According to media reports and announcements, the Revival of Qi had only reached a full ten years now. However, it actually began much earlier, although it was limited to the old mountain forests, lakes, and seas where humans rarely tread.

There was much information regarding that online at the time.

Examples include the monster of Lake Tianchi, G.o.dzilla, the t.i.tan.o.boa of the Amazon, King Kong of Skull Island in the specific. There had even been images and blurred videos, but all those were denounced by the various nations as fake news, and secret warnings had been issued against those who spread the 'rumors'.

At the same time, the legacy of martial arts had an even longer history, although the innumerable recent fires of war left martial arts on a decline. With the rise of guns and cannons, voices of discord were spoken amongst the various martial arts clans and schools.

What use was there in training in martial arts?

Cultivation was extremely difficult both in being maintained and being improved upon, and you would still get downed by a single bullet even after ten years of training.

However, according to certain records, martial arts were quite common in older times. Moreover, the environment than did not differ much from the present-day environment where the Revival of Qi had occurred, which was why there had been stories of incredible feats of strength or a martial artist tearing off a general's head despite facing an entire army—such things were impossible without formidable martial arts cultivation.

Legends such as the one where Liu Bang cut down a white dragon was actually him slaying a Feral white snake, stories that were exaggerated.

The trio in the car now had started their cultivation even before the Revival of Qi and were no minor characters. They certainly were aware of many secrets, such as how Void elites were extremely rare even in ancient times, and were known as the 'immortals of the land'.

If such champions developed further, they would 'break the Void' and take to the skies. That was no myth, as an elite estimated that the so-called taking to the skies meant physically journeying through the stars.

The last Void elite in record was born over six hundred years ago, and he was the one who founded the Holy Grounds of Wudang, which was another one of the five Holy Grounds.

Back in the car, Cheng Dongfeng was sighing a lot in envy. “Old Duan,” he said, “Could you talk to headquarters and see if there's still need to embed more agents in the Sky Demon Cult. I believe I'm especially suited to be a mole… I mean, that's a direct ticket into a Secret Realm—I'm so envious I could die.

After all, what does that agent being sent by the Sky Demon Cult to the Secret Realm for cultivation meant?

It meant that he had truly gained the trust of the Sky Demon Cult and would be groomed with full strength. Would he lack secret text and cultivation resources then?

Duan Tianhe laughed. “Sure, I'll talk to the minister later.”

“No, no, no…”

Cheng Dongfeng quickly said. “I don't really mean it. The Sky Demon Cult is not like how it was in the past where it has leaks everywhere, and they just might know my ident.i.ty, and get rid of me just when I joined as an undercover agent… It's better to do honest work and earn merit points. Who knows with we would have the chance to cultivate in our own Secret Realm.”

“Oh, right… did the higher-ups call you specifically to tell you that? Is there no other information?”

Duan Tianhe's expression turned solemn at that. “The agent must have just come out of his cultivation at the Secret Realm, and informed us that the Sky Demon Cultists had found a treasure up on Mount Helan, rumored to be a tier-nine willow tree. One of their Elders and two of their elites had gone there.”

“A rank-nine floral spirit?”

Both Cheng Dongfeng and Chen Jingzhou twitched at that, with the former suddenly jamming his foot on the brakes, before turning stiffly to look at Chen Jingzhou and Duan Tianhe at the backseat.

“Are you sure it was one elder and two elites?”

Both Chen Jingzhou and Duan Tianhe did a double take at that.

Didn't Jiang He mention that Bound Star, Guilty Star, and the Third Elder of the Sky Demon Cult had gone to Mount Helan to attack him?

Still, it felt like a chance meeting.

Inwardly, they were all clicking the like b.u.t.ton for that Sky Demon Cult trio…

How unlucky could they be!

Raucous laughter broke out on the car then, although everyone turned solemn soon again.

A rank-nine floral spirit was definitely a priceless treasure. If they really chop it down and took advantage of it, both Duan Tianhe and Cheng Dongfeng would be able to strengthen their cultivation and advance towards rank-eight—even Chen Jingzhou who had grasped sword will would improve greatly.

A call from Pudgy Jiang arrived then.

He was extremely thrilled, exclaiming, “Old Duan! Jackpot, jackpot! I found a willow tree up on Mount Helan and it's ma.s.sive! I think it might be a floral spirit… although…”

Pudgy Jiang paused at that and said uncertainly, “It feels like this floral spirit is lifeless.”

Back at the living room of the mansion.

Jiang He was sniffing at the fragrant smell wafting from the kitchen.

Suddenly, his gaze s.h.i.+fted.

In the kitchen, Sora's aura seemed to have changed slightly—her weak qi and blood seemed to have strengthened considerably.

“A quasi-martial artist?”

Jiang He laughed. He was not quite surprised.

After all, Sora did eat one of his big cuc.u.mbers which already improved her qi. Now that she was cooking, the faint energy from the Violet Flame Lingzhi alone was strengthening her endlessly.

Soon.

A [rank-four beef fillet over Violet Flame Lingzhi that looked as delicious as it smelled was placed in front of Jiang He.

Sora served him a bowl of rice as well, while she stood beside him, waiting on him in her s.e.xy maid costume.

Jiang He smiled. “Sit down, Sora. You should eat too… oh, right, meat is okay, but don't eat the Violet Flame Lingzhi… well, I'll pour you some soup.”

Sora: “…”

Even as she held her bowl, she obediently put down the piece of Violet Flame Lingzhi she had between her chopsticks, her little face looking a little upset.

Jiang He was rather amused.

Still, he was not being stingy.

The energy in the Violet Flame Lingzhi was simply too strong. A quasi-martial artist like Sora would never digest it—as qi fills her exceedingly, she would die.

Putting a piece of the Violet Flame Lingzhi in his mouth, Jiang He closed his eyes and chewed gently.

It tasted…

The same as mushrooms, but the most important part was the texture.

Once the Violet Flame Lingzhi was in his mouth, it blew up like dynamite. Although it did not burn Jiang He's mouth, it felt like a fire had ignited within.

“Violet Flame… Violet Flame, so the flame means fire?”

Eating three bowls of rice in a single breath, he cleaned up the whole plate of rank-four beef fillet over Violet Flame Lingzhi, and only then did he pat his belly in satisfaction.

Still, a look of disappointment showed on his face when he sensed his cultivation.

“Wasn't this thing supposed to greatly strengthen cultivation?

“I've eaten an entire mushroom, and only reached rank-seven intermediate-pinnacle?”

Jiang He did the math.

Improving from rank-seven novice to rank-seven intermediate-pinnacle?

That's greatly strengthening?

“And where was the supposed chance of awakening superpowers?”

Jiang He was rather furious and could not help slapping the dining table. Still, he soon realized in shock that a pale flame had shown up over his palm.

In the next instant, a scorching sensation burst out inside Jiang He's body.

“Oh no, I'm going to awaken!

“It's so hot! My body's catching fire!”

Jiang He face dropped, and ran up to the swimming pool on the third floor in a flash.

The huge pool that was around ten meters squared was filled with water so clear the bottom could be seen.

Splash.

Jiang He jumped into it immediately.

Even so, the scorching sensation over his body was not relieved at all. It burned even worse now, and his clothes were reduced to ashes even if he was in the water.

Blurp-blurp-blurp!

The water in the swimming pool began to churn and bubble, boiled immediately by his body heat and rapidly evaporating.

Jiang He, his thoughts burnt into a blur seemed to be seeing things just then: an otherworldly figure, vaguely entered his vision just then.

“Goshuujin-sama..”