After the elders on the high platform finished speaking, the Qi Refining disciples below were divided into ten large groups based on the secret realms they had chosen.
Each group was led by a Golden Core stage cultivator who would guide them to the entrance of the chosen secret realm.
Some of the secret realms were fully controlled by the Tianxuan Sect, with entrances located within the sect itself. However, other secret realms had entrances near the sect, which were opened by the Nascent Soul elders of Tianxuan Sect.
Just as one of the groups, heading toward the Green Wilderness Secret Realm, was preparing to depart, the leading Golden Core cultivator received a message from the Nascent Soul elder responsible for opening the entrance.
The message informed them that the entrance to the Green Wilderness Secret Realm could not be opened this year.
As a result, the disciples who had chosen this secret realm had to be reassigned to the other nine Qi Refining secret realms, continuing their trials under new arrangements made by the sect.
This unexpected development prompted a brief meeting among the upper echelons of Tianxuan Sect.
Though the Green Wilderness Secret Realm was primarily used by Qi Refining disciples, it was also a vital source of basic spiritual herbs for the sect's foundational elixirs. If it were to remain permanently inaccessible, the sect would face a significant loss.
During the meeting, the elders discussed the situation and questioned the Nascent Soul elder who had been tasked with cooperating with another sect to open the secret realm.
The Nascent Soul elder shook his head and reported:
"This time, it's different. There is not even a trace of spatial rift left. It appears the Green Wilderness Secret Realm has found a new owner and is no longer connected to the location we previously accessed."
The Great Elder of Tianxuan Sect sat at the head of the room in silence for a moment before standing and giving his order:
"Once the current secret realm trials are over, gather the disciples who participated in the last trial of the Green Wilderness Secret Realm and thoroughly question them about anything unusual they encountered. Afterward, leave the rest to the Discipline Hall for investigation."
With that, he left the meeting hall.
The other elders, seeing this, politely exchanged farewells and left as well.
The matter of a Qi Refining secret realm was, at best, a minor concern to these high-ranking elders. The details would be handled by others.
Meanwhile, far away in Yuanling City, the spirit ship ticket office for the Talisman Master Conference had closed for the day. After hanging a sign indicating the opening hours for the next day, the middle-aged cultivator at the counter stood up and began tidying up.
A younger cultivator nearby handed him a cup of spirit tea and said:
"Senior Brother, you've worked hard today."
The middle-aged cultivator took a sip of the tea and shook his head as he walked inside, saying:
"Guanyu, shouldn't you be heading back to the sect? The secret realm trials have begun, and didn't you say you wanted to exchange for more Gathering Spirit Pills?"
If Lin Xiao had been there, he would have recognized the younger cultivator—it was none other than Hu Guanyu, whom he had encountered in the Icefield Secret Realm.
"I'll head back after I help Senior Brother with the records. The secret realm I've chosen isn't too far from here," Hu Guanyu replied.
Hearing this, the middle-aged cultivator nodded.
"Just make sure to watch the time and don't delay too long. Once you're ready, I'll take you there with my spirit boat."
As he spoke, the middle-aged cultivator remembered how Hu Guanyu had spoken up earlier to remind one of the customers and asked:
"That customer earlier—do you know him?"
Hu Guanyu, who was pouring himself a cup of tea, didn't lift his head but responded:
"No, I don't. He just looked familiar, so I said something. Senior Brother, don't worry about it."
Hu Guanyu was well-liked in the sect, largely because he had Senior Brother Xu looking out for him. Most people avoided causing him trouble.
The middle-aged cultivator nodded in acknowledgment, not seeing any reason to dwell on it. It was just a minor matter after all.
Later that night, after Hu Guanyu finished his work, the middle-aged cultivator used his spirit boat to send Hu Guanyu and a few other Qi Refining disciples to their respective secret realm entrances.
——
Back in the royal city of Pusi Nation, Li Zhanying had already returned, bringing with him the captured cultivators from Jinwu Sect, along with his newly accepted disciple and servant.
The cultivators from Jinwu Sect were imprisoned in a private dungeon deep within the royal palace, reserved for the royal family.
As for Wang Goudan and Niu Xiaoxue, they followed Li Zhanying to live in a side hall of the palace known as the Feathered Transformation Palace.
Niu Xiaoxue, upon seeing the grandeur of the royal city and entering the palace, knew she had made the right choice. She could hardly believe her luck in now living within the imperial palace itself.
She happily settled into her new life.
Meanwhile, Li Zhanying brought the Jishi stone that he had taken from the mine and handed it to Li Zhouxuan, instructing him to use the stone's destructive properties to contact the three major sects—Qinghe Sect, Yunyan Sect, and Shangyang Sect—to discuss forming an alliance to strike against Huanyou Nation.
Before leaving, Lin Xiao had already appraised the Jishi stone and passed the information on to Mo Yuanjiao, who in turn relayed it to the royal court. Lin Xiao had not disclosed how he came by this knowledge.
Initially, Li Zhouxuan had been hesitant, but once Li Zhanying returned and confirmed Lin Xiao's reliability, Li Zhouxuan promptly put the plans into motion.
Originally, the royal court had intended to invite Lingxian Sect to participate as well, but Mo Yuanjiao, knowing that most of the sect's key members were away and the remaining ones were likely too busy, politely declined on their behalf.
Li Zhanying, understanding the situation in Lingxian Sect, didn't press the issue.
Representatives from all three major sects were stationed in the capital, even Shangyang Sect, which was in the process of rebuilding. They still maintained a presence in the capital to receive communications from the royal court.
Thus, it wasn't long before the court's request for an alliance was sent to each sect.
At Qinghe Sect, Sect Leader Han Shangyi had recently discovered that his daughter, Han Weishu, had sneaked out of the sect again, and he was frantically searching for her.
Just then, he received the message from the capital.
Looking at the message in his hand, Han Shangyi paused his search for Han Weishu and summoned the sect elders to discuss the matter.
In the grand hall of Qinghe Sect, the elders gathered to debate the court's proposal.
After much discussion, most of the elders were against joining forces with the royal court and the other sects.
Aside from Huanyou Nation's incursions into their territory to abduct people, the Jishi mines didn't seem to pose any direct threat to them. The elders felt there was no need to expend their resources on a cross-border conflict.
After all, the Jishi stones, which devoured spiritual energy, were located within Huanyou Nation, not Pusi Nation. They posed no immediate threat to their own lands.
However, after listening to the debate, Sect Leader Han Shangyi finally spoke up and made his decision:
"Our Qinghe Sect must intervene in this matter!"