CHAPTER 564: TRIAL 564

As the day dawned, the three children woke up and sat up for cultivation.

Breakfast had no meat, just spirit rice porridge and some side dishes.

Once full, they continued to search for Gale Rabbits to practice with.

Tan Shaoting observed the children’s progress, and after each session, he would point out their shortcomings.

This made the children’s progress even faster.

In the evening, the father and his three children stayed overnight again.

After dinner, "Dad, tomorrow we three will act separately."

Tan Shaoting nodded, "You three should practice your tacit understanding more often."

As usual, they cultivated in the first half of the night and slept in the second half.

The next day, after breakfast, the children began to act separately, but they never strayed too far.

Tan Shaoting was pleased with this. At least now, the three of them could genuinely care for their siblings.

Initially stumbling, unable to fully take care of everything, injuries were inevitable, luckily they were wearing vestment robes.

The three children’s swordsmanship improved rapidly, and their speed increased. They could handle both sides simultaneously.

In the evening, they were praised. Tomorrow they needed to continue; Tan Shaoting’s requirement for them was to kill a Gale Rabbit within three breaths to pass.

Thus, Tan Shaoting and the three children wreaked havoc on the Gale Rabbits in the mountains.

Fortunately, the Gale Rabbits had strong and quick reproductive abilities, otherwise they might have faced extinction.

After five days, they still couldn’t kill a Gale Rabbit in three breaths, but they could definitely do it in five.

Now, the three of them had changed significantly, though still appearing childish, they carried a sharp aura.

"Alright, we’ve had a decent harvest. Do you need to return to rest and recuperate?"

All three nodded. It had been almost ten days out. Time to go back, rest for a few days, let them reflect on their shortcomings, completely digest it into their own.

Back home, they boiled water for baths; the three children, perhaps because they were home, relaxed. After dinner, they didn’t cultivate and went to sleep.

Tan Shaoting couldn’t sleep, his mind was full of Su Yuanyuan, the situation from that day left him with palpitations.

He wondered how Yuanyuan was doing. There must be danger on her side; otherwise, he wouldn’t feel this heartache from across time and space.

He desperately comforted himself, his wife is a favorite of heaven, she won’t be in life-threatening danger.

As a man, not being able to be by his wife’s side when she’s in danger, how truly failing.

Feeling dejected, he thought, there’s no more useless man than this.

The next day. After the children woke up and were full, they began cultivating.

Seeing them cultivate, Tan Shaoting went out, as the spirit rice at home was running low. He also wanted to hear the news from outside.

This time, he went directly to the street stalls, where there were always a lot of updates to hear.

"Did you hear, Yu Laoda and his group went out but never returned; some say they ventured deep into the mountains."

"Yu Laoda has many followers, doesn’t he? How could something happen? I think they just went into the mountains."

Listening to their conversation, Tan Shaoting recalled the four people he killed, those must be the Yu Laoda they mentioned.

Tan Shaoting crouched down to pick talisman paper, considering trying talisman making, which would be the economic source for him and his sons.

"Choose by yourself, fellow Daoist." The vendor said and continued chatting nearby.

"Have you heard, they discovered a secret realm over at Four-direction City, they say only those at Qi Cultivation Stage can enter."

"Yeah, I heard. But Four-direction City is quite far, besides, entering the city costs ten spirit stones per person.

No one’s been inside the secret realm yet, so I’m reluctant to part with my spirit stones."

"Only cultivators at Qi Cultivation can enter, so the safety is pretty high." The vendor said excitedly.

"You’re thinking too optimistically, if it’s like that Fierce Realm from a few years ago, even if there are many valuable things, what use is it if you can’t get out?"

This made the people silent, yes, once you become a cultivator, there’s no reincarnation. Death is final, dust to dust, ashes to ashes.

Tan Shaoting selected some talisman paper, a regular talisman pen, and some beast blood and vermillion. He set them aside.

The vendor quickly came over.

"Fellow Daoist, do you know how far Four-direction City is from here? And when does the secret realm open?"

"We’ve only heard about it. Four-direction City is the closest and also the largest city around here. It’s managed by the Liang Family.

The secret realm was accidentally discovered by a disciple. After learning about it, the City Lord Mansion released the news."

"Thanks for clarifying, fellow Daoist." Tan Shaoting paid the spirit stones and headed to Duobao Pavilion to buy a map.

Now he had a particular obsession with the secret realm, thinking perhaps there was a way back home.

Moreover, only Qi Cultivation Stage cultivators can enter, making it much safer, and since it’s a new secret realm, there should be plenty of good things inside. The risk was worth taking.

Duobao Pavilion really had a map of Four-direction City, though the secret realm wasn’t included.

"Fellow Daoist, when you come out of the secret realm, bring the good stuff to us at Duobao Pavilion to sell. I’ll offer you a fair price then."

"Alright, if I can get in and find some treasures, I’ll definitely come to your shopkeeper."

Tan Shaoting hurried home, only to find the three children practicing swordsmanship in the courtyard.

"Take a break, Dad has some news to share with you."

All three children gathered around. "I went out today, and heard some news. Four-direction City, which is a cultivation city, has discovered a secret realm that only Qi Cultivation Stage cultivators can enter. So I want to take you three there to check it out."

"Dad, could there be a way to get home in the secret realm?" Qi Yan asked.

Tan Shaoting nodded, "Possibly, after all, we appeared at a secret realm. So I want to try."

"Dad, we want to go with you."

"I want to put you in the space." That’s the safest place.

All three children shook their heads, "Dad, we’ll be careful."

Tan Shaoting sighed, "Alright, let’s go together." It wasn’t that he couldn’t bear the few spirit stones, but the children were too young, and also because their spirit roots were too good. If discovered by others, it would be trouble later. Even with cultivation techniques to hide it, it wasn’t absolute.

Tan Shaoting’s intent was to quietly find a path home without too much entanglement with this side.

But the children wanted to be outside, so outside it will be. This way, the children could gain some knowledge as well.

"You three must be obedient."

All three nodded.

Tan Shaoting immediately started cooking, planning to eat well before setting off. Actually, there were two months’ time, definitely enough to get there. He just wanted the children to see more along the way.