A Useless Person's Rise to Power

Chapter 19 The Secret Realm Opens, Encirclement and Provocation

The entrance to the Spirit Ruins Secret Realm was already packed with people.

A rosy glow filled the sky, and a massive gate of light stood in the center of the plaza. Within the gate, spiritual energy surged, and ancient trees and spiritual springs could be vaguely seen, yet it also exuded a chilling aura that sent shivers down one's spine—the aura of the God-Eroding Mist.

The Grand Elder sat upright on the high platform, his face dignified, his gaze sweeping across the entire area.

All around, hundreds of inner disciples and core disciples stood in rows, their eyes gleaming with longing for the opportunity.

As soon as Qin Zhan and his group appeared, all eyes were instantly drawn to them.

Awe, worship, fear, jealousy... all sorts of gazes intertwined.

Zhou Liang immediately led eight core disciples to greet them. Each of them had an arrogant expression, sinister eyes, and a faint surge of spiritual energy around them, clearly intending to provoke him in public.

Zhou Liang crossed his arms and sneered, deliberately raising his voice so that everyone around could hear him:

"Hey, isn't this our famous Chief Qin from the Qingyun Sect? What, you dare to come to the Spirit Ruins Secret Realm to die? I advise you to stay on the outskirts and pick up some scrap metal, don't go any deeper, or you won't even know how you died."

One of the core disciples echoed:

"Exactly! They can't even hold onto their top position, yet they dream of seizing a great opportunity—it's pure delusion!"

The other person was even more arrogant:

"Within this secret realm, life and death are left to fate. If you accidentally 'accidentally' injure the leader, don't blame us for being ruthless!"

The surrounding disciples were in an uproar, but no one dared to utter a sound.

Everyone knows that this is no longer a simple provocation, but a blatant threat of death.

Lin Feng was so angry that he trembled all over and was about to step forward to argue.

Qin Zhan raised his hand to stop him, glanced at Zhou Liang indifferently, and spoke in a calm tone that carried an undeniable domineering air:

"If you want to die, I'll grant your wish. But don't kneel and beg for your life inside the secret realm."

Zhou Liang's face stiffened, then he grinned maliciously:

"Arrogant! Wait till we get into the secret realm, then let's see how stubborn you'll be!"

He frantically calculated in his mind:

Qin Zhan will definitely venture deep into the secret realm to seize the treasure. Once he steps into the God-Eroding Mist Zone, he will be doomed! The elders are already following behind. This time, you won't be able to escape!

Qin Zhan was too lazy to waste any more words with these clowns and walked straight toward the portal.

Su Qingyuan whispered:

"I sensed a hidden presence watching you; it must be Zhao Canghai himself."

Qin Zhan's lips curled slightly:

"Very good, this is the one I've been waiting for."

He thought to himself:

The big fish finally took the bait.

Seeing that everyone had arrived, the Grand Elder stood up, his voice booming like a bell, echoing throughout the hall:

"The Spirit Ruins Secret Realm, a once-in-a-millennium event! One day is allotted. You may seize this opportunity, but you must not fight among your own sect members, nor venture into the God-Eroding Mist Forbidden Zone! Violators will be punished according to sect rules! Enter the Secret Realm!"

At a command.

The disciples surged into the gate of light like a tidal wave.

Qin Zhan moved swiftly and stepped in first.

Su Qingyuan followed closely behind.

Zhou Liang and the others immediately followed, like hungry wolves stalking their prey.

Lin Feng, Wen Hao, Shi Hu, and Lin Xiaotian, along with twenty trusted disciples, lagged slightly behind and entered as a group.

Almost simultaneously, a dark figure flashed by in the corner of the square. Zhao Canghai concealed his aura and, like a ghost, silently slipped into the secret realm's portal, unnoticed by anyone.

Upon entering the secret realm, the scenery suddenly opens up.

Ancient trees reach for the sky, spiritual herbs abound, and the spiritual energy in the air is so rich it's almost liquid. Mid-grade spirit stones shimmer with a faint light can be seen everywhere on the ground, and some low bushes even contain spiritual herbs that are a hundred years old.

Many disciples cheered with delight as soon as they landed.

"Spirit stones! So many spirit stones!"

"A hundred-year-old Spirit Heart Grass! I'm rich!"

"That's... a low-grade spiritual weapon longsword!"

For a time, the entire initial stage of the secret realm was bustling with activity.

Most disciples did not dare to venture deep into the area, but only searched the peripheral areas, and everyone gained something.

Some people found dozens of mid-grade spirit stones, some dug up several hundred-year-old spiritual herbs, and some accidentally obtained a low-grade spiritual artifact. Their strength was quietly improving.

Lin Feng, Wen Hao, Shi Hu, and Lin Xiaotian, following Qin Zhan's instructions, led their trusted disciples in a tight formation and advanced towards the middle area.

Lin Xiaotian, with his rich experience, took the lead:

"Be careful, everyone! The number of monsters in the middle level has increased, but the opportunities are also greater. Let's advance as a group and not get separated!"

Lin Feng was in charge of reconnaissance. He darted into the forest in a flash and returned a moment later.

"Thirty feet ahead, there's a group of third-tier demonic beasts, a spirit stone mine nearby, and a two-hundred-year-old Qi-condensing grass!"

Wenhao immediately set up a simple defensive formation:

"Shi Hu will hold the line, I'll guard the flank, Lin Feng will launch a sneak attack, I'll provide cover!"

Shi Hu roared and charged forward, fist raised:

"You little monster, prepare to die!"

The four worked together seamlessly and were fearless. In less than half an incense stick's time, they killed the group of third-tier demonic beasts and cleared the area.

On the ground, a pile of mid-grade spirit stones was stacked like a mountain, numbering over a hundred; a two-hundred-year-old Qi Condensation Grass grew quietly, and next to it was a low-grade spirit armor, its spiritual light shimmering.

Lin Feng said excitedly:

"We're rich! So many spirit stones, and even spirit armor!"

Wen Hao picked up the Qi-Gathering Grass, a glint of light flashing in his eyes:

"This herb can aid in breaking through realms. I'm currently stuck at the peak of the Qi Refining Realm. With it, I'll definitely be able to enter the Spirit Sea Realm!"

Shi Hu donned the spirit armor, and his aura surged:

"Haha, I'll be even tougher now!"

Lin Xiaotian then put away the spirit stones and said in a deep voice:

"Keep pushing forward! The leader is paving the way for us; we can't fall behind! We must quickly improve our strength to keep up with the leader's pace!"

The four of them divided the opportunity and each refined it.

In a short period of time, the four people's strength improved by leaps and bounds:

Lin Feng broke through to the ninth level of the Qi Refining Realm, and his speed was even greater than before;

Wen Hao successfully entered the first level of the Spirit Sea Realm, making his defense even more stable;

Shi Hu's physical body grew even larger, making him incredibly strong.

Lin Xiaotian stabilized his second level of the Spirit Sea Realm, further enhancing his combat strength.

The entire team's overall strength increased several times over, making them a force to be reckoned with in the secret realm.

They both thought to themselves at the same time:

The chief was right; as long as we stick together, we can get great opportunities!

When we become stronger, we will definitely be able to help the Chief share the burden!

Qin Zhan was fully aware of all of this.

As he traveled, he spread his divine sense and took in the situation of his four trusted confidants.

He chuckled to himself.

Not bad, a group of capable underlings, finally we've managed to raise them.

After I finished dealing with Zhao Canghai, I went outside and found that I had several more Spirit Sea Realm helpers by my side. This was a huge win.

As Qin Zhan ventured deeper into the realm, he gradually moved away from the bustling initial and middle levels.

The spiritual energy in the air gradually turned cold and gloomy, and a grayish-white mist began to spread, compressing visibility to within a few feet. A faint, sweet and pungent smell entered the nostrils—the God-Eating Mist had arrived.

Ordinary disciples would feel dizzy and their spiritual energy would surge wildly when they encountered this mist, causing them to retreat in fear.

Qin Zhan had already secretly taken the Qingxuan Poison Avoidance Pill. The medicinal power of the pill instantly flowed through his limbs and bones, and his body felt a warm and gentle heat.

A layer of light, invisible energy quietly expanded around him, like a naturally formed barrier. The extremely ferocious God-Eating Mist surged forward, but as soon as it approached within three feet of him, it was instantly dissolved and dissipated by the invisible force, as if it had encountered its nemesis.

Not only did the poisonous fog not harm Qin Zhan in the slightest, but the Chaos Battle Soul within his body also subtly awakened, as if it had developed a spirituality that could devour the heavens and earth. It actively absorbed and devoured all the surrounding God-Eating Fog, refining the deadly poison into pure and abundant spiritual energy, which then nourished its own cultivation.

He secretly rejoiced.

With the Qingxuan Poison-Avoiding Pill by my side, this area of ​​corrosive poisonous mist is practically tailor-made for me.

Zhao Canghai wants to use poisonous fog to trap me? That's like showing off your skills in front of an expert; it's utterly ridiculous.

Right now!

"boom--!"

The thick fog around them suddenly surged violently, like boiling water, and ten dark figures burst out from the fog, instantly forming an encirclement that blocked all escape routes and trapped Qin Zhan firmly in the center.

The man leading the group was Zhou Liang.

Zhou Liang gripped a blood-red longsword, its blade gleaming with a chilling light. He grinned unnaturally, his lips parting sharply towards his ears, a cold, dark light lurking in his eyes. His smile was not one of joy, but rather one of scheming and malice, sending a chill down one's spine.

"Qin Zhan, I knew you'd dare plunge headlong into the depths of this poisonous fog! You refuse the path to heaven, yet you stubbornly forge your way to the underworld! Today, this perilous fog will be your final resting place!"

The remaining nine core disciples of the sect immediately spread out and took their positions, their spiritual energy surging and surging around them. Their moves were ready to be unleashed, and a chilling killing intent permeated the mist.

One of the disciples curled his lips into a smirk, his tone filled with malice:

"The God-Eating Mist confuses the mind and impairs perception. In this desolate fog, even if you are torn to pieces, no trace will ever be found by outsiders!"

The other disciple had a cold expression, with a hint of condescending indifference:

"Elder Zhao has already made all the arrangements. You are doomed to die today, and you can only blame yourself for your bad luck! If you know what's good for you, just surrender and you'll at least have a whole corpse."

Qin Zhan calmly swept his gaze over the ten people surrounding him, but deliberately feigned panic on his face. He subconsciously took a half-step back, deliberately making his breathing erratic, and a feigned sense of apprehension and seriousness appeared between his brows.

"Zhou Liang, how dare you openly kill your fellow disciples? Aren't you afraid of being held accountable according to the sect's rules and suffering severe punishment?"

Zhou Liang threw his head back and laughed wildly, his laughter filled with disdain and arrogance:

"Sect rules? In this depths where poisonous fog isolates everything, I, Zhou Liang, am the rule! Brothers, attack together! First, cripple his cultivation, then take his life!"

Qin Zhan was secretly overjoyed, inwardly thinking:

Who doesn't know how to pretend and act?

Perfect timing! I'll show you a few tricks and see how I catch a big fish!