Published: March 3, 2025
CHAPTER 456: A Responsibility Not to Be Avoided
The mottled surrounding walls, the dilapidated doors and windows, still faintly reveal a glimpse of their former glory.
A group of people walked along the ancient street, their moods complex as they glanced around, filled with an inexplicable sense of sorrow.
"What was the grand scene of the sect back then?" Tang Tianbao couldn't help but wonder as his gaze swept over the vast buildings.
The secret realm opened only once every hundred years, and as the Holy Son of this generation, it was also his first time entering.
Although there were resources left by the predecessors in the secret realm that could greatly alleviate the current difficulties,
Tang Tianbao, Zhou Ziwen, and the others surprisingly did not feel any joy; instead, they were overcome with a sense of guilt towards the sect's predecessors.
Since they started cultivating, they had been instilled with the idea of working hard to revive the sect, and they had long since developed a true identity as cultivators of the Holy Flame Sect.
If it weren't for the inadequacy of the younger generation, why should they be relying on the legacy left behind by their predecessors?
However, facts are facts. Ever since losing their dominant status, the Holy Flame Sect had been relentlessly suppressed by the Divine Sand Sect and had grown increasingly weak, forced to go into hiding.
The crucial cultivation resources were becoming more scarce, putting them in an even more awkward position.
After the last elder, Shirenjie, had fallen, there was even the embarrassing situation of no golden core cultivators remaining, which left many loyal followers feeling dissatisfied yet helpless.
Filled with shame, Tang Tianbao, Zhou Ziwen, and Uncle Yang slowly advanced, and for a moment, nobody spoke.
Liu Yu, as an alchemist, revealed cultivation at the mid-foundation establishment stage, naturally walking in the safest position in the middle.
His joining the Holy Flame Sect was purely for the "Three Primordial Fruits," and he had no special feelings, nor any burdens.
However, as a fellow sect cultivator, he could understand the feelings of the six people around him.
Those selected to enter the secret realm were trusted core members, mostly cultivated (brainwashed) by the sect since childhood, receiving a resource tilt far beyond ordinary cultivators.
As humans are not grass or wood, who can be without feelings?
In this situation, if one didn't feel a bit of guilt, that would be a lack of conscience.
With Tang Tianbao, Zhou Ziwen, and Uncle Yang in front, Liu Yu in the middle, and the other three foundation establishment cultivators bringing up the rear,
the seven of them cautiously explored forward, carefully avoiding the sensing range of the puppets, moving through the decayed buildings.
After a long silence, Tang Tianbao finally spoke, sharing information about the secret realm.
Though the Holy Flame Token could allow second-tier guardian puppets not to regard them as intruders, each third-tier puppet was controlled by a separate system formation, making its effectiveness uncertain.
As a secret realm left over from the prosperity of the Holy Flame Sect, third-tier puppets certainly existed, and there were not a few in number.
The seven had to be cautious; they could not take their lives lightly.
"The secret realm is divided into three layers."
At this point, their footsteps paused as they arrived at a crossroads, with guarding puppets on both left and right paths.
Tang Tianbao halted his words, estimated the sensing range of the puppets, and silently leapt to the rooftops.
Once the six were in position, he continued to explain.
The bodies of foundation establishment stage cultivators were no longer merely flesh and blood, so jumping onto buildings over ten zhang high was a piece of cake; the seven moved across the rooftops with ease.
Liu Yu closely followed the steps of the three in front, within two zhang of distance, memorizing every word of Tang Tianbao's information about the secret realm.