Chapter 105: Chapter 40 Report to the master, Rewards within the Sect
A sword light pierced through the surface of the water.

The two emerged from the lake, both dripping wet.

Xu Yinglian sneezed and suddenly felt warmth returning to her body—it was Qiu Changtian casting the Universal Pure Tone Minor Illumination Technique.

Looking around, as the sword light hovered for a moment, Xu Yinglian uncertainly said,

“This place… seems to be Guozha Lake?”

Guozha Lake, locally known as “Guozha Cuo,” is a lake at the southern foothills of the Kunlun Mountain Range.

The north side is fresh water, and the south side is salt water, which is indeed strange.

The location from which the two had emerged from the secret realm was precisely at the boundary between the fresh and salt water.

As such, after using the Minor Illumination Technique to dry their clothes, Qiu Changtian’s body ended up covered in countless tiny salt crystals that sparkled in the sunlight, while Xu Yinglian remained completely clean.

“How can big brother be so unlucky?” Xu Yinglian couldn’t help but laugh as she saw the reason, and began to brush the salt grains off Qiu Changtian’s clothes.

Qiu Changtian, however, remained silent, just gazing at her quietly.

Soon, Xu Yinglian also realized the ambiguity of her actions and hurriedly withdrew her hand in embarrassment. At the same time, she summoned her Feather Jia Sword, and riding the sword light, she sped off to the north, hastily leaving behind a sentence:

“Big brother, this secret realm affair is of great importance. We should report to master as soon as possible.”

“Mm,” Qiu Changtian nodded slightly, and the Yu Long Sword’s light immediately shot up into the sky.

The two flew on their swords, one after the other, and quickly arrived back at the top of the Heaven’s Pillar of Kunlun, entering the Jade Void Palace.

Xu Yinglian arrived first at the Ziwei Master’s location, but without speaking, she simply gestured for Qiu Changtian to talk.

Qiu Changtian respectfully bowed to the Sect Leader and then recounted how Jiang and Hu had come seeking them, how the four entered the secret realm, how the golden-armored divine general showed aggression, and how they subsequently fell into a bizarre time retrospection.

In the end, relying on Junior Sister Xu’s clever plan, they killed the golden-armored divine general and successfully broke through the defense of the Cloud Platform surrounding the secret realm, acquired the rewards from the Zhao Palace, and left.

The Ziwei Master remained silent, merely holding a horsetail whisk and listening with a stoic expression.

However, the faint trembling of the whisk’s tip seemed to indicate that the heart of this esteemed Sect Leader was not as composed as his facade.

Only when Qiu Changtian mentioned their escape from Guozha Lake did the Ziwei Master finally speak slowly:

“The Divine Flame Path… About ten thousand years ago, it indeed once thrived within the Kunlun Mountain Range.”

“But afterwards, for some unknown reason, it vanished mysteriously from this world.”

“If that hadn’t been the case, our ancestors wouldn’t have been able to so easily occupy the entire Kunlun Mountain Range.”

“Your survival from that secret realm is exceedingly rare.”

“However… to ensure the situation is as you described, I must go there with you once more.”

Qiu Changtian immediately agreed.

Of course, this was to be expected, since if the Divine Palace of the Western Queen Mother was indeed a trial secret realm for the Golden Core Realm, its significance to the Taiqing Sect of Kunlun was self-evident.

Given that it had not been explored by anyone for nearly ten thousand years, the abundance of treasures and resources within could even surpass those of the East Sea Pavilion.

Therefore, it was within expectation for the Ziwei Master to want to personally verify it.

Qiu Changtian and Xu Yinglian once again took flight on their swords, bringing the Ziwei Master to the original rock crevice location, only to find that the crevice had already disappeared.

The Ziwei Master narrowed her eyes at the shallow groove on the ground in front of where the rock fissure had been, fell silent for a moment, and then drew out the Tai Yi Dividing Light Sword.

With a single slash, she cleaved through a hundred meters of rock, exposing the crevice once more.

The three stepped into the crevice again, and before long, they re-entered the secret realm, arriving on the cliff platform with an endless sea of clouds stretching out in front of them.

The golden-armored divine general guarding the bridge had respawned and stood immobile at the head of the bridge, when they heard the Ziwei Master say:

“How did you deal with it? Demonstrate it once more for your master.”

Qiu Changtian bowed and then silently chanted an incantation, performed the hand seals, and cast an Immortal Capital Thunder, causing a crack in the breastplate of the Golden Armored Divine General.

The Golden Armored Divine General immediately opened its eyes wide with a fierce gaze and charged with its blade, but was casually pointed at by the Ziwei Master, and the Tai Yi Dividing Light Sword elegantly swept by, slashing the enemy in half at the waist.

“It truly is a manifestation of willpower,” the Ziwei Master observed the Divine General for a moment and said, “Golden Core rank, with willpower as its armor, impervious to blades and spears, and immune to the trials of water and fire.”

“Had you not possessed the Immortal Capital Thunder, which happens to restrain it, this journey would have become perilous.”

The three continued across the long bridge and reached the Cloud Platform.

Now the Jade Pond was empty, with nothing but the hollow mirror stand and the water, nothing else.

Regarding the fragments of the Kunlun Mirror, Qiu Changtian only mentioned “they vanish upon touch,” and the Ziwei Master did not pursue the matter further, continuing through Heaven’s Gate. With a whisk of his horsetail whisk, the palace doors opened on their own.

In the main hall inside, various treasures were still displayed, dazzling to the eyes.

The Ziwei Master’s gaze moved swiftly, and with a flick of his horsetail whisk, he rolled up two elixir bottles from one of the stands and tossed them to Qiu Changtian and Xu Yinglian.

The two hurriedly caught the elixir bottles and felt themselves immediately transported back to the peach garden at the touch of them.

Qiu Changtian took out the elixir bottle and sniffed it lightly under his nose.

Could it actually be the Pure Yuan Qi Pill?

“This is the Pure Yuan Qi Pill!” Xu Yinglian, hailing from the Xu Family of Southern Heaven, soon recognized it as well, exclaiming excitedly, “After consuming and refining its power, it facilitates the flow through the limbs and bones, and can shorten the time needed for Marrow Cleansing.”

“Indeed,” Qiu Changtian said unemotionally as he secured the elixir bottle.

“It’s just a pity we didn’t encounter the Mercurial Elixir Liquid again,” Xu Yinglian remarked regretfully, “Shall we wait here for Master to return?”

“Master must be confirming the situation inside Zhao Palace; there’s no telling how long it will take,” Qiu Changtian contemplated for a moment, then said, “Even if we wait, it’s best to do so outside the exit of the secret realm.”

“Hmm,” Xu Yinglian had no objections.

So, the two rode their sword light, directly entering the downpour of the peach garden’s well, and then broke through the surface of the water from Guozha Lake in the outer world.

After waiting by the lake for almost half an hour, they saw the water suddenly part to both sides, and the Ziwei Master, holding his horsetail whisk, came out calmly from within, approaching them.

“You both did well this time,” the Ziwei Master slowly spoke, his face though not clearly showing a smile, but his tone carried contentment, “The sect will record a great meritorious deed for you.”

“Let’s go, you two head back to Kunlun first.”

Qiu Changtian and Xu Yinglian nodded in agreement, then mounted their swords and headed back to Golden Ridge.

The Ziwei Master was left standing silently by the lakeshore, staring at the shimmering lake surface, his fingers slightly moving within his sleeve, seemingly calculating something.

Upon returning to the Golden Ridge Cave Abode, Qiu Changtian had just landed when he heard Xu Yinglian hesitate before finally speaking up:

“You know, although there’s little, I can share half of it with Elder Brother…”

Qiu Changtian was stunned for a long time before he realized she was talking about the Mercurial Elixir Liquid. He slightly furrowed his brows, showing impatience as he said:

“Surely Junior Sister isn’t looking down on me?”

Xu Yinglian was dumbfounded by his response; she was usually the one to throw that remark at Elder Brother, but didn’t expect to have it thrown back at her. Her face quickly turned cold, and she scoffed:

“It seems Junior Sister has indeed underestimated Elder Brother. Well, with Elder Brother’s peerless talent, I suppose even without relying on external aids, you would easily achieve First Grade Pill Formation.”

After saying that, she huffily turned around and left, and once out of Qiu Changtian’s sight, she couldn’t help grinding her teeth in frustration, cursing him in her heart.

Qiu Changtian watched her retreating figure, smiling slightly, completely unaffected by her sarcasm.

Of course, he would not covet such a small amount of Mercurial Elixir Liquid, for that was Junior Sister Xu’s opportunity.

Besides… with his own abilities, how could he possibly lack the chance to form a pill?