The girl on the left wore a long silver-white gauze dress that shimmered like moonlight, complementing her snow-like skin. Her jet-black, silky hair was tied into a neat ponytail that cascaded down to her waist. Her delicate and lovely features, paired with clever, lively eyes, made her utterly endearing.
If Zhao Li wasn’t mistaken, this must be the little princess of the Jade Rabbit Clan—Chu Rou.
The other girl was clad in a feather-blue butterfly-patterned embroidered dress, draped with a multicolored feathered shawl resembling butterfly wings. Her raven-black hair cascaded like a waterfall, and her bright eyes and pearly teeth made her strikingly beautiful.
Even without Xiyou’s introduction, Zhao Li knew this had to be the young mistress of the Dream Butterfly Clan—Zhi Die.
The two girls seemed a bit shy upon meeting Zhao Li, so Xiyou pulled them over with a grin and introduced, “Chu Rou, Zhi Die, this is the best friend I told you about—Li… Ouch!”
Before he could finish the affectionate “Li’er,” Zhao Li discreetly stomped on his foot.
How many times had she reminded him? In public, he couldn’t call her “Li’er”—it had to be “Zhao Li,” especially in front of Yelan! How could he still forget?
Even though Yelan stood at a distance, her attention was always on Zhao Li. That much, Zhao Li knew very well.
Gritting his teeth through the pain, Xiyou corrected himself, “This is Zhao Li, my best frenemy!”
Zhao Li shot him a glare. “You’re the frenemy!”
Then, with a sweet smile, she turned to the two girls. “Hello! It’s so nice to meet you. From now on, we’re all friends. Let me introduce you—these two are my newly sworn brothers, Brother Niu Tai and Brother Zhu Qing.”
She pulled the two young masters forward. “They’re both Level 40 Spirit Lords, and the three of us will be your escorts.”
Chu Rou and Zhi Die quickly bowed. “We’re in your care.”
Niu Tai and Zhu Qing bashfully returned the gesture. “You’re too kind, ladies… We’re also… uh—”
—We’re also getting something out of this.
But before Niu Tai could blurt it out, Zhao Li stomped on his foot to cut him off.
Her glare said it all: Don’t just say whatever comes to mind!
Xiyou squinted his beady eyes, offering Niu Tai silent sympathy.
This once-delicate dodder vine had turned into a thorny bramble. Just because she was the youngest sister now didn’t mean she’d show deference to her “big brothers.” In her mind, the youngest sister was meant to be spoiled and to do whatever she pleased.
“Wait a minute!” Xiyou suddenly realized. “When did you three swear brotherhood? Why wasn’t I told?”
Zhao Li shrugged. “This place just felt right for it. What, you wanna join us? We wouldn’t mind upgrading from the Three Sworn Brothers of the Peach Garden to the Four Heroes of the Phantom Beasts.”
Four Heroes of the Phantom Beasts? What kind of name was that? This girl’s naming sense was as terrible as ever.
“But if you want to swear brotherhood with us now, fine—but you’ll have to be the fourth brother.”
Xiyou: “…”
So the higher your level, the lower your seniority? That’s how it worked now?
“I’m not swearing anything with you!” Xiyou pouted at Zhao Li.
If he became her sworn brother, that’d mean he could only ever be her brother from then on. No way!
“What?! You’re going in alone?!”
Uncle Xi’s booming exclamation instantly drew everyone’s attention.
Yelan gave an indifferent nod.
Uncle Xi’s face twisted with concern.
Given the influence and formidable strength of the Asura Clan in the Wuji Realm, even if she were merely a Transcendent Spirit Master, other clansmen wouldn’t dare harm her in the slightest.
Descendants of major clans like theirs all bear a protective seal bestowed by their ancestral elders, capable of blocking a single fatal attack.
As long as the attacker’s level doesn’t exceed that of the elder who placed the seal, the protection cannot be broken. Moreover, once the seal is triggered, the one who cast it would immediately sense it and briefly connect with their descendant’s spiritual vision.
If the descendant survives, all is well. But if they are killed by subsequent attacks, the one who placed the seal would also see who was responsible. Thus, even though everyone knew “Ming Ye” hadn’t surpassed level 30, no one dared lay a hand on her.
But demonic beasts don’t care about such things. No matter which clan one belongs to, if fresh prey presents itself, why wouldn’t they feast?
If members of other clans were unfortunate enough to be slain by the beasts of the secret realm, the Monkey Clan wouldn’t fear retaliation from the deceased’s family. But the Asura Clan was different—the Monkey Clan couldn’t afford to incur their wrath.
“Miss Ming, you must reconsider…”
Your clan possesses so many heavenly treasures. If you just humble yourself before your elders, surely they wouldn’t begrudge you their use. There’s no need to gamble your life just to jest with our Flower-Fruit Mountain!!!
“Second Uncle, why not let Miss Ming travel with us?” Zhao Li and the others approached.
Second Uncle Xi looked at Zhao Li with a complicated expression. Truthfully, he really didn’t want her getting involved in this mess.
If they traveled together and nothing happened in those five days, fine. But if anything went wrong, the Asura Clan’s fury would extend to the Qingqiu, Rhinoceros, and Boar Clans as well.
Even if Ming Ye’s level was low and she was shunned by her own clan, she still carried the blood of the Asura Clan—and the prestigious Ming lineage at that. Would the Ming family let this go lightly?
Second Uncle Xi’s reasoning for Ming Ye’s poor treatment within her clan was that the Ming family hadn’t even assigned her a Spirit Lord under level 49 for protection, which struck him as excessively callous.
A mutated spirit root wasn’t something this child had chosen, after all.
Rumors of the Asura Clan’s cold, cruel, and bloodthirsty nature seemed to hold some truth?
Second Uncle Xi rubbed his temples and urged, “Li’er, don’t be reckless. Xiyou can’t go with you. With just the two young masters of the Ox and Boar Clans protecting you four girls, do you want to work those brothers to death?”
As he spoke, he blinked rapidly in warning.
—Don’t wade into this mess! Don’t let your infatuation cloud your judgment and bring trouble to your father!
Second Uncle Xi didn’t yet know that Zhao Li had already reached level 45. After arriving at Flower-Fruit Mountain, she had consumed the celestial-grade herbs given by Yelan and leveled up five times in a row.
She smiled and said nothing further, instead taking the Spirit Light Orb from a Xi Clan disciple.
The moment her hands touched it, the orb shimmered, and a number appeared at its center: 45.
Second Uncle Xi and the younger Xi Clan members gaped in shock.
Everyone knew she had only been level 8. Now she had leaped four major realms straight to level 45?
Zhao Li smiled sweetly. “Second Uncle, surely you can rest easy now? With me, Brother Ox, and Brother Boar, we’re more than enough to act as guards. And besides…”
She glanced at Yelan and winked. “As a direct descendant of the Ming family, Miss Ming must have no shortage of divine artifacts and magical treasures. I’m sure she can protect herself just fine.”
As the saying goes, when your level isn’t enough, divine artifacts can make up the difference.
Yelan smiled faintly and said, “Xi… Elder, there’s no need to worry. I have my own means of self-preservation. With the Princess of Qingqiu accompanying us as an escort, there naturally won’t be any danger.”
She then turned to Niu Tai and Zhu Qing, adding, “Thanks to the assistance of the Rhinoceros and Porcupine clans, the Ming family of Asura will surely repay your kindness with generous gifts afterward.”
The Rhinoceros and Porcupine clans had long dreamed of forging ties with the Asura clan but had lacked the means, as the Asura clan had always looked down on them. Now that this opportunity had presented itself, how could the two of them let such a golden chance slip away?
They quickly clasped their hands in modest refusal, saying, “Miss Ming, you flatter us. It is our honor to accompany you. We dare not accept any gifts, but we swear on our family names to protect the safety of you ladies with our lives.”
Xi You, aware of Zhao Li’s desire to curry favor with the Asura clan, stepped forward to speak on her behalf: “Second Uncle, Young Master Niu and Young Master Zhu’s defensive capabilities are unmatched among those of their level. With them present, they can block most attacks. As for the offensive power of the Nine-Tailed Heavenly Fox, surely you understand it even better than I do. Li… ahem! Princess Zhao Li is already at level 45—how could you still be uneasy?”
The bewitching spells of the Qingqiu clan were invincible among those of the same level. Unless one specialized in mental spells or was at least five levels higher than her, long-term control was unavoidable. Otherwise, her charms would never miss their mark.
If one fell into the hands of this thorny vine, wouldn’t they be at her mercy?
Seeing Xiyou chime in, Chu Rou also hurriedly pleaded, “Second Uncle, please agree.”
Second Uncle Xi scratched his head and sighed. Well, since things had come to this, there was no point in further objections. After giving them a generous supply of provisions, he reluctantly let the group enter the secret realm with a heavy heart.
…
Inside the secret realm, the scenery was enchanting, shrouded in an ethereal mist, offering a charm distinct from that of the Flower-Fruit Mountain.
The Jade Rabbit and Dream Butterfly clans, limited in strength, couldn’t afford high-end mounts with flight capabilities. Though the Rhinoceros and Porcupine clans were equipped with flying mounts, each could only carry one rider.
Zhao Li’s Jade Qilin could accommodate only two people, and she didn’t want to reveal that Yelan could fly or that she possessed the Blazing Fire Cosmic Wheel, so she planned to share the mount with Yelan.
But then, what about Chu Rou and Zhi Die?
Zhao Li scratched her head in frustration. “Ah, I forgot to ask Xiyou for a couple of flying mounts! What a miscalculation!”
Yelan silently stepped aside and began casting a spell. Moments later, a pale purple dragon appeared before the group—a young Spirit-Winged Dragon.
The ancestral dragons of the Boundless Realm’s ancient dragon race were all born from flood dragons that transformed into true dragons. In their true forms, their heads resembled camels, antlers like deer, eyes like rabbits, ears like oxen, necks like snakes, scales like carp, claws like eagles, and palms like tigers. Their backs bore eighty-one scales, embodying the yang number of nine times nine. Beneath their throats lay a reverse scale—touch it, and they would surely rage.
Normally, they maintained human forms.
However, dragons used as mounts were four-legged, winged creatures covered in hard scales.
They could be considered a subspecies of flood dragons but lacked the ability to refine themselves by devouring astral essence, let alone shapeshift into human form. Thus, they were relegated to being mere mounts.
Yet even as mounts, they bore the name of “dragons.” No outsider could tame or dare ride them—they were the exclusive mounts of the dragon race.
Who would have thought the Ming family had the power to seize the dragon race’s exclusive mounts and even tame them?
Zhao Li had learned of this young spirit-winged dragon’s existence through Yelan’s illusory powers.
The little dragon had been abandoned by its kin after hatching due to a congenital ailment. By chance, Yelan found it and brought it back to the Moon of Another Realm, nursing it back to health over thousands of years with rare and precious elixirs. From then on, the spirit-winged dragon recognized Yelan as its master, pledging loyalty to her alone.
However, to avoid provoking the Yinglong clan into making a scene, Yelan rarely rode it. After all, riding a dragon was essentially slapping the entire dragon race in the face.
But now, if they wanted to transport so many people at once, only the spirit-winged dragon could manage it.
The stunned onlookers couldn’t help but marvel. The Asura race truly lived up to its reputation as the foremost clan of the Wuji Realm, daring to openly humiliate the dragon race like this. Admirable, truly admirable!
As for Niu Tai and Zhu Qing, they were even more convinced. The Asura clan’s backing was absolutely worth clinging to!