Chapter 19 Still in Need of the Crimson Pearl Fairy Grass

Lu Linglong’s mood soured instantly. He was clearly her Dao companion—how had he suddenly become someone else’s? Did he have no sense of shame?

But as much as she wanted to say these words aloud, she simply couldn’t bring herself to. It was as if Nangong Yanran sensed her feelings; with a gentle smile, she walked up to Lu Linglong, took her hand, and said, “Linglong, why don’t you cultivate the Grand Lament of Heaven and Earth’s Yin and Yang with me?”

Lu Linglong blushed and turned to look at Chu Feng. Chu Feng was overjoyed. “This Grand Lament of Heaven and Earth’s Yin and Yang becomes even more effective the more people cultivate it together,” he declared. “Junior Sister, Yanran, I’ll teach you both this technique right now. Study it closely.”

With that, Chu Feng decided to strike while the iron was hot.

A system prompt appeared.

Nangong Yanran had been conquered, and her conquest value had reached sixty. Yet, there was no system prompt for Lu Linglong—she still harbored some reservations about him. When he’d forcibly subdued Shen Qianxue before, even with a conquest value of only ten, the system had notified him. But for Lu Linglong, temptation was the best approach—the Grand Lament of Heaven and Earth’s Yin and Yang was the perfect enticement. Coercion was unnecessary now. With Nangong Yanran as the catalyst, perhaps he could win Lu Linglong over.

The two women were astounded the moment they received the cultivation technique.

“It’s real.”

“What a marvelous celestial-level technique.”

[Beep, beep, beep.]
[Congratulations, host, you have successfully conquered Child of Destiny Lu Linglong. Conquest value: 10. You have received 300,000 Destiny Points and the following rewards:]
[Reward 1: Celestial Divine Technique—Ninety-Nine Palms of the Dragon Subduer.]
[Reward 2: Five hundred years of cultivation.]
[Reward 3: One Bloodline Enhancement Pill.]

Chu Feng was so delighted he nearly leapt for joy.

He really had conquered her. Even if the conquest value was only ten, it meant Lu Linglong no longer resisted the idea of dual cultivation with him. Previously, he’d forcibly possessed Shen Qianxue, and Nangong Yanran had been eager to join him in dual cultivation. Lu Linglong, for now, was merely moved.

Lu Linglong spoke: “Senior Brother Chu, I’m willing to become your Dao companion and cultivate together—but only if you grant me one condition.”

“Name it.” For his happiness, Chu Feng was willing to do anything. One condition? He’d agree to ten.

“I want the Vermilion Pearl Immortal Herb.”

Chu Feng knew of the Vermilion Pearl Immortal Herb; it was found in the Supreme Mystery Secret Realm, but they hadn’t had an opportunity to enter that realm. Moreover, the Vermilion Pearl could only be picked by a maiden. It wasn’t available elsewhere. The Supreme Mystery Secret Realm opened once every five hundred years—this time, three members of the Supreme Mystery Dao Sect had qualified. Lin Xiyue was one of them, but after Chu Feng had slept with her, she lost the right to pick the herb. Only two remained, and both were men.

The Vermilion Pearl Immortal Herb was a Nascent Soul grade spiritual herb, which could be refined into Vermilion Pearl Pills to help Lu Linglong cultivate to the late Nascent Soul stage.

Chu Feng’s thoughts raced as he checked the Destiny Store for availability. There it was.

“Vermilion Pearl Immortal Herb: 2,000,000 Destiny Points.”
“Vermilion Pearl Pill: 3,000,000 Destiny Points.”

He checked his own Destiny Points—barely over a million. Other Nascent Soul-level herbs and pills only cost a few hundred thousand at most. This was outrageous! Chu Feng summoned the system at once.

“Hey, are you insane? Why are you selling the Vermilion Pearl Pill for so much? Other Nascent Soul spiritual herbs cost only a fraction! Are you just trying to fleece me?”

The system, indignant at the accusation, retorted:
[Host, do not slander this system. Do you realize how rare the Vermilion Pearl Immortal Herb is? Its grade is not high only because of its age.]
[Once it reaches a thousand years, it becomes a Divine Transformation stage spiritual herb; at ten thousand years, it’s suitable for the Body Fusion stage; at a hundred thousand, it’s fit for the Great Ascension stage...]
[Furthermore, the Vermilion Pearl Pill doesn’t just boost cultivation—it grants a one-in-ten-thousand chance of awakening an ancient bloodline.]

Just then, while Chu Feng was at a loss, Nangong Yanran spoke up. “Actually, I know of a place where it’s very likely the Vermilion Pearl Immortal Herb can be found.”

Lu Linglong’s eyes lit up. “Yanran, you know where it is?”

Nangong Yanran nodded and produced a palm-sized beast hide scroll, which she spread out on the table. It instantly expanded to cover the entire surface.

“This is... a secret realm map,” Lu Linglong exclaimed, astonished.

Secret realms were like miniature worlds, created in ancient times by supreme cultivators using unmatched divine powers. To open one required at least a Heavenly Monarch who had survived the tribulation. Sword Province, one of the Nine Provinces of Eastern Wilderness, had once suffered a devastating war ten thousand years ago, plunging its cultivation world into decline. Even the Supreme Mystery Dao Sect had nearly been annihilated, their legacies almost lost, with only a few Divine Transformation techniques remaining and their strongest experts being at the Divine Transformation stage.

The Supreme Mystery Secret Realm was a relic from those ancient days. Now, Nangong Yanran had produced a map of another secret realm.

Nangong Yanran explained, “I came to Supreme Mystery Dao Sect to find you because I intended to explore this secret realm with you. I came across this map by chance at an auction. Not only do I have the map, but I also know the location.”

“This secret realm once belonged to the Cangshan Dao Sect, which was exterminated ten thousand years ago. To open it requires two Nascent Soul elders. No one has entered in all that time—there must be immense dangers lurking within.”

“However, according to the map, Vermilion Pearl Immortal Herbs exist within the Cangshan Secret Realm.”

Similarly, the Supreme Mystery Dao Sect possessed maps of their own secret realm, which detailed the various spiritual herbs, materials, demonic beasts, and the treasures left behind by generations of Dao Sect experts. Those fated could claim them. Yet, no one knew what dangers waited inside the Cangshan Secret Realm after so many millennia, nor whether the legacy treasures of the Cangshan Dao Sect remained.

Lin Xiyue had gone so far as to divorce Chu Feng in order to enter the Supreme Mystery Secret Realm, but in the end, it was all in vain. If she knew another secret realm was right here now, who knows if she would go mad from regret.

After a brief discussion, the three set off.

Chu Feng was deeply intrigued by the Cangshan Secret Realm, which hadn’t been opened in ten thousand years. In the meantime, he absorbed the latest round of rewards.

Five hundred years of cultivation—his power soared to the pinnacle of the Nascent Soul stage. Yet, to ascend to the Divine Transformation realm, he still needed a final breakthrough.

Transformation begins with shedding one’s mortal form. This step had stymied countless cultivators. Chu Feng had reached late Nascent Soul at over five hundred years old, and had spent more than four centuries struggling to break through to Divine Transformation, without success.

Still, those four centuries of cultivation had given him valuable insights into the process. Moreover, in the Destiny Store, there were pills designed to aid in breaking through to the Divine Transformation stage.