Chapter 136

Chapter 136

Above the Mushroom Forest, purple lightning rumbled, striking the robust body cultivator who was trekking into its depths.

As the body cultivator delved deeper into the Mushroom Forest, more and more purple lightning gathered in the sky, descending almost every few dozen breaths. The dense purple lightning, with its thunderous explosions, made the cultivators outside the forest shudder, while also piquing their curiosity as to whether this body cultivator could truly pluck the Thunder Mushrooms.

When the body cultivator's skin was nearly shredded by the purple lightning, he finally reached the location of the Thunder Mushrooms.

Bearing the excruciating pain of lightning surging through his frame, the body cultivator painstakingly plucked the Thunder Mushroom, hastily casting it into his storage bag before swiftly retreating. To linger was to risk being reduced to a smoldering crisp.

Boom—

Another thunderclap sounded as a thick bolt of purple lightning struck the body cultivator, treating him like a Lightning Attracting Mushroom in the forest, leaving him blackened and smoking from head to toe.

When the body cultivator finally succeeded in fleeing the Mushroom Forest, he collapsed straight onto the ground.

The cultivators outside the Mushroom Forest watched silently as the body cultivator lay sprawled on the ground, their eyes flickering.

Although the body cultivator had successfully escaped, his flesh was torn and charred, black and red, resembling a roasted charcoal figure. If not for his faintly discernible breath, one might have thought he had been struck dead.

He was the first person to solely rely on his physical body to withstand the purple lightning and pluck the Thunder Mushrooms.

Such intense lightning strikes would have long since ended the lives of other cultivators, but the body cultivator could endure them with his formidable physique.

The cultivators present were instantly given a profound understanding of the strength of a body cultivator's physical body.

After a while, noticing that the body cultivator remained sprawled on the ground, the cultivators at the entrance of the Mushroom Forest couldn't help but focus on the storage bag on his person.

In the secret realm, there was never a lack of murder for treasure, especially concerning this body cultivator—he had plucked the Thunder Mushrooms! Not to mention that he was now barely alive after being struck by lightning, completely defenseless. If they seized the opportunity to snatch the Thunder Mushrooms now, it would be effortless.

However, with over a thousand people present, everyone wanted the Thunder Mushrooms...

At this moment, an impatient cultivator made a move.

A figure swiftly darted toward the body cultivator, targeting the storage bag at his waist.

Upon seeing this, those present sprang into action, fearful of being outpaced by others. As for the body cultivator on the ground, no one cared about his condition; they only wanted to seize the Thunder Mushrooms on his person before anyone else did.

Just as that person was about to snatch the body cultivator's storage bag, the body cultivator lying on the ground moved swiftly. A hand, blackened by the lightning, grabbed the individual and rasped, "Want to steal my Thunder Mushrooms? Go get them yourself."

The body cultivator then lifted the cultivator and threw him into the Mushroom Forest.

With a loud boom, the cultivator thrown into the Mushroom Forest was struck by purple lightning, his hair standing on end as he let out a scream of agony, hastily escaping from the forest.

However, the spot where the body cultivator had tossed him was far from the Mushroom Forest's exit. By the time he managed to run out, he had already endured several bolts of purple lightning. His appearance was similar to that of the body cultivator, but his physical strength was inferior. After emerging, he collapsed on the spot, barely clinging to life.

The body cultivator looked at the others and grinned, revealing blood-stained teeth, a sinister expression on his face.

This scene intimidated the surrounding cultivators, who hurriedly retreated to avoid any misunderstandings that might lead to them being thrown into the Mushroom Forest to suffer the lightning strikes.

The body cultivator chuckled, surveying the cultivators around him. Despite enduring dozens of purple lightning strikes, his robust physical body made him seem unscathed, causing the cultivators to be somewhat wary, unwilling to provoke him.

The formidable physical body of a body cultivator has always been a powerful tool against lightning. Who knew if he still had the strength to retaliate? If they failed to seize the Thunder Mushrooms and instead lost their lives, it would be a loss without gain.

The body cultivator grinned, not in a hurry to leave after obtaining the Thunder Mushrooms. He addressed the group of cultivators with flickering gazes, saying, "There are plenty of Thunder Mushrooms inside. If you have the ability, go get them yourselves. What kind of person steals from others? I'll make it clear today: whoever dares to steal will be sent in to suffer the lightning strikes!"

The body cultivator's fierce threat once again intimidated those present, preventing anyone from daring to look at his storage bag.

Then, the body cultivator sat down to the side, ignoring his appearance as a charcoal figure struck by lightning, seemingly content. To others, this made the body cultivator appear even more unfathomable, as if such powerful lightning attacks were ineffective against him.

Since there were still Thunder Mushrooms inside, the one in the body cultivator's possession wasn't a must-seize item. If they ultimately couldn't pluck any, they could snatch his later.

The cultivators quickly weighed their options and decided to temporarily seek other methods to pluck the Thunder Mushrooms.

Some felt that this body cultivator was clever. If he left now, there would surely be cultivators secretly following him to seize the Thunder Mushrooms. But by staying here, with so many people around and other Thunder Mushrooms still in the Mushroom Forest, they all thought they'd try to see if they could pluck the mushrooms themselves first, temporarily putting aside thoughts of robbing him.

In doing so, it also gave the body cultivator time to recover. If there was a tough battle ahead, the body cultivator would be able to cope.

Following this, other cultivators began using various methods to attempt entering the Mushroom Forest, and some even tried to emulate the body cultivator, relying on their robust physical bodies to endure the lightning.

Wen Qiao had been quietly observing the body cultivator, noticing that although he appeared to be sitting casually, he was actually secretly refining the remaining purple lightning within his body. His body was tense, not relaxing his vigilance against his surroundings.

Perhaps because Wen Qiao had been staring for too long, the body cultivator's gaze, sharp as lightning, fell upon her. Upon realizing she was just a young girl at the Primordial Void Realm, the body cultivator merely grinned and ignored her.

After another cultivator unable to withstand the purple lightning in the Mushroom Forest fled, the cultivator pressed down his frazzled hair, his face covered in charred skin, and said painfully, "It's impossible. The purple lightning attracted by the Lightning Attracting Mushrooms is extremely domineering, even spirit artifacts can't withstand it. There's absolutely no way to penetrate deeply enough to pluck the Thunder Mushrooms."

"What should we do?"

"I've already lost one Earth-grade spirit artifact and five Profound-grade spirit artifacts. These were all my possessions, specifically prepared for entering the Thousand Islands Secret Realm. Who knew that in less than a month, they'd all be wasted here."

"Should we try Heavenly-grade spirit artifacts?"

"Who has Heavenly-grade spirit artifacts? Are you willing to destroy them here?"

"Forget it..."

"The purple lightning near the Thunder Mushrooms is even more domineering than elsewhere. It's impossible to approach them."

...

Cultivators couldn't help but complain, but despite their complaints, few were willing to give up.

If they could obtain a single Thunder Mushroom, it would be equivalent to gaining an extra life when facing future lightning tribulations. Having encountered something of the lightning attribute, how could they be willing to leave?

While conversing, the cultivators couldn't resist secretly eyeing the body cultivator seated beside them.

Wen Qiao hadn't moved. Looking around, she realized that apart from herself, all the cultivators present were male. In the cultivation world, men outnumbered women, and female cultivators daring enough to enter the Thousand Islands Secret Realm were even fewer. This could be seen from the number of people here.

As the only female cultivator present, Wen Qiao naturally knew she drew considerable attention, so she refrained from making any rash moves.

"To this young lady, you also want the Thunder Mushrooms?"

Wen Qiao turned her head and noticed several male cultivators approaching her; their words were directed at her.

Her brows furrowed slightly, disliking the looks they were giving her. She pursed her lips and replied coldly, "And if I do, so what?"

"Seeing how delicate your skin is, if you go in, you might end up like those people struck by the purple lightning." The male cultivator who spoke pointed at those who had escaped from Mushroom Forest.

Those who had fled were covered in wounds, their bodies smoking, hair standing on end, making them look ridiculous. There was none of the usual elegance and grace that cultivators typically displayed.

Wen Qiao responded with an "oh," not moving.

The five male cultivators exchanged glances before one suddenly said, "If Lady wants the Thunder Mushrooms, we can actually help you."

Wen Qiao looked at them coldly.

"Yes, you're alone, right? Why not join us brothers? If we find any treasures, we'll share some with you."

"Lady, why don't we discuss this to the side?"

"Lady..."

Wen Qiao listened to their nonsense, even as they tried to drag her aside. Her expression turned cold, and she reached for her waist, drawing out her long whip. She lashed out at the man trying to grab her, then at the other male cultivators around her, swiftly and cleanly sending them all flying.

The five male cultivators fell like dumplings, crashing harshly onto the ground with muffled groans.

This scene caught the attention of others. Seeing Wen Qiao holding her long whip and looking at the group of cultivators she had sent flying, they understood the situation.

"Scram!" Wen Qiao said, her expression cold. "If you keep pestering me, I'll beat you to death."

Upon seeing this, the surrounding cultivators raised their eyebrows, thinking that despite her young age and charming beauty, this girl's temperament was fierce. They wondered which sect's disciple she was.

But this wasn't their concern. Compared to female company, the Thunder Mushrooms were more important now.

The few male cultivators who had been whipped were furious, glaring at Wen Qiao with malice. They sneered, "Little girl, don't refuse the polite offer and choose punishment instead! Quickly apologize to your big brothers, or you'll regret it."

"Let's fight then!" Wen Qiao showed no fear, staring at them coldly.

The male cultivators' eyes met. Although they were all at the Primordial Void Realm, they were two minor realms higher than Wen Qiao. Don't underestimate these two minor realms; sometimes, just one could overwhelm a cultivator of the same rank. Earlier, they had been hit because they were careless, plus the woman's whip was a Grade Earth Spirit Artifact, which was why they were struck.

A Grade Earth Spirit Artifact was already a rare weapon in the eyes of many wandering cultivators. If they could seize it...

The male cultivators simultaneously summoned their weapons and attacked Wen Qiao.

Others witnessing this didn't intervene. However, the large Physical Cultivation man watched Wen Qiao fighting five opponents with interest. Her long whip moved like a spirit snake, creating a powerful gust as she wielded it. With one lash, she sent a person spinning like a top, causing him to be thrown into Mushroom Forest. He couldn't help but marvel inwardly at the girl's immense strength.

Not only was Wen Qiao strong, but she was also incredibly agile. Moving among the five men, she seized opportunities to coil her whip around one of them and throw him back into Mushroom Forest.

With a loud boom, the cultivator thrown into Mushroom Forest was struck by lightning.

Others watching were astonished, never expecting the girl to possess such strength.

Wen Qiao had already put away her Stone Golden Python Whip. With her hands clenched into fists, she unleashed a barrage of punches, ruthlessly beating the group. Afterward, she threw them into Mushroom Forest, leaving them to be struck by lightning.

After doing all this, she remained composed, her breathing not showing the slightest disturbance.

This battle also intimidated the cultivators with ill intentions, preventing them from underestimating her due to her being a female cultivator at the Primordial Void Realm. As for the five thrown into Mushroom Forest, they were merely cannon fodder, and no one cared about them.

Wen Qiao paid no attention to the gazes of those around her. If she didn't show her strength, these men would see her as easy prey. Even though she hadn't intentionally focused on it, she could sense those lecherous looks.

The cultivation world had always been like this. Beautiful female cultivators often faced more hardships than males. Ning Yuzhou had always taught her to be tough when necessary and occasionally make an example of someone to deter others from harboring malicious thoughts.

Wen Qiao adhered to her husband's teachings.

After the battle, the large Physical Cultivation man spoke up, "Young lady, come here."

Wen Qiao glanced at him, her expression cold and distant, appearing to be a difficult girl to approach. When everyone assumed she wouldn't heed the Physical Cultivation man, she walked over to him.

He sized her up and asked, "Are you also a Physical Cultivator?"

Wen Qiao hummed in affirmation.

Instantly, everyone present looked over, stunned to see the petite and timid-looking girl standing before the Physical Cultivation man. How could she be a Physical Cultivator? Weren't Physical Cultivators supposed to be muscular and simple-minded fools?

This girl clearly wielded a whip skillfully; there was nothing about her that suggested she was a Physical Cultivator.

Many refused to believe it, preferring to think she was a beautiful and gentle fairy.

However, the Physical Cultivation man laughed heartily. "Good, good. We Physical Cultivators should speak with our fists. You did well earlier! I wonder how you trained your body in the past?"

"I trained my body under hundreds of times gravity," Wen Qiao answered, knowing that the Physical Cultivation man was treating her differently because she was a Physical Cultivator.

Physical Cultivators were rare in the cultivation world because few could endure the pain of body training. Moreover, most Physical Cultivators had a muscular appearance, which cultivators found unrefined and disliked as a cultivation method.

"Gravity training isn't bad. I train my body with lightning," the Physical Cultivation man said. "The purple lightning here is excellent. I plan to stay here for body training. Young lady, would you like to join me for body training?"

Hearing this, those around finally understood why the Physical Cultivation man hadn't left yet.

For some cultivators, although Thousand Islands Secret Realm was abundant in heavenly materials and earthly treasures, if they could find a place suitable for their cultivation, they were willing to give up treasure hunting and remain in one spot until the secret realm closed.

Wen Qiao hesitated. "I still need to find someone."

The Physical Cultivation man didn't persuade her further after hearing this. He glanced at the people around them and said indifferently, "We are both Physical Cultivators, and it's rare to meet each other. Why don't we stay together?"

Wen Qiao agreed.

Thus, Wen Qiao stood beside the Physical Cultivation man, effectively shielding herself from many ill-intentioned gazes.

She understood the Physical Cultivation man's intentions. He was at the Primordial Spirit Realm and a Physical Cultivator. With his presence and protection, others would think twice before attempting anything against her.

Meanwhile, the body cultivator, Zong Zhao, also sought an ally to ensure he wouldn't be ambushed while recuperating. After observing Wen Qiao's battle, he found that although her cultivation didn't match his, it was still commendable.

The body cultivator said, "My name is Zong Zhao, what might I call you, young lady?"

"Minnue."

After exchanging names, they fell silent.

It wasn't until Zong Zhao finally refined the purple lightning within him, and his wounds had mostly healed, that his dark skin shed to reveal a bronze hue. Coupled with his chiseled features, he exuded a rugged masculinity.

Zong Zhao said, "I intend to re-enter for another round of body tempering, would Miss Minnue like to join me?"

"It could work." Wen Qiao nodded at him. Although she didn't fully trust Zong Zhao, her impression of him was better than that of others. She decided to give the Mushroom Forest a try, knowing that with Zong Zhao around, they could watch each other's backs.

Thus, the two ventured into the Mushroom Forest together.

The others watched them closely, curious about how far these two body cultivators could push themselves.

Among them was a delicate and beautiful young girl, and seeing Wen Qiao's pretty face, some worried whether she would be disfigured by the lightning strikes. That would indeed be a pity.

Male cultivators often harbored a natural tenderness towards beautiful female cultivators, unwilling to see them reduced to charred figures.

Not long after Wen Qiao and Zong Zhao entered the Mushroom Forest, another group approached from the distance.