Jiang Yishu’s gaze held a trace of doubt. “But if they truly loved me as much as you say, why would they entrust me to the mortal world? Even make me acknowledge others as my parents?”
“I’m sorry, but your master believes that unless they were truly desperate, your parents would never have done so. It’s very likely… at that time, they trusted no one they knew.”
Xie Lingjun silently added in his heart, “Including me.”
Suddenly remembering something, Xie Lingjun grew worried. “However you concealed your Chaotic Spirit Root in the past, you must continue to do so. Before ascending, you must never, under any circumstances, reveal the existence of your Chaotic Spirit Root.”
Jiang Yishu leaned against the blanket Huangquan handed her. “Your disciple understands.”
In her previous life, even without her Chaotic Spirit Root being discovered, her fate had been so tragic. How could she possibly allow herself to be exposed now?
“Master, has anyone truly succeeded in ascending? For centuries, there hasn’t been a single legend of successful ascension in the Central Continent.”
“Perhaps it will happen. It might just be a matter of time. Since the great war back then, spiritual energy has grown much more abundant. Now, the highest cultivation among the various sects’ patriarchs has reached the Unity Stage. Once they reach the Mahayana Stage, perhaps they can await ascension.”
“The current richness of spiritual energy is a rare opportunity not to be missed. This Chaotic Art is even more suitable for you now.”
Xie Lingjun gently stroked the ancient manual, its cover frayed at the edges, and slowly handed it to Jiang Yishu.
“Master, I wish to enter the Hehuan Sect’s secret realm. I want to forcibly condense my Golden Core.”
Xie Lingjun frowned. The path of cultivation most despised rashness and the pursuit of quick success.
“Forcibly breaking through to the Golden Core now might result in Core Veins not much different from before your cultivation regressed. If you can calm your mind, focus on Forming the Golden Core, killing opponents across realms wouldn’t be a problem. Is participating in the Hehuan Sect’s grand competition absolutely necessary?”
“I have a reason I cannot ignore. I want to know if Jiang Yijun is truly my biological sister.”
“Since your mind is made up, your master will grant you an opportunity.”
Xie Lingjun changed the flying vessel’s direction, applying several Acceleration Talismans in succession.
For the first time, Jiang Yishu experienced motion sickness on a flying vessel.
Back in the Qingyun Sect, once one reached Golden Core cultivation and could abstain from grains, they hardly consumed miscellaneous foods. Since coming to the Xiaoyao Sect, she had been eating Spirit Beasts and Spirit Rice, which not only satisfied her appetite but also helped absorb spiritual energy. The downside was that it could make one vomit.
Huangquan was like a silent butler, quietly offering water for Jiang Yishu to rinse her mouth.
When Jiang Yishu recovered, she looked up at the majestic gate before her, so awestruck she nearly forgot to breathe.
The flames spewing from the stone lions’ mouths at the gate shot skyward, making anyone standing nearby feel as if they were being baked dry. Jiang Yishu wasn’t even as tall as the stone lions’ legs. The aura emanating from the gate’s seams was even more intimidating.
Xie Lingjun stood beside Jiang Yishu. “This is the Donghuang Secret Realm. A hundred days inside equals one day outside. It is fraught with dangers, so be cautious in all matters. However, cultivation here will yield twice the result with half the effort.”
“There are still ten days until the Hehuan Sect’s secret realm opens. On the eighth day, regardless of whether you have broken through to Golden Core cultivation, your master will forcibly summon you out.”
Xie Lingjun lightly touched Jiang Yishu’s forehead with his fingertip. Instantly, a transparent whirlwind mark appeared between her brows.
“If your life is in danger, your master will also summon you out.”
Jiang Yishu bowed deeply to Xie Lingjun. “Your disciple will surely live up to your expectations.”
The existence of the Donghuang Secret Realm, if known by other sects, would undoubtedly stir up a storm of bloodshed.
Yet Xie Lingjun was still willing to help her enter. A cultivator’s life was spent contending with the heavens for longevity, and time was the most precious thing of all. It was impossible not to be moved.
Xie Lingjun flew into mid-air and tossed Spirit Stones into the Formation Eye. The moment the Formation succeeded, the flames in the mouths of the two stone lions extinguished, and the heavy gate slowly opened.
Jiang Yishu resolutely stepped inside. Huangquan wanted to follow to protect her but was stopped by Xie Lingjun.
“What she needs is growth, not protection. Rather than worrying, you should focus on improving your own strength, lest you lose the right to stand by her side. With me here, she is safe.”
Huangquan cupped his hands in salute to Xie Lingjun, then turned and vanished.
Only after both figures disappeared from sight did Xie Lingjun spit out a mouthful of blood.
“As expected, opening it alone is still quite taxing.”
Xie Lingjun sat at the center of the Formation, continuously channeling spiritual power into the Formation Eye.
Inside the Donghuang Secret Realm.
As soon as Jiang Yishu entered, she was met with a rain of arrows. Before her mind could react, her body had already moved swiftly in response.
After dodging the arrows, she encountered a swamp, and the refined young woman instantly turned into a mud doll.
The more she struggled, the deeper she sank. Jiang Yishu simply relaxed, allowing herself to float. Tentatively, she began cultivating according to the Chaotic Art. Sure enough, as soon as the technique started circulating, Earth Spiritual Power from the swamp surged into her body, and a segment of an Earth Spirit Root emerged within her.
Fully focused on circulating the technique, Jiang Yishu did not notice that the solidified swamp was slowly moving. The Monster Beast lurking beneath the swamp had just opened its bloody maw when it caught her scent and instantly fled far away.
As it ran, it shouted, “The female demon is back! Hide quickly!”
Other Monster Beasts, while scoffing at the Swamp Beast, secretly drew closer. “The female demon? It’s been tens of thousands of years. She’s probably turned to dust by now. How could she possibly return?”
“It’s really her. I couldn’t possibly mistake her aura. Believe it or not, I’m running for my life.”
The Swamp Beast could never forget the sight of that woman forcing it to bathe. If there was even a speck of mud on its body, she would give it a severe beating.
It was a Swamp Beast—wasn’t mud its natural state?
Jiang Yishu only opened her eyes after the Earth Spirit Root inside her stopped growing.
She used the Water Ball Technique to clean herself, but as soon as she took a step forward, she was hoisted into the air by tree vines.
Below her appeared a plump, white ginseng doll, with emerald green leaves atop its head, swaying adorably as it moved.
“Hahaha, and they said the female demon had appeared. I don’t see any difference from the people who came before—still two eyes, one nose, and one mouth.”
“Hey, human, if you obediently leave the Magic Forest without touching a single blade of grass or tree, I’ll let you go. Otherwise, I’ll eat you!”
“A single blade of grass or tree? Do you mean this?”
Jiang Yishu channeled Wood Spiritual Power to sprout a tender shoot, which coiled around a Nine-Colored Lotus growing in the soil.
“Waaah, my Earthheart Lotus! It just matured, and you snatched it away. Give it back! I’ve guarded it for so long.”
The ginseng doll jumped up to snatch it, but the tree vines it controlled rose higher according to Jiang Yishu’s will.
“What use do you have for it? You can’t even eat it.”
“It glows! I just like shiny things. Give it back!”
Jiang Yishu pulled out the hair accessories Xie Lingjun had prepared for her from her Storage Bag. Among them was a lily-of-the-valley hairpin that emitted ten shades of gradient light as it swayed.
She truly lacked the courage to wear it outside.
“This one has one more color than your Earthheart Lotus. Can I trade it with you? You can even wear it in your hair.”
Jiang Yishu sliced through the vine with a single sword strike and landed on the ground. In no time, she fashioned the ginseng doll’s leaves into a small tuft and inserted a hairpin into it.
The ginseng doll gazed at the swaying hairpin, its leafy crown relaxing. “Human, I agree.”
Just as Jiang Yishu was about to store it in her Storage Bag, her bracelet suddenly emitted a dazzling golden light, drawing the Earthheart Lotus inside.
“Hmm… Is it because I practice the Chaotic Art? It never reacted before.”
Jiang Yishu tried to peer into the Chaotic Bracelet, but aside from a gray expanse, she could see nothing.
The ginseng doll, delighted with its new toy, hopped around and declared it would show off to its good friend, vanishing in the blink of an eye.
Jiang Yishu leaped onto the tallest tree, sitting cross-legged to absorb Wood Spiritual Power. Her Wood Spirit Root and Earth Spirit Root grew to roughly the same height before ceasing to develop.
“Master said the Donghuang Secret Realm was fraught with danger. Could the danger have been that chubby doll just now?”