Chapter Text

Heads Up (=`ω´=)

Welcome! If this is your first time reading one of my uploads, just a heads-up—I'm only the translator ヾ( `ー´)シφ__

English isn’t my native language, so I apologize in advance if you come across the occasional grammar mistake, odd wording choice, or awkward phrasing. I do my best to keep the translation smooth and natural, but I’m still learning and improving with every project (´･ᴗ･`)

A Note on Titles Blurbs and Chapters

If you've already read a few of my projects, you might have noticed that I often use my own 'adopted' English title rather than a direct translation. There's a lot of thought behind this! Often, a direct title can be too generic, overly long, or just not capture the story's soul.

My goal is always to grab your attention with a title that's catchy, readable, and reflects the story's heart. And this philosophy doesn't stop there! I also write my own versions of the story blurb and chapter titles. If an original chapter title feels uninteresting or doesn't capture the chapter's essence, I'll craft one that does.

But don't worry—I'm always transparent about this. For the main title, I always include the original English title (the one you'd find on NU or other sites) right under my blurb with a note like: "Title adapted for tone and readability while preserving the story’s core themes." So if you're curious, it's just a quick scroll away.

As for the original Chinese title and author, you can find that listed on my Patreon, which is linked in my Carrd.

On My Translation Style & Notes

Like my other projects, this translation isn't word-for-word. I take creative liberties where needed—expanding scenes, drawing out subtext, and interpreting tone or context rather than always sticking to the literal meaning. My goal is to make the story flow smoothly in English and capture the emotions of the original.

Let me be perfectly clear: this means my translation is a subjective interpretation, not a 100% identical copy of the original. The way I expand scenes, interpret subtext, or convey tone might differ from the author's original intention because it's filtered through my own perspective.

And sometimes, I take it a step further. This can include:

• Writing and inserting entirely new, original chapters or extra scenes that don't exist in the source material.

• Changing a side character's gender.

• Interpreting a platonic relationship as having romantic potential and steering their interactions to have that nuance—or even developing it into a full-blown subplot.

In short: anything can happen. I see translation as a creative collaboration with the original text. While I will never change the main plot or the core heart of the story, the journey there will be uniquely shaped by my choices. So yes, it's fair to call it 'faithful' to the spirit of the story, but always remember it's the story as seen through my lens. Or, to put it another way: the main journey is the author's, but the color commentary, the scenic detours, and the lens through which you see the characters' relationships are mine.

Translation is an evolving craft. Each novel and chapter teaches me something new. You might notice my translation style shift and refine over time—not just from one completed project to the next, but sometimes even within a single novel.

Let's say a novel has 800 chapters. The early chapters might feel a bit rougher, as they were my first steps in translating it. Then, by chapter 200 or 300, I might have developed a new preference for handling dialogue. By chapter 500, I might refine how I convey internal monologues and the general narrative style. Since I'm usually juggling multiple projects, a stylistic refinement that happens in one novel can also immediately influence a new project I start, making the newer one feel more polished from the get-go.

However, even as the surface-level style evolves, the core of my translation philosophy remains constant. If you read a few of my different projects, you'll probably start to recognize my distinctive 'voice' and approach underneath it all. The heart of how I interpret and connect with a story is the one thing that doesn't change.

You’ll also see translator notes sprinkled here and there—usually for cultural context, terminology, or background info. Sometimes, I also make deliberate changes in the translation. This might be something small, like using a different English term, or it might be larger, such as rewriting a sentence or even adjusting the meaning of an entire paragraph if I feel it reads more naturally in English. When that happens, I'll usually include what the author originally wrote and explain my choice.

For readers who know my style, you've probably also noticed that I like giving nicknames to contracted companions or pets (｡•̀ᴗ-)✧. I usually do this when the author only refers to a pet by its species name. Whenever that happens, I'll add a footnote explaining the original wording and the nickname I chose.

These "translator notes" usually appear right within the chapter text, marked with a clear divider (===) so they're easy to spot. I'm just so used to this system, and I find it's much clearer for readers, especially when the notes get long. Sometimes I might also use AO3's 'Notes' section for extra comments, but the main footnotes with cultural explanations or translation choices will almost always be in the chapter body with my trusty divider.

A Peek Into My (Chaotic) Process

As for my general workflow... it might be a bit unconventional, but it works for me. I'll be the first to admit that for casual reading, I usually rely on a Google Translate browser extension.

Yeah, that one. We all know how cursed it can be (ಥ﹏ಥ)

For translation, my process is a little more involved. I always have two browser tabs open for the same chapter: one with the original text and another with a machine translation. When I hit a wall or need a second perspective on a tricky sentence, I peek at the auto-translation to compare.

To keep myself consistent, I use a simple notepad to jot down terms, names, or specific phrases I've translated. I have to confess, my system isn't perfect. Sometimes I delete an entry thinking a word was a one-time use, only to find it becomes important chapters later. The worst is when I simply not write it down at all.

This is especially true when I return to a novel after working on others, as I usually juggle multiple projects at the same time, which can get chaotic. In those cases, it's hard to remember the exact word I used, and I often end up making a new choice, which leads to inconsistencies. Of course, sometimes I just suddenly want to change a term I already used. For that, I sincerely apologize.

On the Tricky Subject of Names

I also have a specific weakness I want to confess: figuring out names that aren't standard Chinese ones. Whenever a character has a Western name, or one from another Asian country like Japan or Korea, I tend to struggle.

The original text writes these names in Chinese characters, and localizing them back to their "original" language is... tricky, to say the least. I even double-check with AI tools sometimes, and they often give me different suggestions!

A perfect example is from the novel 'My VR Games Terrify the World': I initially translated the character 杰明·沃克 (Jié Míng · Wò Kè) as something like "Jemin Walker." But after digging deeper, I realized the intended name was "Benjamin Walker," since the Chinese characters are a phonetic representation.

It gets even trickier when the author doesn't specify a nationality. For instance, in 'Reborn as the Fallen Idol, I Leaned Into the Chaos!', there's a character named 利贵勋 (Lì Guìxūn). Is he Japanese? Korean? I ended up with a few variations like Li Guixun, Lee Gwi-hoon, and others because there was no clear answer.

So, if you notice some inconsistency or a name that feels a bit off for a non-Chinese character, that's the main reason! (Well, that, and my sometimes-forgetful notepad system). I'm always working to improve this, but it will probably remain one of my weak points. Thanks for your understanding! (＞﹏＜)

A Quick Note on Posting Schedules & Offline Reading

I originally thought AO3 had a scheduled publishing feature like Webnovel… turns out it doesn’t (╯▽╰ )

So, my update rhythm here will be a bit different. On Webnovel, I can stockpile chapters and set a regular timer. Here, since I'm juggling multiple active projects, my AO3 updates might be more chaotic. Sometimes I might do a “chapter dump” with a lot of updates at once, then go quiet for a few days or maybe more than a week before dropping another batch. (´･ω･) It really depends on which project I'm hyper-focused on at the moment. I hope you’ll understand!

Also, for those who prefer offline reading, I upload the completed translations for each novel on Gdrive and Terabox. You can find the links on my Carrd.

And for a super detailed, behind-the-scenes look at all my projects, you can check out my public Notion page! It's my personal hub where I keep a full catalog of everything I'm translating, complete with summaries and—of course—my own rambling opinions and notes on each one. Consider it the ultimate, constantly-updated guide to my translation world!
➡️ Reiya's Translation Catalog

Let's Chat on Discord! (´▽`ʃ♡ƪ)

Oh, and before I forget, I recently made a Discord server! It's still a bit of a ghost town right now, but I wanted to create a cozy corner where readers and fans of my work can hang out.

Since my hobbies are split between translating and making character bots on C.ai, this server is the "home" where both of those worlds come together. It's a shared space for us all to interact, chat about the novels, share memes, or just talk about random stuff. It's also the perfect place to connect with other readers since my projects are spread across different platforms.

I'd love to see you there! You can join the server using the link below:
➡️ https://discord.gg/75sprU6DdD

My Handbooks - Your Reading Companions! (´･ᴗ･`)

To help everyone (and myself!) navigate the often complex worlds of these novels, I've put together a series of handbooks. They started as my private glossaries, but I've officially published them on Webnovel so they're easy to find and reference. Think of them as your personal cheat sheets for cultivation terms, historical titles, and webnovel slang. I keep them updated as I go!

A quick note on access: I've just finished migrating The Xianxia Handbook here to AO3! My plan is to eventually move all the handbooks over. For now, the others remain on my Webnovel account, but AO3 will be my main site for all new projects and completed works, including these resources.

✨ New & Improved on AO3! ✨

The Xianxia Handbook: A Guide to Cultivation and Beyond

This is your go-to guide for all things Cultivation. Entries cover key concepts like world hierarchy, the Heavenly Dao, the evolution of cultivation systems, the Dao, Laws, realms and stages, sect structure, and terms like 'Luck' and the often misunderstand 'Dual Cultivation'.

If you've read the Webnovel version—or found it a bit too dense—I highly recommend checking out this new AO3 version! I've not only made some changes and added information, but I've also reformatted it with bullet points and clearer headings to make it much easier to digest and use as a quick reference.

I personally feel this handbook now encompasses the core and most important elements of the Xianxia genre. Future updates will likely be minor, focusing mainly on adding more cultivation stages or formal titles, as the foundational knowledge is all there!

Still on Webnovel (For Now!):

• The Imperial Handbook: A Practical Guide to Ancient Chinese Society
  In short: for historical topics, harem system, courts, bureaucracy, nobility, titles, and common institutions. Expect concise explanations of offices and ranks, and how local government worked.

  A quick note: For now, the entries are heavily focused on the nobility and imperial family, reflecting the current themes of the novels I'm translating. I'll be steadily adding more about the lives of common folks and merchants once I pick up a project where they take the spotlight as the MCs!

• The Webnovel Handbook: A Guide to Slang, Tropes, and Inside Jokes
  In short: for community slang, memes, running jokes, and fan culture. Such as "Golden Thigh," "Eating Melon," “Rainbow Fart,” “Green Hat,” and other fun terms. Note: This one is just starting out, but I'll be steadily adding more fun terms and tropes!

If these resources help you, please consider adding my Handbook Series to your library! Your ratings, reviews, and shares mean the world. Your comments also help me refine examples and fill gaps, making these guides better for everyone!

Final Housekeeping

Originally, I started uploading my translation project on my Webnovel account, but I reached the maximum number of projects allowed. So now I’m sharing it here on AO3 to make sure everyone can keep reading without interruptions! If you’d like to know more about my projects or how to support my work, you can find all the details on my Carrd. Everything here will always stay free to read!

Disclaimer: This is an unofficial fan translation. I do not own the rights to the original story. All credit and ownership belong to the author. This is a non-profit, fan-created translation shared for the purpose of introducing this wonderful story to a wider audience. If you enjoy this work, the best way to support the author is by accessing it through official channels.

Regarding the Nature of This Translation: This project is best understood as a "Creative Translation." It is not a word-for-word conversion, but a subjective interpretation intended to capture the soul of the story in a new language. I act as both a translator and a creative partner to the text, which means I may expand, interpret, or slightly alter elements to serve the narrative's flow and emotional impact in English.

Consequently, the text you are reading is a hybrid work. It is fundamentally the author's story, but it is also distinctly my version of it. It exists in the space between direct translation and fan adaptation, faithful to the spirit but shaped by my creative choices.

Thank you so much for reading, and I truly hope you enjoy this novel as much as I did when I first discovered it (｡•ㅅ•｡)♡

Chapter Text

Tianyan State.

The Jiang Family’s Council Hall.

“Feng Qinghe, if you didn’t love stirring up trouble all the time, how would Young Master Qingshu end up like this?”

“Feng Qinghe, Young Master Qingshu destroyed his cultivation and shattered his Golden Core just to save you. You should hand over the Phoenix Blood Nirvana Fruit and save him.”

“Qinghe, the Jiang Family’s never treated you poorly. Be good and give us the item.”

Voices kept piling on.

Feng Qinghe had only just woken up when her head started buzzing. It felt like she’d wandered into a noisy street market. Her thoughts were a mess and she only caught a few key words.

Young Master Qingshu? The Jiang Family?

In that novel, 《The Legend of Long Aotian Becomes a God》, wasn’t the male lead named Jiang Qingshu?

And the male lead Jiang Qingshu had a doomed older sister, also named Feng Qinghe. As for why the Jiang Family’s daughter had the surname Feng, the book never said.

Even though Feng Qinghe died early in the story, readers never stopped complaining about her. In life she constantly dragged the male lead down, acted selfishly, and never cared about her family’s honor. Yet Jiang Qingshu was the ultimate sister worshipper. Whenever he got something good, she’d be the first to receive it. Whenever she was in danger, he’d always shield her. If anyone dared bully her, he’d fight them to the bitter end.

And when you compared that to Feng Qinghe’s behavior, it was simply awful.

Even when her younger brother was on the brink of death and needed the treasure in her hands to survive, she still hid it away. Only after the Jiang Family pressured her did she reluctantly hand it over, then demanded compensation afterward. People hated Feng Qinghe so much even evil cultivators wouldn’t take her in. A large group of them stormed the Jiang Family, kidnapped her, and sacrificed her to forge the Ten Thousand Souls Banner. She died with her soul completely destroyed.

But once Feng Qinghe disappeared from the world, the male lead’s path smoothed out. His cultivation soared and he eventually ascended to godhood.

Memory flickered and vanished in an instant. As Feng Qinghe opened her eyes, her first instinct was to scan her surroundings for a place to hide.

One look left her stunned.

Carved beams, painted pillars.

Gold inlays and jade ornaments.

A phoenix holding a luminous pearl.

Every single item in this hall looked valuable enough that taking even one would let her live carefree for life. Her instincts told her to assess the situation. Her greed told her to stare at that massive spirit pearl instead. She couldn’t look away. Now she finally believed that saying: as long as the temptation’s strong enough, no one can stay cautious and calm forever. If there weren’t so many people here, she would’ve already swept half the treasures into her storage space.

Her sudden excitement only angered everyone else in the hall.

“Feng Qinghe! It seems you still don’t realize your mistake. Young Master Qingshu’s on the edge of life and death and you’re busy looking around!”

The scolding came thick with disgust.

So they really were talking to her.

Feng Qinghe felt unbelievably conflicted. She’d become Jiang Qingshu’s doomed older sister.

She looked around the hall again.

Luxurious palace. Interrogation posture like a tribunal.

Everything suddenly clicked.

The novel wrote that when Jiang Qingshu was dying, the selfish Feng Qinghe refused to hand over the Phoenix Blood Nirvana Fruit. Only at the last moment did she have a change of heart and take it out.

Well.

Right now the Phoenix Blood Nirvana Fruit was sitting inside her body. No one knew how the original Feng Qinghe hid it, but somehow these people hadn’t found it.

The Phoenix Blood Nirvana Fruit could give a thousand years of lifespan, temper the bones, enhance cultivation talent, strengthen the Primordial Soul. And restoring a Golden Core was the least of its uses.

As the strongest family in Tianyan State, the Jiang Family definitely had items to rebuild Golden Cores. They weren’t lacking anything. They just wanted to trick her into handing over her treasure.

No way. Absolutely not.

Feng Qinghe straightened and raised her voice righteously. “If I repent, if I cry, if I’m heartbroken, will that magically heal Qingshu? If you really care about him, why are you wasting time yelling at me?”

Everyone stared in disbelief. The timid, quiet Feng Qinghe they knew suddenly sounded sharp and eloquent.

She shook her head with exaggerated disappointment. “You don’t understand how much this hurts me.”

Of course it hurt. There were so many amazing treasures right in front of her and she couldn’t grab even one.

Right now she was grateful for two things.

First, the Void Stone bound to her soul had crossed over with her.

Second, she’d arrived early, before the Phoenix Blood Nirvana Fruit was handed over.

“Feng Qinghe, stop talking nonsense. If you’d hand over the Phoenix Blood Nirvana Fruit, we wouldn’t be wasting time here.” A middle aged man glared at her, his face twisted with anger.

“Oh,” Feng Qinghe answered lazily.

The original Feng Qinghe already knew she couldn’t hand it over.

She certainly wouldn’t.

The man seemed enraged by her attitude. He lifted a hand and sent a blast of palm wind toward her.

Someone blocked it.

“Qinghe, don’t be rude. Apologize to the Tenth Elder.”

Feng Qinghe looked at the man seated at the head of the hall. Calm, stern, every inch a ruler.

He had to be Jiang Mingyuan, the Jiang Family’s Patriarch and father of Jiang Qingshu. It made sense the others didn’t notice she wasn’t the original Feng Qinghe. Their minds were filled with thoughts of the Phoenix Blood Nirvana Fruit. But as her father, Jiang Mingyuan not noticing anything felt strange.

Still, she didn’t plan to bother with the details. She wasn’t staying in the Jiang Family anyway.

She ignored Jiang Mingyuan’s demand for an apology and bowed slightly in a show of respect. “Father, I remember the Tenth Elder obtained a Spirit Tempering Fruit last month. If he adds that to a Condensed Essence Pill, Qingshu’s Golden Core will return to its original state.”

Then she turned to the Tenth Elder, who looked ready to kill her. “Tenth Elder, I remember you have both those items, don’t you? Why haven’t you taken them out for Qingshu?”

“You’re talking nonsense.” The Tenth Elder glared at her coldly, murder flashing in his eyes.

He’d prepared those items for his breakthrough to Divine Transformation. There was no way he’d give them to Jiang Qingshu.

Wait.

How did she know he had those?

Unless the Patriarch planned to...

Feng Qinghe gave him a mocking smile. “Tenth Elder, looks like your concern for Qingshu isn’t exactly pure.”

Everyone’s attention landed on Jiang Yue.

The Phoenix Blood Nirvana Fruit was indeed priceless. But most people couldn’t refine it. If you failed, your Primordial Soul would be destroyed.

The Spirit Tempering Fruit was different. Anyone who could cultivate could use it.

Jiang Yue forced down the killing intent clawing at his heart. There was no point denying it now. But being the only one to pay, he refused to accept that. He said, “I can provide the Spirit Tempering Fruit and Condensed Essence Pill. But those can only repair the young master’s Golden Core. If you want his future cultivation to remain unaffected, you still need the Phoenix Blood Nirvana Fruit.”

Jiang Mingyuan followed with a solemn tone. “Qinghe, Qingshu is the Jiang Family’s hope and future. Nothing can go wrong. Don’t worry, I’ll compensate you in the future.”

Feng Qinghe sneered inside.

Of course. The ones in power always sat high above, waiting to harvest the gains.

She looked straight into Jiang Mingyuan’s eyes. “I don’t want compensation in the future. I want it now.”

Chapter Text

"Feng Qinghe, how can you even bring up compensation?" Jiang Yue shouted before anyone else could speak.

Feng Qinghe looked at him with a pitying gaze. In the novel, Jiang Yue died before she did.

Not that she had a good ending either. If the timeline in the book was right, she only had three years left to live. She glanced sideways at him and smiled, "So Tenth Elder doesn't plan to ask for compensation?"

Jiang Yue's jaw clenched. Of course he wanted compensation. But he couldn't ask for it here. While he was still struggling for a response, he caught Jiang Mingyuan's subtle signal. He suddenly remembered why he'd come today. He stood up with a righteous tone, "Patriarch, I volunteer to provide a Spirit Tempering Fruit and a Condensing Yuan Pill for the Young Master, no compensation needed."

Before Jiang Mingyuan could speak, Feng Qinghe beat him to it. "Tenth Elder is so generous, we admire you greatly."

She even gave him a polite cupped hand salute. Then she said bluntly, "Patriarch, since Tenth Elder doesn't want your compensation, I won't mind taking his share as well. Just give it to me."

If Jiang Yue liked self sacrifice so much, he could go ahead and sacrifice. She absolutely wasn't going to let herself get the short end of the stick.

"Feng Qinghe, you... you..." Jiang Yue was so furious his face twisted, and his pointing hand trembled.

Her smile didn't fade. "No need to panic, Tenth Elder. You're not the Patriarch. When it comes to compensation, you don't get to decide."

His face flushed in an instant. His chest heaved violently. She was mocking him for being a dog. A worthless thing raised by the Jiang family.

Already twenty years old and still only at Qi Refining Ninth Layer. If the Qingshu Young Master hadn't been protecting her, she would have been kicked out for some marriage alliance long ago. What right did she have?!

"Qinghe, apologize to the Tenth Elder." Jiang Mingyuan's tone tightened.

The moment he spoke, Jiang Yue snapped back to himself. His anger evaporated. He'd only been pretending to be furious earlier, but somehow he'd actually been led around by Feng Qinghe just now.

After hearing Jiang Mingyuan's words, she smiled and pretended not to hear properly. "Patriarch, you promised to compensate me. You won't go back on your word, right?"

Jiang Mingyuan hadn't actually intended to make her apologize. She was still his daughter, his blood. Naturally, he couldn't make her bow her head to someone like Jiang Yue. The fact that he allowed people to shout at her at all was already the limit of his tolerance.

But her behavior today was far too unusual. Could something have gone wrong when that person searched her memories?

He looked down at her, his gaze deep. "What compensation do you want?"

"I want free access to the Jiang family treasury."

The entire hall fell into dead silence.

Everyone stared at her with different expressions: suspicion, scrutiny, disapproval... and a hint of hidden greed.

The gentleness on Jiang Mingyuan's face vanished. His aura rolled out sharply. This daughter of his had never cared about the family's honor and always competed with Qingshu. But normally she only dared make demands to Qingshu. He'd seen her so rarely that he hadn't realized she was this selfish and greedy.

Even the elders didn't have free access to the treasury. If he gave her that privilege, the Jiang family would be thrown into chaos. It was true that with her current cultivation, she couldn't take anything valuable. But if she got that right, someone would definitely give her the strength to make it possible.

Jiang Mingyuan spoke with unquestionable authority. "There's a Heaven rank Marrow Cleansing Pill in the Jiang family treasury. Consider it my compensation to you. As for entering the treasury, the restrictions inside are too dangerous. Your cultivation isn't suitable."

Cold sweat gathered on her back. She was stunned. A Void Refining stage cultivator was actually using pressure on a Qi Refining junior like her. That only made her more certain she had to get into the treasury. She was counting on finding some treasures to take with her as future protection.

Feng Qinghe straightened her back and smiled brightly. "Don't worry, Patriarch. I'll just look around. I won't trigger any restrictions."

Jiang Mingyuan didn't answer. Instead, he shot a glance at Jiang Yue.

Jiang Yue immediately barked, "Feng Qinghe, don't you know your place? Patriarch's already patient with you again and again, how can you keep pushing your luck?"

Feng Qinghe let out a soft laugh. "Tenth Elder, if I offered you a Heaven rank Marrow Cleansing Pill in exchange for the right to freely enter the Jiang family treasury, would you accept?"

Of course he wouldn't.

Not just him, not a single person here would accept.

She shifted her gaze back to Jiang Mingyuan. "Patriarch, do you think I'm stupid?"

So what if things got ugly. She didn't care at all. She'd only been in this body a short while, yet she already felt suffocated.  It wasn't hard to imagine what kind of life the original had lived.

A character's life could be summarized in a few words on a page. A story could gloss things over.

But she was a living person now, and her feelings mattered most. She wasn't the paper cutout Feng Qinghe from the book anymore.

She was real.

Everyone in this hall, without exception, had played a part in pushing the original her to her death. Parts of her robe were torn, exposing wounds so deep the bone was visible. The floor beneath her was stained with her blood. And the man standing high above her, her father, ignored all of it.

Everyone else only cared about when she'd hand over the Phoenix Blood Nirvana Fruit. Not one of them cared whether she lived or died. Why should she give any of them face?

Fine.

She could confront them so boldly because her Void Stone had finally lit up. As long as she wanted, she could activate the void energy and teleport out of the Jiang family at any moment. But she wasn't willing to leave yet.

The Jiang family controlled one third of all resources in Tianyan Prefecture. Even taking a little bit would likely be enough for her to survive until Divine Transformation. Which was exactly why she had to enter the treasury. And she was waiting for someone. Waiting for that person to agree to her demand.

The hall stayed silent for a long time.

She didn't speak again. Even when people probed her with their divine sense, she remained calm.

"Qinghe, do you know what you're saying?" Jiang Mingyuan's voice carried heavy pressure, cold and sharp.

If the Phoenix Blood Nirvana Fruit weren't irreplaceable, if he weren't certain she had one, if the Punishment Hall hadn't searched her memory and found nothing, he would've never allowed her to provoke him like this.

The Phoenix Blood Nirvana Fruit held a secret no ancient text recorded. If someone successfully refined all its power, they might obtain an ancient phoenix's bloodline and inheritance.

Feng Qinghe met his gaze without fear. "Patriarch, ease up on the pressure. It's really uncomfortable."

The atmosphere grew even heavier. People began to wonder if she'd gone mad.

Yet Jiang Mingyuan actually retracted his pressure. His tone returned to calm. "Qinghe, stop being unreasonable. It's not that I don't want to give you access to the treasury, but you'd be placing yourself in a dangerous position."

She replied without hurrying, "That's something I should consider, Patriarch. You only need to keep your word."

Then she looked toward everyone else in the hall. "Aren't you all desperate to save Jiang Qingshu? Why aren't you trying to persuade the Patriarch?"

The entire group fell silent. Not because they didn't want to speak. But because they were afraid the two would use them as stepping stones to retreat from the argument. Even Jiang Yue knew better than to shout again.

These two were father and daughter. No matter how ugly things got, they were still family.

Just then, a weak voice drifted in from outside the hall.

"Father, Jiejie's only curious about the Jiang family treasury. Don't be angry at her."

Chapter Text

When Feng Qinghe and the others arrived with Jiang Qingshu, they didn’t look at him first. They all turned to see Jiang Mingyuan’s reaction.

A moment ago, Jiang Mingyuan had been glued to his seat. Now he jumped to his feet, worry flashing across his gaze as he stared toward the entrance of the great hall. He sounded genuinely concerned when he said, “Qingshu, why did you come here?”

Mockery flickered in Feng Qinghe’s eyes. His favoritism really had no limit.

She turned to look at Jiang Qingshu. The moment she saw him, her heart lurched. She didn’t have a single intact artifact on her body.

Meanwhile, Jiang Qingshu’s shoulders, waist, and even his fingers were covered in artifacts. And all of them were top grade spirit tools.

In the book, artifacts were divided into eight ranks: Mortal rank tools, Talisman rank tools, Spirit rank tools, Treasure rank tools, Mystic rank tools, Heaven rank tools, Immortal rank tools, and God rank tools.

Each rank had four levels: low, mid, high, and peak.

Immortal rank tools and god rank tools only started appearing after Jiang Qingshu began ascending to godhood.

The only reason he wasn’t wearing better artifacts right now wasn’t because Jiang Mingyuan refused to give him any. It was simply because spirit tools were what suited him best at this stage.

Feng Qinghe stared at Jiang Qingshu, then glanced down at herself. She finally understood how ridiculous those critiques in the book were, the ones calling her extremely selfish or claiming she didn’t care about the family’s honor.

She was broke. How was she supposed to act generous?

The Jiang family hadn’t given her the slightest bit of favoritism. So why should she be expected to feel some sacred sense of family honor?

Jiang Qingshu was supported as he stepped into the hall. He wore a blue outer robe, his face was deathly pale, and tiny beads of sweat dotted his forehead. His brows were drawn tight, as if every step brought unbearable pain. He looked exactly like a flower that was about to wilt.

Once he stood inside the hall, he didn’t respond to Jiang Mingyuan. Instead, he looked straight at Feng Qinghe. His voice was filled with guilt as he said, “Jiejie, I’m sorry. I didn’t know they’d push you like this. I came here to… cough, cough…”

A sharp, urgent coughing fit cut through his words.

His eyes reddened at the corners from coughing so hard, and threads of blood seeped between his fingers. He really looked like the perfect fragile beauty.

Feng Qinghe sighed inwardly. If she’d been anyone else right now, she’d probably feel compelled to comfort him a little.

The moment that thought crossed her mind, a strange surge of tenderness rose from deep inside her chest. And along with that tenderness came guilt.

Jiang Qingshu was injured because he tried to save her.

Why wasn’t she taking out the Phoenix Blood Nirvana Fruit for him?

Was she planning to wait until he died?

…

That emotion almost drowned her.

A stabbing pain suddenly ripped through her sea of consciousness, snapping her back to clarity. At the same time, her soul flared with rejection and disgust toward Jiang Qingshu.

A chill rushed through her limbs.

Something strange had just tried to control her. So that so called remorse from the book came from something like this?

The Long Aotian protagonist really was terrifying.

But this wasn’t the book. She wasn’t some puppet controlled by the author’s pen.

Feng Qinghe spoke in a soft, cold voice. “Instead of pretending to care, it’d be better if you gave me some real authority. If you’re truly guilty, why don’t you let the Patriarch give me access to the Jiang family treasury?”

She promised she’d grab whatever she wanted, then run far away, and never appear in front of the male lead again.

“Qinghe! He’s your younger brother, and he’s always treated you well. How can you be so cold blooded?” Jiang Mingyuan’s voice cracked like a whip.

She heard the disappointment in it too.

“Father, don’t be angry at Jiejie. She’s just… cough, cough…” Jiang Qingshu tried to speak, but he couldn’t stop coughing.

He lowered his lashes to hide the strange flicker in his eyes. How had she changed so much in just a few days? Had Father and the others pushed too hard, making her notice something she shouldn’t?

Jiang Mingyuan looked at Jiang Qingshu, who looked like he might cough himself unconscious, and his eyes filled with pain. “Someone, escort the young master back to rest.”

“I’m not leaving,” Jiang Qingshu quickly said. “There’s a misunderstanding between Father and Jiejie. I want to stay.”

He raised a hand to push away the shadow guard reaching for him. He didn’t even move the man.

Instead, the item in his hand slipped and fell onto the floor. It was a handkerchief soaked through with blood.

Feng Qinghe knew that scene was meant for her. She walked forward, picked up the bloody handkerchief, took his hand, and pressed it back into his palm. “Hold it tight. Don’t drop it again. You don’t want it touching something it shouldn’t.”

Jiang Qingshu didn’t react at all. He sounded weak as he said, “Jiejie, Father is the head of the family, he has to consider the big picture. Why don’t you go to my private treasury? You can pick whatever treasure you want…”

Feng Qinghe shook her head. “I only want free access to the Jiang family treasury. Otherwise, you can forget about seeing the Phoenix Blood Nirvana Fruit.”

She’d already inspected his body. His meridians had shattered because he tried cultivating a power his body couldn’t handle. That’s what caused this state. So the claim that his core was broken while saving the original host was a lie. How many people inside this hall knew the truth?

Looking back on the book’s plot now, everything felt off.

In the book, Jiang Qingshu awakened a special bloodline only after getting the Phoenix Blood Nirvana Fruit. His opportunities kept piling up, and he eventually ascended to godhood.

Meanwhile, her presence in the book kept fading after this incident.

The rare scenes she had all revolved around her being forced to hand over her opportunities to save others. So giving up the Phoenix Blood Nirvana Fruit was the beginning of her path toward becoming cannon fodder? Maybe the Phoenix Blood Nirvana Fruit had another use she didn’t know about.

“Qinghe, do you really need to watch your younger brother die before you’re satisfied?” Jiang Mingyuan’s gaze turned icy, as if he was barely holding his temper back.

Feng Qinghe let out a laugh. “If you truly care about him, then you should agree to my terms sooner. You’re the one who said you’d compensate me.”

“You!” Jiang Mingyuan lifted his hand, violent energy gathering in his palm.

“Father! Don’t hurt Jiejie.” Jiang Qingshu spoke anxiously, even forcing himself to take a stumbling step forward as if trying to shield her.

Jiang Mingyuan lowered his hand and glared at Jiang Qingshu with frustration. “Just keep defending her.”

Jiang Qingshu coughed again, looking as if he barely had the strength to speak. “Father, why don’t you give Jiejie one chance to enter the Jiang family treasury? I don’t think the other elders would object.”

“Young master already said so, we naturally agree.” Jiang Yue spoke first.

The others echoed the sentiment. It wasn’t like they could refuse.

Feng Qinghe clicked her tongue in amazement. Truly worthy of being the Long Aotian protagonist, a spoiled treasure of the entire clan.

“No.” Jiang Mingyuan rejected coldly.

“Father, Jiejie’s never asked you for anything before. This is her first time. Please agree for my sake. If anything happens, I’ll take full responsibility.”

The moment he finished speaking, Jiang Qingshu spat a mouthful of blood.

Then he started coughing again. His coughs sounded muffled and painful, like he was suffering unbearably.

Feng Qinghe didn’t react. She simply waited for Jiang Mingyuan to answer.

After a long silence, he finally sighed. “Fine. Qinghe, I’ll let you enter the Jiang family treasury, but you can only stay for a quarter hour, and you must hand over the Phoenix Blood Nirvana Fruit right now.”

“Two quarter hours,” she said firmly. “When I walk out of the treasury, I’ll give you the Phoenix Blood Nirvana Fruit.”

It wasn’t like she planned to actually hand it over. But even if she did, it definitely wouldn’t be right now. If she gave it now, she’d never be allowed inside the treasury.

Jiang Mingyuan’s eyes darkened. He glanced at Jiang Qingshu, who was obviously at his limit, and finally said with reluctant compromise, “Fine.”

Feng Qinghe didn’t know the meaning of stopping while ahead. She pointed toward the dome of the hall. “I want that too.”

Chapter Text

Everyone looked up in the direction Feng Qinghe pointed and saw a massive spirit pearl held in the mouths of four dragon statues. It was the core that kept the entire council hall’s formation running. That single spirit pearl was equivalent to a peak Divine Transformation cultivator.

She really dared ask for it.

But when they thought about how she was about to enter the Jiang family’s treasure vault, a single spirit pearl suddenly didn’t feel like much. Besides, once the spirit pearl landed in Feng Qinghe’s hands, it would actually be good for them. A spirit pearl kept in this grand hall was never going to end up in their pockets anyway. But if it became Feng Qinghe’s, they had countless ways to get it back later.

“Father, if Jiejie wants it, then give it to her.”

Jiang Mingyuan’s expression stayed cold as he raised his hand. An identical spirit pearl floated in front of Feng Qinghe.

She gave him a sincere smile. “Thank you, Patriarch. Could you also give me a storage pouch? This thing’s hard to carry.”

Only then did Jiang Mingyuan remember that when she entered the punishment hall, everything she could use for storage had been sent to him.

A moment later, a storage pouch appeared in front of her. It still carried her aura.

Feng Qinghe glanced at the storage ring on Jiang Qingshu’s finger, and a sour ache surged in her chest. For the first time, she truly felt the original host’s grievance.

At the same moment, she felt her soul completely fuse with her body. She also received the original host’s memories. Scenes flashed through her mind one after another.

Jiang Qingshu caring for her, giving her things, speaking up for her. They should’ve been tender scenes of affection between an older sister and a younger brother, but they made her heart go cold. Because beneath that warmth, she saw calculation.

Every time Jiang Qingshu offered her something, he would take something from her afterward. Even if what he took wasn’t valuable, Feng Qinghe could never shake off the discomfort.

She even found the reason the original host changed her surname to Feng (鳳 as in Phoenix). The original host never received any love from her parents or elders, so she never felt like she truly belonged in the Jiang family. She’d always longed for the world outside. She especially admired the powerful Phoenix race depicted in ancient paintings.

When she was seven, she accidentally obtained a treasure and used it to exchange for the right to change her surname. In the end, it was the Jiang family’s Ancestor who intervened personally to finalize it. But after reliving the memory, Feng Qinghe didn’t understand why the Ancestor agreed.

As for the item the original host obtained…

She couldn’t see what it was in the memory at all.

“Jiejie, this is for you.” Jiang Qingshu removed the storage ring she’d looked at and offered it to her.

Feng Qinghe didn’t take it. In the memories, every time the original host accepted something from Jiang Qingshu, she’d get extremely unlucky afterward.

Besides, what kind of storage ring didn’t exist in the Jiang family treasure vault? Compared to taking something from others, she trusted what she secured for herself.

“You should keep it.” Feng Qinghe stored the spirit pearl in the pouch, then left the hall.

Jiang Qingshu stared at her retreating back and tightened the bloodstained cloth in his hand.

He’d been so close. Why couldn’t he complete it?

Was it still not enough?

The Jiang family treasure vault had nine floors. Every floor was unimaginably spacious.

Feng Qinghe passed through layer after layer of formations, and the moment she stepped inside the vault, the brilliance of countless treasures nearly blinded her.

At the same time, she heard a voice transmission. “Every item in the vault has its own restriction. Touch anything carelessly and you’ll be injured. The imprisoning formation will activate immediately. Miss Qinghe, please keep this in mind.”

She didn’t bother replying.

She looked like someone who’d starved for a long time and finally saw food. Her eyes practically glowed green. Her lips curved up, down, then up again, unable to hide her excitement. She could already imagine the kind of good life she’d enjoy after leaving the Jiang family. Too bad she couldn’t take everything.

She still needed to reserve enough void energy to teleport out. So she had to choose carefully. With only two incense sticks of time, she didn’t dare waste a second. She quickly moved to the second floor, gave it a brief sweep, then continued upward. But the moment she stepped onto the stairs to the fifth floor, she hit resistance.

“Miss Qinghe, only the Patriarch and clan elders may go further,” the vault guardian’s voice sounded. He didn’t appear.

Absolutely not.

She still needed to pull off something big.

Feng Qinghe’s tone sharpened. “The Patriarch said I can explore freely for two incense sticks. Are you planning to defy his order?”

A moment later, the resistance vanished.

She continued upward. The fifth floor held fewer items but each was more precious.

She didn’t stop there.

If she was going to take something, she’d take the best.

The guardians weren’t going to let her act twice. She only had one chance. Then she had to teleport away immediately. Given her current strength, even with the Void Stone, she could only snatch items from three floors at once. Naturally, she’d choose the top three.

When she reached the stairs to the eighth floor, she was blocked again.

The guardian transmitted, “Miss Qinghe, the eighth and ninth floors have special barriers. We’ve never stepped foot inside. The Patriarch said if you can open them, you can go.”

So that was the trap waiting for her. She refused to leave without taking something from the top floors.

But time was running out. Should she take what she could and leave? Or try to open the barrier?

The instant the thought surfaced, she already knew her answer. Her inner scale slammed toward greed. She came this far. How could she walk away with regrets?

Feng Qinghe pulled out the spirit pearl and used its power to open the barrier.

See, reading books really was useful.

She actually got to use what she’d learned. She stepped into the eighth floor.

Dozens of small mountains made entirely of spirit pearls appeared before her.

Her blood boiled with excitement. This was everything she needed to advance to Divine Transformation.

She also spotted many special boxes. She didn’t waste time checking each one. They were all hers anyway. She could examine them later. Right now she needed to see the ninth floor.

As she stepped onto the stairs leading upward, she paused and glanced toward a large Xuan iron mine in the distance.

There was the aura of a teleportation array. So those Xuan iron mountains had been moved here directly. Could she use those arrays to leave?

The guardians finally snapped out of their shock now that she was on the eighth floor. They’d guarded this vault for years yet never had the right to enter. They didn’t even know how to open the barrier. If Miss Qinghe could, it had to be the Patriarch’s doing.

Was the Patriarch’s disregard earlier all just an act for outsiders?

The guardians whispered among themselves.

“She’s on the ninth floor. I never thought the Patriarch would give her access.”

“Even Young Master Qingshu can only reach the fifth floor.”

“The Jiang family’s future might change.”

“No, the Jiang family has never let a woman take charge. It’ll always be Young Master Qingshu.”

“Besides, Miss Qinghe doesn’t even want the surname Jiang.”

Once Feng Qinghe confirmed she could control that teleportation array, she continued upward. Halfway up the stairs, the Void Stone trembled in her sea of consciousness. Almost like it was warning her.

She sped up without thinking. There had to be something incredible on the ninth floor. But the moment she stepped inside, before she could see anything clearly, the world spun.

She found herself in a boundless starry sky. Staring at it made her feel as small as dust.

A moment later, she realized something was wrong. Those stars weren’t stars at all. They were glowing boxes, countless of them. But none emitted any power.

She reached out, and her hand passed straight through one. She understood instantly. These were projections.

A complete illusion.

Feng Qinghe took out the spirit pearl.

The illusion shattered instantly.

The pearl dissolved.

The world blinked, and she arrived somewhere entirely different.

Rich spiritual energy rushed toward her. Mountains leaned against rivers. Flowers bloomed everywhere. Trees grew thick and full, heavy with fruit. Grand palaces floated in the sky one after another. The boxes she’d seen earlier were projections of these palaces.

"Could this be…the Jiang family’s real treasure vault?"

A whole miniature world used as a vault. This was the background a top clan should have.

No wonder Jiang Mingyuan didn’t want her stepping inside. No wonder the elders had no right to enter.

Who wouldn’t be stunned after seeing this? Who wouldn’t feel greed spark in their heart?

Right now, Feng Qinghe was absolutely certain she’d have a dazzling future. She clearly heard her own heartbeat pounding. A dangerous thought roared inside her.

She wanted to take this small world with her.

The smart choice would’ve been to take a few palaces and leave immediately. But her greed, always present, swelled to the point she couldn’t control it.

She knew that if she walked away now, she’d wake up in the middle of the night someday and slap herself.

Once greed took over completely, her heartbeat strangely calmed.

The greedier she felt, the calmer she had to be.

Chapter Text

Inside the Jiang Family’s Council Hall.

Only Jiang Mingyuan and Jiang Qingshu remained.

“Qingshu, why must we wait for her to willingly hand over the Phoenix Blood Nirvana Fruit?”

Jiang Qingshu still looked weak, but the sickly pallor was gone. He didn’t answer Jiang Mingyuan. Instead, he took out a black compass and handed it over. “This is the Turn Fortune Disk Master gave me. As long as we obtain heart blood that the person gives willingly, part of that person’s Luck will flow to the disk’s owner.”

Jiang Mingyuan stared at the compass, as if probing something hidden.

Jiang Qingshu continued, “Master said that even though seizing Luck goes against the natural order, if the person gives it willingly, everything becomes reasonable, and we won’t have to bear any karmic consequences.

This array disk can also be used for the family. As long as someone sincerely pledges loyalty to the Jiang Family and’s willing to dedicate themselves, even without their heart blood, their Luck can be transferred to the family.”

After hearing these words, faint joy appeared on Jiang Mingyuan’s face. The rise and decline of a clan was inevitable. As Patriarch, he was connected to the family’s Luck. The stronger the family’s Luck grew, the more he benefited.

The Jiang Family still had deep foundations, so they wouldn’t decline anytime soon. But in nearly a thousand years, only Jiang Qingshu had been a true prodigy. If things continued like this, sooner or later they’d begin sliding downhill. And once that happened, it’d be too late to fix anything.

After thinking it over again and again, Jiang Mingyuan finally accepted the disk.

Jiang Qingshu’s expression stayed calm. “Master also said that if we want to seize Luck, it’s best to suppress the target first, make everything go wrong for them, then offer help. As long as they sincerely feel grateful, we can obtain even more of their Luck.”

Jiang Qingshu saw Jiang Mingyuan fall into deep thought, and his eyes darkened. He’d worked so hard, yet he still didn’t gain Feng Qinghe’s sincere gratitude.

So he could only let Jiang Mingyuan use the Turn Fortune Disk. As long as she remained a Jiang Family member, her Luck counted as family Luck. By seizing the Jiang Family’s Luck, they’d indirectly seize Feng Qinghe’s Luck as well.

Suddenly, pressure surged from Jiang Mingyuan’s body, and his expression turned terrifyingly dark.

“Father, what’s wrong?” Jiang Qingshu had a sudden, ominous feeling.

Jiang Mingyuan didn’t spare him a single glance before vanishing from the hall.

Jiang Mingyuan had just stepped out when he saw brilliant array light rising in the distance.

His vision went dark again and again.

"That rebellious girl must’ve found the true treasury!"

This array only activated when the secret vault was breached.

Outsiders believed the Nine Layer Pagoda Hall was the Jiang Family’s treasury. But the treasures on display were just a façade.

The real treasures were placed inside the spiritual-energy rich small secret realm.

The secret realm’s entrance was hidden in a special space between the eighth and ninth floors. To find the entrance, one had to reach the ninth floor, then open all nine teleportation arrays at the same time. Inside that space were illusion formations and powerful restrictions. The moment any living being stepped inside, the restrictions would activate. He and the elders would sense it immediately.

But a moment ago, he didn’t sense anything at all. Yet that light was clearly telling him someone had entered the secret realm.

Boom.

A radiant pillar of light burst through the Pagoda Hall’s layered barriers and shot toward the heavens.

Jiang Mingyuan stared, stunned. Then his shock twisted into fury.

This pillar meant someone was forcibly taking items from within the secret realm. The more items removed by force, the brighter the pillar. He didn’t even dare imagine how much Feng Qinghe had taken. He sent a voice transmission to the guardians. “Activate every array inside the treasury. If you see Feng Qinghe come out, seize her immediately, and don’t let anyone else get close to her!”

The guardians hurried to act.

But they were thrown out of the Pagoda Hall. Hovering in midair, they exchanged grim looks and turned toward the pagoda now wrapped in layers of formations.

At the same time, Jiang Mingyuan arrived.

A guardian instantly sent a report. “Patriarch, we don’t know what Miss Qinghe did, but we can’t enter the treasury.”

Jiang Mingyuan released terrifying pressure. But reason barely suppressed his rage. He didn’t vent his anger on the guardians. They were absolutely loyal, and right now wasn’t the time to punish them. Besides, what fault did they have? All the fault lay with that rebellious girl.

“Seal this area. Other than the elders, no one’s allowed near the treasury.”

“Yes, Patriarch.”

Jiang Mingyuan didn’t rush in. If Feng Qinghe dared steal the secret realm’s treasures, she had to have someone backing her. He couldn’t give her a chance to contact that person. He also couldn’t give her a chance to escape the pagoda. He raised the Patriarch’s Token. A massive black array lit up outside the pagoda. Chains of black light wrapped tightly around it. All teleportation methods were now unusable.

Jiang Mingyuan stared at the pillar growing brighter, his eyes turning frigid. He’d make sure the person behind her got nothing.

And right then, the blazing light pillar vanished. As if it had never existed.

Jiang Mingyuan froze.

Whenever something was forcefully taken from the secret realm, the pillar would appear.

For it to disappear completely, the items must be properly returned, their original restriction runes reapplied, and the triggered formations reset.

Could an elder have acted ahead of time?

As for the possibility that Feng Qinghe had stolen the entire small secret realm…

Jiang Mingyuan didn’t even consider it.

Inside the pagoda.

Feng Qinghe materialized on the staircase between the eighth and ninth floors.

Her vision kept darkening, her strength was almost emptied, and even her flesh and soul were numb with pain.

But mentally, she was soaring. She’d never been this exhilarated. She stuffed a fruit into her mouth while pulling out a teleportation talisman. Since there was a faster way to leave, she didn’t intend to use the array.

But after crushing the talisman, nothing happened. She took out another talisman and crushed it.

Nothing.

If the teleportation talismans didn’t work, would the teleportation array on the eighth floor work?

She ran straight toward it.

On the way, she casually swept up more of the spirit pearl hills. She shoved another fruit into her mouth.

“You rebellious girl, what have you done?” Jiang Mingyuan’s furious roar echoed from the first floor.

Feng Qinghe jumped onto the teleportation array at once.

But spiritual power wouldn’t activate it. She used her last trace of void energy.

The array slowly lit up.

She silently thanked her earlier restraint. She hadn’t wasted her final void energy gathering the rest of the items on the eighth floor. She’d still underestimated the Jiang Family. She’d have to be more careful in the future. Still, she was grateful to the Jiang Family for gifting her this small secret realm. And grateful to Jiang Mingyuan for helping her fill the gaps.

“Rebellious girl!” Jiang Mingyuan’s roar echoed from the eighth floor’s entrance.

He stared at her, his eyes full of rage, disbelief, regret, and killing intent.

“You rebellious girl, if you dare leave the Jiang Family, don’t ever think about coming back!” His voice arrived with his attack.

The pagoda trembled.

But the array’s protective barrier blocked the strike.

Feng Qinghe met his gaze calmly. She wasn’t trying to provoke him. She didn’t show even a hint of triumph. She wasn’t safe yet. Celebrating early was always a fatal mistake.

“You rebellious girl, do you really think you can leave the Jiang Family…”

Before Jiang Mingyuan finished, she vanished.

Chapter Text

Jiang Mingyuan stared at the empty transmission array. The rest of his words jammed in his throat, and his furious expression froze in place.

How’s that possible?

With the ancient Spirit Binding Array active, no transmission technique should work at all. Not to mention the Nine Layer Pagoda Hall’s built in confinement array.

Jiang Mingyuan stepped onto the array and tried to activate it.

Pop.

He immediately spat a mouthful of blood. He stared at the crimson stain splattered across the array, his gaze turning dark and vicious, like a storm about to break loose.

The ancient Spirit Sealing Array was still working. Every rebound array here was still working.

"So the problem wasn’t this place. It had to be something that rebellious girl did."

But there was no way he’d turn off the ancient Spirit Binding Array just to chase her. Besides, even if he went after her now, it’d be pointless. She would’ve run so far he’d never catch up.

Not that he needed to chase her. He’d just post a wanted order.

Give it three days, that rebellious girl would crawl back begging for mercy.

Jiang Mingyuan crushed a sound transmission talisman. “Send a wanted order across all of Tianyan Prefecture. Whoever brings Feng Qinghe back to the Jiang Clan will receive a ninth grade Foundation Pill.”

"Hmph. Like escaping the Jiang Clan meant she was safe. What a joke."

Right then, Jiang Mingyuan felt a terrifying force sweep straight toward him. He tried to dodge, but there was no avoiding it.

Bang.

His body was flung like a rag doll, slammed into the black iron mountainside, then crashed heavily onto the ground.

“Who stole the core of the secret realm?”

The voice was icy cold, and when it reached his ears, Jiang Mingyuan’s mind went blank.

He hadn’t even gotten up yet, but those words stunned him stupid.

The entire core of the secret realm was stolen? Didn’t that mean the small secret realm was stolen too?

With shaking hands, Jiang Mingyuan looked toward the purple robed elder floating above the ground. His voice trembled. “Clan Elder, didn’t you seal off the small secret realm?”

That was why he couldn’t sense it at all.

Jiang Chengtian, the Jiang Clan elder, had already arrived filled with rage. Hearing Jiang Mingyuan’s question only made him angrier. He snapped, “Idiot. The treasure vault core was stolen. You didn’t even notice!”

He struck Jiang Mingyuan with a palm of wind.

Jiang Mingyuan didn’t dare dodge. He took the hit head on. His face turned ghastly pale, and cold fear welled up inside him like never before.

The Jiang Clan might be finished. All the resources used to cultivate disciples from Qi Refining up to Divine Transformation were stored in the Nine Layer Pagoda Hall. Those resources weren’t really the issue. If the Jiang Clan wanted, they could find ways to gather more. But the resources used to raise top tier experts were all kept inside the small secret realm.

The clan’s current status was built entirely on that heritage. And now that heritage had been cleaned out completely.

Jiang Mingyuan felt his strength drain away and collapsed to the ground.

Jiang Chengtian’s cold voice echoed, “Get up. If outsiders see you looking this stupid, the Jiang Clan might as well be erased.”

Jiang Mingyuan looked at Jiang Chengtian, unwilling to accept reality. “Clan Elder, could it be a problem with the space connecting to the small secret realm?”

A terrifying thought flashed through his mind. "Could Jiang Chengtian have stolen it himself?"

After all, the core of the secret realm contained fragments of world Laws. Storage spaces couldn’t take it. Only someone at Unity like Jiang Chengtian, someone with a personal cave dwelling, could possibly store the core. And Jiang Chengtian was the one guarding it.

Jiang Chengtian seemed to read his thoughts and roared, “Idiot. Are you suspecting me?”

“I wouldn’t dare,” Jiang Mingyuan said with his head lowered.

“Jiang Mingyuan, there are restrictions on that core placed jointly by several Ancestors. Forget me, even if one of the Ancestors personally descended, they still couldn’t touch it.”

Jiang Mingyuan instantly calmed down. He wanted to suspect Feng Qinghe, but there was simply no way. She was only at Qi Refining, seriously injured, and absolutely incapable of interacting with the core.

Jiang Chengtian waved his hand, and a floating screen of light appeared in the air. Everything that happened inside the Nine Layer Pagoda Hall played out on it.

“This is the Recollection Mirror,” Jiang Chengtian said. “Everyone who enters the hall is recorded. And Feng Qinghe isn’t in it. Not even I, not even the Ancestors, can erase our traces from the Recollection Mirror. So the person who walked in wasn’t necessarily the real Feng Qinghe. This matter doesn’t only concern Feng Qinghe. We need to investigate every single member of the Jiang Clan.”

A chill pierced Jiang Mingyuan’s whole body. To steal the Jiang Clan’s secret realm without leaving a trace, just how strong was the person behind this?

At the same time, he thought of Jiang Qingshu. If Qingshu hadn’t spoken up, he wouldn’t have agreed to Feng Qinghe’s request. Could the theft be connected to Qingshu?

Inside a cave.

The moment Feng Qinghe stepped out of the transmission array, she destroyed it.

There was no way she’d leave it intact. That was just asking to be killed faster.

She slapped an Invisibility Talisman onto herself and headed toward the cave entrance.

She couldn’t stay here.

So should she leave the mine first and grab the opportunity mentioned in the book? Or find a hiding place to escape the Jiang Clan’s pursuit?

She looked at the last transmission talisman she had and fell into thought.

In the book, Jiang Qingshu went to Sunset Valley three months after refining the Phoenix Blood Nirvana Fruit and found a spiritual plant. That plant awakened the male lead’s special bloodline.

She wanted that opportunity now. And it felt like it was supposed to be hers anyway.

Feng Qinghe tried again to pull something out of the small secret realm, but the moment her consciousness touched the items inside, she gave up.

Everything inside carried special restrictions and marks. There was no way she could erase them with her current strength. Besides, nearly everything in there was meant for cultivators at Divine Transformation and above. They were practically useless for her right now.

The things she could use had already been tossed out of the small secret realm by the spirit of the Void Stone and placed neatly in her space. It had even kindly erased the restrictions and marks on those items.

Feng Qinghe sent a voice transmission to the Void Stone’s spirit. “Um, can you send out a few more transmission talismans?”

She received no reply.

She checked the Void Stone in her sea of consciousness and relaxed a little when she saw it was still glowing. Earlier in the Jiang Clan’s council hall, the way it shone looked more like light spilling across its surface. But ever since she obtained the secret realm core, the inside of the Void Stone had been lighting up bit by bit. The space she could use was also growing larger.

Feng Qinghe put away the talisman in her hand and looked toward the stretching mountain range. This was still part of the Jiang Clan’s mining grounds. Since she was already here, she might as well take some local specialties. The moment the thought surfaced, a scroll suddenly appeared in her hand out of thin air.

Chapter Text

Feng Qinghe opened the item and her eyes lit up at once.

A map of the Jiang Family’s mining veins.

The spirit of the Void Stone said, “I’m going to sleep for a while. Don’t die.”

She stared at the map in her hand and was absolutely certain the spirit was worried about her. A map was better than any polite words.

Just then, a prickling sense of danger crawled down her spine. She snapped her gaze toward the source and locked eyes with a massive black bear standing on a distant peak.

A beast.

And it had spotted her.

So the spirit’s last words were a warning. She had a Concealment Talisman on her, even the guards of the vein couldn’t sense her, yet this beast could track her down. Didn’t that mean it could crush her like an ant?

There wasn’t time to hide.

Feng Qinghe put the scroll away, forced herself to ignore the pain in her chest, and prepared to crush her last Teleportation Talisman. But right as she was about to use it, the black bear appeared right in front of her.

A terrible feeling rose in her chest.

She wasn’t getting out.

Feng Qinghe watched the bear carefully. There was a small green gourd sitting on its head.

"Hmm. A bit of green on top. This beast’s style was certainly unique."

Human and bear stared at each other in silence.

Feng Qinghe didn’t dare move.

The black bear, however, was sizing her up. At the same time, a voice rang in the beast’s sea of consciousness. “Your old habit’s acting up again?”

“Since she’s Jiang Mingyuan’s daughter, if I grab her, do you think I can trade her for the Dragon Blood Spirit Mine?” Miao Fuguang sent a message to the green gourd on her head.

She had disguised herself as a black bear to sneak into the Jiang Family’s veins and get the Dragon Blood Vein. But she had searched everywhere and hadn’t found a trace of it. The information from Cangxing Pavilion had never been wrong, but the Jiang Family had deep foundations. Hiding a Dragon Blood Spirit Mine wasn’t difficult for them. She had already decided to stop searching. Who knew fate would twist and toss Jiang Mingyuan’s daughter right in front of her.

The green gourd’s shameless voice echoed in her consciousness. “I thought you were gonna pick up another disciple. Turns out you’re planning another shady deed.”

Miao Fuguang thought for a moment. “Taking her as a disciple might work too. She’s impressive. She reminds me of myself back then.”

“How’d you see that?”

“She turned the Jiang Family upside down, Jiang Mingyuan issued a warrant for her, and he even sent half the clan to look for her…” Miao Fuguang replied.

The gourd gasped. “She’s only at Qi Refining and she caused all that? I have a suggestion. You should bow to her as your master. When you were at Qi Refining you were still playing with mud.”

A vein throbbed on Miao Fuguang’s forehead. Why had she ever contracted this wretched fox?

Everyone said Scarlet Flame Foxes were the most loyal and the most gentle contract beasts.

Bar none.

So what on earth was this thing?

The fox seemed to sense her thoughts. “Do you know why I followed you back then?”

“Don’t wanna know.”

This wretched fox never had anything good to say.

“I followed you,” the fox continued, ignoring her response, “because the moment I saw how fast you swiped treasures from others, I knew you’d never be poor. If I stayed with you, I’d definitely live well. Sure enough, ever since I followed you, I’ve been injured, chased, hunted, and beaten everywhere. I’ve had everything except poverty or hunger. So believe me, I have a perfect eye for people. Guang Guang, I promise, she’ll surpass you.”

Miao Fuguang felt her forehead throb painfully. She was going to strip this fox bald when she got home.

First, she needed to find the Dragon Blood Spirit Mine. Otherwise she’d die from rage.

Miao Fuguang looked at Feng Qinghe, her voice chilling. “You wanna live or die?”

Hearing the voice, Feng Qinghe almost thought the black bear was a ghost cultivator. Honestly, it was possible. She hadn’t even figured out whether the bear was a beast or not. How could she know it wasn’t a ghost cultivator in disguise?

She asked quietly, “If I wanna live, how do I live?”

“Hahahaha… Guang Guang, she sounds just like you did back then.”

Miao Fuguang ignored the fox. She said to Feng Qinghe, “Lead me to the Dragon Blood Spirit Mine and you live. Or I’ll hand you to Jiang Mingyuan in exchange for the Dragon Blood Spirit Mine.”

“Senior, my surname is Feng. I have nothing to do with the Jiang Family. You don’t need to bother sending me back, but I’m willing to help you find the Dragon Blood Spirit Mine.” Feng Qinghe made sure to distance herself from the Jiangs and also expressed her choice.

A brilliant idea had just struck her.

The veins were guarded and reinforced with formations. Sneaking in alone would be almost impossible. But if the black bear acted, everything would change.

Feng Qinghe asked politely, “Senior, besides the Dragon Blood Spirit Mine, do you want any other ores?”

Miao Fuguang immediately guessed her intention.

“You wanna negotiate conditions with me?” she asked, then glanced at the defensive artifact on Feng Qinghe’s body.

That gesture was a threat in Feng Qinghe’s eyes. She shook her head fast. “Senior, I just wanna help you pick up leftovers. After we get the ores, why don’t we split them evenly?”

She wouldn’t have suggested this without doing the math. Even splitting with the bear would earn her far more than she could take alone. And her tracks would stay hidden.

“Why split?” Miao Fuguang asked.

Feng Qinghe said dryly, “This way Senior can experience the joy of cooperation.”

She understood what the bear really meant. If she had the strength, she’d want to keep it all too.

Miao Fuguang decided to stop teasing her. She hadn’t cared about the Jiang Family’s other ores, but if she could collect them without effort, she saw no reason to refuse.

“Fine. Lead the way.”

After that, Feng Qinghe couldn’t hide her smile.

She and Miao Fuguang worked together seamlessly.

They took everything they passed. Not even a pebble was left behind.

But after Feng Qinghe looted a corpse for the seventh time, Miao Fuguang gave her a strange look.

Feeling uncomfortable under that stare, Feng Qinghe explained, “Senior, actually, it’s my hand. It has a problem. Whenever it sees anything good, it just grabs it.”

The guards had plenty of things she needed. It’d be a waste not to take them.

“Guang Guang, I’m sure she’s your destined disciple. You used to loot corpses the exact same way. Same movements. You always wanted to strip them clean,” the fox said.

“Oh, that’s pretty nice,” Miao Fuguang replied calmly.

“Guang Guang, I knew you well. After so many years, your face is still the strongest shield.”

Miao Fuguang immediately blocked the fox’s voice.

Soon, Feng Qinghe brought her to the most hidden Dragon Blood Spirit Mine.

“If you need to find me later, use this.” Miao Fuguang handed her a directional Teleportation Talisman.

Feng Qinghe hesitated, then accepted it and tossed it into the Void Stone.

Miao Fuguang gave her a meaningful glance, then moved to break the formation.

With Feng Qinghe’s method, Miao Fuguang only needed half a kè to crack it.

In that instant, Feng Qinghe felt as if she heard a dragon’s roar. But instead of excitement at the sight of the rare vein, her face tightened. She was fully prepared, so the moment crimson light appeared, she grabbed what she could and crushed a Teleportation Talisman.

The fox spoke. “Guang Guang, you sure she’s not your biological daughter?”

Chapter Text

Roar!

A thunderous roar shook the sky.

Feng Qinghe stared down at the massive jaws opened toward the heavens, clearly waiting for someone to drop straight into them. Her feelings were a mess. Because she was the food that thing was waiting to swallow. Her spiritual power was already drained dry. She couldn't even slow her fall, let alone dodge.

Right then, the giant maw below vanished and was replaced by another pitch black one. In just a few breaths, the shape of the jaws changed several times. The only thing that stayed the same was the spot where they waited for her.

Feng Qinghe suddenly felt like she was some kind of priceless treasure everyone wanted a bite of. She immediately chose to use her very last Concealment Talisman. The talisman could hide her presence and make her invisible. Anyone below Divine Transformation wouldn't be able to sense her. The downside was that it only lasted six hours.

She'd planned to save it for when she needed to steal treasures. But in her current situation, she had no choice.

The giant beast below froze in confusion.

Where was the tasty treat from the heavens? Did it already swallow her? Then why did it feel nothing? Maybe the food was too small, so tiny it didn't even have a flavor?

The mountain sized Phantom Winged Tiger grumbled, shoved aside the other beasts, and left, completely uninterested now. It really shouldn't have given up its nap just to join the fun.

Once the Phantom Winged Tiger turned away, the other beasts slowly dispersed too.

Feng Qinghe watched the tiger wander off, eyes sparkling.

The Phantom Winged Tiger's entire body was covered in pure golden fur. Bright but never glaring. When its wings spread open, shimmering lights flowed across them like colorful brocade clouds at the horizon. A mysterious rune glowed at the center of its forehead.

The mark only made the creature look even more majestic and fierce, its presence imposing and overwhelming. Its steps were steady and regal, like a king patrolling its territory.

She wanted this tiger. She wanted a contract.

Feng Qinghe shoved a spirit fruit into her mouth and quietly followed after it. She needed to find a place as close to the Phantom Winged Tiger as possible to cultivate.

As the tiger walked, it kept glancing back, feeling like something was tailing it. But every time, nothing was there.

Those weaklings wouldn't dare step into its territory anyway. The Phantom Winged Tiger shook its head in annoyance. The restrictions inside Luoxia Valley were incredibly annoying. After it entered a canyon, it plopped down and immediately fell asleep.

Feng Qinghe crept up to the canyon entrance, trembling nervously. She didn't dare go further.

The tiger slept in a bowl shaped valley surrounded by tall mountains.

The center was a wide clearing, big enough for dozens of Phantom Winged Tigers to lie down.

There was only one entrance.

After looking around, Feng Qinghe noticed the mountains showed signs of being pieced together. "So this canyon was something the Phantom Winged Tiger built for itself."

She didn't linger and quietly slipped away. Following the tiger this far gave her a basic idea of the area. She'd put her treasure hunting aside for now. She had to raise her strength first.

Feng Qinghe picked a small cave. It was neither too close nor too far from the Phantom Winged Tiger's territory, and no other beasts came here.

Perfect for her.

She quickly took out several formation plates and activated them.

The moment she did, the Phantom Winged Tiger opened its eyes inside the canyon, glanced in her direction, then closed them again.

Feng Qinghe noticed none of this and kept stacking formation layers inside the narrow cave. She was unbelievably grateful to that so called black bear. Without it, she'd never have gotten this many formation plates.

She began circulating her cultivation method. But the moment she absorbed a tiny bit of spiritual power, her meridians clogged, waves of pain spread everywhere, and the spiritual power rampaged wildly through her body.

This technique was probably the one Jiang Qingshu gave the original body. No wonder this body was twenty years old and still only at the ninth level of Qi Refining. If she kept cultivating like this, she wouldn't break through Foundation Establishment even at thirty.

The Tiancang Continent had nine provinces.

Tianyan Province ranked ninth, and honestly, that seemed about right.

This was supposed to be a Cultivation Realm where strength mattered most, but the Jiang family only cared about gender. They even had a rule that no woman could become Patriarch. Under this kind of family rule, if Tianyan Province ever ranked first, all the female cultivators in the continent would be doomed.

Feng Qinghe examined her meridians carefully and found that the technique wasn't the only problem. Her body had issues too. The original body never took a Marrow Cleansing Pill, never tempered its meridians, and just drew spiritual qi straight inside. The result was that every cultivation session came with excruciating pain.

But she had no other choice. No one in the Jiang family was willing to teach her. If Jiang Qingshu hadn't delivered that technique, the original girl wouldn't have been able to draw qi at all.

Ridiculous.

The dignified daughter of the Jiang family's Patriarch lived like a ghost in her own home.

No one cared.

No one noticed.

No one bothered with her.

As for the original's mother, her eyes only saw Jiang Mingyuan and Jiang Qingshu.

Feng Qinghe even doubted whether the original girl was a real Jiang.

But Jiang Mingyuan was a Void Refinement stage expert. It was impossible for him to mistake bloodlines.

She never thought much when she only read these stories in books, but now that she was the one living it, she finally understood the suffocating loneliness of having no one behind her. But so what if she had no help. Feng Qinghe would fight and seize everything herself.

A Heaven grade Marrow Cleansing Pill appeared in her palm. Too bad she couldn't refine the Phoenix Blood Nirvana Fruit with her current strength. She had to make do with the pill.

Feng Qinghe swallowed it, and pain immediately tore through her. Her meridians cracked little by little. An intense burning sensation spread through her whole body.

Three days later.

A person covered head to toe in black sludge crawled out of the cave.

Feng Qinghe didn't care about leaking her presence anymore. She just wanted to get as far away from the cave as possible. Otherwise she'd choke on her own stench.

The true torture of cleansing the meridians wasn't the physical pain, but the mental suffering. For three days, her body expelled not only impurities but also hundreds of unknown toxins. The mixed stench was indescribably awful. Now she only had enough strength left to crawl.

As she dragged herself forward, a huge shadow fell over her.

Feng Qinghe froze and slowly lifted her head. A massive tiger head filled her vision.

The Phantom Winged Tiger stared at her in pure disgust. How could a human smell this bad? Worse than its own poop.

But what confused it even more was that beneath all that stench, there was a faint fragrant undertone that made her smell strangely appetizing.

The tiger shook its head. It must be losing its mind.

Feng Qinghe wanted to say something, but she had no idea what to say.

"You..." The Phantom Winged Tiger said one word and stopped. It lightly flapped its wings.

Feng Qinghe was lifted off the ground and sent flying toward the canyon.

Splash.

She landed in a small lake.

The tiger appeared on the shore right after.

Once Feng Qinghe realized it meant no harm, she finally let out a long breath. At the same time, spiritual power surged into her body. The energy flowed smoothly through her meridians and slowly gathered in her dantian. After washing off the filth, she immediately started cultivating. This chance was too precious to waste.

The Phantom Winged Tiger watched her go from tense, to relieved, to straight up ignoring it while using its spiritual pool to cultivate right in its territory...

Chapter Text

At the entrance of Luoxia Valley, two figures appeared.

“Young Master, Luoxia Valley’s really dangerous. If the Patriarch finds out you snuck here, he’ll definitely worry…”

Jiang Qingshu said calmly, “We won’t go near the central area, so we won’t run into anything dangerous.”

He had a reason he couldn’t avoid. His Master had already divined that his older sister was inside Luoxia Valley. He had to bring her back to the Jiang family.

Ever since she’d left, he hadn’t been able to sense her Luck anymore. If this kept up, the thread of Luck between them would break and he’d lose the ability to draw from her Luck. One sentence echoed in his mind. “Qingshu, the road to godhood is destined to be soaked in blood. If your heart isn’t ruthless enough, you’ll be nothing but a speck of dust in the long river of time until you disappear completely.”

He didn’t know what a god truly was. He didn’t know what level of power a god possessed. But he did know that gods stood above everything. And if he wanted to become a god, he needed enough Luck.

The stronger the Luck, the more opportunities he’d receive, and the greater the protection from the Heavenly Dao. He’d been able to reach Golden Core at fifteen entirely because of his overwhelming Luck. Now he was seventeen, only a single step from Nascent Soul.

That final step was the Phoenix Blood Nirvana Fruit his sister carried. Once he obtained it, he’d seize the strongest portion of her Luck. After that, her Luck would naturally flow into him on its own. So he had to bring her back and obtain that fruit.

“Jiang Chuan, once we’re inside, if anything dangerous shows up, leave first. Don’t worry about me.” Jiang Qingshu glanced at the person beside him.

Jiang Chuan had followed him for years.

Inside his body was a gu poison Jiang Qingshu had planted. His loyalty was absolute. He didn’t want to lose a useful pawn like this.

Jiang Chuan was moved. “Young Master, we came here together, so of course we’ll leave together.”

Inside Luoxia Valley, mountains stretched endlessly. Ancient trees towered so high they blocked out the sun. The place felt dark, damp and dangerous.

The moment they stepped past the valley mouth, Jiang Chuan felt a chill crawl up his spine. He immediately moved in front of Jiang Qingshu. “Young Master, be careful.”

“There’s no need to tense up. Beasts stronger than Nascent Soul won’t appear here,” Jiang Qingshu soothed.

Besides, he’d already sensed the location of the Heart Control Gu. If Feng Qinghe, who was only at Qi Refining, could enter that place, then he, a Golden Core, and Jiang Chuan, a Nascent Soul, could naturally do the same.

Inside the canyon where the Phantom Winged Tiger resided.

A loud thud echoed.

Feng Qinghe crashed heavily into the ground. Because she hadn’t been prepared, she almost landed face first.

She lay sprawled on the ground and looked up at the Phantom Winged Tiger in the distance. Its front paw alone was bigger than her entire body.

Whatever anger she’d felt about being swatted away dissolved completely. This was its territory after all. The fact it hadn’t forcefully interrupted her cultivation already counted as mercy.

Feng Qinghe got up carefully. “Hu-dage (虎-Hǔ, as in Tiger), I’ll leave now. I won’t disturb your rest.”

She really wanted to contract this mighty golden tiger, but with only Foundation Establishment strength, she could only think about it.

“Compensate me for the Spirit Spring Liquid,” the Phantom Winged Tiger said bluntly.

It honestly hadn’t expected this. It’d only closed its eyes for a moment and by the time it opened them again, she’d absorbed the entire Spirit Spring. What should’ve lasted it a whole year, she’d burned through in three months. And despite drinking so much, why was she only at early Foundation Establishment?

The Phantom Winged Tiger examined her closely. It had every reason to suspect she’d stuffed the rest of the Spirit Spring into her storage space.

“Hu-dage, I didn’t know that was Spirit Spring Liquid!” No wonder it had been so pure. And no wonder she’d advanced so quickly.

That stuff was amazing. If she could get more, she definitely wanted some.

The Phantom Winged Tiger snorted. “Trying to get out of paying?”

It didn’t actually want repayment in Spirit Spring Liquid. It wanted that thing from three months ago, the thing that made her smell so fragrant.

But that scent was gone now. It suspected she’d eaten it. Still, that wasn’t a problem. He could just make her look for another one.

“Do you want this?” Feng Qinghe lifted a spirit bead over her head.

“Trash. No.” The Phantom Winged Tiger looked utterly disgusted.

The bead had plenty of spiritual energy, but the impurities were too many. Nothing compared to Spirit Spring Liquid, which only needed to be drunk to strengthen someone’s cultivation.

Feng Qinghe fell silent. After seeing real treasures, she felt this bead was pretty mediocre. She was even starting to worry about the quality of her Secret Realm rewards. She hesitated. “Hu-dage, where did you find the Spirit Spring Liquid? Tell me and I’ll go get more for you.”

The Phantom Winged Tiger glanced at her and asked something completely different. “Three months ago, when you dropped from the sky, what spirit fruit did you have?”

“This one.” A reddish purple fruit appeared in her palm.

The Phantom Winged Tiger turned its head to the right.

Feng Qinghe looked in that direction and froze.

A small orchard sat there quietly. Every fruit growing on the trees was identical to the one in her hand.

The Phantom Winged Tiger turned back and stared straight into her eyes.

Feng Qinghe’s hand shook so fast it left afterimages. “Hu-dage, it’s not what you think. I didn’t pick this. I swear. Let me explain. I really didn’t take it from there.”

This tiger’s territory was massive. After she arrived, she’d only been focused on cultivating. She hadn’t noticed there was an orchard here. And it even grew the exact fruit she had.

“That’s the only kind of fruit on you?” the Phantom Winged Tiger asked.

“Yeah.” For now, it was the only one suitable for her in the Secret Realm.

Then she suddenly remembered the Phoenix Blood Nirvana Fruit sitting inside her Void Stone.

Her heart skipped. "Please don’t let it want that."

The Phantom Winged Tiger saw she wasn’t slipping up and decided to be direct. “Before you came here, you definitely ate something special. Go find another one for me and I’ll forget about the Spirit Spring Liquid.”

Another one? Was picking up leaks really that easy?

In the book, the Phoenix Blood Nirvana Fruit only appeared once. If it was possible to find a second one, Patriarch Jiang Mingyuan would’ve never agreed to let her enter the treasure vault.

Just then, the Phantom Winged Tiger’s gaze sharpened, turning cold. “Those people outside, did you bring them?”

Feng Qinghe felt like she was standing there quietly only to have a pot fall from the sky and smash her head.

“I don’t even know…” she began.

But in the next moment, an image appeared in front of her.

“That one in blue,” the Phantom Winged Tiger said. “You share blood with him.”

Feng Qinghe swallowed the rest of her explanation and changed her words instantly. “I have a deep blood feud with him. Sharing blood isn’t surprising.”

The Phantom Winged Tiger immediately swatted her out of the canyon. Right after doing it, it realized something was wrong. She still owed it something. But it really couldn’t hold back just now. Because she was treating it like an idiot.

Feng Qinghe steadied herself and landed safely farther away. She also saw Jiang Qingshu and Jiang Chuan approaching.

“Jiejie, I finally found you.” A delighted voice reached her ears.

She looked at Jiang Qingshu, thin and pale, and once again felt that strange power she’d experienced in the Jiang family’s council hall. It was trying to force her emotions again, trying to make her like Jiang Qingshu.

She finally confirmed it. There was a gu inside her.

She remembered everything from the council hall and wondered if the elders had gu inside them too. Controlling her didn’t require a high level gu. But controlling Jiang family elders, some of whom were already at Void Refining, would require master level gu work.

And for Jiang Qingshu, just a Golden Core, to plant gu on Void Refining elders would’ve been suicide.

Which meant someone was backing him. Which meant someone was benefiting from all this.

Was it Patriarch Jiang Mingyuan? Or the Jiang family’s Ancestor? Or maybe the mysterious elder mentioned in the book?

Chapter Text

“Jiejie, come back to the Jiang family with me. I’ll make Father calm down.”

“Did Jiang Mingyuan send you?”

The moment Feng Qinghe said that, Jiang Qingshu’s eyes turned cold.

Jiang Chuan glared and snapped, “Miss Qinghe, that’s the Patriarch, he’s your father. How can you call him by name?”

Feng Qinghe didn’t spare Jiang Chuan a single glance. He’d always treated the original Feng Qinghe with hostility. She’d already left the Jiang family, so she’d call Jiang Mingyuan however she wanted.

Judging by Jiang Qingshu’s expression, he probably didn’t know she’d taken away that small secret realm. Well, of course. The fewer people who knew about a secret realm tied to the Jiang family’s heritage, the better. Otherwise the whole clan would fall into danger.

“Jiang Chuan, wait over there,” Jiang Qingshu said, his gaze never leaving Feng Qinghe.

“Young Master…”

Jiang Qingshu shot him a look.

Jiang Chuan didn’t dare say another word and left.

Jiang Qingshu raised a hand to set up a barrier. His sickly look vanished, replaced by a chilling darkness. “You’re not Jiejie. Who are you?”

Before he sealed the barrier, Feng Qinghe had already sent a message to the Phantom Winged Tiger deep in the canyon. “Hu-gege, someone wants to hurt your debtor.”

The Phantom Winged Tiger heard the voice in its sea of consciousness, glanced toward the scene ahead, and twitched its wings.

What now? It wanted to swat someone again.

But it decided to watch the show first. After all, other than sleeping, it really had nothing else to do here. A good show like this didn’t come often. It would be a waste to miss it.

And outside the canyon was also its territory. As long as it cared to intervene, this Jiang Qingshu kid would never hurt anyone on its land.

Feng Qinghe wasn’t disappointed when the Phantom Winged Tiger didn’t immediately appear. If Jiang Qingshu were in the Out of Body stage or the Divine Transformation stage, she wouldn’t be standing here so calmly. But he wasn’t.

The defensive treasures on her could block attacks from a Golden Core cultivator. And if worst came to worst, she could use void energy to teleport away.

She didn’t want to waste void energy unless she had no choice. When she stepped into Foundation Establishment, she realized how special void energy really was.

Void energy let her ignore all restraints and teleport instantly. A power like that had to be saved for life and death. Maybe when she grew stronger, she could even condense void energy into a blade.

Feng Qinghe remained silent.

Jiang Qingshu spoke again. “What’s wrong? Scared to admit it?”

The sharp edge in him finally showed.

Feng Qinghe studied him. This was her second time meeting the future male lead of the book, and she really wanted to ask on the original owner’s behalf, “Have you ever cared about me?”

Jiang Qingshu ignored the question. “You’re not Jiejie. Jiejie would never become like you.”

The confidence and calmness in front of him would never appear on the real Feng Qinghe. And the cultivation method he’d given her would only allow someone to reach the twelfth level of Qi Refining. That technique came from his Master. It contained the constraints of heaven and earth. Anyone who cultivated it wouldn’t be able to learn another method unless they broke through that constraint.

Feng Qinghe snorted. “How well do you even know me? And how can you be so sure the current me isn’t the real me?”

When she woke up in this body, she didn’t sense another soul inside. Maybe the original owner had already died in that cold punishment hall. Or maybe she’d died in the silence and pressure of the people around her. Her heart had probably given up long ago. Which was why there wasn’t even a trace of her soul left.

“I don’t understand you, but I understand Jiejie. She’s gentle, sensible, and she cares about my feelings. She’d never treat me like this.”

Clap, clap, clap.

Feng Qinghe clapped lightly. “Jiang Qingshu, you sure talk dirty.”

Gentle? Sensible?

What he meant was simply that the original owner was easy to control.

Seeing Jiang Qingshu’s expression grow colder, she added, “I treat people based on how they treat me. If you don’t like it, you can leave. No one’s stopping you.”

Jiang Qingshu stared at her. The Heart Controlling Gu was inside her body, so why wasn’t she under his control?

“You stole Jiejie’s body. Where’s her soul?”

“Jiang Qingshu, isn’t wearing a mask all the time exhausting?” Feng Qinghe asked.

Planting a Gu.

Giving someone a flawed cultivation technique.

Poisoning.

So many schemes.

Yet he insisted on pretending there was true sibling affection.

Crack.

A halo of light rose around Feng Qinghe.

At the same time, the jade bracelet on her wrist began to fracture.

Jiang Qingshu’s first move was a killing strike.

Feng Qinghe reacted instantly and threw a Blast Talisman at him. She wasn’t as strong as Jiang Qingshu. But she had cheats.

Of course she’d always been jealous of the protagonist in the book. All the blessings had gone to someone else.

Now that she finally had cheats herself, she absolutely loved the feeling. But very soon, her smile froze.

Because neither she nor Jiang Qingshu could injure the other.

Crack, crack, crack.

Defensive treasures on both their bodies shattered over and over.

“You stole from the Jiang family treasury?” Jiang Qingshu asked. His tone made it clear he already knew the answer.

“I picked them up.” She’d bent her back all day to pick up treasures, after all.

Feng Qinghe looked at him regretfully. She’d wanted to kill him. But she couldn’t even break his defenses. If she couldn’t win, she’d call for help.

She shouted toward the canyon entrance, “Hu-gege, he insulted you and tried to steal your treasures. He even said someone like you is so weak he could beat ten of you.”

The Phantom Winged Tiger, who’d watched everything: …

“Hu-gege, he also said he’ll bring people to flatten your territory!”

Jiang Qingshu fell silent. His attacks stopped.

“You erased Jiejie’s soul?” If her soul were still inside this body, she wouldn’t act this shamelessly.

But whether she was the real Feng Qinghe didn’t matter.

The Luck line between him and her was still intact. As long as he brought her back to the Jiang family, he’d still be able to siphon her Luck.

Jiang Qingshu suddenly let out a soft laugh. She was right. Wearing a mask for too long was tiring. But wearing it too long meant you couldn’t take it off anymore.

His gentle smile returned, but his voice was soft and chilling. “Are you going back to the Jiang family on your own, or do I have to drag you back?”

A cold shiver ran down Feng Qinghe’s spine. He looked harmless now, but he was a hundred times more dangerous than before.

In an instant, she understood what he meant. The strange power inside her surged violently. Even though her consciousness was still clear, her body began to stiffen again.

Suddenly, an image slammed into her sea of consciousness.

She saw red everywhere.

She could smell blood.

She vaguely saw a person lying in a pool of red.

The color was so bright she couldn’t tell who it was.

Hiss.

Pain erupted through her sea of consciousness.

The image vanished.

The sorrow, pain, and despair disappeared with it.

And at that moment, Feng Qinghe was certain of one thing. She would kill Jiang Qingshu in the future.

Before this, she’d wanted him dead mostly because she feared she’d never escape her cannon fodder fate while he was alive. But now she wanted him dead because he dared try to control her.

Feng Qinghe would never accept anyone’s control. She didn’t spit out any threats.

Threats were for people who couldn’t act. If she had the strength to kill someone, she’d just do it. If she lacked the strength, then she’d wait patiently. As long as she stayed alive, there would be a day she reached her goal.

Jiang Qingshu frowned. Even an Elder in the Void Refining stage couldn’t resist the Heart Controlling Gu. How was she still conscious?

Was her Luck too strong…

If he couldn’t control her consciousness, then he’d just control her body.

Feeling her limbs stiffen again, Feng Qinghe didn’t immediately teleport away. Instead, she focused entirely on sensing the Gu. She had to find its location. As long as the Gu remained inside her, she’d never feel safe.

Jiang Qingshu sent a message to Jiang Chuan, ordering him to come inside the barrier. “Jiang Chuan, tie her up. We’re leaving.”

He only needed her Luck. Whether she obeyed or not didn’t matter.

Jiang Chuan obeyed and walked toward Feng Qinghe with a Binding Rope in hand.

Chapter Text

Bang!

Jiang Chuan hadn't even gotten close to Feng Qinghe when an overwhelming force slapped him clean off his feet. He crashed straight into the trunk of a thick tree.

Birds and beasts shrieked from every direction.

His face drained of all color. “Young Master, this might be a beast tide!”

Jiang Qingshu stared toward the canyon entrance, his expression tightening.

A body covered in shimmering gold. Wings radiating light. Ancient symbols glimmering on its forehead. It was a Phantom Winged Tiger. The ruler of the Wuyou Forest.

Why in the world was it appearing here in Luoxia Valley of Tianyan State?

In an instant, Jiang Qingshu understood the reason. A world shaking treasure was about to emerge. This enormous fortune was something he had to claim. Getting a chance like this was a way to boost his Luck. The better the chance, the more his Luck would rise.

Right now, all fear vanished from his eyes, replaced by a greedy hunger as he stared at the Phantom Winged Tiger. If he managed to get both the treasure and the Phantom Winged Tiger, his Luck would soar to an unimaginable degree.

He crushed a message talisman without the slightest hesitation. He alone couldn't take down the Phantom Winged Tiger. He needed his father.

Jiang Qingshu sent Jiang Chuan a message. “Wait outside.”

Feng Qinghe still hadn't found the gu poisoning her, because the moment Jiang Qingshu saw the Phantom Winged Tiger, he gave up controlling her entirely.

She immediately noticed the greed in his gaze. Her first thought was that this guy wanted to steal her Phantom Winged Tiger.

Jiang Qingshu was the male lead of the novel, blessed with protagonist halo. What if the tiger got charmed by him?

She needed to do something. So she decided to sow discord.

Feng Qinghe called out to the Phantom Winged Tiger. “Hu-gege, see? I told you the truth. He wants to kill you, and he already called people over. Right, he also messaged me earlier, said he wants to use your fur to make a magic tool. Hu-gege, I’ve got a bad feeling. A whole bunch of strong cultivators are heading this way. How about we run? If the mountain’s still here, we’ll never run out of firewood.”

…

The Phantom Winged Tiger and Jiang Qingshu both fell silent.

The Phantom Winged Tiger stayed quiet because it realized something odd. Whenever it faced Jiang Qingshu, it felt a mix of fondness and disgust.

But when it looked at Feng Qinghe, it only wanted to smack her away.

Its feelings toward Feng Qinghe were real.

Its feelings toward Jiang Qingshu… strange and hollow.

The Phantom Winged Tiger lifted its head, gazing at the cloudless blue sky. Maybe Jiang Qingshu’s Luck was just too strong.

But in Jiang Qingshu’s eyes, that simple motion meant the tiger was trying to sense when the treasure would emerge.

Feng Qinghe looked at the tiger, then at Jiang Qingshu…

No way. Was the male lead’s charm really this terrifying? Her contracted beast was about to switch sides?

“Human, leave this place.” The Phantom Winged Tiger’s voice was domineering, carrying the aura of a supreme king.

Feng Qinghe took this chance to inch toward the canyon entrance, fanning the flames once more. “Hu-gege, he won’t leave. He wants the treasure in your territory.”

The Phantom Winged Tiger glanced at her from the corner of its eye. "Such a tiny thing. Would she survive if she got caught later?"

A golden tiger hair drifted down into her palm.

“Stay far away later,” the Phantom Winged Tiger said.

Compared to Jiang Qingshu, it actually found her more likable.

Feng Qinghe stared at the tiger hair glowing in her hand. She could feel the immense power inside it. This thing was worth at least ten spirit pearls.

Jiang Family.

Jiang Mingyuan received Jiang Qingshu’s message talisman but didn’t act right away.

Instead, he sent trusted aides to verify the information. The Jiang family’s cultivators were scattered across the region searching for Feng Qinghe. Compared to the so called treasure Jiang Qingshu mentioned, locating the secret realm core was far more important.

Jiang Mingyuan headed to the Nine Layer Pagoda Hall to report to the Jiang family’s elder, Jiang Chengtian. Ever since the secret realm core went missing, most of his authority had been stripped away. Now that something major had happened, he had to report to Jiang Chengtian.

He was already holding in frustration and had grown displeased with Jiang Qingshu acting on his own. He didn’t hide anything. “Elder, Qingshu sent word that the Phantom Winged Tiger showed up in Luoxia Valley. A treasure might be about to emerge.”

Jiang Chengtian’s gaze sharpened. “Was he not forbidden from leaving the Jiang estate?”

Even if the missing secret realm core wasn’t directly tied to Jiang Qingshu, there were still too many suspicious points.

Jiang Mingyuan said, “He left a substitute in the room and used the teleportation talisman you gave him. That’s how he avoided the dark guards.”

Jiang Chengtian fell silent, shifting his focus to Jiang Qingshu’s message.

The Phantom Winged Tiger always lived in the Wuyou Forest. Why would it suddenly appear in Luoxia Valley? And with no prior rumors?

The Wuyou Forest sat at the borders of four states. Experts from all nine states had long coveted control of that forest. But the forest housed a single Phantom Winged Tiger. Even combined forces of multiple states couldn’t subdue it. Eventually, the Phantom Winged Tiger got annoyed and set down rules. Cultivators could enter the forest for opportunities, but they had to obey its rules.

Some tried disobeying.

Their fate was tragic.

Since then, most cultivators behaved.

The Wuyou Forest even had opportunities suitable for cultivators at the tribulation crossing stage. So a treasure capable of dragging the Phantom Winged Tiger across states into Tianyan must not be ordinary.

Jiang Chengtian’s eyes darkened. “Are we sure Qingshu really saw a Phantom Winged Tiger?”

“We already sent people to verify,” Jiang Mingyuan said.

“Put the search for Feng Qinghe on hold. Send everyone to wait outside the Wuyou Forest. Spread news that a treasure’s about to emerge in Luoxia Valley.

If the Phantom Winged Tiger is truly in Luoxia Valley, then let the strong cultivators from that forest enter to seek opportunities. If it’s not in Luoxia Valley, then we still announce that it is.”

Jiang Mingyuan blinked in confusion. “Elder, aren’t we going to take the treasure ourselves?”

Jiang Chengtian shot him a cold look. “Do you think the Jiang family hasn’t declined enough already?” Seeing he still didn’t get it, Jiang Chengtian continued. “We need to quietly replenish resources, not snatch a flashy treasure that’ll draw every enemy to our doorstep. A treasure like that would only bring the Jiang family endless trouble. Prepare a group of Divine Transformation cultivators. If a treasure really appears in Luoxia Valley…”

He didn’t finish the sentence. But Jiang Mingyuan fully understood.

While everyone else fought over the treasure, they’d rob the ones fighting. And they could only target forces from Tianyan State. They absolutely couldn’t touch cultivators from other states.

The Jiang family couldn’t afford that disaster.

“I’ll arrange it right away,” Jiang Mingyuan said.

“I’ll stay in the Jiang estate. You’ll go to Luoxia Valley yourself.”

Luoxia Valley.

The moment Jiang Mingyuan’s trusted aide saw Feng Qinghe, he didn’t ask a single question. He just struck with a palm wind. But before the attack landed, a tiger’s roar echoed through Luoxia Valley.

A faint golden light wrapped around Feng Qinghe. The phantom image of a Phantom Winged Tiger appeared behind her.

The warm heat of the tiger hair in her hand spread through her chest. "So this was how it felt to have a backer."

Before she transmigrated into the story, she had always survived alone. During the Age of Decline, resources were scarce. Good things never went to people like her.

But hardships always did.

Ninety percent of the resources she fought hard to earn would be seized by powerful factions.

Back then, she had no power to resist. Later, she accidentally obtained the Void Stone. She hid it carefully, but other factions still learned of it through various methods. They wanted her to hand over the Void Stone she’d already contracted.

In the end, she died under their siege for refusing to give it up. When she opened her eyes again, she was already in the Jiang family’s council hall.

Chapter Text

Feng Qinghe lowered her head and looked at the golden item resting in her palm. A small smile lifted her lips. Maybe staying in this world wasn’t so bad after all.

“Miss Qinghe, if you obediently come back with me, the Patriarch won’t hold your mistakes against you.”

The voice came from the black robed man Jiang Qingshu had just helped up. He was one of the treasure vault’s wardens.

Right now, his gaze toward Feng Qinghe was a swirl of complicated emotions. He had no idea what she’d done. All he knew was that after Jiang Mingyuan entered the vault, he’d flown into a rare fury.

First he issued a wanted order. Then he sent them out to search for her. He even instructed them to bring her back to the Jiang family at any cost once they found her.

He’d struck earlier because he was afraid she’d react and try to escape.

Instead, he’d been injured by a terrifying burst of power. Silently, the black robed man crushed the hidden object tucked inside his sleeve.

“Go back and tell Jiang Mingyuan that my surname is Feng. I’m not a Jiang family member, so stop bothering me from now on.” Feng Qinghe looked toward him, her tone calm and drifting.

Right now, she could feel the pressure and restless anxiety that had been clinging to her slowly scattering.

She still wanted everything she ever desired. She would still fight for anything she liked.

But things weren’t the same anymore. She had plenty of defensive items now. And she had void energy she could use anytime to escape danger.

Maybe she could finally choose the kind of life she wanted. Maybe she could walk at her own pace.

Feng Qinghe looked at the Phantom Winged Tiger with bright eyes and said sincerely, “Thank you, Hu-dage.”

The Phantom Winged Tiger twitched its ears. When this girl acted serious, she wasn’t that annoying. At least she looked better to it than those two faced humans. Her eyes held greed, but also restraint.

A golden tiger whisker floated before her.

The Phantom Winged Tiger said, “As long as you don’t try to get yourself killed, even a Divine Transformation cultivator can’t instantly take your life.”

Feng Qinghe accepted the whisker with solemn care. “Thank you. How many Divine Transformation attacks can this block?”

The Phantom Winged Tiger’s eyes flickered, a little guilty. “Only one.”

With her current strength, that was all it could give.

“It’s really useful for me.” Feng Qinghe put away the whisker, warmth spreading through her like morning sunlight.

She sent a message through divine sense, “Hu-dage, they came because of me. Push us out of Luoxia Valley, then leave immediately. I can get away on my own, don’t worry.”

Once the Jiang family experts arrived, the Phantom Winged Tiger could suffer.

Even though Jiang Qingshu was destined to come to Luoxia Valley. And probably destined to clash with the Phantom Winged Tiger. She still didn’t want it getting hurt.

The Phantom Winged Tiger listened to her message, twitching its ears again. A Foundation Establishment cultivator was worrying about its safety…

Not far away, Jiang Qingshu glanced at the black robed man beside him. “Do you see the difference now?”

“What difference?”

“She’s not Feng Qinghe. She’s someone entirely different.”

Someone who didn’t care about how others judged her.

“Why does Young Master say that?” the black robed man asked.

The Miss Qinghe he’d seen seemed exactly like this.

Besides, she was the Patriarch’s daughter. It was only natural she acted like this.

“You’ll understand once my father arrives.” Jiang Qingshu didn’t plan to explain further.

“Patriarch will be here in half an hour. Also, Patriarch warned us not to seize any of the treasures,” the black robed man said through sound transmission.

“Why? He knows I need to seize these treasures to increase my Luck.”

“The Patriarch’s command isn’t something we question.”

Jiang Qingshu’s expression darkened. Maybe his Master was right. Only the absolute ruler could do as they wished.

He looked at Feng Qinghe and changed how he addressed her. “Jiejie, Jiang family blood flows through you. That’s an undeniable fact. I don’t want to hunt you to the end, so you should leave on your own.”

If he separated the girl and the tiger. He’d have a chance to seize Feng Qinghe and bring her back. No matter who she was, he needed her Luck.

“Young Master, she can’t leave.” The black robed man’s tone was firm.

Feng Qinghe rolled her eyes. These two were really doing a little performance together?

No.

They were buying time.

She sent another message, “Hu-dage, can you notify the other beasts? If you can, tell them to hide immediately.”

Otherwise the Jiang family would just turn them into resources. If the Jiang family got the resources, their overall strength would grow. Her situation would become even more dangerous. Jiang Qingshu would be harder to handle.

The Phantom Winged Tiger glanced sideways at her, speaking gently, “They can’t get in.”

Luoxia Valley, just like the Wuyou Forest, allowed cultivators to enter to search for opportunities. But it didn’t allow large numbers of strong cultivators to enter at once.

To prevent overwhelming experts from wanton slaughter. Every region had power restrictions. As for beasts being killed by cultivators of the same rank, that was just survival of the fittest.

“Then can you make sure he can’t enter Luoxia Valley again?” Feng Qinghe asked with hopeful eyes.

If Jiang Qingshu couldn’t enter…

He couldn’t take the opportunities here.

The Phantom Winged Tiger flapped its wings gently. Jiang Qingshu and the black robed man were instantly flung out of Luoxia Valley.

“Until he reaches Divine Transformation, he can’t enter again.”

“Good.”

Feng Qinghe pulled out a teleportation talisman. That “black bear” hadn’t given her this for no reason. It must’ve noticed something. She’d decided to find it.

The Phantom Winged Tiger stared at the talisman in her hand and asked irritably, “Who gave you that?”

“A black bear. Do you know it?”

“I don’t.” The talisman absolutely carried the scent of that damn fox. How could it be a black bear?

If that annoying fox didn’t keep disturbing its sleep…

It wouldn’t have come to Luoxia Valley to find some peace.

Feng Qinghe added, “That black bear senior had a green gourd on its head…”

“A green gourd?”

The Phantom Winged Tiger’s eyes flickered. That damn fox always liked turning into various spirit plants. Could that black bear have been the fox too?

It looked at Feng Qinghe. “You’re going to find the one who gave you the talisman?”

“Yeah.”

“You still owe me spiritual spring water.” If she went to find that fox and didn’t come back, what about that delicious smelling fruit?

Feng Qinghe suggested, “How about you come with me?”

The Phantom Winged Tiger fell into thought.

Go together? That… could work.

But before it could answer, Feng Qinghe beat it to it with a regretful sigh. “Actually, maybe not. I only have one teleportation talisman.”

Right as she finished speaking, her body shot upward.

A special barrier wrapped around her.

As she flew into the air, Feng Qinghe even had the mood to look around.

A group of people had arrived at Luoxia Valley’s entrance.

Someone quickly spotted her. They all took flight.

Seeing this, Feng Qinghe shouted, “Hu-dage, save me!”

And right then, Jiang Mingyuan appeared at the valley entrance with his people.

Chapter Text

Feng Qinghe saw Jiang Mingyuan the moment he appeared.

He saw her too.

Her body was already dropping toward the ground.

In the blink of an eye, Jiang Mingyuan appeared beside her.

“You unfilial girl!” He shouted as his hand grabbed toward Feng Qinghe.

A roar exploded through the air. A tiger’s howl echoed, sharp enough to rattle bones. A faint layer of golden light wrapped around Feng Qinghe.

Jiang Mingyuan was blasted away for several li. The moment he steadied himself, he charged at her again. He had only one thought left, drag her back home.

But he still couldn’t touch Feng Qinghe.

She received Jiang Mingyuan’s voice transmission, “Who did you see in the treasure vault that day?”

Feng Qinghe’s eyes brightened.

Did Jiang Mingyuan not know she took the core of the secret realm?

Hmm. It seemed possible.

Feng Qinghe suddenly thought of an even better idea. She sent a voice transmission, “Father, I didn’t see anyone. Qingshu kept talking about the treasure vault in front of me, so I got curious and wanted to see what it looked like.

When I reached the treasure vault that day, my body stopped listening to me. After that I don’t remember anything. When I woke up again, I was already in Luoxia Valley and saw Qingshu.

Qingshu even tried to kill me earlier. Father, why would Qingshu want me dead?”

Feng Qinghe didn’t expect Jiang Mingyuan to believe her so easily. But suspicion only needed the smallest push, and it would take root on its own.

“Come back to the Jiang family with me. I won’t let Qingshu touch you.” Jiang Mingyuan no longer reached out to her. He simply fell with her, and his voice held no clear emotion.

“I don’t dare go back. Father wants to kill me, your men want to kill me, Qingshu wants to kill me. I’m safer outside.”

Only an idiot would return to the Jiang family. She would rather enjoy life with her massive fortune out in the world.

“I promise, as long as you return to the Jiang family, no one will touch you.” The moment Jiang Mingyuan finished speaking, a force blocked him, stopping him from following Feng Qinghe.

She waved at him and didn’t say anything else. Yet it felt like she had said everything already.

A few powerful cultivators appeared beside Jiang Mingyuan.

“Patriarch Jiang, did an extraordinary treasure really appear in Luoxia Valley?”

“Patriarch Jiang, that girl just now was your daughter, right? Did she tell you anything?”

“Why could she enter Luoxia Valley when we can’t?”

“We also heard the Phantom Winged Tiger is inside. Is that true?”

“Patriarch Jiang, cultivators from the other states are rushing here too. We should work together right now.”

Jiang Mingyuan’s mind was filled with Feng Qinghe’s words. He didn’t want to deal with any of them. But for his future plans, he still forced out a reply, “I rushed here after receiving a message. I don’t know more than you do.”

“We heard you publicly issued a kill order for Miss Qinghe. What’s that about?”

“She defied an elder. I asked her to apologize, but she threw a tantrum and ran away from home. I issued the kill order to force her to come back…”

Inside the canyon.

A Black Flood Dragon appeared in front of the Phantom Winged Tiger.

The Black Flood Dragon’s body was thick and muscular, its scales reflecting a cold, eerie light. It raised its head, its presence not losing to the Phantom Winged Tiger at all. Its voice was cold. “Huan Li, you caused this mess, so you clean it up.”

The Phantom Winged Tiger lazily replied, “Do I kill them all or turn them into food for you?”

The Black Flood Dragon choked. Killing was allowed on the path of cultivation. But those people had no grudge against it.

Why waste time eating them? Why bother taking on more karmic debt?

It grumbled, “Who wants to eat that garbage? If you’re not afraid of karmic backlash, then kill them. I won’t stop you.”

The Phantom Winged Tiger said, “What karmic backlash? Didn’t you tell me to deal with them?”

“Get out, get out, get out! Go back to your Wuyou Forest. You’re not welcome here.” The Black Flood Dragon gritted its teeth.

It truly regretted letting him in.

The Phantom Winged Tiger immediately seized the chance to bargain. “I can leave if you want. Give me half the spirit spring from your river.”

The Black Flood Dragon whipped its tail at the tiger’s head. “Half? You already took half before!”

Despite its massive body, the Phantom Winged Tiger dodged with ease. “It’s all used up.”

“Huan Li, stop lying.” The dragon never stopped cultivating. It had only used less than one fifth.

That tiger spent all its time sleeping. How could it possibly have used it all? It was definitely trying to scam more spirit spring.

The Phantom Winged Tiger glanced up at Feng Qinghe. “She really used it all.”

The Black Flood Dragon didn’t believe a word. “Huan Li, if you want to trick me, at least try harder.”

The Phantom Winged Tiger was helpless. Even it didn’t believe it at first.

But this was the truth.

It wasn’t suspicious that Feng Qinghe had taken the spirit spring away. What it suspected was Feng Qinghe’s body.

There was a special cultivation physique that matched her condition very closely. That kind of physique needed enormous amounts of spiritual energy early on, yet the user’s cultivation grew slowly. But the records in its inheritance about that physique were vague. It couldn’t confirm if Feng Qinghe really had it.

“Bao Ming, you…” The Phantom Winged Tiger wanted to ask if the Black Flood Dragon knew about such a physique. But asking directly would make the dragon suspicious.

Seeing the tiger suddenly look serious, the Black Flood Dragon thought he finally wanted to talk properly.

“Bao Ming, I remember you have three drops of Dragon Blood Essence. Give me one drop and I’ll leave.”

“Huan Li, do you have any shame at all?” Why did this tiger always beg at its place…

“Give me one drop and I’ll lure all the people outside away. I’ll even keep your secret. How about that?” The Phantom Winged Tiger said mysteriously.

“You… fine. Take it.” The Black Flood Dragon finally gave in.

It wasn’t like it had a choice. The tiger had leverage on it.

A blood red bead flew out from the Black Flood Dragon’s eye and stopped in front of the Phantom Winged Tiger.

Thunder rumbled across the sky.

At that moment, Feng Qinghe dropped into the canyon.

A bolt of silver thunder split the air. Its target was the blood bead.

“Huan Li, what are you doing?” The Black Flood Dragon’s voice turned cold.

Right before the thunder struck the bead, the Phantom Winged Tiger flicked its wings. The silver thunder curved and smashed into the ground instead.

“I’m tempting those greedy humans. I want them to think I took Luoxia Valley’s treasure away.”

That way, their attention would follow it. Even if some people still wanted to sneak in, it wouldn’t be a big problem. Bao Ming didn’t actively kill, but that didn’t mean it was harmless.

The Black Flood Dragon finally understood what the Phantom Winged Tiger intended. It sighed softly. “Fine, I’ll give you half of the spirit spring I have left.”

Then it vanished.

Above Luoxia Valley, the power of the lightning tribulation grew stronger and stronger. The terrifying pressure made everyone at the entrance turn pale. But there was no fear in their eyes, only excitement and greed.

Chapter Text

Black Flood Dragon shot back into the canyon and handed a porcelain bottle to the Phantom Winged Tiger.

The Phantom Winged Tiger sent it straight into its cave dwelling.

That floating blood pearl still hung in the air. It clearly didn’t plan to put it away.

“Bai Ming, go into seclusion. I’m heading back to Wuyou Forest. I’ll visit again when I have time.”

“Alright, be careful. Humans are sly and love to wear different faces…” Black Flood Dragon’s gaze shifted toward Feng Qinghe, and the look held a deeper meaning.

The Phantom Winged Tiger didn’t dislike humans. But it never allowed humans to step foot on its territory. Yet the person standing before it was clearly an exception.

Black Flood Dragon wasn’t going to interfere with its choice, but giving a warning was still necessary.

The Phantom Winged Tiger sent a voice transmission to Bai Ming. “Bai Ming, did you forget what I can do? I can be tricked by anything, but good and evil can’t be disguised before me.”

“It better be that way.” Black Flood Dragon said nothing more and left.

Feng Qinghe’s scalp tightened from the look Black Flood Dragon gave her.

That sense of danger made her want to teleport away on the spot.

“See anything you like here?” the Phantom Winged Tiger asked, pulling her mind back.

The chill around her faded at once. Feng Qinghe looked at the Phantom Winged Tiger, confused.

“If you’re leaving with me, I won’t bring anything here along. If you see something you want, take it,” it said.

It had come here just to get some peace. It didn’t bring much. And nothing it brought was particularly impressive. But for someone like her who was only in the Qi Refining stage, everything here was at least workable.

Feng Qinghe picked through what she wanted. Whatever remained could go to Bai Ming. Whether he’d even want them was another matter.

“I can take anything?” Feng Qinghe asked, her eyes shining.

“Yes.”

Then the Phantom Winged Tiger fell silent.

A quarter hour later, a whole layer of soil across the enormous canyon had been stripped clean. She hadn’t even left behind a single weed.

The Phantom Winged Tiger fell quiet. "Where in the world did this bandit chief come from?"

Feng Qinghe felt uncomfortable being stared at, so she forced herself to look dignified. “Leaving it here would’ve been a waste. Might as well bring it all.”

She did try to restrain herself. But then she spotted a strange spiritual plant hidden among the weeds. She didn’t yet know what it did. But anything the Void Stone spirit told her to take couldn’t be ordinary. Anyone who often lucks into treasures knows real finds hide in the least noticeable places. And she refused to leave those opportunities for whoever came next. So she simply decided to move the whole place. The Void Stone had plenty of room anyway.

“What did you used to do?” the Phantom Winged Tiger finally couldn’t hold back its curiosity.

Feng Qinghe answered without missing a beat. “Picked up trash.”

The Phantom Winged Tiger lifted its gaze toward the thunder overhead. "The lightning should’ve struck her instead."

It flapped its wings lightly.

A gentle breeze wrapped around Feng Qinghe and lifted her onto its back.

Feng Qinghe felt like she was dreaming. She was riding a huge tiger.

“Hold on.” The Phantom Winged Tiger finished speaking, picked up the blood pearl, and shot toward the sky.

Feng Qinghe sat on its back, her figure hidden under thick fur.

The Phantom Winged Tiger flew incredibly fast. Within moments, Feng Qinghe broke through the clouds.

Her excitement surged. This was thrilling. She loved this world.

The Phantom Winged Tiger flew ahead, thunderclouds chasing behind. And behind the thunderclouds came a dark mass of cultivators.

The moment they saw thunderclouds appear over Luoxia Valley, they tried to break in. Now they saw the thunderclouds chasing the Phantom Winged Tiger. They immediately gave up the idea of entering Luoxia Valley and chased after it. That shocking treasure had to be on the Phantom Winged Tiger.

“Patriarch Jiang, that’s our Tianyan Province treasure. We can’t let it take it.”

“Our resources are already scarce. We have to keep the treasure here.”

“Even if the Phantom Winged Tiger wants it, it can’t just take it.”

“I already sent word to the Ancestor. He’ll stop the Phantom Winged Tiger.”

“We need to take back the treasure before experts from other provinces arrive.”

“If nothing else works, we’ll have to negotiate with the Phantom Winged Tiger.”

Everyone knew Tianyan Province’s strength was too weak. Against other provinces, they had no chance at all. So they chased the Phantom Winged Tiger like their lives depended on it.

“The Phantom Winged Tiger will pass above Tianyun City on the way to Wuyou Forest. I’ve already sent people to block it,” Jiang Mingyuan said.

Hearing that, the others snapped out of it.

They also sent voice transmissions to their people, ordering them to head for Tianyun City.

Jiang Mingyuan’s eyes darkened slightly. The Jiang family might have a chance to recover some losses.

Meanwhile, Feng Qinghe’s excitement faded, and she suddenly remembered she was supposed to find the black bear.

“Hu-dage, I want to…”

The Phantom Winged Tiger guessed what she wanted to say and spoke first. “I know. It’s inside Wuyou Forest.”

Feng Qinghe grinned. “You know Senior Black Bear?”

Right then, a vast voice echoed from the distance.

“Phantom Winged Tiger, that belongs to Tianyan Province. You can’t take it.”

The Phantom Winged Tiger wrapped another layer of barrier around Feng Qinghe. Then it sped up.

“Phantom Winged Tiger, if you don’t stop, don’t blame us.”

Countless chains of light shot toward it. They tried to bind it.

Even inside the barrier, Feng Qinghe felt the pressure. She didn’t speak again, afraid to disturb the Phantom Winged Tiger.

A rune on its forehead lit up.

Every chain vanished instantly.

Feng Qinghe breathed out in relief, but then the sky ahead tore open, forming a black crack.

The Phantom Winged Tiger stopped. Its aura surged sharply.

“Phantom Winged Tiger, you can leave, but the person on your back stays.”

The voice was hoarse and dull, as if it crossed several layers of space. But the pressure it carried was terrifying.

The thunderclouds that had been chasing the Phantom Winged Tiger shifted targets the moment the crack appeared. They struck at the crack instead.

A massive black hand reached out and grasped the silver lightning.

The lightning vanished. The thunderclouds dissolved as well.

Everyone chasing went silent with fear. None dared go near the crack.

“With your strength, you think you can order me?” the Phantom Winged Tiger said coldly, its voice carrying innate royalty. It sounded like it was speaking to a speck of dust. The aura seeping from the crack disgusted it. And it hated being ordered around.

“Phantom Winged Tiger, you might not fear me, but what about the Black Flood Dragon?” the voice echoed again, this time only audible to it.

The Phantom Winged Tiger’s eyes sharpened. Its voice rumbled with dominance. “You don’t dare touch it.”

A creature that hid its body and tail. A creature Heavenly Thunder struck on sight. This thing would never dare approach Bai Ming. Even if it did, Bai Ming had his own ways of staying alive. Neither of them had ever accepted threats. And they wouldn’t accept anyone using one of them to threaten the other.

After a long silence, the voice came again from the crack. “Phantom Winged Tiger, if she leaves Tianyan Province, she’ll die within three days.”

Chapter Text

This time, the Phantom Winged Tiger stayed silent for a long while.

It was probing Feng Qinghe’s body. It saw a thin black thread buried deep inside her soul, stretching outward into the void. It couldn’t trace who was on the other end. But it had a feeling that the thread was meant for stealing Luck.

If this was really a Luck stealing forbidden art that targeted the soul, then once the ritual finished, the victim’s life pattern would start collapsing and eventually vanish in the river of time. The one who stole the Luck would inherit all of the victim’s destiny and fortune. If it truly was a soul stealing Luck theft technique, Feng Qinghe’s life and death really were in someone else’s hands.

The Phantom Winged Tiger finally decided to share its guess with Feng Qinghe. Since it concerned her, she deserved to decide what happened next.

After listening to its explanation, she didn’t look surprised at all. “Is there a way to break this forbidden art?”

The Phantom Winged Tiger spoke with a heavy tone. “It’ll be very difficult.”

Only someone who knew how to perform such a forbidden art could undo it. But forbidden arts weren’t tolerated by any of the major powers. Ancient books that recorded them had already been destroyed by many experts joining forces. So even if a cultivator knew this forbidden art, they’d never admit it.

“As long as there’s a way, that’s enough.” Feng Qinghe still sounded optimistic.

“You’re not staying?”

“No.” She suspected that the one who didn’t want her to leave Tianyan State was the person hiding behind Jiang Qingshu.

The other party didn’t want her to leave so badly. That only meant she should leave even more. If she really stayed, she’d be an idiot.

As long as her life pattern and Luck remained, she still had a chance to survive. If she missed this chance to leave with the Phantom Winged Tiger, then all that awaited her was being drained dry with no hope left.

Besides, she still had the Phoenix Blood Nirvana Fruit. Refining the energy inside it would let her be reborn through Nirvana. That meant she still had a path forward. She hadn’t rushed to refine the fruit earlier, not only because she lacked strength, but because she wanted to save it for a critical moment.

“You’re not afraid of dying?” the Phantom Winged Tiger asked curiously.

“I am, but staying here will only benefit my enemy.”

Admiration flashed in the beast’s eyes. Then it added, “Right, to perform this forbidden art, they need something you often use. Preferably something you willingly gave.

Even something you gave unconsciously still counts as willing. If they can get your willingly offered heart blood, that’s ideal. The more things you willingly give, the less backlash the caster receives, and in the end, it might even turn into you taking the backlash for them.”

By the time it finished speaking, even the Phantom Winged Tiger felt the absurdity of it. It finally understood why the great powers banned forbidden arts.

“They steal my Luck, and I’m the one who takes the backlash?” Feng Qinghe’s expression twisted for a moment.

“It’s actually very hard for things to get that extreme,” the Phantom Winged Tiger tried to comfort her.

But she felt that the situation might have already reached that point. A memory flashed through her mind.

It was Jiang Qingshu’s frequent murmuring. “I like everything Jiejie gave me. I’ll definitely take good care of everything Jiejie gives.”

Feng Qinghe’s fist tightened. She flipped through her memories again, eyes flickering.

Something wasn’t right. A ridiculous possibility struck her.

She asked seriously, “Once the Luck stealing thread forms, even if I switch bodies, it won’t break, right?”

The Phantom Winged Tiger seemed to misunderstand, answering with grave seriousness, “Possession won’t solve your problem.”

She continued, “Then what if I swallow or merge with another soul?”

After a moment of thought, it replied, “As long as the Luck thread exists, you can’t swallow or merge with a new soul. The person who chose you went through a lot of trouble for your Luck.

If you merged with or devoured another soul midway, your Luck would change. If the soul you devoured carried karmic sin, the Luck stealer would have to bear it.

Anyone willing to use forbidden arts for Luck theft probably already carries monstrous karma. So the Luck stealer won’t allow accidents like that. And I suspect that from the moment the forbidden art formed, your soul can’t leave your body, and no other soul can enter it either.”

If the caster couldn’t even predict these possibilities, they weren’t qualified to use such a high level forbidden art.

Feng Qinghe’s suspicions grew clearer.

“In the forbidden arts you know of, is there one that separates someone’s soul before stealing Luck?”

After all, something whole was easier to shatter once it was split apart.

The Phantom Winged Tiger replied, “I’ve never heard of it, but that doesn’t mean it doesn’t exist.”

Hearing that, Feng Qinghe stood and looked toward the crack ahead. For a moment, it felt like she was staring into a dark, terrifying abyss. That hidden puzzle in her heart finally formed an answer.

The Feng Qinghe from the book.

The Feng Qinghe from the Jiang family.

All of them were her.

But none of them were complete.

The Feng Qinghe in the book died three years later.

The Feng Qinghe from the Jiang family died three months ago.

The version of her who lived in the age of dwindling spiritual energy died at twenty.

Three lives, all cut short.

They were like fragments of a soul drained of Luck and disappearing.

As she recalled the book’s contents now, it felt more like a reflection of someone else’s memories.

So the current her, was she living her fourth life? And she was someone who had undergone Nirvana rebirth.

Seeing Feng Qinghe remain silent for so long, the Phantom Winged Tiger couldn’t help but comfort her. “This forbidden art isn’t unsolvable. There’s still hope.”

She lowered her gaze. “If I choose a path where death leads to survival, can I break the Luck thread?”

“No.”

Unless she found that thing.

But something that no longer existed wasn’t worth mentioning. It would only worry her.

“Hu-dage, let’s go.” Feng Qinghe glanced once more at the crack ahead. She no longer felt fear.

As long as she stayed alive, she’d definitely find a way.

“I’ll injure the thing in the crack for you if you tell me what that fruit you got before entering Luoxia Valley was called.” The Phantom Winged Tiger took the chance to bargain.

It couldn’t forget that fragrance.

“What fruit?” Feng Qinghe chose to play dumb.

Even though the Phantom Winged Tiger had always shown kindness. Even though it kept helping her and had even given her its whiskers, she couldn’t completely trust it. Her past taught her that trusting someone completely only led to tragedy.

“You’re really not afraid of getting struck by thunder?” the Phantom Winged Tiger complained.

Feng Qinghe rubbed her ear and pretended not to hear a thing. She honestly didn’t know how many people knew she had the Phoenix Blood Nirvana Fruit. But in the book, only the Jiang family knew.

And after Jiang Qingshu took the fruit, the story never mentioned it again. Neither the Jiang family nor Jiang Qingshu ever saw the fruit. Even the place where she picked it up had been empty at the time. All of this reminded her that she absolutely couldn’t tell anyone she had the Phoenix Blood Nirvana Fruit.

“Forget it. If I don’t hit this thing before leaving, I’ll feel annoyed.” As the Phantom Winged Tiger spoke, the rune on its forehead flared and turned into a purple glazed ancient token.

Chapter Text

"Phantom Winged Tiger, what are you trying to do?" A voice echoed again from within the rift.

"What I'm trying to do doesn't need your approval." The Phantom Winged Tiger stared into the crack with effortless arrogance. Its tone was lazy, but it carried the pride of a ruler.

"You!" The voice on the other side was clearly provoked. "Fine, fine, fine. I want to see if you really have what it takes to protect her!"

A massive hand formed from swirling black mist burst out of the void. The hand grew larger and larger. It blotted out the sky.

The barrier around Feng Qinghe shattered at once.

The Phantom Winged Tiger threw three more layers of barriers around her in the blink of an eye. It lifted its gaze toward the enormous descending palm. Its eyes didn't even flicker. Its wings stirred, and the ancient token between its brows shot out, flying straight into the giant palm.

In an instant,

"Aaaah!"

A shrill scream tore across the entire Tianyan Continent.

A streak of dazzling purple light pierced through the black mist and shot straight back into the rift.

The ancient token returned to the Phantom Winged Tiger's forehead and once more became a mysterious rune.

Thunder rolled through the sky. Bolts of silver lightning struck the giant palm.

The palm slowly disintegrated.

"Phantom Winged Tiger, you'll regret this!" A cold, hateful voice echoed out of the crack.

"Mm, I'll wait." The Phantom Winged Tiger replied with surprising cheer.

"Phantom Winged Tiger, I'll make you pay!" After that final shout, the rift snapped shut.

The Phantom Winged Tiger acted as if it hadn't heard any of it. It looked back at Feng Qinghe on its back. "Sit tight. We're leaving."

With that, it shot toward the direction of Wuyou Forest. It never regretted its choices.

This time, as it moved, not a single expert dared block its path. Only a few strong cultivators followed in secret. They trailed from far behind, masking their presence.

The Phantom Winged Tiger sensed every tail, but it didn't care at all. When one's strength could crush everything, every scheme was nothing but a joke.

From far away, Wuyou Forest looked like a sea of white that stretched for ten thousand miles. The mist rose and fell like drifting clouds, constantly shifting shapes. Nothing else could be seen through it.

At that moment, a metallic sweetness rose in Feng Qinghe's throat. She couldn't stop it and coughed a mouthful of blood onto the Phantom Winged Tiger's golden fur. The stain looked sharp and jarring.

The Phantom Winged Tiger stopped immediately. A tiny phantom projection of itself appeared before her. "What's wrong with you?"

"Are we outside Tianyan Continent now?" Feng Qinghe asked instead of answering.

The Phantom Winged Tiger replied, "We just crossed the border. This should be backlash."

"Yeah." Feng Qinghe looked at the dark red blood. "Sorry for dirtying your fur."

Her words fell, and the bloodstain evaporated on its own.

"It's clean now. Do you want me to take you back?" it asked.

Earlier it had flown too quickly. Only now did it realize how weak she was.

"I'm not going back." Feng Qinghe's tone was firm.

Even though the pressure on her body grew heavier and heavier, she refused to yield. She no longer trusted the sensations of her body. Her Soul felt light and free. That freedom told her she'd made the right choice.

The Phantom Winged Tiger said, "Someone used a rule of heaven and earth to lock onto you. The moment you left Tianyan Continent, that rule turned into backlash against you."

And it suspected the person behind it had been watching her for a long time.

A possibility struck Feng Qinghe. "Then I can't leave Tianyan Continent using a teleport talisman either, can I?"

"Try it." The Phantom Winged Tiger drifted back until it hovered right at the border.

Feng Qinghe pulled out the teleport talisman given by Miao Fuguang. It lit up, but she couldn't sense where it would teleport her.

She then tried teleporting using void energy. She could teleport freely that way, but the farther she went, the more void energy it consumed. And blind teleportation meant blind danger.

A blue teleport talisman drifted in front of her.

"Try this one," said the small Phantom Winged Tiger beside her.

She caught it but couldn't activate it at all.

"This one's an ordinary talisman. The person who gave you that directional teleport talisman probably saw something wrong with your condition, but since you were in Tianyan Continent, they couldn't tell you the truth."

The Phantom Winged Tiger shared its guess.

Feng Qinghe looked at the small Phantom Winged Tiger. "I'm going to find that Senior. Do you want to come with me?"

"I'll take you there. Your condition isn't suited for talisman travel."

After that, it had to return to its clan.

The Soul stealing and Luck stealing technique had appeared. The clan needed to be warned.

"Alright." Feng Qinghe held out a small box. "This is for you."

The small Phantom Winged Tiger pressed its glowing paw on the box, said nothing, and stored it away. "Thanks. My name is Huan Li."

Then it lifted a glowing paw toward her. "Give me your hand."

Feng Qinghe extended her palm. "My surname is Feng, the 'Feng' from 'Fenghuang Nirvana.' My given name is Qinghe, the 'Qing' from 'Rising Straight up into the Blue Clouds,' and the 'He' from 'Grains of Millet Filling the Fields.'"

Huan Li pressed its glowing paw to her palm and left a mark.

Then it vanished.

Feng Qinghe stared at the mark. Her heart felt hot.

Under the white mist of Wuyou Forest, chaos reigned.

"Why's the boss carrying a human?"

"Damn it. I never got the chance to ride the Phantom Winged Tiger, and a human beat us to it."

"Is that smelly tiger looking for a master now?"

"Get lost. Like you'd ever be qualified to ride the boss."

"Did the boss get bullied outside? Why does it look so burdened?"

"How did it even survive out there? I only just started sleeping on its territory. Heaven is unfair."

"Wait. Looks like it's heading to that place."

"Only tyrants live there. Is the Phantom Winged Tiger asking to get punched?"

"Shut up. The boss crushes them like it's nothing."

…

Each beast chattered about something different. They all followed the Phantom Winged Tiger in curiosity.

Whenever it glanced back, they all spun around and pretended to be admiring the scenery.

The moment it looked away again, they trailed after it once more.

The Phantom Winged Tiger transmitted to them, "Do your hides itch again?"

A Gale Leopard replied, "Lao Huan, the person you’re carrying isn't your contract holder, right?"

"No." It had left the clan because it wanted freedom.

A contract was impossible.

It couldn't even explain why it brought Feng Qinghe out of Luoxia Valley.

Maybe it liked her attitude.

Maybe it wanted that fruit.

Maybe it was simply curious about her.

Whatever the reason, it never once had the thought of forming a contract with her.

But right now, it genuinely wanted to help her.

Because inside the box Feng Qinghe gave it lay a large piece of dragon blood spirit stone. It could probably refine at least ten drops of pure dragon blood spirit liquid.

Before arriving at Luoxia Valley, Feng Qinghe had only been at the Qi Refining stage. No matter how she'd obtained something like this, the process must have been unimaginably dangerous.

This stone had to be the best thing she could offer. And giving something so precious meant she was taking a huge risk.

Such sincerity.

Such heart.

How could it not be moved? Even so, being moved didn't mean it was ready to throw its life away.

"Boss, let me carry her for you," said a huge beast that looked like a plum blossom deer.

The Phantom Winged Tiger pretended not to hear.

Soon, it stopped before a stone stele.

Carved upon it were eight characters: The Grand Dao flows in all directions.

Those eight characters alone were enough to keep every creature in Wuyou Forest from entering lightly. The existence inside might truly be able to resolve Feng Qinghe's crisis.

Beside the stele was a narrow path. It led into nothing but white mist.

This mist blocked divine sense entirely.

"Well, well. What kind of wind blew our big tiger over here?" A cheeky voice rang out.

===

1. The Surname: 鳳 (Fèng)

• Hanzi: 鳳

• Meaning: Phoenix. Specifically, the male phoenix in the legendary Fenghuang (凤凰) pair, often used as a general term for the mythical bird.

• Her Explanation: "鳳凰涅槃的鳳" (Fènghuáng nièpán de Fèng)

  • 鳳凰涅槃 (Fènghuáng Nièpán): "The Phoenix Nirvana." This is a powerful and well-known concept symbolizing death and rebirth, rising from the ashes stronger than before. 

  • Implication: Her very surname carries the promise of resilience, transformation, and glorious rebirth.

2. The Given Name: 青禾 (Qīng Hé)

A. The First Character: 青 (Qīng)

• Hanzi: 青

• Meaning: A complex color meaning "blue," "green," or "black," often associated with nature, youth, vitality, and the heavens.

• Her Explanation: "青雲直上的青" (Qīngyún zhíshàng de Qīng)

  • 青雲直上 (Qīngyún zhíshàng): "Rising straight up into the blue clouds." This is a classic idiom meaning a meteoric rise to fame, high position, or power.

  • Implication: She defines her ambition and her path. She is not just surviving; she is destined for a spectacular and rapid ascent to the top of the cultivation world.

B. The Second Character: 禾 (Hé)

• Hanzi: 禾

• Literal Meaning: A standing grain plant; millet. It represents agriculture, harvest, and the foundation of life.

• Her Explanation: "禾黍盈疇的禾" (Hé shǔ yíng chóu de Hé)

  • 禾黍盈疇 (Hé shǔ yíng chóu): "Grains of millet filling the fields." This phrase paints a picture of abundance, a bountiful harvest, and prosperity.

  • Implication: She grounds her high-flying ambition ("青") in tangible results. Her "rise" will lead to a massive "harvest"—of treasures, power, and opportunities. It's a perfect match for her role as the "opportunity snatcher."

By introducing herself this way, Feng Qinghe is subtly telling:

"I am the Phoenix, reborn from my past fate. My path is one of meteoric ascent, and my journey will yield a harvest of unimaginable abundance."

Chapter Text

At the same time, a fire red Nine Tailed Fox stepped out of the white mist with elegant, unhurried steps, heading straight toward the Phantom Winged Tiger.

When the Phantom Winged Tiger saw the Nine Tailed Fox, its whiskers trembled.

It could feel that the Crimson Flame Fox’s foxy eyes were looking at it like she was openly provoking it. But with Feng Qinghe on its back, the Phantom Winged Tiger forced down the urge to yank out some fox fur.

The Crimson Flame Fox narrowed her eyes into crescents and said, “Don’t get mad, I’m not here for you. I’m here to pick up the one riding on your back.”

When Feng Qinghe heard that, she jumped down from the Phantom Winged Tiger and looked at the Crimson Flame Fox. “Did Senior Black Bear send you?”

“Hahaha...” The Crimson Flame Fox threw her head back and let out a wild laugh.

The Phantom Winged Tiger shrank until it stood at the same height as Feng Qinghe, then said, “She’s always like this, don’t mind it.”

The Crimson Flame Fox finally stopped laughing. She looked at Feng Qinghe. “Yes, she sent me. Come with me.”

Then she looked at the Phantom Winged Tiger. “You coming? The rules haven’t changed.”

“I’m not going in.”

The Crimson Flame Fox looked genuinely regretful. “Fine.”

She turned and walked into the mist.

“Goodbye, Huan Li.” Feng Qinghe called out, then followed the fox.

“Alright.” The Phantom Winged Tiger watched until both figures disappeared, then flapped its wings and left.

Once Feng Qinghe stepped through the mist, her vision opened up.

A rustic village appeared before her. Stone slab roads. Earthen houses with tile roofs. Thin wisps of cooking smoke drifting lazily upward. A pond sat right in the center of the village.

Feng Qinghe realized the spiritual power inside her was sealed. Her void energy still responded to her. That once again reminded her how unusual void energy truly was.

After stepping into the village, every bit of pain and pressure on her body vanished. Even her Primordial Soul felt lighter.

The Crimson Flame Fox said, “You’re not allowed to use a cultivator’s power here, and anything that enters this place can’t be divined or tracked.”

The more Feng Qinghe listened, the more shocked she became. Just the fact that they couldn’t be divined was already beyond heaven defying.

The Crimson Flame Fox kept introducing the place. “Most people living here mind their own business. If you want help from someone, you have to give something of equal value in exchange.”

Feng Qinghe memorized her words while observing the village. Nothing looked unusual.

Soon, the Crimson Flame Fox stopped in front of a wooden door. One of her tails extended forward and pushed it open.

“Come in.” After saying that, she stepped inside first.

There were farming tools stacked in the corner.

For a moment, Feng Qinghe almost thought she’d gone back to the Era of Decline.

An old man with graying hair sat at a round stone table not far away.

Feng Qinghe stared at his gentle, kindly face.

The image of that massive black bear flashed across her sea of consciousness.

The temperament was completely different.

The aura was completely different.

But Feng Qinghe instinctively knew this old man was that black bear. A spark flashed through her eyes. This disguise was basically a treasure waiting to be picked up. It suited her far too well.

The Crimson Flame Fox shrank her body and jumped onto a stone stool.

“Guang Guang, the Phantom Winged Tiger brought her right to the village entrance.”

Only Miao Fuguang could hear her.

“Guang Guang, you change your appearance for every disciple you take. I don’t even know why you bother taking them.”

“There’s no need for a reason.” She always acted on her whims, so she’d never needed one.

“Guang Guang, I feel like you treat her differently. Are you really not going to explain that to me?” The Crimson Flame Fox slipped into her usual teasing tone.

Miao Fuguang glanced at her tail, then looked away as if nothing happened.

The Crimson Flame Fox instantly clenched her tail and sat up straight.

“Come in.” Only when Miao Fuguang spoke did Feng Qinghe step into the courtyard.

After standing still, she cupped her hands respectfully. “Senior, this junior Feng Qinghe pays her respects.”

“Sit.” With a sweep of Miao Fuguang’s sleeve, a cup of hot tea appeared on the stone table.

Feng Qinghe walked over and sat properly.

Miao Fuguang got straight to the point. “I can remove the gu for you, but what can you offer in return?”

Feng Qinghe asked, “What does Senior want?”

An equivalent exchange was normal. If the other party said they wanted nothing, that would be far scarier. Free things were always the most expensive.

Miao Fuguang said, “The three kinds of gu in your body aren’t hard to extract. The difficult one is the one sleeping in your sea of consciousness. I’ll have to pay a heavy price, so I want one item from you, the one you consider your most precious.”

Feng Qinghe didn’t feel crushed by that request. She simply knew she probably wouldn’t get the gu removed. There was plenty of room to exploit this condition.

But she didn’t trust him. If he asked her to sign some binding oath, she might end up having no choice. And she couldn’t lie to herself. Her most precious item was the Void Stone. She wasn’t going to gamble it on uncertainty.

Feng Qinghe rose to her feet and bowed again. “Senior, please forgive this junior for disturbing you.”

“Mm.” Miao Fuguang responded softly, poured herself more tea, and said nothing else.

Feng Qinghe saluted the Crimson Flame Fox, then turned and walked toward the exit. She didn’t encounter resistance. She didn’t relax either. Her mood only grew heavier.

“You didn’t say that before. You said as long as she took you as her master, you’d remove the gu.”

“I wanted to say it, but she walked off before I could.”

“Hey! Should we stop her?”

Their voices sounded behind her.

Feng Qinghe didn’t stop walking.

Take a master? That was just jumping from one fire pit into another.

From the moment she had memories, she’d fought to survive. She had to fight and struggle for everything. She had to be cautious.

No one had ever taught her what to do. Every step she’d taken felt like walking on thin ice.

She only knew one truth. Staying alive mattered more than anything.

When her world expanded and she wanted to learn, she discovered those teachers would never accept her. Because she was already set in her ways, unable to follow the rules they wanted. And every teacher she met disliked her fierce, competitive behavior.

After enough rejections, she’d fallen into confusion. She’d even tried to change. The result was painful.

After that, she let herself grow wild, refusing to be shaped by anyone’s rules. Now that she’d come to the Cultivation Realm, she had resources and cultivation methods. There was no reason to look for someone to restrain her.

A sigh sounded behind her. “Soul Seizing Fate Theft, Fate Burning Life Wheel. Such a disciple would probably shorten one's lifespan and might even bring ruin upon oneself. It's better to let nature take its course."”

Feng Qinghe unconsciously slowed down. So he really did know her condition.

The Crimson Flame Fox gasped dramatically. “What! It’s that terrifying? Then is she still saveable?”

Miao Fuguang lowered her voice. “Soul Seizing Fate Theft, Fate Burning Life Wheel, Underworld Crossing, Yin Yang Reversal, it can be solved.”

The Crimson Flame Fox still shouted loudly. “The price is huge! And it’s a pity. Your Shrinking Miles to Inches, Telekinetic Reach, Karma Exchange... none of those divine abilities have inheritors anymore.”

Feng Qinghe realized her feet were stuck to the ground.

She couldn’t take another step.

===

1. 奪魂竊運 (Duó hún qiè yùn)

   • My Term: Soul Seizing Fate Theft

   • Breakdown:

     • 奪魂 (Duó hún): To seize/plunder the soul/hun (one of the spiritual souls in Chinese philosophy).

     • 竊運 (Qiè yùn): To steal fate/luck/fortune.

   • Meaning: This is the foundational step. It involves violently taking a soul and, with it, the target's inherent destiny or good fortune.

2. 燃燼命輪 (Rán jìn mìng lún)

   • My Term: Fate Burning Life Wheel

   • Breakdown:

     • 燃燼 (Rán jìn): To burn to ashes; to combust completely.

     • 命輪 (Mìng lún): Life Wheel / Fate Wheel. This is a profound concept representing the wheel of destiny, the ledger of one's lifespan, and the cycle of karma.

   • Meaning: This is the cost or the mechanism. To power the ritual, the stolen "fate" and the very essence of the target's lifespan and karmic cycle are burned as fuel, completely consumed.

3. 冥途引渡 (Míng tú yǐn dù)

   • My Term: Underworld Crossing

   • Breakdown:

     • 冥途 (Míng tú): The path to the underworld; the yellow spring road.

     • 引渡 (Yǐn dù): To guide and ferry across.

   • Meaning: This is the spiritual action. It refers to guiding a soul (likely the one seized in step 1) along the path to the afterlife, forcing it to cross over.

4. 陰陽逆轉 (Yīn yáng nì zhuǎn)

   • My Term: Yin Yang Reversal

   • Breakdown: The literal reversal of Yin and Yang.

   • Meaning: This is the ultimate, world-breaking effect. Yin and Yang represent the fundamental, opposing forces of the universe (dark/light, death/life, moon/sun). Reversing them implies subverting the natural order itself—most relevantly, turning death into life.

The Complete Picture

Putting it all together, it somehow like this:

"By seizing a soul and stealing its fate, then burning its life wheel to ashes to fuel the act of ferrying it to the underworld, one can achieve a reversal of Yin and Yang [and bring someone back from the dead]."

In short, to save one person (likely requiring Yin Yang Reversal to return from death), you must sacrifice another in the most complete way possible: stealing their soul, their luck, and burning their very destiny to power the ritual that forcibly sends them to the afterlife. This creates the necessary cosmic imbalance to force a reversal of the natural order.

Chapter Text

Supernatural arts!

Most supernatural arts don’t have an unlimited upper limit. How far you can cultivate them completely depends on the person practicing them.

Supernatural arts can even merge with all kinds of cultivation methods, martial techniques, chants, and formulas. As long as a technique meshes well with the supernatural art, its power gets boosted to a whole new level. And something like a supernatural art is basically impossible to stumble upon by luck.

Right now, Feng Qinghe realized she couldn’t lie to herself. She still wanted to try again. Worst case, she’d just leave her sect again.

Feng Qinghe glanced at the wooden door just a step away, then raised her hand and closed it.

She immediately turned, jogged straight to Miao Fuguang, slid on her knees, and wrapped her arms around Miao Fuguang’s leg. “Master, please accept your disciple’s bow!”

For a supernatural art, what did dignity matter?

The Crimson Flame Fox stared with its fox eyes wide open. It hadn’t even finished its next lines yet!

Miao Fuguang looked down at Feng Qinghe with the same gentle expression as always. “I have a rule. If you can accept it, you’ll officially become my disciple.”

“Please speak, Master.” Feng Qinghe blinked. No matter what the rule was, she’d endure it until she learned the supernatural art.

“Once you leave this place, you mustn’t tell anyone you’re my disciple.”

Feng Qinghe froze. This wasn’t what she expected at all. Shouldn’t there be a whole list of rules first?

She nodded seriously. “I can accept that.”

“Then sign the master disciple contract, and I’ll remove the poison from you,” Miao Fuguang said.

“What contract?” A hint of wariness rose in Feng Qinghe’s heart, but she also had the feeling she’d been expecting this.

Miao Fuguang said, “Since you’re becoming my disciple, I need to swear to the heavens that I’ll answer your questions and never mislead you. I’ll teach you everything I know, and everything you’re capable of learning, I’ll give to you without holding back.

And since you’re taking me as your master, you need to promise that once you’ve mastered what I teach you, if you ever use it to bully the weak or slaughter innocents, you’ll bear the karmic consequences yourself.

We’re only master and disciple. Other than teaching you, I won’t interfere with any of your decisions. You’re still you, and I’m still me.”

The Crimson Flame Fox had heard these words sixty five times. The first time it heard them, it thought they were fresh and unusual. It even asked Miao Fuguang why she had to say it this way.

Miao Fuguang’s answer was, “Is there anything wrong with it?”

There really wasn’t anything wrong.

But most masters took disciples for inheritance, or to revive the sect, or something along that line. Only Miao Fuguang seemed to take disciples when the mood struck her, teach them a little, then walk away when her interest faded. None of her disciples had ever learned her true identity. They didn’t even know that their master appeared on every wanted list in the Cultivation Realm.

The Crimson Flame Fox looked at Feng Qinghe with lively interest. It could sense that Miao Fuguang’s attitude toward Feng Qinghe was different from her previous disciples.

“Anything else?” Feng Qinghe asked, her surprise plain on her face.

“That’s all,” Miao Fuguang said.

Feng Qinghe fell into deep thought. There wasn’t anything harmful to her in the oath. In fact, everything favored her. So what was the other party trying to gain from this?

“Master, why don’t you ask for something? Anything is fine.”

That way she’d feel more at ease. Otherwise she kept getting the feeling she was being fattened up for slaughter.

Miao Fuguang pondered for a moment. “Then promise me one thing. You mustn’t use anything you learn from me against me.”

“Isn’t that obvious? Who’d ever attack their own master?”

Miao Fuguang’s expression froze for a beat.

The Crimson Flame Fox’s laughter echoed through the courtyard.

Miao Fuguang’s gaze slowly turned dangerous as she looked at it.

The laughter stopped instantly.

With a wave of her hand, lines of text appeared in front of Feng Qinghe. It was exactly what Miao Fuguang had said before, written out as an oath.

“This is a Grand Dao oath contract. Once we write our names, it takes effect immediately,” Miao Fuguang said.

Feng Qinghe studied it carefully and noticed every word had a strange marking behind it.

“Master, what are these symbols?” She hoped it wasn’t some trap.

“The marks of the Law. You can try modifying it,” Miao Fuguang said.

Feng Qinghe immediately started checking it. She wanted to show total trust. But she couldn’t. And it was better to verify everything now instead of letting doubts linger.

“Guang Guang, why’re you suddenly using a Grand Dao oath?” the Crimson Flame Fox asked with curiosity.

“I’m worried a simple Heavenly Dao oath would fail,” she said. She only wanted to take on a disciple and teach her. She didn’t want to take the blame for her.

She had enough problems of her own already.

She really didn’t have time to clean up after her disciples.

The Crimson Flame Fox sent a voice transmission. “A Grand Dao oath requires your true name. Isn’t that exposing yourself?”

“No one outside knows this name. It doesn’t matter.” Also, the Cultivation Realm was huge. There were countless cultivators with the same name.

Feng Qinghe said, “Master, I added respect for the master and upholding the path, and the part you mentioned too.”

The Crimson Flame Fox couldn’t see the content.

But from Miao Fuguang’s wonderful expression, it guessed enough.

Miao Fuguang reminded her, “Remove the last line.”

Feng Qinghe looked at it.

"If my Master hasn’t betrayed me, I’ll never turn my hand against them. If I do, may the heavens smite me with thunder."

She shook her head without hesitation. Then she signed her name.

Miao Fuguang signed hers.

“I’m Miao Fuguang. Remember what you promised. You mustn’t tell anyone my name.”

Feng Qinghe rose and bowed. “Please rest assured, Master. I’ll definitely keep my word.”

“Good. Sit.”

Feng Qinghe didn’t sit. Her eyes shone with excitement. “Master, when can I start learning supernatural arts?”

Miao Fuguang originally meant to talk about the poison and stolen Luck, but seeing Feng Qinghe so fired up, she changed the subject. “What do you want to learn?”

“I want a disguise art that no being, no method, no power can see through, and an escape art that no being, no method, no power can ever lock onto or track…”

Feng Qinghe kept talking for a full quarter hour.

Miao Fuguang’s expression grew stranger and stranger. Right now, she felt like she’d turned into a wishing well.

Feng Qinghe kept repeating the same phrase nonstop: no being, no method, no power.

Miao Fuguang wanted to say that if she really knew all that, she wouldn’t need to keep changing her disguises every few days.

When Feng Qinghe finally finished, the Crimson Flame Fox couldn’t help asking, “Are you making wishes here?”

It felt like it finally understood why Miao Fuguang made Feng Qinghe sign a Grand Dao oath. Because everything Feng Qinghe wanted to learn sounded like something people didn’t use for anything good.

Disguise, escape, anti tracking, invisibility, earth escape, not dying in one hit…

If you put it all together, it basically meant: as long as you run fast enough, no one can kill you.

Wasn’t this exactly what those people called the way of surviving by hiding?

“Master?” Feng Qinghe shouted with bright, expectant eyes.

Miao Fuguang asked with a very complicated feeling, “Do you have anything else you want to learn?”

Feng Qinghe’s eyes lit up even more. “I also want to learn talismans, alchemy, sword arts, forging, poison crafting, arrays…”

Another half quarter hour passed.

Feng Qinghe finally finished her long list.

Miao Fuguang’s face was blank. “Anything else?”

Feng Qinghe clearly didn’t know when to stop. Even more excited, she said, “I want to learn the real form of taking items from a distance. The kind where if I’ve set my eyes on something, even if the other person stores it in their space, I can still take it.”

This time, Miao Fuguang gave her a very strange look.

She truly didn’t expect Feng Qinghe to interpret taking items from a distance in this way.

“Master, say something,” Feng Qinghe urged, staring at her eagerly.

“…I should remove the poison first.”

Chapter Text

“Master, I’m not done talking yet.” Feng Qinghe knew perfectly well that removing the gu was important.

But the process was painful, and she was afraid that if she didn’t speak now, she’d forget something later. Besides, she had no idea what Miao Fuguang could do. All she could do was lay out everything she wanted to learn. Only then would Miao Fuguang be willing to teach her everything without holding back.

The Crimson Flame Fox, who rarely saw anyone giving Miao Fuguang a headache, couldn’t help chiming in, “Hey... Qinghe, don’t make things hard for your master. Her life counts too.”

Miao Fuguang tapped her fingers lightly against the stone table. “Write down whatever you want to learn first.”

Feng Qinghe glanced at Miao Fuguang. Seeing that she wasn’t joking, she took out paper and brush and started writing quickly.

The Crimson Flame Fox leaned over curiously and took a look. Its eyes immediately softened with sympathy toward Miao Fuguang. “This disciple of yours won’t stop until she wrings you dry.”

Hearing that, Miao Fuguang actually calmed down. This was exactly why she’d taken notice of Feng Qinghe in the first place.

Never satisfied. Always reaching for what she wanted.

"Why couldn't I have been more like her back then? I never would have... Then again, maybe ending up here isn't the worst fate."

Feng Qinghe kept writing nonstop. She wrote for half an hour.

Miao Fuguang watched quietly the whole time. She didn’t interrupt.

The Crimson Flame Fox grew more speechless the more it read. Yet if it didn’t say something, it felt like it would suffocate.

“Guang Guang, she wrote this much... do you really think she can learn all of it? Why do I feel like she’s not here to become your disciple but to restock supplies from you?”

“She wrote what she wants to learn. I’ll teach what I can teach. It’s good.”

The Crimson Flame Fox choked and didn’t know what to say. One phrase flashed through its mind: birds of a feather.

When Feng Qinghe finally finished writing, she didn’t hand the jade slip to Miao Fuguang. Instead, she brought out a golden box and held it up with both hands. “Master, this is a gift I prepared for you.”

The moment Miao Fuguang’s hand touched the box, she already knew what was inside. She asked, “Are you sure you want to give this to me?”

Feng Qinghe answered without hesitation, “Master, this is what I consider the most valuable thing I have right now. You have to take it.”

The Nine Cycle Ginseng was suited for resisting the Heart Demon Tribulation. The stronger the cultivator, the less room there was for even the tiniest mistake during tribulation. She didn’t know Miao Fuguang’s cultivation level, so this seemed perfect. She’d spent a long time quietly chatting with the spirit of the Void Stone to get it. The spirit eventually helped her create this.

All traces belonging to the Jiang family had been erased. She could give it away without any concern.

Miao Fuguang said, “The Nine Cycle Ginseng doesn’t only resist the Heart Demon Tribulation. It can also keep the Yuányīng intact for a short time. If you use it during the Nascent Soul Tribulation, you’re guaranteed to succeed.”

Forming a Yuányīng meant enduring nine bolts of thunder.

Succeed, and you stepped into a new realm.

Fail, and you might lose your cultivation or die completely.

This was why the Nine Cycle Ginseng was priceless.

She worried that Feng Qinghe didn’t understand its value.

“I know. Master, just accept it.” She couldn’t take everything from Miao Fuguang without giving anything in return.

Miao Fuguang might not want anything. But she couldn’t bring herself to give nothing.

After learning what Feng Qinghe had given, the Crimson Flame Fox secretly sent a voice transmission to Miao Fuguang. “She actually gave you something that precious? Not bad. But how did she even get something this rare?”

It was genuinely curious.

A treasure like the Nine Cycle Ginseng would be guarded by a beast at least in the Nascent Soul stage. There was no way Feng Qinghe could defeat one. Even picking up leftovers would be impossible.

“Remember the Jiang clan’s wanted notice?” Miao Fuguang replied through voice transmission.

“I remember.”

“This was most likely something the Jiang clan prepared for Jiang Qingshu, and she took it instead.”

Jiang Qingshu reached the peak of Golden Core at only seventeen.

He was practically the number one prodigy of the Nine Provinces. For someone that gifted, the Jiang clan would obviously spoil him.

The Jiang clan had been declining for a long time. If they didn’t support Jiang Qingshu, they’d fall soon. Other provinces were constantly shifting in power. Only the Jiang clan insisted on clinging to old rules.

Miao Fuguang looked at Feng Qinghe. "So this was what happened when a pearl was left in the wrong place. It gathered dust. How ignorant, how short sighted the Jiang clan’s leader must have been. That person would surely regret it one day."

In truth, the reason she took Feng Qinghe as a disciple wasn’t only because of fate. She also saw her old self reflected in the girl. The version of herself who had no one and had to struggle alone.

Miao Fuguang brought out a palm sized box.

Feng Qinghe instantly panicked. “Master, you can’t, you can’t...”

She said that. But her eyes were glued to the box with shameless honesty.

Miao Fuguang and the Crimson Flame Fox were both speechless.

Under Feng Qinghe’s eager gaze, Miao Fuguang opened the box.

Inside lay a sleeping butterfly. Its entire body shimmered like fine glass, so delicate that Feng Qinghe almost thought it was a carved ornament.

“Master, what’s this?”

“A King Gu.” After she spoke, Miao Fuguang lifted a finger. A drop of her blood fell onto the butterfly.

The butterfly’s wings fluttered as it flew out of the box.

Miao Fuguang said, “Give it a drop of your essence blood, then cut your palm and hold it over the box.”

“Alright.” Feng Qinghe’s heart pounded nervously at this moment. She wanted to tell herself to trust, not to doubt...

If she chose to become a disciple, she should trust her master. But even after suppressing her emotions, she couldn’t trust Miao Fuguang completely.

That distrust was carved into her soul. It couldn’t be erased. And didn’t need to be.

Still, Feng Qinghe offered a drop of essence blood, then cut her palm and let the blood drip into the box. The pain in her palm was manageable. The sensation of her flesh and bones being torn apart from the inside wasn’t. She still couldn’t help letting out muffled groans. Her face grew pale.

The butterfly landed on the back of her hand, its beautiful wings shimmering with faint light.

Miao Fuguang fixed her gaze on the blood in the box.

The Crimson Flame Fox sat up straight, silent.

Drip.

Drip.

Drip.

Only the sound of blood falling filled the small courtyard.

As her blood kept dripping, the pain in Feng Qinghe’s body gradually eased. Once her blood landed in the box, it dissolved into thin blue smoke and vanished.

Suddenly, pain tore through her sea of consciousness, so sharp that she nearly fainted. But it lasted only a moment. Then, as if a heavy shackle had been removed, her entire body felt lighter.

Miao Fuguang lifted her hand. The butterfly left Feng Qinghe’s skin and returned to her palm.

“Alright,” Miao Fuguang said.

A soft red glow appeared on Feng Qinghe’s palm and the wound healed instantly.

The Crimson Flame Fox had acted.

Feng Qinghe hesitated. This didn’t seem like the gu removal process she’d heard of.

“Guang Guang, this is what you meant by a heavy price?”

“I used a drop of heart blood. Isn’t that a heavy price?”

The Crimson Flame Fox was speechless. Good thing it spoke through transmission. It gave Feng Qinghe a sympathetic look.

“Master, how am I now?” Feng Qinghe asked.

Miao Fuguang said, “All the gu inside your body have been removed.”

Seeing Feng Qinghe’s confusion, she explained, “With your current cultivation, the gu you can withstand aren’t very high in level. They’re all easily suppressed by the King Gu. And since you happened to enter a spiritless zone...

Whoever planted the gu in you lost all connection with them. With the King Gu’s pressure, those gu were forced out of your body.”

After hearing all this, Feng Qinghe stared wide eyed at the glass like butterfly. “Master, what does it like to eat?”

Chapter Text

“You want to learn how to refine gu?” Miao Fuguang asked.

“Mm, can I learn it?”

Jiang Qingshu, that dog of a person, planted gu on her. She wanted to return the favor.

“You can.” Miao Fuguang raised her hand and a stack of books appeared before Feng Qinghe.

Miao Fuguang said, “Finish these books first and remember everything inside, then I’ll teach you how to refine gu.”

“Alright!”

Miao Fuguang continued, “The gu created through current gu arts aren’t as powerful as you think.

You can only plant gu on cultivators whose cultivation is lower than yours. You also need them to be completely unguarded for the gu to take hold.

If you meet an enemy weaker than you, you don’t even need gu to win. But if you try to plant gu on someone stronger than you, you’ll risk backlash. Gu is already classified as a forbidden art.”

Once Miao Fuguang said this, she chose to end the topic.

Everything else could be found in the books she had given Feng Qinghe.

“Master, don’t worry. Even if I’m beaten to death someday, I won't betray you.”

Feng Qinghe remembered the words Miao Fuguang said before taking her as a disciple.

Miao Fuguang lifted her hand. The butterfly wing on her palm fluttered, and a thin red thread drifted out from within it.

It floated before Feng Qinghe.

Miao Fuguang said, “This red thread is the Fate Seizing Thread. It belongs to the direct Fate Seizer. All of your Luck can be taken away by a direct Fate Seizer.

The black thread inside your soul belongs to another Fate Seizer. It connects to your fate and Luck.

The owner of the black thread uses the red thread to siphon your Luck. This means all backlash will either fall on the direct Fate Seizer or on you.

The red thread actually hasn’t fully taken form yet. Because of that, the owner of the black thread can’t completely control your fate for now. But as long as the black thread exists, its owner can deduce everything about you and even peek into your future whenever they want.”

Miao Fuguang stopped here to let Feng Qinghe process everything.

In the Cultivation Realm, fate seizing wasn’t rare at all. But most people feared karma and backlash, so at most they would steal a bit of Luck before stopping. Someone like the owner of the black thread, who planned step by step and even used forbidden arts just to seize Luck, was extremely rare.

“Master, I don’t want anyone peeking into my Luck. Is there a way to block it?” She herself couldn’t see her own Luck.

But if someone had schemed so hard to take it, her Luck had to be exceptional. If she resolved this Fate Seizer, she might run into the next one later. Right now, the best thing she could do was reduce how much attention powerful people could place on her.

Miao Fuguang didn’t look at her Luck and spoke calmly. “I can block anyone under the Void Refining stage, but this excludes heaven's mandate diviners. If a Diviner's power surpasses yours, they can peer directly into your Luck.”

Of course, if Feng Qinghe stayed here forever, then aside from gods, no one would be able to pry into her Luck. But Feng Qinghe could never stay here forever.

“Alright, thank you, Master.” Feng Qinghe was very satisfied with that result.

Miao Fuguang could only block those under Void Refining. That didn’t mean she couldn’t do more. It probably meant Feng Qinghe’s cultivation was simply too low right now.

“Master, can these Fate Seizing Threads be cut?”

“The red thread can be severed. The black thread can only be sealed temporarily.”

“Does helping me cost you anything?”

“No.”

Feng Qinghe stood up and bowed seriously. “Please help me, Master.”

Understanding filled Miao Fuguang’s eyes as she said patiently, “I can sever the red thread directly, so the direct Fate Seizer won’t be able to siphon your Luck anymore.

But the portion of your Luck that’s already taken won’t come back. That part will permanently belong to the other party. They also won’t need to suffer any backlash.

As for the black thread, I can only seal it for a short time. It’ll stop its owner from deducing or spying on you. There are two ways to deal with the black thread completely.

First, after you take back your own Luck, let your soul undergo Nirvana. Ideally, you should find the lost Phoenix Blood and undergo Phoenix Blood Nirvana.

Second, find the Wu Clan, or the Wu Clan’s inheritance.”

After listening, Feng Qinghe’s eyes lit up. “So the Fate Seizing forbidden technique comes from the Wu Clan?”

Miao Fuguang looked toward the Crimson Flame Fox.

The Crimson Flame Fox swayed her nine tails while speaking. “Compared to the Wu Clan, forbidden arts are child’s play. They’re what the Wu Clan tossed aside after they got bored.

The Wu Clan’s strength once stood side by side with gods. Gods are born as the embodiment of the Heavenly Dao Laws or the universe’s origin. They’re blessed by the will of heaven and earth.

The path of cultivation for gods can’t be imitated easily by other beings. Most will never have the chance.

But the Wu Clan’s cultivation path suits almost all living creatures. Their power stirred endless greed. Before major forces even had time to act, the Wu Clan vanished as a whole and never appeared again.

These are all recorded in ancient texts. There’s also something not written in any book. Since you’re Guang Guang’s disciple, I’ll tell you for free. The Kunxu Secret Realm opening in three months might contain clues about the Wu Clan.”

Kunxu Secret Realm.

Feng Qinghe remembered it.

The most mysterious, most dangerous, and hardest to open secret realm in the entire Tiancang Continent. Every thousand years, eighteen Unity stage experts had to join forces to open the entrance.

It was the first secret realm Jiang Qingshu entered after reaching Nascent Soul. When Jiang Qingshu came out of it, she jumped straight to late Nascent Soul and brought out countless treasures.

Feng Qinghe needed to go to that secret realm. “Thank you, Senior, for telling me this.”

After thanking the Crimson Flame Fox, she turned to Miao Fuguang. “Master, if someone’s soul has defects, can they still undergo Phoenix Blood Nirvana?”

Miao Fuguang’s expression grew slightly serious before quickly returning to normal. “They can’t. But your soul is intact, so you don’t need to worry.”

Hearing this, Feng Qinghe stopped asking and switched topics cleanly. “Master, how do I take back my Luck from the owner of the red thread?”

Miao Fuguang said, “Reverse the Fate Seizing Thread between the two of you and let your Luck slowly flow back. You can also take the initiative. Steal that person’s opportunities. That’ll speed up the return of your Luck. If you make that person suffer setbacks and lose what should’ve been theirs, you might even gain part of their Luck.

Of course, you need to control how much Luck you seize. It’s best not to take more than twice what they took from you.”

As soon as she finished speaking, she noticed Feng Qinghe’s eyes shining dangerously bright.

Feng Qinghe said, “Master, if I take all of the red thread owner’s Luck, can I shake the Luck of the black thread’s owner too?”

Chapter Text

Miao Fuguang stayed quiet for a moment before saying, "You can't. If you become a Luck Thief, you'll suffer backlash, and during tribulation, you might get hit by a few extra strikes of thunder."

Feng Qinghe decided to change her wording. "Then do I have a chance to switch places with the black thread's master?"

Miao Fuguang understood what Feng Qinghe meant. This was taking someone's trick and using it right back on them. It was a great idea. But she didn't know whether the black thread could be reversed.

She looked at Feng Qinghe, who was staring at her with bright, hopeful eyes, and had a strange feeling that the black thread's master would regret provoking her. She asked, "Are you still hiding something from me?"

Feng Qinghe said, "Yeah. I want the black thread's master's Luck, and I also want them to take the backlash for me."

That would be fair.

She really held grudges. If someone dared scheme against her, how could she not return the favor?

The Crimson Flame Fox gave her a meaningful look. She really was surpassing the one who taught her.

"Qinghe, I'm really not a wish fountain."

"Master, I have one more idea..."

Miao Fuguang rubbed her brow and forcefully cut her off. "Don't. I'll seal the black thread for you first, then reverse the red thread..."

Feng Qinghe immediately shut her mouth.

When Miao Fuguang stopped, Feng Qinghe couldn't hold back her curiosity. "Master, didn't you say this is a place without spiritual energy? How come you don't seem affected?"

The Crimson Flame Fox said, "Because she's the rule maker, she's above the rules."

Seeing Feng Qinghe fall into silence, the fox added, "I'm joking. The technique she used on you doesn't need spiritual energy, but she still has to follow this place's restrictions."

To Feng Qinghe, it sounded like a hint.

A place without spiritual energy.

A place that sealed cultivators' power.

Yet it didn't seal Miao Fuguang.

Could it be... Miao Fuguang had already surpassed the level of mortal cultivators?

The strength shr used on her probably wasn't spiritual energy at all.

Feng Qinghe couldn't help remembering void energy. She decided that unless she had no choice, she wouldn't use void energy ever again. She needed to save it and try cultivating with it.

"This is the token for entering the Kunxu Secret Realm. Consider it a gift from your master." Miao Fuguang handed Feng Qinghe a square token.

It was made of darksteel and felt cold in her hand.

"Thank you, Master." Feng Qinghe couldn't help becoming curious about Miao Fuguang's background.

She could do anything. She had everything. She could even create a place like this without spiritual energy. How strong was her master?

"Master, when can I learn these things?" Feng Qinghe presented a jade slip she had written, excited.

Miao Fuguang said, "You can start now. Inside this place, one year equals one day outside. Your lifespan here is still calculated based on the outside world.

Before the Kunxu Secret Realm opens, you can stay here for ninety years. I'll teach you everything you want to learn within those ninety years."

Feng Qinghe's eyes sparkled when she heard the time difference. That was real cheat mode.

Someone in Qi Refinement had two hundred years of lifespan.

Foundation Establishment had five hundred.

If she stayed here the entire time, wouldn't that mean she practically had...

Ugh. What a pity.

This was the Cultivation Realm, and she couldn't use this method to outlive Jiang Qingshu or the black thread's master. But soon, she realized something. Miao Fuguang had said she would teach her, not that she would make sure she mastered it.

"Master, what if ninety years pass, and I still haven't learned everything?"

Miao Fuguang glanced at the jade slip, which was taller than she was when unfolded. "I already said that if it's something you want to learn and something I can teach, I'll give you everything I have. As for anything else, I'm not responsible.

Also, I'll open a separate cultivation space for you inside the courtyard. Your spiritual energy is pure, but it isn't dense. That's bad for future cultivation. I want you to spend these ninety years consolidating your strength until you can't compress it any further, then you can continue advancing.

The cultivation path should be steady rather than fast. Those young geniuses who became famous early, most of them fell later, far too many to count. But among true powerhouses, many were completely unknown in their early years. If you can become invincible in every realm you reach, or fight above your level, even if you move slowly, you'll go much farther."

While she spoke, she transmitted several cultivation methods into Feng Qinghe's sea of consciousness.

Feng Qinghe kept nodding as she received them.

Invincible in her realm.

Fighting above her level.

Those were things every protagonist needed.

She wanted to try that feeling too.

Miao Fuguang said, "Cultivation and tempering are equally important. Every three years, I'll have Chi Yan take you out for six hours of training."

The Crimson Flame Fox said, "Those beasts..."

They could slap Feng Qinghe to death with one paw. Was that even training?

Miao Fuguang said, "Just make them suppress their cultivation to match Qinghe's. That solves it."

So Feng Qinghe began a cycle of learning from Miao Fuguang, cultivating, entering Wuyou Forest to train, then repeating it again and again.

She didn't dare give herself any rest. She learned divine abilities, martial techniques, combat skills, spells, alchemy...

Even if she couldn't master many things right away, she still studied them seriously and memorized everything.

It was always better to learn first. The more she knew, the better she could understand the Cultivation Realm. And if someone ever used those things on her, she'd be prepared. No downside at all.

But the things Miao Fuguang knew were far beyond anything Feng Qinghe expected.

As things got harder, Feng Qinghe's expression kept twisting in pain. Sometimes she'd twitch for a moment, sometimes she'd grab her hair, sometimes she'd stare blankly at Miao Fuguang, sometimes she'd rub her temples nonstop...

And Miao Fuguang never stopped. She probably found Feng Qinghe's expressions amusing, so she taught even harder things.

Feng Qinghe could only grab her hair while writing frantically. Studying with Miao Fuguang made time feel fast and painfully slow at the same time. Because of that, every time Feng Qinghe went out for training, she was extra energetic.

Three years passed, then another three, then another three...

Her cultivation improved slowly, but she gradually reached invincibility within her realm. Then she could fight past her realm.

When Miao Fuguang's lessons became true strength in battle, Feng Qinghe realized the biggest treasure she ever found was becoming Miao Fuguang's disciple.

When it was time to go out again, Feng Qinghe said excitedly, "Senior Chi Yan, let's go. It's time."

The Crimson Flame Fox lay flat on the ground and said weakly, "How about you go alone this time?"

It was afraid the beasts outside would tear it apart.

In Feng Qinghe's perspective, she went outside once every three years.

But to the beasts, it was like they had just fought her, were about to rest, closed their eyes for a moment, and she immediately came back.

Then they fought again.

They closed their eyes.

Feng Qinghe showed up again and told them to get up and fight.

They closed their eyes.

She called them to fight again.

...

The beasts' temper was hammered to the limit. And since the Phantom Winged Tiger had ordered them never to harm her, all their frustration fell onto the poor fox.

Feng Qinghe trained for six hours each time. She always had fun. The fox always got beaten up.

Whenever they returned, it had missing patches of fur everywhere. The beasts' tempers were only getting worse. It didn't want to go out at all.

"How can that work? I won't feel safe without you." Feng Qinghe picked up the Crimson Flame Fox and carried it out.

"Guang Guang..." the fox flailed in her arms.

Miao Fuguang sat in the courtyard drinking tea. When she heard the fox calling, she pretended not to hear anything and calmly drank another sip. She had important matters to handle. As for the fox, it could only pray for itself.

Once Feng Qinghe and the fox disappeared, Miao Fuguang flickered and vanished as well.

Chapter Text

"Senior Chi Yan, why can't I sense their presence at all? Can you find them?" Feng Qinghe asked.

Wuyou Forest was divided into nine regions. Every region had beasts of different strength. The Land Without Spirit lay in the ninth region. It was also the most dangerous place. You wouldn't see a single cultivator here. This was the beasts’ gathering ground. Normally, the ninth region was filled with beastly roars.

Now it was completely silent. Lifeless.

Inside the Crimson Flame Fox’s sea of consciousness, it felt like it might explode.

"Damned fox, if you dare tell her where I’m hiding, I’ll turn you into the cleanest, most spotless fox in existence!"

"Chi Yan, how many times has it been? If this keeps going, I’m gonna lose my mind. Take her to the eighth region, there’s plenty of good stuff there."

"Dog Chi Yan, I’m warning you, don’t you dare talk nonsense!"

"You filthy fox, if you don’t want to keep your fur, I’ll help you shed it!"

"It’s been two months. Can you take her somewhere else to pluck something already? If we keep fighting like this, I’m gonna move to another region."

"Chi Yan, I’m begging you, have mercy. Take her away."

…

The Crimson Flame Fox stared at Feng Qinghe with a complicated expression. Only two months had passed outside.

Did that mean it still had to endure…

Another wave of darkness hit its vision.

When would this torment end? No.

It couldn’t carry this suffering alone. It wouldn’t just take Feng Qinghe to the eighth region. It wanted every living creature in Wuyou Forest to share its misery.

The Crimson Flame Fox sighed. "Qinghe, time’s precious. If the beasts aren’t here, I’ll take you somewhere else to train."

"Alright. I’m not picky." She wouldn’t win against any of them anyway.

After the Crimson Flame Fox and Feng Qinghe left, voices rose from within the misty white fog.

"Are we being a bit heartless?"

"What heart? That fox’s the heartless one."

"Besides, suffering together and enjoying blessings alone, isn’t that perfect?"

"This little ancestor was brought back by the Phantom Winged Tiger, right?"

"We can’t afford to provoke her. I heard she’s leaving in a month, so let’s hide well."

"For the first time, I’m jealous of beasts in other regions. So being too strong is a crime too."

...

Once the Crimson Flame Fox figured out a new strategy, every time it took Feng Qinghe out to train, it chose a different region. The consequence was simple. Its fur grew thinner and thinner. Everywhere it went, it collected curses like souvenirs.

The Crimson Flame Fox felt aggrieved. Why was everyone taking it out on her? Clearly Feng Qinghe was the culprit.

Luckily, these days were almost over.

The Land Without Spirit.

Over the last few years, Miao Fuguang had taught Feng Qinghe everything she could.

Feng Qinghe stopped cultivating and didn’t go out to train anymore. She was scared that once they separated, she wouldn’t be able to find Miao Fuguang again. So she asked every question she could think of.

She knew it was probably better to train than to ask, but cultivation took so much time. There were still so many things she hadn’t learned. She never believed in the saying about biting off more than you could chew. She wanted to learn as much as possible.

No matter how unwilling Feng Qinghe was, the day of separation still arrived.

"Master, can’t you at least leave me a sound transmission slip?" Feng Qinghe hugged Miao Fuguang’s leg, pleading pitifully.

Miao Fuguang didn’t answer. Instead, she handed her a jade bracelet. "This is your parting gift."

Inside the clear and crystalline bracelet, mountains and rivers faintly flowed.

Feng Qinghe instantly forgot about the sound transmission slip. She took the bracelet, examined it, and slipped it on. It adjusted to her wrist on its own.

She sensed a space within it. A vast, boundless one.

Inside were several items.

A sword.

Ten talismans.

And a full set of gear from head to toe.

None of them seemed to have a rank.

Miao Fuguang said, "The sword suits your current cultivation. The talismans are for running away. As for the rest, that outfit can withstand three full strength strikes from a Unity stage cultivator. Its color, material and shape can all change freely. Wearing it also conceals your cultivation."

For a moment, Feng Qinghe didn’t know what she was feeling. She had never cared about anyone before, and she’d never experienced parting, so she didn’t even know how to say goodbye. She stood up and bowed deeply to Miao Fuguang. "Thank you for your guidance, Master. I’m forever grateful."

Miao Fuguang patted her shoulder. "Don’t rush. Before you reach Void Refining, the owner of that black thread won’t show up. I’ll leave first."

The moment she finished speaking, her figure vanished right before Feng Qinghe’s eyes.

"Master…" Feng Qinghe stared at the place where she disappeared. It took her a long time to recover.

She turned toward the spot where the Crimson Flame Fox often lay and spotted a fiery red fox fur.

She walked over and picked it up. She couldn’t sense anything from it. But she knew the Crimson Flame Fox never shed fur. Even when beasts plucked its fur before, it vanished immediately.

She looked around. Only her aura remained in the yard. Her time with Miao Fuguang and the Crimson Flame Fox felt like a dream. Maybe this was how things were supposed to be.

Miao Fuguang’s words echoed in her mind.

"The Land Without Spirit will always be here. You can come anytime. No one will hurt you. There's no need for a sound transmission slip. If fate allows, we'll meet again.

If you have questions about alchemy, look for the owner of House One. Whether they teach you depends on yourself.

For formations, look for the owner of House Five. The owner of House Seven is good at talismans and the sword path. But they might not be around often. Whether you find them depends on your Luck."

…

Feng Qinghe cleaned the house and the yard. Then she walked out alone. She closed the gate behind her. And turned toward the outside of the Land Without Spirit.

After she left, a figure and a fiery red nine tailed fox appeared in the sky above the yard. The figure was tall, dressed in blazing red, radiant like the sun. Just standing there, she was dazzling. The glass butterfly on her shoulder looked dim beside her. A faint barrier separated her from the world, making everything about her impossible to perceive.

The Crimson Flame Fox said, "If you can’t bear leaving, why not leave her something?"

Miao Fuguang shook her head. "We don’t even know if we’ll make it back alive. It’s better this way."

"Do you know who’s behind that black thread?"

Miao Fuguang didn’t answer. She lifted her hand, sending a golden mark into the stone stele at the entrance of the Land Without Spirit. "Let’s go."

"Tsk, you’re so stubborn."

Feng Qinghe had watched that streak of light enter the stone stele. Suddenly she felt a new connection between herself and the stele.

This was…

Her expression changed. She spun around and ran toward the small yard. She stopped at the gate. In the end, she didn’t do anything. She turned and walked away.

She went back to the stone stele. She had become its master. She could see all the hidden rules of the Land Without Spirit. Even someone at the Tribulation stage couldn’t act freely here.

"Master…" she whispered, vision growing blurry.

She pressed a hand to her chest. "So this was reluctance."

"Why’s she crying?"

Chapter Text

"Humans really love to cry..."

"If the Phantom Winged Tiger finds out, won't it think we're bullying her?"

"That beast never listens to reason, it'll definitely chase us down and beat us up!"

"So, should we go comfort her?"

"She's leaving anyway, hiding from her now doesn't make sense."

"Then who's going?"

All the beasts hiding in the white mist went silent.

Right now in the entire Wuyou Forest, every living creature avoided Feng Qinghe like she was a walking disaster.

"How about we all go together?"

"Won't that scare her?"

"If she's the type to get scared, would she have dared fight us in the first place?"

"That's true, then let's all go."

Just as Feng Qinghe was quietly feeling upset, her vision filled with a line of enormous heads.

Her heart nearly stopped on the spot.

All her sadness vanished.

Those giant beast heads.

There was one shaped like a plum deer.

One shaped like a wolf.

Another like an eagle.

And more.

Being stared at by row after row of massive beast heads made a cold shiver crawl down her spine. She tightened her hold on a teleportation talisman. She was pretty sure they were here to take revenge.

"Miss Qinghe, are you leaving?" a deer asked.

"Yeah." Feng Qinghe tensed up even more and unconsciously stepped back.

"Miss Feng, don't be scared. We came to send you off. Wuyou Forest is huge. If you walk out alone, it'll take forever. We'll let Da Hei send you."

Wuyou Forest was indeed massive.

If she left on her sword, it would take several hours.

But dare she let them escort her?

An eagle head leaned close. "I'm Da Hei. Come on up, I'll take you out."

Feng Qinghe stared at the eagle head. She had ridden Huan Li before, so standing on an eagle's head didn't feel that strange. Besides, she could use her teleportation talisman anytime. Her figure flashed, and she landed on Da Hei’s head.

Da Hei froze for a moment, but said nothing. He carried her away, and not even a moment later, cheers erupted in the Ninth Region.

"She finally left!"

"I paid such a huge price to convince Da Hei to send her!"

"Same here!"

"Me too!"

"Wait, all of you paid Da Hei?"

"You didn’t?"

"...That thing is the stingiest beast I’ve ever met. No wonder it's called Da Hei."

"Whatever, as long as we get this little ancestor out of here, life will finally be peaceful. I can finally sleep till the world ends!"

At the entrance of Wuyou Forest.

Several dust covered cultivators lay sprawled on the ground, looking like they barely survived.

"Did you guys notice the beasts have been unusually irritable lately?"

"Spotted rabbits used to be so gentle. Even if you plucked their fur, they'd only kick their legs a bit. Today one actually chased me down and bit me!"

"That's nothing. I flew past an ancient tree earlier and it whipped me with its branches!"

"I'm worse than both of you. I was just collecting herbs, and a deer passed by. I only glanced at it, and it suddenly charged over, hit me with its antlers, and even spat at me..."

"I've decided I'm not coming to Wuyou Forest for a while. I never find any opportunities, and I always end up getting beaten."

"It seems like this started after the Phantom Winged Tiger returned. Could it be related?"

"Probably tied to whatever the Jiang Family did earlier."

"What did the Jiang Family do?"

"They sent a group of Void Refining experts into the Fifth Region and angered the creatures inside. I heard that group almost got wiped out..."

"Forget it, the Kunxu Secret Realm is about to open. I'll wait and find opportunities there."

"The Kunxu Secret Realm is in the First Province. Leaving early isn't a bad idea."

"Wait, look up there!"

They lifted their heads and saw a white eagle flying toward them.

Its enormous wings spread wide, like clouds covering the sky, and the pressure made it hard to breathe.

"That's the Mystic Scale Eagle from the Ninth Region. Why is it out here?"

"Why are you still looking, run!"

One cultivator crushed his teleportation talisman and vanished.

The others cursed and hurried to rise on their swords. But right then a powerful gust slammed into them, sending both people and swords flying hundreds of li away. Satisfied with clearing the area, Da Hei gently put down Feng Qinghe. Then he shot back into Wuyou Forest like a falling star.

Feng Qinghe found her body at the entrance, but her soul was still halfway in the sky. It was the first time she realized cultivators could get airsick. That eagle flew so fast she could only call it lightning on wings. A trip that should've taken hours took less than half an incense stick of time. She turned back toward the white mist and felt as if she had woken from a dream.

Voices drifted toward her.

"I just saw the Mystic Scale Eagle come out."

"It looked like it dropped something before leaving."

"That eagle never leaves the Ninth Region without reason. Something big must be happening. Notify the clan..."

"Could it be related to the Kunxu Secret Realm opening?"

A group of people were flying toward Wuyou Forest.

Feng Qinghe immediately used an invisibility technique and hid herself. She didn't plan to join the commotion. She chose to leave from another direction.

Da Hei probably knew she was heading to the First Province, so he dropped her right at its border.

Wuyou Forest bordered the First, Second, Sixth, and Ninth Provinces of the Tiancang Continent.

But the Ninth Province, Tianyan Province, had grown weaker and weaker. Every time they participated in provincial competitions, they lost more territory near Wuyou Forest. Now only one city, Tianyun City, bordered the forest. Even that city was constantly coveted by the Sixth Province.

When the Phantom Winged Tiger first brought her into Wuyou Forest, they entered through Tianyun City.

Tianyun City was to the north. The place she needed to go was to the south.

Perfect for her.

The longer she studied under Miao Fuguang, the more respect she had for the power cultivators wielded. And the less she wanted to approach Tianyan Province.

After disguising herself, Feng Qinghe stepped into the First Province.

The north gate of Tingfeng City.

More than ten long lines stretched outward.

The true entrance to the Kunxu Secret Realm had always been a secret. Only the high level cultivators who opened the secret realm knew where it was.

Other cultivators who wanted to enter had to come to Tingfeng City, use a specific teleportation array to reach the entrance, wait for the realm to open, then use another array to return.

Feng Qinghe waited at the end of one line. She wore plain clothes and looked so ordinary no one paid her any attention.

Soon, she noticed a problem. Most cultivators entering the city showed a square token to the guards.

The materials varied. But the shapes all resembled the one Miao Fuguang gave her. Yet the ones she saw were mostly wooden tokens, bronze tokens, or silver tokens.

Not a single gold token. And definitely no blacksteel tokens.

Her instincts told her something wasn’t right. She also noticed that the guards looked at cultivators without tokens very differently.

Chapter Text

Feng Qinghe turned around and left without hesitation. Now that she’d spotted something off, she wasn’t about to take risks. She also wasn’t planning to use the token Miao Fuguang gave her to enter the city. That thing was so obviously unusual that taking it out might attract who knew what kind of trouble. She planned to switch disguises and try another gate instead. But after she walked for a while, she sensed someone tailing her.

She glanced down at herself. On her was nothing worth more than a few spirit stones. The priciest thing she had was probably the plain mortal grade sword in her hand. Someone wanted to rob that?

Her eyes narrowed. Maybe she’d just found herself an entry token.

She deliberately headed toward the outskirts, farther away from Tingfeng City.

But the moment she stepped past the city’s range, that presence vanished.

At the same time.

At the north gate.

A guard quietly slipped back into the ranks.

“How’d it go?”

“She left. Didn’t check any other gates.”

“Anyone who gets in line, then leaves, gets flagged for special attention.”

“Captain, what’s the higher ups even looking for?”

“Why’re you asking so much? If I knew, you think I’d still be standing here?”

The guards ended the transmission in silence.

At the south gate of Tingfeng City.

Feng Qinghe had already changed into another disguise. It was still the kind of look that would never stand out in a crowd. She took out a wooden entry token and walked through without issue.

Other materials had special markings. Only the wooden ones all looked the same. Which was why she’d smoothly lifted one from someone else, then copied a wooden token and slipped it back to them.

Perfect outcome for both sides.

Inside Tingfeng City, almost every store was packed.

Feng Qinghe walked alone along the street, listening to the chatter and gathering information.

“The pavilion master actually brought out the treasure of the house this time. He’s hoping for one big haul.”

“I think that’s risky. The ones entering the secret realm are all buying survival gear first. What’s our shopkeeper’s fancy thing good for?”

“True, using that inside a secret realm is like painting a target on your back.”

“I’d buy it if I could, but even selling myself wouldn’t get me enough for a single corner of the Heavenly Palace.”

A corner of the Heavenly Palace?

Feng Qinghe paused and looked toward the voices. A jade plaque with the words Linglong Pavilion gleamed overhead. The entrance was decorated so lavishly it bordered on excessive.

Miao Fuguang’s words echoed in her mind. “Cangxing Pavilion, Linglong Pavilion, Qibao Pavilion. Their stuff costs more, but you’ll never buy fakes there. They do almost every kind of business. And you won’t need to worry about getting targeted after shopping there. No matter where they open, these three are the top choice for cultivators who want to buy things safely.”

Feng Qinghe lifted her foot and headed toward Linglong Pavilion. If they really handled all kinds of business, then they were perfect for her. The moment she stepped inside, a voice rang out behind her.

“Hey, Linglong Pavilion! Let’s go check it out!”

“At this hour? How desperate are you?”

“What’s wrong with it?”

“You walk into Linglong Pavilion now, you won’t walk out with your skin intact.”

“Sure, they’re a little heartless, but you’re exaggerating.”

“Just follow me. I’ll explain later.”

Feng Qinghe silently seethed. She hated people who only told half the story. One foot was inside, the other was still outside, and she was stuck awkwardly in place. From where she stood, she couldn’t see what was inside at all. Everything ahead looked hazy, like a white mist covered it.

A lovely young woman stepped out of the mist and bowed politely. “Welcome to Linglong Pavilion, honored guest. I’m Attendant Shiwu. Do you have any concerns?”

“Do you sell talisman brushes, talisman paper, talisman sand, pill furnaces, that kind of thing?”

Feng Qinghe listed a bunch of basic materials for talismans, alchemy, and array carving.

“I’m sorry, honored guest. We’re sold out of all of those. But we still have finished talismans, as well as array disks that don’t require spiritual power to activate.”

The more she listened, the more interested she became. Nobody complained about having too many life saving items.

Feng Qinghe firmly stepped her other foot into Linglong Pavilion.

The world in front of her brightened.

The layout was similar to the Jiang Clan’s nine level pagoda hall, but even more luxurious.

The first floor had walls filled with magic tools.

Her eyes went wide. Her fingers even twitched with that old habit of wanting to swipe a few things on impulse. Every item displayed here was no worse than the Jiang Clan treasury.

“What kind of purchase space would you prefer?” Shiwu waved her sleeve, creating shifting scenes in front of Feng Qinghe.

A quiet courtyard.

A small garden with bridges and flowing water.

A snow covered landscape.

She wasn’t surprised at all.

Her Master had said Linglong Pavilion had excellent service and protected customer privacy. Everyone who entered got a private purchase space where they could view merchandise. As long as they could pay, the goods would be delivered instantly. But her Master never mentioned that Linglong Pavilion’s attendants were Nascent Soul cultivators.

Cultivation stages ranged from Qi Refining, Foundation Establishment, Golden Core, Nascent Soul, Out-of-Body, Divine Transformation, Void Refining, Unity, Mahayana, and Tribulation Crossing.

Nascent Soul was already mid tier combat strength. Someone at that level could become an elder in any small clan. Yet this one was willingly serving as a shop attendant. This was the power of a major force. Her Master was right. Never provoke a great power lightly.

Feng Qinghe picked the quiet courtyard.

A moment later, her surroundings shifted and she appeared inside it.

A table held all kinds of spiritual snacks. In the center stood a giant light screen.

One look at the items displayed on that light screen, and Feng Qinghe finally understood what that passerby meant by peeling a layer of skin off before leaving.

The cheapest items started at one hundred thousand spirit stones. As far as she knew, a Jiang Clan elder only got one thousand spirit stones a month. Even though the Jiang Clan was the top force in the Ninth Province, Linglong Pavilion’s cheapest item was worth almost nine years of an elder’s salary. It was unbelievably expensive.

But the items were undeniably good. She wanted every single one.

The fifty thousand spirit stone Concealment Talismans could hide her completely. They erased her aura and turned her invisible. As long as she didn’t expose herself, even someone at Divine Transformation wouldn’t notice her.

Expensive? Sure.

But in the Kunxu Secret Realm, they were perfect.

With them, she could steal opportunities right under a Divine Transformation cultivator’s nose.

“Shiwu, I’ll take all of these.”

“There are thirty in total.” Shiwu’s smile grew more genuine.

Feng Qinghe placed spirit stones into the collection box.

Shiwu presented the talismans with both hands.

Then Feng Qinghe saw the Explosion Talismans priced at three hundred thousand each. Using one could seriously injure a Nascent Soul cultivator.

Buying Explosion Talismans came with a free defensive talisman strong enough to block one explosion.

Linglong Pavilion really knew how to run a business.

She had to buy them. Even if they couldn’t kill Jiang Qingshu, they’d make trouble for him. They’d help her seize opportunities too.

“I’ll take all of these as well.”

“Certainly, honored guest. One hundred Explosion Talismans, with one hundred defensive talismans as gifts.”

Feng Qinghe continued buying talismans one after another. You only had fewer talismans the more you used them. There was no such thing as too many. And she wasn’t short on spirit stones.

Just the ones she picked up from the Jiang Clan’s mine guardian were enough to pay for all this. She still didn’t know how someone with a salary of only five hundred spirit stones a month managed to leave behind that many spirit stones as an inheritance.

Chapter Text

Feng Qinghe happily spent the spirit stones she’d picked up. If something could save her life, she didn’t let a single item slip past her. She wasn’t worried about running out, either. She could make spirit stones, and her space contained spirit ore. When push came to shove, she could just refine more herself.

Shiwu’s smile kept widening, and as she introduced new items to Feng Qinghe, she explained everything in even greater detail.

“Got anything with stronger defenses?” Feng Qinghe drifted higher the more she bought, and she eventually started making requests.

“We do, honored guest.”

A new item appeared on the light screen. A gauzy robe, thin as moonlight. The silver white fabric looked like it held a flowing glow. Golden thread edged the collar, softening the cold moonlight with a hint of warmth.

Feng Qinghe stared at the screen, momentarily lost. What caught her attention wasn’t the price. It was how much it resembled the one Miao Fuguang had given her.

“Honored guest, this top grade Mystic rank robe is called Qian Ying, crafted jointly by three Grandmasters, Grandmaster Xuan Ci, Grandmaster Tian Yu, and Grandmaster Ling Hua. Qian Ying is made from Starglow Silk, gathered from the Kunxu Secret Realm. The material’s incredibly rare and precious.

Once you contract it and put it on, it can block a full powered strike from a Void Refining cultivator. As long as you don’t run into someone in the Mahayana realm, it won’t break, even if its defensive power fades. There’s only this one in the entire Tiancang Continent.”

In the crafting world, the Grandmaster Xuan Ci dared to call himself second. No one dared call themselves first.

The Grandmaster Tian Yu’s mastery of talisman creation crushed every talisman master on the continent.

Anything inscribed by the Grandmaster Ling Hua instantly became the most sought after treasure.

Refiners, talisman masters, and array masters all shared the same ranking structure.

Beginner → Intermediate → Advanced → Master → Grandmaster → Heaven rank → Emperor rank → God rank.

These ranks corresponded to the grade of items they could produce.

A beginner forged Mortal rank artifacts.

Intermediate forged Talisman rank.

Grandmasters forged Mystic rank artifacts.

Anything higher, Heaven rank, Immortal rank, God rank, required materials that were nearly impossible to obtain, and many of the methods to craft them were lost. That was why no one had advanced to Heaven rank.

Because of that, the Grandmaster Xuan Ci, the Grandmaster Tian Yu, and the Grandmaster Ling Hua held unimaginable status on the continent. They were so mysterious that meeting one was pure luck.

Just like her master’s style…

“Honored guest, would you like to see the next item?” Shiwu’s gentle voice pulled her back.

Even though Feng Qinghe had been buying generously the whole time, Shiwu didn’t believe she could purchase this robe. Twenty five billion spirit stones for a top grade Mystic rank robe. Only the strongest powers could afford it, and even then, no one would casually throw out twenty five billion for something only one person could use. But its starting point already made the price impossible to lower.

Feng Qinghe snapped out of her thoughts. “Only this one. Is there only one robe made from Starglow Silk, or only one crafted jointly by those three Grandmasters?”

Shiwu patiently replied, “Both, honored guest. This was the only time the three Grandmasters ever collaborated. If our Pavilion Master hadn’t stepped in personally, we never could’ve acquired Qian Ying. As for the Starglow Silk, it was the Grandmaster Xuan Ci’s last treasured reserve.”

Feng Qinghe’s gaze flickered. “After contracting Qian Ying, can I change its color?”

“No, honored guest.”

“Can its material be hidden?”

“No, honored guest.”

Feng Qinghe fell silent.

Qian Ying wasn’t as good as the robe her master had given her. Her master’s robe didn’t show its grade, didn’t require a contract, and she could wear it directly. More importantly, it could freely change its color, shape, and material. Qian Ying couldn’t compare.

Not to mention her master’s robe could block three full powered blows from a Unity realm cultivator. Compared side by side, her master’s gift couldn’t be priced at all.

Feng Qinghe stared at Qian Ying’ price, sinking into thought.

She really couldn’t take out twenty five billion. No matter how much a guardian embezzled, they wouldn’t dare empty out the Jiang Family’s vault. But if she didn’t buy it, she felt uneasy. She didn’t want Qian Ying falling into her enemies’ hands. Right now, her main threat was the Jiang Family, but she was sure there were others lurking behind them.

“Can this be discounted?”

“When you’ve spent thirty billion spirit stones, everything you buy here in Linglong Pavilion will be twenty percent off.”

Thirty billion.

Feng Qinghe gave Shiwu a deep look. No wonder they used a Nascent Soul cultivator as a receptionist. When customers went crazy, seeing a Nascent Soul cultivator would probably calm them down a bit.

“Honored guest, once your total reaches thirty billion, everything you’ve already bought will also be recalculated, and we’ll refund whatever extra you paid.”

“Any higher discounts?”

“Fifty billion gets you thirty percent off. Eighty billion gets forty percent off. One hundred billion gets fifty percent off.”

Feng Qinghe’s expression twisted. She wanted to break the Pavilion Master’s legs.

Tens of billions of spirit stones were treated like cabbage in Linglong Pavilion. It proved one thing. If you’ve never been truly rich, you’ll never understand how rich the rich can be.

Feng Qinghe thought for a moment, then asked, even though she knew she shouldn’t, “How much do I have to spend for ten percent of the price?”

Shiwu gave her the standard smile. “Honored guest, fifty percent is the highest discount.”

Feng Qinghe looked at Qian Ying again, then decided, “Can I sell things here?”

“You can, honored guest, but the appraisal value is decided by our appraisers. Are you alright with that?”

Feng Qinghe took out a storage bag and handed it to her.

Shiwu accepted it with both hands and sent it into the light screen.

Half a cup of tea later, the bag returned to her hands.

“Honored guest, your items were appraised at two hundred million.”

Feng Qinghe quietly took back the bag. She hadn’t picked the best items, but they were from a small secret realm. They couldn’t be worthless. Yet over a hundred items amounted to only two hundred million. Totally not worth it.

She glanced through the items in her space, then decided what she wanted to sell.

She handed Shiwu a palm sized box. “Have this appraised.”

Half a cup of tea later, Shiwu returned with an apologetic look. “Honored guest, the item you sent is extremely valuable. Please wait a moment.”

“Then let’s look at something else first.”

“Of course, honored guest.”

At the same time, in other rooms of Linglong Pavilion…

“Who’s the bastard wasting money like this? A hundred teleportation talismans, bought without blinking?”

“What do you mean they’re gone? Weren’t there still ten left a moment ago?”

“I didn’t even finish reading the price!”

“Who is it? Who dares compete with me?!”

“Everything under a million spirit stones is gone?!”

“Why are you showing me items worth ten million right off the bat? Do I look like I can afford those? Are you messing with me?”

“Go get your Pavilion Master. I want to see them right now!”

Chapter Text

Feng Qinghe had no idea about any of this. She was still happily shopping. Ignoring the twenty-five billion-priced Qian Ying. Her spirit stones were still being spent liberally.

Two quarters of an hour later.

Shiwu held the box in both hands, her eyes betraying obvious shock. “Honored guest, the items you just sent for appraisal are valued at fifty-three billion.”

Linglong Pavilion had strict rules. Appraisers weren’t allowed to peek inside what guests brought in. So Shiwu had no idea what Feng Qinghe had sent in for appraisal. But once the box was in her hands, she could tell it wasn’t a simple spatial box. A palm-sized box, what could it possibly contain to make the appraisal come out that high?

Even so, Shiwu didn’t pry. Rules were rules, both for her protection and for the safety of Linglong Pavilion’s guests.

“Hm,” Feng Qinghe responded calmly, but inside, her mind was in chaos. "A small chunk of Dragon Blood Spirit Stone could really be that expensive?"

Good thing she’d managed to grab half of the Dragon Blood from the Mine back then.

“I’ll sell these to you, and I want the Qian Ying,” she decided.

Shiwu bowed slightly, and the box in her hands vanished.

Half a quarter of an hour later, the Qian Ying arrived in Feng Qinghe’s hands.

Along with it came a purple-gold jade token. The token looked exactly like a peach blossom. But the petals were extraordinary. Each one seemed like a little cloud. It reminded Feng Qinghe of the Second Courtyard in the Land Without Spirit. The peach blossom branch that had reached out there looked exactly like the one on this token. She had stared at that branch for a long time.

The Crimson Flame Fox had simply snapped the branch off and handed it to her. Then the next day, the Crimson Flame Fox lost one of her tails. That peach blossom now quietly rested in her spatial pocket.

Feng Qinghe took the token and ran her fingertip across the petals.

Before she could ask more, Shiwu spoke up. “Honored guest, this is the Linglong Token. So far, there are only five Linglong Tokens outside the pavilion. The drifting cloud peach blossom petals on the token were personally carved by our Pavilion Master. Whoever holds this token enjoys fifty percent off on everything they buy at Linglong Pavilion.

Also, when you use it at the Cangxing Pavilion or Qibao Pavilion, you get twenty percent off. Our pavilion provides special protection for honored guests holding the Linglong Token. No matter what danger you encounter, as long as you enter Linglong Pavilion, we’ll protect you until you leave. As long as your aura is imprinted on the Linglong Token, only you can use it.

“Honored guest, your total spending at Linglong Pavilion is two billion five hundred seventy-five million sixty thousand. After the fifty percent discount, it’s one billion two hundred eighty-seven million eighty thousand. The remaining spirit stones are right here.”

Shiwu’s eyes curved like crescent moons as she presented a storage ring to Feng Qinghe. “This storage ring is a gift from Linglong Pavilion, completely free of charge.”

The lowest-level storage pouch was cramped, holding barely anything, worth ten spirit stones. It was just like the one she used at the Jiang family.

Intermediate storage pouches cost a hundred spirit stones, but the space still wasn’t huge. Plus, they had a fatal flaw: they couldn’t store anything with spiritual energy for long.

The storage ring was much better, with more variety: static space, for spirit beasts, for spirit plants…

But very few could both freeze space and grow plants. All the purchasable storage spaces now couldn’t grow.

Feng Qinghe took the ring from Shiwu and explored its interior. Even if a single spirit stone was half a fist in size, hundreds of billions of stones still formed several hundred small mountains. Once she confirmed the count, she stored the ring away.

Linglong Pavilion really knew how to do business. A storage ring with this kind of space would normally cost hundreds of thousands of spirit stones, yet they just gave it away.

“Does Linglong Pavilion have a space item that can both grow and remain static?”

“Honored guest, such a space existed a thousand years ago and sold for fifty-eight billion, but none have appeared since.”

Feng Qinghe fell silent for a moment, then asked, “Do you still have anything similar?”

Void Stones could fuse with the core of a secret realm and expand space.

They should be able to absorb this kind of space too.

“Yes, honored guest,” Shiwu said.

She gestured, and a model of a palace appeared on the light screen.

The entire palace was white jade. Even as a model, every detail was exquisite. The beasts at the entrance were lifelike. The palace looked like an Immortal Palace.

“Honored guest, this is called Heavenly Palace. It can shrink or expand according to the owner’s will. At its smallest, it can be the size of a grain of rice. At full size, it’s almost half of the First State. It contains floating formations, allowing it to hover as long as there’s enough spiritual energy. It can also be used as a flying magical device.

Heavenly Palace has over a thousand formations, all interconnected. They can be activated together or separately. Anything placed inside Heavenly Palace can shrink with it. With enough spirit stones to fuel it, once all formations are activated, even Mahayana cultivators can’t destroy Heavenly Palace or harm anything inside.”

Feng Qinghe’s heart pounded.

Then she saw the price. What?

It was like a bucket of ice-cold water dumped on her head. No wonder the great forces hadn’t bought it. One hundred billion spirit stones!

Not only would it drain reserves in one go, it would cause a serious financial bleed.

“How much spirit stone does it consume to run all the formations once?”

“Honored guest, at least ten billion,” Shiwu said, her smile a little stiff.

Many forces had wanted Heavenly Palace, but none had succeeded for various reasons.

The upcoming Kunxu Secret Realm was about to open, and the Pavilion Master had displayed this item, not to sell, but to compare.

After seeing Heavenly Palace, everyone else wouldn’t care so much about prices when buying other items.

Feng Qinghe looked at Shiwu sincerely. “Isn’t your Pavilion Master afraid of being attacked?”

Shiwu caught another meaning in her question.

“Honored guest, no need to worry. The Pavilion Master can protect Linglong Pavilion and its guests. Heavenly Palace is a one-of-a-kind item. The continent once had an Emperor-level craftsman. This is the only piece left before their demise.”

Craftsmen could refine devices, draw talismans, engrave formations, and set arrays…

Their ranking was extremely strict.

Emperor-level meant their talisman, formation, and refining skills were all above the Emperor tier.

When Feng Qinghe heard “one-of-a-kind,” her eyes sparkled. She said, “I want to see it first, then decide if I’ll buy it.”

A quarter of an hour later.

Feng Qinghe saw the miniaturized Heavenly Palace.

A barrier surrounded it; she couldn’t touch it.

But the spirit of the Void Stone had awakened.

Chapter Text

Feng Qinghe’s eyes lit up instantly.

Back at the Jiang family, the Void Stone had reacted as soon as it sensed the secret realm core.

Could it be that the Tianque Palace hid a secret realm core inside?

But then, she felt something was off. If the Tianque Palace really contained a secret realm core, could it really fall into her hands by chance? No matter what, just the fact that the Void Stone had sensed something was reason enough for her to buy it.

“Can the Tianque Palace get a discount with the Linglong Token?”

“Yes, honored guest, it can,” Shiwu lowered her gaze and answered carefully.

She was just afraid Feng Qinghe would notice the shock on her face.

Of course, the Tianque Palace wouldn’t normally get a discount. Otherwise, it’d have been sold long ago. Five hundred billion spiritual stones was still within reach for the top factions. A trillion? They could afford that too, just not silently.

Strangely, those factions had really wanted to quietly buy the Tianque Palace. Even several ancestors personally tried to convince the Pavilion Master to offer a lower price. The Pavilion Master refused every time. Yet, just now, she had sent a secret sound to her, letting her buy it at half price—and only allowing her to buy it herself.

“I’ll take the Tianque Palace,” Feng Qinghe said as she started pulling out spiritual stones.

“Honored guest, this is the Tianque Palace activation token. Once you contract with it, you can activate the barrier and control the Tianque Palace,” Shiwu’s hand trembled slightly as she handed it over.

This time, she really had a free win!

At the very least, she could level up seven times straight.

“Alright.” Feng Qinghe accepted the rectangular token and tossed it into the Void Stone. She felt safer keeping it inside the void.

The token disappeared as soon as it entered.

The Void Stone, which had previously looked gray, seemed to undergo a subtle change.

Feng Qinghe concealed her excitement and put the Tianque Palace away, deciding to study the Void Stone later. Anyone who frequently got bargains knew the rule: act like nothing happened after sniping something valuable. Otherwise, you’d easily get caught and bring trouble on yourself.

She didn’t rush to leave either. She had an unlimited teleportation talisman from her Master and could leave anytime.

“I want to buy information. How do I do that?”

“Honored guest, you can write your question on a jade slip and place it in this box. The light screen will show the price. Once you pay the spiritual stones, a new jade slip with your answer will appear in the box,” Shiwu explained.

She held a jade slip in one hand and a black box in the other.

Feng Qinghe took both, and Shiwu left discreetly. Her first order of business was buying the Kunxu Secret Realm map.

"Secret realm maps come in three types: brief version 100,000 spiritual stones, standard version 1 million, detailed version 1 billion."

Feng Qinghe inhaled sharply at the price.

Detailed version? She might as well be buying a gold-plated edition!

She gritted her teeth and decisively bought the brief version. A map’s purpose was just to guide the way.

But when she opened it, she wanted to scream: refund my spiritual stones!

A big circle with twisting, turning lines, not even a single text description. She scanned the standard and detailed versions and decided to go all-in for the “gold-plated” version. When she opened it this time, her eyes immediately brightened. A colorful map, every area clearly marked, even specifying which token to use for each location. Five hundred million spiritual stones? Not a bad deal at all.

Next, she decided to buy information about the tokens.

"Tokens are the credentials to enter the Kunxu Secret Realm. Without a token, cultivators entering the city will be secretly taken away by the major factions, with no knowledge of whether they live or die."

Feng Qinghe considered the information carefully, recalling the Xuan Tie Token in her hand.

She wrote on a jade slip: "What types of tokens exist, and what are their functions?"

Soon, she got the answers she wanted.

"Wood tokens send holders to the outermost area, with resources suitable for Foundation Establishment stage. Copper and iron tokens access the second-level resource area, containing resources suitable for Golden Core stage.
…

Kunxu Secret Realm restricts entry to Void Refining stage and above. High-level token holders can freely move between regions, but low-level holders cannot access higher-level areas."

Feng Qinghe noticed the last entry listed only wood, copper, iron, silver, gold, white jade, and purple jade tokens. No Xuan Tie Token.

Could the token Miao Fuguang gave her be custom-made? The Xuan Tie Token must hold a secret.

Information was too scarce. She needed to gather more. She wrote on the jade slip: "What are the prices of these tokens? Can I buy them here?"

"Wood, copper, iron, silver: 10,000, 20,000, 50,000, 100,000 spiritual stones.

Gold token: 1 million.

White jade token: 2 million.

Purple jade token: 5 million."

Feng Qinghe studied the prices for a while, then asked: "How much to buy all remaining Kunxu Secret Realm information?"

"2 billion spiritual stones."

She couldn’t help but write: "Your Pavilion Master must be very powerful, not afraid of getting attacked at all!"

"This information costs even more. Do you want to buy it?"

Feng Qinghe was speechless. She still wanted the Xuan Tie Token’s info.

Finally, she sold some items to gather 1 billion spiritual stones. She could’ve sold another piece of Dragon Blood Spirit Stone for quick cash, but she wasn’t about to do that.

This time, the information didn’t appear on the jade slip. A cold, clear voice echoed in her sea of consciousness.

“There’s a restricted area in the Kunxu Secret Realm. No cultivator who enters ever returns. It’s said to hold a legacy from the Ancient Immortal Era, but no one knows for sure.

When the Kunxu Secret Realm first opened, three special tokens were dropped. These three special tokens are likely the key to unlocking the legacy. The Sect Master of the Wendao Sect may hold one of these special tokens. The whereabouts of the other two tokens are unknown.

The Kunxu Secret Realm opens publicly every thousand years. Additionally, every 200 years, the top ten factions—five sects, two clans, one gate, one school, and one hall—open it secretly for their core disciples to train. There’s also a rumor linking the Kunxu Secret Realm to the Wu Tribe of the Ancient Immortal Era.”

Feng Qinghe wasn’t surprised the realm had secret openings.

Privileged people always existed, anywhere, anytime.

The voice continued.

“Loose cultivators can only get wood tokens. Small factions can get copper, iron, and silver tokens. Holders of the first four types must participate in a duel before entering. Winners get entry, losers have their memories erased and are sent back to Tingfeng City. Even after entering, it’s hard for holders of the first four tokens to come out alive.”

Listening to all this, Feng Qinghe felt like the realm’s opening was a game. A game for the major factions to harvest low-level cultivators. Loose or weak-background cultivators already get skinned just for obtaining a token. But the real traps come one after another. They’re powerless against the top ten factions, forced into duels. Even winning a duel doesn’t guarantee survival in the Kunxu Secret Realm—they’re just sacrifices.

Feng Qinghe reviewed all the information carefully. Perhaps the Kunxu Secret Realm didn’t need to open publicly at all. Yet the factions insisted. She could only think of one possibility. The top ten factions wanted to use this method to locate the other two Xuan Tie Tokens.

Feng Qinghe wrote on the jade slip again: "I want to buy an identity badge and a wood token that guarantees entry into the Kunxu Secret Realm."

She couldn’t enter using her Xuan Tie Token. She didn’t want to duel either. That would interfere with her plans. She also needed an identity badge to shift the blame if necessary.

Chapter Text

"A guaranteed-entrance Wood Token to the Kunxu Secret Realm costs one million, and the identity token depends on the level of identity you want—Sect? Noble family? Or other forces?"

The message arrived again via the jade slip.

Feng Qinghe looked at the options for Sect and noble family, then raised her hand to write: “Won’t Sect or noble family identities get exposed?”

The jade slip vanished, then reappeared almost immediately.

"It might, but you just avoid people from the Sects and noble families."

Feng Qinghe twitched at the corner of her mouth, feeling like no one really cared if she lived or died. She didn’t bother writing a reply. Instead, she spoke to the glowing screen, “I want a loose cultivator identity, called Jiang He.

Also, get one identity from each of the Five Great Sects, the two noble families, one sect, one faction, and one hall, but make them the most marginal, the least likely to be noticed.”

Once she finished, a line of words appeared on the screen: “Items will be delivered to your hand in half an hour.”

Feng Qinghe calculated the time, then decided to ask about her enemy, “Full information on Jiang Qingshu of the Jiang family in Tianyan Prefecture.”

Lines of text quickly appeared.

"Jiang Qingshu had nothing special before the age of five, but after that, he seemed to stumble upon some fortune and suddenly showed exceptional talent. At six, he guided Qi into his body, at ten he built his Foundation, fifteen reached Golden Core, and by seventeen he advanced to Nascent Soul.

Jiang Qingshu probably had a high-level mentor guiding him, maybe his Master. But this person kept their identity very hidden, impossible to confirm.

Jiang Qingshu seemed to have foresight, always finding opportunities others couldn’t, picking up countless chances, earning Jiang Mingyuan’s attention, and at ten became the young master of the Jiang family.

From age seven, Jiang Qingshu secretly suppressed his sister Feng Qinghe. He feared her growth, forbade her from touching anything related to cultivation, and even deliberately sabotaged her chances. But six months ago, his sister left the Jiang family, probably stealing important treasures, and Jiang Mingyuan had been sending people to look for her.

He would also enter the Kunxu Secret Realm using a Gold Token."

…

After reading all the info, Feng Qinghe also received her customized identity token and a Wood Token stamped with a mark.

Linglong Pavilion.

Inside a space where snowflakes drifted lazily.

A peach-red figure stood in place.

Once Shiwu entered, she immediately lowered her head, extremely respectful. “Greetings, Pavilion Master.”

A clear, cold voice sounded, “I’ll erase your memory of today. Afterwards, you’ll be transferred to the General Pavilion and enjoy seventh-level resources. Is that acceptable?”

Shiwu’s pale face flushed red with excitement. “Thank you, Pavilion Master.”

“Mm.”

Mo Linglong imprinted a mark into Shiwu’s sea of consciousness. Immediately, a figure in black appeared and took away the unconscious Shiwu.

Mo Linglong then crushed a transmission talisman.

“She’s appeared. Protect her. Don’t let the careless harm her.”

Feng Qinghe appeared again on the streets of Tingfeng City.

She wore black and a mask.

The streets were filled with people dressed the same way.

“One box of talisman sand for ten spirit stones? Why don’t you just rob it?!”

“That’s the price. Take it or leave it. Plenty of people are buying.”

…

“You heartless merchants, always raising prices!”

“Heartless? This is a fair price. Don’t believe me? Ask the others.”

…

“You sell fake goods! Refund me!”

“No responsibility after leaving the counter.”

…

“This talisman only costs a hundred spirit stones, and you charge me three hundred?”

“Customer, that’s the price now. We’re only making cost.”

…

Listening to the shouting, Feng Qinghe gradually calmed down. Spending billions earlier had left her feeling a bit high, but also anxious. She didn’t plan to buy anything else. Instead, she decided to head early to the Kunxu Secret Realm entrance. At that moment, a hoarse voice sounded behind her.

“Young lady, do you count as something?”

Who’s yelling at her?

Feng Qinghe turned and saw an old woman, hunched and with white hair, staring straight at her.

The old woman held a hanging banner in one hand and a black compass in the other.

"A fortune teller? That’s fine."

But Feng Qinghe didn’t like the eyes. They were aggressive, like a snake locking onto prey. She glanced at the woman and walked around her.

“Are you sure you don’t want to test life and death?” The hoarse voice entered her sea of consciousness.

Feng Qinghe didn’t turn, just kept walking.

Someone was clearly watching her.

Maybe even sent by the Black Thread master.

“Will you let your Luck be stolen? In three years, your life pattern risks collapse. By then, it’ll be too late.”

She ignored it. Opportunities delivered to her doorstep were never to be trusted.

Seeing Feng Qinghe really didn’t look back, the old woman’s murky eyes flickered with malice. She flickered forward, her withered hand reaching for Feng Qinghe’s wrist.

Feng Qinghe sidestepped effortlessly.

The old woman froze for a moment, then caught up, sending a voice: “Otherworldly soul, memories of three lives… who are you really? Don’t you want to find out?”

Feng Qinghe didn’t slow her steps, pretending the woman wasn’t there. Yet a murderous intent rose inside her.

The old woman stared directly at her face, waiting.

Feng Qinghe still didn’t glance at her.

The woman continued, “You think that breaking the curse on you frees you from the Fate Thread? Don’t you care for yourself, then at least care for the Jiang family? If your crisis isn’t solved, they’ll fall too…”

Finally, Feng Qinghe spared her a look. “The Jiang family’s fall? Sure, that can happen. But I have no crisis, only opportunity.”

The old woman froze. "Why is this different from what I was told?"

Seeing Feng Qinghe already far ahead, she hurried to catch up.

At that moment, a tall, imposing figure suddenly appeared, blocking her path.

The old woman was shocked. Looking at the approaching massive hand, her body turned into black mist and vanished. Not even the banner or compass was taken.

“Ran off again,” came a soft sigh.

Feng Qinghe walked further, realizing the woman didn’t follow. She turned back. Only a flash of silver clothing passed. Left behind were the banner and compass.

People on the street couldn’t see the items.

Feng Qinghe’s eyes flickered, and a sentence flashed through her mind: “Some things can only be seen by those destined. Seeing doesn’t mean you can take them.”

She reached the banner and compass. Took out a crimson-gold box. Dropped it on the ground, then used a long halberd to lift the banner and compass into the box. Once inside, it closed automatically.

Feng Qinghe noticed the crowd staring at her.

They couldn’t see the banner or compass. From their perspective, she had set down a box, carefully lifted some dust with a halberd, and placed it inside a valuable-looking box with extreme care…

Voices murmured.

“Ah, another crazy one.”

“It’s always like this before the Kunxu Secret Realm opens.”

“She’s lucky. I once saw a cultivator twisting and crawling on the street.”

Chapter Text

Feng Qinghe raised a hand instinctively to cover her face as the chatter from the streets washed over her. Her fingers brushed against the mask.

Immediately, she changed her plan, heading straight to Qibao Pavilion and buying a dozen different identities. Then she went to Cangxing Pavilion and picked up another dozen identity cards. When traveling, it’s always safer to have extra identities.

She switched into a new disguise and made her way toward the teleportation array, only to find a sea of people already gathered.

Voices buzzed all around.

“What’s going on? Why are there so many people?”

“At this rate, can we even make it? I’ve been waiting here for three days, and it’s still not my turn.”

“I’m starting to wonder if there’s another teleportation array somewhere.”

…

Feng Qinghe scanned dozens of long queues stretching out in front of her. Almost everyone was holding a wooden token. Only a rare few carried bronze, iron, or silver tokens.

She turned and left, heading back to Cangxing Pavilion. The way Cangxing Pavilion sold information was similar to Linglong Pavilion, and the prices were just as steep. But remembering the number of cultivators she’d just seen, she decided it was worth it.

Just the ones she had noticed numbered at least fifty thousand. Her mind immediately jumped to the idea of raising a gu. She needed more information, because no matter how many life-saving tricks she had, stepping into the secret realm without knowledge would be pointless.

Feng Qinghe wrote on the jade slip: “What’s on the other side of the teleportation array?”

"An island. There are five cities on the island. Loose cultivators and small factions enter the cities to wait for duels. Winners stay to wait for entry into the Kunxu Secret Realm."

She racked her memory for details, but her understanding of the ten great forces was extremely limited. She couldn’t guess where the island might be.

Feng Qinghe wrote a few more questions on the jade slip.

A moment later, a voice echoed in her sea of consciousness.

“The five major sects are the Tianling Sect, Guixian Sect, Wendao Sect, Liangyi Sect, and Wujie Sword Sect. The two hidden families are the Gu family and Liu family.

Tianyin Gate disciples are welcomed wherever they go, because their presence lets Foundation Establishment stage cultivators exert Golden Core level power. High-level Tianyin Gate cultivators can elevate a whole group of Foundation Establishment disciples to Golden Core level at once.

Wanshan Sect began as a loose cultivator alliance, then gradually grew into a force. They no longer protect loose cultivators, instead suppressing all independent factions.

The first hall is Youming Hall, where most cultivators are evil.

The five major sects once considered wiping out Youming Hall, but Youming Hall refused to fight, secretly capturing their disciples for cultivation. Eventually, the five major sects compromised, signing a non-aggression treaty. As long as Youming Hall doesn’t target their disciples or make a scene, the five sects leave them alone.

Every time the Kunxu Secret Realm opens, no more than ten loose cultivators come out alive.”

Reading all the information, Feng Qinghe became even more certain of her guess. Loose cultivators entering the Kunxu Secret Realm were essentially walking to their deaths. Who could be behind this scheme? Her first thought was Youming Hall.

But seeing how the five major sects had compromised to protect their disciples, another possibility struck her. The five major sects were using loose cultivators’ lives to pacify the evil cultivators of Youming Hall. The moment the compromise was made, the leverage went straight into Youming Hall’s hands.

After understanding the ten great forces, Feng Qinghe asked about the teleportation array.

"Yes, there are other teleportation arrays. If you need, we can send you to one and arrange accommodation on the island. Duels on the island have already begun. The secret realm will open once all token holders have determined a victor."

Feng Qinghe produced her identity card. She planned to buy more types of tokens, just in case.

On the island, besides the five cities, many pavilions and towers floated in the air.

The dueling arenas were also suspended in midair. Winners returned to their cities to wait for the secret realm to open. Losers simply vanished without a trace.

Feng Qinghe was inside a spacious residence arranged by Cangxing Pavilion, a high tower suspended in the air. From here, she could see much of the dueling arenas and disciples flying on their swords.

Voices floated up from below.

“These loose cultivators drag things out so much. Lose a duel, go down, come back next time. Why fight like it’s life or death?”

“Exactly. How long do we have to wait before getting inside the secret realm?”

“You two quiet down. This opening is different, we can’t be careless.”

“This island’s too boring. Let’s go into the city?”

“No! Martial Uncle specifically said, we can’t go into the city before the secret realm opens.”

“Why? So many cultivators are already in the city…”

The conversation cut off abruptly.

Feng Qinghe watched as several disciples from the Tianling Sect flew off on their swords.

Not allowed in the city?

Looking down, she could only see layers of white mist.

The five cities where loose cultivators lived seemed like a world apart from here.

Feng Qinghe glanced at the dueling arenas once more, then withdrew her gaze, set up a formation, and began cultivating.

Ten days later.

The secret realm opened.

A vast voice echoed in everyone’s ears.

“The Kunxu Secret Realm is about to open. Prepare your tokens. A flying ship will come to take you.

Once inside, if your life is in danger, you can crush your token to instantly return outside the realm. But once you leave, you cannot enter again.

This opening lasts three months. Three months later, the exit will open for three hours only. Don’t miss your chance to leave.”

Feng Qinghe saw the flying ship hovering nearby.

Many cultivators rode their swords onto it. Everyone’s swords were at least Spirit-grade. Only Feng Qinghe rode a Mortal-grade sword. Many cultivators glanced at her, then looked away without further comment.

The flying ship stopped before a wide gate of light. Runes decorated its edges, and beyond it swirled a massive black vortex.

“Everyone, this is the entrance to the Kunxu Secret Realm. Hold your tokens and step through.”

Some went first, disappearing into the light.

Others hesitated.

Feng Qinghe watched half the people on the ship leave before she finally took out her wooden token and stepped into the gate.

The moment she entered the vortex, the Xuan Tie token appeared in her palm, then vanished. She had to be certain she was entering the Kunxu Secret Realm, not some other place.

The instant teleport completed, she saw a few figures appear above the flying ship, drawn by the iron token’s aura. But by the time they arrived, Feng Qinghe had vanished inside the vortex.

They hovered above the ship silently, giving off no aura, yet the cultivators on the ship still felt intense pressure.

The pilot bowed quickly. “Patriarch Mu, Patriarch Liu…”

Mu Yuan, Sect Master of Tianling Sect, looked to be in his forties, wearing a dark blue robe. He raised a hand gently, and a light screen appeared above, showing Feng Qinghe entering the vortex. In the image, her features were plain, and her clothes were Mortal-grade.

“Who is she?” Mu Yuan asked softly.

“She’s a cultivator I received at Qinghe Tower,” came the reply.

Mu Yuan’s eyes swept over the others on the ship. “Go on in. The earlier you enter, the sooner you find your own opportunities.”

The remaining dozen or so were astonished. “Thank you, Patriarch Mu.”

Once they disappeared, Mu Yuan told the pilot, “Return. Don’t send anyone else through this entrance.”

“Yes.” The ship quickly vanished.

Another person looked puzzled. “But there was the aura of an iron token just now. Why let them go?”

Chapter Text

Mu Yuan’s calm expression vanished as he spoke coldly, “The people holding the Xuan Tie Token have already gone in. Keeping them here serves no purpose.”

He looked toward an elder with the aura of an immortal, someone whose very presence carried authority.

Sect Master Qing Feng of Wendao Sect.

“Sect Master Qing, we’ll also need your help to activate the Wangkun Mirror in advance.”

They’d been searching for the Xuan Tie Token.

Even with the combined effort of the five sects, they’d only managed to find one piece.

The other two pieces were still nowhere to be found.

Otherwise, they wouldn’t have opened the Kunxu Secret Realm to outsiders.

After all, it was the only secret realm from the Ancient Immortal Era on the Tiancang Continent.

The treasures inside were extremely precious, enough that even the five great sects couldn’t fully share them.

Qing Feng raised a hand, eyes narrowing slightly, his thumb slowly rubbing against his other fingers.

After a moment, his face darkened as he said, “Too late. They’ve hidden themselves. Even if we open the Wangkun Mirror, we won’t find them.”

Mu Yuan’s expression stiffened.

Qing Feng was a diviner, his cultivation already at the Mahayana stage.

As long as he wanted, there were few people on the continent he couldn’t trace through divination.

The handful of people Qing Feng couldn’t trace were already too strong to enter the Kunxu Secret Realm.

No, that wasn’t entirely accurate.

Those people couldn’t go in themselves, but they could send someone in.

Mu Yuan asked, “Could she have something to do with that Riyou Shen (Sun Wandering God)?”

Qing Feng shook his head. “I can’t trace her. Everything’s a haze. Someone has hidden the heavenly secrets around her. Just inform your disciples and make them extra vigilant.”

“This situation… doesn’t it resemble Jiang Qingshu from the Jiang family?”

Qing Feng replied, “Not really.”

Mu Yuan said, “Jiang Qingshu went into the secret realm with people from Tianling Sect. It couldn’t have been him.”

The strongest individuals across Jiuzhou Continent were being watched by the five sects.

The Xuan Tie Token concerned the Ancient Immortal secret realm. Such a thing could only end up in the hands of someone with strong Luck. And Jiang Qingshu was exactly such a person.

Qing Feng stared at the vortex ahead, his gaze distant. “Do you remember what happened over Tianyun City in Tianyan Prefecture six months ago?”

Mu Yuan answered, “The void rift brought out by the Phantom Winged Tiger?”

“No, the person on the Phantom Winged Tiger—Feng Qinghe of the Jiang family. The daughter of the Jiang family whose light Jiang Qingshu had always concealed. Perhaps we should investigate her again. Since entering Wuyou Forest, Feng Qinghe’s trail vanished completely…”

“Why does she have the surname Feng if she’s a Jiang daughter? Would Jiang Mingyuan agree to that?”

“The Jiang family never cared about daughters. Why would they mind what surname she used?”

“No, the ancestor of the Jiang family personally approved her name change, saying the Jiang lineage also had people with the surname Feng.”

Qing Feng’s eyes darkened, “Jiang Qingshu’s Luck is patchy, yet it doesn’t conflict with his own. He likely stole the Luck of someone close to him.”

He couldn’t be sure whose Luck Jiang Qingshu had taken. But years of divination instinct told him it was very likely Jiang Qingshu’s elder sister.

The Jiang Qingshu he saw this time was very different from two years ago. His Luck was deteriorating. Not long after Feng Qinghe left the Jiang family, Jiang Qingshu’s Luck began to fade. That wasn’t a coincidence.

Mu Yuan understood Qing Feng’s implication. “I’ll have someone keep an eye on Jiang Qingshu immediately.”

Qing Feng closed his eyes. “Mu Yuan, how many people from the Youming Hall went in this time?”

“Three at Void Refining, ten at Divine Transformation. All within controllable range.”

“Anyone who receives the Ancient Immortal inheritance must come from the five great sects.”

Kunxu Secret Realm

Feng Qinghe appeared in a dense forest. Ancient trees soared into the clouds. Looking around, besides the thick trunks, a riot of colors covered the area.

She immediately applied a stealth talisman to herself, then headed straight for her target. These were all resources for Foundation Establishment cultivators. But the sheer quantity made them worth taking. Probably the disciples of the big sects didn’t want them. Otherwise, how could three-hundred-year-old Spirit Herbs still remain untouched…

She chose to take them with their roots and stored them in her spatial pocket to nurture them. Perfect for refining pills.

During this, she spotted a special tree. It looked like a pine. But the pine cones carried extraordinarily pure spiritual energy.

Feng Qinghe feared someone would suddenly jump out, shouting, “I saw it first!”

No, there were too many fruits to pick one by one in time. She stared at the massive ancient tree, her eyes gleaming. She could just take the whole tree!

But the roots were complicated and buried deep, impossible to lift directly. She took out her tools. Then she started digging. Halfway through, she heard shouting not far away. She didn’t even consider checking it out. The group seemed to be arguing among themselves and weren’t coming toward her. She kept listening while swinging her hoe in a blur.

“Are you guys even reasonable?”

“You at Guixian Sect are bullying us too much!”

“The fruits on this tree were spotted by Tianling Sect first!”

“If that’s the case, we saw it two… hundred years ago. You still won’t back off?”

…

In no time, Feng Qinghe’s digging became smoother. The soil went straight into her spatial pocket. Since she decided to take the tree, she’d care for it properly.

Fifteen minutes later, clashing swords and knives rang from a distance. She had dug a pit over ten zhang deep. About a third of the tree’s roots were exposed. Not enough, she’d need at least sixty percent.

Feng Qinghe kept her head down and dug tirelessly.

Nearby

After the fight broke out, no one had gone all out. The five sects could cooperate when necessary. The lower-level disciples would compete, but everyone knew not to risk killing each other. The main concern was that if the Wangkun Mirror was active, their actions might be observed outside…

Tianling Sect had five disciples, wearing blue-and-white uniforms.

Guixian Sect had seven, dressed in creamy-white uniforms.

“Yan Tinglan, how about we split it evenly?” one of Guixian Sect spoke first, seeking peace.

Yan Tinglan’s face was handsome and composed. He raised a hand slightly, and the other four from Tianling Sect immediately withdrew from combat. He didn’t want to waste time fighting. There were plenty of opportunities ahead.

“Lu Qianqiu, can you decide?” Yan Tinglan asked.

“Of course. This spiritual pine is huge. At least a thousand condensed spiritual fruits. Whoever picks them keeps them, alright?” Lu Qianqiu said sincerely.

Yan Tinglan exchanged glances with the other four, then nodded to Lu Qianqiu. “Alright, since it’s agreed, we’ll draft a contract.”

Lu Qianqiu grinned. “Tinglan-ge, don’t trust me?”

Yan Tinglan’s voice was calm. “It’s not about trust. This way, it’s fair to both sides.”

“Fine, hand it over, I…”

Boom!

A huge explosion rang out.

Lu Qianqiu didn’t get to finish.

Everyone turned toward the sound.

The towering ancient spiritual pine had vanished.

Both sects abandoned caution and rushed into the forest.

All they saw was a massive pit.

Lu Qianqiu looked at Yan Tinglan. “That was on purpose, wasn’t it?”

Yan Tinglan’s gaze darkened. “You’re the thief crying ‘stop thief.’”

“Senior Brother Tinglan, Guixian Sect broke the rules. This must be reported!”

A Guixian Sect disciple stepped forward. “Don’t slander us! There are only seven of us here. How could we have taken the tree?”

“Shut up,” Lu Qianqiu said coldly.

Fools!

Their disciples could enter the secret realm to seek opportunities. But they’d never take an entire tree like this. And they had no spatial capacity, so even if they wanted, they couldn’t have moved the pine.

Lu Qianqiu looked at Yan Tinglan. “Only the Youming Hall would be this reckless.”

Yan Tinglan said, “Those in Youming Hall never cultivate for themselves. Why would they want condensed spiritual fruits?”

===

日遊神 (Rì Yóu Shén) - “Sun Wandering God” or “Day Roaming God”

In Chinese folk belief, the 日遊神 is a specific deity who patrols the human world during the daytime, noting down the good and evil deeds of mortals. They are often depicted as a fearsome, intimidating figure.

Chapter Text

Lu Qianqiu’s face darkened, “If it’s not Youming Hall, then it can only be some small sect that doesn’t follow the rules.”

Only cultivators from small sects would be this greedy. Only they would do something that cuts off any chance of retreat.

Lu Qianqiu and Yan Tinglan exchanged a glance. In perfect sync, they crushed their communication talismans to alert the outside about this matter.

During the first three shichen of the secret realm’s opening, they could still contact the outside. After three shichen, the entrance to the secret realm would completely seal. Then, they’d have to wait for the secret realm’s exit to open to contact their sect again.

Meanwhile, Feng Qinghe had already started digging up spiritual plants elsewhere.

As for the two sects squabbling? Let them. It’s none of her business.

She didn’t like watching people fight anyway. If her chance got snatched, she’d just find a way to get it back. If she couldn’t, she’d move on to the next one.

Wait…

Maybe she shouldn’t stray too far from the sect disciples. She should follow them at the right distance. These people weren’t visiting the Kunxu Secret Realm for the first time. They definitely knew where the good stuff was.

Sure, she had a map, but she didn’t really know the secret realm, and just comparing it would waste a lot of time…

Why not just follow the sect disciples and pick up the ready-made opportunities?

They might even know about opportunities not marked on the map. Like this spiritual pine—it wasn’t on the map. Yet they found it immediately.

And among them, there was one particularly notable person. Someone who had appeared in that book she’d read. She had bought information about this person in Cangxing Pavilion.

After digging up the spiritual plant, Feng Qinghe cleaned up her traces. Then she leapt onto an ancient tree.

The group ahead were still arguing as they walked.

“Do you Guixian Sect people have no shame? Why are you even following us?”

“This path isn’t even opened by your Tianling Sect. We’ll go wherever we want.”

“You’ve got some nerve! If it weren’t for you just now, we would’ve gotten the Condensed Spirit Fruit already!”

“What does that have to do with us? Your Tianling Sect caused the trouble.”

…

Feng Qinghe didn’t probe their strength.

A cultivator’s instincts were sharp. Even just being watched could be felt. If she probed with divine sense, she’d be exposed immediately.

She glanced at the striking woman with the otherworldly aura. Suddenly, many memories from the book came rushing back.

An Zhenxue.

One of the heroines in the book.

Seventeen now, in the late Foundation Establishment stage, peak lord of the First Peak in Tianling Sect, and the only direct disciple. The best among her peers, and also skilled in both talisman and sword cultivation. If things went smoothly, An Zhenxue was destined to become a powerful leader.

Too bad, in the book she fell for Jiang Qingshu, betrayed her sect for him, and ultimately sacrificed herself to save him.

The book mentioned many women dying to save Jiang Qingshu, but only An Zhenxue appeared while Feng Qinghe was still alive. It also said that An Zhenxue couldn’t stand Feng Qinghe constantly holding back Jiang Qingshu, and stormed into the Jiang family to punish her, but accidentally destroyed Feng Qinghe’s cultivation, nearly killing her.

It was just when Feng Qinghe was close to death that Jiang Qingshu arrived. He injured An Zhenxue.

She was heartbroken.

But his eyes were only on his sister, completely ignoring the one he loved. Later, thanks to Jiang Qingshu’s efforts, Feng Qinghe survived but lost her ability to cultivate.

Jiang Qingshu risked his life repeatedly to find Rejuvenation Pills for his sister. Thankfully, An Zhenxue always appeared in time to save him, and their relationship gradually eased. Eventually, after Feng Qinghe’s death, Jiang Qingshu forgave An Zhenxue in place of his sister.

Feng Qinghe’s gaze swept over An Zhenxue, but she felt nothing.

An Zhenxue had hurt her in the book, yes, but Feng Qinghe knew her real enemy was always Jiang Qingshu. The one hiding behind the scenes, reaping all the benefits.

She and An Zhenxue were just stepping stones for him.She even suspected that the book’s An Zhenxue had been manipulated by Jiang Qingshu.

An Zhenxue, a golden girl nurtured by her sect, how could she storm into someone else’s home to attack the elder sister?If An Zhenxue even saw sunlight outside, there was no way she’d do something so reckless.

…

“Someone’s been here before us,” An Zhenxue said calmly.

The arguing disciples froze.

She lifted her wrist, and a patch of grass shifted, revealing some disturbed earth.

Yan Tinglan stepped forward to inspect it.

“Fairy An really is as perceptive as ever,” Lu Qianqiu said, looking at her with a carefree smile.

“Call me Daoyou,” An Zhenxue said coldly.

A flash of disgust crossed her eyes.

She hated being called ‘Fairy.’

“But I feel like Fairy An is an immortal maiden walking among mortals. No one can compare,” Lu Qianqiu teased, eyebrows raised, smile still bright.

Feng Qinghe shook her head at the scene.

This Lu Qianqiu had also appeared in the book. Twenty-one now, early Golden Core stage, direct disciple of Guixian Sect’s Grand Elder. He adored An Zhenxue and followed her, hoping to become her Taoist partner. He eventually died at Jiang Qingshu’s hands, going mad and severely wounding him before he died.

Feng Qinghe glanced at Lu Qianqiu several times with the corner of her eyes, but his gaze at An Zhenxue wasn’t love—it was possession and aggression.

Clearly, a hunter eyeing his prey.

Makes sense, after all, in cultivation, everyone sought longevity and the Grand Dao.

Who really indulged in love…

So Lu Qianqiu targeting An Zhenxue had other motives.

And Jiang Qingshu? If he stayed with An Zhenxue, there must be ulterior motives too.

Feng Qinghe only watched Lu Qianqiu with her peripheral vision. But he seemed to notice and looked toward her hiding spot. Suddenly, he raised his hand and sent out a surge of spiritual energy.

She stood on another tree trunk, watching the leaves fall from where she had just been.

Golden Core cultivators were far more sensitive than she imagined.

“Senior Brother Qianqiu, what’s wrong?”

“I don’t know, feels like someone’s watching us from the shadows,” Lu Qianqiu said, his smile gone, tone serious.

He exchanged glances with his sect disciples.

The Tianling Sect fell silent too.

But Feng Qinghe could see they were communicating through talismans. Her master had taught her how to listen to others’ talisman messages. But Yan Tinglan and Lu Qianqiu were Golden Core stage—listening risked exposure. Since they sensed someone in the shadows, they’d definitely set a trap to lure her out. She quietly waited for them to throw the bait. To be safe, she shifted her position several times.

“Did anyone feel that?” Yan Tinglan asked the other Tianling Sect disciples through talismans.

“No, I think Lu Qianqiu’s lying.”

“He’s probably telling the truth. I sensed it too.”

“Must be a loose cultivator, only they’d take every spiritual plant.”

“There’s always a few slip through. Youming Hall really can’t handle things, promised no loose cultivators would snatch our chances…”

“Our master told us to watch out for a loose cultivator named Jiang He. Could this be him?”

“Jiang He? From the Jiang family?”

“No, he’s a loose cultivator from the Third Prefecture.”

“He’s hidden, we’re in the open. We have to lure him out.”

“Up ahead is the Spirit Lake, home to a thousand-year-old giant python. Last time we couldn’t get what we wanted. This time, with Guixian Sect… maybe we should…”

Yan Tinglan and An Zhenxue exchanged a glance.

Sect disciples couldn’t harm each other. But when it came to demonic beasts, all bets were off.

Chapter Text

Lu Qianqiu didn’t miss the exchange of glances between Yan Tinglan and An Zhenxue.

His eyes darkened slightly. He still suspected that the disappearance of the Spirit Pine had something to do with Tianling Sect. And the person hiding in the shadows was very likely from Tianling Sect too. Otherwise, how could it be such a coincidence?

The moment Yan Tinglan had pulled out the contract, the Spirit Pine vanished. Everything could’ve been planned in advance.

Loose cultivators who could enter this place had already been carefully screened. Not to mention that loose cultivators wouldn’t even have the space to carry a Spirit Tree. Just participating in the duels meant they wouldn’t have the strength to carry off a Spirit Tree anyway.

Every thousand years, when this secret realm opens, duels are held to prevent loose cultivators from taking too many resources. They fight and severely injure each other first. Injured loose cultivators naturally lose most of their strength. This way, the resources a loose cultivator could find and carry off are extremely limited.

“Senior Brother Qianqiu, should we keep following the Tianling Sect disciples?”

“Tianling Sect is close to Wendao Sect. They definitely know resources we don’t. Of course we follow them.”

“But Yan Tinglan and An Zhenxue are powerful. If a fight breaks out, we only have the advantage in numbers…”

“We’re cooperating with Tianling Sect.”

The other six from Guixian Sect fell silent after hearing Lu Qianqiu say this.

He began transmitting his voice in a tone that Tianling Sect could hear.

“There’s a thousand-year giant python in the Spirit Lake up ahead. Guixian Sect wants its beast pill. The rest can be yours, Tianling Sect. How about that?”

Lu Qianqiu tossed a contract toward An Zhenxue. “You can check it, Fairy Zhenxue. I keep my word—this is the contract.”

An Zhenxue examined it, confirmed the runes were correct, then handed it to Yan Tinglan.

This time, Yan Tinglan was leading the team. Whether to cooperate with Guixian Sect or not was up to her.

“Fine, let’s move ahead and set up formations first, then deal with the python together.”

“Exactly what I had in mind. I don’t want to work hard for nothing and let other thieves benefit.”

Once the details were arranged, they headed toward the Spirit Lake.

Feng Qinghe, wearing the boots Miao Fuguang had given her, leapt between ancient trees at a safe distance from An Zhenxue and the others without disturbing anyone. If she encountered Spirit Herbs along the way, she’d jump down to gather them. Her base was weak, so she accepted whatever came.

Soon, An Zhenxue and the others reached the edge of the Spirit Lake.

The water glowed a deep blue. Its surface was perfectly calm.

The disciples of Tianling Sect and Guixian Sect exchanged glances, then began arranging formations.

Feng Qinghe pulled out her map. She had compared it before, but couldn’t locate her position.

At the very edge of Kunxu Secret Realm were six identical forests. They were full of resources suitable for Foundation Establishment cultivators. Disciples carrying wooden tokens couldn’t reach the Spirit Lake without being blocked by the barriers.

But she wasn’t looking for Foundation Establishment resources alone. She wanted the legacies from the Immortal Ancient Era. So before leaving Cangxing Pavilion, she bought tokens of every kind.

Feng Qinghe focused on the map’s central area. It was labeled: Suspected Immortal Ancient Secret Realm Inheritance Zone. No matter where you entered Kunxu Secret Realm, reaching the center required crossing multiple dangerous zones. These areas were dangerous, but also full of top-tier resources.

The legacies from the Immortal Ancient Era definitely still existed. Otherwise, the Five Great Sects would’ve abandoned the Xuan Tie Tokens long ago.

She suspected that unlocking the inheritance required presenting three Xuan Tie Tokens at once.

She already had one. She just needed the other two. Maybe Jiang Qingshu had one of them.

At this moment, Feng Qinghe realized the deepest greed in her heart. She was following An Zhenxue and the others not just for the opportunities, but to find Jiang Qingshu as quickly as possible. After all, An Zhenxue had met Jiang Qingshu in Kunxu Secret Realm.

Only by following An Zhenxue could she locate him fast. Being core disciples of their sect, An Zhenxue and the others must also carry tokens to other areas.

Feng Qinghe put away the map and looked at the formations they were setting up. Her master had taught her all these formations.

The Revealing Formation exposed the aura of any living being entering it.

The Tracking Formation could sense and mark a living being’s location and movement for six hours.

The Binding Formation…

Her master had also taught her how to avoid these formations. But none of them were active yet. Hiding in them now was the best option. Even if she was accidentally discovered later, it wouldn’t matter. Those below Nascent Soul couldn’t see through her disguise.

Feng Qinghe sat cross-legged by the lake, watching the others diligently arranging their formations. She decided to help them. To draw out the giant python for them.

She raised her hand and silently sent a Exploding Talisman into the lake.

A moment later—

Boom!

A towering splash shot up.

Splash!

An Zhenxue and the others hadn’t even reacted before they were soaked.

Then the water churned violently. Towering waves rose. A powerful pressure spread from the water.

The alliance between Tianling Sect and Guixian Sect shattered instantly.

“Lu Qianqiu, how could you be so despicable!”

“Don’t slander me! Senior Brother Qianqiu would never cheat anyone!”

Lu Qianqiu’s face turned green. He wanted to defend himself. But a glance at An Zhenxue and the others told him it was useless.

Sensing the python had awakened, he called to the other six from Guixian Sect, “Get over there and set up the defensive formations! Protect yourselves!”

He had to get the python’s beast pill. He couldn’t leave now. Besides, Tianling Sect had already tricked him enough. He was dragging them into the mess too!

Yan Tinglan was retreating with Tianling Sect disciples. He wanted to wait for the python to return to the lake, then come back to reset formations…

Splash!

A massive body burst from the water. The python’s cold eyes locked onto the fleeing disciples. It made no other move.

“Apply the defensive talismans. It’s mid-Nascent Soul level,” An Zhenxue said.

Everyone quickly slapped talismans onto themselves.

Feng Qinghe decided to keep being a good person. She flickered near the Guixian Sect disciples, launching another Exploding Talisman.

Boom!

Roar!

The deafening noise was followed by agonized screams.

The python’s eyes gradually turned blood red.

“Lu Qianqiu, why would you throw Exploding Talismans and anger it?” An Zhenxue said coldly.

“Who did this?” Lu Qianqiu’s face went iron blue.

He wanted to drag Tianling Sect into trouble, not do something so stupid himself.

The six from Guixian Sect shook their heads furiously.

“I didn’t!”

“Not me!”

“Senior Brother Qianqiu, you know how many talismans I had. See? Not a single one’s missing.”

…

Lu Qianqiu’s eyes darkened. These people wouldn’t lie to him. Yet the Exploding Talismans had come from Guixian Sect’s side.

It seemed he understood something. He immediately launched a formation. It lit up, twelve glowing spheres appearing before him. His gaze turned icy. How could there be no trace of a thirteenth person?

Chapter Text

Lu Qianqiu was frustrated, wanting to figure out who the thirteenth person was. But the current situation didn't allow him to continue searching.

The giant python was clearly enraged. Its massive body moved onto the shore.

Lu Qianqiu stored the formation disk and said to Yan Tinglan, “The python’s injured. Let’s deal with it together first. Once this is over, I’ll give you an explanation.”

No matter who was causing trouble behind the scenes. He had to admit, whoever threw that explosive talisman was impressive. It could even pierce the defenses of a Nascent Soul-level beast.

Yan Tinglan glanced at the unresponsive contract and thought of the opportunities at the bottom of the lake. “Lu Qianqiu, I’ll trust you one more time.”

Lu Qianqiu’s expression darkened further, but he couldn’t help explaining, “That earlier thing had nothing to do with me!”

Yan Tinglan pretended not to hear and said to An Zhenxue, “You take the others away. Yan Tinglan and Lu Qianqiu will handle it.”

A Nascent Soul-level beast, even injured, had a pressure no Foundation Establishment cultivator could withstand.

Feng Qinghe saw Yan Tinglan and Lu Qianqiu start cooperating. She decided to be helpful and level the playing field. She quietly took out a Demotion Talisman and stuck it onto the python. The Mid-Nascent Soul instantly dropped to the peak of Golden Core.

Now, with Yan Tinglan and Lu Qianqiu giving their all, they could fight the python on equal footing. Unfortunately, this kind of talisman could only be used on beast tribes.

But when Yan Tinglan and Lu Qianqiu felt the python’s sudden drop in strength, they just exchanged a look, their expressions serious rather than pleased.

When they first arrived, the python was Early Nascent Soul. A moment ago, it was Mid-Nascent Soul. Now it had dropped to Golden Core peak. This meant the python could disguise its cultivation…

“Tinglan-ge, look at the python’s vital spot scales. That’s where we strike,” Lu Qianqiu said, worried Yan Tinglan might hesitate.

Yan Tinglan examined the python’s vital spot and saw cracks forming on some scales.

“Attack together.”

But as they fought, Yan Tinglan sensed something was off. They weren’t hurting the python at all.

“It’s still a Nascent Soul-level beast,” he said.

“No problem, I’ve got this.” Lu Qianqiu produced a black sphere in his hand and hurled it at the python’s vital spot.

The black sphere exploded into a haze of smoke.

Sizzle!

Lightning danced across the python’s scales.

Roar!

The python writhed in pain, twisting its massive body. Suddenly, it froze, then shrank and darted toward the spiritual lake.

“It’s trying to escape, block it!” Lu Qianqiu shouted.

An Zhenxue saw this from afar and decisively threw a talisman. It instantly formed a barrier right in front of the python. She relayed to Yan Tinglan and Lu Qianqiu, “This talisman can only hold it for half a ke.”

“Got it.” Yan Tinglan switched his artifact and rushed at the python.

“Half a ke is enough to complete the Binding Formation,” Lu Qianqiu said, taking out the best formation disk and beginning to set up.

The python wanted to escape, clearly hurt by lightning. He couldn’t miss this once-in-a-thousand-year chance. He had to get the python’s beast core. And he wanted the opportunities at the bottom of the lake too.

Soon, the formation lit up. Streams of light formed a barrier, trapping the python inside.

The python went completely berserk, its body swelling like a small mountain.

Within a hundred miles, raging winds tore through everything, reducing all colors to dust, leaving only yellow and white in the world.

Lu Qianqiu and Yan Tinglan lost control and slammed into the formation barrier.

Meanwhile, Feng Qinghe had already reached the lake bottom. The depths were pitch black. No trace of any living being. She held the Shark Pearl, letting her move freely underwater and vaguely sense the lakebed. She searched around. All she saw was silt.

But if the Tianling Sect came here, there had to be an opportunity at the bottom.

Feng Qinghe carefully sensed again, confirming this was the python’s lair, then began digging through the silt.

She kept searching until she found silt marked with scale imprints.

Silt? Scale imprints?

She quickly took out a shovel, sending the marked silt into space. Once all the marked silt disappeared, she saw a special barrier. She couldn’t see inside. And there was another problem—she didn’t have the power to break it.

No matter. She could cheat. She activated void energy transmission.

Ever since fusing the Tianque Palace token, the Void Stone’s interior space had expanded multiple times, and her control over void energy had grown immensely.

Feng Qinghe fell into a hot spring pool. The moment she entered, she wanted to take the spring with her. But the special energy in the water rushed into her body on its own.

It felt like spiritual energy. But it wasn’t spiritual energy.

Spiritual energy needed refining to be used. Even if she had plenty stored, it couldn’t be used without refinement.

This spring energy, however, nourished her body while merging with it, becoming usable energy. It seemed naturally compatible with her. Her meridians widened under the force. And the process was painless, even warm.

As her meridians reached a certain size, Feng Qinghe saw little specks in her sea of consciousness. Like faint stars twinkling in a dark night sky. The stars brightened, merging into a single radiant star, illuminating her consciousness. The boundaries of her sea of consciousness expanded. Like a small room transforming into a palace, still growing.

In that moment, Feng Qinghe felt what it meant to complete Foundation Establishment.

Miao Fuguang’s words echoed in her mind:

“Every realm has early, middle, late, and peak stages. Beyond peak, there’s perfection. Foundation Establishment is your base for all future cultivation. If you can perfect it before forming your Golden Core, your benefits will be endless.

Early stage: 30% of your spiritual energy liquefies.

Middle stage: 70% liquefies.

Late stage: 90% liquefies.

Peak stage: energy solidifies into crystals.

Perfection is re-gasifying the crystallized spiritual energy to form a sea of spiritual energy in your body, tempering your body with spiritual energy and merging it with your soul.

When your cultivated power reaches your consciousness and changes it, that’s perfection. Simultaneously, your power connects to your soul. Your soul is tempered, and every future cultivation strengthens it further. But how to reach perfection depends on finding the right opportunity yourself. If you can’t reach perfection, tempering the soul after forming the Nascent Soul is also possible.”

…

Feng Qinghe suddenly raised her hand, reaching into the void.

She grasped nothing. But she saw the black thread on her soul. And faintly, the runes carved on it.

She stopped controlling the energy, letting it condense into a pill. She had been holding back from advancing to Golden Core, refusing to upgrade. She wanted to reach Foundation Establishment perfection first.

During her Wuyou Forest trials, she hesitated when she could have broken into Golden Core. Did she really need to wait for that elusive opportunity?

Holding back kept her stuck, her power stagnant. Was that worth it?

Now, she felt only gratitude.

Gratitude for Miao Fuguang’s careful teachings.

Gratitude for her own perseverance.

Feng Qinghe looked into her dantian, stunned.

Was this really her Golden Core? Why did it feel different from what her master described?

Chapter Text

Her master had said normal Golden Cores were white. But the color of a Golden Core could change depending on the cultivator, there was no fixed hue. Still, the vast majority of cultivators’ Golden Cores were a solid color.

Feng Qinghe recalled Miao Fuguang’s words and turned inward once more to inspect her own Golden Core.

It was the size of a fist. It looked exactly like a smooth crystal sphere. The color… was indescribable.

Inside the crystal sphere, countless flowing rivers of stars seemed to converge. From every angle, it dazzled with brilliance, sparkling like a constellation condensed into a single point.

Feng Qinghe raised her hand, feeling the energy swirl in her palm. She could sense the three types of power stored in her body’s memory.

One was a pitifully small amount of void energy.

Another was spiritual energy.

The last was a force that could actually be seen. It flowed like crushed moonlight turned into fine sand, yet it was soft as water, moving slowly while twinkling with starlight. Then it coalesced at the very center of her Golden Core, like an even smaller Golden Core.

As long as she didn’t deliberately summon the void energy or the moon-sand force, her core automatically produced spiritual power.

Her body felt completely normal. She didn’t even need to stabilize her cultivation; she was already at the early Golden Core stage.

Feng Qinghe opened her eyes sharply and quickly masked herself again. She’d finally found a breakthrough opportunity earlier, she couldn’t afford to waste it. Now that the breakthrough was complete, she had to leave quickly. She looked at the dried-up hot spring pool and took it with her.

Her sea of consciousness now felt like a fortress. She could easily isolate the spiritual spring pool and water area, then store them in her spatial space. But as soon as the spring pool was stored, she noticed a massive stone below the pit. It was as if dipped in thick ink, black as the abyss. If not for the streaks of blazing gold within the black, she wouldn’t have noticed it at all.

The stone gave off no energy fluctuations, it seemed completely mundane. Acting on instinct, Feng Qinghe stored it in her space.

The Void Stone trembled. Its spirit’s dissatisfaction reached her consciousness.

What was going on? Was it unhappy because, after being used to holding so many treasures, it was now looking down on this mere mortal object?

Before she could react, the Void Stone’s spirit sank back into slumber.

Feng Qinghe didn’t have time to worry about it. She activated her disguise, re-applied the concealment talisman, and after scanning her surroundings to make sure nothing was left behind, she teleported to the opposite shore of the lake.

Once out, her first instinct was to check above the secret realm. Only when she confirmed there was no lightning tribulation did she look at the lake’s far side.

Yan Tinglan, Lu Qianqiu, and the giant python were still fighting. The downgrade talisman she had applied had failed. The giant python’s cultivation had reached the late Nascent Soul stage. Yan Tinglan and Lu Qianqiu couldn’t keep up with the rampaging python at all. But they couldn’t leave either. One of the python’s clones blocked their retreat.

Everyone else had vanished.

Only An Zhenxue remained nearby. Her face was extremely pale. She clutched a talisman in her hand, seemingly waiting for something.

“Senior Brother, the power’s coming from inside the Beast Core,” An Zhenxue reminded.

“Junior Sister Zhenxue, you go first,” Yan Tinglan said.

“I can protect myself, Senior Brother, don’t worry. The python went berserk for a reason. Once our Martial Uncle arrives, we’ll get out of this,” An Zhenxue replied calmly.

“Fairy Zhenxue’s eyes are glued to you, Senior Brother, it’s really heartbreaking!” Lu Qianqiu’s teasing voice rang out.

Feng Qinghe watched silently. She didn’t see Lu Qianqiu’s levity. She only saw the foundation of a major Sect.

Yan Tinglan and Lu Qianqiu were only early Golden Core cultivators, yet facing a late Nascent Soul demonic beast, their faces were calm. They hadn’t even used their trump cards. Even An Zhenxue looked merely concerned. None of the three seemed truly cornered.

Thinking about it, Feng Qinghe noticed something odd. All three were around twenty.

According to Linglong Pavilion, the Kunxu Secret Realm only opened once every two hundred years. The last time it opened, these three weren’t even born yet…

But their previous conversation proved they had been at the Spirit Lake.

Was Linglong Pavilion wrong? Or was the “once every two hundred years” rule just an illusion?

Could the five great Sects enter and exit the Kunxu Secret Realm at will? So, the disappearances of loose cultivators… were they really because the secret realm was dangerous?

From what she’d just passed through, she hadn’t encountered any real danger. And aside from An Zhenxue and the others, she hadn’t seen a single movable being.

The most dangerous thing here was the giant python.

But loose cultivators with the wooden token could never reach this place. Those without a backing Sect could only get a wooden token…

Feng Qinghe’s gaze swept over An Zhenxue, Yan Tinglan, and Lu Qianqiu.

The five great Sects wanted the immortal-era inheritance. The closer to such treasures, the more dangerous it got. Someone had to scout ahead. They wouldn’t send their own disciples—they wouldn’t risk them. Loose cultivators were perfect for scouting. No backing Sect, dying inside the secret realm would make no waves.

“Senior Brother, be careful. It’s going to self-destruct its clone,” An Zhenxue said, her voice tinged with anxiety.

Feng Qinghe’s eyes landed on one of the giant python clones.

Its scales exploded.

Blinding light shot from the gaps.

Bang!

The massive body dissolved into blood mist.

Countless scales flew toward Yan Tinglan and Lu Qianqiu.

Glows erupted around them.

Then came the sound of talisman fragments ‘clattering’ to the ground.

The python seized the moment to lash Lu Qianqiu with its tail.

Pff!

He spat out blood and flew backward.

Yan Tinglan’s eyes flickered. He leapt forward, catching Lu Qianqiu, and transformed his talisman into a shield.

Crack!

The shield developed a crack.

“Retreat first, I’ll cover the rear,” Yan Tinglan said.

“I’m fine.” Lu Qianqiu wiped the blood from his mouth, took several pills, and his wounds healed instantly. He tossed a pill to Yan Tinglan, “If it self-destructs its clone, the original will also get badly hurt. Leaving now wastes our effort and lets others benefit.”

The hidden person probably hadn’t left.

“But our defensive talismans won’t survive its next self-destruction,” Yan Tinglan said, unconvinced.

The python’s cultivation was too unusual. Continuing could be unpredictable. He wanted to wait for reinforcements.

“If you really want to leave, Tinglan-ge, you can go now, just don’t come back midway to pick up the spoils,” Lu Qianqiu said.

He brushed his fingers along his sword and rushed forward again.

Yan Tinglan watched him a moment, then took a pill himself and transmitted to An Zhenxue, “Junior Sister Zhenxue, move farther away and protect yourself.”

Even though Lu Qianqiu couldn’t break the lake’s barrier, he didn’t want to gamble.

Maybe Lu Qianqiu’s aim for the Beast Core was fake. His real goal was probably the same as theirs. He wanted the chance at the lake bottom.

Feng Qinghe sat on the lake’s opposite shore, a swirl of moon-sand energy forming in her palm. It was the force she sensed after the python’s clone exploded. She had only tried to condense it, yet it appeared directly in her palm.

Her eyes darkened. What was this power? Why did it resonate with her so perfectly?

Her master’s teachings had never mentioned this form of power. Perhaps the immortal-era inheritance would hold the answer.

Feng Qinghe looked across the lake, deciding to help them end the battle quickly. That way, An Zhenxue could meet Jiang Qingshu sooner. But as she rose, she spotted four people flying on their swords from the distance.

Chapter Text

Feng Qinghe immediately spotted Jiang Qingshu. He wore a pale blue brocade robe and rode a sword through the air, the edges of his robe fluttering behind him. He truly had the bearing of a dragon and phoenix. At this moment, a young pride marked Jiang Qingshu’s features. But that sharpness wasn’t cutting. It was like a treasured sword still in its sheath—its brilliance obvious, but the blade hidden from view.

Feng Qinghe sat back down. She’d wait for the enemy to make the first move. She needed to think carefully about revenge, and how to make him hand over the Xuan Tie Token. ‘Telekinesis’ required a mark first, otherwise it wouldn’t work.

But Jiang Qingshu’s cultivation was higher than hers. If she used telekinesis now, not only could she not take the Xuan Tie Token, she’d also risk exposing herself.

Her gaze shifted from Jiang Qingshu to the giant python. Maybe she could use the python to her advantage, but first, Yan Tinglan and Lu Qianqiu needed to be kicked aside. With them out of the way, plus the python, her strength would far surpass Jiang Qingshu.

Feng Qinghe raised her hand and pressed a defensive talisman onto the python. At the same time, she silently sent explosive talismans toward Yan Tinglan and Lu Qianqiu.

Everything happened without a sound.

By the time Yan Tinglan and Lu Qianqiu noticed the talismans, terrifying power had already detonated before them.

Boom!

The two of them slammed hard against the barrier, then fell to the ground, vomiting blood. Their disciples’ robes were ripped and tattered.

The python’s eyes flicked to the far side of the lake, then its tail split in two, striking toward Yan Tinglan and Lu Qianqiu.

“Senior Brother!” An Zhenxue flashed forward, a jade sword appearing in her hands, blocking Yan Tinglan.

The moment she raised the jade sword, a protective barrier formed around her and Yan Tinglan. At the same time, she threw a talisman toward Lu Qianqiu, forming a barrier in front of him as well.

The python’s tail slammed into the two barriers.

Lu Qianqiu’s barrier shattered.

The barrier An Zhenxue had formed started cracking.

“Zhenxue, get out of here!” Yan Tinglan shouted, his voice tense.

They were at the Golden Core stage and could barely endure the pressure of a late Nascent Soul beast. But An Zhenxue was just at the Foundation stage. Once her barrier broke, even her defensive robes wouldn’t save her from serious injury.

Lu Qianqiu’s gaze on An Zhenxue burned hotter.

Courageous and righteous.

Wise and bold.

And possesses the Lunar Sovereign Body.

No wonder his master wanted An Zhenxue as a Dao partner.

Lu Qianqiu looked at her back, his eyes filled with determination. Then he swallowed a pill, forcing himself to stand, and entered the barrier, channeling spirit energy into the jade sword. The barrier, which had been on the verge of collapsing, slowly healed its cracks.

Seeing it hold, Lu Qianqiu smiled at An Zhenxue, “Thanks for saving me, Fairy Zhenxue. I can’t repay you… maybe I should offer myself to you?”

Disgust flashed across An Zhenxue’s eyes. She hated being called ‘Fairy’. She hated the way Lu Qianqiu looked at her even more. If it weren’t for the two sects, she wouldn’t have saved him in the first place.

“Don’t be shy, Fairy Zhenxue, I was just joking,” Lu Qianqiu said lightly.

His master had said women were often shy. A man had to be proactive and patient.

An Zhenxue looked at him like he was an idiot, “Why can’t your pills fix your brain?”

Lu Qianqiu chuckled, “Fairy Zhenxue, this is me caring about you—”

Smack!

Before he could finish, he got slapped. His cheek swelled instantly.

An Zhenxue stared blankly for a moment. Who did what she wanted to do?

Lu Qianqiu froze, his shock turning into rage. “Who did that? Come out!”

Feng Qinghe returned to the far side of the lake and sat cross-legged again.

Hearing Lu Qianqiu roar, she couldn’t help feeling a pang of guilt.

Sorry.

She really couldn’t hold back. But if she didn’t hit him, she wouldn’t feel any relief. She didn’t know why. Lu Qianqiu’s words alone just sparked an uncontrollable rage in her.

“Junior Sister Zhenxue, watch out!” Yan Tinglan shouted in alarm.

Boom!

The barriers shattered into pieces.

Lu Qianqiu and An Zhenxue flew out together.

Yan Tinglan rushed to catch An Zhenxue. But a pale blue figure beat him to it, catching her in his arms.

“Are you alright, miss?” Jiang Qingshu’s gentle voice whispered in her ear.

An Zhenxue looked up and saw a young, almost boyish face.

Jiang Qingshu set her down, “It’s safe here. Leave the next part to me. Take care of yourself.”

Then he turned to face the rampaging python.

Watching Jiang Qingshu, An Zhenxue couldn’t help but feel a spark of admiration.

Yan Tinglan and Lu Qianqiu were saved by two others, leaving four people in total: one to protect An Zhenxue, two for Yan Tinglan and Lu Qianqiu, and Jiang Qingshu alone fighting the python.

Against a late Nascent Soul python, Jiang Qingshu was clearly outmatched. Yet his sword was extraordinary, piercing the beast multiple times.

Feng Qinghe watched the faltering python, feeling the overwhelming ‘main character aura’.

Jiang Qingshu had forced his cultivation to rise, it was unstable, yet he still drove back a late Nascent Soul beast step by step.

No! Main character aura my ass!

This guy stole her luck. Dared to take what belonged to her.

Heh.

Feng Qinghe put on her mask, shrinking her body and hiding her aura. She poured a few drops from a small porcelain bottle onto herself, instantly making her aura complex and untraceable.

Satisfied she wouldn’t be discovered, she acted. She pressed a defensive talisman on the python, then sent an explosive talisman at Jiang Qingshu.

But Jiang Qingshu wasn’t Yan Tinglan or Lu Qianqiu. Before the talisman reached him, he formed a barrier in advance.

Boom!

The talisman’s terrifying force shattered Jiang Qingshu’s barrier and destroyed all his defensive devices. He was hit by the blast, his body showing fresh wounds.

“It’s you, Feng Qinghe,” Jiang Qingshu said firmly, staring at the spot she had stood.

Back on the far side of the lake, Feng Qinghe didn’t react.

Anyone could guess. She certainly wouldn’t jump out and shout, “Not me!”

Jiang Qingshu expanded his divine sense, his eyes darkening. He had sensed her aura for a brief instant… then it was gone. But he didn’t have time to dwell. Wounded, his fight against the python grew difficult.

Feng Qinghe glanced at the three others who came with him: a Foundation stage girl and two at Nascent Soul.

Seeing two of them preparing to aid Jiang Qingshu, she tossed another explosive talisman. It wasn’t as powerful as before, but it stopped the two Nascent Soul disciples.

She disguised her voice, warning, “I’m only dealing with him. Anyone who steps forward dies!”

An Zhenxue and the others scanned around but couldn’t find the source. The voice felt eerily like someone from the Youming Hall.

They exchanged glances and communicated silently.

“This young man saved us. We can’t abandon him.”

“Fairy Zhenxue, remember, he’s not from the Five Great Sects.”

“Lu Qianqiu, if you don’t care about him, you can leave. I, An Zhenxue, will never betray anyone.”

Yan Tinglan was about to speak to An Zhenxue. They still had their life-saving items and weren’t in the worst position yet.

Leaving now, word would get out and tarnish their sect’s reputation. At that moment, Yan Tinglan received a transmission from Patriarch Mu Yuan of the Tianling Sect.

“Don’t meddle. Take Zhenxue and leave. Jiang Qingshu will find a way to escape.”

Yan Tinglan immediately understood. Mu Yuan had seen everything through the Wangkun Mirror. He hurriedly transmitted, “Master, who’s hiding in the shadows?”

===

Quick lore note! I use the terms "Taiyin" and "Taiyang" for the general term. However, when it comes to special physiques, I specifically translate 太阴之体 as the "Lunar Sovereign" and 太阳之体 as the "Solar Sovereign." These represent the highest tier of Yin and Yang bodies, even above a Pure Yin or Pure Yang Body.

For a deeper dive into how these special physiques work, you can check out my Xianxia Handbook (the basic guide/reference that I comply) in this chapter link.

Readers from my story 'I Became a Fairy...' will recognize this setup!

Chapter Text

“The Wangkun Mirror can’t see who’s hiding in the dark. You all should leave first and wait for them to show themselves.”

Mu Yuan’s voice carried an unshakable authority.

Yan Tinglan heard this and transmitted to everyone, “We’ll leave first.”

An Zhenxue stared at Yan Tinglan in shock, unable to hide her disbelief. “Senior Brother, why?”

Yan Tinglan was the top disciple of this generation in Tianling Sect. The eldest Senior Brother of everyone. Also the one with the most responsibility. He had never abandoned anyone before. So why would he make a choice like this now? He couldn’t be unaware of the methods of the Youming Hall. Someone as gifted as Jiang Qingshu falling into their hands meant only one outcome: death.

Facing An Zhenxue’s questioning gaze, Yan Tinglan moved his lips, but ultimately didn’t mention Mu Yuan. He didn’t want any blemish to appear on their Master’s otherwise righteous reputation. He transmitted, “Junior Sister Zhenxue, we’re only retreating temporarily.”

“Senior Brother, have you thought about what young master Jiang will face?”

Yan Tinglan fell silent. He knew leaving Jiang Qingshu here alone was like pushing him into a pit of fire.

Lu Qianqiu sneered, “Fairy Zhenxue, are you really gonna stay and provoke the one in the dark, dragging us all down with you?”

An Zhenxue’s expression shifted slightly. If she didn’t leave, Yan Tinglan definitely wouldn’t. But she couldn’t abandon someone who had shown her kindness.

“Zhenxue-jiejie, if you don’t wanna leave, we won’t. I’ll talk to that person.”

The white-robed girl beside An Zhenxue spoke.

Lu Qianqiu glanced at her and gave a silent, cold laugh. “Bai Yan’er, the Youming Hall might not dare touch you, but that doesn’t mean we’re safe.”

Bai Yan’er ignored him, her gaze sharp across the lake. She said without fear, “I’m Bai Yan’er of Wendao Sect. If you want something, say it directly, but don’t harm anyone here.”

Feng Qinghe and Bai Yan’er exchanged glances across the water. Quite a coincidence. Another female lead from the story had appeared.

Bai Yan’er, seventeen now, at mid-Foundation Establishment. Granddaughter of the Wendao Sect’s Ancestor. An unawakened diviner of Luck. Every diviner must awaken and gain the Heavenly Dao’s recognition. Otherwise, their divinations would backfire, and even crossing the Thunder Tribulation would be more dangerous.

There was no set way to awaken. It relied entirely on the diviner’s own insight. In the story, Bai Yan’er awakened successfully at twenty and became a true diviner of Luck. After awakening, she became especially interested in Jiang Qingshu and kept following him. Over time, she secretly developed feelings for him. But by then, Jiang Qingshu was already with An Zhenxue.

Jiang Qingshu openly declared he only loved An Zhenxue. So Bai Yan’er buried her feelings deep. Only after An Zhenxue sacrificed herself did Bai Yan’er confess.

Jiang Qingshu gradually accepted Bai Yan’er’s quiet devotion. In the end, Bai Yan’er tried to forcibly uncover a way to become a god for Jiang Qingshu, backfired, and her body and soul deteriorated rapidly. Even taking the Longevity Fruit couldn’t save her from falling.

By the time she died, she was already the top diviner of Luck. If Bai Yan’er had taken it slowly, she could have gradually sensed the way to godhood. But Jiang Qingshu couldn’t wait. This urgency drove Bai Yan’er to take a reckless risk.

Feng Qinghe’s gaze shifted between An Zhenxue and Bai Yan’er. They were just tools in Jiang Qingshu’s path to godhood. No different from the Feng Qinghe who died early in the story. All like pawns drained of Luck and destroyed.

At this moment, looking at Jiang Qingshu battling the giant python, Feng Qinghe felt her emotions settle. Maybe she’d been looking in the wrong direction all along. Jiang Qingshu’s godhood wasn’t achieved solely by himself…

Why waste time fighting him? Why focus on hatred?

Her time, her energy, should be spent on getting stronger. Everything else didn’t matter.

As for Jiang Qingshu, she could deal with him after reclaiming her Luck.

Her gaze returned to Bai Yan’er. As one of the story’s female leads, Bai Yan’er’s divination talent was unparalleled. Maybe she could get information about the Xuan Tie Token through her.

"I need you to locate the token through divination."

Bai Yan’er’s eyes widened at the voice echoing in her sea of consciousness as images flashed before her, appearing and disappearing. She didn’t know what kind of token it was. She was just shocked that someone in the dark knew she was a diviner. The Ancestor had placed a restriction on her, ensuring no one could see through her identity before awakening…

“I don't know.” Bai Yan’er replied.

“Yan’er, what’s wrong?” An Zhenxue’s worried voice sounded. To everyone else, Bai Yan’er seemed to just freeze after speaking.

She shook her head at An Zhenxue, “Zhenxue-jiejie, I’m fine, I’m negotiating with them.”

She could only sense the hidden person on the other side of the lake. Nothing more. Since she could still communicate outside, Bai Yan’er decided to seek help from Elder Qing Feng.

“If you contact anyone else, I’ll act immediately.”

A cold voice echoed in her sea of consciousness. Bai Yan’er immediately stopped, her face troubled. “I won’t divinate.”

“Just use the simplest perception divination.”

“Okay.” Bai Yan’er formed the hand seals. Three images flickered before her.

The first was a white haze.

Then it cleared a bit, and she vaguely saw a short, bulky figure wearing a mask.

The second image was blurry, but she still recognized the person. It was Jiang Qingshu ahead of her.

The third image was also vague. But she recognized this one too. Wendao Sect, Tianshan Peak’s peak lord, Kong Sang Zūnzhě. Her Martial Uncle. A direct disciple of the Ancestor.

The Ancestor had said Kong Sang Zūnzhě could have entered Unity a thousand years ago, but held back to freely access Kunxu Secret Realm. It seemed he and the Ancestor were searching for something extremely important. Whether it was this token or not, she couldn’t say. If she couldn’t mention Kong Sang Zūnzhě, she couldn’t mention Jiang Qingshu either.

“I didn’t see anything, change your conditions.”

Feng Qinghe wasn’t disappointed hearing Bai Yan’er. Her reaction was the answer.

Jiang Qingshu definitely had a token. The other Xuan Tie Token was probably with someone from Wendao Sect. And Bai Yan’er knew that person.

But how could Feng Qinghe get the one from Jiang Qingshu? He wouldn’t hand it over willingly.

She also didn’t want to drag things out here. She had no choice but to risk using her divine ability—Telekinetic Grasp.

Focus your mind.

Manifest the imagined!

Failed.

Feng Qinghe felt Jiang Qingshu’s sharp gaze on her. He stared at her position and tossed a formation plate.

Feng Qinghe watched it fly toward her. She flickered out of the way. She tried two more times.

Failed.

Failed.

Her mind raced. She harnessed the Void Energy and tried Telekinetic Grasp again.

Manifest!

In a flash of sparks, she sensed something had appeared in her palm.

===

Supernatural power from now I change with Divine ability.

Chapter Text

Feng Qinghe glanced at the thing in her hand.

A box. Its surface was carved with dense, intricate runes. Layers of seals and restrictions wrapped around it.

She quickly put the box away. At the same moment, she sensed a faint shift in her Primordial Soul. The change was tiny. But she was sure it happened because she’d seized back a portion of the Luck that belonged to her.

Feng Qinghe looked at the box the Void Stone spirit had opened inside her spatial space. Inside it lay a Xuan Tie Token. Now that she’d secured it, her mood brightened. Across the lake, she admired Jiang Qingshu’s expression as it shifted from stunned, to shocked, to furious, to terrified.

"Jiang Qingshu, we’ve got a long road ahead."

She’d take back everything that should’ve been hers, twice over.

Feng Qinghe let a smile tug at her lips and turned to leave. She still needed one more token.

Meanwhile, after checking his spatial space again and again, Jiang Qingshu finally accepted the truth. The box that held his Xuan Tie Token was gone. He accepted it, but he couldn’t accept it. How could something like this happen? Someone had actually taken something from his spatial space while his contract with it was still active. The other party had acted four times just now.

The first time they’d struck, he’d already sensed their cultivation.

Early Golden Core.

But that wasn’t the issue.

Even a Tribulation Crossing expert shouldn’t be able to forcefully extract an item from his spatial space while a contract was still in place.

Something like this had never happened before. There was nothing about it in any ancient record. The reason contracted spatial tools were so valuable was exactly because anything stored inside them was untouchable by anyone except the owner. Yet someone had just broken that rule.

Once Jiang Qingshu recovered from his shock, panic rose inside him, making it impossible to focus on fighting the giant python.

A loud crash rang out. He slammed into the ground, blood spilling from his lips.

The giant python only glanced at him, then turned and shot back into the spirit lake, vanishing.

Jiang Qingshu didn’t even care about his injuries. He stared across the lake, a worse possibility rising in his mind. What if the person who took the box with the Xuan Tie Token didn’t take it by coincidence…

“Young master Jiang, are you alright?” An Zhenxue rushed to his side. When she saw the blood at the corner of his mouth, guilt washed over her.

“Zhenxue-jie, Young master Jiang, the person hiding in the dark already left,” Bai Yan’er said firmly.

“When did they leave?” Lu Qianqiu asked, unreadable.

Bai Yan’er ignored him. She hurried over and helped An Zhenxue lift Jiang Qingshu from both sides.

The sight made Lu Qianqiu’s expression sour. He’d never cared enough to compare himself to Jiang Qingshu. Even though Jiang Qingshu was the first in thousands of years to reach Nascent Soul at seventeen, Lu Qianqiu had never seen him as a rival. Someone from a tiny family wasn’t worthy of comparison.

But now, watching An Zhenxue show such concern for Jiang Qingshu, Lu Qianqiu felt rage simmer. An Zhenxue was going to become his Dao companion. How could she act so close to another man?

Lu Qianqiu’s gaze turned cold as he forced a smile. “Young master Jiang, Tianlan and I are just in the Golden Core stage, and we still managed to fight that python evenly. You’re a Nascent Soul cultivator but… you’re not even doing as well as us Golden Core cultivators.”

Jiang Qingshu didn’t react. He only covered his mouth and coughed.

When An Zhenxue saw blood seeping through his fingers, her expression tightened. He’d helped them, he didn’t deserve to get treated like this. She looked at Lu Qianqiu. “Lu Qianqiu, there’s no one from the Guixian Sect here. Why are you still standing here?”

Lu Qianqiu’s face darkened. “An Zhenxue, I was talking to him. Why’re you so worked up?”

Yan Tianlan stepped between them. “Qianqiu, Junior Sister Zhenxue, stop arguing. Let’s leave this place first.”

Their Master intended for Junior Sister Zhenxue and Lu Qianqiu to form a Dao partnership. He couldn’t let the two fall out.

And Jiang Qingshu was just a passerby. He wasn’t worth their concern. No matter how talented he was, he wasn’t on the same path as disciples of major sects.

The Jiang family was a small clan. Even if they poured everything into Jiang Qingshu, they still couldn’t compare to a sect’s casually nurtured inner disciple. Behind sect disciples were deep foundations, ancient inheritances from the Immortal Age, Kunxu secret realms, countless experts paving their way. In every aspect, the Jiang family couldn’t compete.

Jiang Qingshu had never been worth seeing as a rival. Walking fast wasn’t what mattered. Walking far was. And they, supported by their sect, were destined to walk farther than he ever could.

Seeing Yan Tianlan step in, An Zhenxue stopped paying attention to Lu Qianqiu.

Jiang Qingshu shook off her support. “Everyone, I’m sorry. I didn’t manage to help. Let’s part ways here.”

He didn’t look at anyone and flew off alone on his sword. He needed to find the Jiang family.

The Five Great Sects were clearly searching for the Xuan Tie Tokens too. He couldn’t let them know he’d ever possessed one. Only the Jiang family could help him search.

An Zhenxue watched his thin back fade into the distance and said nothing. She still had many things to do in this secret realm.

“Zhenxue, you and he aren’t on the same path. Let’s go,” Yan Tianlan said meaningfully.

Bai Yan’er watched Jiang Qingshu disappear, then glanced at An Zhenxue. Doubt filled her eyes. For a brief moment earlier, she thought she’d seen a strange link between the two. But she didn’t have the Heavenly Eye, so she’d probably imagined it.

A vast desert.

Feng Qinghe clawed herself up from the sand. The moment she stood up, a gust of yellow sand slapped her in the face. The wind howled, whipping sand in every direction. She could barely open her eyes. After sensing the surroundings, she realized there were no living creatures nearby.

So the map hadn’t lied. It truly was a barren land. There was no opportunity here. Sect members wouldn’t come. Loose cultivators couldn’t reach this place.

It was very safe, perfect for recovery. Still, she didn’t plan to rest on the surface. In a place with no cover, underground was much safer.

After using void energy to take the Xuan Tie Token, she’d nearly emptied her reserve. She needed to wait until her void energy recovered before going out to seek opportunities. She activated Earth Escape. And soon discovered the desert wasn’t empty at all. It had everything. She couldn’t sense living creatures because she wasn’t digging deep enough.

The fifth time she burrowed down, she fell into a scorpion nest.

The sixth time, an ant colony.

Each ant was as tall as she was.

She’d even landed right in front of the Ant Queen. If she hadn’t run fast, she might’ve become the queen’s next meal.

The seventh dig nearly dropped her into a lizard’s mouth.

Fortunately, the depths didn’t hold only dangerous creatures. There were also opportunities waiting.

Chapter Text

Feng Qinghe stepped into a mine tunnel. Strange ores covered the walls. They looked a bit like amethyst. A mysterious power pulsed inside each one. There was nothing to think about, so she dug everything up. As she worked deeper, she found several stalks of Nine Curve Ginseng. She didn't know their age, but they were definitely better than the ones in the Jiang Family's treasury.

She lifted the plants, soil and roots included, and sent them into her space.

Then she heard a soft cry. It sounded like a child sobbing. Utterly pitiful.

A cold shiver ran down her spine. She wasn't afraid of running into some powerful beast. What terrified her was this kind of sudden, eerie feeling. Her ears twitched. The sound seemed to be coming from the ground beneath her. She pressed her palms together. "Um, sorry. I didn't mean to disturb you. I'll cover you back up. Sleep well."

Feng Qinghe hurried to fill the hole. The crying grew even more miserable. Whatever was down there, it wasn't trying to come up, right?

Her hands moved faster. No matter what was buried beneath, it couldn't be allowed to come out. She hadn't cultivated any soul related arts yet. There was no way to deal with these ghostly things. So she pretended she couldn't hear the crying. After she finished filling the pit, she turned to leave.

When she passed through earlier, she had heard the sound of flowing water. She planned to check it out. Soon, she found a hidden river. It wasn't wide. Or deep. But she couldn't sense its length. The water was crystal clear. There was no trace of life. Nothing seemed unusual about the river. But this was the Kunxu Mystic Realm. Nothing here was simple. And since she had seen it, it must be fated with her. Take it first, study it later.

The moment she moved, the familiar crying rose again.

Feng Qinghe froze.

One phrase flashed through her mind: a restless ghost.

"Um, Senior, is this also your territory?"

"Wu wu wu... tang ning..."

Feng Qinghe finally realized this thing could not only cry, it could speak. But she didn't understand its language.

Miao Fuguang had taught her a bunch of languages while teaching her cultivation. Unfortunately, whatever this creature was speaking wasn't among them.

"Senior, whatever you're saying, I don't understand."

"Wu... wu... return... mine..." The two broken words were spoken in the First Province's common language.

A faint glint flashed in her eyes. Was this thing connected to the Five Great Sects? Or maybe they were the ones who got it killed? Why else would it speak the language of the First Province?

"Senior, if you have any grudges, go find the people from the Five Great Sects. They'll take full responsibility." Feng Qinghe finished speaking and put away her tools.

She teleported away without hesitation. Compared to any opportunity, survival always came first.

The moment she left, something purple poked out of the ground. The tip slowly emerged, revealing a purple root. A plump purple ginseng squeezed its way out. Two green leaves sprouted atop its head. One of its roots stretched through the air, feeling around. It seemed to be confirming something.

Then the purple ginseng extended its root into the river. The water quickly vanished until not a drop remained. After finishing, it dove into the earth with incredible speed, as if staying a moment longer would get it killed.

Feng Qinghe stood in a barren desert. When the sand slapped against her face this time, a warm feeling rose through her body. Maybe she really was better suited to staying above ground.

Thinking about the creature hiding underground, she tried to use her divine sense to detect it. She couldn't sense even a thread of life. Even the ant nest she had visited earlier couldn't be found. It made sense. The Five Great Sects were filled with powerful cultivators. If those nests couldn't avoid detection, they would have been wiped out long ago.

She stared at the endless desert, thinking of what she just experienced. A possibility dawned on her. Maybe this place wasn't always a desert. Maybe the Ten Great Forces created it.

Feng Qinghe took out her map and considered her next destination. That spirit lake was in the northern part of the desert. She didn't plan to go back there.

To the south stretched a chain of mountains filled with resources for Golden Core cultivators.

The west held a snowy region.

According to the map, only those with a Gold Token or higher could step into the snowy domain. A place like that was probably crawling with disciples from the Ten Great Forces. Better to head for the mountains first. There should be fewer sect disciples there.

She glanced over the snowy region, then toward the eastern side of the desert.

The swamp.

To reach the central inheritance grounds, one had to cross the swamp. She studied the notes marked on the map. Many demon beasts, extremely dangerous. Every time the mystic realm opened, even Divine Transformation cultivators died there. A treasure inside it would ripen one month after the realm opened.

Wendao Sect's Kong Sang always visited the swamp without fail.

Wendao Sect.

Bai Yaner’s sect.

In the book, Bai Yaner had recalled that Kong Sang died inside the Kunxu Mystic Realm.

Kong Sang was at Void Refining. There was no way he died in the swamp. He most likely died at the Immortal Ancient Inheritance. Which meant the third Xuan Tie Token was on him.

Feng Qinghe folded the map. She had a month. She would head south first, gather resources suited for her, then go to the snowy region to see if she could pick up anything. She would go to the swamp last. Good thing she bought plenty of teleport talismans from Linglong Pavilion. Otherwise she would waste most of her time traveling.

Three days later.

Deep inside a valley.

Angry roars echoed through the mountains.

"Who is it? Get out here! You dare steal from Guixian Sect? You're tired of living!"

Lu Qianqiu's face twisted with rage, nothing like his usual polite, refined appearance. He screamed into the empty air.

The other Guixian Sect disciples shrank back like terrified quails, not daring to move. They were terrified they'd become his outlet for rage. Their luck had been horrible these past three days. Every opportunity they found disappeared right before they grabbed it. Or after they defeated a guardian beast with great effort, the spiritual plant they worked for vanished.

The most ridiculous one was Lu Qianqiu's treasure disappearing even after he stored it inside his space.

In the end, they changed strategies. Every time they found something, they set up formations first, then dealt with the guardian beast. But the treasures still vanished.

Everyone watched Lu Qianqiu lose his mind, and honestly, they wanted to go crazy too. But they didn't dare.

After yelling for a long time, Lu Qianqiu looked around at them. "Has someone leaked our movements?"

Everyone shook their heads.

One person spoke carefully. "Senior Brother Qianqiu, transmission tokens don't work here. High grade transmission talismans are expensive, we can't afford to use them."

High grade transmission talismans were for emergencies. And even if transmission tokens worked, no one would be stupid enough to call in reinforcements to steal their own opportunities.

"Someone's targeting us for sure!" Lu Qianqiu growled between clenched teeth.

At first, whenever something went missing, he had searched every corner. But he always found nothing but air. Eventually, he began storing everything the moment he saw it. But even that didn't stop the disappearances.

This time, he had finally found a stalk of Starlight Awakening Herb, the main ingredient for refining Primordial Soul Pills. If he took a Primordial Soul Pill before advancing to Nascent Soul, his Yuányīng would be several times stronger. Other opportunities could be replaced. But this herb was something he’d been tracking for six years. And it still disappeared. How was he supposed to stay sane after that?

Lu Qianqiu narrowed his eyes. If he was suffering, then no one else should think they’d have it easy. "We’re going to find the Tianling Sect people."

===

I always render the infant in Nascent soul stage as 'Yuányīng'

Chapter Text

"Senior Brother Qianqiu, isn't this a bit bad? Won't the people from Tianling Sect think we're trying to steal their chance?"

"Steal what chance? I'm going to see my future Dao companion."

The members of Guixian Sect froze for a moment, then quickly understood that Lu Qianqiu meant An Zhenxue.

"Senior Brother, we don't know Fairy Zhenxue's exact location, and Tianling Sect's territory isn't small. If we search place by place, it'll easily cause misunderstandings."

Lu Qianqiu let out a cold laugh. "I know. Follow me."

Before he and An Zhenxue parted ways, he had left a mark on her. The mark could only be used once. He had held off on activating it. Now was the right time.

After sensing where the mark was, he looked at the others. His eyes turned icy. "Everything we've gone through these past few days, no one is allowed to mention a word of it before we get out of the Kunxu Secret Realm."

"Don't worry, Senior Brother Qianqiu, we'll keep our mouths shut." Everyone answered at once.

The chance they'd worked so hard to find had been stolen. And they had no idea who stole it. This was more humiliating than finding nothing at all. There was no way they'd spread this around.

Lu Qianqiu's mood eased a little. Whoever had hidden from his senses absolutely couldn't hide from the Wangkun Mirror. Once they got out, he'd know exactly who that person was. When the time came, no matter who it was, he'd make them pay. His Master wouldn't spare them either.

Meanwhile, Feng Qinghe sat on a tree trunk, watching the Guixian Sect group head off into the distance. She couldn't stop herself from rubbing her ears.

Lu Qianqiu's shouting had almost deafened her.

Heaven and earth as her witness. She was completely innocent. The moment she arrived in this mountain range, she'd planned to work hard and find her own opportunities. But no matter where she went, she ran into people from the Ten Major Forces. Every single opportunity point already had someone keeping watch. It was like the Ten Major Forces had discussed things ahead of time. They never bothered each other. Each force guarded their own opportunities.

And she looked exactly like an outsider. As if there was no opportunity meant for her at all. With no other choice, she could only follow behind Lu Qianqiu's group and pick up whatever they dropped. They were the weakest force in the area after all.

Over the past three days, she had collected a nice number of opportunities. She had also started piecing things together.

There was no way the Ten Major Forces had occupied every single Golden Core area opportunity with such precision by chance. The Snow Domain, the swamp zone, all of it might be filled with their people. It was even possible the path leading to the Immortal Age Inheritance was blocked by them too.

Yes.

Only with such control would they dare let the Secret Realm open once every thousand years. Maybe the hardest part wasn't getting the third token. Maybe it was reaching the Immortal Age Inheritance at all.

Feng Qinghe was still thinking when she felt the tree trunk dip slightly on her right. She glanced over. And saw a golden egg. A half height tall golden egg that was almost blinding.

"Why didn't you keep following them?" A young and clear voice came from inside the egg.

Feng Qinghe froze. Had this thing been following her for three days? Didn't that mean her movements had been completely exposed?

"Don't teleport. I won't hurt you." The golden egg spoke quickly, as if afraid that if it slowed down even a little, she'd bolt.

It had seen her running speed these past few days. She was the fastest runner it had ever seen.

Feng Qinghe had planned to leave immediately. But her gaze swept over the floral patterns on the shell, and she stayed. The markings looked incredibly similar to ancient script. She didn't recognize it. Miao Fuguang had never taught it. But she had a bold guess that this was text from the Immortal Age. This golden egg might know something.

"When are you going to chase after them? Do you want me to point the way?"

She stared at the egg and ignored the question. Instead she asked, "How long have you been following me?"

The egg shook gently. "Since you entered the Kunxu Secret Realm. You've been interesting. Way more interesting than anyone else I've seen."

Her gaze shifted slightly. "You can control the entire Secret Realm?"

"I can't, but I can move around freely in it. You woke me up. Someone else managed to wake me before, but he wasn't as fun as you. He always dragged a bunch of people along to die. It was boring." The voice inside the egg carried clear disdain.

"Is he here this time?" Feng Qinghe asked. She suspected it was Kong Sang.

"He's here. He comes every few years. Every time I show myself, his first reaction is to catch me. Why don't you want to catch me?" the golden egg asked in confusion.

Ever since it gained awareness, everyone who saw it felt greed first. But what came after greed differed. People grew dissatisfied, arrogant, possessive, or violent. But the one before it now was different. Her greed came with restraint and caution. The greedier she was, the calmer she seemed.

Feng Qinghe weighed the words it spoke and sidestepped the question again. "Do many people see you?"

"I don't know. I don't have a fixed form."

She reacted instantly. The egg shape probably came from something it had seen. "Where would I find another golden egg like you?"

She loved gold. Something this shiny was exactly her style.

"You came too late. That egg refused to form a contract with anyone. It ended up destroying itself. Do you want to force a contract too?"

She looked genuinely disappointed. "I don't want that. Right, why did I wake you up?"

"I don't know. It felt like some kind of summoning. But after you fell into the Secret Realm, that power disappeared."

The golden egg answered every question honestly.

Feng Qinghe remembered the Xuan Tie Token she briefly took out. "The Xuan Tie Token was connected to the Immortal Age Inheritance. Could this thing be something that escaped from that place?"

Her expression grew serious. If she had something like this to guide her, would it be easier to reach the inheritance? Of course, it could also trick her. That depended on her judgment.

"You want to obtain me?" the golden egg asked.

Feng Qinghe gave a bright smile. "No. I just want to make a friend."

"A friend? The memories I've swallowed tell me that having a human friend is dangerous. Are you planning to make me leave with you then scheme against me?"

Hearing that childish voice beside her ear, she inexplicably felt guilty even though it was just an egg. Feng Qinghe spoke earnestly. "I've never schemed against a friend." She had never had one to scheme against.

The golden egg was surprised. It could clearly sense she wasn't lying. The memories it had devoured told it that those who never betrayed their friends were rare.

"Why do you want me as your friend?" it asked, puzzled. And not contract it?

Everyone else wanted to use it, control it, or claim it.

Feng Qinghe answered without hesitation. "No reason. It just feels too boring here. I want to take you out and show you the world, the mountains, the rivers, the busy cities."

The egg fell silent for a moment. "I've swallowed lots of memories. They say the outside world isn't beautiful at all. I'm better off staying free here."

When it first gained consciousness, it had been curious. But with more memories came less desire. There were many interesting things outside. But those memories told it that once it went out, what awaited it wasn't interesting. It would be endless danger.

Endless restriction.

It was better here.

Still, it had followed this person for days. Everything she did was interesting. Maybe following her would be different. If she asked it to leave, it might hesitate, but it wouldn't refuse outright.

Feng Qinghe considered its words and changed the topic directly. "You said someone else could wake you. Where is he right now?"

Chapter Text

The golden egg’s thoughts finally settled.

Why didn’t the person in front of it invite it to leave with her? Why did she suddenly change the topic? Was she afraid it would refuse?

Forget it. It should just answer her question first.

“That person is in the Illusion Grotto.”

Feng Qinghe remembered the mark on the map. Once they passed the Illusion Grotto, they could reach the Ancient Immortal Legacy Grounds. She also remembered something golden egg had mentioned earlier, something about leading people to their deaths. Everything clicked. Kong Sang was using loose cultivators as scouts.

Feng Qinghe asked, “Are there a lot of people in the Illusion Grotto?”

“A lot, a whole lot. Do you also want to go to the Illusion Grotto?”

If she wanted to walk into death too…

Should it stop her?

“I’m not going to the Illusion Grotto yet. Have you seen this kind of token?” Feng Qinghe took out a wooden command token and held it up.

“I’ve seen it. Lots of people in the Illusion Grotto have one.”

She tried another question. “Was the secret realm always like this?”

“No. It used to be lively, with many beasts. But ever since that group showed up, the beasts inside have gotten fewer every day. Eventually, they all disappeared, and the secret realm’s energy grew weaker and weaker…”

Feng Qinghe fell silent. Secret realm energy? Was that the energy that kept the core running?

“What happens when the secret realm’s energy runs out?”

The golden egg sounded troubled. “It collapses completely. The people in the Illusion Grotto only want to reach the Legacy Grounds, but they don’t know that only those acknowledged by the Legacy Grounds can enter.”

Feng Qinghe finally felt a ripple of unease.

You had to be acknowledged. That made her think of a phrase: protagonist plot armor.

Seeing her quiet, golden egg spoke again. “Those people want to open a path with blood, trying to force a way inside. They don’t understand that the more they do that, the less likely they are to ever enter.”

Feng Qinghe stared at it. “Have you been to the Legacy Grounds?”

“No. I can’t get in. The Legacy Grounds don’t acknowledge me.”

Hearing that, she hopped down from the branch and looked up at it. “Thanks for telling me. I’m leaving.”

Its tone had been so heavy when it mentioned the Legacy Grounds. She didn’t want to push further.

The golden egg dropped in front of her. “What are you planning to do next?”

Her eyes brightened a little. “Something good.”

The golden egg bounced in front of her again, excited. “Are you going to steal things?”

Feng Qinghe spread her hands with an innocent look. “Don’t say nonsense. I call it picking up leftovers. These are gifts from nature that go to whoever’s fastest.”

These opportunities in the secret realm belonged to everyone. Why should the Ten Great Forces monopolize everything? If they dared to be this overbearing, she didn’t need to be polite.

The golden egg looked enlightened. “Oh, picking up leftovers. That’s a great term.”

Although its memories said this was called robbery, the person in front of it was nice enough. Whatever she said was right.

“Can I follow you?” it asked carefully.

“You can, as long as you don’t expose me, don’t interfere with me, and do whatever you want afterward,” Feng Qinghe said cheerfully.

“Don’t worry, I won’t. Only you can see me. Only you can hear my voice.”

Why did that sound so ambiguous? Feng Qinghe rubbed her ear and didn’t reply.

The golden egg bounced after her. Then sadness washed over it again. When she left, it would have to go back to sleep. It would be great if she didn’t leave. The memories it had devoured showed that cultivators had miserable lives outside and died at any moment… Maybe it should persuade her to stay?

“What kind of place do you like to live in?”

Feng Qinghe thought about it. “I don’t know what kind of place I like. I only know that no matter where I am, I love feeling free and unrestrained.”

The golden egg froze. It loved freedom too. Why did her preferences match its own? Was she hinting at something?

As they walked, Feng Qinghe suddenly halted and looked at golden egg. “You’re sure no one but me can see you or sense you?”

“Yes.”

“Then do you want to try picking up leftovers?”

“Huh? I… I don’t know how…” And it didn’t need anything.

“It’s fine, I’ll teach you.” Feng Qinghe’s smile was bright, and her gaze sparkled as she looked at it.

On the other side, Lu Qianqiu spotted people from the Tianling Sect from afar.

An Zhenxue and the others were guarding Bewildering Grass, waiting for it to bloom. Bewildering Flowers had to be plucked the moment they opened and sealed immediately to preserve their best medicinal potency. They were one of the main ingredients for refining Seventh Grade Calamity Crossing Pills. After taking a Calamity Crossing Pill, a cultivator could remain conscious during lightning tribulation.

Those who needed the pill were usually Golden Core, Nascent Soul, and Out-of-Body cultivators. That was because Golden Core, Nascent Soul, and Out-of-Body cultivators had primordial souls that weren’t strong enough. During tribulation, their bodies couldn’t withstand the thunder’s force and they might faint.

This time, An Zhenxue’s mission was to pick Bewildering Flowers. And when she saw Lu Qianqiu from a distance, disgust flickered in her eyes.

Just moments ago, Yan Tinglan told her that Mu Yuan wanted her and Lu Qianqiu to become Dao companions. He even said their partnership was for the sake of both sects.

She always knew the Five Great Sects privately devoured each other.

The Wendao Sect was first because they had a diviner.

The Wujian Sword Sect was second because they had an incredibly powerful Sword Ancestor.

The remaining three, Tianling Sect, Guixian Sect, and Liangyi Sect, were about equal. Everyone knew that even if the last three joined forces, they could only barely match Wendao Sect and Wujian Sword Sect. If things continued, the last three would eventually be devoured.

So Tianling Sect, Guixian Sect, and Liangyi Sect had long intended to ally.

But she never expected that their method of forging an alliance was to send disciples to the other sects. The disciple sent out had to form a Dao companion bond with someone from the receiving sect.

This reminded An Zhenxue of memories she didn’t want to revisit. She had fought her way onto the cultivation path just to escape being sent away for marriage alliances. She never imagined that even after escaping marriage in the mortal world, she couldn’t avoid another kind of arranged bond in the Cultivation Realm.

Mu Yuan hadn’t mentioned it yet. But since Yan Tinglan, his most cherished disciple, delivered the message, everything must already be decided.

An Zhenxue lowered her gaze, hiding the coldness in her eyes. "So it was all the same."

Of course it was.

The Sect Masters were cultivators, not emotionless beings. Having personal desires was normal.

But why? Why did she have to be the one sacrificed? Why didn’t they ask what she wanted?

Yan Tinglan sensed her rejection toward Lu Qianqiu and couldn’t help speaking. “Junior Sister Zhenxue, Master is thinking for your sake too. Forming a Dao companion bond with Lu Qianqiu will help your cultivation.”

“Mm.” An Zhenxue laughed coldly in her heart. If he really cared, would he ignore her wishes?

Would he not ask what she thought?

But she couldn’t show any dissatisfaction in front of Yan Tinglan. He was Mu Yuan’s disciple, after all. There was no way he’d stand on her side.

Hearing her soft “mm,” Yan Tinglan finally relaxed. “Don’t worry, Junior Sister Zhenxue. If Lu Qianqiu dares bully you in the future, I won’t let him off.”

An Zhenxue didn’t respond. Instead she asked, “Does my Master know about this?”

Chapter Text

Yan Tinglan said, “Martial Uncle Tai Yu said he’d tell you about this after the secret realm training ends.”

He hadn’t planned to speak before Tai Yu Zūnzhě did. But with things turning out like this, he couldn’t stay silent. If he kept quiet, An Zhenxue and Lu Qianqiu might end up completely falling out. If that really happened, the ending would be ugly.

An Zhenxue lowered her gaze, a hint of mockery flickering in her eyes. So she was the only one who didn’t know.

The thing she’d begged so hard for back then, was that really salvation? Compared to the mortal world, there was no difference here. It was even crueler.

“Junior Sister Zhenxue, Lu Qianqiu’s master is the Grand Elder of the Guixian Sect. If you and Lu Qianqiu become dao companions, you won’t need to worry about future cultivation resources. You can also…”

“I understand, Senior Brother.” An Zhenxue cut him off, her voice calm.

She couldn’t expect Yan Tinglan to understand her.

But he shouldn’t keep stabbing her in the heart.

Maybe she should’ve expected this outcome. Every disciple in the sect with the same talent as hers had better backing.

If someone had to be sacrificed, she’d obviously be the first.

Yan Tinglan said nothing more. He stood and looked toward Lu Qianqiu, who was walking toward them. “Brother Qianqiu, what brings you here?”

Lu Qianqiu smiled brightly. “I heard you found a Bewildering Blossom. I came to buy one.”

“Brother Qianqiu, I can’t make that decision. This is the Tianling Sect’s resource.” Yan Tinglan rejected him politely.

“Brother Tinglan, do you still remember Spirit Lake?”

“What about it?”

Lu Qianqiu said, “Do you think the one who ambushed us at Spirit Lake might still be hiding nearby?”

Yan Tinglan chuckled. “Brother Qianqiu, you’re joking.”

The array set up around them had been placed by the sect elders long ago. Even a Void Refining cultivator couldn’t hide inside. Anyone lurking in the shadows would be sensed immediately. But there was no need to tell Lu Qianqiu that.

“If Brother Tinglan won’t listen, forget it.”

“Brother Qianqiu, please head back. If you really want a Bewildering Blossom, you can speak with our elders after we leave.”

Lu Qianqiu pretended he didn’t hear the dismissal. He looked at An Zhenxue. “Fairy Zhenxue dislikes me this much?”

An Zhenxue spoke without answering the question. “This isn’t the Guixian Sect’s territory.”

Lu Qianqiu smiled with hidden meaning. “Fairy Zhenxue is joking. It doesn’t matter if it’s the Guixian Sect or the Tianling Sect. Our sects working together is how we grow stronger.”

His master had said that once this secret realm ended, his dao companion matter with An Zhenxue would be finalized. When that happened, she’d become a disciple of the Guixian Sect.

An Zhenxue frowned. His words confirmed that he knew the sect intended to marry them off.

So she really was the last to know.

Why? Did they think she’d definitely agree? Or did they think it wasn’t worth telling her?

Her mood plummeted. She finally lost control and said coldly, “Whatever happens later, this place is still the Tianling Sect’s territory right now, so you’re not welcome here.”

Lu Qianqiu actually turned and walked away.

“You shouldn’t have said that, Junior Sister,” Yan Tinglan said disapprovingly.

An Zhenxue normally didn’t smile much.

But she’d never bristled like this.

She whispered through a voice transmission, “Senior Brother, we can’t afford mishaps with the Bewildering Blossom. Do you want a repeat of what happened at Spirit Lake? When the elders get angry and the Sect Master is disappointed, who’ll bear the consequences for you?”

“What does this have to do with Spirit Lake?”

“How can you be sure everything at Spirit Lake wasn’t planned by Lu Qianqiu?”

If Yan Tinglan couldn’t see things from her perspective, then he should at least see it from the perspective of benefit.

Yan Tinglan fell silent. Her words made him think back to the details.

He also recalled Mu Yuan saying they couldn’t sense the person in the shadows.

Could it really have been Lu Qianqiu orchestrating everything?

And who was the one negotiating with Bai Yan'er then?

He was still thinking when An Zhenxue added, “Senior Brother, the Bewildering Blossom is blooming. Be careful of Lu Qianqiu.”

Lu Qianqiu hadn’t gone far. He hid with several disciples outside the Tianling Sect’s sensing range.

“Senior Brother, are we really robbing them?”

One look from Lu Qianqiu shut the man up.

“Senior Brother, then how do we get the Bewildering Blossom? There are so many arrays around it.”

Lu Qianqiu said, “Once it matures, rush in and distract the Tianling Sect disciples.”

Those arrays could stop others. But not him. His master’s artifact was perfect for this. With Earth Escape and the artifact, grabbing one Bewildering Blossom was more than easy.

Not far away, Feng Qinghe was listening to their plan.

She also wanted a Bewildering Blossom. In Miao Fuguang’s pill dao teachings, the blossom could refine a grade seven Crossing Tribulation Pill, and it could also be used to refine a Foundation Stabilizing Pill. Anyone at any stage needed that pill. So she didn’t just want a blossom. She wanted the whole plant.

Even though the Bewildering Blossom could only grow in specific places and would wither anywhere else. She had a Void Stone. She could recreate any environment it needed. Planting it inside her space was perfect.

“Jin Dan, it’s time. In a moment you’ll go like this, then like this…”

The golden egg really wanted to say that it had a name.

But Feng Qinghe’s instructions slowly grabbed all its attention.

“This is a set up, isn’t it?” the golden egg finally asked.

“Nonsense. You’re just carrying the Bewildering Blossom past them. They’re just standing on the path you need to take.”

“Oh, so when do I start digging?”

“Right now. I’ll wait here. Follow the path I told you.”

Meanwhile.

Yan Tinglan’s face was grave. “Start the array.”

The Bewildering Blossom’s plant was silver white. The plant was like an orchid. The bud was pale yellow.

“Senior Brother, the Guixian Sect people didn’t leave.” An Zhenxue pulled out a talisman.

When the talisman burned away, an image appeared before Yan Tinglan. It showed Lu Qianqiu and the others. They weren’t far at all. The image lasted only a few breaths.

Yan Tinglan’s expression hardened.

Lu Qianqiu really planned to rob them. Openly rob them.

The sects weren’t even officially allied yet, and he was already acting this arrogantly. If they really allied, wouldn’t he become even worse?

Yan Tinglan asked, “Junior Sister Zhenxue, with Lu Qianqiu’s strength, can he break these arrays?”

An Zhenxue shook her head. “I don’t know, Senior Brother, but I heard he’s already an intermediate array master.”

“Then it’s fine.” Yan Tinglan relaxed slightly.

But the moment he exhaled, his eyes widened.

The Tianling Sect disciples were so shocked they forgot to react.

An invisible hand appeared, digging around the Bewildering Blossom’s plant. In just a few breaths, the roots were exposed. Then the entire plant suddenly moved like it had legs and started running. It slammed straight into the barrier. Soil scattered everywhere.

“Senior Brother, what’s going on?” someone whispered.

It was way too strange. How did the Bewildering Blossom’s plant suddenly gain intelligence?

Yan Tinglan had no idea what to do either. The blossom was halfway open, then it just tried to run off on its own. If they brought it back like this, would it even keep blooming?

Yan Tinglan said to a few disciples, “Hold the array steady, don’t let it get out. I’ll contact the elders.”

An Zhenxue watched everything quietly. The moment she heard Yan Tinglan speak, a talisman hidden in her sleeve burned to ashes.

Chapter Text

The talisman disappeared without making a sound.

The disciples maintaining the formation turned pale in an instant.

"Senior Brother, the formation plate's acting up." One rune after another on the plate dimmed out.

The barrier on the northern side vanished quickly. As if sensing the opening, the Bewildering Flower shot straight toward the north and escaped.

"Senior Brother, go after it." An Zhenxue quickly reminded him.

Yan Tinglan reacted at once. He ignored everything else and flew off on his sword. But the moment he rushed out, he only caught the fading afterimage of the Bewildering Flower. Along with bits of mud scattered on the ground.

Yan Tinglan followed the muddy trail and traced it all the way down the mountain. At the foot of the mountain, the trail vanished completely. He looked around and realized the place felt strangely familiar. The people from the Guixian Sect were hiding somewhere around here.

"So Lu Qianqiu really had been plotting against him from the start?"

Thinking this through, Yan Tinglan felt a surge of resentment toward Lu Qianqiu. Picking the Bewildering Flower was a mission entrusted to him by the Sect. If he failed, his Master would definitely scold him.

"Senior Brother, did you catch it?" An Zhenxue arrived behind him, her face full of worry.

"Junior Sister Zhenxue, can you find Lu Qianqiu and the others' exact location?" Yan Tinglan asked through a sound transmission.

He didn’t believe Lu Qianqiu would stay in the same spot like a fool waiting to be caught.

"Senior Brother, sorry, that was the last Tracking Talisman."

"It's not your fault, let's go back first." Even if they found Lu Qianqiu now, it was meaningless. As long as he didn’t admit anything, they had nothing on him.

It was better to wait until they got out and ask Master to check the Wangkun Mirror’s recording. When that time came, Lu Qianqiu would have no choice but to admit it.

An Zhenxue quietly followed behind him, not saying another word. Some things only got worse when pushed too far.

Feng Qinghe stood atop the peak with a golden egg beside her. Once she was sure the others had gone far away, she glanced at the egg. "You were way too slow. If someone hadn’t helped you, you’d never have gotten that Bewildering Flower."

"I… I’m sorry." The golden egg spoke in embarrassment.

It didn’t even know why, but even though An Zhenxue and the others couldn’t see it, it still got nervous for no reason. So nervous that it forgot the Bewildering Flower couldn’t pass through the barrier.

Feng Qinghe sighed lightly. "It’s fine. The first time I pulled something off, I was just like you. You’ll get there slowly."

"Then when can I be as skilled as you?" the egg asked eagerly.

"Picking up windfalls is simple. Grab it, then run."

The egg wobbled, as if taking notes.

Feng Qinghe’s gaze drifted toward An Zhenxue.

In the book’s version of events, Yan Tinglan died by An Zhenxue’s hand.

The book said that after An Zhenxue defected from the Sect, Yan Tinglan still remembered their years as Senior Brother and Junior Sister. He tried again and again to persuade her to return and admit her mistakes, but she only had Jiang Qingshu in her eyes. She wouldn’t listen.

Later, Yan Tinglan tried to drag her back to the Sect by force.

An Zhenxue was left with no choice but to strike her former Senior Brother. During their fight, she accidentally wounded Yan Tinglan’s Yuányīng, causing him to fall.

Another one of those accidents.

She originally thought An Zhenxue killing Yan Tinglan had been because she was controlled by Jiang Qingshu. But looking again now, maybe that wasn’t the case. Who knew what had happened these past few days?

By the lake, An Zhenxue had still rushed in without hesitation to save Yan Tinglan. But now she’d already started to set him up.

"Um, are we still picking up windfalls?" The egg’s voice interrupted Feng Qinghe’s thoughts.

"Yes." This was her chance, there was no reason to hand it to others.

"I’ll definitely do better next time!" the egg promised at once.

"Senior Brother Qianqiu, how’d it go?" The disciples of the Guixian Sect looked nervously at Lu Qianqiu as he crawled out from underground.

Lu Qianqiu cast a cleansing technique on himself. His face was dark. "I didn’t get it."

When he arrived, he hadn’t seen anything at all. And he’d almost been caught by the Tianling Sect disciples.

Did the Tianling Sect know he could burrow underground? Did they dig a trap early just to wait for him?

Lu Qianqiu couldn’t figure it out, but he thought of Yan Tinglan approaching this direction and told the others, "We’re leaving."

"Senior Brother, where are we going next?"

"To look for opportunities. Our area’s resources got stolen. Other Sects should be in chaos too."

Meanwhile, Feng Qinghe watched Lu Qianqiu leave and told the golden egg, "Follow him."

The opportunities Lu Qianqiu found were usually decent. It would save her the time of filtering things. Though targeting the same person repeatedly wasn’t ideal, Lu Qianqiu probably wouldn’t mind taking the blame. After all, he practically offered himself up.

Soon, Lu Qianqiu discovered that every time he set his sights on a fortune, that fortune would sprout legs and run away on its own. And not only did the opportunities escape.

They always had to run past him first, drag him into some trouble, then vanish on the spot.

If not for the artifact his Master gave him, he’d have been caught red handed by disciples of other Sects by now. And no amount of explaining would save him. Not even the Wangkun Mirror could clear his name then.

Right.

The Wangkun Mirror.

Whoever this thief running around was, they definitely wasn’t from one of the top ten factions. Otherwise, she’d know about the Wangkun Mirror. And she wouldn’t dare to steal anyone’s opportunities.

The lunatics from the Wuji Sword Sect were already searching the entire valley.

Lu Qianqiu was deep in thought when…

Swoosh.

A massive sword stabbed into the ground in front of him. The blade scraped past his toe and buried itself in the dirt.

Lu Qianqiu looked up. When he saw the silhouettes above, he sucked in a cold breath. "Ling Wushuang, that maniac."

Ling Wushuang drew her sword without hesitation. She didn’t care who anyone’s Master was. Wearing sharp orange battle attire, she radiated overwhelming sword intent.

She looked down at Lu Qianqiu and said, "Lu Qianqiu, you’ve got guts, stealing something that belongs to me."

As she spoke, she lifted her hand and the heavy sword returned to her grasp.

Lu Qianqiu froze from head to toe. "Wushuang Daoyou, how would I dare steal from you? There has to be a misunderstanding."

Ling Wushuang laughed coldly. "A misunderstanding? Everything I take a liking to runs away on its own. And every time I track it down, your aura is just so conveniently left behind. This misunderstanding is something else."

"Wushuang Daoyou, it really has nothing to do with me."

Ling Wushuang traced her finger along her sword. "Lu Qianqiu, will you hand it over yourself, or do I need to make you hand it over?"

Lu Qianqiu wanted to cry but had no tears. Terrified she’d strike, he forced his mind to work fast. He lowered his voice. "Wushuang Daoyou, our Guixian Sect’s fortune got stolen too. If you don’t believe me, go check."

"Your Guixian Sect lost something, so you came to steal from my Wuji Sword Sect?"

Her sword gleamed with cold light. The weapon weighed over a hundred catties, but in her hand, it looked light as a feather.

Seeing this, Lu Qianqiu felt a headache pound behind his eyes. If running wouldn’t make him look guilty, he’d already be gone.

Ling Wushuang’s Master was the Sword Ancestor of the Wuji Sword Sect. Also a maniac.

Using his own Master as a shield wouldn’t help. He could only save himself.

"Wushuang Daoyou, what do I have to do for you to believe me?"

"Lu Qianqiu, you’re talking about credibility? Do you even have any?"

Among the disciples of this generation in the five Sects, Lu Qianqiu was the type who’d trick people without even pretending to negotiate.

The only reason he’d never crossed paths with her before was because he hadn’t provoked her. So she never bothered to deal with him. Now that he’d fallen into her hands, there was no way she’d swallow this quietly.

"Forget it. Talking to someone like him was pointless. It was better to just make a move."

Lu Qianqiu was still trying to think of a way to refute Ling Wushuang when he noticed the disciples of the Wuji Sword Sect landing around him, closing in fast.

Chapter Text

“Stop hitting me! It really wasn’t me...” Lu Qianqiu kept stumbling backward as several Wuji Sword Sect disciples closed in on him.

“Lu Qianqiu, Senior Sister Wushuang has a kind heart. If you hand over what you stole, she might let us beat you a little lighter.”

His face twisted with rage and humiliation when he heard that.

“What’re you waiting for, do it,” Ling Wushuang said coldly.

A moment later, Lu Qianqiu’s miserable screams echoed through the air.

Feng Qinghe watched the scene from afar and suddenly felt guilty. She swore she’d scam someone else next time.

Her gaze swept toward Ling Wushuang. The woman barely had any description in the book.

But Feng Qinghe had always admired her. In that story, nearly every woman who appeared fell for Jiang Qingshu. Only Ling Wushuang didn’t.

Ling Wushuang’s eyes held only the sword. No one and nothing could pull her away from the path she pursued. The book only mentioned that she entered a sword tomb and never came out again.

As Feng Qinghe was thinking, she suddenly saw a sword streaking straight toward her. She instantly crushed a teleport talisman and fled. She’d gotten most of the opportunities in this area. It was time to check out the snow domain.

A sharp clang rang out as the sword crashed into the ground.

Ling Wushuang arrived in a blur. She stared at the spot Feng Qinghe had stood and murmured, “Did I sense it wrong?”

Only then did Golden Egg react. Feng Qinghe had abandoned it and run.

Golden Egg felt utterly betrayed. But it still decided to look for her.

Meanwhile, Feng Qinghe had just stepped into the snow domain when a wave of scorching heat rushed straight at her. That wasn’t right. The map clearly marked this as a land where eternal snow never melted, a cold so harsh that even Golden Core cultivators struggled to endure it. Why did it feel like a volcano?

She rose into the air. Far ahead, flames surged into the sky. More than a dozen cultivators stood above the snow, each radiating terrifying pressure. Below them, countless fiery serpents slithered outward. They snapped and writhed wildly. Sometimes they dove into the ground. Other times they whipped against the snow’s surface.

Feng Qinghe spotted faint formation lines under the snow and runes that kept flashing, and she had a guess.

The Eight Ferocious Blazing Flame Formation.

The instant it activated, the flames it produced were equal to a Heaven rank abnormal fire. Its power could expand for ten thousand miles. Anyone who fell inside it would suffer burning agony, and if they couldn’t escape in time, they’d be reduced to ash. Were these people hunting that ten thousand year Snow Cicada?

“You came here for the Snow Cicada too?” Golden Egg suddenly appeared at her side and asked.

Feng Qinghe gave it an odd look. “You know the Snow Cicada?”

A ten thousand year Snow Cicada was a treasure from head to tail. You could use it for pill refinement, forging tools, or drawing talismans. Why wouldn’t she want it?

But she thought using it for pills, tools, or talisman sand was a waste. A creature like that should become a Gu King and rampage freely.

“Kinda. It’s really strong.”

In truth, they’d only met a few times. It only came to look at the ice lotuses, got mistaken for a thief, then got blasted out of the snow domain... No need to mention those details right now.

“How strong?” Feng Qinghe asked.

“In its domain of snow and ice, every living thing is bound by it. If they’re too weak, they might turn straight into snow.”

She nodded. “Pretty strong.”

Unfortunately.

Under the Eight Ferocious Blazing Flame Formation, that domain was useless.

Golden Egg felt her reaction was strange. “Actually, the snow domain used to be filled with ice lotuses. Those were its food.”

Then the egg continued in a torn voice.

“But once people entered the secret realm, everything changed. The ice lotuses disappeared one by one until none remained. The Snow Cicada went into hibernation. But people still won’t leave it alone. They keep trying to find it and take it. You came here for it too?”

Golden Egg ended its question and immediately panicked. It was scared she’d be like the others. It had lived here for countless years. It had witnessed countless lives rise and vanish.

Now it had only two familiar existences left: the Snow Cicada and the Purple Ginseng. Both hid underground to avoid cultivators.

Feng Qinghe sensed it was probing her. “It’s your friend?”

“Kinda.” At least they knew each other existed.

Feng Qinghe pointed ahead. “Your friend looks like it’s in trouble. Aren’t you helping?”

“It’s just fire. The Snow Cicada won’t be scared of that.”

“The Eight Ferocious Blazing Flame Formation is an ancient formation. Its flames reach Heaven rank. You sure your friend can endure that?”

She remembered what Miao Fuguang said, that the formation was banned for being too cruel. When it activated, nearby low rank creatures burned alive, their bodies turning to ash.

Was it cruel for the Five Great Sects to use such a formation on the Snow Cicada? Maybe.

But that was the Cultivation Realm. The strong controlled everything. The weak could only become sacrifices.

From her perspective, the Five Great Sects were just securing an opportunity. Honestly, it was less cruel than sending loose cultivators into the Illusory Cave to die.

The moment Golden Egg heard the name of the formation, it panicked. It tried contacting the Snow Cicada and instantly felt the cicada’s agony. “Snow Cicada, come out. I can take you away.”

“I can’t leave. If I go, this place won’t be a snow domain anymore.”

“Leave with me first. You can come back when people are gone.”

“No. I can’t leave. Don’t worry about me.”

Golden Egg’s heart sank. The Snow Cicada had to be protecting something. Since the cicada refused to leave, it couldn’t force it. The only way to save it was to break the formation. But it knew nothing about formations...

The egg rolled around in panic. How was it supposed to save the Snow Cicada?

“Can you break the formation?” it asked anxiously.

“No.” She took a few steps back. If she moved any closer, not even a concealment talisman would save her.

“Then can you save it?”

“I can’t. I’m leaving.” Feng Qinghe turned to go.

What a joke.

She came to loot.

Not to throw her life away.

Forget it.

Even breaking through a Divine Transformation fight was hard to loot. She wasn’t getting involved.

Golden Egg blocked her path. Its voice trembled. “Please, save the Snow Cicada. I know there’s an opportunity hidden in the marshlands. I can take you to it.”

Feng Qinghe didn’t soften at all. Her eyes turned cold instead. She stared at the egg. “With your strength, you could take it and run. Why ask me?”

Sensing the chill in her tone, Golden Egg panicked even more. It remembered how she kept vanishing before and cried out, “Wait, listen to me! The Snow Cicada won’t go with me. I can’t drag it out. I can’t attack anyone. I don’t have a physical body. You can see me, but you can’t touch me. Try touching me if you don’t believe me.”

Feng Qinghe didn’t touch it. She wasn’t going to soften just because it begged. And she’d never attempt something suicidal.

The egg noticed she didn’t react and rushed on. “I’m not lying. When I carried those spirit herbs and fruits around, I controlled the energy inside them. But humans are different. I can’t control their energy. You’re looking for the inheritance land, right? I know the real entrance. I can take you there, just save the Snow Cicada.”

Her heart wavered for a moment. But the moment she looked at the snow domain, she calmed down. It was too dangerous. There were probably Void Refining experts hiding nearby. Even if she managed to break the formation, she couldn’t guarantee she’d escape alive. And she could slowly find the Ancient Immortal Heritage on her own.

“There's no saving them. In another half hour, the whole Snow Region will turn into a sea of fire. You should talk some sense into your friends.”

Feng Qinghe finished speaking and crushed the teleportation talisman in her hand. Her figure vanished. But the very next instant, she snapped back into the same spot, the world around her unchanged. She stared at Golden Egg. “Were you telling the truth?”

Chapter Text

Golden Egg said, “Yeah, I know where the artifact is. As long as you destroy the formation, I’ll take you to find it.”

Feng Qinghe lifted her hand and tapped his shell, but her fingers passed straight through him.

Her eyes flickered. “Snow Cicada is your friend, which means she’s my friend too. Of course I won’t ignore my own friend. But my cultivation realm, you can feel it, right?”

“Yeah.”

“So I have to get the artifact first. Only then will I have the strength to save Snow Cicada.”

Golden Egg hesitated instead. “But I’m scared you’ll run off the moment you get it.”

Feng Qinghe stayed quiet for a while. That did sound like something she might do.

Golden Egg spoke bluntly, “And with your strength, you can’t control an artifact yet.”

Before forming a contract, using an artifact without a contract wasn’t much different from wielding a regular Spirit rank or Treasure rank item.

Artifacts always carried an innate spirit. An artifact spirit had a will of its own and only recognized the strong.

The person before him hadn’t even condensed a Yuányīng yet. It wasn’t possible for her to force a contract.

“It doesn’t matter whether I can control it. Think about it. If I show up carrying the artifact, do you think these people will still go after Snow Cicada?” Feng Qinghe coaxed gently.

Seeing him listen, she continued, “If I carry the artifact, I can lure everyone away. Once no one’s maintaining the formation, its power will weaken. Snow Cicada can use that moment to destroy the formation core.”

Golden Egg found that very reasonable. Of course that group would choose the artifact. He said, “Come with me. We’ll go get it right now.”

A quarter hour later.

Feng Qinghe and Golden Egg reached the Spirit Lake. She stared at the familiar waters, falling silent. She’d brushed right past the artifact without knowing. Well, that made sense. An artifact had a spirit. It was normal for it to hide.

“Wait here. I’ll bring it up for you,” Golden Egg said, then shot into the lake.

Feng Qinghe waited with full expectation.

Just a few breaths later, he resurfaced, completely crestfallen. “The artifact’s gone. Sorry. You should leave.”

Back in the snowy region, he’d been too anxious. He’d wanted her to take a risk to save Snow Cicada.

But now he’d calmed down completely. Feng Qinghe couldn’t save Snow Cicada. She’d only die with her. Maybe from the moment the secret realm opened, Snow Cicada’s fate had already been sealed. And even if Snow Cicada survived this time, what then? As long as she stayed in the secret realm, that group would never let her go.

Maybe one day he would follow Snow Cicada’s steps, discovered by someone stronger, then vanish. This was a fate no one could change.

“I really like you. Thanks for playing with me. Go chase your own opportunity. Don’t go to the snowy region. In the swamp, besides the golden lotus, there’s also a lotus root buried at the bottom…”

Feng Qinghe listened to Golden Egg’s words. It sounded like he was giving final instructions before death. Something deep in her chest suddenly trembled. He’d begged her before to save Snow Cicada. At that time, she’d felt trapped and pushed, completely resistant. But now, when he wasn’t asking her for anything, she suddenly wanted to do something good.

“What does the artifact look like?” Feng Qinghe thought of the black-gold stone inside her storage space.

“The last time I saw it, it had turned into a stone. Its artifact spirit was completely asleep. I haven’t checked on it since. I don’t know when it disappeared.” After saying that, Golden Egg drooped. “Sorry for wasting your time. I’ll leave first.”

He wanted to see Snow Cicada one last time.

Feng Qinghe glanced at the stone in her space. "That thing was an artifact?"

“Wait. I have a way to save Snow Cicada,” she said.

“No need. I won’t let you throw your life away too.” He finished speaking and vanished from her sight.

She stared at the place he disappeared, unable to decipher her own emotions.

When he’d begged her earlier, she’d only felt guarded, wary, rejecting him, terrified he would trick her. And now he’d left without hesitation. Even told her about the swamp’s hidden opportunity. She actually felt like giving it a try…

She’d always been like this. The moment someone pushed her, she instinctively rejected everything. She’d once asked Miao Fuguang about this problem.

Miao Fuguang looked at her with a strange expression. “When others take the initiative, it makes you feel subordinate. It’s not that you like taking the initiative, you like the sense of control and freedom that comes with it. But if someone offers enough benefits, enough for you to feel you’re gaining something, would you still care who acted first?”

Feng Qinghe had gone silent afterward.

The Crimson Flame Fox had added in a mocking tone, “Or maybe you just like being difficult. Maybe you like forcing cold skin against warm enthusiasm.”

Thinking of that, a fox fur strand appeared in Feng Qinghe’s palm.

Right now, she felt like being difficult indeed.

“You came back? This place is dangerous, hurry and leave.” Golden Egg sensed her aura at the snowy region’s border and rushed over.

Feng Qinghe asked seriously, “You said you’d take me to the real entrance of the inheritance ground. Does that still count?”

“I’ll take you. But leave first,” he said in disappointment.

He’d thought she was special. He’d seen countless souls. Only hers had shown him greed without ugliness, letting him glimpse a different color of soul. But right now, what she said sounded no different from everyone else entering the secret realm.

Feng Qinghe didn’t care about his shift at all. “Your friend doesn’t need help anymore?”

He froze, delighted. “You have a way to save Snow Cicada?”

“Yeah.”

“Will it put you in danger?”

“I can guarantee I stay alive. Let’s save her first.”

Golden Egg’s shell shone in golden light. “Yeah. Snow Cicada’s strength is being suppressed by the formation. The snowy region’s ice is melting. She might perish with the rest of them…”

If Snow Cicada was protecting something with her life, there was no way she’d let anyone else take it. If he were in her place, he’d do the same.

Feng Qinghe crouched and drew a formation diagram on the ground. “Can you endure the temperature inside the formation?”

“I can.”

She finished drawing and pointed at eight locations. “Remember these. I need you to work with me.”

“Okay.”

Feng Qinghe took out a storage pouch. “Bury what’s in here beneath these eight points. Don’t let anyone notice. Can you do that?”

“I can.”

“Then go. Tell me when you’re done.”

Golden Egg carried the pouch and dove into the ice. The pouch was protected by a special force.

Feng Qinghe’s gaze flickered. Her guess had been correct. Golden Egg really was connected to the Xuan Tie Token.

After wiping away her traces, she moved to a different spot. Almost the moment she left, a black robed elder appeared where she had stood. He lifted his sleeve and the fabric billowed without wind. A glowing sphere hovered before him. After a few breaths, the light vanished. He muttered, “Another decoy?”

His figure blurred and faded completely.

Feng Qinghe had already left the snowy region. She stood atop an ancient giant tree and looked toward the snowy land blazing with fire.

From here, she could see nearly half the secret realm. The rest was shrouded in white mist. But as long as everyone could see this spot, it was enough.

“I’ve placed everything. What do I do next?” Golden Egg’s voice echoed in her sea of consciousness.

“Wait for me in the snowy region.”

Feng Qinghe took out the item the Crimson Flame Fox had left her.

When she’d left the Land Without Spirit, she’d taken out the fox fur again, and a small phantom of a Crimson Flame Fox had appeared to tell her its use.

“Xiao Qinghe, we part here. Who knows when we’ll meet again. Since you treasure your life so much, I’ll give you one more. Use your mind to activate it. It can transform into anything you imagine, perfectly realistic. As long as they’re below the Tribulation stage, they won’t be able to tell it’s fake. But the illusion only lasts two quarter hours.”

Chapter Text

Boom.

Over the sky of the Kunxu Secret Realm, a sudden crack of thunder split the silence.

The cultivators inside the realm instinctively looked up to find the source of the sound.

Boom.

Crack.

Another bolt flashed, tearing straight toward the top of a tall tree. Two bursts of thunder drew the attention of almost eighty percent of the cultivators in the realm. Then a third strike roared, and a streak of multicolored light blossomed across the sky. Something shot out from within that light and plunged downward.

The instant it appeared, experts in the Divine Transformation and Void Refining stages teleported to the skies above the valley. Sensing the overwhelming pressure, every weaker cultivator stopped immediately. Since each Sect had its own high stage experts already up there, those without the strength had no reason to get involved.

Light flared around the falling object.

When the Divine Transformation and Void Refining experts arrived, the object abruptly stopped and floated in midair. Its glow grew even brighter, dazzling everyone below.

Those on the ground couldn’t see what it was at all, but the experts above had already started rushing toward it. They all wanted to pull it into their storage. Once they realized it couldn’t be stored away, their eyes heated with hunger.

It had to be the Secret Realm Core. Only a core inscribed with a higher level of world rules would resist spatial storage. Whoever obtained the Kunxu Secret Realm Core would control the entire realm.

As this realization sank in, everyone unleashed formations and barriers, trying to seize control first. But their moves landed almost simultaneously. Most of the formations shattered the moment they appeared. A few managed to stabilize, but they overlapped so badly that no one could get close to the core.

The experts exchanged glances, each silently communicating one thought: If I can’t have it, you won’t either.

More and more powerhouses rushed into the sky, raising the tension to its peak.

Ling Wushuang watched the chaos unfold. She lifted her hand. “Stop.”

At her feet, Lu Qianqiu was in a pitiful state, bruised and swollen and unable to even crawl.

The disciples of the Wuji Sword Sect had shown impressive control. They never triggered his defensive artifact, yet every punch landed perfectly.

“Senior Sister Wushuang, what is that thing?”

Ling Wushuang glanced at Lu Qianqiu. “Why aren’t you leaving? Do you want me to send you off myself?”

“No need!” He leaped up despite the pain and ran for his life.

He rushed so quickly he forgot to use his spiritual power.

Once he had fled far enough, Ling Wushuang raised a barrier. “Tell the Wuji Sword Sect disciples to gather here and set up a defensive formation. Until those experts leave the sky, don’t step outside.”

“Yes.” The disciples dispersed to act.

After they finished, curiosity got the better of them. “Senior Sister Wushuang, what is that? Why’d it draw so many Zūnzhě?”

“Yeah, I’ve been in plenty of secret realms, but I’ve never seen this many Zūnzhě show up at once.”

Ling Wushuang replied, “That’s the Secret Realm Core. If someone gets it, they can control the entire realm. More experts will arrive soon, and this isn’t a battle we can participate in.”

The Kunxu Secret Realm looked like it was jointly managed by the Ten Great Powers, but in truth, Wendao Sect and the Wuji Sword Sect ruled it behind the scenes.

None of the other eight factions could match either Sect alone. That balance maintained the fragile peace. But the appearance of the core would shatter that peace completely. Whether this was a trap or coincidence didn’t matter. Every faction would fight with everything they had. Once someone acquired the core, they could use it to suppress every other faction. Even Wendao Sect and the Wuji Sword Sect weren’t exceptions.

At the same time, in the Snow Region.

The grand formation still operated, though the fire serpents coiling within it had clearly slowed. More than a dozen Divine Transformation cultivators hovered above the Eight Ferocious Blazing Flame Formation, their expressions unfocused.

Even the hidden Void Refining cultivators revealed themselves.

A black robed elder finally spoke. “Wen Qian, you’re the best with formations. Staying here suits you. I’ll be taking my leave.”

The Secret Realm Core was far more important than the Ten Thousand Year Snow Cicada. With the core, they wouldn’t even need the formation to force the cicada out. Once he finished speaking, he vanished.

“Jing Yuan, you shameless old dog. You’re already at the peak of Void Refining. How can you still think about grabbing stuff?!” Wen Qian’s beard almost stood upright with fury.

Why should he stay behind to maintain the formation?

There were barely three people in the realm who could defeat Jing Yuan.

No way. He wanted the core too.

But he was only a step away from forcing out the Snow Cicada. Should he give up now?

Wen Qian looked at the formation below, then at the distant core. Gritting his teeth, he lifted his hand and sent several seals into the array.

Lines of light flared. The fire serpents instantly surged with several times their previous power.

After that, Wen Qian left a final message and vanished. “As long as you keep feeding the formation with power, it’ll keep running.”

The remaining three Void Refining cultivators exchanged looks, then each injected a burst of power into the array and immediately followed him. Wendao Sect and the Wuji Sword Sect were already too strong. If either got the core, the remaining three Sects would have no future.

They had to try. If by some miracle they obtained the core, their Sect’s position would rise forever.

After they left, only the dozen Divine Transformation cultivators remained to support the array. But the five Sects had never been united.

With the Void Refining elders gone, every Divine Transformation cultivator wanted the Snow Cicada for themselves. They hoped the cicada would emerge in the section they controlled. So each one quietly reduced their power output.

Divine Transformation cultivators were incredibly perceptive. The moment one person did this, the others noticed.

“Mu Wu, why’re you slacking? The array on your side is dimming.”

“I’m just tired. I want a break. Besides, I’m weaker than you…”

“You want the cicada to come out on your side, don’t you?”

“Mu Wu, we agreed to work together. If you pull tricks, I won’t be polite.”

“Oh? What’ll you do?”

“I’ll learn from you.”

And so, one after another, they reduced their output.

The array dimmed rapidly.

Meanwhile, the battle in the sky had already begun. Blinding beams of light wove through the air. Water, fire, ice, and thunder clashed violently. The oppressive aura spread across the entire Secret Realm. Gradually, everyone’s attention drifted toward the sky. They ignored the subtle fluctuations inside the array.

Feng Qinghe watched the changes carefully.

The golden egg floated beside her, waiting quietly without urging her. Even though it sensed the Snow Cicada screaming under the flames, its life force slipping away, it held back.

It murmured comfortingly, “Trust her. Don’t rush out. She can save you.”

"She’s human," the cicada whispered, "aren’t you afraid she’s with those people?"

“She’s human, but her position isn’t the same as theirs.”

"…Fine. I won’t rush out."

Hearing that, the golden egg finally relaxed a little.

Even though Feng Qinghe had never dropped her disguise in front of it, the sense of truth she gave it outweighed every lie it had ever encountered.

Chapter Text

High above the secret realm, countless experts were locked in a brutal battle. They’d long forgotten their own disciples were still inside the secret realm. They’d also forgotten to restrain their auras. The crushing pressure and the terrifying aftershocks of their attacks spread across more than half the realm.

Below, countless disciples were already suffering. Some who reacted too slowly, or had too few defensive artifacts, died on the spot, especially those still at the Foundation Establishment stage. A few who’d set up defensive arrays beforehand barely escaped disaster.

Boom boom boom!

Deafening explosions shook the skies. Many disciples had already lost all perception.

Feng Qinghe had been waiting for this exact moment.

The Eight Ferocious Blazing Flame Formation was fading, its formation nodes dimming one by one. The dozen Divine Transformation cultivators weren’t unwilling to maintain the array. They simply had to defend themselves from all the aftershocks battering the area.

“If this keeps up, we won’t be able to hold the array.”

“We can’t just drain ourselves dry to keep it running, right?”

They exchanged wary looks.

Before, they could devote themselves entirely to maintaining the array. They didn’t have to worry about the fire inside the formation or its circulation. Now they had to keep the array active while avoiding the flames, resisting the destructive forces sweeping in, and guarding against getting stabbed in the back. At this rate, they’d only hollow themselves out. When that happened, this array would become their tomb.

“Maybe… we should leave first?” someone suggested.

No one agreed aloud, but several quietly began withdrawing their power.

Feng Qinghe watched the formation runes gutter out. She sent a message to the golden egg, “Tell your friend to get ready. Once the array breaks, don’t let them leave.”

“Got it.”

She raised her hand and formed a seal.

The faded formation lines of the Eight Ferocious Blazing Flame Formation suddenly flared. A thunderous boom erupted as the formation nodes shattered. The entire array collapsed with them. The fire serpents vanished instantly, disappearing without a trace. The blazing snowfield below flipped in an instant. Where heat had rolled moments ago, frost and ice spread across the land.

When the icy blossoms formed and floated in midair, the Divine Transformation experts immediately sensed danger and tried to flee. They were one breath too slow. The moment the snowflakes touched their skin, frost crept up their bodies. In the blink of an eye, ice sealed them completely, turning them into frozen sculptures.

“Does your friend still have enough strength to finish them off?” Feng Qinghe asked through divine sense.

She didn’t want any of these Divine Transformation cultivators slipping away. She still needed to head to the swamp region, then the Illusion Cavern, then the Land of Inheritance. If these people lived, they’d definitely block her path. Once they stood on opposite sides, she would never go soft.

“Its power’s almost gone. It can only hold them temporarily,” the golden egg replied.

“Give this to your friend.” Feng Qinghe tossed it a storage pouch filled with spirit pearls.

The golden egg didn’t question her and dove into the snowfield.

Moments later, it resurfaced beside her. At the same time, the frozen Divine Transformation experts in the sky turned into drifting snowflakes.

The disturbance here only startled the experts fighting for the secret realm’s core. But those people were too busy fighting over the core to care about the snowfield.

The secret realm core still shone brilliantly. It was pyramid shaped, covered in intricate runes, radiating source power and a faint aura of the Xuan Tie Token.

“That one. He has the Xuan Tie Token,” the golden egg said.

Feng Qinghe looked up at the white robed man floating above. He appeared spotless, refined, and around twenty years old, but the weight of years lingered around him. There was no way he was truly twenty. A jade pendant hung at his waist, similar to the one Bai Yaner had carried.

Feng Qinghe’s lips curved. If Kong Sang had shown up, that meant whatever was floating in the sky was believable enough to pass for the real thing. She’d never seen the core of the Kunxu Secret Realm before. But she’d seen a real secret realm core and she recognized the aura of the Xuan Tie Token. Put the two together. How could it not be the Kunxu core?

Rumble!

With Kong Sang joining the fight, a terrifying surge of power swept across half the Kunxu Secret Realm.

The mountain range for ten thousand miles collapsed. The entire realm trembled. Ripple like waves spread across the sky.

“Stop, now!” someone roared.

Another shouted, “If we keep going, the realm’s gonna collapse. None of us will get the core!”

Someone else added, “Don’t you think… this core appeared way too strangely?”

Those above stopped attacking. Not because they doubted the core, but because they feared the realm collapsing.

Seeing this, Feng Qinghe judged the timing and said to the golden egg, “I’m leaving. You and your friend shouldn’t show yourselves.”

“Snow Cicada wants to see you,” the golden egg hesitated.

It didn’t know why Snow Cicada wanted to meet her. But it could clearly feel that she’d never relaxed her guard around it. It didn’t want to invite her for Snow Cicada, because it didn’t want to hear her refusal. But Snow Cicada had begged it. Thinking of Snow Cicada’s weak state, it couldn’t bear to refuse.

“Sure. Let’s go,” Feng Qinghe said lightly.

“Ah?”

Her easy agreement made the golden egg doubt itself.

“You’re sure?” it stammered.

“Yeah.”

Sensing her faint happiness, the golden egg froze. Based on its understanding of her, she should’ve been cautious, hesitant, full of questions about why Snow Cicada wanted to see her. But she didn’t ask a thing. She just agreed. This wasn’t like her.

Did she… like Snow Cicada?

Suddenly the golden egg felt upset. Its voice drooped. “I’ll take you. We need to burrow underground. Can you manage?”

It said nothing more.

Sulking, it led Feng Qinghe beneath the earth.

Snow Cicada was hiding deep. Even after burrowing dozens of times, Feng Qinghe still didn’t see her shadow. What surprised her was that even hundreds of feet under the snow, she didn’t feel the snowfield’s cold. It was as if… she’d never felt cold here at all.

After a little more tunneling, an ice carved palace appeared before her. A barrier covered the entrance, blocking all divine sense.

“Snow Cicada’s inside. Go see her,” the golden egg muttered, clearly sulking.

“You two fighting?” Feng Qinghe asked through divine sense. It was the only explanation she could think of. Otherwise why wouldn’t it go in?

“She only wants you inside,” it said, sounding even more aggrieved.

Hmph.

The person in front of it understood nothing.

Feng Qinghe really didn’t. She simply told it, “Alright, I’m going in. Stay safe.”

Without turning back, she stepped into the icy palace.

The golden egg trembled with anger, its shell flickering faintly. In the end, it was left alone to stew in its emotions.

Wait…

Why did it have so many emotions?

Ever since it had gained consciousness, it hadn’t had feelings. After devouring memories from countless cultivators, it had only learned to imitate emotions. Every reaction it showed was copied from those memories.

But right now, it was truly feeling anger, and hurt, and something else it couldn’t even describe. What was happening to it?

Just now… it had generated a soul aura. It had only appeared for a split second, but it was real.

Could it be… that it could form a soul too? Was it because of her?

Chapter Text

Feng Qinghe still didn’t know anything about the golden egg’s sudden change. Her attention was completely stolen by the beautiful snow cicada resting on the icy throne.

The snow cicada’s body was crystal clear, as if it had been carved from the purest white jade in the world. When its wings spread the slightest bit, a soft glow rippled around it, like the first strand of winter sunlight falling onto fresh snow. The silver white patterns on its wings looked like snowflakes sculpted by Heaven itself, each one unique. They only made the snow cicada’s beauty even more breathtaking, natural and flawless.

Feng Qinghe met its gaze.

Amid that endless white, its eyes were the only color, a gemlike blue. They shone like sapphires, deep and mysterious, as if they could see straight through the truth of all things.

“Thank you for saving me.” Its voice was like jade dropped into a spring, clear and pleasing to the ear. Its tone was one of deep, formal respect.

Hearing this excessive politeness, Feng Qinghe smiled imperceptibly. "It was nothing. I was mainly moved by your friend's sincerity."

The snow cicada fell silent for a moment before speaking again. “Are you here for the inheritance?”

“Yes.” There was nothing worth hiding.

Anyone who entered the Kunxu Secret Realm was here for the ancient immortal inheritance.

“Why do you want it?” the snow cicada asked.

That question wasn’t hard to answer. But it wouldn’t ask for no reason. Maybe her answer would decide whether it helped her or not. Still, there was no need to lie or dress up her thoughts.

“To get stronger.” That was the most honest answer in her heart right now.

The snow cicada’s tone stayed calm. “After you get stronger, what will you do?”

“Enjoy a life that’s free and carefree, of course.”

“You don’t want to protect the people of the world?”

“Why should I?”

If she protected them, she might have to kill them later. Too much trouble. Not interfering with others’ fates was the best protection.

This time the snow cicada stayed silent even longer. After a long while, it spoke again. “But you can only gain merit by saving all beings, and only then will you have a chance to ascend to godhood. Don’t you want to become a god?”

Feng Qinghe shook her head. “If becoming a god means I have to carry the burden of saving everyone, then forget it.”

“Why?”

“Because I can’t tell whether the ones I save are people or beasts. If I save beasts, then I’d be harming people. So I’ll respect the fate of every living being.”

She’d read too many examples in too many books. They all told her the same thing: don’t show kindness recklessly, don’t save whatever crosses your path. If you do, the best outcome is that you end up dragging only yourself into the disaster. The worst outcome could break mountains and shatter rivers, burying all beings with it.

“You didn’t answer my question. Do you want to become a god?” The snow cicada’s voice carried a coldness beyond words.

“I don’t want to become the kind of god you’re talking about. And what you mean probably isn’t a true god at all. It’s a puppet that carries the fate of all beings under the title of god. No, puppet isn’t quite right. There’s a more fitting word. A tool.”

The moment she finished, cold frost curled around her. A chill crept along her skin. Clearly, the snow cicada wasn’t pleased. But she had no intention of changing her answer. That answer came from her heart.

“You don’t respect gods. You’re disrespecting them. You must be punished!” The cicada’s wings fluttered lightly, and a mysterious ancient symbol appeared above it.

In the next breath, the scene around Feng Qinghe changed.

The world turned into endless white. She and the snow cicada were inside another space. The chill around her faded, replaced by warm sunlight.

The snow cicada completely dropped its earlier noble, cold demeanor. It flew straight to Feng Qinghe and spoke in an apologetic voice. “We mentioned that One just now, so It might sense it. Saying you’d be punished wasn’t my intention.”

Feng Qinghe blinked. She’d thought she was about to crush a teleport talisman again. She didn’t expect the reversal to come so fast. A ten thousand year old snow cicada apologizing to her. There was only one thing to do. Forgive it. Absolutely forgive it.

“That was a test?”

“Yes. You’re the one I was waiting for. Are you willing to form a contract with me?” its voice asked, soft and gentle. It didn’t seem worried about being rejected.

Feng Qinghe remembered its earlier words and asked uncertainly, “You have some grudge with that thing? Do you want me to deal with it for you?”

The snow cicada didn’t answer. Instead, frost bloomed around it. An empty ice coffin appeared beside Feng Qinghe.

“The earlier questions were left behind by the one who gave me awareness. Your answers matched that One’s requirements, so you’re qualified to open this,” the cicada said.

Feng Qinghe looked at the coffin made of condensed snowflakes.

Inside, it was empty.

“Did that One leave you any answers?” she asked curiously.

“That One said, the path to save the world isn’t something everyone can bear. Anyone who immediately claims they’ll save the world, regardless of good or evil, doesn’t need to be questioned further. If someone says they’ll protect the world after they become strong, they can open the coffin. Whatever comes after isn’t for me to control.

There’s one more who can come here. Someone who always puts themselves first. That One said, if a living being can’t even love themselves, how could they love the world?”

Feng Qinghe finished listening and looked at the coffin. She pressed her hands together respectfully and bowed toward it. Then she slapped several defensive talismans on herself before reaching out and gently trying to open it with her spiritual energy.

The lid vanished instantly. Inside was a single snowflake. Palm sized. It looked like it was carved from pure white jade.

Before Feng Qinghe could react, the snowflake flew toward her. Her first instinct was to dodge.

Sure, the snow cicada’s words sounded nice, but what if this was a trap? What if the snowflake held some remnant soul? Or what if the cicada wanted to use it to control her?

In just a few breaths, Feng Qinghe imagined countless conspiracies. She hated things that were delivered straight to her door. Picking up things on her own felt safer.

“This is a shard of the Mirror of Rebirth,” the snow cicada said, amusement in its voice.

Feng Qinghe froze mid dodge. That sounded like a treasure. She summoned a box into her hand. The shard fell neatly inside. The moment frost tried to spread, she tossed the box into her Void Stone.

A moment later, the shard appeared in her palm again. It glowed with a soft light. Her vision blurred for an instant, then cleared.

The snow cicada sounded surprised. “You didn’t see anything?”

Getting the Mirror of Rebirth shard should’ve thrown her into an illusion. No one could wake up that fast. Did she fail to be acknowledged?

“What did you see?” the cicada asked, unable to suppress its curiosity.

Feng Qinghe couldn’t help remembering the scene. Even thinking about it again, she didn’t feel it counted as a true test at all.

A luxurious and exquisitely decorated estate.

Blades flashing.

Blood mist spreading through the air.

She stood above the courtyard, watching the slaughter below, every cry echoing in her ears.

“Kill them all, leave no one.”

“No, don’t kill me!”

“Why? What did we do wrong?”

“Stop, please stop!”

…

Then, a woman rushed beneath her and dropped to her knees.

===

The original text is this:

“謝謝您救了我。”雪蟬的聲音宛如碎玉投泉，清脆且悅耳。

鳳青禾聽見這個‘您’字，不動聲色地笑了，“順手的事，主要是你朋友的真誠打動了我。”

And if it was translated become something like this: 

“Thank you for saving me.” Its voice was crisp and clear, like jade beads falling into a spring.

Feng Qinghe heard the respectful “you,” and smiled without showing anything on her face. “It was just a casual thing. It was your friend’s sincerity that moved me.”

---

"您 (nín)" is the formal and respectful second-person pronoun in Chinese, equivalent to a very polite "you," like using "vous" in French or a very deferential "you, sir/ma'am." It shows high respect, distance, or social inferiority on the part of the speaker.

From that, we knew that snow cicada is impeccably polite and well-mannered. She is maintaining a respectful social distance from Feng Qinghe, whom she perceives as a benefactor she doesn't know well. The pronoun underscores the depth of her gratitude. She is elevating Feng Qinghe's status in her speech to honor her.

Feng Qinghe's subtle, knowing smile in reaction to this specific word "您" is the heart of the exchange. It shows she instantly understands all the unspoken implications above. Her following words are a casual, deprecating explanation ("順手的事" - "It was a casual thing"). This is her deliberately refusing the elevated status snow cicada is giving her and pulling the interaction to a more equal, less formal level. She's saying, "You don't need to be so formal with me."

"您" can’t be directly translated in a way that keeps that nuance. The meaning comes through in the tone of the whole exchange and in Feng Qinghe’s reaction, so that’s what the final version above reflects.

Chapter Text

The woman held a half-grown child in her arms.

The child's face was twisted with terror. He whispered, barely audible, "Mama, Mama, I'm scared..."

The woman gently patted him.

Then, without another word, she dropped to her knees and knocked her head against the ground three times toward Feng Qinghe.

Bang bang bang.

Blood streamed from her forehead. With her face smeared in red, she begged in a trembling voice, "Respected one, I'm begging you, please! Pity this child! I'm begging you! Just say the word and I'll..."

Before she could finish, Feng Qinghe prepared to channel her spiritual power and vanish from sight.

She had just told snow cicada she respected everyone's fate. How could she possibly go around saving people?

But the moment she tried, she found her spiritual power completely gone. She remained rooted to the spot.

The woman kept pleading, "This is my clan's only surviving bloodline, please..."

Feng Qinghe realized that although she couldn't use her spiritual power, she could still control her body.

She made herself land lightly.

The woman's face lit up with desperate hope. She raised the child and pushed him toward Feng Qinghe.

All the black-clothed men in the courtyard stared at her, blades in hand.

Feng Qinghe raised both hands. "Everyone, I'm just passing by. You can continue, continue..."

Then she bolted toward the gate. Why would she stay when she could leave? Why force a child on her? It had to be a trap.

Feng Qinghe stepped past the gate. In an instant, she dropped into another scene entirely. She held a blood-dripping sword in her hand. Everyone in the residence was dead. She stood alone inside a room. A cabinet sat right in front of her. Through the crack, she spotted a pair of terrified eyes staring out. She looked at the corpses scattered over the floor. There was nothing left to say.

Leave no roots behind.

Not a single one.

She ordered her people to open the cabinet.

The child inside blinked in confusion, then whispered timidly, "Sister, did you come to save me?"

"I'm here to send you to join your family."

She gave the order.

And that wasn't all. She made them overturn the entire residence, shake out every last corner, pull every weed, and dig ten zhang into the earth. She had even planned to send someone to investigate the family's connections and find anyone who slipped through. But she was kicked out of the illusion before she could.

"You could have saved them. Why didn't you? The child was innocent," Snow cicada asked, stumbling over the words.

"Innocent? Maybe. But what's that got to do with me?"

Snow cicada fell silent again. This wasn't anything like the stories she used to read.

Seeing this, Feng Qinghe remembered they were supposed to form a contract. She explained, "If I save a three-year-old child, doesn't that mean I have to raise him? I might even have to help him get revenge. And in the end I might raise an ungrateful wolf..."

"I think you made the right choice!" Snow cicada blurted, anxious and far less composed than before.

Just imagining what Feng Qinghe described made her shiver. Good thing she wasn't the one thrown into that illusion. Maybe those people who never made it out were the ones who chose to save the child.

Feng Qinghe shifted the topic, curious. "The person you mentioned earlier, was that your previous master?"

Snow cicada sensed Feng Qinghe's true intention behind the question. She answered with absolute seriousness, "I've never formed a contract with anyone. I can't explain who that person was, but ever since I first gained awareness, I could always see her. She taught me cultivation, taught me knowledge...

Until one day, she told me to guard something for her. She said that once I completed that task, our karmic ties would be cleared and I'd be free. After that, I stayed in the snowlands, waiting for the destined one to claim the Mirror of Rebirth fragment. I don't remember how long I've been here. I've encountered beings who tried to devour me, cultivators who tried to capture me...

I know very clearly what would happen if I left the secret realm alone, so I wanted to find myself a contract holder. And you're special. I want to form a contract with you." She fixed her gaze on Feng Qinghe and asked earnestly, "Will you form a contract with me?"

Feng Qinghe replied, "Then let's form a master-pet contract."

If this were the Phantom Winged Tiger, she would never say master-pet. But with snow cicada, only that contract put her at ease.

"Alright. I don't have a name. You can give me one. Since I'm choosing to form a contract with you, I'm prepared for whatever comes."

"Good. My surname is Feng, and my name is Qinghe. Do you have any preferences for your own name?"

"None. Whatever you choose is fine."

Hearing that, Feng Qinghe lifted her hand and wrote out the terms of the master-pet contract. At the end, she added one more rule: The moment the contract is formed, neither party may ever betray the other.

After reading it, snow cicada froze.

"This contract..." She had assumed a master-pet contract was just another form of a master-servant contract.

But the contract in front of her was far less harsh. It even gave her some freedom.

"What's wrong?"

Snow cicada said, "That person told me there are only three types of contracts between humans and beings like us. Master-servant, equal, and symbiotic. This is my first time hearing about master-pet."

Feng Qinghe glanced at the contract. In truth, a master-pet contract isn't that different from a master-servant contract. One side still holds the power over life and death. After she learned the master-servant contract, she created the master-pet version herself. The foundation of both contracts remained the same. But a pet was allowed a small degree of choice. Of course, that power came from her. She could take it back whenever she wanted.

Snow cicada's wings fluttered with joy. "It's different. I see respect in this contract. And it says that as long as I never betray you, you'll never use the contract's punishment."

"Mm." Feng Qinghe's response confirmed it.

"Is Xuanshuang my name then?"

"Mm. Do you like it?" It was her first time naming another being.

"Can I share your surname?" Snow cicada asked carefully, her voice filled with hope.

Feng Qinghe said nothing. She simply lifted her hand and changed 'Xuanshuang' to 'Feng Xuanshuang'.

Seeing this, snow cicada's wings fluttered even faster.

When the contract took shape again, snow cicada reverently etched the characters 'Feng Xuanshuang' beneath it with her own aura.

After Feng Qinghe wrote her own name, the contract split into two rays of light and entered their bodies. She could clearly feel a strange new connection between them.

"Master," Snow cicada's voice carried a shy warmth.

"Mm. Feng Xuanshuang, hello." Feng Qinghe cupped the tiny snow cicada in her palm, her mood surprisingly bright.

She admitted she was weak to beautiful things. She loved everything pleasing to the eye.

"Master, let's head out."

Feng Qinghe glanced toward the crystal coffin. "Can I take this with me?"

Snow cicada said, "If you like it, I can custom make one for you."

Feng Qinghe fell silent.

Snow cicada didn't understand why she paused.

It continued, "This one was condensed using ice law power. Unless it meets divine fire, it'll never melt. With my current strength, I can make a complete one."

Feng Qinghe replied, "Save your strength for those in Divine Transformation and Void Refining. I'll just take this one."

"Master, I'm sorry. Your soul strength is at the Nascent Soul stage. For now, I can only use Nascent Soul power. But I can restrain Divine Transformation and Void Refining cultivators for a short while. That should buy you time to escape."

Feng Qinghe went quiet. There was even a downgrade?

Probably because of the master-pet contract...

Well, it was already done. Besides, fighting wasn't how she survived. Strength didn't matter much.

"Xuanshuang, let's go." Her vision blurred, and she returned to the palace carved entirely from ice and snow.

Snow cicada asked, "Master, do you want to take this place with you?"

Feng Qinghe walked toward the ice throne.

Snow cicada remembered the stories she once read and fluttered her wings gently.

Snowflakes drifted down from midair. Frost gathered over Feng Qinghe's hair. Beautiful ice blossoms bloomed beneath her footsteps. When she sat on the throne, even more ice blossoms unfolded around her. She sat for only a moment before standing again.

"Master, what's wrong? Do you not like it?" Snow cicada asked nervously.

"No, I like it very much. It's just that the seat's too cold." She stood where she was. "What is this throne made of?"

Snow cicada answered, "I don't know. The person made it. She said that as long as this exists, the palace will never fade away."

Feng Qinghe brushed her fingers across the armrest, sensing a familiar energy.

Her Golden Core's power resonated faintly with the throne. She tried to control the energy within it but couldn't. Ancient symbols appeared on the throne for a heartbeat before vanishing again. As if they were preventing her from extracting the energy inside.

Feng Qinghe lifted her hand. A strand of something like moon sand formed in her palm. She looked at snow cicada. "What is this?"

Chapter Text

The snow cicada eased close to Feng Qinghe’s hand and stared at the strand of moon sand that flowed like liquid light. She studied it for a long time.

“This is so strange. It has the vast, ethereal feeling of star power, but it also holds the purity and mystery of lunar essence. Master, where did you get this?”

“This is the power I cultivate.”

The snow cicada seemed to think of something bad. Her voice turned anxious. “Master, did you get hurt? Did it backfire on you?”

Feng Qinghe shook her head. “No. This kind of power suits my body perfectly.”

That answer pushed against the limits of the snow cicada’s knowledge. She thought in silence for a long time, then said, “I don’t know exactly what this power is, but it contains star power and lunar radiance. These two forces can only be handled by a divine body.”

She glanced at Feng Qinghe’s palm again. Then she decided she had to tell the truth. Before speaking, she pulled Feng Qinghe into a world of white mist.

This time, the place felt different to Feng Qinghe. She could leave anytime she wanted.

The snow cicada’s solemn voice rose. “Stars represents annihilation and fate. Within the essence of stars lies the profundity of time and destiny. Star power is incredibly difficult to control. Even gods don’t dare cultivate it lightly. If you mishandle star power, you might fall into a time space storm, or break your line of fate entirely, then vanish. Only those who’ve completely stepped beyond the rules, whose bodies no longer age with the years, dare cultivate star power.

And lunar radiance symbolizes reincarnation and karma. This power comes from the essence of the moon, and within that essence lies the profundity of the laws of reincarnation and karma. Lunar radiance can purify all filth. But from the moment a life is born, its soul accepts everything between heaven and earth. That’s the only way a soul grows. It naturally includes impurity. So anyone who cultivates lunar radiance will have their Primordial Soul purified by it. If lunar radiance purifies too deeply, it can harm the soul. It might even strip memories away, bit by bit, until the cultivator forgets everything. That’s another kind of erasure.

These two powers are strong, and not exactly rare, but through all of history, cultivators have avoided them. There aren’t even cultivation methods for them.”

The snow cicada stopped there. As she spoke, she’d also been sensing Feng Qinghe’s body.

Feng Qinghe did not have a divine body. She didn’t have a special constitution either. Her bones and meridians were simply far better than most cultivators. But that wasn’t enough to withstand the intensity of star power and lunar radiance.

Feng Qinghe’s eyes darkened. She whispered, “Annihilation, fate, reincarnation, karma...”

It felt like something finally linked together.

In the book, that version of her had her Luck drained, then vanished into annihilation.

In the Jiang family, that version of her could never control her own fate.

In the age of dwindling spiritual energy, another version of her was besieged until death.

Which led to her current self, with three intertwined memories.

Isn’t that reincarnation and karma?

Feng Qinghe flipped her wrist, revealing a red thread in her other palm. Compared to what she had in the Land Without Spirit, this Fate Seizing Thread was one third shorter. And it was still shrinking.

“Master, is that a Fate Seizing Thread? Who’s trying to steal your Luck?”

Feng Qinghe spoke calmly. “Someone unimportant. I’ll take it back soon.”

Everything in her palm vanished. She closed her eyes and looked toward her soul.

The black thread was still there, unchanged in length. But the runes hidden within it seemed fainter.

Fate.

Life and Luck.

If she kept moving forward, would she eventually become the master of fate itself?

When that time came, would the black thread still be a shackle to her?

“Master, do you feel any discomfort?” the snow cicada asked nervously.

She glanced again at Feng Qinghe’s palm and thought quietly. "Master had only cultivated a little lunar radiance and star power. It should be fine, right?"

“Xuanshuang, I think what I’m cultivating is a fusion of star power and lunar radiance. They’ve reached a kind of balance.”

They weren’t harming her. And this fusion wasn’t simple. At least, she’d never seen star moon power outside the Kunxu Secret Realm. Maybe she just hadn’t traveled enough.

“Master, once you leave this place, don’t use this power lightly. If the Heavenly Dao notices something this strange, it might send down heavenly punishment.”

“Alright.”

Feng Qinghe appeared before the throne again. She sat down once more. Cold swept through her body as always. But when she called upon the star moon power within her Golden Core, the cold vanished instantly.

The runes on the throne flashed for a moment, then died out.

The powers recognized each other. She didn’t plan to take the power sealed within the throne. She was just curious about the runes carved into it. If she learned them, maybe she could hide her own star moon power.

The snow cicada spoke. “Master, this palace can withstand a Heaven rank strange flame, but not someone in Void Refining. I don’t want it to fall into those people’s hands.”

Feng Qinghe understood. This was the snow cicada explaining why she’d been prepared to drag those intruders down with her.

“If you leave the snow region with me, can you completely hide your aura?”

“I can, Master. I can even change form.” As soon as she finished, she turned into a dull gray moth.

Feng Qinghe fell silent. Her beautiful snow cicada had turned into a dusty little fluttering moth. She kind of didn’t want it anymore. What was she supposed to do?

The snow cicada sensed Feng Qinghe’s disgust. Her wings froze mid flutter. She asked timidly, “Master doesn’t like it?”

Not wanting to hit her spirit, Feng Qinghe changed the subject. “Put the palace away. Let’s go.”

The snow cicada had her own space, and as her Master, Feng Qinghe could sense it.

Miao Fuguang had been right. She liked taking the initiative because she liked the feeling of control behind it.

“Alright.”

The entire palace slowly vanished.

At the entrance, the golden egg, nearly turned into a statue by cold, suddenly moved. It rolled toward Feng Qinghe. Halfway there, it jolted to a stop.

“You two made a contract?!” the golden egg shouted.

Its voice was full of shock, disbelief, and the faintest trace of sadness. The one it had taken a liking to had already signed with the snow cicada.

“Eggling, this is my contract partner Feng Qinghe. She even gave me a name. My surname is Feng now, and my name is Xuanshuang.” The snow cicada fluttered cheerfully around the golden egg.

The golden egg was stunned for a moment. “You’re leaving the secret realm with her?”

The snow cicada spoke with the same bright tone. “Of course. We have a contract, so we stay together. Um... Eggling, what about you?”

The golden egg was still trying to process the emotion in its chest.

The snow cicada had already begun circling it. “Why do you have soul residue on you? Did someone plot against you?”

She knew where the golden egg came from. It could devour remnant souls and gain their memories, but it should never have remnant soul energy lingering on its shell.

Chapter Text

This was the first time it sensed the breath of a soul coming from the golden egg.

“A soul’s breath?” The golden egg froze.

Was its earlier feeling actually right?

The snow cicada said, “Yes, this soul’s breath is very pure, like a newborn soul.”

Feng Qinghe studied the golden egg. Before this, the egg’s appearances and disappearances had come without the slightest trace. But now she could sense a unique soul aura within it. Only, that aura was incredibly faint, as if it could disappear at any moment.

“This might be my soul…” the golden egg said hesitantly.

The snow cicada fell silent. It didn’t know what to say. The fact that the golden egg could form its own divine sense was already a rarity. How could it possibly grow a soul? This was even rarer than the Star Moon Power its master cultivated.

Right then, the golden egg rolled to Feng Qinghe’s feet. “You’re the one who made a soul appear in me, so you have to take responsibility!”

Feng Qinghe stared at it in silence. Was this… extortion?

“Egg brat, don’t make trouble,” the snow cicada said.

“I’m not making trouble. I’m telling the truth. She awakened my soul. I’m following her!”

The golden egg puffed up like a child throwing a tantrum.

The snow cicada genuinely didn’t know how to respond. After all, Feng Qinghe had been brought here by the egg. What happened between them, it truly didn’t know.

Feng Qinghe said, “Your soul isn’t stable.”

Even now, traces of the soul’s breath lingered on the egg. But the soul that had formed moments ago had already vanished. Or perhaps the egg was hiding it.

“That’s all the more reason I have to follow you. I want to become a living being. That sounds fun.”

In the memories it had devoured, it’d seen countless fascinating things. And only by becoming a living being could it experience them firsthand. It could clearly sense the power of the wind, yet it had never touched it. It knew what warmth and coldness were, yet had never felt them on its own body. And if it became a living being, it might even gain the chance to exist forever.

Even if it didn’t become a living being, it wouldn’t truly disappear. It might have the chance to form again. But if it formed again… would it still be itself?

These thoughts left the golden egg dazed for a long time. It seemed… it had become greedy.

The golden egg fell into a trance like enlightenment. The flowers, ancient script, and symbols on its shell lit up all at once. Mysterious power flowed across its surface.

Feng Qinghe stared at the egg, and an uncontrollable sense of awe rose within her, along with a fleeting instinct to submit. She shouldn’t feel like this. That feeling came from the black thread on her soul.

The golden egg’s shell gradually solidified. Those flower patterns, ancient characters, and symbols looked as if an invisible hand were carving them into the shell stroke by stroke. When the ancient script settled into place… It turned into a deep gold. The already radiant shell gained an even more noble aura.

“I’ve got a physical form!” the golden egg said in delight. Its voice was no longer childish. It sounded like a drop of morning dew falling gently into a lake, clear and pure.

The golden egg continued, “I still don’t have a complete soul, but I can feel I’ll have one soon.”

The snow cicada released power and wrapped Feng Qinghe in a shield.

“Are you still the egg brat?” Its tone grew extremely serious, filled with distance and wariness.

“I am.” The golden egg sounded hurt, even though it understood the reaction.

After all, it had never imagined it could gain a physical form. Much less awaken a soul. This already violated the laws of heaven and earth. If this weren’t the Kunxu Mystic Realm, the moment it awakened a soul, it would’ve drawn the attention of the Heavenly Dao and triggered a thunder tribulation.

It wasn’t afraid of thunder tribulation. What it feared was that the tribulation might draw the attention of an existence on that level…

Fortunately, during those days it spent sticking to Feng Qinghe, it’d comprehended an ability. It could still hide itself completely.

“I’m really still me,” the golden egg said again.

“Let’s leave first.” As soon as Feng Qinghe spoke, the snow cicada teleported onto her shoulder.

Seeing this, the golden egg jumped right into her arms.

Feng Qinghe caught it, tossed down an Explosive Talisman, then crushed a Teleportation Talisman and left.

At the same time. Above the mystic realm.

Countless powerhouses were still fighting fiercely. Yet they kept their pressure and the range of their attacks under control. But none of the Divine Transformation cultivators remained.

Only the Void Refining experts from each faction were still clashing.

“Jing Yuan, I knew your Youming Hall was being sneaky. You said you only sent three Void Refining cultivators, so why are there five of you now?”

Jing Yuan’s whole body was wrapped in a black robe. His face was hidden beneath his hood, leaving only his eyes exposed.

Aged.

Decayed.

Jing Yuan laughed. “It really was three. The other two entered the Kunxu Mystic Realm while still at the Divine Transformation realm. And you five great sects aren’t following the rules either. We agreed to control this mystic realm together, yet you’ve been guarding the central area from us the entire time. Oh right, Kong Sang, you should have a Xuan Tie Token on you, shouldn’t you?”

Kong Sang’s expression was cold and sharp. Even after hearing Jing Yuan’s words, it didn’t change. “The core of this mystic realm belongs to our Wendao Sect.”

“Bullshit. What do you mean your Wendao Sect? Our Wuji Sword Sect saw it first, so naturally it belongs to us!”

“Hmph, what you say doesn’t matter. Whoever grabs it wins!”

…

But as they fought, everyone suddenly stopped. That brilliant, dazzling core of the mystic realm vanished in an instant.

The barrier and formations were still there. But the core itself was gone.

For a moment, everyone spoke in unison with terrifying fury. “It must be that Riyou Shen again!”

Then several voices echoed throughout the Kunxu Mystic Realm.

“Riyou Shen, you’d better come out on your own. If you don’t, my Wuji Sword Sect will hunt you down to the ends of the earth!”

“We’ll seal the entrance. You’re not getting out this time!”

…

The disciples below heard this and couldn’t help whispering.

“That’s strange. Why’d they stop fighting?”

“Who’s Riyou Shen?”

“Why’d the mystic realm core suddenly disappear?”

“Who got it?”

“I know Riyou Shen. On every state’s kill list, bounty list, wanted list… and the main kill list of the entire Tiancang Continent, the top rank belongs to Riyou Shen.”

“Riyou Shen’s the only one who’s ever escaped from the combined hunt of the ten strongest forces.”

“But you still haven’t told me who Riyou Shen is. Man or woman? How strong?”

“No idea.”

“How can you not know?”

“I really don’t. The main list shows dozens of portraits next to the name Riyou Shen. Those portraits are human, but there are more than ten kinds. Men, women, old, young, tall, short, fat, thin…”

“My Martial Uncle even made a practice target with the name Riyou Shen pasted on it. He shoots it every day.”

“Riyou Shen has another nickname. Saint Hand of Theft.”

“So all those strong experts fighting above were fighting to the death, only for Riyou Shen to swoop in and profit?”

“Looks that way.”

“Wait, if Riyou Shen got the mystic realm core, why not contract it?”

Once the mystic realm core was contracted, the realm would close and everyone would be kicked out.

Everyone knew this.

The experts above clearly knew this too.

So everyone waited.

A quarter hour passed.

Then two.

…

Still no movement.

Everyone exchanged glances.

Got the core, yet didn’t contract it?

What was the hidden person planning?

You couldn’t store the core in spatial items. Even if someone suppressed its aura, not contracting it after obtaining it was obviously strange…

“Kong Sang, what do you think Riyou Shen is trying to do?”

Chapter Text

Kong Sang closed his eyes and let his divine sense spread out, probing the secret realm inch by inch. The other five Void Refining cultivators of the Wendao Sect moved into a protective formation.

Everyone else only exchanged brief looks. No one made a move. The core of the secret realm mattered far more than Kong Sang. Besides, even if they struck now, they couldn't kill him, and that would completely turn the Wendao Sect against them.

As a diviner, Kong Sang's divine sense was the strongest among them. If he searched carefully, he might discover something.

Half an hour later.

Kong Sang opened his eyes, the starry brilliance fading from their depths. He said, "We might've been fooled. Whatever we saw earlier was probably fake."

As for the Riyou Shen, that person definitely wasn't in the Void Refining stage. Someone at that level couldn't even enter the secret realm. But the sect Ancestor had strictly ordered them not to speak of the Riyou Shen.

Everyone stared at him with doubt written all over their faces.

"Kong Sang, don't tell me you already found the secret realm core and just don't want to share it with us."

"I think that person was injured. That's why they didn't form a contract with the secret realm core."

"Kong Sang, your Wendao Sect already controls enough things. Can't you leave us a little room to survive?"

It was clear no one outside the Wendao Sect believed a word he said.

Kong Sang didn't bother explaining. "The core I sensed is still in that location."

He hadn't rushed over the moment the core appeared because he suspected it might be fake. But his divinations said both of the cores were real and could be used to seize control of the secret realm. That was why he joined the scramble.

Now that the current core suddenly vanished, he realized his divination might've deceived him. Or the secret realm had birthed a spirit. A spirit that was dissatisfied and decided to toy with them.

There was also another possibility. The heir of the inheritance site had appeared.

Most likely the same person Bai Yan'er encountered. That person even asked Bai Yan'er to divine the location of the Xuan Tie Token.

He'd tried divining that person himself and got nothing. That gave him a feeling that maybe this truly was the one the inheritance had been waiting for.

Back when the Kunxu Secret Realm first appeared, the sect Ancestor investigated the Immortal Age inheritance and performed a great divination. It revealed that the ancient inheritance was waiting for its successor. Anyone who wasn't the successor couldn't enter the central region. But the identity of the successor was completely hidden. No way to see through it.

Still, how could the Wendao Sect possibly hand over an Immortal Age inheritance?

Whoever obtained it had to be someone of the Wendao Sect, or someone willing to join them. Otherwise, they had no choice but to eliminate the person. Because in that divination, several Ancestors sensed one outcome. The one who obtained the inheritance would destroy the Five Great Sects.

That was why the Five Great Sects had begun resorting to any means necessary to force the inheritance site open. And at this moment, Kong Sang suddenly felt that even if all five sects joined forces, they still might not be able to stop it.

He looked slowly around the group. "Did any of your sect disciples encounter something strange after entering the Kunxu Secret Realm?"

Wen Qian stroked his beard. "Our Wuji Sword Sect disciples said several opportunities somehow ran away from them. They swore those things grew legs."

"Our Liangyi Sect had the same thing happen."

"Tianling Sect too. Even formations couldn't keep anything in place."

Kong Sang's expression tightened. One person couldn't do all that. Was some hidden force stirring up trouble?

"Could it be those demons who slipped in earlier?"

"No. Those guys stayed in the Illusion Cavern the whole time."

Everyone's gaze shifted to Jing Yuan.

The Youming Hall loved causing problems from the shadows. If the Five Great Sects hadn't taught them a lesson together, the Kunxu Secret Realm wouldn't be this stable today.

Jing Yuan sneered. "The loose cultivators in the Illusion Cavern are already enough for our disciples to train on. Why would the Youming Hall steal random opportunities from other cultivators?"

He knew perfectly well why the Five Great Sects tolerated the Youming Hall. Besides using them to control evil cultivators, they also needed them to clear traces left behind in the Illusion Cavern. That way, the Five Great Sects could keep standing in the light of justice forever.

There was another hidden benefit too. Any scandal, any blame, could always be dumped onto the Youming Hall. Since the Five Great Sects ruled the Cultivation Realm, how could they allow their own names to be stained?

So whenever something dirty happened, it was thrown at the Youming Hall. And the Youming Hall accepted the blame because the benefits given to them were enough.

"Forget it. It's just some Golden Core resources. Not worth wasting time over."

"We have to open the inheritance site this time. I suspect when the secret realm opens again, people of our level won't be allowed in anymore."

When the Kunxu Secret Realm opened the first time, even Tribulation Crossing cultivators could enter. But each time it appeared, it weakened. Now the highest cultivation allowed was Void Refining. Everyone knew that soon even Void Refining cultivators wouldn't be able to enter. Honestly, the lower the cultivation of the entrants, the better for the Ten Great Forces. It meant fewer unexpected incidents.

Even if someone managed to get the Immortal Age inheritance, they couldn't quietly leave. They couldn't escape the net waiting outside. Even a Tribulation Crossing cultivator couldn't hide from the formation created by the half Immortal artifact array plate.

Of course, the Riyou Shen didn't count. Whatever that thing was, it was far too strange. To this day, no one knew the true identity of the Riyou Shen.

After that incident, every sect had dispatched a Tribulation Crossing Ancestor to personally guard the outside. They couldn't show themselves or make a move, but catching one person was easy.

Kong Sang said, "With help from the demon race and beast race this time, we might have a chance."

His cultivation could no longer be suppressed. If he didn't advance soon, his foundation would shatter. This was his last visit to the Kunxu Secret Realm. He had to open the Immortal Age inheritance himself.

"In that case, let's go do what we're supposed to do. Jing Yuan, we need to go back and catch that snow cicada. Who knows if those brats can handle it."

Kong Sang paused mid step. "I just checked the snow region. There's no one there."

"What?!" Wen Qian roared and dashed straight toward the snow region.

Kong Sang told the others beside him, "Head back to the Demon Cavern first."

He needed to check the snow region himself.

Wen Qian was the peak lord of the Formation Peak of the Wuji Sword Sect.

The Eight Ferocious Blazing Flame Formation was a taboo formation, a grandmaster level formation. Very few people knew it, and even fewer could use it and escape unscathed.

Among the Five Great Sects, only Wen Qian dared to wield it. Every sect wanted that ten thousand year old snow cicada that'd been here since the Kunxu Secret Realm opened. That was why everyone agreed to let Wen Qian use the formation. Not to mention the snow cicada’s body was full of treasures, it might even be connected to the inheritance site.

By the time Kong Sang reached the snow region, he heard Wen Qian shouting, "Impossible. How could the formation be destroyed?"

The snow region was a mess. The once frozen land was melting, water rippling under each step. Fragments of broken formation materials lay everywhere.

Kong Sang ignored Wen Qian and moved toward the formation’s core. He found nothing. No trace of unfamiliar aura.

"The three Youming Hall disciples had their souls erased," Jing Yuan said darkly.

Three Divine Transformation cultivators. They were trained as future hall masters. Just gone.

"When we were fighting over the secret realm core, a brief surge of power came from the snow region. But it was only for a moment. Then nothing," Kong Sang said.

The Wendao Sect also lost three Divine Transformation cultivators. He'd been too focused on the core earlier to notice anything here.

"No. The eight formation cores of the Eight Ferocious Blazing Flame Formation were destroyed at the same time. That means at least eight Void Refining cultivators acted together, and all of them had to be skilled in formations."

Once Wen Qian said that, everyone's expressions turned grim.

Those two people from the Youming Hall who disguised themselves as Divine Transformation cultivators only managed it because they didn't fear destroying their own foundation. They truly turned themselves into Divine Transformation cultivators. Then after entering the Kunxu Secret Realm, they devoured the remnants of many loose cultivators. That was how they regained the Void Refining level. No other Void Refining cultivator could replicate that method.

The Ancestors guarding the entrance weren't just decorations.

Wen Qian glanced at Kong Sang. "About those who died in the Illusion Cavern in past years. Are you sure you cleaned them all up?"

Chapter Text

A barren desert stretched in every direction.

Feng Qinghe brought Snow Cicada and Golden Egg with her and teleported straight back to the old mine. She wanted the water hidden inside that underground river. Ever since she learned that the stone was a divine artifact, she refused to overlook anything that looked even remotely ordinary. Even if she still hadn’t sensed the presence of any artifact spirit inside the stone. She wasn’t in a rush. She already had the divine artifact in hand, so waking its spirit wouldn’t be far off.

Golden Egg hopped out of Feng Qinghe’s arms and rolled around the mine like it was searching for something.

“Master, this is Purple Ginseng’s territory. Inside the Kunxu Secret Realm, only Purple Ginseng and I have lived the longest.”

Its snowy region had never allowed any other living creature to survive.

This desert used to be an oasis. Purple Ginseng was the ruler of all life that grew in that oasis. But Purple Ginseng had no attack power. The moment any cultivator entered the oasis, she hid, and after that, the oasis gradually turned into the wasteland it was now. Thinking back on it now, she realized Purple Ginseng had been smarter. Purple Ginseng hid fast, so no cultivator ever discovered her. She’d been living happily underground ever since.

Snow Cicada, on the other hand, tried to stop the cultivators when they touched the snow lotus and exposed her existence. After that, she’d been hunted endlessly.

If Feng Qinghe hadn’t shown up this time, she might’ve dragged those cultivators down with her.

“Huh? Why isn’t Purple Ginseng responding? When I called to her before she’d always answer me at least once.” Golden Egg sounded confused.

“Probably because cultivators are inside the secret realm,” Snow Cicada said.

Purple Ginseng was the most timid creature of all. Whenever the realm opened, she hid and suppressed every trace of her aura.

“No. She’s right under us,” Golden Egg said.

Feng Qinghe paused, remembering her previous encounter and glancing at the dried riverbed. “The Purple Ginseng you’re talking about, is she the one who cries all the time?”

Golden Egg and Snow Cicada both fell silent.

It seemed, yes, Purple Ginseng cried very easily and scared even more easily.

When the oasis Purple Ginseng cultivated so carefully was turned into a barren desert, she had thrown a small tantrum, drained every last drop of life from the land, and then never surfaced again.

Feng Qinghe waited for their answer.

Instead, two tiny black bean eyes appeared on Golden Egg’s shell. They were pretty cute.

Except Feng Qinghe felt like those eyes weren’t looking at her with the right kind of attitude.

“Purple Ginseng says you stole the things she planted and want to steal her accumulated sacred dew too. She says you’re a shameless thief. What did you do to her?” Golden Egg sounded way too smug.

Feng Qinghe stared in silence. "Ever since this golden egg gained a soul, why had it become so annoying?"

It spoke again. “She also says you should give everything back.”

Feng Qinghe raised both hands. “I don’t understand what you’re talking about.”

Anything she obtained was never something she returned.

Golden Egg sighed. “I knew it. So I told her you only take and never give. I also told her she better run or she’ll probably get herself killed.”

Snow Cicada kept quiet.

Feng Qinghe rubbed her chin and narrowed her eyes at Golden Egg. “Can you read minds?”

Knowing her this well was dangerous.

“I don’t read minds. But I can sense changes in your body.

A creature’s expression can lie, and thoughts can be controlled, but the body’s instinctive reaction the moment emotion appears can’t be hidden.

When I mentioned Purple Ginseng earlier, your body reacted with excitement. It’s the same reaction you have when you plan to snatch… oh wait, no, when you try to take advantage of a situation.”

After Golden Egg finished talking, Feng Qinghe thought she really should form a contract with it. If she let a creature like this run free and fall into someone else’s hands, how would she ever keep a single secret? Besides, its ability suited her perfectly.

“Do you want to form a contract with me?” Feng Qinghe asked.

Golden Egg froze. The topic switch was way too sudden.

“I… can I?” It stuttered.

She actually didn’t know if she could form one. In the past, she absolutely couldn’t have contracted with Feng Qinghe. But now she had a soul of her own. Maybe it wasn’t complete, but it felt possible.

“You can. A master pet contract.” Feng Qinghe wrote out the contract and showed it to her.

After reading it, Golden Egg commented, “A master servant contract turned into a master pet contract. Isn’t this what humans call sugarcoating?”

A master pet contract was basically the same as a master servant contract. It was just that the word “pet” softened it. It made the contract look less harsh, less unfair, and even respectful. But Golden Egg had devoured countless cultivator memories. After seeing those memories, the meaning of “pet” became different.

Among cultivators, the word “pet” meant a blessing a strong one bestowed on the weak. Something that looked rare and precious and beloved. But it was still something the strong could take back at any time. Choosing to become someone’s pet meant handing your fate to them completely.

Feng Qinghe’s voice was calm. “So are you signing or not?”

“I’ll sign, but I don’t want to be called golden egg, and I don’t want egg brat either. Give me a nice name like Feng Xuanshuang!” Golden Egg puffed up her voice proudly.

She wasn’t that easy to contract.

Feng Qinghe smiled faintly, thought for a moment, and named her Feng Niansheng.

“Feng Niansheng. Born from a thought. Not bad. I’ll take it. But these contract runes need to be modified, they’re too low rank.” She sounded arrogantly pleased.

Feng Qinghe’s hands itched. Ever since the egg gained a soul, it just begged to be smacked.

Snow Cicada quietly moved farther away.

Golden Egg kept chattering, “Do you not know higher level runes? I’ll teach you, it’s simple…”

Feng Qinghe’s twitching hand finally calmed. When it came to learning, she had no temper at all.

Nothing mattered more than knowledge.

A ray of golden light flew out from Golden Egg’s shell, hovering before Feng Qinghe.

“This rune seal holds the knowledge for advanced contracts. Learn it or not, it’s up to you. If you’re worried it’s dangerous, I can teach you slowly, but the time it’ll take will be endless.”

Feng Qinghe touched the rune.

It dissolved softly.

Countless memories appeared in her sea of consciousness.

Every rune was complicated beyond belief. Without direct memory inheritance, she would’ve needed years to learn them.

Compared to this, what Miao Fuguang taught her suddenly didn’t seem that difficult.

After finishing the memories, Feng Qinghe immediately began rewriting the contract.

Seeing this, Golden Egg grew delighted.

“You’re in a good mood?” Snow Cicada asked through a voice transmission.

“Yeah. This means she trusts me. She actually accepted something I gave her.”

Snow Cicada paused. Why did it feel like the egg got less smart after gaining a soul?

She thought a moment then transmitted again, “Isn’t it possible the master confirmed the thing you gave her is safe before…”

Golden Egg cut her off. “Hmph. You’re just jealous. Don’t forget, I met her first.”

“…as long as you’re happy.” Snow Cicada gave up.

This egg definitely entered a rebellious phase. She decided to go talk to Purple Ginseng underground. But Purple Ginseng still ignored her.

Two hours passed.

Feng Qinghe finally finished revising the contract. She didn’t know why inscribing Golden Egg’s runes took so much out of her. But while carving those runes, she’d gradually entered a state of enlightenment. All the rune knowledge Miao Fuguang taught her before, she’d only learned a tiny fraction of it, yet in these two hours, everything suddenly made sense.

As soon as Golden Egg saw the finished contract, she hurried to write the name Feng Niansheng.

Feng Qinghe wrote her own name.

But right as the contract was about to be completed, sudden change struck.

Chapter Text

Several strands of purple ginseng whiskers appeared out of thin air.

In a flash, one whisker dropped a streak of energy after Feng Niansheng’s name, and the rest tapped down together, piecing the character for purple right behind it.

Then the contract vanished.

Three rays of light shot toward Feng Qinghe, Niansheng, and a single purple ginseng.

The purple ginseng was about as long as Feng Qinghe’s forearm. Its body was round and chubby. Two green leaves sprouted from its head.

Everything happened too fast.

Feng Qinghe, Niansheng, and Xuanshuang had no time to react.

When the dust settled, Niansheng let out a sharp screech. “Aaaah! What do you think you’re doing? You scheming ginseng, how dare you snatch my contract?”

The purple ginseng twisted a few whiskers together, speaking carefully. “You and Snow Cicada both switched sides. I was scared you’d hand me over to her. I don’t want to get eaten.”

It had worked so hard to hide all this time.

Before this, even though Golden Egg and Snow Cicada could sense its presence, they never actively hunted it. But things were different now. They were contracted to this person. Their positions had changed. The only way it could survive was to put itself on the same side as Golden Egg and Snow Cicada.

There were risks, of course. Still better than waiting for judgment.

“You can’t just do that. You know that could’ve ruined the contract, right?” Niansheng was furious.

The contract rune it carved for Feng Qinghe could only be made once. Only these ancient totem runes from the dawn of creation could complete a contract between it and Feng Qinghe. But it couldn’t tell Feng Qinghe about totem runes, so it simply called them high level runes.

The rune it gave was unique. It contained the power of its own laws. If this contract failed, it meant there was no fate between it and Feng Qinghe. It never imagined something like this would happen, almost ruining the entire process.

“It won’t fail.” The purple ginseng’s voice was soft, but filled with certainty.

“How do you know?”

“I just know,” the purple ginseng replied.

Otherwise it would never have taken such a risk.

Niansheng stayed silent for a moment, then reluctantly accepted it. “Hmph. Let me tell you, you were the last to join. That means you’re third. I’m first, Xuanshuang’s second.”

Xuanshuang blinked. “Why am I second?”

Niansheng puffed up proudly. “I’m the biggest, so I’m the boss.”

The purple ginseng and Xuanshuang had nothing to say.

Fine.

It wasn’t unacceptable.

Truthfully, Niansheng’s origin did qualify it to act like a boss.

Meanwhile, as soon as the contract formed, Feng Qinghe’s head buzzed. It wasn’t from the arguing, but because the power in her sea of consciousness had been completely drained.

Niansheng noticed that something was wrong with her and snapped at the purple ginseng. “Quick, give me one of your legs!”

The purple ginseng backed up fast, sounding terrified. “What are you trying to do?”

“You caused this, so you’re fixing it. Feng Feng needs energy. Drawing the contract drained her too much,” Niansheng said.

The purple ginseng finally understood what it meant. After hesitating, it plucked off one clean, spotless whisker.

Two tiny hands stretched out of Niansheng’s shell, grabbed the whisker, and gently brought it to Feng Qinghe’s lips.

“Feng Feng, eat this. It’s filled with the essence of heaven and earth. It’ll extend your lifespan, stabilize your cultivation, and nourish your Primordial Soul.”

Niansheng sounded overly sweet. It was guilty, and it knew it. That totem rune consumed a lot of energy when drawn. Without its secret help, Feng Qinghe wouldn’t have completed it.

Normally, after the contract succeeded, she would only be a little tired. But the purple ginseng barged in. So when the contract formed, Feng Qinghe endured the force of two totem runes. No wonder she collapsed.

She took the whisker, checked it carefully, and only swallowed once she confirmed it was safe.

The whisker melted instantly. A surge of heat rushed through her veins, and her strength roared to life. Her nose tingled. Two thin trails of blood slid down.

“Feng Feng, I’m sorry, I think I overdid it,” Niansheng said in a guilty whisper.

She couldn’t even reply. She could only sit down and regulate her breathing. She hadn’t passed her Golden Core thunder tribulation yet, so she absolutely couldn’t advance any further. She steadied the raging power, guided it into her sea of consciousness, and used it to temper her soul.

At the same time, she sensed her contracts with Niansheng, Xuanshuang, and the purple ginseng.

Her contracts with Xuanshuang and the purple ginseng appeared as two little points of light.

But Niansheng’s contract had turned into a strand of mysterious golden light. What shocked her even more was that the golden strand seemed to suppress the black strand beside it. The runes hidden within the black thread were so dim they were almost invisible.

It made sense that her contracts with Xuanshuang and Niansheng looked different. But Niansheng and the purple ginseng had signed the same contract. Why were they so different?

She studied the golden strand again. It didn’t cause discomfort. Instead, she felt something warm and familiar. As if this golden strand was born compatible with her soul. Not only that, the moment she examined it in detail, she slipped into a profound, indescribable state.

After the Void Stone finished devouring the Jiang family secret realm’s core, it had given her a cultivation method called the Eternal Essence Technique. A method that could be cultivated up to the Nascent Soul stage.

The first time she read it, it felt impossibly deep. She only understood the first few pages. But now, she understood half of it. She also realized this method was only a fragment.

Ever since she obtained the Tianque Palace opening token, the Void Stone’s spirit slept most of the time. The stone itself had been changing little by little. Maybe once it finished devouring the token completely, the Eternal Essence Technique would upgrade as well. Still, even though the token was inside the Void Stone, she could still control Tianque Palace without issue.

…

“How’s the master?” Xuanshuang asked worriedly.

“She’s fine. She just needs to refine the purple ginseng’s power,” Niansheng replied.

The purple ginseng wrapped its other whiskers around the spot where one had broken off, looking utterly pitiful and silent. If it had eyes, they’d be full of tears.

Niansheng bumped into it. “And you’re sulking? If not for you, would Feng Feng be like this?”

The purple ginseng muttered, “I didn’t want this. You two went to her, so what choice did I have? I only wanted to survive. You always scold me. You all bully me because I’m easy to bully.”

It began rambling nonstop.

Niansheng froze, then asked Xuanshuang doubtfully, “Was it always like this?”

“Pretty much,” Xuanshuang said. “Before the secret realm opened, it once chanted scriptures at the entrance of the snowfields for half a year just to get a snow lotus from me.”

Eventually it couldn’t take it anymore and gave the purple ginseng one snow lotus.

Fortunately, the purple ginseng wasn’t completely unreasonable. It only pulled that act three times. Then it never approached the snowfields again.

Niansheng stayed silent.

The purple ginseng was still mumbling under its breath. “I can’t fight, and now I can’t speak, and you’re blaming me for being born a ginseng?”

Niansheng pointed at it seriously and asked Xuanshuang, “How does it manage to be so cowardly yet still make me mad?”

Chapter Text

Three days later.

Feng Qinghe stood at the entrance to the swamp. The stench of rot hit her the moment she arrived. Poisonous miasma blanketed the entire place. She couldn’t see the swamp clearly at all. The only color she could vaguely make out was black.

She felt something trembling on her head and rubbed her forehead helplessly. “How about you go stay inside the space for a bit?”

Purple Ginseng’s timid voice sounded in her mind. “I… I don’t want to. I don’t like unfamiliar places.”

“Then stop shaking.”

At this rate she really thought someone had strapped a motor to her head. It was just like Niansheng said, such a coward, yet stubborn as a mule.

“I’ll try my best.”

“Fine.” She’d already signed a contract with her. What else could she do?

At the moment, Niansheng had turned into a fist sized golden egg and sat on Feng Qinghe’s right shoulder. “Feng Feng, if it keeps shaking, just toss it out to scout ahead. It should know this area better than us.”

“Wuu wuu, don’t throw me, please? I’ll stop shaking, I swear.” Purple Ginseng sounded like it was about to cry.

In truth, Purple Ginseng was shaking even harder.

Feng Qinghe suddenly felt that buy one get one deals were never good news.

Just look at Xuanshuang. So well behaved. It stayed quietly on her left shoulder like a soft puff of snow.

“Feng Zi, don’t be scared. I’m not throwing you.” She still didn’t know why Purple Ginseng insisted she call it that. It claimed this was the name written in their contract, and using it made it harder for others to guess its identity.

Honestly, Feng Qinghe thought the name wasn’t as good as Purple Ginseng at all.

“Xiao Jin, guide the way. Let’s grab what we came for, then head to the Illusion Cavern.”

Niansheng perked up immediately. “Alright Feng Feng, I’ll guide you. Don’t touch any of these plants. They’re poisonous. Even a Nascent Soul cultivator can’t withstand the toxins.”

After that came a stream of explanations.

“Once we get through this stretch of forest, we’ll be inside the real swamp.”

“Your shoes are made from Starweave Silk. The mud here won’t corrode them. Just walk without worrying.”

“There’s a sea of flowers behind the forest. They’re called First Grade Serpentbone Flowers. They look like red spider lilies, but their scent forces living creatures to see whatever they fear most.”

“If you touch the pollen, your skin will rot immediately. Even a Nascent Soul cultivator will shed a layer of skin before making it out.”

“But the most dangerous thing isn’t the flowers. It’s the vine snakes hiding between them.”

“Vine snakes grow by eating the Serpentbone Flowers. Their whole bodies are toxic and their vines look exactly like dodder threads. Once they wrap around you, you won’t escape.”

“Oh, right.”

“There’s a special rule in this swamp. Any attack a cultivator releases will only have thirty percent of its usual power.”

…

After hearing all that, Feng Qinghe stayed silent for a moment, staring ahead. “How about the three of you go back into the space together?”

Niansheng said, “Feng Feng, you forgot. Even if I have a physical body now, I can still make myself untouchable. Nothing here can sense me at all.”

Xuanshuang said softly, “Master, I’ll be fine too. I can freeze anything that gets close to you.”

“I’m a ginseng. I’m not scared of poison. I can help too.” Purple Ginseng hurried to declare.

“Alright.”

Feng Qinghe took out more than ten defensive artifacts from her space and strapped them on one by one.

“Master, I can add a defensive barrier for you.”

“No need. Your aura’s too unique. It’ll expose us.” Anything made from the Jiang Family’s secret realm core was safe to use.

If she didn’t reveal her identity, she might even throw someone else under the blame later.

She was planning to steal something from Kong Sang after all. Facing a diviner, she couldn’t afford to leave even the tiniest trace. Otherwise she risked exposure. She still didn’t feel fully at ease, so she asked Niansheng again, “You’re sure even someone in the Void Refining stage can’t sense my aura?”

“Absolutely. Feng Feng, you’ll see eventually. Contracting me was the best fortune you’ll ever have. Just enjoy it quietly.”

Feng Qinghe fell silent. Ever since contracting Niansheng, she often found herself speechless. It felt like raising a child.

Still, Niansheng really was impressive. Even without attack power, the fact that it could hide her aura so perfectly already made it invaluable. Her Concealment Talismans only worked against Divine Transformation cultivators. And she didn’t have many of those.

With Niansheng around, she didn’t need to worry about concealment anymore.

Even so, Feng Qinghe still layered several disguises on herself. She put on a mask that blocked detection, altered her figure and appearance, and muddled her aura until it was completely unrecognizable.

Niansheng was used to seeing her do this.

But Xuanshuang and Purple Ginseng were witnessing it for the first time.

“M… Master?” If not for the contract bond, Purple Ginseng would’ve thought it had a new owner.

“Master Feng, Can Can wants to learn that too.” If it learned it, it wouldn’t have to hide all the time. And it wouldn’t have to be scared of being eaten.

“I’ll teach you after we leave the secret realm,” Feng Qinghe said.

Anyone who stayed with her needed to learn how to disguise themselves. She couldn’t teach Purple Ginseng the disguise art Miao Fuguang taught her. But she could teach it the one she created herself.

After she finished disguising herself, she finally walked deeper into the swamp. Once she entered completely, she understood why everything looked black.

The mud was pitch black and slick. The ancient trees were black from roots to canopy. Even the small flowers on the plants were black.

She finally understood why no cultivators flew above this place. These giant ancient trees gave off an eerie feeling. Anyone who passed overhead would fear being ambushed.

She remembered Niansheng saying that Kong Sang walked this exact path every year when entering the swamp. That eased her worries a bit. At least any pits up ahead had probably already been stepped on by Kong Sang and his people.

As Feng Qinghe threaded through the forest, she occasionally brushed against some plants. Every time that happened, another defensive artifact shattered around her. It didn’t matter if the plants were tall or short. They all carried a heavy sense of oppression.

“Feng Feng, these things don’t have consciousness. They aren’t considered living creatures. But once they touch blood, they’ll turn aggressive. So don’t attack unless you have no choice.”

“Got it.”

Feng Qinghe found herself thinking that if these plants could be turned into traps, they’d be terrifying weapons.

Just then, voices sounded up ahead.

“Young Master, be careful! It’s a Vine Serpent!”

“Its strength is off!”

“Run! Don’t get tangled with it or we’ll alert the Serpentbone Flower King. If that happens we’re done for!”

“Ah! What are you… ah…”

“Go!”

…

The moment Feng Qinghe heard the voices, she knew. Someone had shoved their teammate forward as a sacrifice. Sure enough, no matter where you were, you only needed to run faster than someone else. And if you weren’t fast enough? Then you shoved someone slower.

Niansheng felt her emotions shift and asked worriedly, “Feng Feng, do you want to save that person? I can do it.”

Feng Qinghe said, “No. It just reminded me of some things. Let’s wait a moment before we move.”

Through a narrow gap, she watched the scene ahead.

The First Grade Serpentbone Flowers grew in thick clusters. Each cluster towered over her. The blossoms really did look like red spider lilies.

But unlike those, these had leaves. Their leaves were thin like pine needles and shone with a cold glint. The space between two flower clusters was just wide enough for a single person to pass through.

The one who’d been shoved was in the Out-of-Body stage. When the person’s body slammed into a flower cluster, the needles shot out instantly and pierced them. Their defensive artifact vanished in an instant and their body was skewered through.

Then vine like tendrils wrapped around them. Within a few breaths, the person was reduced to a skeleton. The skeleton was dragged away.

Every trace of them vanished. And Feng Qinghe recognized the person who’d just died.

===

Purple ginseng is 紫參, Zǐ cān. It call itself with Can Can. If Feng Qinghe didn't give a name for it, just like always I will call it with Zi Can.

Chapter Text

The Jiang Family's Tenth Elder, Jiang Yue. A man who, in the original story, was supposed to be tricked to death by Jiang Qingshu three years from now. Yet he’d actually died inside the Kunxu Mystic Realm today.

Back in the Jiang Family’s Assembly Hall, Jiang Yue’s attitude toward her had been downright vile. Aside from being controlled by Jiang Qingshu, he’d also been desperate to get the Phoenix Blood Nirvana Fruit.

In the book, right before Jiang Yue stepped into Divine Transformation, he went to Jiang Qingshu asking for a drop of his essence blood. A drop infused with the power of the Phoenix Blood Nirvana Fruit.

Jiang Qingshu gave it to him. That very drop caused Jiang Yue to go berserk during cultivation. He was obliterated under his thunder tribulation. Because what Jiang Qingshu gave him wasn’t essence blood containing the Phoenix Blood Nirvana Fruit at all. It was a drop tainted with evil energy.

Jiang Yue never sensed anything wrong and refined it immediately.

The novel’s Jiang Qingshu later gave his explanation. "He hurt my older sister and kept yelling at her. He also forced her to hand over the Phoenix Blood Nirvana Fruit, which ruined my relationship with her. He deserved to die. Not just him. Anyone who tries to harm my sister deserves to die."

…

Thinking of this, Feng Qinghe couldn’t help laughing.

How can a person fake it this hard?

Jiang Qingshu always repented only after getting what he wanted, pretending to avenge her sister from the moral high ground. But the truth was, her sister had only ever been a stepping stone on Jiang Qingshu’s path to power.

Feng Qinghe suspected Jiang Qingshu had acted for so long that he’d finally convinced himself she was a devoted sister fanatic. But someone who stole her older sister’s Luck, someone who’d been suppressing her from the shadows since childhood, could never be a real sister fanatic.

He only acted like one for others to see.

Heh.

Too bad.

Jiang Qingshu would never get the chance to take anything from her again. She’d never let anyone take advantage of her. Everything that belonged to her…

She’d rather take it to the grave. She’d never let anyone else touch a single bit of it.

“Feng Feng, what’s wrong? Who upset you?” Niansheng asked with real concern.

"Feng Feng seemed to have a lot of emotions rising up. Was it related to that person who died? Feng Feng seemed to know that group."

“It’s nothing. I just saw an enemy and remembered a few things,” Feng Qinghe said.

Jiang Yue hadn’t died by her hands. She wouldn’t bother seeking revenge. Going to the Jiang Family for someone like him wasn’t worth the effort. Since the Jiang Family had offered him up to die, she was naturally pleased. If Jiang Yue’s outcome changed, didn’t that mean everything else might start changing too?

“Feng Feng, that group just now, it’s my first time seeing them in the Mystic Realm. Do you have a grudge with them?”

“Yes. The kind where either they die or I die.”

After she left the Jiang Family, they’d kept chasing her relentlessly. Only one of them could survive.

When she was in Tingfeng City, aside from running into that old woman, she’d also seen her wanted order and kill order.

Both were issued to force her back to the Jiang Family. She was only at Foundation Establishment. With such a huge bounty, the only way she could survive was by returning to the Jiang Family for protection. The wanted order even claimed she’d stolen the Foundation Advancement Pill Jiang Qingshu needed, which caused problems in Jiang Qingshu’s cultivation. That was why the Jiang Family had issued both orders. That way, any cultivator trying to break into Nascent Soul would also chase her.

Her life would only grow harder. Eventually, going back to the Jiang Family would become her only choice. As for seeking other factions for help…

Impossible. No one wanted to take in trouble. The only way a faction might accept her was to use her as a bargaining chip to negotiate with the Jiang Family.

“Master, I’ll kill them for you later,” Xuanshuang said.

“No need. It’s not time yet.”

Niansheng blinked curiously. “Feng Feng, that person with blood ties to you, you two came from the same family?”

“We did before. Not anymore. I cut ties with them.”

Niansheng immediately grasped the key point. “Feng Feng, do you want to get rid of only this group, or the whole family?”

“The whole family,” Feng Qinghe said.

In her memories of the Jiang Family, she saw clearly that the moment she got the Phoenix Blood Nirvana Fruit, Jiang Mingyuan demanded it from her. When she refused, he sent her straight to the Hall of Punishment. During her time there, no fewer than twenty people came to interrogate her. They even used Soul Searching, various poisons, and all kinds of torment just to get the fruit before anyone else. Not a single one of them had held back.

Although they erased their traces and tampered with her memories so she couldn’t see their faces clearly, only Jiang Family members could freely enter and leave that place. She’d never return to that family. To her, the Jiang Family was a cage, a shackle…

The Jiang Family deserved to be destroyed.

As for whether innocents might exist among them… Maybe.

Suddenly Feng Qinghe remembered Xuanshuang’s words: the stars represent annihilation and destiny.

Every time she recalled her life in the Jiang Family, it was filled with helplessness, suffocation, confusion, and despair. No matter how she struggled, she could never escape the fate of being controlled. Only by choosing life from death had she finally broken free. Isn’t that exactly annihilation followed by reborn destiny?

So her ability to control star power and lunar radiance wasn’t a coincidence. It was fate.

“Feng Feng, was there really no one in the Jiang Family who treated you well?” Niansheng asked, confused and a little heartbroken.

In all the memories he’d swallowed from others, families were always united.

Feng Qinghe chuckled softly. It wasn’t a mocking laugh. She didn’t answer his question directly. Instead, she spoke her truth. “I won’t try finding friends among enemies. I also won’t search for something pure in a pile of mud. There might be someone friendly among my enemies.

And something clean might exist in the filth. But none of that matters to me. Instead of wasting time picking out a friend buried among enemies, I’d rather jump out and eliminate the enemies altogether.”

People gather with their kind. It’s always true.

Feng Qinghe finished speaking and walked forward.

Niansheng mulled over her words and stayed quiet so she wouldn’t disturb her. "The region where the First Grade Serpentbone Flowers grew was extremely dangerous. Feng Feng was still made of mortal flesh. If she got pricked by a thorn, she’d definitely cry from the pain."

She walked almost all the way out of the flower field without anything happening.

But just as she was about to take the final few steps, she stopped and looked back.

Niansheng panicked, thinking something had gone wrong. “Feng Feng, don’t worry. I’m here.”

The next moment, she fell into stunned silence. Because she received Feng Qinghe’s voice transmission.

"Xiao Jin, can you dig out the Serpentbone Flowers like you dug up the Wuhu Flower? Oh, right, what’s a Serpentbone Flower King?"

Niansheng asked, “What are you planning?”

Causing trouble? Or trying to get herself killed?

Feng Qinghe answered, “I want to raise them. I feel like the Serpentbone Flowers aren’t normal. They might have consciousness.”

Niansheng fell silent.

“Feng Feng, that’s really dangerous. Vine Serpent and Serpentbone Flowers are mindless demons. They’re not attacking you only because the rules here restrict them.

They also can’t leave the swamp. If they could, there wouldn’t be a single cultivator below Nascent Soul in the Kunxu Mystic Realm.”

Feng Qinghe only grew more excited. “Xiao Jin, I also want to raise Vine Serpent.”

Silence from Niansheng.

Xuanshuang didn’t know what to say.

Purple Ginseng didn’t dare to make a sound.

They couldn’t understand why Feng Qinghe wanted to raise something guaranteed to turn on its master.

Demon beasts don’t develop divine sense and don’t feel fear. They only have instincts for slaughter.

Anywhere else, seeing a Serpentbone Flower or Vinesnake would end in a fight to the death. But right now, Feng Qinghe saw only their value.

When Kong Sang and the others passed through here, there was no way they didn’t consider killing them. Since they hadn’t done so, it meant they couldn’t. So these were things even Void Refining cultivators feared… or didn’t want to deal with. If she raised them inside her space, then whenever she met someone she couldn’t beat, she could throw Serpentbone Flowers or Vine Serpent at them… What an incredible weapon.

“Feng Feng, stop getting excited, you’re scaring me.”

Chapter Text

Niansheng suddenly regretted bringing Feng Qinghe through this area.

She had thought that if they passed through here, with Feng Qinghe’s usual caution, she definitely wouldn’t alarm any monsters. That way, they’d reach the Dark Swamp safely. Yet Feng Qinghe somehow set her eyes on the most dangerous monster in the place.

Of course she did. How did she forget?

"Feng Feng wanted to stuff anything she saw into her storage space."

Sigh. She probably couldn’t talk her out of it.

“Xiao Jin, do you have a way?” Feng Qinghe heard the helplessness and resignation in Niansheng’s tone.

She probably did have a way to help her get the Serpentbone Flower.

“I can control the Serpentbone Flower to pull itself free, but once it moves, the Vine Serpent will move with it. When you put the Serpentbone Flower into your space, the Vine Serpent will definitely attack you and I can’t stop it from hurting you. And when you store the Serpentbone Flower, whether you touch it or not, your divine sense might suffer backlash.”

A tiny segment of root whisked up in front of Feng Qinghe.

Purple Ginseng sent her a voice transmission. “Master Feng, keep this in your mouth and you won’t have to worry about the Serpentbone Flower’s poison seeping into your sea of consciousness. Getting bitten by the Vine Serpent a few times should be fine too.”

Niansheng saw that little piece of Purple Ginseng and nearly wanted to grab her and smack her. How could she spoil Feng Qinghe like this?

She added, “Feng Feng, this stops the poison, but it won’t take away the pain. The Vine Serpent has mouths all over its body. When it bites down, it doesn’t let go easily.”

Feng Qinghe acted like she didn’t hear any of that and asked, “Xiao Jin, can you control a spatial artifact?”

“Huh?” Niansheng froze, a bad premonition creeping up.

A grain sized item appeared in Feng Qinghe’s palm. She pushed a sigil into Niansheng’s body and asked with anticipation, “How is it? Can you sense Tianque Palace?”

“You actually have an immortal artifact?” Niansheng was shocked.

She had met so many cultivators, and barely any of them owned a Heaven rank artifact. Yet Feng Qinghe somehow contracted an Immortal rank artifact.

"No, that didn’t add up. Feng Feng wasn’t strong enough to contract something at the Immortal rank. What was going on?"

She examined it carefully and realized the one contracted to the artifact truly was Feng Qinghe. It was just that the one carrying the artifact wasn’t her sea of consciousness. She seemed to have another space, one at a much higher level.

She faintly sensed a familiar aura. But when he tried to probe deeper, it vanished. So she gave up and focused on the item in Feng Qinghe’s hand instead.

An immortal grade creation. It could function as a storage space and shrink or expand freely. She could even live in it if she wanted. A very good Immortal artifact.

“An immortal artifact?” Feng Qinghe murmured, rolling the grain sized Tianque Palace between her fingers.

Guess she scored a bargain. Suddenly, she didn’t feel bad about the spirit stones anymore.

“Feng Feng, you’re only taking one cluster of Serpentbone Flower. You don’t need an immortal artifact for that.”

Feng Qinghe didn’t respond.

Niansheng understood. “Feng Feng, you want to take the Serpentbone Flower and the Vine Serpent.”

Feng Qinghe admitted openly, “If I can get a cluster, great. If I can take all of it, that’s fine too. But only if we don’t draw the people over there.”

Niansheng hesitated, then agreed. “It’s possible, but when I take the Serpentbone Flower and the Vine Serpent, I can’t make no noise at all. Something needs to distract that group.”

“I’m not going!” Purple Ginseng yelled immediately. She knew exactly what Niansheng was planning the moment he spoke.

“If not you, should Xuanshuang go?” Niansheng asked.

Xuanshuang stayed silent.

In a swamp, Purple Ginseng moved better than her.

She should go.

Purple Ginseng whispered pitifully, “If they catch me, I might just die. How can you bear that?”

“You stop it,” Niansheng snapped. “Like I don’t know what you can do? You jumped around in the blooming golden lotus. No one is catching you.”

Purple Ginseng could have three clones at once. If she controlled them well, she could cause trouble three times over. As long as her main body wasn’t caught, she could recover and keep making clones.

“I… I can hold on for three breaths at most,” Purple Ginseng muttered. She didn’t have many root tendrils. Using one meant losing one.

The tiny Purple Ginseng hid on Feng Qinghe’s head, plucked one of her thin roots, and looked miserable.

“One quarter hour,” Niansheng said. “After that, no matter what’s happening here, you can pull your clones back.”

Purple Ginseng hesitated then agreed. “One quarter hour, no more.”

Feng Qinghe listened to them negotiate, her gaze flickering. It seemed Purple Ginseng and Niansheng had secrets she didn’t know. But she wasn’t planning to dig. They clearly had their own rhythm. If she interfered now, she’d only get in the way. She just needed to wait to collect the loot.

After handing Tianque Palace to Niansheng, she stepped out of the Serpentbone Flower region.

The issue of Tianque Palace consuming huge amounts of spirit stones was solved thanks to Niansheng. Everything she brought from the Jiang family and all the things she didn’t need from the mini secret realm could be converted by him into power for Tianque Palace’s formations. For the first time, she felt like she was building something from scratch.

Niansheng was right. Contracting her was a steal.

“Master, that group is up ahead,” Xuanshuang’s voice said.

Feng Qinghe looked forward and saw only thick tree trunks. When the wind blew, black powder drifted from the leaves. She didn’t see the Jiang family. Nor did she see Kong Sang’s group. What she saw instead was a shimmering pool at the end of the forest. A pool with faint golden light flickering within. The only other color in the swamp world.

“Xuanshuang, where are they?” Feng Qinghe asked through divine sense.

“At the seventh tree ahead, on the right clearing. They might be using Concealment Talismans,” Xuanshuang said, confused. "Master could see them earlier. Why not now?"

Feng Qinghe realized the difference instantly. Niansheng wasn’t beside her. When Niansheng was close, whatever she could sense, she could sense too.

Xuanshuang continued, “Master, to the left of the ninth tree, there’s another group. Their aura is also hidden. They’re strong. I can’t sense more.”

Feng Qinghe started suspecting there might be people right next to her too, hidden. Both sides invisible, so they didn’t bump into each other.

Of course. Everyone in the Cultivation Realm was Lao Liu.

She had Concealment Talismans. Others had them too, probably better ones.

She clearly needed more stealth methods. She sent Niansheng a message. “Xiao Jin, finish quickly. I need you.”

Niansheng sounded happy. “Alright, Feng Feng wait for me. After one quarter hour, let Purple Ginseng rush out and stir things up. Make it big. I’m worried they have an immortal artifact detector.”

She had only held Tianque Palace for a short time. But she already noticed it was far more extraordinary than it looked. Better to hide it well.

“Okay.” Feng Qinghe answered and moved toward the Jiang family’s direction.

Many things she got from the mini secret realm still had the Jiang family’s mark. Throwing them from Jiang Qingshu’s location would look reasonable.

“Master, the person in blue looked this way. He might have sensed something,” Xuanshuang warned.

Feng Qinghe stopped.

The person in blue should be Jiang Qingshu. She was sure her Concealment Talisman was fine. The sigil Niansheng drew was still active. Everything was working. So why could Jiang Qingshu see her?

===

She call her with 小金 (Xiǎo Jīn) with 金 as in gold.

老六 (Lǎo Liù) or the Old Six in internet and gaming contexts, it has a very specific connotation. It refers to someone who plays sneaky, underhanded, or trickster-style tactics, often betraying others in unexpected ways. The idea is someone who’s sly, cunning, or untrustworthy in a mischievous way—especially in games or competitive situations.

Chapter Text

Feng Qinghe could only think of one possibility.

That red Luck thread.

So when Jiang Qingshu came to find her at Luoxia Valley back then, it wasn’t a coincidence. And the fact that Jiang Qingshu spotted her attacking someone by the Spirit Lake wasn’t just a wild guess either.

Feng Qinghe’s eyes cooled. It looked like the red thread and the black thread weren’t just bindings on her soul, they could even expose her position.

“Master, someone beside him asked, 'Young Master, what’s wrong?'. Then he said, 'why does Father insist on dragging Jiejie back home'.”

Xuanshuang repeated what she’d heard. After she formed a contract with Feng Qinghe, her strength really had been suppressed to the Nascent Soul stage. But her divine sense had been extremely strong before. Catching a bit of these people’s conversations was still easy enough.

“What else did they say”

“They said, 'Young Master already knows, right. Miss Qinghe took a treasure out of the vault, it’s very important to the Jiang family'.

'Jiang Shiyi, save that lie for someone else.'

'If Young Master doesn't believe me, then don't ask.'

'Jiang Shiyi, you deliberately pushed Jiang Yue out, didn't you? Did Father want him dead? Or did you?'

'Doesn't Young Master want him dead too? Otherwise, why did you insist Jiang Yue come here?'

'Just tell me why Father is so determined to capture Jiejie and bring her back, and I'll tell you where she is. Do you want this credit?'

Master, they changed their transmission method, I can’t hear them anymore,” Xuanshuang said regretfully.

The two of them had been using secret voice transmission earlier. She’d still been able to eavesdrop. But now it’d switched to divine sense transmission. That kind of rule-protected transmission wasn’t something she could steal without paying a heavy price, and she still had to protect her master. She couldn’t afford to get hurt.

“Alright.”

Jiang Shiyi was one of Jiang Mingyuan’s trusted people. He was probably sent to protect Jiang Qingshu. But Jiang Shiyi’s attitude toward Jiang Qingshu wasn’t respectful at all. It even held a bit of resentment. Even if Jiang Shiyi was Jiang Mingyuan’s subordinate, he shouldn’t be treating the family’s young master like this. Unless the Jiang family intended to replace their young master.

The Jiang clan was the top power in the Ninth Province. How could they not have internal competition Plenty of people wanted to step on Jiang Qingshu to rise. Especially peers of Jiang Qingshu’s generation. Some even wanted him dead. They couldn’t deal with Jiang Qingshu directly and didn’t dare provoke him, so they chose to vent their anger on her instead. Verbal humiliation was the lowest form of harm. Those people had made her hurt without ever lifting a finger.

Feng Qinghe rubbed her forehead. Anything involving the Jiang family was a nightmare. The moment she tried remembering, an entire crowd of enemies jumped out. She checked the remaining length of the red thread. Only about one third was left. And it was still shrinking. Maybe once they left the Kunxu Secret Realm, the red thread would disappear.

She kept thinking about the Fate Seizing business and didn’t forget Niansheng’s reminder either.

She raised her hand and patted the top of her head. "Feng Zi, it's your time to shine."

A purple ginseng the size of a thumb jumped down from Feng Qinghe's head.

In the blink of an eye, it darted out toward the pond ahead.

"Feng Zi?" Feng Qinghe sent an uncertain mental transmission.

"Mhm, I'm here. That was just my doppelganger," Purple Ginseng replied from atop Feng Qinghe's head.

"How many doppelgangers do you have?"

"One ginseng tendril can become one doppelganger. I can control up to three doppelgangers at the same time."

After hearing this, Feng Qinghe thought about the number of Purple Ginseng's root tendrils. "Do those tiny little root hairs count as tendrils too?"

"Of course they do. I can control their size."

Feng Qinghe felt both shocked and envious. "You have so many lives, why are you still so afraid of dying?"

From what she could see, there were at least several dozen tendrils.

Purple Ginseng said weakly, "It's not that many at all. Even if I have more tendrils, I can only control three doppelgangers at once. That's just three lives… it's really not enough to feel safe…"

If it could, it wanted to have several hundred doppelgangers simultaneously.

Feng Qinghe was speechless. This was the first time she'd seen someone more afraid of death than she was. If she had three doppelgangers… Why would she be waiting around here?

She decided to go right now, pull up that golden lotus, and send it into her space.

Over at the golden lotus pond, someone noticed Purple Ginseng almost the moment it appeared. Noisy exclamations rose around the pond.

"It's a Purple Ginseng!"

"This pure aura… it's at least ten-thousand years old…"

"Wait, that ginseng is trying to damage the golden lotus! Stop it!"

"Don't hurt the lotus!"

…

Streaks of binding energy shot out, trying to catch the purple ginseng bouncing wildly in the pond.

Worried about her lotus, Feng Qinghe couldn't help but tell Purple Ginseng, "Don't let your doppelganger ruin the golden lotus."

Purple Ginseng said, "That golden lotus is a fake. The real one's been hidden. Only by breaking this illusion can you see the real lotus."

Feng Qinghe was rendered speechless again. What a bunch of Lao Liu! Who knew who set up this illusion.

"Master, people from the Jiang family are coming toward you," Xuanshuang warned.

A cold glint entered Feng Qinghe's eyes. "Give me their positions."

Since they're delivering themselves to her doorstep…

Then they shouldn't blame her for what comes next.

"The tree to the front left.
And the third tree to the right…
No, Master, they seem to be setting up a formation! They want to trap you with an array!"

Xuanshuang's voice held a note of urgency.

After experiencing the Eight Ferocious Blazing Flame Formation, she feared all formations.

Feng Qinghe's expression turned more serious. This was indeed a bit tricky. After all, she couldn't see the formation these people were laying down.

Right at that moment, Niansheng's voice transmission echoed in Feng Qinghe's sea of consciousness.

"Feng Feng, I found the Serpentbone Flower King. Cover for me, quick. I need at least half a quarter-hour. This thing's pretty tricky to catch."

"Got it."

The moment Feng Qinghe's reply fell, her figure blurred into motion as she flung out dozens of explosive talismans. Then she started throwing poison mist talismans, stench talismans, hysterical laughter talismans, weeping talismans… She'd bought these talismans at the Linglong Pavilion. They were pretty niche. Their practical use wasn't actually that great. To a truly powerful expert, these talismans would be like an itch, with zero actual damage. But she loved the effects.

After the various talismans detonated, the entire grove became… bizarre.

"Ahahaha… that… ahahaha… bastard… ahahaha…"

No people were seen, only laughter was heard.

"Poot! Poot! Poot!"

A series of mysterious emissions appeared out of nowhere and spread.

"Boo hoo… I'm so boo hoo… miserable boo hoo, what the heck is this boo hoo…"

Some cultivators uncontrollably clutched their heads and wailed.

"Hic!… Who did hic!… this!"

Others couldn't stop hiccuping.

Various sounds alternated across the scene.

By comparison, the commotion at the golden lotus pond wasn't even worth mentioning.

Feng Qinghe chose a tree and jumped into its branches. Mainly because it was too lively down below. Just as she suspected, people were hidden all around her, front, back, left, and right. Many people's stealth talismans had failed. Right now, several people were pointing at those next to them while laughing hysterically with disbelief.

Others were crying, holding their noses, and cursing all at once.

And then there was someone who kept having mysterious emissions appear behind him, being chased and beaten by several others. That person ran while shouting, "I'm not doing it on purpose! But I can't control it…"

The scene was utter chaos.

However, Feng Qinghe quickly noticed that among this crowd, a few individuals didn't seem affected in the slightest.

Chapter Text

These people were dressed just like Jing Yuan from the Youming Hall. Not an inch of skin showed anywhere. Only a pair of eyes moved, scanning the surroundings. Occasionally, a flash of crimson appeared in those eyes.

Feng Qinghe’s expression turned serious all of a sudden. "These weren’t humans. They were demons. The Five Great Sects really had some nerve. What’s the difference between this and inviting wolves into your home?"

The Tiancang Continent didn’t even have demons. Demons came from another continent. Records in the ancient books said that back then, when the demons invaded Tiancang, countless lives were lost. The demon army could grow stronger by feeding on the flesh and blood of the battlefield. The people of Tiancang couldn’t stop them.

Just as the continent was about to fall, a few reclusive experts appeared out of nowhere and wiped out countless demon troops. But the demon king refused to retreat. The experts risked their lives to storm the demon lands, captured the demon heir, and used him as leverage. Only then did the demon king order a withdrawal. They even signed a Heavenly Dao pact of mutual non-aggression. Before disappearing, those experts also set up anti-demon rules for Tiancang. Anyone carrying demonic energy who stepped onto the continent would be struck by a thunder tribulation and expelled.

After that, Tiancang fell into peace. No demons appeared again. Even fallen cultivators would be driven out.

Now, these demons could enter Tiancang, and they were here. The Five Great Sects had to know. There’s no way they’d want demons helping open the place of inheritance, right? It’s like opening your treasure vault and letting your enemies wander in to pick up whatever they want.

Feng Qinghe kept her eyes on the demons.

Xuanchan noticed quickly and asked with curiosity, “Master, is there something special about them?”

“They’re demons.”

“Oh, that explains why they look so strange.” Xuanchan’s tone was calm, as if demons showing up didn’t surprise it at all.

To it, cultivating demons was no different from cultivating spirit energy. If demonic energy existed in the world, living beings could cultivate it.

Cultivating demons let a weak being grow strong fast. But demonic energy was corrosive and mixed with all kinds of foul aura. Most demon cultivators ended up in one of three ways: First, their bodies couldn’t withstand the energy and exploded. Second, they turned into nothing but dried bones. Third, they became demon beasts controlled by the energy. Most cultivators only took the demonic path when they were desperate. If spirit cultivation was possible, few would willingly choose demons.

But these demons seemed… natural-born. Natural-born demons could manipulate demonic energy and awaken a cultivator’s inner demons. During tribulations, the inner demon would strike. If a cultivator couldn’t overcome it, they’d die on the spot.

Xuanchan warned cautiously, “Master, don’t go near them. If you catch even a trace of their energy, it won’t be good.”

“Got it.”

The demons soon concealed themselves again.

Feng Qinghe shifted her gaze to the others. The Void Refining and Divine Transformation cultivators had already gone to the Golden Lotus Pool. Here, only Out-of-Body and Nascent Soul cultivators remained. Almost all of them came from the Ten Great Powers. The Jiang family felt completely out of place.

Jiang Qingshu had two Divine Transformation and one Void Refining cultivator by his side. The only reason he was allowed here could be that the Five Great Sects assumed he carried a Xuan Tie Token. If that was the case, why were the other Nascent Soul and Out-of-Body cultivators here? They were more a burden than a help.

Just then, a string of curses interrupted Feng Qinghe’s thoughts.

“You shameless bastard, you even used a fart talisman?!”

“My face is frozen from laughing. I’ve never been humiliated like this, who’s so cruel?!”

“Gah… ever since I advanced to Foundation Establishment… gah… I haven’t… gah… cried… but now there’s a crying talisman…”

“Find that person fast. I’m gonna tear this lowlife apart!”

Feng Qinghe couldn’t listen anymore. These people were ungrateful! She’d only used a low-rank explosive talisman, it didn’t hurt anyone. All the other talismans? She was helping them! If it weren’t for her, they’d never have noticed all the hidden threats around them. They could’ve been ambushed without even knowing it. Ungrateful as hell.

But as the curses continued, they noticed Jiang Qingshu.

A Nascent Soul cultivator from Guixian Sect approached him coldly, “Was this your Jiang family’s doing?”

Jiang Qingshu looked innocent and dodged, “You’re joking. Our Jiang family came with Wendao Sect.”

The Guixian cultivator stared at him a few moments, then said, “Never mind, no harm done.”

He turned back to his group. Lu Qianqiu had to be messing with him! Jiang Qingshu had come with Wendao Sect, there was no way he’d dare touch him.

Seeing the Guixian cultivator leave, Jiang Qingshu’s expression darkened. Wendao Sect’s name was useful, but that was exactly why it felt suspicious. When he first arrived in Tingfeng City, disciples from Tianling Sect invited him into a secret realm. After entering and leaving the Spiritual Lake, Wendao Sect disciples found him again, offering opportunities.

But accidents kept happening, and he didn’t gain a single opportunity, nor time to retrieve the lost Xuan Tie Token. Still, since Wendao Sect had invited him, he couldn’t refuse. He thought they wanted to take him as a disciple. But after guiding him to the swamp entrance, they abandoned him. It felt like their earlier invitations were just tasks to complete.

He knew the swamp was dangerous and didn’t want to enter, but their attitude left him no choice. Looking back, he noticed something. The sect disciples looked at him no differently than they would at loose cultivators.

Why? He’d reached Nascent Soul at seventeen. Those disciples were twenty, still in early Golden Core. Even here, there were a dozen top-tier Nascent Soul cultivators, all over a hundred years old.

Compared to them, he was practically a prodigy. Yet their eyes held no jealousy, respect, or shame.

“Young Master, where’s Miss Qinghe now?” Jiang Shiyi asked through divine senses transmission.

Jiang Mingyuan had promised that whoever brought Feng Qinghe back to the Jiang family would get all resources to advance to Unity stage.

“I don’t know.” Jiang Qingshu came back to his senses and started searching for Feng Qinghe.

Forget the sect disciples’ attitudes. Next time in the regional trials, he’d make them feel ashamed.

For now, he had to find Feng Qinghe fast. Since she left the Jiang family, everything had gone wrong. Even his father’s trust was waning. His Master couldn’t be reached either. To make matters worse, the Luck he’d gained from Feng Qinghe was slowly draining. His unstable Nascent Soul was tied to losing too much Luck.

Seeing Jiang Qingshu’s expression worsen, Jiang Shiyi asked, “Young Master, did Miss Qinghe run off?”

“She’s still here.”

He could sense her through the Luck thread. She was nearby. It just took more effort to pinpoint her in all this chaos.

Chapter Text

"Feng Feng, I'm back."

Feng Qinghe was still thinking about how to avoid Jiang Qingshu's detection when she suddenly felt a heavy weight on her shoulder.

She glanced to the side.

Niansheng, once gleaming, was now pitch black. The veins of mystic gold shimmered faintly, barely visible.

Niansheng returned the tiny Tianque Palace to Feng Qinghe. She accepted it and stored it in her spatial space, then used their contract connection to communicate with Niansheng. "Can you sense the red thread attached to me?"

Niansheng replied, "Yes."

"Someone below can use the red thread to locate me. Can you hide me from them?"

Niansheng hesitated, "The red thread runs inside your body, connecting to your heart vein. It's a dangerous spot. Are you sure you want my spiritual sense to enter?"

It had sensed the Fate Seizing Thread while following Feng Qinghe, but the red thread was the lesser concern. The real problem was the black thread attached to her soul. That black thread had entwined with Feng Qinghe's fate. For her, it was an extremely dangerous shackle.

Niansheng had even modified some of the contract runes to suppress the black thread using its primordial power. Once Feng Qinghe’s soul became strong enough, it might be able to forcibly remove the black thread, though doing so would severely injure her soul. Right now, it couldn't touch it.

The master behind that black thread was too vicious, planning everything perfectly. The black thread was embedded in Feng Qinghe’s soul, tying to her fate and karmic consequences. For her, there was no safe way to remove it; doing so recklessly would be a death sentence. Even when she became strong enough, removing it would mean the person behind it had already stolen a portion of her Luck.

After listening to Niansheng, Feng Qinghe thought for a moment, then responded through their contract connection, "Xiao Jin, help me. I trust you."

The black on the egg's shell vanished completely. The mystic gold veins flickered, still visible only to Feng Qinghe.

Niansheng said, "Good."

A golden beam of light shot into her body. After a moment, it asked, "Feng Feng, has anyone tampered with this red thread?"

"My Master," she replied, smiling faintly at the mention of Miao Fuguang.

Niansheng continued, "Your Master is really something. She altered the original rules of your red thread. That cut the connection to the black thread, letting you recover your Luck through it…"

Feng Qinghe noticed Niansheng was holding back and asked, "What else?"

"The seal on the black thread, did your Master do that too?"

"Yes."

"Then unless her power surpasses the Tribulation stage, she’d suffer backlash," Niansheng said bluntly.

Its memory absorption showed no Tribulation stage cultivators remained on the Tiancang Continent. Those who reached Tribulation would ascend to another world, never returning. It meant Feng Feng’s Master had paid a terrible price for her.

Feng Qinghe’s eyes darkened, thinking… No, impossible. Her Master wasn’t the type to let herself get hurt.

"Xiao Jin, what if my Master wasn’t cultivating spiritual power, but another, stronger type of power? Would she still suffer backlash?"

The Crimson Flame Fox had hinted more than once that there were many kinds of power on the cultivation path. But the only powers Feng Qinghe knew then were spiritual and void energy.

Miao Fuguang had taught her the spiritual cultivation method, but asking about void energy was out of the question.

Void Stones and void energy were her secrets, never to be shared. Plus, no ancient text recorded void energy. Without knowing its origin, she wouldn’t even mention it.

Niansheng said after hearing her, "I’ve never been outside the Kunxu Secret Realm, so I don’t know the exact situation. If your Master cultivated a power that suppresses black threads, she wouldn’t suffer backlash, and might even benefit from it."

At the same time, Jiang Qingshu felt a sudden panic. It was like he’d lost something extremely important. His face went pale and then flushed. His connection to the red thread was completely gone.

"As long as the red thread exists, even if they reverse the fate connection, it won’t matter. Her Luck is destined to be yours. The fact that the red thread could be reversed? That’s a flaw I left on purpose. Once they reverse the thread, you recite the spell I gave you. The connection will reverse again, stopping them from reversing it a second time in a short period.

The red thread is inside her body. Each reversal drains her essence and blood. If you reverse it and she tries again, her body will be extremely weak, leaving her completely at your mercy."

These thoughts flashed through Jiang Qingshu’s mind unconsciously. He smirked and recited the spell. He wanted his sister to know that even leaving the Jiang Family, she’d live under his control.

Hah. Fooling him in Luoxia Valley, pretending to be possessed. If he hadn’t checked the soul lamp, he might have believed it.

At the moment he spoke the spell, Niansheng reacted first.

"Feng Feng, don’t resist my power," it said, flying to press against her forehead.

Seeing Jiang Qingshu’s smile, she chose to trust Niansheng. A mysterious, unfathomable force entered her sea of consciousness, heading straight for the mystic gold thread. She noticed the runes hidden in the black thread trying to activate. But moments later, the black thread was suppressed again by the gold thread, and her soul relaxed sharply.

Niansheng’s voice sounded tired, "Feng Feng, the person behind this is really vicious. They even placed a blood-source curse on you."

Feng Qinghe frowned. "Blood-source curse?"

"It’s a curse using your essence and your soul as a medium. It activates unless you abandon your body completely. The easiest way to break it is surviving the Ascension Tribulation, which contains heaven-and-earth energy capable of purifying your bloodline. But if the person behind it is inside the curse, ensuring you never ascend, you’ll never see your Ascension Tribulation."

Niansheng sounded troubled.

Feng Qinghe smiled, "Xiao Jin, can I just ride someone else’s Ascension Tribulation?"

Niansheng froze. "Feng Feng, I suddenly get it. Cultivators have a saying: let go of decency, enjoy a shameless life, and everything becomes beautiful."

"Ride the Ascension Tribulation! Such a selfish, chaotic move. Only Feng Feng would think of this.

If she dared step into an ascender’s tribulation range, the power would instantly multiply dozens of times.

The number of thunder strikes would double. The cultivator’s ascension would turn into pure hell. Feng Feng would get hit too."

Thinking of the cataclysmic scene, Niansheng couldn’t help but silently mourn an unknown cultivator…

Chapter Text

Feng Qinghe knew Niansheng was taking a jab at her.

She said boldly, “We human cultivators have a saying, ‘If a man doesn’t look out for himself, Heaven and Earth will punish him.’ Once I lift the Bloodline Curse, I’ll leave right away and won’t hold that person back from ascending.”

Because Feng Qinghe and Niansheng were using contract-based sound transmission, Xuanshuang could hear everything too.

Even Xuanshuang was starting to lose patience. So she just rides someone else’s Thunder Tribulation and runs off? That basically meant she used them and tossed them aside, leaving them to endure double the tribulation. Hmm… that’s really shameless. But she was bound to her by contract, it couldn’t say that out loud.

Xuanshuang also used contract sensing to voice her thoughts, “Master, that tribulation-stage cultivator whose tribulation you rode is probably going to thank your ancestors eight generations back.”

Purple Ginseng joined in, teasing, “Master Feng, the cultivator you let you ride their tribulation is probably already quietly celebrating. That kind of luck is something even if someone’s unlucky for eight hundred lifetimes, they couldn’t earn it. With luck this good, there’s bound to be a response.”

Those three little ones were really something… each one sneakier than the last.

Whatever. Since she had the contract, she might as well just smile.

Feng Qinghe shifted the topic, “Xiao Jin, what happened just now? Why were you so tense?”

Niansheng said, “Someone tried to tamper with the Red Thread I corrected, and also tried to control you through the Bloodline Curse, but I suppressed it. Feng Feng, don’t worry, I added a backlash to the Bloodline Curse. If they dare try again, they won’t get a good outcome.

This kind of Bloodline Curse has conditions. It can’t be triggered repeatedly in a short time, and it can’t be triggered from afar. So whoever tried to act against you is down there.”

It knew exactly who that person was. Someone related to Feng Feng by blood.

In human society, blood ties are extremely close. Normally, Feng Feng and that person should get along well. But now they had become enemies. Something must have happened that hurt Feng Feng deeply. Niansheng would mention this person as little as possible, so she wouldn’t be reminded of painful memories.

Feng Qinghe noticed Niansheng’s cautious tone and patted it gently, “I’m fine. A single enemy isn’t worth letting affect my emotions.”

Meanwhile, Jiang Qingshu’s face was turning pale. Blood seeped at the corners of his lips. His body shivered, and a chill swept through his eyes. Not only had he failed to reverse the Red Thread, but he had also been struck by some mysterious force.

“Young Master, what’s wrong?” Jiang Shiyi asked through sound transmission.

Jiang Mingyuan didn’t really like Jiang Qingshu right now. He’d even thought about replacing him as Young Master. But Jiang Qingshu was his only son, and he’d been assigned to protect him. Naturally, he couldn’t just watch him get hurt.

“I’m fine, I was just ambushed,” Jiang Qingshu said, using a handkerchief to wipe the blood from his mouth.

“Who did it?” Jiang Shiyi’s gaze swept over the others.

But then he realized something was off. Had the trees around them always had branches that low? And the leaves… hadn’t they been falling before? Looking down, the soft mud beneath his feet seemed to writhe…

Even the plants in his peripheral vision gave him a strange, uneasy feeling.

A chill ran down his spine. He immediately warned the other two through sound transmission to watch the surroundings and protect Jiang Qingshu.

While the three of them acted, Feng Qinghe had already jumped down from the tree trunk.

Many cultivators were on high alert, scanning the area carefully.

By the Golden Lotus Pond, even the strong cultivators who’d been fighting over Purple Ginseng suddenly stopped. They hadn’t used lethal techniques while fighting over Purple Ginseng. They’d been sparring for almost half an hour without drawing blood. Because the swamp had a taboo: blood.

Now, they smelled blood and the rotting stench from the awakened dark trees.

“Who’s bleeding?!” a cold voice called out. It was Wen Qian of Wuji Sword Sect.

“What blood? None of us used lethal attacks.”

“No, the demon beasts in the swamp are waking up. Someone must be bleeding.”

Everyone’s eyes darted around, but they found nothing.

Then, a shout came from the forest.

“Jiang Qingshu, it’s you! Are you trying to kill us?!”

Kong Sang looked immediately toward the voice. Jiang Qingshu carried a second Xuan Tie Token. He hadn’t handed it over, so the people of Wendao Sect had brought him here. Once they reached the Illusion Cave, he’d have no choice but to give it up. He couldn’t be allowed to get hurt here.

Kong Sang flashed over and aggressively checked Jiang Qingshu’s condition. After assessing him, he coldly asked, “Who severely damaged your sea of consciousness?”

Jiang Qingshu’s eyes darkened. He couldn’t answer. He simply couldn’t.

Then he whispered through sound transmission, “Kong Sang Zūnzhě, I know who has the Xuan Tie Token.”

Kong Sang’s eyes widened, staring at him. “Who has it?”

“In my sister’s hands.”

“Feng Qinghe…” Kong Sang recalled the sound transmission from Qingfeng.

The Sect Master had guessed Feng Qinghe too. But when she left the Jiang family, she was still at the Qi Refining stage. Even now at Foundation Establishment, there was no way she could have entered the swamp alone.

“Who’s with your sister?” Kong Sang asked through sound transmission.

Jiang Qingshu shook his head, “I don’t know. She met me alone and then disappeared.”

“Ah! Elder, help me!” A scream rang out.

A disciple of the Guixian Sect had his leg wrapped in black vines. His eyes widened in terror as he tried to resist, only to be dragged to the roots of a massive tree. The earth there split like an abyss, swallowing him instantly. At the same time, more vines appeared, reaching for others. From start to finish, it only took a few breaths.

By the time they reacted, vines had appeared everywhere. Even the tree trunks seemed alive.

Pfftt!

One disciple got pierced in the chest without warning.

Tree trunks surrounded Jiang Qingshu the most. Kong Sang had already raised a protective barrier. But the moment it touched the trunks, cracks appeared.

Any Nascent Soul or Out-of-Body cultivator struck by a trunk or vine lost all ability to resist. They could only watch their defenses shatter and be dragged away.

Many Void Refining cultivators reacted quickly, raising barriers in time.

Feng Qinghe dodged the wildly thrashing tree trunks, avoiding vines wrapping around her at the same time.

“Feng Feng, head to the Golden Lotus Pond. We shouldn’t stay here too long.”

“Got it.”

The path wasn’t easy.

There was so much to avoid.

Trunks.

Vines.

And the falling black leaves.

Feng Qinghe had a creeping sense that the leaves were even more dangerous than the trunks and vines.

Chapter Text

“Feng Feng, you were right, these leaves are poisonous.”

“These trees are called Dark Trees. Once they're awakened by blood, you either destroy them completely or feed them, or they’ll just keep attacking people without stopping.”

“But that group of people can’t possibly wipe out all the demon beasts.”

“These trees are like Feng Zi. As long as a root remains, they’ll keep existing.”

“So feeding them is more practical than destroying them.”

“Every year, the Ten Great Sects bring a group of Nascent Soul and Out-of-Body cultivators here. That barely feeds the creatures in this forest.”

Its first consciousness sprouted right here in the swamp. Actually, more cultivators died in the illusion cave. But the ones there weren’t very strong. After death, their residual souls were too weak to help it form consciousness. These Nascent Soul and Out-of-Body cultivators, however, had already formed the outline of a Primordial Soul. They had special resonance with the world, and their spirits were much stronger. Devouring their souls strengthened its awareness in a noticeable way.

At first, it didn’t understand. It just devoured residual souls and absorbed their memories. Later, those souls helped it grow its own consciousness. The more memories it absorbed, the more it understood, and it stopped venturing into the swamp. It could handle fighting and bloodshed, but it hated watching beings destroy each other. And the resentment, unwillingness, and hatred these cultivators felt before dying… absorbing all of that had a big impact.

It didn’t despise any emotion. But it rejected seeing weak beings struggle helplessly in pain. It hated the hypocrisy of people like Kong Sang even more.

“Xiao Jin, what’s wrong?” Feng Qinghe asked as she finally emerged from the forest, reaching the Golden Lotus Pond.

Luckily, she didn’t have to protect anyone. She just needed to escape that area alone. Plus, having taken the Purple Ginseng, she wasn’t afraid of the poisoned air. That’s why she could leave the forest safely. The only worry was her defensive artifacts—she had just one left.

While caring for Niansheng, Feng Qinghe started reinforcing her own defenses.

“Feng Feng, I’m fine. Let’s pick the Golden Lotus while we can, and dig up the lotus roots…” Niansheng immediately snapped out of her gloom, her tone cheerful again.

“Alright.”

Feng Qinghe didn’t look back at the forest. Ever since she learned the Five Great Sects were sending loose cultivators to the illusion cave to die, she’d expected this outcome. A force that didn’t care about ordinary lives wouldn’t hesitate over a few deaths.

Kong Sang only protected Jiang Qingshu. As for the other three from the Jiang family, he ignored them.

Jiang Shiyi obviously wouldn’t dare ask him to protect the others. They could only protect themselves. But soon, Jiang Shiyi realized something was wrong. His limbs were stiffening, and he narrowly avoided branches several times. When a leaf floated down in front of him, he realized something and shouted, “The leaves are poisonous!”

At that moment…

Whoosh!

A vine covered in mud wrapped around his ankle.

Jiang Shiyi couldn’t react. He was dragged to the ground as countless vines entwined his body. Almost all the vines abandoned the other targets and surged toward him. Within moments, his body was devoured.

The other two Jiang family members got distracted and were ensnared next.

Kong Sang’s voice rang out. “Do it.”

Some didn’t understand, but the cultivators at the Divine Transformation and Void Refining stages immediately changed expression and withdrew their protective barriers.

The Nascent Soul and Out-of-Body cultivators hadn’t reacted yet.

They got attacked.

“Help! Elder!”

“Ah!”

“Wensi, save me!”

But the cries only met cold, indifferent eyes.

One last shout before fading: “Why abandon us?”

Kong Sang and his group just watched as Nascent Soul and Out-of-Body cultivators vanished one by one. The sect nurtured these cultivators to use them in the Kunxu Secret Realm. Anyone brought into the swamp was already weak, relying on pills to force advancement. They were pawns. No explanation was coming.

The cultivators sent to die in the Youming Hall reacted differently.

Once they realized no one would protect them, they acted immediately. “Hahaha, you want us to die? Fine, we’ll take you with us!”

Several cultivators detonated their internal power, trying to drag everyone down with them.

“Jing Yuan,” Kong Sang said coldly, his tone unshaken.

Draped in black, Jing Yuan raised his hand, spreading his five fingers toward them. Almost instantly, the power the cultivators released was drained.

Their flesh shriveled.

Screams echoed.

Vines dragged the corpses away.

Jiang Qingshu watched, feeling icy dread. The Ten Great Sects didn’t even spare their own people! Once he lost value, would Kong Sang spare him? Obviously not.

Scanning the cold, indifferent eyes around him, Jiang Qingshu knew resistance was pointless, even for Out-of-Body cultivators. If he wanted to survive the Kunxu Secret Realm, he had to stay useful.

Soon, no more leaves fell.

The ancient trees returned to normal.

The vines vanished.

Everything was calm.

The blood smell dissipated.

Jiang Qingshu felt dozens of gazes on him. He lowered his head, controlling his emotions. Now, he had to play dumb.

A dissatisfied voice spoke. “Kong Sang, this—”

Kong Sang cut it off. “Jiang Qingshu is the one we’re interested in, relax. He won’t reveal any secrets.”

Jiang Qingshu exhaled, only to see a pill hover before him. A First-Grade Forgetfulness Pill. It would erase the last two moments from memory. Under dozens of gazes, Jiang Qingshu swallowed it. Against absolute power, resistance was useless. All he could do was obey.

For a moment, his eyes went blank, then he searched for Jiang Shiyi and the others.

Nothing.

He looked to Kong Sang. “Kong Sang Zūnzhě, what happened to my family?”

Kong Sang didn’t answer.

Instead, another from Wendao Sect said, Young Master Jiang, haven’t you forgotten? The demon beasts were attacking you, and you pushed them away?”

Jiang Qingshu’s eyes flickered. Was he supposed to look stupid? Those were Void Refining cultivators. Shouldn’t they stay to protect him? And he supposedly pushed them away…

The speaker continued when Jiang Qingshu stayed silent, “The leaves here release hallucinogenic powder when the wind blows. Look at your shoulder…”

Jiang Qingshu glanced. A black leaf rested there, and the faint scent of hallucinogenic powder was real.

Kong Sang spoke up. “Since Young Master Jiang’s guards are gone, come with us Wendao Sect.”

Jiang Qingshu bowed. “Thank you, Kong Sang Zūnzhě.”

He felt dozens of gazes, full of killing intent, dissatisfaction, and disdain…

Meanwhile, Kong Sang received several private messages.

“Kong Sang, you brought him, and now Tianling Sect lost so many disciples. You owe compensation.”

“This useless guy. Just control him to give what you want. Why bring him along?”

“Kong Sang, does this Jiang Qingshu have anything to do with the Inheritance Land?”

“No wonder Wendao Sect is the top sect. The hypocrisy here makes Wuji Sword Sect look like amateurs.”

…

Kong Sang scanned them, about to speak, then noticed something off at the Golden Lotus Pond. He’d been to the swamp countless times. The pond’s appearance was etched in his memory, including the glow of the lotus.

Chapter Text

Kong Sang flickered out of sight and reappeared beside the Golden Lotus Pond.

The others moved just as fast.

Only one Divine Transformation cultivator from Wendao Sect stayed behind.

Jiang Qingshu looked ahead. He knew exactly what was over there. It was clearly marked on the map he’d bought. A single Absolute Golden Lotus.

According to ancient records, if someone obtained a lotus seed from an Absolute Golden Lotus and consumed it, they’d be able to comprehend the laws of life and death, or even gain the chance to reincarnate and cultivate again. It could also be used to refine the Nine Turn Resurrection Pill, which let a cultivator rebuild their body and reform their Primordial Soul.

After a cultivator stepped into the Golden Core Realm, they could no longer enter the cycle of reincarnation like mortals. They couldn’t die and be reborn.

Golden Core cultivators had a lifespan of a thousand years. Before that lifespan ran out, if they couldn’t extend it, then they only had two paths if they wanted to keep living. One was possession. The other was turning to ghost cultivation. Both paths defied the heavens, and both were extremely risky. Yet if someone consumed a lotus seed from an Absolute Golden Lotus, they could reincarnate with their memories intact no matter what realm they were in.

Truthfully, the ancient records also mentioned that cultivators who took the lotus seed almost never ended up needing to reincarnate. Because the lotus seed strengthened their Primordial Soul, boosted their comprehension, deepened their resonance with heaven and earth. On the path of cultivation, the most important gates all opened for them. If they still couldn’t ascend, then maybe they really shouldn’t be cultivating.

Jiang Qingshu remembered the lotus seed’s level and felt dazed for a moment. Something of immortal grade. It was truly powerful. But it still seemed inferior to the Phoenix Blood Nirvana Fruit.

When his master told him that Feng Qinghe had a Phoenix Blood Nirvana Fruit, he’d been stunned. That kind of treasure only appeared in the ancient immortal era. How could Feng Qinghe possibly obtain it?

But his master’s tone had been firm. “Find a way to force her to hand it over. That fruit should’ve been yours. I’ve divined it myself. She’ll get one Phoenix Blood Nirvana Fruit at this exact time.”

Later, Feng Qinghe’s reaction made everything clear. She really did have the fruit. So he’d asked his father to cooperate in putting on a show. He’d thought Feng Qinghe would compromise again and hand over the item. She’d always been terrified of public criticism. But reality didn’t follow his expectations. Not only did Feng Qinghe refuse to hand it over, she even used the teleportation array in their treasury to escape from the Jiang Clan entirely.

The teleportation array’s other end was connected to the Jiang Clan’s mine. By the time his father sent people to investigate, the entire mine had been emptied. He hadn’t mistaken it. His father had nearly fainted that moment. And the look his father gave him afterward was completely wrong. Suspicion, doubt, resentment...

He knew he’d have to make up for the loss somehow if he wanted to ease the grudge in his father’s heart. Fortunately, the Kunxu Secret Realm was about to open. And since his father was the Patriarch, he couldn’t leave the Ninth Province.

So Jiang Qingshu was given the chance to lead the team. For that, he’d emptied his private treasury and spent two billion spirit stones on a detailed map from Linglong Pavilion. And from that, he learned another secret. The Kunxu Secret Realm contained three special tokens. These three tokens were the key to opening the immortal ancient inheritance. And he just so happened to possess one Xuan Tie Token. He’d thought the token would let him obtain the ancient inheritance. But now, not only had he lost the token, he’d fallen into this mess.

“Does Young Master Jiang recognize what’s ahead?”

A lazy voice brushed past his ear.

Jiang Qingshu glanced over. A Wendao Sect disciple in white was staring at him with an assessing gaze.

This person was Wen Si, the Sect Master’s personal disciple. He fit his name well, unruly and flamboyant. Even dressed in white, in this environment, not a single speck of dust touched him.

Suppressing the swirl of emotions in his chest, Jiang Qingshu answered softly, “It looks like the Absolute Golden Lotus described in the ancient books. I’m not sure if it really is.”

Wen Si noticed the hint of probing in Jiang Qingshu’s voice and snorted. “Whatever it is, it probably has nothing to do with you. People really should know their limits. Taking things that don’t belong to them only invites trouble. Sometimes it’s better to exchange them for something you can actually handle. Don’t you agree, Young Master Jiang?”

Jiang Qingshu understood the implication. But he chose to play dumb. He didn’t have the Xuan Tie Token anymore. And even if he still did, he’d never hand it to Wen Si. When it came to the immortal ancient inheritance, only a fool would give up their chance. Expression calm, he replied, “If it’s in my hands, then it naturally belongs to me. If it doesn’t belong to me, it wouldn’t be in my possession.”

Wen Si said nothing more. It didn’t matter if Jiang Qingshu refused. Once they entered the Illusory Cavern, Jiang Qingshu wouldn’t have any room to resist. Casting him one last look, Wen Si set up a barrier around himself and then focused on the Golden Lotus Pond.

The atmosphere near the pond wasn’t looking good.

Kong Sang stared at the lotus. “Who touched the lotus?”

Wen Qian from Wuji Sword Sect stroked his beard. “The lotus won’t bloom for a few more days, and none of the formations around it have been removed. How would we touch it?”

“Wait, that Purple Ginseng from earlier, who took it? It was fine one moment, now it’s gone.”

“Kong Sang, did you take the Purple Ginseng and now you’re trying to distract us?”

...

Kong Sang ignored the Purple Ginseng entirely and insisted, “The lotus’s light isn’t right. Someone must’ve tampered with it.”

“We were all fighting the Dark Tree Tree just now. Who’d have the time to run over here?”

Once the Dark Tree Tree was awakened by blood, it had to be fed. Otherwise its poison would spread nonstop. That poison could corrode their defensive barriers endlessly. If it remained, even they wouldn’t be able to stay here for long.

“Could it be those demon cultivators?” Jing Yuan rasped.

“Old man, stop dumping your blame on us. We’re demons, touching the lotus would just get us killed.” A black silhouette appeared, wearing a mask that only exposed a pair of faint red eyes.

The sudden appearance of a demon didn’t surprise anyone. The demon race wanted to reconcile with the Tiancang Continent. And the major powers also needed the demons’ help. After discussion, the ten great powers agreed to let the demons enter the Kunxu Secret Realm. But a contract had been signed. The demons couldn’t take anything from the secret realm, and they absolutely couldn’t harm anyone.

Kong Sang looked at the lotus’s glow again, suspicion flickering. Maybe he was mistaken? Maybe the lotus was about to bloom, and its light naturally changed?

Thinking that, his gaze shifted to the tall, muscular demon.

This was Qian Shan, one of the Twelve Demon Lords.

Wendao Sect agreed to let Qian Shan enter the Tiancang Continent for two reasons. First, they wanted to test whether the demon race’s power could open the gate to the Illusory Cavern. Second, they wanted Qian Shan to help them take down the Phantom Winged Tiger of Wuyou Forest.

Ever since that beast became the ruler of the forest, Wendao Sect had been constrained whenever they tried to search for opportunities inside. They couldn’t even set foot in the Ninth Region. And that region held the opportunity Wendao Sect most desired.

But the force behind the Phantom Winged Tiger wasn’t simple. The forest had also been allocated to the beast race, so Wendao Sect couldn’t openly attack the Phantom Winged Tiger. The other powers didn’t dare either. Sending Qian Shan to deal with the Phantom Winged Tiger benefited both sides.

Qian Shan, as a demon, needed powerful flesh and blood to strengthen himself.

Wendao Sect needed control over Wuyou Forest.

Even if Qian Shan failed to kill the Phantom Winged Tiger, just his presence in the forest would give Wendao Sect the perfect excuse to storm the Ninth Region. They could even accuse the Phantom Winged Tiger of colluding with demons.

Chapter Text

Qian Shan met Kong Sang’s gaze. “What’s wrong? Kong Sang Zūnzhě, are you doubting me too?”

Kong Sang said, “I only want to ask what Qian Shan Jūnzhǔ thinks about the Illusion Cavern.”

Qian Shan let his gaze sweep over everyone, arrogance written all over his face. “I can open that door, but the conditions we discussed earlier need to change a little.”

“In your dreams!” Wen Qian cut in before he could finish.

He’d disagreed with working with the demon race from the very start. But what could he do? Their Sect Master had his brains kicked by a donkey and got sweet talked by Qingfeng of the Wendao Sect. In the end he agreed to that ridiculous deal.

The demon race. The same demons who had a blood feud with the entire Tiancang Continent. Even if they never got the Immortal Age inheritance, he still didn’t want demons getting in. Yet everyone seemed bewitched by that inheritance. The demons just had to claim they knew how to open it, and nine out of ten people immediately agreed to their terms.

He’d gone to the Snow Region to catch Snow Cicada precisely because he didn’t want to see these demons here. Being able to tolerate a few demons wandering around already meant he had a good temper.

But now?

This Qian Shan didn’t know his place and even wanted to negotiate. Letting demons step into the Tiancang Continent was already a slap to their ancestors.

“Wen Qian Daoyou, you have no right to decide this. I want to hear Kong Sang Zūnzhě speak.” Qian Shan’s tone was flat, but the mockery was impossible to miss.

Wen Qian felt a fire rise in his chest. He looked at Kong Sang. “Kong Sang, the more you feed someone like this, the more their appetite grows.”

“You don’t need to panic, Wen Qian. Qian Shan hasn’t even said what he wants yet.” The Fifth Elder of the Tianling Sect tried to calm him down.

Another strong cultivator sent a voice transmission. “Wen Qian, think about why we came to the Kunxu Secret Realm. You know it well. It’s just a bit of profit. Giving up a small part won’t matter. The demon race isn’t actually that scary.”

Wen Qian stared back in disbelief. Except for Xian Yin from Tianyin Gate and the three from Youming Hall, everyone else was telling him not to offend Qian Shan, that the Immortal Age inheritance mattered more. In that moment he felt lost. He wasn’t doubting himself. He was doubting them. Had none of them read the ancient records? Did they forget how brutal that war was? Did they forget how many humans died at the hands of demons?

Jing Yuan’s voice rang out. “Kong Sang, Wen Qian’s right. We’ve already given them the benefits they deserve. We can’t keep backing down.”

Qian Shan let out a cold laugh. “I haven’t even stated my terms. Why are you all so desperate already?”

“We don’t want to hear your terms. Out of everyone here, you’re the least qualified to negotiate with us.” A calm and unhurried voice cut through the air.

It came from Xian Yin of Tianyin Gate. She held a short flute in her hand, ethereal and calm as a fairy, yet the look she gave Qian Shan was as if she were staring at trash. It added an oddly mortal edge to her normally otherworldly presence.

Kong Sang and the others looked at her in surprise.

Xian Yin was the deputy gate master of Tianyin Gate. Tianyin Gate always had the weakest sense of presence. Sound cultivators had incredible combat power, but the entire sect had fewer people than a single peak in other sects. So they ranked ninth.

Xian Yin had been silent the entire journey.

Wen Qian almost clapped when he heard her speak. Too bad he had a Sect Master above him. Before entering the secret realm, that man had repeatedly warned him not to offend the demon race.

Xian Yin didn’t have that problem. Even though she was the deputy gate master, the real master of Tianyin Gate hadn’t appeared in a thousand years. So the entire sect listened to her now. Earlier she’d clearly stated she opposed letting demons enter the Tiancang Continent. But she was just one person against many.

Xian Yin twirled the flute in her hand. “Kong Sang, I know you want the Immortal Age inheritance no matter what. But you should remember the Wendao Sect belongs to the Tiancang Continent, not to the demon race.”

She couldn’t stop other forces from using loose cultivators as cannon fodder. But retreating step by step before demons was something she absolutely couldn’t stand.

“Xian Yin, what’s that supposed to mean?!” someone beside Kong Sang snapped.

A Void Refining expert.

Xian Yin didn’t bother giving him a glance. She looked only at Kong Sang.

Kong Sang’s expression didn’t change. “Xian Yin Gate Master, Tianyin Gate is special, but you have no right to judge the Wendao Sect.”

Tianyin Gate only ever sent one or two people into the Swamp. Other sects always brought chess pieces. Only Tianyin Gate refused. But Xian Yin’s utility was undeniable. Everyone tolerated her for that reason. Still, no matter how useful she was, she was only a small gate master. She had no right to criticize the Wendao Sect.

“I don’t have the right, that’s true. But no matter what terms you agree to with Qian Shan, Tianyin Gate’s stance stays the same. We don’t agree.” Her tone was firm.

"Tsk tsk tsk." Qian Shan’s voice drew all eyes. “Kong Sang Zūnzhě, I’m telling you, your Tiancang Continent’s truly fallen. You allow a woman to yell here? In our demon race, women…”

His words cut off instantly.

Xian Yin raised her hand and brought the flute to her lips. A distant, ghostly note echoed through the air.

Qian Shan felt a sudden gust brush past him. His mind went blank.

Xian Yin appeared before him, lifted her foot, and tapped him lightly.

Qian Shan flew straight toward the lotus pool.

Splash.

He crashed into the Golden Lotus Pond, sending water splashing everywhere.

Everyone dodged in time, not a drop touching them.

Kong Sang immediately cast several layers of barriers over the golden lotuses.

The others stared at Xian Yin in shock. This wasn’t how she usually acted.

“Jūnzhǔ!” Four black shadows appeared at once, rushing toward the pool.

Xian Yin stood tall and looked down at Qian Shan. “Have you cooled off yet?” Her voice drifted into his ears like a breeze.

Black mist surged in Qian Shan’s eyes as he roared, “Xian Yin, you’re courting death!”

“Oh? I’m waiting,” she said softly. Her figure flickered and she returned to her original place.

Feng Qinghe had just finished digging up the lotus roots and was wondering how to get back up. She could fully conceal her presence. But the moment she surfaced, she’d definitely cause a splash. And then everyone above would spot her.

Crushing a teleport talisman was just as risky. She could use talismans freely in front of Bai Yan’er and the others, but definitely not in front of Void Refining cultivators.

While she was still trying to figure out what to do, she heard a loud splash.

Qian Shan hit the water. He landed very close to her. Well, that settled that. Time to get out.

Feng Qinghe slipped past the four demons who jumped down afterward. She made it to the shore safely. Luckily, the ground was wet too.

“Niansheng, hold all the water around me. Don’t let a single drop fall.”

Right now was absolutely not the time for hand seals.

“Alright.” Niansheng didn’t ask why. Feng Feng always made calculated decisions. Following her was never wrong.

Feng Qinghe carefully edged past Xian Yin. The entire poolside was packed with people. Only the space near Xian Yin was open. As she passed, she happened to hear that soft “Have you cooled off yet?”

Using the corner of her eye, Feng Qinghe stole a glance at Xian Yin and thanked the beautiful older sister in her heart. With Niansheng’s help she slipped out of the circle of Void Refining experts and headed toward the Illusion Cavern. Once she was finally out of danger, she looked back at the Golden Lotus Pond. And caught Xian Yin looking right at her.

Feng Qinghe froze on the spot in fear. Fortunately, Xian Yin only gave her a light glance and looked away.

Xian Yin calmly withdrew her gaze, the corner of her lips curving slightly. "That disciple of Riyou Shen… she definitely acted sneaky. Just like her master."

Her focus returned to the golden lotus. She frowned slightly. "Riyou Shen’s disciple had stayed under the water for so long, yet she hadn’t taken the lotus. That didn’t make sense."

Qian Shan climbed out of the pond, glaring at Xian Yin with fury. Seeing her smiling only made him angrier. “Kong Sang, if you want me to open the Illusion Cavern’s door for you, then find a way to give me that woman!”

Chapter Text

“Kong Sang, you should know by now that you won’t get your hands on the third Xuan Tie Token. If you want into the central region, you can only rely on me.”

Qian Shan’s voice echoed through Kong Sang’s sea of consciousness.

Kong Sang’s gaze darkened. His eyes swept past Xian Yin and finally settled on Qian Shan. He sent back a silent message. “Qian Shan Jūnzhǔ, you understand Xian Yin’s strength. Wendao Sect can’t just seize her in public. At most, when you make your move, we’ll pretend we didn’t see anything.”

Catching Xian Yin in secret was even more impossible. Without over ten Void Refining experts acting at the same time, she’d slip away with ease. And if Wendao Sect really mobilized that many Void Refining cultivators, there’s no way they’d hide it from the other factions. By then, whether Xian Yin lived or died, Wendao Sect’s reputation would be dragged through the mud.

“Kong Sang Zūnzhě, that’s all I needed to hear. We’ll grab her ourselves.” Qian Shan was very satisfied. This was exactly what he wanted. As long as Kong Sang didn’t interfere, a little Void Refining cultivator wasn’t hard to handle. There was more greed in Qian Shan’s eyes as he looked at Xian Yin.

Xian Yin glanced back at him. “Want me to cool you off again?”

Qian Shan laughed under his mask. “Xian Yin, people who act too wild eventually take a fall.”

“I’m in the Void Refining stage. Why would I walk anywhere?”

Qian Shan: …

How could someone who looked as ethereal as a celestial maiden have such a vicious tongue? He felt like he’d lose every argument with her, so he cut straight to the point and looked at Kong Sang. “Kong Sang Zūnzhě, if you want me to help you open that door, I want Wendao Sect to send one hundred thousand people to the demon race every five years…”

On the other side.

“Feng Feng, are you in a hurry?”

“What’s wrong?”

“In the place you just passed, there were a few stalks of Returning Spirit Grass, and you didn’t…”

Before Niansheng finished speaking, Feng Qinghe had already turned back. Forgive her for getting so absorbed in her thoughts just now.

Niansheng watched Feng Qinghe hurry back to dig up the Returning Spirit Grass, and finally relaxed. That was the Feng Feng it knew. Never let anything good go to waste.

“Xiao Jin, you’re sure that charm you gave me can hide me from a Void Refining cultivator’s divine sense?”

The more she thought about it, the more she felt like Xian Yin had seen her. And Xian Yin kicking Qian Shan into the water might’ve actually been helping her. Otherwise, how did Qian Shan fall in exactly the right place for her to emerge from the water without being noticed?

“Of course. As long as you’re carrying my charm, even if someone opens their Heavenly Eye, they won’t sense you.” Niansheng sounded very proud.

“Heavenly Eye?” Feng Qinghe instinctively felt that Niansheng’s idea of a Heavenly Eye wasn’t the same as the one she knew.

“It’s a Heaven level heterochromatic eye, basically a living being’s second pair of eyes. When it opens, it can peer into the secrets of the world. Anyone with the Heavenly Eye, with a bit of training, can spy on a living being’s Luck, lifespan, past experiences…

But using a heterochromatic eye is risky. If you accidentally spy on someone stronger than you, your Primordial Soul can be damaged. Or if you pry into secrets you shouldn’t know, you might even trigger heavenly punishment.

…

Of course, if the person with the Heavenly Eye is a diviner or a karma speaker, it’s even more powerful.”

After listening, a cold jolt went through Feng Qinghe’s heart. “Are there heterochromatic eyes above Heaven level?”

“Of course. But anything above Heaven level can’t be borne by a cultivator below the Tribulation stage. A heterochromatic eye is like a divine artifact. The contractor’s strength matters.”

Feng Qinghe let out a quiet breath. So she’d probably been overthinking. She continued digging up the Returning Spirit Grass. Xian Yin and the others clearly didn’t care about it. That was the only reason it grew all the way to a thousand years old.

Returning Spirit Grass was only useful for cultivators below the Divine Transformation stage. After consuming it, a cultivator’s spiritual power instantly returned to peak condition.

After transplanting the Returning Spirit Grass into her space and clearing any traces, Feng Qinghe stood and walked forward. Then she took out the things she’d picked up when she dug for lotus roots and showed them to Niansheng.

“Xiao Jin, I picked up a few stones earlier. Can you check them?” She’d wanted to move the entire Golden Lotus Pool into her space. But doing that would expose her.

So she let Purple Ginseng’s clone disguise itself as the Golden Lotus, while she transplanted the real Golden Lotus into her space. That way, the lotus could keep blooming and producing lotus seeds without interruption. Hopefully the one who eventually got the Purple Ginseng clone would be Kong Sang. It’d make her future plans easier.

Niansheng examined the stones and handed them back. “Nothing strange. But you can plant them next to the lotus roots. You might get a surprise.”

“Alright.” Feng Qinghe stored the stones and passed them to Purple Ginseng’s clone inside her space.

She really envied Purple Ginseng. It could send clones to work. She’d heard Purple Ginseng crying in the mine because she’d accidentally dug up the food it’d planted for itself. Once she learned Purple Ginseng ate ginseng, she immediately cleared out a plot of land in her space for it to farm freely.

Purple Ginseng’s clone worked inside the space. Its main body continued staying outside.

Feng Qinghe patted the top of Purple Ginseng’s head. “Feng Zi, how’s the Golden Lotus Pool side?”

Purple Ginseng replied, “Xian Yin kicked Qian Shan into the pond again. Qian Shan’s subordinates want to kill her. Xian Yin’s planning to fight five at once. The others are trying to intervene. Oh, and Kong Sang seems suspicious. He keeps probing my clone with his power.”

Feng Qinghe thought for a moment. According to the intel from Linglong Pavilion, Tianyin Sect and Youming Hall were the two factions among the top ten powers with the least say. Tianyin Sect had no influence because the whole sect barely had a hundred people. Youming Hall had no voice because they housed evil cultivators, which made them unwelcome.

“Feng Zi, how long can your clone last?”

“One hour.”

“Good.” That was enough for her to reach the Illusory Cavern.

Half an hour later.

Feng Qinghe arrived at a towering mountain. The peak pierced straight into the clouds.

Niansheng said, “Feng Feng, go inside that cave and you’ll see the entrance to the Illusory Cavern.”

A quarter hour later.

Feng Qinghe stood inside a vast cavern. For now, she could only call it a cavern. Behind her was the way in. In front of her was a honeycomb of tunnels. One opening pressed right next to another. Her trypophobia almost acted up. Her eyes even hurt.

Every tunnel was hexagonal. Behind each entrance was pitch black. She tried probing but couldn’t sense anything inside.

“This is the Illusory Cavern’s entrance?” Feng Qinghe muttered, feeling lost.

“Yeah. The Illusory Cavern has nine thousand nine hundred ninety nine entrances. The one behind you is the only exit. Every thousand years, the entrances shift. There’s no pattern. Every entrance has a restriction carved into it, so you can’t leave marks. Behind each entrance is something different.

Some lead to demon beasts, some to formations, some to traps. Only by choosing the correct path every time can you reach the final door. And any living being that enters loses their sense of time. Their memories slowly twist.”

…

Feng Qinghe fell into silence. This was the Illusory Cavern? This was absolutely a battle royale survival maze. Now she understood why the top ten powers needed so many loose cultivators. With all these entrances, even the five great sects, no matter how strong they were, couldn’t check them all in a short time.

“Feng Feng, the Ancient Immortal Secret Realm inheritance only goes to someone fated.”

Chapter Text

Feng Qinghe fully agreed with Niansheng. This place really wasn’t meant for anyone without fate. Who could pick the right entrance out of nine thousand nine hundred and ninety nine? And it wasn’t just the first one, every single entrance after that had to be right too. Get one wrong and you’d never find the gate to the inheritance…

Even hell level adventures didn’t pull nonsense like this. Honestly, she felt the one who left this inheritance probably never wanted anyone to get it.

“Feng Feng, don’t get discouraged, you’ve got us. The four of us will figure out a path together, it won’t be a problem,” Niansheng said, trying to comfort her.

“Yeah, Master, we’ll stay with you.”

“Master Feng, keep it up, keep it up, keep it up, you’ve got this!”

Feng Qinghe stared at them, speechless. Right then, in front of her, a little fist made of Purple Ginseng’s light and shadow floated in the air and slowly gave her a thumbs up.

“Feng Zi, how about you go back into the space?”

“Master Feng, if I go back, the Golden Lotus Pond’s avatar will show its true form right away.”

“Then stay put and stop talking,” she said. Otherwise she might really get a headache.

Purple Ginseng’s voice softened, “Alright, Can Can’s being useless, Can Can will only do work from now on, won’t talk, I promise I won’t make Feng Lord annoyed…”

Feng Qinghe went silent. She suddenly understood Niansheng on a spiritual level. Purple Ginseng really was timid and begging to be smacked.

Ignoring her, Feng Qinghe turned to Niansheng. “Xiao Jin, are you saying you know the path behind this entrance?”

Niansheng replied, “No, when I went in back then, I lost all my senses right away and came straight out. But when I wasn’t Niansheng yet, I could cross the entire Illusory Cavern directly and reach that door.”

Feng Qinghe felt her heart sink. She took out the inheritance talisman and tried it, only to find she couldn’t teleport into the cavern.

Of course.

They couldn’t even mark the entrance, so the restrictions inside would be even harsher.

“Xiao Jin, can you still sense the door to the inheritance?”

“I can’t sense it anymore. Ever since my soul awakened, the Kunxu Secret Realm placed restrictions on me.” It could only sense the door’s aura now. Everything else was blurry.

Feng Qinghe didn’t dwell on it. Instead, she pulled out the Mirror of Rebirth shard. “Xuanshuang, can it guide us?”

The answer matched Niansheng’s. “Master, I don’t know. I only know gaining the shard’s recognition is the first step to entering the inheritance.”

Feng Qinghe looked ahead, only to quickly look away. Her eyes hurt.

She was really starting to suspect the one who left this inheritance never wanted anyone to get it. Maybe the inheritance was meant for that person themselves. Or maybe the whole thing was a scam…

On the road to the inheritance, the ground was paved with blood. All inheritances left for future generations had tests and hardships. That was normal. But something this bloody wasn’t looking for a successor. It felt more like a sacrifice…

Had Kongsang and the others never considered that? Of course they had. But the ancient Immortal inheritance dangled in front of them, and since they didn’t have to risk their own lives, they ignored the signs.

“Xiao Jin, what did Kongsang do whenever he came to the cavern?”

Niansheng thought back. “He’d wait here with a group, then send others inside. Everyone who went in received a token. Inside the cavern, nothing can be probed, but those tokens let Kongsang communicate with them. Each time a group entered, he still received messages.

Only… very few walked back out. Later he even drew a map. That’s how I found out there were countless entrances behind the first one. I don’t know the exact number since it changes every thousand years. And once this secret realm closes, the cavern will change again. So he brought an especially large batch of people this time to send them to their deaths.”

…

As Niansheng finished, an irritation rose inside her. She remembered the memory fragments she’d devoured here. Everyone who died in the Illusory Cavern carried unwillingness, confusion, resentment…

She never felt anything when she’d devoured memories before. But now, recalling them made her feel suffocated, even agitated. Was it because her soul had awakened? Before she had a soul, she tried to simulate emotions to understand them, but she never truly felt them. Now that she had a soul and didn’t need to simulate emotions, she instead hated feeling them. Why?

Feng Qinghe was still thinking when the contract bond let her sense his frustration. She lifted her from her shoulder and placed her in her palm. “Xiao Jin, what’s wrong?”

Her voice held confusion. “Feng Feng, I suddenly feel like having a soul might not be a good thing. I don’t feel as happy anymore.”

At least before, emotions didn’t drag her around.

Feng Qinghe understood immediately. She was trapped in the emotions she’d generated. Instead of comforting her, she asked, “If you could erase your soul and return to how you were before, would you want that?”

She didn’t even need to think.

No.

There were countless living beings in the world. But every soul was unique and irreplaceable. As long as the soul didn’t perish, it existed forever. She could technically return to how she was. Yet she knew she didn’t want that. Even if having a soul meant trouble, preferences, limits…

She still wouldn’t give it up. Becoming a real living being with a soul was something countless conscious entities dreamed of. And if he gave it up, she might never have a chance to awaken one again… Those stifling emotions were just echoes from other people’s memories, empathy bleeding into her.

Every emotion was part of a soul. She shouldn’t reject them.

Having emotions meant she was free. She could have her own thoughts. She should control her emotions, not let them control her.

Thinking back on those memories again, she seemed to see more. Golden lines of ancient characters flowed across her shell, lighting up with soft brilliance. Her whole body glowed.

Feng Qinghe watched, feeling the heat spread across her palm. A mysterious force seeped into her body, running through her meridians before rushing into her sea of consciousness, strengthening her soul.

“Master, someone strong is approaching,” Xuanshuang warned.

“Alright.” Feng Qinghe looked at Niansheng. “Can you send me the map from your memory?”

Niansheng understood her instantly.

“Feng Feng, you can only use the teleportation talisman once you’re out of here.” Even so, she sent the map to her.

“I know.”

Since everything inside was unknown and every path had to be right to reach that door, why should she risk her life running around inside? She’d use void energy to teleport straight to the door Niansheng mentioned.

Chapter Text

Feng Qinghe glanced at the map Niansheng had passed to her.

Inside the Illusory Cavern, the paths branched everywhere. It looked exactly like a massive and complicated ant nest. Once you stepped into the first tunnel and managed to find the second, another fork would block your way, and after a winding route, you’d face five more entrances to choose from.

Just looking at the map made Feng Qinghe feel dizzy. She had a feeling. Even with the map in hand, she probably wouldn’t pick the right path every time. Mountain roads had eighteen bends. Every tunnel in the Illusory Cavern had eighty twists waiting for her.

No wonder they needed so many loose cultivators to scout the way. And no wonder anyone who entered got trapped inside.

But something didn’t add up. If the cavern was this difficult, why didn’t Kong Sang send stronger cultivators, like those in the Nascent Soul or Out of Body stage? Why only Foundation Establishment and Golden Core?

Sending stronger people inside would mean faster progress and better information… If she hadn’t gone through the swamp, she might’ve believed Kong Sang didn’t want to sacrifice their own people, so they sent weaker loose cultivators instead. But everything that happened there told her Kong Sang was willing to sacrifice their own as long as it served their inheritance. If they refused to send Nascent Soul cultivators, there had to be another reason.

Feng Qinghe stared at the map, falling into deep thought. Could something inside the Illusory Cavern need to be fed with flesh and blood?

If Kong Sang couldn’t kill the thing, then sending people in was the only option. As for why they didn’t send stronger cultivators… That part wasn’t hard to guess either. Kong Sang was controlling the thing’s growth rate.

Back then, the intel from Linglong Pavilion mentioned that the Five Sects were unusually serious about the opening of this secret realm, and way more loose cultivators were entering this time compared to before. Which meant the thing’s appetite was getting bigger.

Combined with the fact that the Five Sects invited the demon race to help, it wasn’t hard to guess that if they couldn’t open the inheritance this time, their chances in the future would get even slimmer.

“Feng Feng, aren’t you gonna hide first? I think that guy’s coming too,” Niansheng warned.

Kong Sang was coming.

Feng Qinghe’s eyes flickered. “Xiao Jin, I want to take a risk.”

“Huh?”

“I want the last Xuan Tie Token.” This was the best chance she’d ever get, but also the most dangerous.

Kong Sang wasn’t like Jiang Qingshu. She’d only have one shot. Whether she got the token or not, she’d end up exposed. She might even get herself killed. But she didn’t want to wait anymore.

“Feng Feng, are you planning to negotiate with Kong Sang?” That was the only thing Niansheng could think of.

With Feng Feng’s strength, negotiation was basically suicide.

“No, I’m gonna use Telekinetic Grasp.” She needed to save her void energy for emergencies. So she’d try using star power and lunar radiance instead. Their grade clearly wasn’t weaker than void energy.

“Feng Feng, stop daydreaming. How about we leave first?” Niansheng urged.

Telekinetic Grasp meant grabbing something after seeing it, pulling it with intent.

Kong Sang was way stronger than Feng Feng. Even if he held the Xuan Tie Token out and didn’t move, there was no way she could take something from his hand with pure intent.

Feng Qinghe didn’t answer. She simply stored Xuanshuang and Purple Ginseng inside the pet space. She was scared that if she teleported out later, they’d get left behind.

Purple Ginseng and Xuanshuang said nothing.

Niansheng was the one who started panicking. “Feng Feng, five Void Refining cultivators just arrived. You’re still not running?”

Feng Qinghe sent a voice transmission. “Hide everything for me. Don’t let Kong Sang’s Heavenly Eye see my Luck.”

“Got it.”

At the same time.

Kong Sang, Xian Yin, Wen Qian, Jing Yuan, and Qian Shan appeared in the cavern.

Kong Sang immediately scanned the surroundings. He found nothing, so he opened his Heavenly Eye. No matter how well someone hid, their Luck couldn’t be concealed. Except… why was there nothing?

Wen Qian used his divine sense too, but found nothing. He lowered his voice so only the five of them could hear. “Kong Sang, did you sense wrong? There’s nothing here.”

Kong Sang checked again. Still nothing. His gaze darkened. Was it really an illusion?

The first time he stepped foot into the Illusory Cavern, he’d sensed a mysterious presence. That presence had made him stop and not enter the tunnel. Later, the Ancestors of the sect investigated and told him: “You did the right thing. It’s dangerous inside. If you can’t find the correct path, you’ll get trapped.”

Since then, every time he came here, he checked for that presence. But it never appeared again. Until just now. His divine sense that he’d left behind had sensed it. Even though the presence disappeared immediately…

He was sure he didn’t misread it. Could that mysterious presence not be a living creature?

“Kong Sang, is the thing in the center fully fed?” Jing Yuan suddenly asked.

“No.”

“So is it possible the thing came out?” Jing Yuan asked again.

Wen Qian stared at Kong Sang, waiting for an answer. He’d always suspected the incident in the Snow Region was connected to that thing. Inside the Kunxu secret realm, only that thing could escape his and Kong Sang’s detection.

Kong Sang fell silent, voice low. “I’m not sure.”

He wasn’t the one who’d signed the contract with it back then. The Ancestor never told him all the details. “There’s a contract. The thing won’t harm anyone with the mark. Feed it once and you get a correct hint. I suspect the Illusory Cavern exists to suppress it. Before we know what it really is, no loose cultivator stronger than Golden Core should enter. It said there’s an Immortal Ancient inheritance inside. I’ve checked the prediction. It wasn’t lying.”

After that, the Ancestor always brought him here. When no loose cultivator ever came back out, he’d been shocked at first. He’d even protested. Wendao Sect was the number one sect in Tiancang. They were admired by countless cultivators. They shouldn’t sacrifice so many for the sake of some vague Immortal Ancient inheritance. But at some point, he accepted it. Worse, he became part of it.

It was probably after that defeat. After that, he gradually lost his heart. All he chased was power, more and more power. Now, looking back, he knew he could never return to who he was.

Kong Sang’s eyes settled on the path ahead. He forced down the emotions in his heart, letting determination return to his gaze. No matter the cost, he’d obtain the Immortal Ancient inheritance. He let out a quiet sigh and turned to Qian Shan. “I accept your condition. Every ten years, I’ll send fifty thousand Fallen Demons to the demon clan territory.”

“Hahaha… Kong Sang Zūnzhě is decisive. Don’t worry, I’ll definitely help you open the gate.” Qian Shan’s laughter was hearty. The smile hidden beneath his mask, however, was full of triumph.

He handed a contract scroll to Kong Sang. “Since Kong Sang Zūnzhě agreed, sign it.”

Wen Qian clenched his fist, remembering his Sect Master’s warning, but said nothing in the end.

“Kong Sang Zūnzhě, you can’t take the Fallen Demons from our Youming Hall. Anyone from our hall can’t be sent to the demon clan. Write that in,” Jing Yuan said.

“Fine.”

Kong Sang agreed, and Qian Shan immediately edited the contract on the spot.

Xian Yin twirled the flute in her hand without saying a word. But she seemed to notice something interesting. Her lips curved slightly, as if she was waiting to watch a show.

Chapter Text

Right now, Feng Qinghe was inching her way toward Kong Sang.

She didn’t dare walk normally, afraid she’d draw attention, so she let Niansheng carry her along step by step.

Through their contract, Niansheng grumbled, “Feng Feng, you tell me, ever since I followed you, what kind of miserable life have I been living? I never thought the day would come when I’d get stepped on like this!”

She knew it used to fly proudly over everyone’s heads.

“Xiao Jin, I promise, just this once.”

She didn’t want this either. But five Void Refining experts showing up at once? Who wouldn’t panic? If it weren’t for the clothes Miao Fuguang gave her, she wouldn’t have dared to take such a risk. Sure enough, hugging a thigh felt amazing.

But once she actually got close to Kong Sang, Feng Qinghe hesitated again.

A Void Refining cultivator might’ve already opened a cave dwelling. Cases like that were rare, but Kong Sang was a diviner, someone special, so it was very possible she’d opened one early. What if the Xuan Tie Token was kept inside her cave dwelling?

A cave dwelling was basically another sea of consciousness for a cultivator, higher level than a contract space. Items inside a contract space would become ownerless after the owner died. But anything inside a cave dwelling would vanish with the owner.Everything in there was completely tied to them.

Feng Qinghe kept thinking, too cautious to make a move.

At that moment, Qian Shan admired the newly signed contract and was about to put it away when he saw Xian Yin’s lips curl slightly.

Qian Shan couldn’t help himself. “Xian Yin Gate Master, look at this contract. Ah, how could you sign it so easily? If you’d asked me…”

Xian Yin gave him a look that was almost a smile.

Qian Shan pushed on. “Xian Yin Gate Master, honestly, if you weren’t so selfish and agreed to come with me, I could’ve helped for free. Those corrupted demon cultivators wouldn’t need to be sent to the demon race at all…”

Xian Yin didn’t bother defending herself. She never walked into a self justification trap. Her voice was soft. “I can kill you and send you off to reincarnate for free. And so you don’t get lonely on the road to the afterlife, I’ll send those four demons with you. Satisfied?”

Wen Qian, standing beside them, stared wide eyed. That was way too lethal for a single line! He suddenly suspected Xian Yin wasn’t quiet because she was gentle. She probably just didn’t think the others deserved her words.

Qian Shan’s face twisted under his mask. “Xian Yin, you’re asking for death!”

Xian Yin answered calmly, “That’s the third time you’ve said that.”

A red mist surged in Qian Shan’s eyes, murderous intent rolling around him.

Wen Qian rushed over to stand between them. “Qian Shan, don’t get mad. Gate Master Xian Yin’s just joking.”

He then shot Kong Sang a look, then raised his voice. “Kong Sang, is the map ready? When’re we entering the Illusion Cavern?”

“A few paths left.”

Wen Qian grinned. “That’s not bad. Qian Shan Jūnzhǔ, we’ll be counting on you later. You’re really helping us out this time.”

Qian Shan slowly calmed, giving a cold snort. “You’re really letting a woman ride over your heads. Pathetic.”

Wen Qian pretended he heard nothing. “Kong Sang, doesn’t Jiang Qingshu have a Xuan Tie Token on him?”

“Yeah, but he won’t hand it over.”

“I can control him and make him give it to us,” Jing Yuan said.

Kong Sang replied, “The Xuan Tie Token’s special. It’s best if he gives it willingly.”

He definitely wanted to force Jiang Qingshu to hand it over. But since he had one himself, she understood a token like that wasn’t ordinary. If you took it by force, it was useless.

Xian Yin asked curiously, “What’s so special about it? Kong Sang, you’ve never shown us the token before.”

Wen Qian immediately perked up. “Right! Kong Sang, everyone says Wendao Sect has Xuan Tie Tokens, but you’ve always hidden them. How’re we supposed to know you really have one?”

Jing Yuan clearly wanted to see it too. “Kong Sang, Youming Hall’s lost so many disciples for this. We should at least be allowed to look, right?”

Qian Shan stood to the side, watching with interest. He wanted to see it as well.

Feng Qinghe, who’d been preparing to act, froze when she heard their conversation. If Kong Sang pulled out the token herself, then Feng Qinghe wouldn’t need to risk anything. She felt like Xian Yin was her lucky star. Ever since meeting her, everything went her way.

Niansheng wanted to complain again but felt Feng Qinghe’s excitement and chose silence.

Kong Sang thought over their words. Considering the token’s uniqueness and the fact they couldn’t steal it even if he showed it, he figured letting them look wasn’t a big deal. He lifted his hand, and a box covered in runes and seals appeared.

Xian Yin’s lips curved slightly, her gaze thoughtful. "Usually, whenever anyone asked to see the token, Kong Sang refused. This time, he agreed. Interesting."

Wen Qian stared at the box, barely breathing. If he rushed in and grabbed it, would Kong Sang kill him on the spot? Forget it.

Even if he somehow got it, he probably wouldn’t keep it for long. His Sect Master was so gullible. Wendao Sect’s Sect Master would hand it over the moment she got tricked by a few sweet words. He’d end up blamed by everyone.

Ahh.

He envied Xian Yin again. No superiors above her. She could do whatever she wanted. He glanced her way. Maybe Gate Master Xian Yin might try to snatch the token. After all, the four of them together probably weren’t her match. Even if she usually stayed back supporting them. He just had a feeling that Xian Yin was stronger than everyone here.

Kong Sang always addressed the rest of them by name, but whenever he spoke to Xian Yin, he’d say Gate Master Xian Yin.

Even Qian Shan, after being beaten twice, changed how he addressed her.

Wen Qian looked at Jing Yuan. His status in Youming Hall wasn’t low either.

That old fox would definitely try to grab the token. Jing Yuan couldn’t be allowed to get it. He needed to block him later. To give Xian Yin a chance to take it.

But if Xian Yin and Kong Sang started fighting, he’d run far away so he didn’t get caught in the crossfire. Wen Qian was still lost in his thoughts when Qian Shan spoke again.

“Kong Sang Zūnzhě, for a single token, your Wendao Sect actually used a Heaven rank artifact as a container. Your foundation’s terrifying.”

Kong Sang ignored him. He lifted her other hand, a droplet of blood welling at his fingertip. He drew a sigil in the air. When the sigil landed on the box, the runes on it began to flow.

The sigil slowly faded.

Everyone stared at the box.

In the next breath, a light flashed across its surface.

Then the box vanished from Kong Sang’s palm.

Wen Qian couldn’t help blurting out, “Kong Sang, seriously? We didn’t even finish looking! Why’d you put it away?”

“Kong Sang Zūnzhě, you’ve got no sincerity at all. Let us see the box… the box…” Qian Shan didn’t finish.

He’d noticed something wrong with Kong Sang’s face. His expression twisted through shock, fear, disbelief, and fury all at once.

Chapter Text

“Kong Sang Zūnzhě, you… what’s wrong with you?” Qian Shan’s voice shook as he asked.

Kong Sang’s face had already begun to twist, and it looked downright terrifying. Qian Shan honestly thought Kong Sang might suddenly attack him.

Xian Yin pressed down the curve of her lips, putting on a look of polite curiosity as she watched Kong Sang.

Wen Qian and Jing Yuan were just as confused. This was their first time seeing Kong Sang like this.

How to put it…

He looked like he was on the verge of breaking down.

Kong Sang’s sharp gaze swept back and forth across Xian Yin, Wen Qian, Jing Yuan, and Qian Shan. As if he wanted to stare a hole through them.

Nothing. It was really gone. Could it be the person Bai Yan'er mentioned?

The highest grade Concealment Talisman could only block divine sense below Divine Transformation. If someone could hide from him all this time, their strength definitely wasn’t below his. After that flash of power earlier, the other person’s presence vanished completely.

They must’ve used some kind of concealment spell. And concealment spells all had one fatal weakness. Once hidden, they couldn’t use any power. Since no Transmission Talismans worked inside this Illusory Cavern, he’d sealed the exit as soon as he arrived. That person had to still be here.

“Gate Master Xian Yin, help me boost my strength,” Kong Sang said coldly.

Kunxu Mystic Realm did suppress cultivation. But Xian Yin’s flute wasn’t affected. Her music could temporarily raise his strength to Unity, and it wouldn’t change his realm. That way, he wouldn’t get kicked out of the mystic realm. This was also why Xian Yin had been allowed to accompany him.

“Kong Sang, don’t forget our contract,” Qian Shan warned. He was getting scared. What if Kong Sang strengthened himself just to turn on him?

“There’s someone hiding in here. I’m going to drag them out. You all better get your barriers ready,” Kong Sang transmitted to them.

Wen Qian and Jing Yuan stiffened immediately.

“You’re sure?” Xian Yin asked.

Qian Shan, on the other hand, finally let out a breath.

Kong Sang still had a little patience for Xian Yin, so he explained, “The box vanished earlier. I didn’t put it away. Someone in the shadows stole it.”

“Alright.” Xian Yin lifted the bamboo flute to her lips. A deep, resonant melody filled the air.

The next instant, power surged wildly around Kong Sang.

Sensing that terrifying force, Wen Qian, Jing Yuan, and Qian Shan hurried to layer barriers over themselves. Had Kong Sang lost his mind? Was he not afraid the mystic realm would collapse?

The entire cave trembled. Layer after layer of ripples spread out again. The surrounding cave mouths flickered with light, and runes lit up.

A sharp crack rang out. Wen Qian’s barrier shattered, and the backlash sent him staggering back a few steps. Next came Jing Yuan and Qian Shan. Their defensive barriers shattered too, and both were injured by the shockwave.

Dust filled the cave, making everything hazy.

“Seriously, Kong Sang, that was a completely indiscriminate attack,” Wen Qian complained. If Kong Sang hadn’t told them to set defenses first, Wen Qian would’ve thought he’d done it on purpose.

Qian Shan’s expression darkened. He lowered his head, thinking hard. Had Kong Sang discovered something and was using this to test him? He quietly checked the expressions of the other three.

Xian Yin had lowered her flute and looked calm as ever, as if none of this had anything to do with her.

Kong Sang, however, was far from calm.

Nothing. How could there be nothing? After an attack like that, he still sensed only five presences. There was no sixth person.

Wen Qian clearly noticed it too. “Kong Sang, did the Xuan Tie Token really vanish?”

Kong Sang said, “The moment the box’s restrictions disappeared, the box was taken.”

Jing Yuan said, “What if it wasn’t a person? What if something else inside the Illusory Cavern took it?”

Kong Sang didn’t answer.

Jing Yuan continued, “The Illusory Cavern changes every thousand years, and we can’t leave any marks at the entrance. But that demon beast we’ve been feeding has stayed in the same place.”

Inside the Illusory Cavern, no matter how the other cave tunnels shifted…

That thing, the one that had to be fed with cultivator flesh, always stayed at the very center.

“Kong Sang, I want to ask one thing. Are you sure that thing only eats flesh?”

Kong Sang met Jing Yuan’s gaze. “What are you implying?”

Jing Yuan said, “I can only devour a tiny portion of the lingering souls each time. Less than one percent. I’ve always suspected that thing is fooling us.”

Why hadn’t he said this before? Because Youming Hall hadn’t been getting enough benefits. But now the demon clan was involved, and Wendao Sect had allowed Youming Hall to enter the inheritance grounds. Of course he had to point out the hidden dangers.

Kong Sang said, “We can only remove its seal once we open the inheritance grounds and find the thing inside. It has no reason to deceive us.”

The Ancestors’ plan was to stabilize that thing first. After getting the inheritance, they would get rid of it. Anything sealed since the Ancient Immortal Era would only become a threat if released. Better to kill it now than leave a danger behind.

“Is that so?” Jing Yuan’s eyes darkened. A creature fed with so much flesh… could Wendao Sect really control it?

The Wendao Sect’s Ancestors might be able to glimpse the heavens. But seeing fate wasn’t the same as controlling everything.

Kong Sang didn’t bother responding. There were things Jing Yuan didn’t need to know. Before he came, the Ancestors had taken many precautions.

Xian Yin said, “Kong Sang, didn’t you say there’s another Xuan Tie Token in Jiang Qingshu’s hands? Maybe the one who stole yours went to find Jiang Qingshu.”

Kong Sang’s expression changed instantly. He turned and shot out of the cave.

Wen Qian, Jing Yuan, and Qian Shan rushed after him.

Before leaving, Qian Shan cast a dark, resentful look at Xian Yin.

Xian Yin ignored him, walking out with her usual calm grace. "That little girl was pretty impressive. She dared to snatch something from Kong Sang and even managed to hide from him. Who knew what Riyou Shen had taught her? A perfectly normal girl… and now she acted secretive and suspicious. She really hoped the girl would get the inheritance."

She wanted to see the faces of the Five Great Sects when they realized they’d lost everything.

Xian Yin paused and glanced back at the cave, hoping the girl would stay safe. This was as far as she could help.

At the same time…

Feng Qinghe stood before a massive golden gate.

On the gate, two enormous beasts were carved side by side. The one on the left looked like the qilin described in ancient texts. Its whole body was covered in shimmering scales, and its amber eyes held tiny stars. Under its four hooves lay a bagua diagram, adding even more mystery.

The one on the right looked familiar. It resembled a Phantom Winged Tiger. But its aura was completely different.

The Phantom Winged Tiger gave her the feeling of majesty, pride, quiet dominance. A king who could also be approachable.

But the beast carved here, even though its body was pure white and its wings were folded, even though its eyes were closed and it was lying peacefully… Still radiated brutality and savagery.

The moment she saw it, her killing intent toward Jiang Qingshu multiplied several times over. She even wanted to rush out now and kill him outright. If just looking at this carving affected her that badly, what would happen if she faced the real beast? Would she lose her mind?

Feng Qinghe forced her gaze away and studied the rest of the gate.

The golden gate devoted half its space to the two beasts. The remaining space was filled with ancient text she couldn’t read and countless formation diagrams. Suddenly she understood why Kong Sang and the others were so desperate. She’d only looked at the formation diagrams for a moment, and yet she’d already gained new insights. If Kong Sang and the others reached this place, even if they couldn’t open the gate, they’d still gain plenty. But after observing for so long, she still hadn’t found a place to insert the Xuan Tie Token.

Chapter Text

Feng Qinghe’s gaze fell on the two giant beasts again.

Under the qilin’s hooves lay a black and white bagua diagram that didn’t match the shimmering, multicolored glow of its scales at all.

On the other side.

The tiger was sprawled there, blocking part of the formation lines and ancient script.

Wait. The tiger’s head wasn’t in that spot earlier. It should’ve had its right paw on top, but now its left paw was on top.

Feng Qinghe looked at the five colored qilin again. Still the same, radiating quiet peace.

Then she looked back at the tiger. She was certain this thing was changing.

Feng Qinghe called Niansheng out. “Xiao Jin, look at the beasts carved above the gate.”

“Alright.”

A moment later.

Niansheng said, “Feng Feng, that’s a Five Colored Qilin and a Qiongqi. What’s wrong?”

“Qiongqi?”

“Feng Feng doesn’t know Qiongqi?” Niansheng sounded a little surprised.

Feng Qinghe fell silent. It was strange. Back in the end of the Dharma era, she’d read about Qiongqi. But ever since she came here, none of the ancient books mentioned it. That reminded her of the historical gap.

Seeing her stay quiet, Niansheng began explaining on its own. “Qiongqi is one of the four fiends of the Chaotic Ancient Era, but it has a screw loose. It only likes siding with whoever disagrees with it. Whenever disaster strikes, Qiongqi loves jumping in to stir things up.

It always stands with the disaster’s creator. It doesn’t care who that person is, or whether they’re good or evil. The worst part is that Qiongqi is a total fence sitter. Maybe it helps you this time, but next time it’ll turn around and oppose you. It offended every powerhouse because of that.

Later, the big shots put aside their grudges and teamed up to kill it. But Qiongqi was born from the evil thoughts of living beings. As long as evil thoughts exist, it’ll revive. Qiongqi represents the source of chaos. It also represents eternal existence. This place is an Immortal Ancient inheritance site. It’s normal to have Qiongqi carved on the gate. The five colored qilin on the left should be meant to suppress it.”

After hearing all that, only one word came to Feng Qinghe’s mind to describe Qiongqi, troublemaker. It really existed to watch the world burn. Something that bizarre, she never wanted to run into it.

“Xiao Jin, how many times have you been here?”

“Three times. I refused to give up and tried three times, but I couldn’t get past this gate. After that, I stopped coming.”

The power in this gate, it never found a way to control it. When it failed to open the gate, it even considered drilling through the stone wall. But some force blocked it.

Feng Qinghe stared at the Qiongqi on the right. “Out of those three times, did you look carefully at the Qiongqi?”

“No. Why would I look at such a weirdo?” Niansheng said. Every time it came here, it lost a bunch of memories. It had no energy to stare at some Qiongqi statue.

Feng Qinghe shared her guess. “Xiao Jin, is it possible Qiongqi didn’t actually die but was sealed inside the gate?”

Niansheng was stunned. “Feng Feng, why would you think that?”

“It’s just a feeling.”

“Then we should leave, fast!” Niansheng said in panic.

It never doubted Feng Qinghe’s intuition. Its only worry was that she might be right. If this Qiongqi was real, escaping now was still possible. Waiting until it woke up would be too late.

Feng Qinghe looked at Niansheng speechlessly. “Then what was the point of me risking my life to snatch the third token?”

If Kong Sang hadn’t taken out that box himself, she wouldn’t have had any chance of grabbing the last Xuan Tie Token. When he pulled it out, she sensed it carefully. That was a space on a completely different level. Her divine abilities were way too low. She couldn’t touch a dimensional space like his cave dwelling.

After grabbing the token, if she hadn’t run fast enough, Kong Sang would’ve definitely noticed her. She was only a small Golden Core cultivator. If five Void Refining experts cornered her… Just imagining that scene made her heart race. No. Once she got out, she had to find more life saving items. Staying alive was the top priority.

“Feng Feng, then do you have any way to open this gate?” Niansheng asked the crucial question.

Feng Qinghe had nothing to say. She really hadn’t found anywhere to place the Xuan Tie Token. There wasn’t a single slot on the entire gate. She even tried pushing it. It didn’t budge.

“Feng Feng, I feel like there’s another possibility.”

“What is it?”

“You took a shortcut and didn’t get the gate’s acknowledgment, so it won’t show you the method to open it.”

“Is that so?” Feng Qinghe looked around. Above the cavern was a dome.

The gate faced a tunnel entrance. Exactly the same as the one she saw at the entrance of the illusion cave. The stone walls were smooth, like someone sculpted them by hand. Maybe… she was looking in the wrong direction. Who said the method to open the gate had to be on the gate?

“Xiao Jin, help me find anything unusual on the stone walls.”

“Okay.”

Niansheng started rolling around the cavern. Sometimes it jumped up to look higher. Eventually it even flew up to check the dome.

Feng Qinghe didn’t call Xuanshuang or Purple Ginseng out. The situation was unclear. If something went wrong, she could teleport away instantly, and Niansheng would follow. Xuanshuang and Purple Ginseng might not escape in time.

“Feng Feng, come up and look!” Niansheng shouted.

Only Feng Qinghe could hear its voice anyway. She didn’t fly up immediately. Instead, she lifted her head to observe from below. Sometimes distance helped her see better.

There were carvings on the dome, with many patterns similar to the ancient script on the gate.

Feng Qinghe stared at those patterns, completely absorbed. They looked incredibly intricate. But when she viewed them as a whole, didn’t they form a snowflake?

“Xiao Jin, return.”

“Alright.” Niansheng went back into the pet space.

Feng Qinghe tested the void energy. Still usable. Only then did she take out the Mirror of Rebirth fragment. In an instant, the carvings on the dome lit up.

In the swamp.

Kong Sang’s gaze sharpened as he looked at Jiang Qingshu. “Where’s your Xuan Tie Token?”

Kong Sang didn’t bother playing games anymore. Only when he saw the token in Jiang Qingshu’s hand would he relax.

Jiang Qingshu felt terror rising in his heart, but he forced himself to stay calm. “Once we reach the place, I’ll naturally hand it to Kong Sang Zūnzhě. It’s not time yet.”

Only by entering the inheritance site would he have any chance to escape Kong Sang’s control. But how sharp was Kong Sang? No matter how much Jiang Qingshu tried to pretend, someone his age couldn’t fool him.

“Your Xuan Tie Token was stolen. You don’t have it right now,” Kong Sang said.

A flash of panic flickered through Jiang Qingshu’s eyes.

“Kid, you better come clean, or I’ll feed you to that black tree right now,” Jing Yuan threatened.

“Xiaoyou, you should tell the truth,” Wen Qian said.

Death crawled up Jiang Qingshu’s spine in that instant. He knew very well that Kong Sang, Wen Qian, and Jing Yuan could crush him like an ant. If he died here, Jiang Mingyuan would never know how he died. Even if he did know, his father wouldn’t dare avenge him. He’d probably even bow and say, “That unfilial brat caused you trouble.”

Jiang Qingshu was still panicking when Kong Sang spoke again. “When exactly did your Xuan Tie Token disappear?”