An Jin blinked in surprise.
For the first time, the martial uncle before her felt strangely unfamiliar.
In the original owner’s memories, Jian Hui had always been gentle.
Occasionally, he displayed the quiet pride expected of a genius, but he had never possessed such overwhelming pressure.
After thinking it over, An Jin decided to tell him the truth.
“Martial Uncle, I’ve inherited the Great Spring Restoration Art.”
To the original owner, Jian Hui had always been both a father figure and an older brother.
When she had been so hungry she could barely endure it as a child, he was the only one who remembered to give her fasting pills.
Whenever fellow disciples mocked her as worthless, he would gently pat her head and tell her,
“There are countless paths to the Great Dao. You simply aren’t suited for the Sword Dao.”
The original owner had loved visiting Little Cong Peak to spend time with him.
When he discovered her interest in formations, he personally taught her the art.
Jian Hui had never excelled only in swordsmanship.
His mastery of formations was equally unmatched.
He was also highly accomplished in talismans.
Even among the countless prodigies of five hundred years ago, he had been regarded as a rare genius proficient in every discipline.
For a time, his brilliance had even overshadowed Sword Venerable Xi Qing.
Although he had lost his cultivation, his attainments in formations and talismans still remained far beyond the reach of ordinary cultivators.
Hearing her explanation, Jian Hui’s pupils contracted.
“The Great Spring Restoration Art has been lost for over a thousand years.”
“How could you possibly…”
His voice stopped abruptly.
“…The Blessed Land?”
An Jin smiled and nodded.
“Yes.”
Jian Hui’s voice became hoarse.
“Why did you choose it?”
An Jin tilted her head as she thought back.
When the original owner had entered the Blessed Land, many heavenly treasures had actually sought her out on their own.
Yet she had ignored every one of them.
Instead, she chose only the Great Spring Restoration Art.
Although she had not known how to use it, she instinctively felt it might one day help her martial uncle.
So she accepted it without hesitation.
Her clear eyes shone with sincerity.
“Because I wanted to repair your dantian.”
“I wanted you to stand at the summit of the Great Dao once again.”
That had always been the original owner’s deepest wish.
Sadly, she had never succeeded in comprehending the Great Spring Restoration Art.
Jian Hui slowly closed his eyes.
Covering his face with one hand, he suddenly burst into laughter.
An Jin looked at him in confusion.
She assumed he was simply overjoyed to have regained his cultivation.
Yet his laughter carried an indescribable sorrow.
After a long while, he looked at her again.
There was an emotion in his eyes that she could not understand.
“Will you be participating in the Hundred Sects Tournament this time?”
For some unknown reason, An Jin’s heart skipped a beat.
“No, Martial Uncle.”
“I don’t want to participate.”
Jian Hui gradually returned to the calm, gentle demeanor she remembered.
“Good.”
“You should go back now.”
“I’ll be entering secluded cultivation for a while to restore my cultivation.”
“All right, Martial Uncle.”
The three days of lectures passed in the blink of an eye.
Soon, the second stage of the Hundred Sects Tournament began.
The participating disciples would enter the Chaohu Secret Realm to hunt demonic beasts.
All of the contestants gathered on the Main Peak, waiting for the elders to open the secret realm.
Although An Jin had never signed up to participate, she unexpectedly received a summons as well.
“Junior Sister Chu, the secret realm is about to open. Why are you still standing here?”
An Jin looked puzzled.
“Senior Brother Sun, I never registered.”
Sun Qingju scratched his head.
“What?”
“But I clearly saw your name on the participant list.”
“Take your life token and hurry over.”
“If you register but fail to compete, you’ll be punished.”
An Jin accepted the life token, her lips pressing into a thin line.
She had no idea what had happened.
Still, she had little choice but to follow him toward the Main Peak.
“The demonic beasts inside the Chaohu Secret Realm are extremely dangerous.”
“Many disciples die there every year.”
“Don’t become too obsessed with your ranking.”
“If your life is in danger, crush your life token immediately.”
As the secret realm prepared to open, crowds filled the Main Peak.
Elders from every sect repeatedly reminded their disciples to stay safe.
Out of the corner of her eye, An Jin noticed Xi Qing speaking quietly with Jian Fei’er in a secluded corner.
Jian Fei’er listened with complete concentration.
As though sensing An Jin’s gaze, Jian Fei’er looked over.
She smiled smugly.
There wasn’t even a trace of surprise on her face.
It was almost as though she had expected An Jin to appear.
An Jin looked away.
She could not help wondering whether Jian Fei’er had secretly tampered with the registration list.
“So, he’s your master too, isn’t he?”
“Why is he treating you so differently?”
An Jin turned toward the speaker.
It was the young man in red she had met during the opening ceremony.
After how furious he had been the last time they met, she had assumed he would never speak to her again.
Seeing that he was also standing alone, she unexpectedly felt a sense of kinship.
“You noticed too?”
The young man looked confused.
“Was it supposed to be difficult to notice?”
An Jin laughed.
“Not at all.”
“When you enter the secret realm, be careful of my senior sister.”
Jian Fei’er had always been proud and unforgiving.
The young man had embarrassed her before.
There was every chance she would take revenge inside the secret realm.
“Her?”
The young man gave a disdainful snort.
“You think I’d be afraid of her?”
Sometimes An Jin truly wondered where his confidence came from.
Still…
She could not deny that she admired the bold certainty he carried.
Jia Huo still had not forgotten how she had rejected him.
Looking at her sideways, he scoffed.
“So you’ve finally regretted it?”
“Too bad.”
“You only get one chance.”
“If you beg me, I might graciously lower myself enough to team up with you.”
“I guarantee you’ll make it through the competition.”
He had indeed been furious after she turned him down.
But when he saw her appear today, he assumed she had changed her mind.
That was why he had eagerly come over again.
An Jin sighed helplessly.
“Only disciples from the same sect are allowed to form teams.”
Even she, someone who never intended to compete, knew that rule.
How could he not?
Jia Huo was just about to insist that he had a solution when a clear voice interrupted him.
“Junior Sister.”
Xiao Jiang had been about to enter the secret realm when he unexpectedly spotted An Jin.
Seeing him, she smiled.
“Senior Brother.”
Xiao Jiang’s expression was warm and familiar.
A faint smile rested on his lips.
“I thought you said you didn’t want to come.”
“So why are you here now?”
The question made An Jin feel even more helpless.
“I never intended to compete.”
“But Senior Brother Liu told me my name was on the participant list.”
Xiao Jiang’s expression immediately darkened.
“Something like that happened?”
“Don’t worry.”
“Since you’re already here, we’ll form a team.”
“I’ll protect you.”
“As for everything else, we’ll deal with it after we leave the secret realm.”
As the sect’s chief senior brother, Xiao Jiang was normally responsible for overseeing many of the sect’s affairs. However, with the Hundred Sects Tournament approaching, he had been occupied preparing for the competition while also receiving visits from disciples of other sects. Unable to handle everything himself, he had entrusted the registration work to Sun Qingju, who was not participating.
He had never expected something like this to happen.
Standing nearby, Jia Huo finally understood why An Jin had suddenly ended up participating after all.
So it wasn’t because of him.
His cool gaze swept between the two of them before he let out a cold snort and turned away.
An Jin paid no attention to whether he stayed or left. Her mind was busy figuring out how to refuse her senior brother’s invitation to team up.
The Secret Realm used a point-based system. Although disciples were allowed to form teams, that didn’t necessarily mean larger groups were better. Every demon beast they hunted earned points, but those points would be divided equally among all team members.
The ten disciples with the highest scores would advance directly to the final round of the arena tournament without taking part in the preliminary matches, giving them an enormous advantage.
Because of that, talented disciples usually refused to team up with weaker cultivators. After all, they would end up doing most of the work, only to split the rewards evenly.
As the chief senior brother, Xiao Jiang had always carried out his duties conscientiously. He treated every junior disciple fairly. Whenever the original An Jin was ridiculed or bullied, he was the only one willing to stand up for her. He even punished those who mistreated her.
It was no wonder the original An Jin had quietly fallen for him.
The two of them currently shared an unspoken affection. Both understood each other’s feelings, yet neither had been willing to take that final step and confess.
Still, Xiao Jiang’s kindness wasn’t reserved for her alone.
He treated everyone well. He simply pitied the original An Jin’s circumstances and gave her a little more care and attention than the others. Because of that, she often felt insecure, constantly worrying about gaining and losing his affection.
An Jin lowered her eyes.
“My cultivation is too low. I’ll only hold you back, Senior Brother.”
Xiao Jiang was aiming for first place in the tournament. She didn’t want her presence to affect his chances.
“So you know your cultivation is low.”
Jian Fei’er couldn’t hide the displeasure on her face after seeing the intimate exchange between the two.
“Then train harder. Are you planning to depend on other people forever? Aren’t you afraid of embarrassing Master?”
Seeing Jian Fei’er, An Jin’s expression turned serious.
“Senior Sister, was it you who secretly registered my name?”
Jian Fei’er glanced at her indifferently.
“What do you mean by secretly? As your senior sister, can’t I register one of our fellow disciples?”
Her self-righteous attitude, as though she had done absolutely nothing wrong, left An Jin momentarily speechless.
“But you knew I didn’t want to go.”
“Didn’t want to? Or didn’t dare to? You know the answer yourself. Master would never want such a cowardly disciple.”
Ever since the original An Jin had entered the sect, Jian Fei’er had constantly insisted that she wasn’t worthy of being their master’s disciple. Perhaps it stemmed from Jian Fei’er’s possessiveness toward their master.
What Jian Fei’er never knew was that the original An Jin had only existed to take Jian Fei’er’s destined calamity in her place.
That alone had already been unfair enough.
Yet she had still endured Jian Fei’er’s endless mockery.
The original An Jin had been the most innocent person of all.
An Jin finally said flatly,
“If you truly believe I’m unworthy of being Master’s disciple, then tell him to expel me from the sect.”
Jian Fei’er froze.
Then her face changed dramatically.
“Master!”
Xiao Jiang immediately bowed respectfully.
“Sword Venerable.”
An Jin turned around.
The moment she saw Sword Venerable Xi Qing, her entire body stiffened.
She knew those words were meaningless.
The original An Jin had been brought here solely to shield Jian Fei’er from disaster. Until that purpose had been fulfilled, their master would never allow her to leave.
But she still wanted to speak up for the original An Jin.
Throughout the cultivation world, everyone admired Sword Venerable Xi Qing.
To become his disciple had once filled the original An Jin with disbelief and gratitude. Yet she had always felt inferior, convinced that her mediocre talent made her unworthy of standing beside him. She had constantly searched for ways to earn his approval.
But all of it had been a lie.
The apprenticeship had been false.
Using her to block disaster had been the truth.
This so-called master simply didn’t deserve the original An Jin’s sincere heart.
“Enough.”
For one of the rare times, Xi Qing reprimanded Jian Fei’er.
“Master?”
She stared at him in utter disbelief.
He had never spoken harshly to her before.
She shot An Jin a vicious glare before storming away in anger.
Xi Qing shifted his gaze toward his youngest disciple.
What he saw was only the grievance and injustice written plainly across her face.
After a long silence, he finally said,
“Your senior sister only meant well. Entering the Secret Realm will benefit you. Just be careful.”
An Jin couldn’t help feeling that this was exactly what she had expected.
His favoritism toward Jian Fei’er was rooted deep within him.
At that very moment, the entrance to the Secret Realm opened.
Without another word, she turned and walked away.
“I’ve managed all these years without your concern, Master.”
Xi Qing stood there in stunned silence.
Watching her departing figure, he raised a hand to rub the aching corner of his forehead.
She truly resented him.
So be it.
Watching both junior sisters leave one after another in anger, Xiao Jiang sighed helplessly.
“Please don’t worry, Sword Venerable. I’ll look after Junior Sister.”
Xi Qing gave an almost imperceptible nod.
…
Xiao Jiang entered the Secret Realm a little later than everyone else.
He failed to find the Junior Sister Chu he had been searching for.
Instead, he ran into Jian Fei’er.
Her eyes immediately brightened.
It really seemed like fate.
“Senior Brother, let’s team up.”
Xiao Jiang sighed gently.
“Junior Sister Jian, your strength is more than enough to handle things on your own. Sword Venerable has also given you countless treasures for protection. Junior Sister Chu needs my help much more. The Secret Realm is dangerous, I have to find her.”
His refusal was gentle and reasonable.
Even so, Jian Fei’er’s face darkened instantly.
She didn’t want a logical explanation.
She wanted unconditional favoritism.
“Then go find that useless burden. Maybe I’ll be the one who takes first place.”
Xiao Jiang simply shook his head.
His decision remained unchanged.
He continued searching for Junior Sister Chu.
…
This was An Jin’s first time entering the Secret Realm.
The Chaohu Secret Realm had formed after the founder of Jianyue Sect passed away.
Inside were countless demon beasts that he had once subdued and sealed. Later generations transformed the place into a training ground for the sect’s disciples.
An Jin landed in the middle of a vast forest.
Towering trees stretched high into the sky, their dense canopy blocking out the sunlight.
There were no signs of human activity anywhere.
The place was completely untouched by civilization.
There wasn’t even a proper path, and the thick grass reached all the way to her waist.
She cautiously lifted one foot.
Before she had even taken two steps, her robe caught on something and tore open.
An Jin was speechless.
She didn’t even have a sword.
Nor did she know which spell to use.
For a brief moment, she seriously considered crushing her Life Token and withdrawing from the Secret Realm immediately.
Then she heard someone laugh mockingly.
“You’re hopeless.”
The tall grass ahead suddenly collapsed all at once, opening a narrow path.
A young man dressed in red walked out from the middle.
His voice dripped with sarcasm.
“I thought you were teaming up with your senior brother. Why are you wandering around alone? Did he abandon you already?”
Seeing him somehow eased An Jin’s nerves.
“I never agreed to team up with Senior Brother.”
Hearing that, Jia Huo’s brows relaxed slightly.
“So you’re really planning to survive this Secret Realm alone? With nothing but Foundation Establishment cultivation?”
An Jin tilted her head.
“Aren’t you at the Foundation Establishment Realm too?”
One of them had only recently broken through, while the other was at the middle stage of Foundation Establishment.
Did he really need to mock her like that?
The young man raised an eyebrow arrogantly.
“You think your Foundation Establishment is the same as mine?”
Stepping casually across the grass, he slowly approached her.
“You should know the most dangerous thing inside the Secret Realm isn’t just the demon beasts.”
“It’s people.”
His figure suddenly blurred.
Moving at incredible speed, he snatched the Life Token hanging from her waist.
Holding it between his fingers, he flashed her a wicked grin.
“Like this.”
The Life Token existed to save disciples’ lives.
If they encountered mortal danger, crushing it would immediately transport them out of the Secret Realm.
Of course, doing so also meant forfeiting the competition and losing all accumulated points.
But at least they would survive.
If someone stole the token instead, it was like having their final lifeline ripped away.
At any moment, death could follow.
An Jin pressed her lips together before quietly extending one hand.
“Give it back.”
She had always been gentle and obedient.
Even when she was angry, she still looked soft enough to bully.
Something in Jia Huo’s heart stirred.
That only made him want to tease her even more.
He waved the Life Token in front of her.
“No.”
Without warning, a brilliant golden sword shot through the air like a streak of light.
Jia Huo’s expression changed as he quickly retreated.
The dazzling sword embedded itself firmly into the ground between them, forcing the two apart.
Its blade hummed continuously.
The hilt trembled slightly while the tassel hanging from it swayed gently in the breeze.
The crisp sound of jade ornaments echoed through the forest.
Moments later, a young man appeared beside the sword.
His voice carried unquestionable authority.
“Return my junior sister’s Life Token.”
An Jin blinked in surprise.
“Senior Brother?”
Xiao Jiang smiled reassuringly.
“Don’t be afraid, Junior Sister.”
“Heh.”
Jia Huo found the scene unbearably irritating.
His blood boiled with hostility.
“You?”
Seeing that the two were about to fight, An Jin hurriedly grabbed Xiao Jiang’s sleeve.
“Senior Brother, he’s not a bad person.”
She then extended her hand toward Jia Huo once more.
“Stop fooling around. Give me my Life Token back.”
An Jin could tell that this strange young man held no real malice toward her.
He was simply playing childish pranks.
When he heard her say he wasn’t a bad person, something flickered in Jia Huo’s eyes.
Without another word, he slapped the Life Token into her palm.
His voice turned cold and eerie.
“Then you’ve judged me wrong.”
“Next time…”
“I won’t let you off so easily.”
After the young man disappeared into the distance, Xiao Jiang frowned.
“There’s something strange about him. Junior Sister, be careful around him.”
Although Jia Huo appeared to be only at the middle stage of the Foundation Establishment Realm, Xiao Jiang’s instincts warned him that the young man was anything but ordinary. His cultivation might be hidden, and his arrogant behavior only made him seem more suspicious.
An Jin nodded.
“Junior Sister, stop refusing me. It’s far too dangerous for you to stay in the Secret Realm alone.”
Before she could object, Xiao Jiang took out his own Life Token and pressed it against hers.
The two tokens immediately lit up together.
The team formation was complete.
From that moment on, the two of them would share all the points and rewards they earned inside the Secret Realm.
“Senior Brother?”
An Jin stared at him in surprise.
She hadn’t expected him to go this far.
After Jia Huo’s little prank, she had realized just how unpredictable the Secret Realm truly was. She didn’t care about rankings or what others thought of her. In fact, she had originally planned to crush her Life Token and withdraw from the competition altogether.
But now…
Since they had formed a team, leaving midway would inevitably drag down Xiao Jiang’s results as well.
Xiao Jiang smiled warmly.
“Come on, Junior Sister. Let’s go.”
An Jin sighed inwardly.
She could only hope she wouldn’t become a burden.
…
As it turned out…
She wasn’t a burden.
She simply wasn’t much help.
Following behind Xiao Jiang, she encountered several demon beasts along the way. Most were only Rank Three or Rank Four creatures, enemies Xiao Jiang could dispatch with ease by himself.
The only thing An Jin really contributed was collecting the storage pouches containing the slain beasts.
A Rank One demon beast was worth ten points.
Rank Two earned thirty.
Rank Three was worth sixty.
The rewards increased accordingly with each rank.
The strongest creatures within the Chaohu Secret Realm were only Rank Seven, equivalent to the peak of the Golden Core Realm.
Anything stronger than that wouldn’t serve as training anymore.
It would simply become a massacre.
With the Lingxiao Sword in hand, Xiao Jiang cut through every obstacle before him.
His sword shimmered brilliantly, blazing sword qi sweeping through the forest like fire.
Wherever the blade flashed, demon beasts collapsed with anguished cries.
Watching from behind, An Jin found herself momentarily lost in thought.
So this…
…was the bearing of the number one genius on the Rising Stars Ranking.
No wonder everyone dreamed of becoming a sword cultivator.
After finishing off another Rank Four demon beast, Xiao Jiang finally sheathed his sword.
Only then did he notice the graceful young woman quietly standing behind him, watching him without saying a word.
His heart softened unconsciously.
“Let’s keep moving. We need to pick up the pace.”
An Jin stepped forward and offered him a handkerchief.
She pointed gently toward his cheek.
“Senior Brother, there’s demon blood on your face.”
Xiao Jiang froze briefly before smiling.
“Thank you.”
Just then…
Dark tribulation clouds suddenly gathered overhead.
Thunder rumbled through the heavens as lightning flashed across the sky.
Xiao Jiang looked upward in surprise.
“Someone is breaking through inside the Secret Realm?”
Although enlightenment could come unexpectedly, attempting a breakthrough in such a dangerous place without elders standing guard was incredibly reckless.
Especially when advancing into the Golden Core Realm.
If one’s Golden Core formed with flaws, the path of cultivation ahead would become infinitely more difficult.
“There are several disciples here who were already at the peak of Foundation Establishment. I wonder who finally broke through.”
“They’re certainly bold.”
An Jin lowered her eyes thoughtfully.
She already knew the answer.
According to the original story, Jian Fei’er would successfully form her Golden Core inside this very Secret Realm.
…
The forest seemed endless.
After walking for a long time, they still hadn’t reached its edge.
Instead, they began noticing numerous trails that had already been trampled flat.
Very few demon beasts remained.
The disciples who entered earlier had probably hunted most of them already.
Xiao Jiang suddenly stopped.
“Who’s there?”
His sharp senses had detected movement within the nearby grass.
“Fellow Daoist Xiao…”
A weak voice answered.
Two battered figures stumbled out from the bushes.
One was supporting the other, who had already fallen unconscious.
It was Hua Yi and his junior brother.
Xiao Jiang’s expression immediately became solemn.
“What happened?”
“How were you injured so badly?”
Both men were at the peak of the Foundation Establishment Realm.
They came from the Chongzi Dharma Sect of Qingzhou and possessed countless treasures provided by their sect.
It shouldn’t have been possible for them to end up in such miserable condition.
At the mention of what had happened, Hua Yi’s face twisted with hatred.
“Qiu Kecheng.”
“That group from the Huayang Formation Sect tried to steal our storage pouches.”
Qiu Kecheng had always been a despicable schemer.
His formation techniques were sinister and unpredictable.
Hua Yi had never thought highly of him, but he hadn’t expected him to stoop to such shameless tactics.
Qiu Kecheng had already qualified for the previous Hundred Sects Tournament but chose not to participate.
This year, he entered at the very last age allowed by the competition.
It was obvious.
He had come for first place.
An Jin blinked curiously.
“People can steal storage pouches?”
Xiao Jiang explained,
“They couldn’t before.”
“The storage pouches used to require their owner’s spiritual energy before they could be opened. But for some reason, this year’s competition removed that restriction.”
“It seems someone discovered the loophole and decided to exploit it.”
Hua Yi clenched his fists.
“Exactly.”
“Qiu Kecheng brought a team of ten people.”
“They aren’t hunting demon beasts at all.”
“They’re simply lying in wait and robbing smaller groups.”
Since points had to be divided among teammates, most groups only consisted of three or four disciples.
Qiu Kecheng had clearly figured that out long ago.
That was why he acted so openly.
A painful groan suddenly came from the unconscious disciple.
“Hng…”
Only then did Hua Yi remember that his junior brother’s life still hung by a thread.
Looking anxiously at Xiao Jiang, he asked,
“Do either of you have healing pills?”
“We’ll owe you a favor.”
“In the future, we’ll repay it tenfold.”
Each disciple could only bring a limited number of medicinal pills into the Secret Realm.
Theirs had already been exhausted.
Although they could still crush their Life Tokens and leave safely, they had risked their lives escaping Qiu Kecheng while protecting their storage pouch.
Giving up now was something they simply couldn’t accept.
Inside the Secret Realm, everyone was a competitor.
Most people would be happy to see one less rival.
Helping others was almost unheard of.
But Hua Yi knew Xiao Jiang’s character.
That was why he had dared to reveal himself despite his injuries.
Without hesitation, Xiao Jiang handed over all the pills he had.
“This is everything I have.”
Unfortunately…
They were nothing more than ordinary Blood-Staunching Pills and Qi Recovery Pills.
An Jin suddenly spoke.
“Senior Brother… these won’t save him.”
By the time the medicine took effect…
The man would already be dead.
Hua Yi’s face paled.
“Then…”
“Should we just crush the Life Token?”
An Jin looked at the unconscious disciple.
“I might be able to save him.”
Both men turned toward her at the same time.
Meeting their gazes calmly, she stepped forward and examined the man’s wounds herself.
Hua Yi hesitated.
But out of respect for Xiao Jiang, he chose not to stop her.
The injury was horrifying.
The disciple’s abdomen had been ripped open, flesh torn apart.
Another inch lower…
His dantian would have been destroyed.
Whoever attacked him had deliberately aimed to cripple him.
An Jin activated Great Spring Restoration Art.
Gentle green light blossomed within her palms as she concentrated entirely on healing him.
Hua Yi’s eyes widened.
He watched in disbelief as the terrible wound visibly closed before his eyes.
The young man’s pale complexion gradually regained its color.
Hua Yi swallowed hard before glancing at the young woman standing before him.
She had only just entered the Foundation Establishment Realm.
As expected of the greatest sect in the Nine Provinces.
To possess such miraculous healing techniques…
It truly deserved its reputation.
…
Gao Wanyu slowly regained consciousness.
Still dazed, he opened his eyes.
The first thing he saw was a beautiful young woman whose elegance seemed almost otherworldly.
He stared blankly.
“…Am I dead?”
“Why is there a fairy in front of me?”
Seeing his junior brother wake up, Hua Yi laughed in relief despite himself.
Then he punched Gao Wanyu on the shoulder.
“Dream on.”
“You’re still alive.”
Gao Wanyu immediately winced in pain.
…
Outside the Secret Realm…
The entire competition was being observed through a massive spiritual light screen.
Although the storage pouches no longer required spiritual energy verification this year, no one had expected every event occurring inside the Secret Realm to be projected outside for all the sect elders to witness.
An elder from the Danxin Medicine Sect suddenly stood up.
“That’s Great Spring Restoration Art!”
His pupils contracted sharply.
Inside the Secret Realm, every disciple was technically a competitor.
Yet that young girl had chosen to save another sect’s disciple without hesitation.
Her character alone was worthy of admiration.
The elder from the Chongzi Dharma Sect stroked his beard with satisfaction after seeing his disciple rescued.
He smiled toward the Danxin Medicine Sect.
“Your disciples are truly outstanding.”
“The younger generation really does surpass the old.”
The Secret Realm didn’t require anyone to wear sect robes.
Combined with the Danxin Medicine Sect elder’s obvious reaction, everyone naturally assumed An Jin belonged to their sect.
The elder from the Danxin Medicine Sect smiled bitterly.
“Although that’s indeed our sect’s secret technique…”
“…that girl isn’t one of our disciples.”
“And besides…”
“Great Spring Restoration Art has been lost for over a thousand years.”
“What?”
Everyone was stunned.
The Sect Master of Jianyue Sect coughed awkwardly.
“She’s from our sect.”
“Junior Brother Xi Qing’s youngest disciple.”
The Chongzi Dharma Sect elder’s eyes nearly popped out of his head.
He almost yanked off his own beard.
“As expected of Sword Venerable Xi Qing’s disciple.”
“She can heal people, and her swordsmanship is also…”
His voice suddenly stopped.
He couldn’t continue praising her.
After entering the Secret Realm, An Jin had spent the entire time following Xiao Jiang.
No one had even seen her draw her sword.
Since they hadn’t witnessed the two forming a team, many had assumed she was simply a disciple from some small sect tagging along behind Xiao Jiang.
Even the Jianyue Sect Master found the atmosphere painfully awkward.
Yet Xi Qing remained completely calm.
His eyes never left the spiritual screen, his expression unreadable.
The Sect Master quickly changed the subject.
“What Qiu Kecheng and his group are doing violates the spirit of cultivation.”
“People like them are unfit to shoulder the responsibility of protecting the cultivation world.”
The Chongzi Dharma Sect elder snorted.
“Despicable.”
The elders from several other sects, whose disciples had also been robbed, glared furiously.
“People like that should be disqualified immediately.”
The elder representing the Huayang Formation Sect was flushed with embarrassment.
Even so, he stubbornly argued,
“They’ve already entered the Secret Realm.”
“They haven’t broken any official rules.”
“How can you revoke their qualifications midway through the competition?”
The official rules only prohibited deliberately murdering fellow disciples or using forbidden methods during the tournament.
Technically…
Qiu Kecheng had violated neither.
In truth, the Huayang Formation Sect had known about his strategy all along.
They had even supported it.
As long as Qiu Kecheng became champion, their sect’s reputation would soar.
What they had never anticipated was that everything happening inside the Secret Realm would be publicly broadcast.
Not a single hint of that had leaked beforehand.
No matter what…
They had to protect Qiu Kecheng.
Once he claimed first place, who would care about a few flaws in his character?
By then, everyone would only remember that the champion of the Hundred Sects Tournament came from the Huayang Formation Sect.
Even being condemned now would be worth it.
The Jianyue Sect Master exchanged glances with the Chongzi Dharma Sect elder.
Reluctantly…
They had to admit the Huayang elder had a point.
Qiu Kecheng truly hadn’t broken the written rules.
“We’ll wait until the Secret Realm concludes.”
“Everything will be discussed afterward.”
The Sect Master made the final decision.
…
Meanwhile…
Qiu Kecheng had no idea that the elders of every major sect had already developed a deep dislike for him.
Looking at the mountain of demon beast corpses his group had stolen from others, he tossed every storage pouch into his own with a smug grin.
The championship.
The number one spot on the Rising Stars Ranking.
He was determined to claim them both.
Just then…
A lone young man dressed in crimson slowly walked into the range of his formation trap.
Qiu Kecheng laughed.
“Hand over your storage pouch.”
The formation net in his hands shot toward the youth.
He loved targeting lone disciples.
Although this boy was only at the middle stage of the Foundation Establishment Realm and probably hadn’t hunted many demon beasts, every little bit still counted.
The crimson-eyed youth slowly lifted his gaze.
In the next instant…
The descending formation net was shredded to pieces.
Jia Huo had already been in a foul mood.
Now…
The last trace of his patience disappeared.
His expression became terrifyingly violent.
“So…”
“You people are that eager to die?”
“Very well.”
“I’ll grant your wish.”
He unfolded an ancient scroll.
Overwhelming killing intent surged from his body.
“Taotie.”
“Come forth.”
Hellfire seemed to burn within his dark crimson eyes.
Just one glance sent icy terror crawling up Qiu Kecheng’s spine.
From the tiny scroll crawled an enormous monster.
It possessed the body of a sheep…
A human face…
Tiger-like fangs…
And human claws.
The terrifying ancient beast opened its massive jaws toward Qiu Kecheng and his companions.
Qiu Kecheng’s face turned deathly pale.
Unable to escape, he shoved one of his own disciples toward the monster without the slightest hesitation.
The disciple’s face became ashen.
He immediately crushed his Life Token.
But…
Nothing happened.
He wasn’t teleported away.
The next instant…
Taotie swallowed him whole.
A miserable scream echoed across the forest.
“AAAAAAAH!”
Listening to the agonized cries, Qiu Kecheng’s legs went weak.
The veins on his forehead bulged violently.
“R-Run…”
“Run!”
…
Outside the Secret Realm, the Jianyue Sect Master shot to his feet in shock.
“The Illustrated Record of the Shanhai Beasts?”
“How could it possibly be in his hands?”
“And why…”
“…has the Life Token failed?”