Hanging Sky Cave.
Within the Forbidden Land.
A giant chessboard stood silently in the very center.
The chessboard was dark brown, carved from an unknown divine wood.
It was covered in mysterious patterns, emitting a faint glow.
Even though the chessboard was full of cracks, it still showed an extraordinary grade.
It was precisely the foundation of the Hanging Sky Cave's School, a three-star divine artifact—the xing luo chessboard!
At this moment.
Four long-bearded elders sat cross-legged on the four sides of the chessboard, simultaneously channeling their magical power.
For a time, the entire chessboard glowed with a misty aura.
One point of light shone brightly, simultaneously emitting a strange symbol.
Seeing this, the four elders were overjoyed.
“It appeared, indeed! Quickly decipher it!”
One of the elder's eyes suddenly turned crimson.
He stared intently at the glowing spot on the chessboard and the mysterious symbol, slowly speaking:
“Cangmang Mountains… Little Secret Realm… Key…”
The other elders were even more excited upon hearing this.
“It finally appeared, the key to opening the true Secret Realm.”
“I didn't expect that the key we've been searching for so long was hidden in a Little Secret Realm.”
“Someone! Quickly select ten Qi Refining Realm Disciples to come here. I will personally lead the team to the Cangmang Mountains.”
At the same time.
Bi Xiao Palace also detected the existence of the Little Secret Realm through secret means.
“So it's in the Cangmang Mountains…”
Upon hearing the location, Zhao Xier's eyes lit up, and she immediately volunteered.
“Sect Master, Disciple wishes to go to the Cangmang Mountains.”
The powerful Sect Master had not yet spoken.
Zhao Xier's Master, however, smiled and said, “Forget it, you've only recently entered the Qi Refining Realm. Focus on your Cultivation.”
“But…”
The beautiful woman waved her hand, stopping Zhao Xier's words, “You've been training for quite some time now. If you go again this time, other Schools might think that Bi Xiao Palace only has one Disciple.”
“Uh…”
With Master saying so, Zhao Xier naturally had no choice but to give up.
Thinking of that figure in the Cangmang Mountains, she almost bit through her silver teeth.
She still needed to Cultivate faster.
Zhao Xier stopped speaking, while the Sect Master smiled and selected ten Disciples, then looked at the beautiful woman and said, “You will lead the team. You must retrieve the key…”
“Yes!”
“Oh, and Xier, you go too~ More experience for young people is good for future Cultivation~”
“Hehe~ Yes!”
Besides Hanging Sky Cave and Bi Xiao Palace.
Other small and medium-sized Schools naturally had their own intelligence channels.
Several days after the people from Hanging Sky Cave and Bi Xiao Palace departed.
These small and medium-sized Schools finally received the news and also sent people to the Cangmang Mountains.
Of course.
They didn't think they could snatch food from a tiger's mouth.
But the treasures in the Little Secret Realm weren't just a single key.
As long as they could get a chance to explore, they would always gain something.
— — — —
Wanshou Mountain.
In the territory of the Pan Mountain Tiger, the battle had already begun.
One of the Pan Mountain Tigers extended its tiger claw and fiercely swiped at the Little Squirrel!
The terrifying force even produced a whistling sound, capable of splitting mountains and shattering rocks.
The Little Squirrel naturally dared not be careless; it had already activated its 【Earth-Suppressing Rat】 state.
At the same time, it adjusted its whole body's Qi and blood, then suddenly leaped!
It barely dodged this terrifying claw.
At the same time, its small fist had already reached the tiger's face.
This old Pan Mountain Tiger sneered: “Hmph, a mere Song Ling Rat…”
Before it finished speaking!
The Squirrel's small paw had already landed on the tiger's face.
Swish!
“Roar—”
Only a soft sound and an angry roar were heard.
The Little Squirrel actually shattered half of the Pan Mountain Tiger's face with one claw.
The tiger still wanted to struggle.
But the Little Squirrel gave it no chance, directly jumping onto the tiger's neck.
It extended its small paw, plunged it into the back of the tiger's neck, squeezed, and pulled!
Crack!
It actually pulled out a section of the spine directly!
The Pan Mountain Tiger's life force instantly ceased, and it fell to the ground with a thud.
“Hmph, a mere big cat!”
The Little Squirrel made a victorious expression, and Little Red also finished its battle.
It took a direct claw from the tiger with its snake body, getting badly mangled and bloody.
At the same time, it bit the tiger with its poisonous fangs.
Little Red's innate talent and the effect of the hundred-poison bramble ball made its venom extremely potent at this time.
With just one bite, this Pan Mountain Tiger turned completely greenish-blue and fell to the ground, its life force extinguished.
Li Zhuo, meanwhile, was carrying a huge tiger head, looking at the core area of the Pan Mountain Tiger's territory, feeling somewhat helpless.
“What a mess…”
“Little Red did well, managing to peel off a relatively intact tiger hide~”
“Hehe~”
“You, on the other hand, left blood, bone fragments, and brains all over the place. You really cause trouble for people.”
“Hey! You're talking a bit too much! How much better are you than me?”
“…”
Li Zhuo looked at his own combat area, which was also covered in large patches of blood.
He waved the treasure sword in his hand, shaking off the bloodstains, and boasted shamelessly: “I use a sharp weapon; how could there not be wounds? Cough, cough…”
Just at this moment.
Little Hua poked her head out: “Master, the magical stone has been dug out!”
Li Zhuo was overjoyed: “Well done! Little Hua carries the stone, Little Guo holds the seeds… I forgot to bring my Storage Pouch… Little Die!”
“Yes!”
“Are there any other Spirit Beasts nearby? Preferably ones that have a grudge with the Pan Mountain Tiger.”
“Reporting to Master, not far from here is the territory of the Blade Wolf. The two races have a long-standing feud!”
“Blade Wolf, also a Spirit Beast known for its Physical Body, attacks with sharp claws…”
Li Zhuo looked at Little Red and Little Guo beside him.
He shook his head.
These two Spirit Beasts, one that breathes fire and one that uses poison, couldn't simulate the traces of a Blade Wolf's battle.
As for Little Hua…
Her sharp claws were basically for show; they weren't very useful.
Only Little Squirrel was left.
“Use your claws to create some battle marks!”
The Little Squirrel rolled its eyes: “No, I still have to go home and check on the wheat.”
“Alright~”
Li Zhuo smiled, then looked at the large seed Little Guo was holding, “Oh my, I wonder what will grow if this seed is planted in the ground? It must be a treasure, I think. Although I Cultivate every day, I will still take some time to personally care for it…”
“Th-I-I-I… I'll do it!”
The Little Squirrel stared at the large seed, its eyes glowing, and even its words became stammering.
It was clearly extremely excited.
Li Zhuo, however, chuckled and said, “Oh dear, how could I trouble the great Earth-Suppressing Song Ling Rat? After all, you still have to look after the Spirit Wheat, so you must be too busy to spare time~”
“No, no, no, I can spare time, I have time!”
While speaking, the Little Squirrel even showed its small claws.
It suddenly swiped at the ground, leaving several deep marks!
Li Zhuo saw this and sneered: “It won't trouble you, will it?”
“No trouble, no trouble at all!”
Li Zhuo finally nodded: “We'll take the stone and seeds back to the Safe Zone first. You create some marks here. Afterwards, Scarlet Snakes will come to take these Pan Mountain Tigers away, and you protect them as they return.”
“Good, good!”
After speaking, Li Zhuo walked to the direction from which the two Pan Mountain Tigers had just charged out.
According to his speculation.
Those two Pan Mountain Tigers were probably planning to report the news.
But how did they contact other Pan Mountain Tigers?
Li Zhuo investigated briefly.
Unfortunately, he found nothing.
“Little Die, follow this direction and investigate if there are any treasures that can contact other Pan Mountain Tigers.”
“Yes~”