Luo Ningning cradled a cup of warm tea and, through the faint white mist, calmly sized up the young man seated across from her. He was tall and straight, dressed in martial attire, with a long sword resting beside him. He also possessed a handsome face, with sharply arched brows and bright, starry eyes.
This was the twenty-seventh prospective dual-cultivation partner Luo Ningning had met over the past month. She gave him eighty points in her heart and was fairly satisfied with his appearance.
As she appraised the sword cultivator, he was appraising her as well. The young woman was stunningly beautiful, with skin as white and smooth as condensed jade, brows as elegant and pale as distant mountains, eyes as alluring as autumn waters, and lips as rosy as if touched with vermilion. What made her especially distinctive was her bearing. Female cultivators who practiced the Hehuan Sect’s cultivation method were naturally seductive in every gesture, yet this young woman possessed, amid that allure, a few more traces of pampered innocence and precious delicacy…
…She did not look like a cultivator defying the heavens in pursuit of the Great Dao. Rather, she resembled a spoiled, pampered noblewoman raised in a secluded boudoir.
The sword cultivator frowned and suddenly asked, “Miss Luo, are you feeling unwell? We’re already indoors. Why haven’t you taken off that fur cloak?”
He said half-jokingly, “When my master introduced us, he said that Miss Luo’s cultivation had already reached late Foundation Establishment, that you were in good health, and that you possessed an excellent spirit root. Since we both study at the Heavenly Extremity Pavilion, we could practice dual cultivation from time to time whenever we had free time, which would benefit us both. But if there’s something wrong with Miss Luo’s health, wouldn’t I be the only one giving? Wouldn’t I end up as a cultivation furnace for you to drain?”
Luo Ningning’s fingers stopped rubbing the teacup.
A spring snow had fallen just yesterday, and the air still held a bone-chilling coldness. Thus, she had deliberately paired her outfit with a snow-white fur garment today. There was nothing strange about a mortal dressing like this, but in the Heavenly Extremity Pavilion, where everyone was at least late Foundation Establishment and the cultivators all wore only single layers, her attire did indeed look somewhat out of place.
Apparently, this sword cultivator was already worried about being taken advantage of, despite this being their first meeting. The eighty points she had given him at first sight dropped to sixty.
Luo Ningning had always been picky and no longer wanted to consider this man. She sighed inwardly. If she had known this would happen, she would never have made the trip. She should have gone straight to the secret realm instead. But remembering that this man had been recommended by one of her mother’s old acquaintances, she still offered an explanation.
“My body is perfectly fine at present. I simply like fluffy clothing, so I took advantage of the snowy weather and transformed my magical robe into this appearance.”
The sword cultivator visibly relaxed. After a pause, he continued, “Then let me introduce myself first. I have a single metal-element spirit root. I mainly cultivate the sword, with the saber and medicine as supplementary disciplines. I’ve just entered Core Formation this year. My family has three cultivators at the Deity Transformation stage—my grandfather, my father, and my younger aunt. We have twelve Nascent Soul cultivators, among whom my eldest uncle, second uncle, and eldest aunt are all at the late Nascent Soul stage. Among my generation, my cultivation is ranked first…”
Luo Ningning: “…”
Sixty points dropped to forty.
Luo Ningning thought to herself: She’s here to find a dual-cultivation partner with him, so why is he bringing up the twelve Nascent Soul cultivators in his family? What’s the point? Who cares?
She began thinking of an excuse to leave early. She had only learned last night that a secret realm had opened, and she had not yet had time to prepare. She wanted to return as soon as possible.
But the sword cultivator had finished introducing the qualifications and family background he was so proud of. Considering himself to have displayed ample sincerity, he began making demands instead.
“To be honest, I’m not a frivolous man. I can’t stand women from the Hehuan Sect having unclear entanglements with other men. If Miss Luo is going to practice dual cultivation with me, you must remember that. Also, my family has long enjoyed an illustrious reputation. Your mother’s behavior is truly beneath consideration… If we can become Dao companions in the future, I hope you’ll restrain her somewhat.”
When she heard “can’t stand it” and “unclear entanglements,” Luo Ningning’s expression became indescribably strange. When she heard his final words, the young woman’s butterfly-like lashes lifted slightly.
Forty points instantly plummeted to negative one hundred.
Luo Ningning suddenly smiled brightly. “No problem. I only have one requirement: you must be able to afford to support me.”
The sword cultivator smiled, his self-confidence evident without words.
Luo Ningning smiled as well. With a wave of her hand, a clear spring gushed out of thin air and poured into the jade basin she had prepared on the table.
The sword cultivator recognized it immediately. “Liushan Spirit Spring? Drinking it can repair one’s meridians. Good stuff.”
Luo Ningning responded softly. Then, under the sword cultivator’s gaze as it shifted from confusion to astonishment, she gracefully placed both hands into the jade basin and washed them with great care.
Transparent droplets rolled from her pale, jade-white fingertips. Luo Ningning smiled sweetly.
“I’m rather particular about my lifestyle. I only use Liushan Spirit Spring for bathing, only drink Shaoshan Cloudmist tea, only drink Kunlun Spirit Dew, and only eat Taiqing Sacred Treasures.” She shook her fur cloak and adjusted the exposed cuffs of her magical robe. “Oh, and I only wear Kaiyang merfolk gauze. My furniture must be made of Phoenix Lotus Scarletwood…”
With every sentence she spoke, the smile on the man’s face stiffened a little more.
By the time she had finished her unhurried speech, the sword cultivator’s expression had turned livid.
“Absurd… We cultivators devote ourselves wholeheartedly to pursuing the Great Dao. How can we be so extravagant and indulgent?”
Luo Ningning leaned bonelessly against the chair. With a light tap of her slender fingers, she cast a spell and poured the spiritual-energy-rich spring water into the washbasin in the corner. Her brows and eyes were languid, but her tone was contemptuous.
“So you can’t afford to support me? I thought your family background was so exceptional. Who would have thought you were just another shabby, poverty-stricken nobody beneath consideration?” She suddenly sighed. “Then you certainly can’t afford to support my mother either.”
The sword cultivator was about to lose his temper, but upon hearing her final words, those two words escaped his mouth again.
“Absurd! Even if you and I become Dao companions, what does your mother have to do with me?”
Luo Ningning lightly stroked her cloudlike hair and slowly repeated, “That’s right. Even if I were blind enough to become your Dao companion, what would my mother have to do with you?”
The sword cultivator: “…”
…………
Anyone would be upset at encountering such an unpleasant specimen during a matchmaking meeting.
Luo Ningning did not stay any longer. She left directly and returned to her residence in the Heavenly Extremity Pavilion.
When she pushed open the plain wooden door built in the standard design, an entirely different world awaited her inside the courtyard. Outside, snow blanketed the land in white, but the courtyard was pleasantly warm, with lush trees, blooming flowers and grass, spiritual mountains, streams, and everything else one could wish for. It was truly a blessed paradise.
The moment she returned home, several fluffy creatures pounced on her from all directions and quickly surrounded her. A long-eared white rabbit perched on her shoulder, a brown squirrel clung to her left hand, and a black bear cub pressed against her right. She haphazardly rubbed her little pets.
“All right, all right. Go play by yourselves. Mama is in a hurry to leave.”
She set the small animals down and took out a communication stone from her robes. The other side connected almost immediately, and a beautiful woman appeared in the mirrored image. She looked no more than twenty-something, yet every movement she made was filled with indescribable grace and allure.
She was Luo Ningning’s biological mother and the sect master of the Hehuan Sect, Luo Qingman.
Luo Ningning smiled sweetly at her. “Mother, I’m back.”
Luo Qingman swept her beautiful eyes over her and immediately guessed the result. “You didn’t take a liking to him? What was the reason this time?”
Luo Ningning felt a little guilty.
Over the past month, in order to rapidly advance her Hehuan cultivation method, she had met nearly every suitable young talent in the cultivation world. Yet not a single one had satisfied her.
This one was too shy for her to make a move on, while that one was too promiscuous and had affairs everywhere. This one was too controlling and gave her a headache just looking at him, while that one cared only about practicing the sword, as though she were forcing him into it. This one was too old and made her uncomfortable, while that one’s cultivation was too low to offer much assistance…
But today’s man truly could not be blamed on her pickiness!
Luo Ningning complained indignantly, “Mother, he badmouthed you!”
Luo Qingman looked at her and let out a soft sigh after a moment.
“My child, I know none of them are worthy of you. But you must understand that you possess the Li Huo Profound Body. All these years, you have primarily cultivated music techniques, and your Hehuan cultivation method has only reached the fourth level. Your bloodline could awaken at any moment. If you do not cultivate the Hehuan cultivation method to the fifth level soon, you will have no path but death.”
In Luo Ningning’s impression, Luo Qingman had always been a woman of few emotions. Yet now, her eyes clearly held a plea.
“Ningning, listen to your mother. Stop being so picky. Just treat him as a cultivation furnace. As long as he can help you advance your cultivation method, what does it matter whether he can talk or breathe? Go practice dual cultivation with someone as soon as possible, all right? In this world, you are the only thing your mother cannot bear to lose.”
Luo Ningning’s heart immediately ached.
She patted her chest and promised, “Mother, don’t worry. I’ve already thought of a solution. I received definite news that there’s a special inheritance in the secret realm that opened yesterday, and it can advance a cultivation method. I’m going to prepare to leave now.”
Luo Qingman fell silent.
Luo Ningning thought she would object or question her in detail, but Luo Qingman merely asked, “Then should I accompany you?”
“No, no, it’s fine.” Luo Ningning hurriedly waved her hands. “I can manage on my own.”
Luo Qingman lowered her eyes for a long while before finally saying in a low voice, “Very well. Once you come out of the secret realm, if your Hehuan cultivation method still hasn’t advanced to the fifth level, then don’t delay any longer. Find a man and practice dual cultivation in peace.”
The communication ended, and Luo Ningning hurriedly began packing.
Seventeen years ago, she had been born into this immortal-xianxia novel she had read, becoming a cannon-fodder female character who was destined to die young. She had always believed that the original owner’s early death was caused by becoming involved in the male and female protagonists’ adventure. She had never expected that a month ago, she would suddenly vomit blood and faint, only to discover that she possessed the fatal constitution known as the Li Huo Profound Body.
If she did not cultivate the Hehuan cultivation method to the fifth level within four months, her bloodline would awaken on her eighteenth birthday, and she would burn herself to death.
With time running short, Luo Ningning had no choice but to begin frantically meeting prospective partners. Yet after a busy month, she had not encountered a single person she was satisfied with. Luo Ningning was nearly desperate. She truly did not want to choose someone at random and wrong herself.
Unexpectedly, just yesterday, she received news that a secret realm had opened.
Only then did Luo Ningning remember that, in the original story, the male protagonist had entered this very secret realm and obtained a special inheritance within it, advancing his cultivation method!
An inheritance capable of advancing the male protagonist’s cultivation method would certainly be capable of advancing hers as well!
Luo Ningning naturally did not dare steal the male protagonist’s opportunity. However, this inheritance was not limited to one person. The female protagonist had been beside the male protagonist at the time and had also received its blessings.
So, if she found a way to follow the male protagonist, couldn’t she also benefit from the power of the inheritance and upgrade her cultivation method?
The difficult part was that, according to the book, although this secret realm was not dangerous—in fact, it was famous for its beautiful scenery, birdsong, and fragrant flowers—the place where the inheritance was hidden had a harsh environment and imprisoned many dangerous ancient ferocious beasts.
The male protagonist could enter and leave safely because he had gained the inheritance’s recognition. But as an unrelated outsider, how was she supposed to reach that perilous inheritance ground?
Fortunately, as the spoiled rich second generation of the cultivation world, Luo Ningning possessed more than enough magical treasures. She carefully selected several magical artifacts capable of breaking through barriers, then gathered all her spiritual medicines and magical treasures into her Qiankun Bag.
Trusting that she could retreat unscathed even if she encountered an ancient ferocious beast, she finally found the courage to leave.
To prevent this trip from bringing her face-to-face with the male protagonist and causing some sort of butterfly effect, Luo Ningning used a secret technique of the Hehuan Sect to change her appearance before entering the secret realm.
She looked at herself in the mirror. Apart from her eyes, which still faintly resembled her original appearance, all her facial features had been adjusted. She looked completely like another person.
Her new appearance was sweet and delicate. She was not so beautiful as to invite trouble, nor so ugly that she would disgust herself.
Luo Ningning was very satisfied and entered the secret realm.
After a long sensation of spatial distortion, before her feet had even touched the ground, she heard a thunderous boom!
A fierce gale rushed toward her, carrying an unbearably powerful pressure. The Heaven-ranked magical robe she wore automatically emitted light to resist it, and only then did Luo Ningning manage to steady herself.
She looked around in bewilderment.
She was standing in a vast, desolate expanse of sand dunes. As far as the eye could see, the land was blackish brown, without the slightest trace of grass or trees. Demonic energy blotted out the sky like dark clouds, while the setting sun gave off only a bleak, feeble light…
Where were the beautiful scenery, birdsong, and fragrant flowers?
Beneath the gloomy sky, an enormous white wolf was locked in battle with several demon beasts. Several streams of black demonic energy, almost solid in form, poured from the white wolf’s body. Like enormous black serpents, they wrapped tightly around its opponents.
Flying sand and rolling stones obscured the ground, and Luo Ningning could barely make out what was happening in the air. The giant eagle bound by black demonic energy struggled with all its might, but its mountain-sized body gradually withered. In the end, it fell completely still.
Luo Ningning was shocked.
Luo Ningning was stunned.
Luo Ningning squeezed her eyes shut.
Who was she? Where was she?
The only place in the secret realm with thin spiritual energy and a harsh environment…
Had she been directly transported into the inheritance ground, only to be exceptionally unlucky and arrive in the middle of an ancient ferocious-beast melee?!
Although falling effortlessly into the inheritance ground was an unexpected stroke of good luck, the situation before her…
It was clearly not good.
Luo Ningning looked ahead. The demon beasts’ battle had already ended. Black demonic energy, stained with blood, danced wildly around the white wolf. From a distance, it looked like a flourishing Manjusaka flower.
The giant wolf at the center of the flower panted heavily. As though sensing something, it suddenly turned its head toward her.
Across the swirling dust, Luo Ningning met a pair of icy-blue beast eyes steeped in coldness.
Amid her shock and panic, Luo Ningning only had time to cast a spell concealing her presence. But given the situation, the spell had clearly been seen through.
On the blackish-brown sand dunes, her white robes and pink skirt fluttered in the wind, giving her the ethereal appearance of an immortal…
She was so conspicuous that she rivaled the full moon just rising in the distant sky, absolutely guaranteed to draw attention.
Luo Ningning forced herself to calm down and tried to take out the life-saving magical artifact she had kept as a trump card from her Qiankun Bag. Judging from the pressure just now and the white wolf’s strength in fighting several opponents at once, this ferocious beast was at least at the Deity Transformation stage. She absolutely could not let down her guard.
But she moved her thoughts once.
Then again.
And again.
She kept trying, yet neither the Qiankun Bag nor the several storage rings showed the slightest response.
Only then did Luo Ningning remember that this time, the process of entering the secret realm had been unusually long, and she had even seen several dazzling flashes of light during the transmission. She had not paid attention to those abnormalities then, but now her heart sank.
How could she have “fallen into” the inheritance ground so easily?
The process of accidentally entering this place must have subjected her Qiankun Bag to some kind of impact, damaging it!
Luo Ningning felt as though she could no longer breathe. She felt like she was about to break down as well.
She instead tried the magical artifacts she carried on her person. Other than her Heaven-ranked magical robe, which had retained its defensive function, the rest of her magical artifacts had essentially perished.
Fatal poverty had arrived far too suddenly.
Luo Ningning and the giant wolf stared at each other from several dozen yards apart.
Another gust of wind swept past, carrying dust with it. Two tentacles of black demonic energy, as powerful as roaming dragons, suddenly shot straight toward her!