"Er Gou, you're out. How is it? Are you okay?"
As Zhang Er Gou emerged from the altar, a crowd immediately surrounded him.
Among them, naturally, was Ling Feng Er, the Saintess of the Liuhai Sect.
She was incredibly eager to know what changes had occurred in Zhang Er Gou.
However, Zhang Er Gou had already concealed his aura. No matter how she probed, the cultivation he displayed wasn't much different from before.
Ling Feng Er naturally didn't believe that Zhang Er Gou's current strength was truly as he appeared.
But since Zhang Er Gou used techniques to hide his true power, she could do nothing.
"Haha, I'm fine. I'm doing very well."
Zhang Er Gou laughed heartily, looking at the Misty Sect disciples gathered around him. He felt a sense of warmth in his heart.
The urgency on Lin Yi Chen's face was evident.
Seeing that Zhang Er Gou was unharmed, everyone's expressions immediately eased.
"You brat, do you know how worried we were?" Xiao Qing Yu walked up to Zhang Er Gou and patted his shoulder.
"I apologize for causing everyone worry. After we get out, I'll work harder and refine more pill furnaces for you all."
Zhang Er Gou was in a great mood at this moment and made such a bold promise.
Upon hearing his words, Lin Yi Chen and the others broke into smiles, clearly satisfied with Zhang Er Gou's declaration.
Even Li Yao appeared surprised and delighted. Before entering this place, they had raided a medicinal field together with Zhang Er Gou.
He had heard from Lin Yi Chen and the others that Zhang Er Gou was an alchemist.
He just didn't know how good Zhang Er Gou's pill refining quality was.
However, judging by Lin Yi Chen and the others' happy expressions, it shouldn't be too bad.
"Li Yao, what are they talking about with alchemy? What's going on?"
Chen Gong also noticed the unusual behavior of the crowd.
Zhang Er Gou's promise to refine more pill furnaces for them was made without excluding anyone, speaking in front of everyone present.
Not only the Misty Sect disciples heard him clearly, but even the disciples of the Liuhai Sect heard him.
"Chen Gong, you don't know yet, do you? Our junior brother Er Gou is not only a cultivation genius but also an alchemist."
Li Yao sighed with emotion. He only found out about Zhang Er Gou's alchemist identity after entering this secret realm.
After all, they hadn't had much interaction with Zhang Er Gou before.
"How is that possible?" Chen Gong naturally didn't believe it.
Not only he, but Ling Feng Er also didn't believe it.
How could there be such a versatile genius in this world? Not only did he possess outstanding cultivation talent, but Zhang Er Gou was also a body refiner. And on top of that, you're saying Zhang Er Gou is an alchemist.
Judging by Lin Yi Chen and the others' expressions, Zhang Er Gou's alchemist rank must be quite high.
At the very least, he had already reached the rank of a second-grade alchemist.
Because the pills refined by a first-grade alchemist had very little effect on Golden Core stage cultivators.
But when Zhang Er Gou promised to refine more pill furnaces for everyone, the excitement on Lin Yi Chen's and the others' faces was palpable.
From these details, one could deduce that Zhang Er Gou was also an alchemy prodigy.
It was precisely because of this deduction that Ling Feng Er and Chen Gong found it hard to believe.
However, Zhang Er Gou paid them no mind.
Instead, he addressed all the Misty Sect disciples present: "Esteemed senior brothers and sisters, after we return to the sect, I will not only refine pills for Lin Yi Chen and the others individually, but anyone present who has a need, I will not refuse."
Zhang Er Gou would not easily let go of such a good opportunity to win people's hearts.
As expected, upon hearing Zhang Er Gou's words, the faces of the Misty Sect disciples lit up with joy.
...
"They're coming out, haha, they're finally coming out."
At the exit of the secret realm, the elders of the Liuhai Sect and the Misty Sect had not left but were waiting for the disciples who had entered the secret realm to emerge.
Now that they saw the exit of the secret realm open, the meditating elders all opened their eyes.
They cast their gazes towards the entrance of the secret realm.
Following that, everyone heard an excited voice. The first to emerge from the exit was a disciple of the Liuhai Sect.
Then, behind him, followed other disciples of the Liuhai Sect.
Upon seeing this, the faces of the Liuhai Sect elders revealed expressions of joy, and they cast a mocking glance at the elders of the Misty Sect.
Clearly, they believed that the Misty Sect had suffered significant losses in the secret realm.
Otherwise, the exit of the secret realm had been open for half an hour, and more than half of the Liuhai Sect disciples had already emerged.
Yet, not a single disciple from the Misty Sect had appeared. This was enough to explain the problem.
Seeing that no disciples from the Misty Sect had appeared yet, Chi Yu and the others became anxious.
"Haha, it seems the Misty Sect has suffered quite a loss this time in the secret realm."
A green-robed elder of the Liuhai Sect said with a forced smile, his tone filled with ridicule.
"Hmph!" Chi Yu snorted coldly, ignoring the petty individual. He focused his anxious gaze on the exit of the secret realm.
"Fellow Daoist Tiandao, it seems our Liuhai Sect has gained a slight advantage this time."
Liu Xun's face was also filled with a smile. The face he lost in the previous sect competition had now been regained.
Old Man Tiandao cast a calm glance at the smug Liu Xun: "Sect Master Liu Xun, there is no need to be so hasty. Why not wait a little longer? Hasn't your Saintess also not appeared yet?"
Liu Xun's eyes narrowed. He had only been focused on his smugness earlier. Now that he looked carefully, the disciples of the Liuhai Sect emerging from the secret realm seemed to be mostly of lower cultivation.
Furthermore, after emerging from the secret realm, they had not left the perimeter of the secret realm's barrier, as if waiting for something.
As Old Man Tiandao had said, their Saintess Ling Feng Er, along with the disciples of higher cultivation, had also not yet emerged.
"Fellow Daoist Tiandao, you wouldn't happen to know something, would you?"
Liu Xun's expression instantly turned grim. Looking at Old Man Tiandao's calm demeanor, he was certain that Old Man Tiandao knew something.
"Sect Master Liu Xun, are you perhaps joking? We have both been waiting here for a long time. Have you ever seen me leave this place?"
Old Man Tiandao maintained his composed demeanor, which only made Liu Xun more suspicious.
"Someone else is coming out."
Just as Liu Xun was about to press further, he suddenly heard someone speak and quickly turned his gaze towards the exit.
"Damn it, finally out. Why was there a beast tide at the exit?"
The few people who had just emerged, along with the previous disciples of the Liuhai Sect, all wore looks of panic. It was clear that their recent encounter had left them shaken.
"What exactly happened?" Among the disciples who emerged this time were disciples of the Misty Sect. Chi Yu couldn't help but ask.
"It's Uncle-Master Chi." Lu Xiao Yu immediately recognized Chi Yu in the crowd and rushed out of the exit with a leap.
"What is it?" Chi Yu looked at Lu Xiao Yu, whose clothes were in tatters, his anxiety unabated.
"Just as we were about to leave the secret realm, a large number of demonic beasts suddenly appeared."
Lu Xiao Yu wiped the blood from his face. "Then Zhang Er Gou led the others with higher cultivation to block the beast tide, letting those of us with lower cultivation leave first."
"What did you say?" Chi Yu's eyes widened, wishing he could rush into the secret realm immediately.