Fellow Daoist! That scoundrel has written a new book again.

Chapter 461 Listening to the Wind with Me

Zhu Wuyao retrieved the information about this junior sister Ying from her memory. She was ranked fifth, one place above her, and her name was Ying Cang.

Although the ranking is very high, the Sword Trial Realm tests talent.

This junior sister Ying has only been a student for a few years.

His cultivation level is only at the early stage of Foundation Establishment.

Zhu Wuyao stepped forward to investigate. Fortunately, when he hit the mountain rocks, he activated his protective magic artifact, which blocked the attack. The problem was that his spiritual energy was severely depleted.

Han Ge stepped forward and asked:

"Elder, how is Junior Sister Ying?"

Just as she was about to pick up her junior sister, she suddenly sensed something was wrong—

At the point where Yingcang meets the rock mass, it is connected by black, viscous, spider-like threads, like vines and roots.

At the same time, Ying Cang's spiritual power was rapidly recovering, as if all the spiritual power he had consumed was being returned to him by this world.

As Han Ge bent down to speak, a corner of his clothes caught Zhu Wuyao's eye. Zhu Wuyao's gaze fell on this patch of blue, then suddenly looked down at Ying Shimei's clothes and skin.

Cultivators naturally have keen eyesight.

If she wasn't mistaken, Ying Cang's clothes... seemed to have faded into a hazy, Morandi-inspired color scheme. Zhu Wuyao shifted her gaze elsewhere, then looked back. It wasn't just her clothes; she felt that Ying Cang's entire appearance had been de-sharpened and given more graininess.

In summary, it seems that Junior Sister Ying and this world are more like something on the same level.

Before Zhu Wuyao could figure out how to respond, Ying Cang opened her eyes, looked around, and called out:

Elder Qian...?

The three of them retreated together.

Ying Cang stood up somewhat blankly. As he stood up, the thin black threads that had returned spiritual power withered and broke off.

It was as if nothing had ever happened.

Zhu Wuyao spoke first, asking:

"Are there any unusual symptoms in your body?"

Ying Cang stretched his limbs, stood up, and felt full of energy, seemingly without any abnormalities. After examining his spiritual sea, he replied:

"I feel... the spiritual energy within my body seems to be more refined."

"When I first came in and used the escape technique, my spiritual power was almost uncontrollable, but now... it seems that I can use my spiritual power in this world much better."

Hearing Ying Cang's answer, Han Ge breathed a sigh of relief, while Zhu Wuyao and Ning Zhiqi remained solemn.

Although Ning Zhiqi believed there was an opportunity in the secret realm, she did not believe that it could be obtained so easily. Perhaps there were hidden dangers in the effect of this "pure spiritual power".

Zhu Wuyao, on the other hand, was overthinking things. Various terrifying stories lingered in his mind, such as how the more gifts he received, the closer he got to the abyss, and he could never get out.

The three of them made the same decision without prior agreement.

He traveled with Ying Cang.

Just as the group was about to explore other places, they suddenly looked up at the mountain peak.

A faint rumbling sound, like muffled thunder, came from inside the mountain. At the same time, the rocks cracked, but no rocks fell. Instead, they melted away like a glacier.

It slowly lifted up a lotus flower.

An internal radiance surged, as if liquid was flowing within.

Suddenly, a voice came from the spirit pen:

"Take this; it's the ink you'll need for your painting!"

Anyone who has seen him knows he is extraordinary.

Ning Zhiqi said:

"Elder, I'll fetch it for you!"

After saying this, before Zhu Wuyao, who was pretending to be Elder Qian, could reply, Ning Zhiqi began to climb towards the top of the mountain, relying on his physical strength.

Spiritual power cannot be easily used in this realm.

Since that's the case, Ning Zhiqi might as well fight for what Elder Qian can obtain.

Zhu Wuyao naturally saw through her thoughts, and immediately followed closely behind Ning Zhiqi up the mountain without saying a word, trying to prevent Ning Zhiqi from reaching the summit first.

The distance between the two is closing.

Ning Zhiqi gritted his teeth, about to risk using his spiritual power, when he suddenly looked up—

As Ying Cang had said, she was now able to use her spiritual power with ease within the secret realm, and her speed was now greater than that of the two of them thanks to her escape technique.

Fortunately, Ying Cang did not compete for the Lotus Heart.

At this moment, the use of spiritual power is more out of curiosity about one's own strength.

Zhu Wuyao naturally saw Ying Cang flying through the air on his sword, and her gaze became even more solemn.

The spiritual energy brought in from the outside cannot be used normally in the secret realm unless... a spiritual energy exchange is performed with the small cave heaven, replacing the original spiritual energy with spiritual energy that can be used under the rules of this realm.

Changing it might pose hidden dangers, and there might be no turning back.

If you don't change it, your strength will fall behind those who have exchanged their spiritual power.

No matter what choice you make, there are risks involved.

Ning Zhiqi had the same thought.

She made a decision immediately—

Since there are risks involved in both changing and not changing... if she can't become the strongest person outside this realm, why not become the strongest person within this realm?

Even if it's a wrong path, you might still gain something if you keep going.

Thinking of this, she suddenly turned around, her sword flying out of its sheath, seemingly about to unleash some kind of sword formation. However, due to the spiritual energy brought in from the outside world, which was out of control here, the sword stumbled around wildly, seemingly splitting into countless sword shadows, about to escape Ning Zhiqi's control.

She looked at "Elder Qian," a barely perceptible hint of killing intent in her eyes, but said:

"Elder Qian, be careful!"

"I wanted to clear a path for you, but my sword is out of my control!"

After saying that, she squatted down and placed her palm on the mountain wall. Sure enough, the black root-like threads instantly connected.

Zhu Wuyao saw through her plan and wondered to himself:

How many times can I paint now?

"You only have two chances. If you can retrieve the Lotus at the mountaintop, you can make up for one more chance."

Lingbi paused for a moment, then said:

"Now, that ink lotus can make up for two more opportunities to paint."

Zhu Wuyao instantly understood the connection—

Only the spiritual energy from outside this realm, which gives rise to the ink lotus, can be used to paint in the small grotto.

Ning Zhiqi's sword light could no longer be maintained and scattered with a roar. The spiritual power in his body surged into the mountain like a dam that had been opened, and at the same time, the mountains and rivers returned to their spiritual energy.

Within her spiritual sea, another kind of spiritual power—a spiritual power controlled under the rules of this small grotto-heaven—was being continuously replenished through the root system between her palms and the mountain rocks.

Like plants that depend on soil and water to grow.

By absorbing nutrients from the soil and water here, they gain the recognition of this land and are no longer out of place or rejected.

Ning Zhiqi slowly stood up and looked at "Elder Qian," who could only dodge left and right with his body cultivation technique amidst the scattered sword shadows.

She rationally suppressed the murderous intent in her heart.

If he were to make a move now, Elder Qian might also exchange his spiritual power and fight him.

Ning Zhiqi looked up at the mountaintop, touched the ground with his toes, stepped onto his sword, and regained the ability to fly freely across the world on his sword.

She headed straight for the black lotus on the mountaintop.

Zhu Wuyao watched her figure, took out his spirit brush, and drew a horizontal stroke across the sky and earth. He said:

"wind!"

The moment the brush touched the paper, the wind howled, the grass swayed, and all that was still began to stretch and rustle.

Heaven and earth are silent, I listen to the wind with you.

The moment the pen touches the paper, the rules of the wind here are rewritten, becoming no different from those of the outside world.

From this point on, the Breath Concealing Wind Technique can be used.