yet my body is already damaged, and I have no hope of Foundation Establishment in this life! I hate it!"

"Those bastards from the Red Sun Sect, I, Lei Hao, will never coexist with you!"

The cries of many Senior Brothers and Sisters kept ringing in their ears.

And Elder He, along with two other black-robed elders, looked serious.

They were surrounded by dazzling green light, and the Elixir in their hands, under the transport of the green light, entered the injured bodies, clearly performing emergency rescue.

"Senior Brother Wei?" someone exclaimed.

Everyone looked up, each one shocked, and rushed in one direction.

The leader of this cohort of newcomers, Wei Jian, a tall, thin, small-eyed man, was also lying on a stretcher at this moment, covered in blood, eyes dull, with blood froth continuously oozing from his mouth.

"I have some Elixirs." You Qingyi appeared at the scene at an unknown time.

She hurriedly took out a White Jade Medicine Bottle, poured out a yellow pill, and stuffed it into Wei Jian's mouth.

The pill melted as soon as it entered his mouth, and perhaps due to its obvious effect, after a few dozen breaths, a glimmer of life finally appeared in Wei Jian's eyes.

"Th... thank you." He said weakly.

"Senior Brother Wei, what exactly happened? Why are you all injured?" someone couldn't help but ask.

"Say less, let Senior Brother Wei rest." Another person reproached.

After a while, Wei Jian seemed to stabilize, then he spoke, "A new Ancient Cultivator's Secret Realm was discovered recently. We found a Spirit Vein in it... but the Red Sun Sect also got the news and ambushed us, wanting to take the Spirit Vein..."

"What, a new Secret Realm, and a Spirit Vein?" Wang Wenbai exclaimed.

"The damned thieves of the Red Sun Sect are too much!" Others didn't understand the significance of the Spirit Vein or the Secret Realm, but they knew that the actions of the Red Sun Sect were extremely unethical, and they were all filled with righteous indignation.

'Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh!'

Suddenly, dazzling rays of light appeared in the sky.

Differently-shaped Flying Magical Artifacts slowly descended, and numerous black-robed elders began treating the nearby injured.

"Irrelevant people, leave first, do not disturb the elders in healing..."

After a while, disciples from the Law Enforcement Hall came over to maintain order, responsible for driving people away.

Lou Yi and the others could only retreat to the back, onto the Disciple Peak.

On the way, he walked alongside Rong Xuejian, noticing that he looked very grave.

"A new Secret Realm has appeared, and it has a Spirit Vein; it seems like the peace among the major sects is about to be broken..." Without waiting for Lou Yi to ask, he proactively explained.

"What is a Secret Realm?" Lou Yi asked.

"Some are formed from the abodes of great figures from ancient times, some are the residences of destroyed Major Sects, covered by high-level Arrays, inaccessible to the public.

Over time, when the Array fails, it reveals itself, known as the Ancient Cultivator's Secret Realm." Rong Xuejian explained, "In the Ancient Cultivator's Secret Realm, there are often various Heavenly Materials and Earthly Treasures, Cultivation Technique inheritances, and even Spirit Veins. Occupying them can greatly enhance the strength of a sect."

"And within Spirit Veins, there is a large number of Spirit Stones that can generate Spiritual Qi.

If the Spirit Stones can be harvested, the Spiritual Qi concentration of the sect can be enhanced, allowing for the cultivation of more experts..."

Hearing Rong Xuejian's explanation, Lou Yi was somewhat puzzled: "If Spirit Veins are so important, why don't the elders personally take action, but instead send disciples to fight for them?"

"First, many Secret Realms have cultivation restrictions, making it difficult for Cultivators above Foundation Establishment to enter.

Second, to prevent our side from being severely damaged, benefiting the Demon Clan instead.

All the major human sects have an unspoken rule, which is to resolve the outcome through the contest of Qi Cultivation Cultivators." Rong Xuejian paused and added, "Of course, if the benefits are enticing enough, even the high-ranking authorities of the sect can shamelessly step in personally..."

"This conflict was extremely fierce, which is very rare. And with no elders stepping in, it seems to be the first situation." Rong Xuejian looked into the distance, showing a trace of worry in his eyes, "I feel that the next few years won't be peaceful."

Upon hearing Rong Xuejian's words, Lou Yi also suddenly felt a sense of urgency.

As an Outer Disciple, it's actually the safest right now.

But after becoming an Inner Sect Disciple, they will have to take on various tasks, even fight against enemies in the Secret Realm, often risking their lives.

During this gap period, I must quickly enhance my strength.

"Alas, our sect's Cultivation Technique is inherently restrained by the Red Sun Sect.

Before the late-stage of Qi Cultivation, we have no advantage over the True Blood Sect, once close combat occurs, we're doomed. As for the Demon Clan, they are even more difficult to deal with..." Rong Xuejian couldn't help but sigh again.

Listening to this, Lou Yi was dumbfounded.

So, I crossed the river with great difficulty, only to join the weakest sect?

...

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