As expected.
Jiang Xuezhi calmly holstered her gun.
The divine artifact was tied to her with a red ribbon, slung across her back. Though it appeared exceedingly simple, it carried an indescribable air of unrestrained freedom.
Pojun, who had initially been disdainful, had now grown accustomed to it and even seemed to relish the arrangement.
It adjusted its position slightly, allowing Jiang Xuezhi to carry it more securely, then cleared its throat and said, “You’re about to advance. Using a mid-tier secret realm to withstand the Foundation Establishment lightning tribulation is a decent idea, but you’ll still have to bear part of it yourself. What’s your plan?”
“The disciples of Tianyong Sect were just thrown out by you like that. They’re unlikely to let it slide. Their sect is notoriously protective, it probably won’t be long before some powerful immortal from their estate comes to deal with you.”
“We need to act quickly,” Po Jun’s tone carried a hint of worry.
It was finally getting into its role, beginning to see Jiang Xuezhi as truly one with itself.
But Jiang Xuezhi didn’t pay it much mind.
She still missed her laser gun and mecha more.
If her mecha were here, she wouldn’t have to worry about finding a place to settle, nor would she care about those magic-wielding cultivators.
The cultivation world seemed to have something similar to mechas. The puppet she saw Ji Jiuchen using earlier, wasn’t that a similar kind of magic?
Once the lightning tribulation was over, she needed to study artifact refining or puppetry properly. If there were no mechas, she would build one herself. There would always be a way.
Pojun, receiving no response from Jiang Xuezhi, felt as though it was constantly being ignored. The entire gun felt suffocated.
It sensed her hurried yet calm and steady footsteps, feeling both pleased and awkward, its emotions tangled in complexity.
In the end, it conceded.
It lowered its noble head and muttered, “I’m sorry, alright? It was my fault before. I won’t misunderstand you like that again, nor will I criticize your decisions.”
“From now on, we’ll be the closest of friends, relying on each other in life and death, guarding each other’s backs! Believe me just this once! Forgive me this time!”
Closest of friends?
Jiang Xuezhi’s lips curved slightly. She finally responded to Po Jun, but her words only plunged it deeper into despair.
“I don’t need friends,” she said leisurely. “I never make friends. The people around me are only divided into those who are useful to me and those who are not. The same goes for objects.”
“Then I must be useful to you,” Pojun said, restraining itself.
“For now, you’re somewhat useful. That doesn’t mean you will be later. I’ll keep you around until then, but after that, it’s uncertain. Unless…”
She left the rest unsaid, but Pojun knew what she meant.
It had once said something that crossed her bottom line.
It was the matter of being her master.
It had wanted to be her master, but with her temperament, she had likely held a grudge and already considered it scrap metal in her heart.
Pojun fell silent, an insurmountable barrier in its heart.
Jiang Xuezhi didn’t press the issue.
She never forced others.
In less than half an hour after entering the secret realm, she had already found a suitable place to undergo the tribulation.
Mid-tier secret realms had challenges. Essentially, secret realms were legacies left by powerful cultivators, their burial grounds.
Low-tier secret realms were chaotic and unstructured, but mid-tier and above ones came with specific tasks corresponding to particular treasures.
The first challenge of this mid-tier secret realm was relatively conservative and ordinary: hunting demon birds.
The spot Jiang Xuezhi had chosen happened to be the nest of a demon bird.
Here stood a perilous cliff face, densely covered with bird nests that could trigger anyone’s trypophobia.
The demonic birds had swarmed out to deal with the cultivators who had entered the secret realm, leaving behind a few stragglers that Jiang Xuezhi effortlessly cleared away.
She chose the lowest nest. Each demonic bird was as large as two people, so the nests were quite spacious, more than enough for her needs.
Inside the nest were numerous bird eggs, sticky and covered in layers of webbing, looking utterly disgusting.
Jiang Xuezhi paid no mind as she brushed aside the webs and crawled deep into the nest, using a few eggs to conceal herself.
The first challenge seemed to award only one point for hunting a single demonic bird, and the condition to pass was… well, ten thousand points. At this rate, how many years would it take to accumulate that many?
But this suited Jiang Xuezhi’s needs perfectly, what she needed most right now was time.
Setting Pojun aside, she didn’t explicitly ask it to guard her, but it instinctively moved to the front on its own.
Since it was willing to help, she had no objections and accepted its assistance.
Feeling a bit hungry and low on energy, Jiang Xuezhi rummaged through her Qiankun bag and continued taking pills.
Unfortunately, pills would eventually run out. After swallowing the last handful, she knew she’d have to secure more in the next secret realm.
Now, even low-grade pills no longer appealed to her. Perhaps she could rob a few renowned sect disciples, they were bound to have good treasures.
But those people all had powerful backers; offending one meant provoking an entire sect. She’d have to conceal her identity and choose her targets carefully.
Those were thoughts for later, though. For now, transcending the tribulation was the priority.
Outside the secret realm, thunderclouds rolled ominously. Jiang Xuezhi sat cross-legged, forming hand seals. Even though she had no real idea how to transcend the tribulation, her posture was impressively convincing.
Outside the secret realm, disciples of Tianyong had already noticed the shifting glow of the immortal manor’s barrier.
This meant their reinforcements had arrived!
“Which esteemed elder has come?” the Golden Core disciple, whom Jiang Xuezhi had thrown out earlier, asked excitedly.
A fellow disciple replied, “Who knows? The movements of an esteemed elder are not for us to question. Just know that Jiang Xuezhi’s days of freedom are numbered.”She dared to defy Tianyong’s ban, utterly lawless! It’s only right she suffers a bit,” the Golden Core disciple said. “And she’s a traitor to her sect, to boot. Normally, Tian Yong wouldn’t bother with the internal affairs of a lower sect, but now we can uphold justice along the way!”
Being a disciple of Tianyong was truly a blessing. Once admitted to the premier immortal manor, whether a novice or a seasoned cultivator, one would always receive invisible protection and assistance.
Nearly every Tianyong disciple’s cultivation state was recorded and silently maintained by the immortal manor.
If a disciple was injured during cultivation or their mind grew unstable, top-grade spiritual medicines would mysteriously appear by their side. For young prodigies with unstable foundations, pure, refined true essence would subtly flow through their meridians, helping them build a solid foundation.
If a disciple was wronged or severely injured outside, simply reporting it to the immortal manor would ensure that, even if the officials said nothing, the perpetrators would eventually face punishment.
In essence, there was an unseen force protecting every member of Tianyong, without fail.
This was an unspoken understanding among Tian Yong disciples.
And today was no exception.
The intermediate secret realm, under controlled management, opened to the public as usual.
News of the traitor Jiang Xuezhi breaking into the realm spread like wildfire, and many who ventured into the secret realm now had an additional goal:
Capture Jiang Xuezhi and claim the bounty from the Xuan Tian Sect.
The disciples of Xuantian Sect naturally wouldn’t miss such an opportunity.
Lin Wanwan arrived in a flurry of travel fatigue, just in time to hear the admired disciples of Tianyong discussing Jiang Xuezhi’s actions.
She paused briefly, choosing not to join the conversation, and entered the secret realm alone.
Her master was recuperating from injuries at the sect, her senior brother was dead, she wouldn’t bring Wushuang along anymore, and bringing anyone else would be pointless.
Being alone actually felt more relaxed, unburdened and carefree.
She had already learned about Jiang Xuezhi reaching Foundation Establishment in just a few days.
As a disciple of Xuantian Sect, Jiang Xuezhi’s soul lamp was still placed in the Soul Lamp Hall. Before departing, Lin Wanwan had retrieved it.
She remembered her master’s instructions while lying on the sickbed: she must not return until she saw this soul lamp extinguished.
She had to kill Jiang Xuezhi to eliminate the threat permanently.
Not just a threat to the sect, but also a threat to herself.
Lin Wanwan frowned slightly, carefully stored the soul lamp, and quickened her search pace.
Entering alongside her were people from the City of Sin.
The young master of the City of Sin was notoriously extravagant and fond of grand displays. He would explore any secret realm, so his presence here today wasn’t surprising.
However, he was unusually modest this time, bringing only four people as he hurried in with a determined expression.
This was merely a mid-level secret realm, what could make the young master of the City of Sin so determined?
A pair of cold eyes observed everything here, clearly aware of what they were all searching for.
Jiang Xuezhi.
They were all looking for this person.
Unfortunately, no one would find her in a short time.
They were surrounded by demon birds. Dealing with the birds wasn’t particularly troublesome, but it would take some time.
Jiang Xuezhi wasn’t hiding in any safe place either. Instead, she did the opposite, hiding in the most dangerous spot: the bird’s nest.
If the demon birds returned to their nest while being pursued, she would be like a turtle in a jar.
Demon birds were particularly protective of their eggs. If they discovered she was using their eggs as shields, she would become the unified target of all demon birds.
One or two were manageable, dozens or even hundreds could still be handled, but what about tens of thousands attacking together?
Everything fears overwhelming numbers.
Yet she seemed genuinely unafraid.
Though she was someone being hunted by the entire cultivation world, she didn’t know how to hide or evade, living instead with remarkable audacity.
With her status, she probably didn’t have an easy time in Xuantian Sect.
No one betrays their sect without reason. Her defection must have had its causes, perhaps precisely because her personality led to isolation within the sect.
Yet sitting cross-legged in the damp, sticky bird’s nest, calm and composed, she seemed instead to be the one who had isolated the entire Xuantian Sect.
Someone had found her.
Jiang Xuezhi slowly opened her eyes to empty space before her.
But she was certain, someone was definitely in front of her.
This person’s cultivation was high; she couldn’t see them, but could faintly sense their presence with her spiritual awareness.
He seemed to harbor no ill intent. If he did, he would have attacked already, and she wouldn’t still be sitting here unharmed.
This situation felt somewhat familiar.
Jiang Xuezhi tilted her head slightly and spoke, “Is it you?”
“Pojun is outside, completely unaware of your arrival. That’s a divine artifact. Among those I know, only one could achieve this without killing me immediately.”
Jiang Xuezhi stated with certainty, “You are that mighty figure from Tianyong.”
Extremely perceptive.
Since she had discovered him and exposed his identity, there was no need to continue hiding.
A faint stream of light shimmered, and Jiang Xuezhi saw the man now right before her eyes.
So he had already gotten this close, close enough to hear his breathing, close enough to strike her dead with one sword thrust.
He truly hadn’t laid a hand on her, but his sword was pointed at her.
She had no habit of letting anyone aim a weapon at her vital points.
Jiang Xuezhi raised her hand, pinched the icy, chilling tip of the sword, and slowly moved it aside.
Yun Cangming watched her fingers as they touched the tip of Zhaohan Sword. Though they were cracked and frostbitten from the cold, she didn’t even furrow her brows, showing no trace of fear.
He twisted his wrist, sheathed the sword, and withdrew it into his divine residence.
“I have no intention of making an enemy of Tianyong.”
Jiang Xuezhi remained utterly composed. Apart from speaking a little faster, she treated him no differently from anyone else.
Seated upright in the sticky, filthy bird’s nest, she seemed as if she were in a pristine, snow-covered valley—indescribably ethereal and noble.
“It’s just that I’m about to build my foundation, and the thunder tribulation is imminent. I need a safe place to transcend it. This is the best option within my reach.”
“Offending your sect’s disciples was not my intention. I hope you can forgive the intrusion.”
She was open and unflinching, meeting his gaze directly. It had been a long, long time since anyone had spoken to him with such direct eye contact.
“I’m also not the traitor the Xuantian Sect claims I am. There are reasons for what happened, but I don’t have time to explain in detail now. From what I’ve observed, you probably don’t need my explanation anyway.”
Jiang Xuezhi wasn’t just saying this casually, she genuinely believed this person had no need for her explanations.
The way he looked at her was somewhat cold, but there was none of the punitive air of a superior.
His eyes were calm and indifferent, sweeping over all living beings as if nothing in the world could capture his interest. Such people usually had no tolerance for impurities.
If he truly believed she deserved death, he would have killed her already, a mere flick of the wrist.
“Rather than the crimes the Xuantian Sect has publicly accused me of, perhaps you’d prefer to trust your own eyes.”
As soon as she finished speaking, Jiang Xuezhi broke into a violent coughing fit.
It was happening again.
Xie Wangwu was up to his tricks once more.
After being injured in the Heavenly Tier Secret Realm, not only was he healing himself, but he was also using her energy to recover.
This was the downside of being a human medicine, until she broke free, she would be drained and tormented day after day.
If this continued, she wouldn’t be able to transcend the tribulation, let alone build her foundation.
No.
Jiang Xuezhi pressed down hard on her knees, lifting her gaze to the man before her. “I’ve said all I need to say. Do as you please.”
“I’m very busy. I’m afraid I can’t entertain you any longer.”
It was as if the place he stood was her humble abode. Despite her body clearly faltering, she still maintained the courtesy of a host.
Yun Cangming saw through her condition at a glance.
But he said nothing and did not leave immediately, merely watching quietly to see how she would handle herself.
Would she ask for help?
The answer was…
No.
She didn’t need anyone’s assistance.
Pojun finally realized someone had intruded but was unable to enter and confront him.
With Zhaohan standing between him and Pojun, an insurmountable chasm separated Pojun from Jiang Xuezhi.
“I know who he is!” Jiang Xuezhi heard Pojun’s exclamation in her mind. “This is actually Fuxue Sword Venerable! Fuxue Sword Venerable!!”
It repeated the identity of the man before them twice with great excitement, successfully diverting a portion of Jiang Xuezhi’s attention from her pain.
Fuxue Sword Venerable.
This was indeed startling.
The guardian immortal of Tianyong Immortal Manor, the true authority of the foremost immortal sanctuary, the forger of the divine weapon Zhaohan, and the most powerful combatant in the cultivation world aside from the reclusive old monster of Tianyong.
In the original story, he was the master the female lead had hoped to learn from. Unfortunately, even she did not get her wish, only managing to become a disciple of one of Tianyong’s elders.
Jiang Xuezhi calmly opened her eyes.
Her body trembled, stiff and rigid, her neck taut, yet her gaze held immense power.
She stared at him quietly for a moment before abruptly saying, “Yun Cangming?”
She had just called out his name like that.
Not even a respectful title like Sword Venerable.
Po Jun was utterly numbed by her audacity.
Yun Cangming didn’t seem inclined to reprimand her for her rudeness.
He gazed down at her indifferently for a while, then turned gracefully, the snow-white hem of his robe brushing against her cheek as if he were about to leave just like that.
He didn’t hold her accountable for harming the Tian Yong disciples, nor did he attempt to “cleanse the ranks” for the Xuan Tian Sect. It seemed he was letting her go as she wished.
A good thing.
Unfortunately, the situation didn’t unfold quite as well as it could have.
Jiang Xuezhi was in too much pain. To resist the toxins in her body and achieve Foundation Establishment as quickly as possible, she forcefully pressed her life gate to activate her spiritual energy, triggering the lightning tribulation.
Rolling thunderclouds gathered and struck violently just as Yun Cangming was about to leave.
Three days to reach Foundation Establishment, yet the tribulation descended with the ferocity of a Golden Core tribulation.
Boom! Thick smoke enveloped the entire broken cliff. The secret realm shook violently, bird nests plummeted down one after another, piling up into a massive nest mountain.
Jiang Xuezhi’s nest was lower down, so she ended up buried at the very bottom.
Of course, Yun Cangming wouldn’t be troubled by such a minor incident.
However…