Cloud-Piercing Peak, inside the Main Hall where the Sect Leader handles official business.
Usually, at this hour, everyone would have already retired for the night. However, when Hua Ying and Yan Zhao arrived, quite a few people were already standing inside.
Several elders stood to the side with solemn expressions. In the very center, the Sect Leader sat high in the seat of honor, his sword-like brows furrowed deeply.
The atmosphere was overly heavy, causing Hua Ying to subconsciously lighten her footsteps.
Seeing the two enter, the Sect Leader raised his head and spoke with a weary voice, “You’ve arrived.”
“Zhao’er,” the Sect Leader beckoned Yan Zhao forward and said seriously, “Regarding the matter of the Dragon Void Secret Realm I mentioned earlier, the situation has changed. We cannot wait for three months; you will set out tomorrow.”
The matter the Sect Leader had discussed with Yan Zhao earlier that morning was indeed about the Dragon Void Secret Realm.
The Dragon Void Secret Realm was an independent small world where danger and opportunity coexisted. It opened once every thirty years, and each time, fifty disciples below the Nascent Soul stage with a bone age of no more than two hundred years could enter.
One month before each opening, a “key” would manifest in the world.
During this time, the Immortal Sects, the Demon Realm, and the Demon Tribe would each send ten disciples to compete for it.
Whichever side managed to seize the key would possess half of the entry slots for the Dragon Void Secret Realm.
Therefore, this struggle was of vital importance to the cultivators of all three factions.
The key, which was originally supposed to appear in three months, had appeared early for unknown reasons. Liuyun Sect had received intelligence that the Demon Realm and the Demon Tribe had already dispatched their disciples.
This was why the Sect Leader had hurriedly summoned Yan Zhao.
After hearing the cause and effect, Hua Ying understood why the Sect Leader and the elders looked so grim.
However, she didn’t understand why she had been specifically designated to come as well.
Alright, she might be stronger than before, but she was still far from enough compared to the elite cultivators of the three races, wasn’t she?
Perhaps her doubts were too obvious on her face, for in the next instant, the Sect Leader’s gaze shifted toward her.
“Little Half-Demon,” the Sect Leader beckoned her over.
He said, “The opportunity to compete for the key with the disciples of the Demon Tribe and the Demon Realm may be dangerous, but it is also a rare form of tempering.”
Hearing this, Hua Ying suddenly had a bad feeling.
Sure enough, a second later, the Sect Leader gave her a kind smile: “So this time, we will be sending ten disciples. Little Half-Demon, you are included.”
Hua Ying: “…” Thank you, but I’ll pass on this ‘blessing.’
This sounded extremely dangerous. She just wanted to fall in love with her Senior Sister; she didn’t want to go die for the sect.
The list of disciples had clearly been decided by the Sect Leader and the elders beforehand. Therefore, no one showed any reaction upon hearing the Sect Leader’s words.
Even the Second Elder, who disliked Hua Ying the most, only curled his lip and said nothing.
Hua Ying weakly raised her hand: “Can I ask why it’s me?”
“Because I am a responsible and good Sect Leader who pays close attention to all disciples,” the Sect Leader said to Hua Ying with a sincere expression, lying through his teeth. “From the first time I saw you, I felt that this little half-demon had great potential and was a seedling worth cultivating.”
Hua Ying: “…” Do you even hear yourself?
Clearly, the first time they met, he had looked down on her for being too weak and said she would shame the sect. She had written that down very clearly in her little grudge notebook.
“Can I refuse then?” Hua Ying struggled to survive.
The Sect Leader smiled slightly. “No.”
“Besides, Zhao’er will be there.” He looked at Yan Zhao beside her. “Zhao’er is the leading Eldest Senior Sister. What are you afraid of? Just follow her.”
Hua Ying felt he had finally said something human.
On second thought, if Yan Zhao left Cloud-Piercing Peak, who knew how long it would be before she returned?
If she were left alone, she wouldn’t be able to see her Senior Sister or complete her pursuit.
Comparing the two, Hua Ying felt it was better to go along.
Just then, Yan Zhao turned her head, the corners of her eyes tilting up slightly.
She looked at Hua Ying and asked, “Do you want to go?”
Hua Ying whispered, “The Sect Leader said I must go.”
Yan Zhao replied calmly, “If you are unwilling, Master cannot force you.”
Sect Leader: Is it really okay to say that right in front of me?
He chuckled and shook his head; it seemed his hunch was correct.
His little disciple, who previously cared for nothing but cultivation, now had someone who could sway her emotions.
The Sect Leader suddenly felt the sentiment of “my daughter has finally grown up.” He had decided to add Hua Ying’s name to the list for two reasons. First, Hua Ying’s recent performance had been truly impressive.
He didn’t know what kind of fortuitous encounter this little half-demon had experienced to be able to break through her bloodline suppression and advance her realm.
Furthermore, although she had just entered the Foundation Establishment stage, in the Sect Leader’s eyes, the spiritual power in her body was much deeper than that of an average Foundation Establishment cultivator.
Secondly, it was because of Yan Zhao.
He was not only a responsible Sect Leader but also an understanding Master. Zhao’er was perfect in every way, except that she was too fond of risking her life. Previously, during every trial with demon beasts, she would easily push herself into life-or-death situations.
The Sect Leader hoped that having Hua Ying along would make his little disciple cherish her life a bit more.
Yan Zhao’s voice was low, like jade beads falling on a plate, ringing crisply in Hua Ying’s ears.
She spoke very naturally, without the slightest sense of disobedience toward her Master. Though her tone was indifferent, anyone could hear her protectiveness toward Hua Ying.
Hua Ying’s heart suddenly warmed.
All the hesitation from a moment ago vanished instantly. She suddenly felt that even if this journey was fraught with danger and sword-rain, there was nothing to fear.
Because her Senior Sister was there.
She reached out and hooked her finger around Yan Zhao’s, tilting her head with a smile: “As long as I can be with Senior Sister, I am willing.”
The next day.
The Liuyun Sect squad for this journey finished assembling at the mountain gate.
There were ten disciples in total. Besides Hua Ying and Yan Zhao, there was a girl named Ci Jiujiu.
She had a round face and curved brows, looking like she had a smile for everyone a very likable appearance at first glance.
Ci Jiujiu was the personal disciple of the Ninth Elder, specializing in alchemy and various healing and auxiliary formations.
Hua Ying mentally labeled her the indispensable “healer” of the team.
Looking around, she also spotted an old acquaintance Wei Jun.
The two men standing beside Wei Jun were a pair of brothers.
One was named Su Chengwen and the other Su Chengwu. They were from the same lineage as Wei Jun, both being disciples of the Second Elder.
The remaining four disciples were clearly very respectful of Yan Zhao, surrounding her with fervent eyes to ask about cultivation methods.
Aside from Hua Ying and Ci Jiujiu, everyone else was at the Golden Core stage.
Perhaps because of this, Ci Jiujiu nudged closer to her side and greeted her with curiosity and warmth: “Hello! Are you and the Eldest Senior Sister very close?”
Facing a cute girl, Hua Ying’s attitude was very gentle. She nodded confidently: “Super close! The best in the whole world!”
Not far away, Yan Zhao, who was surrounded by the four disciples, twitched her ears and imperceptibly curled her lips.
Ci Jiujiu let out an envious gasp, looked left and right, and whispered in Hua Ying’s ear, “Senior Sister looks a bit scary; I don’t even dare to speak to her.”
Hua Ying hurriedly cleared Yan Zhao’s name, saying sincerely, “No, Senior Sister just doesn’t say it aloud, but she’s actually very gentle at heart.”
To prove it, she randomly shared a few stories of her time with Yan Zhao.
Ci Jiujiu’s eyes sparkled as she listened, nodding repeatedly while pulling a small notebook out of her spatial bag to write furiously.
“What are you doing?” Hua Ying asked curiously.
Ci Jiujiu looked up and smiled a bit shyly, saying bashfully, “To be honest, I actually have a side job. writing novels. ‘The Three Unspeakable Days and Nights After Falling Off a Cliff with the Demon Queen’ was written by me.”
Hua Ying: ? What’s going on? It sounds so weird, but I kind of want to read it.