Chapter 1660: Chapter 817: Secret Realm, Flame Valley
The two exchanged smiles and then continued to sip the hot tea in their hands.
…
In a blink of an eye, a few more days passed.
Although the Secret Realm would open in over twenty days,
that didn’t stop Luo Chen and Qing Shuang from preparing for its opening.
“What do you say?”
“Shall we go to the nearby workshop to take a look?”
“Buy something?”
Qing Shuang said with a smile, “Sure, let’s check out the workshop, there seem to be quite a few around where the cultivators are gathered near the Alliance.”
Luo Chen and Qing Shuang decided to head to a workshop near the Alliance, hoping to find items that would aid in their exploration of the Secret Realm.
They passed through the stone arch gate of the Alliance and followed a pebbled path toward the direction of the workshop.
Along the way, they discussed potential items and strategies they might need.
“Qing Shuang, which items do you think we should prioritize?” Luo Chen asked, his gaze lingering on the surrounding scenery, but his mind was focused on the upcoming exploration of the Secret Realm.
Qing Shuang pondered for a moment and then replied, “First, we need some potions to resist poison, since the Secret Realm often holds unknown dangers; secondly, some magic artifacts that enhance perception are indispensable, so we can detect potential threats in advance.”
Luo Chen nodded in agreement and added, “Also, we need to prepare some elixirs that restore spiritual power, just in case; after all, the recovery of spiritual power in the Secret Realm might not be as convenient as outside.”
“Yes, and defensive magical treasures,” Qing Shuang added, “if an unexpected attack occurs, at least we can gain some reaction time.”
As they discussed, they entered the bustling workshop.
Along the streets were stalls full of various items, from spirit grass and spiritual medicine to magic artifacts and magical treasures, everything was available.
Luo Chen and Qing Shuang began to shuttle between stalls, carefully picking out items they believed to be useful.
In front of a shop that seemed rather old, Luo Chen stopped.
On the sign of the shop hung the words “Spiritual Treasure House,” and inside were various magic artifacts displayed.
Luo Chen’s attention was drawn to an ancient bronze protective talisman; he picked it up and examined it closely, discovering complex runes carved into it.
“Boss, what is special about this protective talisman?” Luo Chen inquired of the shop owner.
The shop owner, a middle-aged man, smiled and replied, “This talisman is called the ‘Spirit Wind Talisman.’ When the wearer is attacked, it can automatically form a layer of Wind Shield to block most physical damage.”
Luo Chen and Qing Shuang exchanged a glance and saw interest in each other’s eyes.
Luo Chen asked about the price and found that although it was not cheap, considering the talisman’s practicality, it was worth purchasing.
They decided to buy the talisman.
Next, they picked out additional essentials at other stalls, including elixirs to restore spiritual power and poison resistance potions.
After some haggling, they gained quite a lot.
As Luo Chen was about to leave, he was suddenly attracted by a blood-red dagger at a small stall.
This dagger seemed nothing ordinary.
It faintly emitted a dense blood evil qi.
Luo Chen approached and carefully observed the blood-red dagger.
The dagger’s blade was incredibly sharp, seemingly able to cut through anything, and its handle was inlaid with several unknown gemstones, emitting a subtle glow.
“Boss, what is the origin of this dagger?” Luo Chen asked the stall owner, an elderly man who looked rather unkempt.
The old man lifted his head, revealing a hint of shrewdness in his eyes: “This dagger is called the ‘Blood Slaughter Blade,’ made from a rare Blood Crystal Stone, possessing strong armor-piercing capabilities, even able to damage some defensive magic artifacts.”
Qing Shuang also came over, curious about the dagger: “Does this dagger have any other special abilities besides armor penetration?”
The old man nodded: “After absorbing enough blood, this dagger can release powerful blood evil qi, forming a Blood Evil Domain to mentally suppress enemies.”
Luo Chen and Qing Shuang exchanged a glance, seeing hesitation in each other’s eyes.
Although the dagger was powerful, the blood evil qi it emitted was unsettling.
“What is the price for this dagger?” Luo Chen ultimately decided to inquire.
The old man held up five fingers, quoting a rather high price.
Although Luo Chen and Qing Shuang thought the price was somewhat high, considering the dagger’s special abilities, they decided to purchase it.
After the transaction was completed, Luo Chen carefully placed the Blood Slaughter Blade into his Storage Bag.
The two continued searching through the workshop until sunset, returning to the Alliance camp with a bounty of goods.
Back at their accommodations, Luo Chen and Qing Shuang began organizing their newly purchased items.
They wore the Spirit Wind Talisman on themselves, and placed the elixir to restore spiritual power and poison resistance potions into their respective Storage Bags.
The Blood Slaughter Blade was set aside by Luo Chen, who decided to first research the dagger’s usage and potential risks before exploring the Secret Realm.
In the following time, Luo Chen and Qing Shuang continued preparing for the exploration of the Secret Realm.
They studied various situations they might encounter and formulated corresponding response strategies.
At the same time, they didn’t forget to rest and cultivate, ensuring they would be in optimal condition for the Secret Realm.
Finally, the day the Secret Realm opened arrived.
Luo Chen and Qing Shuang prepared to depart, filled with both anticipation and anxiety.
They knew the Secret Realm was full of the unknown and danger, but also held countless opportunities.
On their way to the Secret Realm, Luo Chen and Qing Shuang encountered other cultivators, either traveling alone or in groups.
Every person wore a different expression on their face; some excited, some vigilant.
“Luo Chen, look over there, that team seems well-equipped and not weak in strength.” Qing Shuang said quietly, pointing to a group of cultivators ahead.
Luo Chen nodded: “We must be careful too, there may be competition or even conflict within the Secret Realm.”
The two continued forward, and shortly afterward, they reached the entrance to the Secret Realm.
It was a massive stone gate, covered with ancient runes, emitting a subtle glow.
“Are you ready?” Luo Chen turned to look at Qing Shuang.
Qing Shuang took a deep breath, then firmly nodded: “Ready.”
Luo Chen and Qing Shuang walked side by side into the stone gate; after a flash of light, they disappeared at the entrance to the Secret Realm.
…
This Secret Realm is known as Flame Valley.
Flame Valley, as its name suggests, is a mysterious land covered by raging fire.
Upon entering this land, Luo Chen and Qing Shuang felt the heat wave rushing at them.
The surroundings resembled a purgatory, with fiery red rocks and continuously erupting volcanoes forming a world filled with danger and opportunity.
“The Fire Element here is unusually active; we must be careful not to let our spiritual power be disturbed by the Fire Element here.” Luo Chen reminded, his gaze scanning the area to find a safe path.
Qing Shuang nodded and had already retrieved a light blue crystal stone from her Storage Bag to start absorbing Water Elements to balance the Fire Elements within her body.
“I can feel it; the Fire Element here is indeed very strong, but it also seems to contain a kind of pure energy.”
The two cautiously advanced, the creatures in Flame Valley seemed to be influenced by the Fire Element as well, becoming unusually fierce.
They had to stay vigilant at all times to avoid being attacked by the suddenly appearing fire beasts.
“Luo Chen, look over there!” Qing Shuang suddenly pointed to a cave not far away, where there seemed to be unusual activity.
Following Qing Shuang’s direction, Luo Chen saw a flickering dark red glow at the mouth of the cave.
“What is that? Could it be some kind of treasure?”
They exchanged a look and decided to investigate.
Carefully approaching the cave, Luo Chen drew the newly purchased Blood Slaughter Blade as a precaution.
Qing Shuang tightly held her magic wand, ready to cast defensive magic at any moment.
As they neared the cave, a wave of heat hit them, from the depths of the cave seemed to be some mysterious force summoning them.