Cultivation System: Stronger with Age

A moment later, Yan Yunfei, having recruited a few more Fourth Layer Martial Cultivators, stood with everyone before the rippling archway.

According to Yan Yunfei, because no one had successfully refined the Celestial Demon Bone of the Ba Mountain Secret Realm for over a hundred years, it remained unclaimed territory. Upon entering the Secret Realm, everyone would be randomly transported to a location on its periphery. For the twenty members of the team to gather together, they had to hold hands and circulate their Qi Blood before entering the rippling archway. This would ensure they were all transported to the same location within the Ba Mountain Secret Realm.

Lin Xuankong, now disguised as 'Yanzu', glanced around in surprise. He found he had become quite the popular demand, with the team's only two burly Female Martial Cultivators holding his hands, one on each side...

Soon, the group standing before the rippling archway felt their vision blur; they had entered the Ba Mountain Secret Realm. The disguised Lin Xuankong withdrew his hands from the two burly Female Martial Cultivators and looked around. At that moment, they found themselves on a vast, desolate expanse of gravel. Within a hundred-mile radius, there was no forest in sight, only jagged rocks protruding from the ground and small patches of bizarre black and red vines. These thick vines twisted and stretched towards the sky, resembling the eerie tentacles of Demons. The strangest thing was that every few hundred feet, there was a large mass of black fog, covering hundreds to thousands of acres, connecting the ground to the sky.

Yan Yunfei spoke up, "These black clouds are the fog released by the Corpse Scorpions. Once you enter it, you'll be attacked by corpses controlled by the Corpse Scorpions. If you don't take Zhengyuan Grass in time, you'll be contaminated by the Corpse Scorpion Venom. Your Cultivation will gradually decline until you become an ordinary person and eventually die, only to become another corpse controlled by the Corpse Scorpions.

"The corpses of Martial Cultivators, once controlled by Corpse Scorpions, can regain their original Cultivation and become Puppets for the Corpse Scorpions' attacks! This Demon Technique used by the Corpse Scorpions to control corpses is even more terrifying than other Demons controlling Demon People!

"However, we're currently in the outermost area of the Ba Mountain Secret Realm, where the number of Corpse Scorpions is very small. Judging by the size of the fog, most of them are around Tier Three or Tier Four. So, as long as we avoid the fog, we'll be safe! If a Corpse Scorpion targets you and chases you with Poisonous Fog, remember to use Zhengyuan Grass promptly!"

Everyone nodded. Beside Lin Xuankong, a burly Female Martial Cultivator with a double bun hairstyle, who appeared to be in her thirties, spoke up, "This gentleman, may I know your honorable name? I am Zheng Yunrui, an Early Fifth Layer. Even if a Tier Three or Tier Four Corpse Scorpion attacks you with Poisonous Fog, as long as you stay behind me, you'll be fine!"

Lin Xuankong glanced at the Female Martial Cultivator's thick arms. "Thank you!"

"Gentleman, may I know your honorable name?" The other burly Female Martial Cultivator also approached.

Lin Xuankong frowned. His original appearance might be better than this current one...

He casually said, "Just call me Mu Shiba!"

Mu Shiba, of course, was derived from deconstructing the character 'Lin'.

"What an elegant name!" the burly Female Martial Cultivator, Zheng Yunrui, praised.

Lin Xuankong thought, ...If I said my name was Li Gou Dan, would you still praise it like that!

At this moment, the group was already following Yan Yunfei and Yuan Butong deeper into the Secret Realm. Yuan Butong turned, saw this, and couldn't help but cough. He raised his hand, rubbed off his disguise mask, revealing his original appearance with rough brows and large eyes. Now that they were deep within the vast Secret Realm, he and Yan Yunfei no longer worried about encountering spies from the Black Tiger Gang, so they stopped hiding their identities.

Among the Martial Cultivators, someone immediately recognized him. "This... isn't this Yuan Butong, Sect Leader Yuan who made headlines in the Great Marsh Prefecture a few days ago?"

Upon hearing this, everyone couldn't help but look at him, including the two Female Martial Cultivators. The burly, pretty one with the bun hairstyle, Zheng Yunrui, couldn't help but ask, "The Sect Leader Yuan of the Blood Saber Sect?"

Yuan Butong gestured to his Blood Saber. It emitted a clear, resonant ring, and he nodded slightly.

Yan Yunfei secretly shook his head. My sworn brother is great in every way, except he loves showing off in front of Female Cultivators... But these two Female Martial Cultivators are so burly. Is he actually interested in them?

The bun-haired Female Martial Cultivator and the other one quickly walked to Yuan Butong's side, observing him intently. "So it really is Sect Leader Yuan!"

Seeing this, Lin Xuankong breathed a sigh of relief. Finally, it's quiet around me.

At this time, the bun-haired Zheng Yunrui spoke up, "I heard that Sect Leader Yuan led people to raid the Feng Family's transport caravan. What a heroic act; it was truly exhilarating! In the Great Marsh Prefecture, many Martial Cultivators wanted to do it but lacked the bravery and courage!"

Yuan Butong nodded solemnly. "The world is full of injustices; someone must always step forward!"

The bun-haired woman continued, "I also heard that the Conical Hat Guest saved you on the scene. It's said that the Conical Hat Guest smashed Feng Zhushi to death with a single blow! Feng Zhushi was an Early Fifth Layer, likely stronger than me. For the Conical Hat Guest to kill him in one strike, he must be at least a Mid-grade Fifth Layer, or perhaps even Late Stage Fifth Layer. Such strength and heroic actions truly command respect!"

Yuan Butong, who was gently stroking his Blood Saber, froze. ...

The bun-haired woman continued to ask, "Sect Leader Yuan, since you've met the Conical Hat Guest, do you know his identity? What does he look like?"