Mythical Cultivation

"Although the five of us are gathered together, we can't let our guard down. There are a ton of cultivators here with higher abilities than ours. If we were to face them, it wouldn't be easy for us to escape unscathed," Huang Hao said solemnly. Although he was arrogant, after these days of fighting, he knew he still had room to improve. This secret realm was fraught with danger, and caution was essential.

"Huang Hao is right. With our current strength, we really need to be vigilant. Let's first recover from our injuries and get back into shape before we consider those opportunities." Wu Ming wholeheartedly agreed with Huang Hao's point of view. He had been planning to bring this up, but Huang Hao had spoken first. It seemed Huang Hao's experiences had changed his personality somewhat.

Everyone nodded in agreement. They knew their current situation was difficult and that only by continuously improving their strength could they survive in this secret realm. Thus, the five of them began to heal their wounds and practice, striving to recover their injuries and condition.

Time flew by, and two days had passed in the blink of an eye. After two days of rest, the five men's injuries had completely healed, and their mental state had returned to peak form. Now, they were brimming with confidence, ready to take on the next challenge.

Several people sat together, discussing their next plan. "While the Ancient Sect hasn't started its trials yet, I think we can go around and look for treasures and opportunities to strengthen ourselves," Hou Tiancheng suggested.

"Yeah, I think so too. However, we need to be careful, after all, dangers are everywhere here." Huang Hao reminded.

After discussion, they decided that the five of them would explore together. Since there were too many cultivators in the inner realm, and their cultivation wasn't strong enough, staying together would allow them to handle some of the dangers. If they separated, they would most likely be separated forever if they encountered danger.

They carefully navigated the mountains and forests, each step cautious and alert. Their eyes scanned every corner, never missing any potential threat. They stayed away from areas crowded with monks, choosing secluded paths to travel, as if to avoid potential enemies.

Time ticked by, and half an hour later, they finally arrived at a point. Looking out, they saw no other monks around. They decided to begin their journey of exploration. This mysterious land was filled with unknowns and dangers, but also held endless opportunities. However, only those with sufficient strength and luck could seize these opportunities.

However, Wu Ming and others did not know that they had become targets in the eyes of others.

"Brother Zhang, Wu Ming and his men are heading northwest. Should we take them out now?" a young man in black whispered to the middle-aged man in front of him, who was wearing Qingyun Sect uniform. His eyes revealed a hint of ferocity and eagerness.

The Qingyun Sect disciple known as Senior Brother Zhang pondered for a moment and then replied, "Don't let the people you send out be discovered by them. They are in good condition now, so there is no need to take risks now. Wait until sunset and they will relax before we take action. This will increase our chances of success." His voice was low and firm, revealing a well-thought-out strategy.

This person was none other than Zhang Tianming, one of the most powerful outer disciples. He had even finished in the top 100 in the last outer disciple competition. This ranking might not seem impressive, but it actually represented his exceptional status among the outer disciples.

You have to know that their class of outer disciples consisted of over 400 people, and the competition was incredibly fierce. However, only a dozen or so made it into the top 100. Although these dozen or so were relatively low-ranked, their opponents were the cultivators from the previous class who had failed to break through to the Foundation Establishment stage. These cultivators had been cultivating in Qingyun Sect for nearly 20 years, and their strength should not be underestimated.

There were nearly three hundred senior brothers from the previous class, the vast majority of whom were in the late Qi Refining stage, with nearly half even reaching the ninth level. In such a competitive environment, Zhang Tianming's ability to stand out and enter the top one hundred is sufficient to demonstrate his strength and potential. Therefore, we should not underestimate his abilities simply because he is ranked low.

Zhang Tianming's ability to stand out from the crowd and rank in the top 100 is a testament to his strength and talent. However, it's a shame that despite his exceptional performance, six or seven years have passed since the last Outer Disciple Competition, and he's still stuck as an Outer Disciple. Perhaps all this can only be attributed to a trick of fate.

Of the outer disciples who had entered the Qingyun Sect with him, hundreds had now successfully broken through to the Foundation Establishment stage. Most of them had once been defeated by him, and even their talents were inferior to his. However, as fate would have it, they had surpassed him and become inner disciples.

This was undoubtedly a crushing blow to Zhang Tianming, especially since those he had once defeated had now become inner disciples, leaving him feeling incredibly frustrated and helpless. The cause of this could be traced back several years. At that time, he had reached the ninth level of Qi Refining and was out on a mission. However, at that moment, a sudden crisis changed the course of his life.

They were a pair of ninth-level Qi Refining Colorful Spiders, and their appearance plunged Zhang Tianming into an unprecedented predicament. The battle left him severely injured and nearly dead. He fought with all his might, exhausting all his trump cards, to escape from the Colorful Spiders' clutches.

After returning to the sect, his cultivation path became incredibly difficult, as if he had lost his motivation and his progress stagnated. Later, with the help of a senior fellow from the inner sect, he discovered that he had been left with residual venom from the colorful spider, something he hadn't noticed until then. Although he eventually managed to expel the poison, it severely damaged his vitality, taking over a year to recover, but it also left hidden dangers.

Zhang Tianming practiced diligently, finally reaching the consummation of the ninth level of Qi Refining and preparing to strive for the Foundation Establishment Realm. However, his attempt ended in failure. Not only did he waste the Foundation Establishment Pill awarded by the competition, but he also suffered a strong backlash, almost exhausting all his resources to stabilize his realm.

Undeterred, Zhang Tianming persevered in his cultivation, completing quests to earn spirit stones to purchase a healing elixir. Initially, he had shown little interest in the conflict between outer disciples, but Senior Brother Liu Qingquan approached him, offering him a precious elixir that could remedy the hidden dangers of his failed foundation-building efforts if he helped eliminate Wu Ming and his companions. This allure captivated Zhang Tianming, and he plunged into the fray.