My Fairy Growth System

The group followed the direction chosen by Yu Qingtan, venturing deeper into the Nether Illusion Domain.

This time, Yu Qingtan took the lead, while Sage Emperor Yinxian was at the rear.

Along the way, the Nether energy grew denser and the illusions became more realistic and difficult to distinguish. However, thanks to Yu Qingtan's Purifying Buddha Eyes, these illusions almost had no effect on the group.
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As they walked, Yu Qingtan occasionally discovered some treasures. The highest were only of the Fifth Stage, so Yu Qingtan let the Divine Transformation Stage disciples collect them, and they were also left to deal with some dangers themselves. After all, these disciples were not in the Nether Illusion Domain just to spectate but were also there to seek opportunities and gain experience.

Everyone had some gains, more or less, which increased their trust in Yu Qingtan as their leader.

At this moment, the group entered a dense forest. Suddenly, Yu Qingtan's eyes lit up again. Her Divine Sense detected an ancient palace, shrouded in mist, appearing intermittently ahead. It was simple yet majestic, as if it had come from the depths of ancient times, quietly standing there, waiting for someone destined to arrive.

"There is an ancient palace ahead, everyone, heighten your alertness!" Yu Qingtan cautioned, revitalizing everyone's spirits. This was the first time they had encountered a man-made structure in the Nether Illusion Domain.

The group cautiously followed Yu Qingtan, slowly flying towards the mist-enshrouded ancient palace. The outlines of the palace were intermittently visible through the hazy mist, exuding an indescribable sense of age and mystery, as if each brick and stone were laden with millennia of stories and secrets.

"The aura of this ancient palace seems out of place amidst the surrounding Nether energy, yet it coexists harmoniously. Truly curious and strange," Sage Emperor Yinxian said with a furrowed brow.

"Someone is coming, everyone, hide!" At that moment, Yu Qingtan's Divine Sense detected a group approaching the ancient palace from another direction.

The group swiftly landed on the ground, concealing their own strength, hiding in the dense forest.

"It's the Qian Family's team!" Yu Qingtan soon recognized the newcomers; it was a team from the Qian Family, led by Qian Chengming, with the deputy leader named Wu Wenyi, both being Void Refinement Stage Cultivators, and the remaining twenty were Divine Transformation Stage Cultivators.

Although the Qian Family had a vast influence, due to issues with cultivator births, real high-stage cultivators in the Qian Family weren't particularly numerous. The Qian Family also had many affiliated clans and complex marital alliances.

"Empress Wenyi is Emperor Chengming's sister-in-law, but her partner fell over a hundred years ago," Cui Shuji shared a piece of information he knew, though it wasn't particularly useful.

Since it was the Qian Family's team, Yu Qingtan had no good intentions, given her enmity with the family.

Exploring a secret realm generally meant one should be ready for the possibility of falling.

"Let them scout the path for us," Yu Qingtan said with a slight smile, sending a message to her team.

Hearing this, a sly light flickered in the eyes of the team members, who intuitively understood Yu Qingtan's suggestion. Being seasoned cultivators, they knew that in the peril-filled Nether Illusion Domain, having another group as a "sacrificial scout" meant an extra layer of safety for their own team.

As the Qian Family's team gradually approached, everyone became even more careful to hide their Spiritual Power to ensure that they were not detected by the opposing side.

Qian Chengming and Wu Wenyi, leading the team, were extremely cautious, continuously using their Divine Sense to scan their surroundings. However, due to the suppression of Divine Sense in the Secret Realm and their focus being mainly on the Ancient Palace itself, they overlooked other potential threats hidden around them.

When the Qian Family's team arrived at the entrance of the Ancient Palace, everything went smoothly. Qian Chengming, using his Spiritual Power, condensed a pair of arms to push open the gates.

However, the moment the doors opened, more than a dozen dark shadows burst out from inside, pouncing towards the Qian Family's team.

"Sixth Stage Nether Shadow Rats, equivalent to the Void Refinement Stage—so many of them!" Empress Wenyi's expression changed dramatically as she quickly took out a light gauze Taoist Instrument for defense.

The Qian Family's team, faced with the sudden attack of the Nether Shadow Rats, immediately fell into chaos. These Nether Shadow Rats were swift as specters in the night, each strike carrying enough force to tear through the bodily protection of a Void Refinement Stage Cultivator, and their teeth and claws were highly poisonous.

Qian Chengming reacted swiftly, swinging his hands to send several beams of Spiritual Power sword light slicing through the air, precisely striking a few of the leading Nether Shadow Rats. Even so, he could only momentarily drive them back, not completely annihilate them.

"Ah~" "Ah~" "Ah~" Three of the Qian Family's Divinity Transformation Stage disciples were instantly killed on the spot by the venomous attack of the Nether Shadow Rats.

Emperor Chengming immediately took out his long halberd-shaped Lifebound Artifact, attacking three Nether Shadow Rats, but he also could not kill them instantly, nor could he stop more Nether Shadow Rats.

"Everyone, be careful and form a defensive array!" Empress Wenyi shouted loudly. At the same time, her light gauze Taoist Instrument formed a massive defensive net, enveloping her and the remaining Divinity Transformation Stage disciples, barely blocking the ferocious attacks of the Nether Shadow Rats.

The Qian Family's Divinity Transformation Stage disciples formed a formation, relying on Empress Wenyi's light gauze Taoist Instrument for defense. However, although this defensive net seemed indestructible, it gradually showed signs of fatigue under the claws and fangs of the Nether Shadow Rats.

"Ah~" Three Nether Shadow Rats joined forces to lift a corner of the light gauze Taoist Instrument, allowing another Nether Shadow Rat to take the opportunity to bite another Qian Family Divinity Transformation Stage disciple to death.

"Chengming, we must resolve these beasts quickly, or else we won't be able to hold on much longer!" Wu Wenyi said anxiously to Qian Chengming while maintaining the defensive net.

Qian Chengming had a grave expression, his gaze sharp; he deeply understood the critical situation at hand, knowing that if they could not quickly turn the tide of the battle, the Qian Family Divinity Transformation Stage disciples might all be wiped out here.

He took a deep breath, a decisive look flashing in his eyes, and then took out an ancient-looking Jade Talisman from his bosom. It circulated with a faint golden light, emitting an unsettling aura. This Jade Talisman, specially made by his family for extreme situations, contained a powerful sealing Power, enough to reverse the situation in critical moments.

As Qian Chengming infused his Spiritual Power into the Jade Talisman, it suddenly burst into a dazzling light, illuminating the entire space in front of the Ancient Palace for an instant. Within the light, a massive Golden Phoenix phantom flapped its wings, accompanying a deafening phoenix cry soaring into the sky, then suddenly diving down towards those rampaging Nether Shadow Rats.

With each flap of the Golden Phoenix's wings, it seemed as though it could tear through space; wherever its feathers passed, the Nether energy was swept away. The originally fierce Nether Shadow Rats, under the majesty of the Golden Phoenix, actually emitted piercing shrieks, significantly slowing down, with some even coming to a complete halt in mid-air.

"Phoenix Dance to the Nine Heavens, all beings submit!" Qian Chengming roared. The Golden Phoenix phantom drew a perfect arc in the air, then opened its giant beak, spewing out scorching flames, instantly consuming those Nether Shadow Rats within. Amidst flames, cries of agony and explosive sounds could be heard. Moments later, the flames dissipated, leaving the Nether Shadow Rats reduced to nothing, leaving only scorched marks on the ground.