Nearly an hour later, the mother of the girl Lingxi returned.

“Here are the things you need,”

She threw a seemingly ordinary bone ring to Qing Muling and said in a light tone, “If there’s nothing else, you can leave now. Remember, if you want something in the future, bring resources in exchange. It’s not acceptable to come empty-handed.”

Qing Muling took the bone ring and examined it. He found that it was a space bracelet, with a small capacity of only about seven or eight feet in diameter. The craftsmanship was average, and the material was also ordinary.

However, artifacts like the space bracelet were already very precious, especially in this secret realm. Many cultivators didn’t have the means to trade even if they had enough resources, so they couldn’t ask for too much. It was already good to have something to use at this stage.

If he wanted something better, he would have to wait until he had enough capital in the future.

Inside the bone ring, there was a set of clothes, including a belt, boots, and a hair bun. The workmanship was exquisite. The inner garment was made of a kind of dark blue silk, while the outer garment was made of tough animal skin. There were runic bone pieces on the inside, providing defense at the level of ordinary artifacts.

These kinds of artifacts could only be used in the secret realm and couldn’t be taken out. Those that could be taken out of the secret realm were considered treasures of heaven and earth.

In addition, there were dozens of translucent azure oval shells the size of pigeon eggs in the bone ring. These were the common currency, Crystal Shells, of the Heavenly Human Clan. They had high purchasing power, and it was said that one Crystal Shell was enough to cover the basic living expenses of an ordinary family for two to three months.

Of course, if there were any cultivation-related needs, money would be spent like water.

Qing Muling shook his head. He had brought so many resources in two large animal skin bags, but in exchange, he only got these few things. It was not just being cheated, it was being cheated to the point of not being able to see his fingers!

If Lingxi hadn’t also given him a talisman for escaping, he would probably feel even more unbalanced.

“I need some information about the foreign cultivators in the city, as well as the recent popular types of resources and their origins, and the channels to leave this place and go to higher regions when the time is right,” Qing Muling said.

“Actually, you…”

Lingxi was about to speak, but she was glared at by her mother and could only shut her mouth reluctantly.

The young woman’s tone was indifferent, “It will take some time to gather the information you need. As for resources, there is not much difference from the previous market. Just go to the places outside the city to find them. There are also channels to leave this place. The elders of the clan guard the cross-domain teleportation formation. As long as you can afford the price, I can introduce you.”

Qing Muling nodded, “Alright, I’ll come back in three days.”

Putting the bone ring on his wrist, Qing Muling bid farewell to the mother and daughter and walked out of the door. The family that could be heavily influenced and won over by the Cloud Dream Heavenly Palace must not be ordinary people. A young girl could easily control him, so it was entirely possible that her mother had the identity of a hidden expert.

There was an inn on the street specifically for accommodating foreign cultivators. Qing Muling wandered around for more than an hour and finally chose the largest inn.

The front of this inn seemed to be carved out of a whole piece of dark green and black giant rock, tall and heavy. The exterior walls, steps, and door pillars were covered with mysterious and ancient runes, exuding a sense of age and antiquity.

On the five-level steps, there stood a row of muscular warriors against the wall, while at the entrance, there were several young women dressed in gorgeous clothes with friendly smiles. They were all descendants of the Heavenly Human Clan.

Qing Muling walked up the steps, and immediately a young woman came over to greet him, “May I ask if the guest wants to stay or dine? Or do you have any other needs?”

This young woman had bright eyes and agile steps, and her figure was agile and powerful. Obviously, in this era, even the most lawless foreign cultivators couldn’t cause trouble in the city anymore, so their abilities probably wouldn’t have a chance to be used.

“I want the best room, and as for the time, let’s book it for ten days,” Qing Muling said.

“The best place we have here is a separate courtyard with a large formation array supplying spiritual energy under the foundation. The daily accommodation fee is two Crystal Shells, or you can pay with equivalent resources,” the young woman explained softly.

“Alright, show me the way.”

The young woman led Qing Muling into the inn, through the lobby and corridor, and soon arrived at a secluded and elegant courtyard.

There were formation arrays both inside and outside the courtyard, with functions such as sound insulation, blocking aura, and shielding various types of probing spells. The young woman opened the prohibition at the door with a bone talisman, gave a series of instructions, and finally said:

“I’ll take my leave. You can summon us if you need anything.”

“Okay, thank you.”

Qing Muling nodded and handed her twenty-one Crystal Shells, giving her an extra one as a reward.

The price was quite high, but considering the good environment here, Qing Muling didn’t feel too much of a loss.

After staying in the room for a while, when Qing Muling came out again after finishing his preparations, he was completely refreshed. The woman’s eyesight was good, and the clothes she brought fit him well, as if they were tailor-made for him.

In the lobby outside, he went up to a private room on the second floor, ordered a table of delicacies, and after eating and drinking to his heart’s content, Qing Muling decided to go back to his room for closed-door cultivation. Calculating the time, his senior sisters should be coming to meet him soon.

Three days later,

In the cultivation room, Qing Muling woke up from deep meditation. His eyes were as bright as stars, and there was a faint radiance like beautiful jade shimmering on his skin. There was a mysterious and profound charm that couldn’t be explained in his temperament.Silently channeling his spiritual power, a faint sound of wind and thunder echoed within his body. A misty glow rose and swirled around him, and his aura abruptly elevated, breaking through to the ninth level of the Condensing Elixir Realm. The Nascent Soul Realm was now within his reach. The essence of heaven and earth in the void was still gathering and rushing into his body.

“Now, it’s time to go outside the city.”

Qing Muling dispelled the formation, contemplating in his heart. According to the records, many of the secret places and caves were about to open. At this moment, many foreign cultivators must be seeking their opportunities. He couldn’t afford to idle.

The secret realm was vast with numerous opportunities, but the opening time was limited each time. How much one could gain during this period depended on their abilities.

However, as soon as he reached the entrance of the inn, Qing Muling was stunned.

On the steps, a stunning beauty with a tall and slender figure, dressed in a snow-white skirt, was approaching. Her deep black eyes held a faint smile. Her full and upright chest seemed ready to burst out of her clothes, and her plump jade legs were long and straight. A long sword with its sheath hung at her waist, her figure was enchanting, causing the surrounding cultivators to stare.

“I didn’t expect to find you here, Junior Brother. You made me search so hard!”

Qi Yalan said with a smile, stepping forward to embrace him. After a careful look, she nodded in satisfaction, “It seems you’re not injured, and your cultivation has improved a lot. It’s quite impressive for your first time in the secret realm.”

Qing Muling came to his senses and looked around, “Let’s go back to our room first.”

Qi Yalan had no reason to refuse.

A moment later, the two began to share their experiences in the room. Qi Yalan was a powerful cultivator, so safety was not an issue. Along the way, she had killed many cultivators from other sects and gained a lot of resources.

“Your Senior Sisters are still in the far north. Several high-level secret caves are about to open there, and the opportunities inside are very important.”

Qi Yalan said, “Let’s set off in a while. There’s no need to stay in this initial area for long. I’ll take you to the high-level area to find good things. Maybe we can break through soon.”

“Alright.”

“But before that, I have to deal with someone.” Qi Yalan looked at him with a smile that wasn’t quite a smile.

Qing Muling was puzzled, “Who? Is it your enemy?”

Qi Yalan averted her gaze, her face expressionless, “The person I need to deal with is in this room.”

Qing Muling’s expression faltered slightly, “Sister Lan, what are you trying to do?”

Qi Yalan’s eyes were deep, “What do you think I can do? Of course, it’s… you!”

An invisible force quietly surged, like a rope, tightly binding Qing Muling’s hands and feet.

“…”