Another group of people sank down in close pursuit.
How disrespectful, they completely disregarded me, their elder.
Mo Qi grumbled inwardly, then also unfurled his form and descended.
Beside him were Linghu Xiaoxian, Chu Xiangling, and Jin Xichuan.
The abyss seemed endless. The group continued to fall, and fall, and fall. A long time seemed to pass, yet they still hadn't touched the ground.
The cold, gloomy wind constantly encroached, chilling them to the bone.
The sensation of cold grew more intense.
After a long while, Mo Qi couldn't help but ask, "How deep is this abyss? I feel like we're almost in hell."
Linghu Xiaoxian chuckled, "We're still a long way from hell, but quite close to the Dragon Palace. If we're lucky, we might even see Little White."
"Little White?" Mo Qi's spirits suddenly lifted, and he accelerated his descent.
Linghu Xiaoxian's pretty face flushed with amusement. I just said it casually, and he actually believed it.
After an unknown duration, they finally felt solid ground beneath their feet. Looking up, the sky was obscured by a mass of dark clouds, making the entrance invisible.
Peering further ahead, everything was pitch black.
Faintly, they could hear the sound of waves!
Could they have truly reached the Dragon Palace?
Mo Qi's eyes lit up.
Looking around, he saw only Linghu Xiaoxian and the other two beside him. The rest of the people had already moved ahead.
At this moment, in pursuit of resources, everyone was focused on fighting for themselves and pushing forward desperately.
Just before entering the secret realm, Jin Xichuan had decided to rely on Mo Qi, as he didn't recognize anyone else present for the discussion.
However, he was starting to regret it.
This Mo Qi wasn't in any hurry at all!
Following him seemed to mean only picking up leftovers.
Watching Mo Qi walk forward at an unhurried pace, Jin Xichuan grew impatient. "Elder Mo, there's something I'd like to say, if I may."
"Then perhaps it's best not to say it," Mo Qi replied directly.
"..."
Jin Xichuan was furious, but he was no match for Mo Qi in a fight, and Mo Qi wouldn't listen to him. There was nothing he could do but swallow his pride.
The other two beauties, flanking Mo Qi on either side, seemed to completely agree with his approach, which made Jin Xichuan wish he could die.
Good heavens, how could I have chosen such a team?
Am I an idiot?
As the glowing spirit stones illuminated their path, the group could see the way ahead more clearly.
To their left was a stone wall, to their right a beach, and further to the right, the deep sea.
The sea breeze here was bone-chillingly cold.
As Mo Qi walked, he glanced to his right. "This doesn't look like the Dragon Palace."
Linghu Xiaoxian pouted, "I just said it casually, and you actually believed me. How could this place be close to the Dragon Palace?"
Mo Qi was filled with disappointment. "How can you bear to deceive me, such a pure and handsome man?"
Linghu Xiaoxian pursed her lips. "Purity and handsome men have nothing to do with you."
Chu Xiangling added, "You're even insulting those two words."
The group followed the only path forward, gradually moving away from the beach. The sound of waves faded, and they seemed to have ventured into the heart of the mountains.
Looking up, they could surprisingly see the starry sky, which was quite peculiar.
The stars twinkled like blinking eyes.
Had they returned to the surface?
As they walked, the surrounding temperature gradually became scorching.
The stars in the sky coalesced into a fiery red expanse, constantly dripping something akin to lava. The group dodged and weaved to avoid the fiery droplets.
Lava flowed on the ground, forming a fiery red river that coursed forward, its destination unknown.
Suddenly, a heart-wrenching scream echoed from ahead. Looking up, they saw a figure engulfed in lava, struggling and thrashing in the river. In an instant, the figure was submerged, merging with the river.
It seemed they had accidentally fallen in.
Alas!
Another competitor for resources was gone!
The further they advanced, the more intense the heat became, causing sweat to pour down their bodies like a waterfall.
Mo Qi had long possessed an extraordinary resistance to fire, so this heat was nothing to him.
He periodically checked on Chu Xiangling and Linghu Xiaoxian. "Are you hot? If you are, take off some clothes. After all, in the face of disaster and illness, there are no men or women."
Linghu Xiaoxian stepped on him again. Instinctively, he jumped, accidentally falling into the lava river.
Linghu Xiaoxian and Chu Xiangling both cried out in alarm!
"It's fine, don't panic when something happens," Mo Qi reassured them, then casually climbed out of the river, patting the lava still clinging to him. "Stay calm, stay calm, and you'll sail for ten thousand years!"
Linghu Xiaoxian and Chu Xiangling both cast him a resentful glance. Such a man was truly someone they loved and hated!
Jin Xichuan watched from the side, dumbfounded. His cultivation was similar to Mo Qi's, yet if he had fallen in, he would have been severely injured, if not killed. How could Mo Qi be so composed?
What a vast difference there was between cultivators at the same stage!
At this point, several people were already returning.
It seemed they couldn't bear it any longer.
Jin Xichuan asked as if he didn't know, "Where are you going? Did you take the wrong path?"
Those few people said with some shame, "It's too terrifying ahead. We don't need any cultivation resources; our lives are more important."
Jin Xichuan hesitated, but ultimately followed Mo Qi.
The path ahead grew hotter with every step, sweat pouring down and instantly drying, only to be replaced by more sweat.
Many more people gradually retreated.
The river suddenly took a turn, but the path continued forward.
At the end of the path, there was another abyss!
Mo Qi was bewildered, looking at Linghu Xiaoxian. "Judging by this situation, this Ascension Secret Realm has more than one level?"
"Certainly not just one. It's said to have eighteen levels, but no one has ever reached the end," Linghu Xiaoxian said, gazing into the deep black chasm.
"Eighteen levels? Is it hell?" Chu Xiangling asked.
"Yes, I also feel like this isn't an Ascension Secret Realm at all, but clearly a Hell Secret Realm!" Mo Qi exclaimed.
"This first level has no resources at all. I worry that if we continue down, it will be like drawing water with a bamboo basket – all in vain," Jin Xichuan said.
With that, he turned and left.
The path they had taken was already difficult, and they could still manage to turn back. If they went further and grew weaker, returning would become impossible.
Therefore, turning back early was the best course of action.
Mo Qi looked at Linghu Xiaoxian and Chu Xiangling again. "Aren't you two going back?"
These two, with surprising synchronicity, shook their heads. "We're not going back!"
The three of them then leaped into the abyss together, their bodies descending rapidly.
Another seemingly endless journey of descent began.
Gales buffeted them, tearing at their skin, causing heart-wrenching pain. Every moment was an agonizing ordeal.
When they landed, they found themselves in a world of white.
Feathery snowflakes drifted from the sky, and the biting wind made them shiver, their hair whipping around.
Chu Xiangling finally showed signs of wavering. "Is this so-called resource a scam? This vast expanse of white, where are the cultivation resources?"
Mo Qi paid no attention and continued to walk forward.
At this moment, they spotted people ahead!
They were disciples of the Sun Moon Sect!
Apart from those who had turned back, this was the first group they had encountered.
They suddenly felt a sense of familiarity.
Looking around, they saw the others walking forward, making gestures in the air. Gradually, a faint white light began to form in their palms.
The white light, like water droplets melting into soil, slowly seeped into their bodies.
They were absorbing spiritual energy. It seemed the spiritual energy here was so abundant that it was visible to the naked eye!
Thus, the three of them also extended their hands into the air, absorbing spiritual energy as they slowly advanced.
In a short while, a soft, cotton-like white mist enveloped their palms, and a powerful surge of spiritual energy flowed into their meridians. Their entire bodies felt filled with vitality and strength.
Mo Qi felt that the spiritual energy in this place was indeed abundant. It wasn't just a place to increase spiritual power; with a bit of luck, it could improve overall cultivation.
He released Xiao Budian again.
Over the years, he had been feeding Xiao Budian elixirs, and whenever there was an area rich in spiritual energy, he would let it out to absorb.
Xiao Budian's cultivation had grown rapidly. It was likely that it wouldn't even lose to an ancient divine beast.
Female cultivators who had previously traveled with Mo Qi were captivated by Xiao Budian's cuteness and adored it.
However, these two beauties looked disgusted and deliberately avoided it, as if afraid Xiao Budian might touch them.
Mo Qi found it somewhat perplexing. Xiao Budian was so adorable; why would they be so disdainful?
But everyone had their preferences, and it wasn't appropriate to say too much.
At that moment, a beam of white light shot from the side, heading straight for Mo Qi.
The white light was silent and almost blended seamlessly with the snowy landscape. From a distance, it was difficult to detect.
Only when it was about to strike Mo Qi did he suddenly realize.
It was too late to dodge. Mo Qi could only stop his movement and instinctively raise his hand to deflect it.
A booming explosion sounded.
Light burst forth beside his hand, scattering sparks.
A tearing sensation struck him, and his entire right arm went numb.
When the light dissipated, he anxiously looked at his arm.