Wait a minute, where is my master?

"Oh, is that so? Help me up."

Hearing his fellow disciple's report, Qiu Li supported himself by the arm of a bald cultivator, slowly stepped towards the white crystal soul.

Although he didn't possess the methods of the Taoist with Spiritual Eyes, he had learned some techniques for investigation.

When he approached, he extended his palm, touched the crystal soul, chanted a mantra, and the mountain-shaped mark on his chest faintly glowed.

After a couple of breaths, Qiu Li tapped his cyan-peeled bald head, finding that what Zhao Ming had said was true.

He withdrew his hand from the white crystal soul and said loudly, "Indeed, this crystal soul contains a lot of pure Wood Attribute Spiritual Energy and due to the abundant spiritual energy, it seems that Spiritual Liquid has already formed at its center."

Meanwhile, Zhao Ming, hearing his senior brother confirm the truth of the matter, a flicker of sharpness passed in his eyes, and his face also revealed a shade of greed.

"Senior brother, do you remember what the rules on the light curtain were? It said that each cultivator has two chances to participate in the trial. Now that all the members on the white side are our Pan Shi Valley disciples, we can take the Wood Spirit Energy and Spiritual Liquid from this crystal ourselves and then participate in the second trial. This is our opportunity, senior brother!"

The pure Wood Spirit Energy in the white crystal soul wasn't trifling, but that alone wouldn't have stirred Zhao Ming, a disciple of one of the Four Great Immortal Sects.

However, if you add the pool of Spiritual Liquid inside, then the value of the contents here would be significantly higher.

This kind of pure Wood Attribute Spiritual Liquid, if sold in the market, would bring at least ten thousand high-grade Spirit Stones to each disciple present.

The cultivators present were all elite disciples of Pan Shi Valley, and their income from sect stipends, mission rewards, and opportunities gained from traveling were not small when added together.

But the cultivation industry is costly.

Spiritual treasures and weapons need Spirit Stones, potions and magic need Spirit Stones, even finding a "one-day companion" costs Spirit Stones.

This does not even include their cultivation expenses and ordinary social interactions.

Think about it: sect duties, elders, temple masters celebrating birthdays, having children, taking disciples, and so on—you have to show some goodwill, don't you?

Otherwise, when it's time for you to take assignments within the sect or seek support for your development, what will you do if no one supports you?

Moreover, those present are not the kind of disciples who think reaching the Golden Core is the end goal of life; as the elites of Pan Shi, they aim to advance further in cultivation and sect standing.

This results in them, regardless of how much Spirit Stones they earn, spending them like flowing water in the end.

So, upon hearing Zhao Ming's words, the bald cultivators present all showed expressions indicating they were moved.

Despite the cultivators wanting to earn this extra money, everyone's gaze still turned to the senior brother, waiting for him to make a decision.

Qiu Li, after hearing his junior brother's words, patted his bald head and fell silent.

Seeing his conflicted expression, Zhao Ming spoke again, trying to stoke the flames.

"Senior brother, are you worried that voluntarily giving up this time would tarnish the reputation of our Pan Shi Valley? But in the Cultivation World, strength is respected. If we gain tangible benefits, some empty honors can be regained in the next two layers of the Secret Realm."

Despite the other's words, Qiu Li remained silent.

However, his hand kept stroking his cyan-scalped palm, revealing his inner turmoil.

...

In the second layer of the Qingmu Secret Realm, within the black and white chessboard.

Black side.

The disciples of the Blazing Sun Sword Sect gathered around the flowing water table, exceptionally silent, each with either more or less of the pill-like "dishes" in their hands, their complexions sallow as they glared at the Red Eyebrow Sword Cultivator.

If it wasn't for the Junior Master saying to share the blessings, they wouldn't have to unnecessarily suffer this "disaster!"

Lu Yiqian, at this moment, was holding a half-bitten "sweet and sour pork loin" and glaring angrily at Zhao Dabao, the culprit who had summoned him!

At this point, he could neither put it down nor continue eating.

If he put it down, seeing Yu Yaoer's face full of anticipation on the side, he felt somewhat heartbroken.

At the same time, he was also afraid of offending the unpredictable Senior Jin.

But if he continued to eat, Junior Master Lu Yiqian felt somewhat guilty about his own stomach and mouth.

He couldn't understand why a dish with such abundant Spiritual Energy tasted so... so....

Lu Yiqian couldn't think of an adjective.

He stared at the sweet and sour pork loin in his hand, pondering for quite a while, just when the little Taoist couldn't bear it anymore and was about to suggest they stop eating.

Junior Master Lu Yiqian felt he might have thought of an excellent idea.

He handed the half piece of sweet and sour pork loin to Fatty Zhao's face, barely suppressing his nausea as he spoke.

"Dabao, the dish Miss Yu made is brimming with Spiritual Energy, rarely seen in the world, almost comparable to Food God Jiang's medicinal meals. Junior Master can't digest this abundant Spiritual Energy for the time being, so you eat it for me."

After Lu Yiqian spoke, he didn't give Zhao Dabao a chance to refute and feigned anger, "What, Dabao, you wouldn't disdain what Junior Master has eaten, would you?"

On hearing Junior Master say that, Fatty Zhao naturally did not dare to express any reluctance and obediently took the half piece of "sweet and sour pork loin."

The remaining cultivators from the Blazing Sun Sword Sect were swearing in their minds, worried about what to do with the "dishes" in their hands. Seeing that Hong Mei, the sword cultivator, set an example for them, they quickly caught on.

"Exactly, if it weren't for Zhao Dabao calling Junior Master here, there wouldn't have been a tasting, and they wouldn't have been able to enjoy this fortune together!"

Thus, the cultivators, holding various "dishes" in their hands, approached Fatty Zhao.

Seeing everyone's posture, Zhao Dabao was startled!

He could endure the half-piece of "sweet and sour pork loin" meatball, but if all the cultivators present gave him their items,

then he, Fatty Zhao, probably wouldn't wait to self-explode at Foundation Establishment, he would perish right here today!

So, in a moment of quick thinking, Zhao Dabao immediately grabbed the Junior Master who was about to go to the side to throw up, and feigned concern, "Junior Master, it's completely normal for you to be unused to the 'sweet and sour pork loin' with its excessive Spiritual Energy. But I just tried this 'Three Fresh Foods.'

This dish has very little Spiritual Energy, you must try it."

Saying this, Fatty Zhao used his Spiritual Power to lift a tri-colored purple, yellow, and green meatball and cheerfully handed it to Lu Yiqian's face.

Junior Master's face stiffened, and he looked at the "Three Fresh Foods," then at Yu Yaoer, and finally cast a sidelong glance at the little Taoist Jin Xu.

Then, feeling aggrieved, he opened his mouth and let Fatty Zhao stuff the thing into his mouth.

Such an action indeed deterred the Blazing Sun Sword Sect cultivators who were planning to follow Junior Master's example.

If the price for getting rid of the "dishes" in their hands was to try a new dish, they'd rather endure it and eat the meatballs they were holding.

"Alright, Miss Yu, don't trouble the fellow cultivators anymore, clear these plates away. Let's attend to the serious matters first."

Finally unable to bear it, Jin Xu spoke up to stop the farce.

And Little White, upon hearing his temple master's words, his eyes lit up.

Without waiting for Yu Yaoer to speak, he declared loudly, "Temple Master, Sister Yu, leave it to me!"