Primordial Emperor
Chapter 108: The Intention to Retreat, The Main Force is Just Ahead

Chapter 108: Chapter 108: The Intention to Retreat, The Main Force is Just Ahead

After all the disciples of the Black Cloud Sect had left, the people of the Jade Cauldron Sect immediately lay on the ground, gasping for air in deep, heavy breaths.

They had all been at the end of their tether; if the people of the Black Cloud Sect had insisted on fighting for a while longer, they feared they all would have fallen there and then.

The group understood that they had avoided defeat in that battle solely because of Lin Chen’s presence. Without Lin Chen, they likely would have lost their lives already. Many disciples cast grateful looks towards him.

They had also noticed the conflict between Leng Dong, Liu Changfeng, and others with Lin Chen. Nevertheless, since Lin Chen had saved their lives, and they weren’t heartless, they certainly wouldn’t be ungrateful and act against Lin Chen if any conflict arose.

After watching Li Chu and Mu Qingxue leave, Lin Chen slowly sat down to recuperate, resolving to wholeheartedly increase his cultivation after returning to the sect from the secret realm.

The others began to clean up the battlefield. Liu Changfeng and others started to recover from their injuries and replenish their spiritual power, adjusting their condition. Although the Black Cloud Sect had retreated, they still couldn’t be careless.

This battle had left over ten people dead or injured in the Jade Cauldron Sect, and about the same number in the Black Cloud Sect.

The group began to dig pits to bury their fallen comrades, their hearts filled with mixed emotions. The deaths they witnessed today might well befall them in the not too distant future. Today, they were spared because of Lin Chen’s presence, but they couldn’t rely on such luck forever.

Many began to think about beating a retreat, preferring to return rather than continuing towards the Dragon Pond, choosing instead to wait in those familiar, less dangerous places for the Mire Dragon Marsh Secret Realm to open once more.

To them, preserving their own lives was of the utmost importance. After all, with people like Lin Chen around, they didn’t believe they would get a share of the Dragon Whisker Polygonum.

"A bunch of fools, do you really have the confidence to deal with those magical beasts if you go back the way we came?"

"Moreover, how can you be so sure that you won’t encounter the Black Cloud Sect’s disciples again on the way back? What if they’re lying in ambush on our return path, ready to capture us all in one fell swoop?"

"Our only choice now is to reunite with other groups from our sect. If we stay together, we will be able to withstand the Black Cloud Sect. If we don’t destroy their schemes, our Jade Cauldron Sect will face serious trouble in the future. Have you forgotten what the Sect Leader said when we entered the secret realm?"

Leng Dong, seeing some disciples wanting to retreat and go back, immediately stood up and scolded them loudly, setting an example for everyone else.

Such words, to those unaware of his true intentions, might seem as though he was being selfless and truly concerned for the sect.

However, what the group didn’t realize was that Leng Dong was worried that if everyone retreated, it would be dangerous for them on their way to the Dragon Pond if they encountered an ambush by the Black Cloud Sect members.

Without these disciples to serve as his support, relying solely on those loyal to him would be far too risky.

He couldn’t bring himself to retreat to the periphery of the Mire Dragon Marsh Secret Realm like the others.

"Indeed, if we all retreat now, the danger could be even greater than pressing forward. Let’s all recover from our injuries and get our condition back on track, and then we can go find the main force to join with them,"

"When we first entered the secret realm, we had agreed with the other senior brothers to meet at the Dragon Pond. I’m sure they are nearly there by now."

Li Caixia looked at the disciples and also spoke up.

Hearing these words, the disciples believed Li Caixia, and they all begun to rest and recover on the spot.

Lin Chen paid no mind to all of this; even if no one else went to the Dragon Pond, he was determined to go alone. The Dragon Whisker Polygonum had to be collected and brought back, or his master’s life would be in grave danger.

The battle with Li Chu had nearly depleted all of Lin Chen’s spiritual power, but thankfully the Primordial Transformation Art was formidable. It allowed Lin Chen’s spiritual power to far exceed that of an ordinary martial artist at the Third Layer of the Spirit Gathering Realm by many times over, otherwise, he truly would not have been able to engage Li Chu in a prolonged fight.

At that moment, Lin Chen took out a handful of elixirs and consumed them directly.

What Lin Chen took was the Spirit Revitalizing Pill, which could quickly restore his spiritual power, even faster than absorbing spiritual energy from spirit stones.

With the operation of the Primordial Transformation Art absorbing the spiritual energy of heaven and earth, the spiritual power within Lin Chen’s body rapidly recovered.

The effect of the Spirit Revitalizing Pill was different from that of the Spirit Gathering Pill; the latter was used to break through the limits of one’s spiritual power, greatly aiding in the enhancement of cultivation, whereas the Spirit Revitalizing Pill did not have that effect.

As everyone watched Lin Chen consume a large number of elixirs, they couldn’t help but feel immensely envious, even Leng Dong’s mouth twitched involuntarily, coveting the pills Lin Chen possessed.

Everyone thought this was the privilege of Lin Chen being a True Disciple, unaware that these elixirs were refined by Lin Chen himself using the Pill Spirit Array.

Now, when it came to cultivation resources, Lin Chen believed that among the sect, even those True Disciples couldn’t compare with him, including his senior sister Xu Lianyu.

After taking three handfuls of Spirit Revitalizing Pills, Lin Chen restored his condition to its peak in just under half an hour.

You should know that at the same time, Leng Dong and the others had only restored about thirty percent of their spiritual power, which shows the benefit of having plenty of elixirs.

Lin Chen, harboring the Ancient Divine Body and with the Primordial Transformation Art refining the elixirs at a speed far surpassing that of ordinary people, recovered extremely quickly. This was still with him deliberately slowing down the pace so as not to arouse suspicion among the others.

Once Lin Chen had fully recovered, he opened his eyes to see Lu Feishuang sitting across from him with a worried expression on her face. It seemed like she wanted to say something, but was reluctant to speak, while Li Caixia was still in the midst of recovery.

"Senior Sister Lu, what’s troubling you? You look so worried."

Perhaps because of their acquaintance, Lin Chen approached Lu Feishuang and asked about the matter.

Seeing Lin Chen’s approach, Lu Feishuang’s fingers twirled incessantly, and then, mustering her courage, she still voiced her concerns to Lin Chen.

"Junior Brother Lin Chen, I know this request is rather abrupt, but I truly have no other choice."

"I’ve used up all my elixirs and talisman inscriptions during the recent fights. I completely underestimated the danger of this venture into the secret realm. Had I known, perhaps I wouldn’t have ventured so deep."

"Now I really don’t know what to do. Could you sell me some elixirs and talisman inscriptions? I... I can only offer the herbs I’ve picked along the way in exchange, as I have very few spirit stones left."

Lu Feishuang looked at Lin Chen and spoke her mind.

Up ahead was Dragon Pond, and the dangers it held were still unknown. She had run out of all the consumables for self-defense; if another battle broke out, she would be left without any means to protect herself.

"So it’s about this, Senior Sister. We have faced life and death together, after all. If you need elixirs and talisman inscriptions, just say the word. Indeed, I do have some to spare," Lin Chen responded.

As he spoke, Lin Chen took out some of the elixirs and talisman inscriptions and handed them to Lu Feishuang.