To atone for the harm he had caused Lin Wanwan, Xie Wang went all out this time.
He hadn’t yet informed his young disciple of Xiao Jin’s death, fearing she would be too distraught to focus on entering the secret realm.
He preserved and froze his eldest disciple’s body, setting it aside for the time being. After taking a potent elixir to forcibly boost his cultivation, he didn’t even pursue the traitor Jiang Xuezhi, focusing entirely on the treasures within the secret realm. Yet, before he could even step inside, all his efforts had come to nothing, a outcome he simply couldn’t accept.
Even if the signal had come from the First Immortal Manor, he refused to accept it.
Xie Wang immediately stepped forward to negotiate with the disciples of the First Immortal Manor: “Fellow cultivators, the secret realm hasn’t even opened yet, and no one has entered. How could it possibly be empty? There must be some mistake. Could you please verify it once more?”
The disciples stationed here by the First Immortal Manor were ordinary inner sect members.
Yet, even as ordinary inner sect disciples, their cultivation levels far surpassed those of other immortal sects in the Three Upper Realms.
The man facing Xie Wang wore a standard identity jade token at his waist, yet his cultivation had already reached the Golden Core stage, nearly matching Xie Wang’s level before he took the elixir.
Young and promising, with the prestige of the First Immortal Manor behind him, he carried an air of pride and would not tolerate anyone questioning his sect.
“Sect Leader Xie, are you suggesting that the Heavenly Yong Immortal Manor could misjudge the state of a secret realm?” the young disciple frowned. “Are you doubting our expertise? Or do you suspect that we’ve sealed the realm intentionally to monopolize its treasures?”
In truth, Xie Wang did harbor such suspicions.
But he would never admit it.
He replied indifferently, “I never said that.”
“You didn’t say it, but that doesn’t mean you weren’t thinking it, right?” the young disciple sneered. “I’ve already confirmed with the Manor’s venerable elder, the secret realm is indeed empty. Aside from spirit beasts and monsters, nothing remains inside. If you’re still unwilling to accept it, you’re welcome to enter and see for yourself.”
His gaze swept over the others present. For such a high-level secret realm to be sealed before anyone could enter was bound to leave many dissatisfied.
The Sword Venerable had anticipated this outcome and provided clear instructions on how to handle it.
“If any of you still have doubts, you may also enter to verify for yourselves,” the young disciple said coldly. “But I advise you to think carefully. The realm is filled with high-level demonic beasts. Capturing one or two might be a worthwhile gain, but they are likely in a foul mood now. Approaching them would be unwise.”
Having said all that needed to be said, some of the wiser cultivators took their leave. Yet, nearly a third of them remained.
Xie Wang and Lin Wanwan were among them.
The Immortal Manor disciple cast them a brief, indifferent glance. “Sect Leader Xie, we’ll take our leave now and not disturb your treasure hunting.”
“Do take good care of yourself,” he added meaningfully, before leading the Manor disciples away.
Lin Wanwan watched as the formation light of the First Immortal Manor faded, they were withdrawing. The sealing barrier only restricted entry from within; if they still wished to enter, nothing was stopping them.
She felt a flicker of anticipation for the secret realm, but what she yearned for even more were the Heavenly Yong disciples soaring away on their swords.
She envied their demeanor, their confidence, even the uniforms they wore as disciples of the Heavenly Yong Manor.
It was the place she most desired to be, and her heart swelled with fervent longing.
Xie Wang turned his head and immediately caught Lin Wanwan’s expression. He knew his young disciple all too well and instantly understood what was on her mind.
His heart grew even heavier. Not only had an ordinary disciple of Tian Yong disrespected him, but he also had to watch his beloved disciple envy the other party. He felt his dignity had been trampled upon. He had been somewhat hesitant about entering the secret realm earlier, but now he didn’t hesitate in the slightest.
“Let’s go,” he said, pulling Lin Wanwan’s attention back. “Let’s go in and take a look.”
Lin Wanwan hesitated, lowering her voice to say, “But the senior disciples from Tianyong said…”
“Do we have to listen to everything they say?” Xie Wang’s tone was cold. “I can’t stand their arrogant attitude. As your master, with my current Nascent Soul cultivation, I can definitely keep you safe. Wanwan, there’s no need to be afraid. Even if the secret realm truly has no treasures left, as they claim, the spiritual beasts and demonic beasts themselves are treasures. Their flesh, blood, and hides are excellent materials for cultivation and forging artifacts. You’ve just narrowly escaped death and are in dire need of nourishing resources. This trip is essential for us.”
Lin Wanwan still seemed uncertain. She pressed her lips together and said, “Why don’t we wait for the senior brother?”
Having one more person would make things more secure.
But Xie Wang, upon hearing this, immediately took her into the secret realm.
Just as they were about to enter, someone emerged from the secret realm.
All the Tian Yong disciples had already withdrawn, and the last person to fly out was none of them.
It was a woman, her disciple robes still familiar, the black accents strikingly similar to those worn by Lin Wanwan and Xie Wang.
With just one glance, Xie Wang recognized who it was.
Jiang Xuezhi!
It was her, emerging from inside!
She must know the situation inside very well.
Xie Wang had been determined to enter the secret realm and compete for the top spot, but Jiang Xuezhi’s appearance changed his mind.
He stopped and tried to pursue Jiang Xuezhi, but her speed was unbelievably fast.
Empowered by a divine artifact, it seemed she had gained something in the secret realm, her aura had transformed entirely.
It was as if, overnight, their positions had completely reversed. Before, Xie Wang had manipulated her at will, doing as he pleased with her. Now, he was the one being led by the nose.
Xie Wang gazed anxiously at the secret realm. Could it be that the plundering of treasures inside was related to this traitor?
If so, that would truly be the worst news imaginable.
Lin Wanwan noticed the change in her master and couldn’t help but feel curious. She looked over and met Jiang Xuezhi’s eyes.
Jiang Xuezhi held a long spear, its surface shimmering with iridescent light, clearly no ordinary weapon.
Her clothes were relatively neat and clean, but her hair was loose and disheveled, giving her an unkempt appearance.
When their eyes met, it seemed as if Jiang Xuezhi smiled, or perhaps Lin Wanwan had imagined it.
Her master was deeply troubled by her.
His focus on Jiang Xuezhi even outweighed his interest in the secret realm.
Lin Wanwan’s expression shifted unpredictably, her emotions too complex to describe.
To have narrowly escaped death and returned, only to find that the family and friends she would have died for had found a replacement for her, it was a feeling few could comprehend.
To be honest, the first time she saw Jiang Xuezhi, she felt disgust and rage, wishing her dead.
Jiang Xuezhi had taken everything that belonged to her, occupying her life without reason. How could she deserve it?
Their strikingly similar appearances only deepened Lin Wanwan’s revulsion. She couldn’t imagine how this person had carried herself in the cultivation world before her return. What ridicule must Lin Wanwan have endured when others saw Jiang Xuezhi’s face and witnessed how the entire sect treated her?
Lin Wanwan felt utterly humiliated and harbored deep resentment toward them.
But when she discovered Jiang Xuezhi knew nothing about the substitute situation, the nature of things shifted, why had her master and senior brothers kept her then? Her feelings toward Jiang Xuezhi were now complex, beyond words.
This complexity peaked when Jiang Xuezhi threw something her way.
Instinctively, she reached to catch it, but her master stepped in front of her as if facing a grave threat, slicing the object away with his sword.
Lin Wanwan froze for a moment, realizing her master feared Jiang Xuezhi might harm her. This protective gesture made her press her lips together. As she watched her master rush after the departing Jiang Xuezhi, the object cleaved by the sword plummeted from above, and Jiang Xuezhi’s familiar yet slightly distant voice soon reached her ears.
“That should be yours. I’ve given it to you, whether you take it or not is up to you.”
Originally, the secret realm was supposed to open normally. As the female lead, Lin Wanwan would have had her own opportunities within it.
She would have found the spiritual medicine needed to heal the severe injuries she sustained in the perilous Barren Wasteland and gained the favor of the revered elder from the First Immortal Manor, securing her entry into Tianyong Immortal Manor.
Now that most of Tianyong Immortal Manor’s people had withdrawn, the chance to enter would have to wait, but the spiritual medicine could still be given to her.
Pojun had gathered many treasures, including the medicine that rightfully belonged to the female lead. Although such rare resources were valuable to Jiang Xuezhi as well, the female lead’s poor health only made the Xu Tian Sect continue to target her. If the female lead recovered quickly, Jiang Xuezhi would face fewer troubles.
She wasn’t afraid of the Xuantian Sect, but she genuinely needed time to recuperate and couldn’t afford constant pursuit and harassment.
Especially since she had to give Xie Wang something else to focus on, so he wouldn’t keep his eyes fixed on her.
Her spiritual roots hadn’t fully recovered, and as a medicine puppet, her instincts were hard to resist. Xie Wang, intent on tormenting her, found it all too easy.
Just like now, to catch up with her, Xie Wang was chanting curses again.
How infuriating.
It had been a long time since she’d met someone so detestable.
Jiang Xuezhi truly wanted to kill Xie Wang right then, but she couldn’t.
The lives of a medicine puppet and their master were intertwined; before Xie Wang died, he would drain all her power, and she would perish with him.
Setting that aside, she had just emerged from the secret realm and wasn’t in good condition.
She had absorbed much of the serpent’s blood, but her spiritual roots were only one-third restored, and the gathered spiritual energy was far from sufficient.
Even if it were enough, she was only at the Qi Refining stage, no match for Xie Wang, who relied on elixirs.
Her battle with the Serpent King hadn’t been particularly difficult, but it wasn’t smooth either. Known for her speed in combat, she firmly believed that prolonged struggles invited trouble and that swift resolution was key to victory, her fight with the Serpent King was no exception.
Jiang Xuezhi had used all her recovered strength in the final clash with the Serpent King, swiftly slaying him, skinning him, and draining his blood. After harvesting everything, her body was utterly exhausted, incapable of further battle.
With Xie Wang single-mindedly chasing her now, he truly had a chance to succeed.
As the black-clad man closed in, Jiang Xuezhi showed no urgency on her face.
Po Jun couldn’t help but ask, “Aren’t you afraid? Aren’t you going to do anything to counter him?”
Calmly, Jiang Xuezhi replied, “No need.”
“No need?”
Pojun was puzzled, but Jiang Xuezhi said no more.
She didn’t even have the strength to speak.
But it didn’t matter, reality soon provided Pojun with the answer.
Just as Xie Wang was about to catch up to her, he suddenly stopped and turned back.
Because Lin Wanwan had caught up.
“Master!”
With those two words from the female lead, Xie Wang abandoned his pursuit.
Xie Wang’s gaze swept over. Even from such a distance where details were unclear, it wasn’t hard to discern the murderous intent in her eyes.
Pojun clearly sensed the changes in Jiang Xuezhi’s body. Though the bone-deep poison had been partially cleansed by the unidentified youth and was no longer fatal, it remained excruciatingly torturous.
Unable to maintain her wind-riding technique, Jiang Xuezhi plummeted straight down from the sky like a fading black butterfly, gradually descending from the heights.
A swirl of black mist caught Jiang Xuezhi just before she would have crashed to her death, sweeping her away. Watching from afar, Xie Wang finally understood that her sudden transformation must have come from some guidance.
He had long wondered how a person could change so drastically overnight. If this was related to the demon race, then everything could be explained.
The demon race. He had known they were unreliable from the start and had never genuinely sought alliance with them. He had only been forced into a transaction with the demon realm’s young master to help Wanwan resurrect.
Fortunately, the demon realm’s young master, being infatuated with Lin Wanwan, hadn’t resorted to tricks in their deal.
Previously, he had found the demon young master’s wishful thinking disgusting, but now he couldn’t help feeling grateful. Otherwise, given the demon realm’s cunning nature, they might have been schemed against. It wouldn’t matter if they were the targets, but if Wanwan’s rebirth had been compromised, that would have been disastrous.
The demon young master should know Jiang Xuezhi’s identity. Now that Wanwan had returned to life, this substitute was useless. Why would they have any connection with her? How could the demon race cooperate with Jiang Xuezhi? What did they want to gain? Were they planning to harm the Xuantian Sect?
Their transaction must never be revealed to the public.
Xie Wang’s expression shifted uncertainly. Turning his gaze to Lin Wanwan who had caught up, he adopted a gentle tone: “Wan, what’s wrong?”
“Aren’t you taking me into the secret realm anymore?” Lin Wanwan asked, having chased from afar. She glanced toward where Jiang Xuezhi had disappeared and said flatly, “When you saw her, it was as if nothing else existed in your eyes. All you could think about was capturing her.”
Xie Wang immediately refuted: “Of course I’ll take you into the secret realm. You must not describe my relationship with her that way. How could it be that seeing her makes me blind to all else?”
He said with extreme disgust: “She’s merely a medicinal vessel intended to serve as your physical shell. I pursued her only to prevent her from roaming free and bringing disgrace to the Xuantian Sect and you.”
“Given her sensitive identity, if we don’t resolve this quickly, she will inevitably become a serious threat. You should understand this.”
Lin Wanwan closed her eyes briefly, then showed him what she had retrieved.
“Perhaps she isn’t as fearsome as you think, Master. She gave me these. I’ve checked them, there’s nothing harmful, just magical artifacts and spiritual medicines.” Lin Wanwan hesitated before adding, “One of the medicines seems particularly effective for my injuries.”
Xie Wang stiffened, his gaze sharpening.
Jiang Xuezhi had indeed plundered the secret realm!
How dare she?!
Yes.
How dare she?
The owner of the black mist that had caught Jiang Xuezhi was pondering the same question.
Her body was weak, her cultivation extremely low, and in her unconscious state she was practically a dying mortal.
How had she managed to control the Snake King in the secret realm? And where did she obtain that demonic cultivation technique that even he couldn’t see through?
Her face looked somewhat familiar too, resembling some disciple from the Xuantian Sect.
Ji Jiuchen narrowed his eyes and bent down, the tip of his black boot nudging her shoulder to turn her face toward him.
The moment he clearly saw her face, sharp pain shot through his toes.
The tip of the Pole Star spear pierced the back of the foot he had used to kick her, blood splattering three feet high, the pain searing into the bone.
The dying “mortal” suddenly opened her eyes, gripping the long spear as she flipped to her feet. Her slender figure stood tall and unwavering before him, like resilient grass that could not be broken or humiliated.