Ling Changqing didn’t hesitate for long before nodding in agreent with Bai Qingyi’s proposal.
Ever since he had set foot on the path of Cultivation, he had never once had the chance to train in a Grotto Heaven Blessed Land or Secret Realm.
Exploring the ruins of Vast Sea Dark and Bright City with Ling Qiyue last ti had yielded a wealth of opportunities and rewards. Having gotten a taste of such benefits, Ling Changqing naturally had no reason to refuse this ti.
"Then it’s settled,"
Bai Qingyi said gently, "I’ll have all the information about the Secret Realm sent over to you shortly. You should familiarize yourself with it."
The Secret Realm was set to open in precisely two months and five days, giving Ling Changqing ample ti to prepare before entering with the younger generation of the Dragon Race.
Of course, certain important figures were allowed to bring a few trusted guards with them, provided they had the ans to secure the extra slots.
Luo Qingxuan mused, "Mother, do you have any suitable Spiritual Artifacts, Talismans, or other treasures? Let’s get a few for my dear husband to protect himself. It would be best to prevent certain people from getting any funny ideas in there!"
Once her siblings learned that Ling Changqing was entering the Grotto Heaven Blessed Land to train, they most likely wouldn’t sit idly by. They would surely try to stir up trouble.
Fortunately, just as Luo Qingxuan couldn’t enter, neither could they. This ant Ling Changqing wouldn’t face any challenges he couldn’t handle.
Bai Qingyi shot her daughter a slightly exasperated glare. "How many tis have you rummaged through my treasury? Don’t you know perfectly well what’s in there? Honestly..."
Luo Qingxuan’s beautiful face flushed red, and she said bashfully, "Fine, fine. I’ll go take a look myself later."
"Just you be careful," Bai Qingyi said, exasperated. "Don’t you go and squander my entire collection!"
’This girl... She’s always siding with outsiders. It’s like she has eyes for no one but Ling Changqing, to the point that even I can’t help but feel a little jealous.’
’Still, once Ling Changqing matures, perhaps I can also find a way to share in a portion of his Destiny?’
After they talked a while longer, Luo Qingxuan, having eaten and drunk her fill, bid her mother farewell and pulled Ling Changqing away.
At Ling Changqing’s current Cultivation Level, he couldn’t yet use Magical Treasures. Top Grade Spiritual Artifacts, however, were a perfect fit, and he could unleash their full power.
The only problem was that while Bai Qingyi’s personal treasury was filled with fine items, they were all of too high a grade. There were almost no resources suitable for a Foundation Establishnt Cultivator.
In fact, it wasn’t just her; even Luo Qingxuan’s own personal collection consisted mainly of resources ant for Golden Core Masters.
So, after rummaging around for a long ti, Luo Qingxuan could only leave in frustration. She decided she would have to find another way, even if it ant making so last-minute purchases.
Shortly after, a trusted Female Official arranged by Bai Qingyi delivered the information on Dragon Soul Valley. It ca with files on over twenty other Pocket World Secret Realms as well.
This was, of course, a precaution to prevent certain individuals from learning of Bai Qingyi’s true plans ahead of ti and taking counterasures.
The next two months passed peacefully, or so it seed on the surface.
Luo Qingxuan scrounged up a batch of various Elixirs and Talismans from her own storerooms, along with several dozen Daoist Soldier Puppets, and packed everything up for Ling Changqing.
With these items on hand, Ling Changqing’s chances of survival inside Dragon Soul Valley would be significantly higher.
After all, besides the Dragon Race, the younger generation from Yuzhou’s Nine Great Cultivation Families would also be entering. Conflict was inevitable as they vied for various opportunities.
Throughout this ti, Ling Changqing remained secluded, holing up in his study to pore over ancient Scriptures and secret archives. He saw no one except for the mother-daughter duo of Luo Qingxuan and Bai Qingyi.
Luo Qingxuan, for her part, cancelled all her social engagents, sticking to Ling Changqing’s side day in and day out like a mother leopard guarding her cub.
This, of course, made certain people gnash their teeth in hatred, but there was nothing they could do. They couldn’t just storm Luo Qingxuan’s territory and snatch him away, could they?
With no way to get to Ling Changqing, all of their plans were dead in the water. They could only watch as Luo Qingxuan reaped all the benefits for herself.
Helpless, Luo Qingyu and her sisters could only go and beg their royal father, Luo Du, to grant them permission to associate with Ling Changqing.
Luo Du was sowhat tempted by the idea, but with Bai Qingyi present, such lobbying was unlikely to bear fruit for the ti being.
Two months slipped by, and the day the entrance to the Grotto Heaven Blessed Land was due to open soon arrived.
Ling Changqing had already read through all the docunts he had been given, gaining a considerable understanding of the conditions within Dragon Soul Valley.
Only on the day before their departure, in accordance with the rules set by the Dragon Race’s upper echelons, did Bai Qingyi finally inform the Elders that Ling Changqing would also be entering the Dragon Soul Valley Grotto Heaven Blessed Land to train.
The news spread and, as expected, caused a huge commotion. Luo Qingxuan’s siblings cursed and grumbled as they scrambled to make arrangents, trying to get their own trusted followers a spot to enter Dragon Soul Valley.
However, because ti was short and there was a hard cap on the Cultivation level for entry, many of their more elaborate sches were simply not feasible.
Finally, as dawn broke the next day, a magnificent, opulent Tianzhou Skyboat slowly descended upon the square before the Dragon Palace.
The Tianzhou Skyboat was over two hundred zhang long, a treasure passed down from ancient tis. Not only were its defenses exceptionally powerful, but its internal space was so vast it was comparable to an entire city.
When needed, this Tianzhou Skyboat could transport hundreds of thousands of Cultivators on a single transcontinental voyage, making it a crucial asset for rapid warti support and troop deploynt.
Witnessed by the clan patriarch, Luo Du, and a host of high-ranking Elders, over a thousand of the Dragon Race’s new generation participating in the training gathered in formation below a high platform to listen to a speech.
Each one of them was immaculately dressed, their bodies shimring with Spiritual Light. Almost all of them possessed at least two Spiritual Artifacts.
This was the Deep Sea Dragon Race, a clan of imnse wealth and power. Not only were they incomparable to impoverished rogue cultivators, but even the average major power in the Human Race’s Cultivation Realm could not hope to match the Dragon Race’s financial and material resources.
Therefore, in every past expedition into Dragon Soul Valley, the Dragon Race had always reaped substantial rewards, even if they were outnumbered.
Standing in the ranks, Ling Changqing silently surveyed his surroundings. Sixty percent of these new-generation elites were Human Race Cultivators, with the remaining forty percent belonging to the Dragon Race.
However, due to long-standing intermarriage between Human Race Cultivators and the Dragon Race, a significant number of them were of mixed blood. Pure-blooded Dragon Race descendants were now few and far between.
The ratio of n to won was roughly seven to three. Their Cultivation ranged from the early stage of Foundation Establishnt to its Peak. There were also likely so Pseudo Core masters who had used a Secret Technique to suppress their Cultivation, regressing to the Foundation Establishnt Peak level.
’I wonder how many of these people are spies planted by other powers. There are probably quite a few.’
’With my Cultivation,’ Ling Changqing mused, ’as long as I’m not unlucky enough to get mobbed, I should be able to protect myself.’
’Then again, maybe not.’ Seeing the furtive glances from many Cultivators in the crowd, Ling Changqing suddenly felt an indescribable pressure.
’Many of them must be people planted by Luo Qingxuan’s siblings, and so from certain Dragon Race Elders. Without a doubt, I am their target.’
’I’m surrounded by wolves. What can I do?’
On the high platform, the ice-cold faces of Luo Qingyu, Luo Qingning, and their sisters were fixed on the handso, purple-robed youth in the ranks below. His eyes were as dark as lacquer, and he carried himself with a noble, draconic grace. They stood beside a group of Elders, their gazes locked onto him.
By now, it was obvious to everyone that they had been outmaneuvered by Bai Qingyi and her daughter.
Although they had made so frantic, last-minute arrangents to get their own people into Dragon Soul Valley to try and make contact with Ling Changqing—to test the possibility of poaching him—Luo Qingyu and her sisters didn’t hold out much hope for this plan. They would have to bide their ti and wait for another opportunity in the future.
When the auspicious mont arrived, the assembled elites began to board the vessel in an orderly line. Luo Qingxuan silently swept down from the high platform to walk up the gangway with Ling Changqing, an entourage of guards following close behind.
She intended to stay by Ling Changqing’s side until the Tianzhou Skyboat reached its destination, only resting easy after she saw him safely enter the Secret Realm.
’...That damned Fox Spirit!’
Luo Qingyu and her sisters cursed inwardly, fuming with anger.
This level of tight security truly left them with no options.
"Forget it. Why don’t we board the ship as well and go see what happens?"
Luo Qingyi suggested with a faint smile. She refused to believe her rival would never slip up.
A mont later, the Tianzhou Skyboat began to glow brightly. It ascended slowly into the sky, then turned and passed through the Ancient Protection Array Barrier, heading up toward the surface of the sea.
Monts later, like a great beast from the Deep Sea, the Tianzhou Skyboat burst from the water’s surface with terrifying montum and soared straight into the vast, blue heavens.
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