In the Eastern Continent, several powerful nations stood. In the south, the Chu Kingdom was the strongest, while the north was dominated by the Qin Kingdom. Along the eastern coast, the most powerful nation was undoubtedly the Qi Kingdom.
The Qi Kingdom was bordered by the sea. The vast and boundless Eastern Sea was rich in various resources, including spiritual herbs and undersea ores.
The sea teemed with numerous demonic beasts. Their flesh and blood provided spiritual energy and essence, greatly beneficial for cultivation.
Besides flesh and blood, demonic beasts also possessed demonic cores and other materials, which were scarce for inland cultivators.
The strength of the Qi Kingdom was entirely attributed to its reliance on the sea.
However, the sea tribes were not weaklings, nor were they easily intimidated. They frequently retaliated, venturing onto land.
The densely populated human race on land was also a favored delicacy for the sea tribes.
Recently, a strange phenomenon appeared on an unnamed island in the eastern waters of the Qi Kingdom, attracting powerful cultivators from both the Qi Kingdom and the sea tribes to investigate.
When the first batch of powerful cultivators arrived, they discovered a massive entrance on the island.
Most of the braver cultivators ventured inside. The few who were more timid hesitated at the entrance. Seeing wave after wave of cultivators entering, they could no longer remain calm and followed suit.
Upon entering through the portal, it felt like another small world. The spiritual energy here was extremely dense, and rare spiritual herbs were found everywhere.
Some powerful cultivators were already fighting over the spiritual herbs.
Others, more astute, abandoned the spiritual items near the entrance and pressed further inward.
As the numerous powerful cultivators ventured deeper, they discovered that the world within the entrance was vast and boundless. Most importantly, at the center of this small world, stood a colossal palace.
At this moment, deep within this palace, Huang Feifei was immersed in a pool, her eyes closed.
She had found this ancient ruin a long time ago and had already obtained many extraordinary opportunities.
She never expected that the jade slip left by her ancestors would lead to the entrance of such an ancient ruin.
Seeing so many good things inside, she now regretted not finding a way to bring Xiao Fei along.
After exploring this palace, she discovered that the quality of the items within far surpassed that of the current cultivation world.
It was said that during ancient times, the human race had experienced a glorious history, and the cultivation world had flourished far beyond its current state.
However, for some unknown reason, it had declined later.
Huang Feifei, upon arriving here today, found a uniquely styled bathtub. The water within was peculiar, milky white, resembling milk.
Judging by the dense spiritual energy emanating from the water, it was likely something valuable. She shed her clothes and submerged herself within.
Any discerning cultivator who saw this would exclaim loudly. This was Ten Thousand Year Stone Marrow Milk.
This item was extremely rare, with even a single drop selling for an exorbitant price. Yet, here was an entire bathtub full.
Huang Feifei, however, was ignorant of its true value, using such a rare treasure for a bath.
Huang Feifei had previously been busy earning spirit stones and competing for resources, often risking her life in battles. Her knowledge, naturally, was not as profound as Xiao Fei's.
She failed to recognize the Ten Thousand Year Stone Marrow Milk, mistaking it for a spiritual item for bathing. She then removed her clothes and immersed her entire body within.
As she entered the bathtub, a mysterious formation on the tub activated, and the spiritual power from the Ten Thousand Year Stone Marrow Milk seeped into Huang Feifei's body.
The special spiritual energy within the Stone Marrow Milk possessed miraculous effects. Firstly, various hidden injuries within Huang Feifei's body were rapidly repaired, and accumulated toxins were expelled from her body.
As the special spiritual energy of the Stone Marrow Milk improved her condition, Huang Feifei's skin became delicate and smooth, supple enough to break with a touch. The traces of time left upon her gradually vanished.
Of course, the improvement in her skin and appearance was merely superficial. The true efficacy of the Ten Thousand Year Stone Marrow Milk lay in its internal transformation.
Her bones, under the influence of this power, gradually became as lustrous as jade. Her meridians, internal organs, and even her cultivation…
Everything about Huang Feifei's body was improving at full speed…
………………
…
Xiao Fei, riding his flying fish, finally arrived outside the island after many days of journeying through the Eastern Sea.
He found that many cultivators and demonic beasts were already gathered there.
Furthermore, the humans and demonic beasts, who normally could not tolerate each other, were now cooperating wholeheartedly, each dispatching their strongest to jointly guard the entrance.
Many cultivators who had rushed here upon hearing the news were blocked from entering.
Xiao Fei quietly stored his flying fish into his spatial artifact and blended into a group of cultivators, quickly gathering information about the situation.
It turned out that the area inside the entrance was a vast space, akin to a small world, containing an ancient ruin.
In addition, something incredibly significant seemed to have been discovered inside, attracting powerful individuals from all factions who wished to claim it for themselves.
Ultimately, the Qi Kingdom and the demonic tribes joined forces to monopolize this entrance, allowing only those from these two factions to enter.
Everyone else, regardless of their background, be they human, demon, or ghost, was barred from entry.
Xiao Fei could only sigh inwardly. Wherever even a sliver of benefit was found, cultivators would swarm like flies drawn to a stench.
However, after tens of thousands of years of evolution, the cultivation world had long developed a powerful class of parasitic elites.
Whenever significant treasures appeared or ancient ruins were discovered, they were quickly seized by the surrounding major powers.
Ordinary rogue cultivators had no chance to partake in the spoils; they were lucky if they were used as cannon fodder.
Therefore, for a rogue cultivator to produce even a single Golden Core cultivator was considered an exceptionally rare stroke of fortune.
This was not the Lu Kingdom, and it was not his territory. He had no authority here. Xiao Fei could only squeeze among the crowd of cultivators and observe.
He worried whether Huang Feifei was inside. If she was, with the entrance now guarded by two Nascent Soul cultivators, it would not be easy for her to get out.
Just then, the waves of the Eastern Sea churned, and a giant octopus flew out of the ocean, transforming into human form upon landing.
However, even after transforming, the demonic beast retained many of its original characteristics, such as the eight wriggling arms on its back.
"Hahaha… Old Zhang has arrived just in time!"
"Zhang Luo! You have quite a keen nose; you caught wind of this news from so far away!" The guarding demonic beast cultivator, a Nascent Soul expert, clearly recognized the giant octopus and transmitted his thoughts to Zhang Luo.
"Hurry inside. I heard they discovered a trace of immortal spiritual energy inside, and a great treasure might be about to appear."
"Ah! Such a treasure exists!"
Zhang Luo was so shocked his jaw nearly hit the ground. Immortal spiritual energy was a treasure related to the immortal realm, something only seen in ancient texts, never in reality.
It seemed the cultivation world was about to witness another bloody storm!
As Zhang Luo was about to head towards the entrance, he suddenly remembered something important.
He had tracked the Kunpeng to this location, otherwise, he would have missed out on such a valuable ancient ruin.
Zhang Luo’s divine sense swept through the crowd, quickly spotting Xiao Fei lurking amidst the observers. However, the Kunpeng was not present.
Immediately, he subtly pointed one of his tentacles towards Xiao Fei in the crowd.
"You! Come with me!"
A simple command, with no room for negotiation.
When a high-level expert commands a weaker individual, no reason is necessary, and the lower-level cultivator has no right to refuse.
Obeying might be dangerous, it might lead to death, but refusing would certainly mean immediate death.
Xiao Fei lowered his gaze, obediently walked out of the crowd, followed behind Zhang Luo, and without asking why, proceeded into the entrance, disappearing from everyone's sight.