Mythical Cultivation

Wu Ming, having emerged from the formation, looked around and found himself completely empty. He didn't see the other three people. He couldn't help but feel puzzled. Logically, they should be nearby, but now they were nowhere to be seen.

After some thought, Wu Ming concluded that there must be more than one formation here, and the four of them had each entered a different one. This also explained why he hadn't seen anyone else in the formation for several hours. With this in mind, Wu Ming decided not to search elsewhere for the time being, but to wait quietly here for the other three to emerge.

After all, if he left rashly, what if someone came out and couldn't find him? Moreover, this secret realm was so vast that if they got separated again, reuniting would be difficult. Furthermore, since there was more than one formation here, Wu Ming didn't dare to roam around carelessly. If he accidentally entered a new formation, the consequences would be disastrous.

Therefore, Wu Ming could only remain where he was and wait. During this time, he took out the token he had obtained from the formation and began to study it, hoping to extract some useful information. However, the token was only three feet square, with unfamiliar text on one side and an image of an unknown ancient demonic beast on the other. Wu Ming could not extract any information from it. Furthermore, the material of the token was unknown, and even his golden sword could not damage it at all.

Wu Ming used his spiritual sense to examine the token and discovered it was actually a top-grade magical instrument—the Wu Earth Token—that could transform into a shield for protection. Unexpectedly, breaking the formation also yielded a top-grade defensive magical instrument—a surprising bonus. Wu Ming performed a simple ritual to refine it, and it would be enough to protect him in the event of danger.

Although it was good to get a top-grade defensive magic weapon, Wu Ming did not get any information about the formation from the Wu Earth Token. This token only served as the eye of the formation.

Time slowly slipped away, and in the blink of an eye, several hours had passed, but still no one had emerged from the formation. This made Wu Ming begin to wonder: Could it be that Mei Lingshuang, Zhao Xiaohai, and Hou Tiancheng had encountered some danger within the formation? He even considered re-entering the formation to find out what was going on.

Just as Wu Ming was lost in thought, a faint wave suddenly emanated from the front. Then, a figure suddenly emerged from thin air. Upon closer inspection, it was none other than Mei Lingshuang! Her clothes were slightly disheveled, clearly having endured a difficult ordeal within the formation.

"Hey, Wu Ming, didn't you enter the formation?" Mei Lingshuang saw Wu Ming sitting there peacefully and couldn't help but ask in confusion.

"How could that be? I just came out a little earlier than you. I was worried that it would be dangerous if I wandered around, so I stayed here and waited for you." Wu Ming was relieved to see that one of his companions finally returned safely. He felt that he seemed to have thought too much before.

"I didn't expect you to come out even earlier than me, Wu Ming. It seems your cultivation has already surpassed mine." Mei Lingshuang frowned slightly, a flicker of surprise and resentment in her eyes. Mei Lingshuang said with a hint of resentment. She was more talented than Wu Ming, having entered the late Qi Refining stage before him, and she hadn't neglected her cultivation. Now, she'd been surpassed by Wu Ming, which was discouraging.

Seeing Mei Lingshuang's expression, Wu Ming guessed what she was thinking. After all, everyone has their own secrets, so he decided to change the subject: "I wonder what formation you entered? Let's discuss it together and see if we can find a pattern and try to find a flaw. This may allow Zhao Xiaohai and Hou Tiancheng to escape earlier. I'm really worried about whether they can make it out safely."

Hearing Wu Ming's words, Mei Lingshuang nodded and said, "Yes, this formation is indeed difficult to crack. Let's try and see if we can find a flaw."

Then, the two of them recounted their experiences within the formation. Wu Ming learned that Mei Lingshuang had entered a boundless ocean, and after a difficult exploration, she had finally managed to break free. Moreover, like him, she had also obtained a top-grade magical weapon.

Another hour passed, but Zhao Xiaohai and Hou Tiancheng still hadn't come out. Wu Ming began to get anxious: "It's been more than two or three hours, why haven't they come out yet? Did something happen?"

As the two men waited anxiously, a figure suddenly emerged from the formation. It was Hou Tiancheng! He was covered in blood and wounds, as if he had just experienced a life-or-death battle. Wu Ming and another person rushed forward to support the shaky Hou Tiancheng.

They quickly cast spells to help stabilize his injuries and prevent them from worsening. After Hou Tiancheng stabilized slightly, they sat down and began practicing Qigong to heal his injuries. Seeing Hou Tiancheng so seriously injured, Wu Ming grew increasingly worried. Zhao Xiaohai hadn't emerged yet, and the later he came out, the more dangerous his situation would become within the formation.

However, just as Wu Ming was frantically recovering, Zhao Xiaohai finally emerged from the formation. Although he too was covered in wounds, his injuries were less severe and would only require a short period of treatment. Otherwise, if they delayed too long, they might miss the most crucial opportunity within the secret realm. After several hours of recuperation, Zhao Xiaohai and Hou Tiancheng's injuries had finally recovered.

With that, the four of them embarked on their journey anew, continuing their journey towards the heart of the secret realm. Along the way, their hearts grew heavy, their earlier optimism vanishing. They were acutely aware that opportunity is not easily gained, and often carries dangers. They were filled with anxiety and trepidation about the challenges that lay ahead.

After six or seven days of continuous travel, they finally reached the central region of the Inner Realm. Along the way, they encountered countless dangers, yet also seized numerous opportunities. Fortunately, they made it to the end without casualties. However, the arduous journey had left them physically and mentally exhausted. Even so, they dared not relax, for they knew full well that even more severe tests lay ahead. Everything they had experienced so far was merely a warm-up.

When they arrived at the central area of ​​the inner realm, they found thousands of cultivators already gathered there. These cultivators huddled together, some with only two or three people, others with more than a dozen. Wu Ming and his companions weren't too late, as the number of cultivators here was less than a third of the total number of cultivators who had entered the secret realm. Clearly, many more cultivators hadn't arrived yet.