Gu Xiyan turned around, narrowed her eyes mischievously, and smiled. “I didn’t know you were the famed sword genius of the Azure Cloud Sword Sect, the one with the Innate Sword Body—Xu Linxiu.”
Xu Linxiu looked at Gu Xiyan with clear displeasure and said impatiently, “How did you find out who I am?”
Gu Xiyan shook her head, then looked at Song Wanci behind him. “However, the person behind you—I wasn’t able to uncover anything about her identity.”
She turned back again, tilting her head slightly as she looked at Xu Linxiu. “Though I don’t know the reason for the situation between you and your fellow disciples, you don’t need to worry. I’ll keep your identity secret.”
Then Gu Xiyan left the grove without looking back.
Xu Linxiu looked outside at the many people curiously peering in, then quietly pulled Song Wanci along and walked out of the grove.
His identity… how was it leaked?
At the Azure Cloud Sword Sect’s side, Qin Feng spotted the masked Xu Linxiu.
His anger flared instantly, fists clenching with cracking sounds.
He actually dared to come? Qin Feng glared viciously at him.
Once they entered the secret realm—he would settle every grudge!
“Noon has arrived,” Bai Mingfeng of the Four Symbols Sect said softly as he looked toward the sky.
Everyone else also turned to look at the massive stone statue standing at the center.
At that moment, the stone statue began trembling, and a strange curtain of light opened before it.
Instantly, the surrounding cultivators unleashed their movement techniques and rushed forward, all scrambling desperately toward the light curtain.
As if being even a step slower meant losing all the opportunities within the secret realm.
Xu Linxiu held Song Wanci’s hand and stood quietly in place, waiting.
After all, he already knew exactly where the greatest opportunity was.
Go ahead, run, fight. The more chaos, the better.
A dangerous smile curved at the corner of his lips.
Standing still like Xu Linxiu were also Gu Xiyan and her maid Xu Ning.
Xu Linxiu noticed the two as they calmly approached the entrance of the secret realm—unhurried, unbothered.
Only two people from the Holy Moon Sect came for this secret realm?
That’s not right. Xu Linxiu remembered that in the original novel, the Holy Son of the Holy Moon Sect also came.
Oh… right. Because of a conflict with Southern Border forces, the Holy Son was injured and forced to return to the sect.
Honestly, they knew Southern Border didn’t get along with them. Why send only Gu Xiyan?
This secret realm was originally where Qin Feng would perform the classic “hero saves the beauty.” Enjoying the story? Read on at g.com.
But Xu Linxiu was very interested in seeing—
If Qin Feng failed to obtain the greatest opportunity…
How would he save the beauty? With his 4th stage Spirit Condensation Realm cultivation level?
Or rely on Elder Qing?
Xu Linxiu narrowed his eyes. Elder Qing’s possession could push Qin Feng to around the 8th stage Spirit Condensation Realm.
Barely enough to rescue Gu Xiyan when surrounded by Southern Border cultivators.
But Elder Qing would need to sleep for a full day afterward.
Xu Linxiu grinned. He’d make him use that possession—early.
“Let’s go, Wanci.” Once most people had entered, Xu Linxiu pulled Song Wanci into the light curtain as well.
A flash of white light passed, and Xu Linxiu appeared inside a forest of towering trees.
Even without direct sunlight due to the shadows, the air felt stiflingly hot.
“This secret realm is so warm, but the spiritual energy is much denser than outside,” Xu Linxiu said as he looked into the forest.
No matter how far he looked, the trees were nearly identical, stretching endlessly. It was the kind of sight that instinctively made one uneasy.
“Let’s go,” he said to Song Wanci, but then he froze.
“What’s wrong, Wanci?”
He looked nervously at Song Wanci—her face pale, eyes tightly shut.
She didn’t answer, only trembled lightly, as if terrified of something.
Xu Linxiu panicked for a moment.
“System… what’s wrong with Wanci?” he asked anxiously.
[Something may have triggered her psychological trauma.]
Psychological trauma? Xu Linxiu turned to observe their surroundings.
What could have triggered it?
What had she… gone through before?
His eyes softened with pity—something he himself didn’t even realize.
Xu Linxiu stepped forward and gently held Song Wanci’s hand. “Let’s go back, Wanci,” he said softly.
Song Wanci lifted her head and firmly shook it.
“Why?” he asked in confusion.
After a short while, the color returned to her face. Xu Linxiu helped her sit against a nearby tree trunk.
“I don’t know why… but seeing this kind of dense, lightless forest makes my heart panic,” Song Wanci said softly while hugging her legs, resting her chin on her knees.
It had been a long time since Song Wanci had spoken this many words at once.
But he wasn’t focused on that now—only on what she said.
A dense, lightless forest triggered her fear.
It could be claustrophobia, but something like that should be detectable by the system.
[Correct (￣▽￣)ノ]
“What are you proud of?” Xu Linxiu rolled his eyes.
He glanced at Song Wanci’s closed eyes.
It really was psychological trauma.
Something must have happened in the past that caused her to fear such environments.
Perhaps… it was even the cause of her withdrawn personality.
But from her behavior, it seemed she didn’t remember those traumatic events.
[Normal. When the brain is traumatized, it hides painful memories as a protective mechanism, resulting in amnesia.]
Xu Linxiu leaned against the tree trunk, listening silently before exhaling a long breath.
He held Song Wanci’s hand gently, trying to comfort her.
She opened her eyes and tugged his hand, writing on his palm: “Let’s go find the opportunity.”
Xu Linxiu was just about to respond when she wrote again: “I’m fine now.”
He nodded, stood up, and brushed the dust off his clothes.
He knew no amount of persuasion would make her return.
So he had to finish everything as quickly as possible.
Xu Linxiu took Song Wanci and headed swiftly toward the location described in the novel.
“After entering the secret realm, head west for 100 kilometers to find a lake. Then head south for 50 kilometers to reach a magnificent palace.”
He flew low on his sword, taking Song Wanci with him at maximum speed, repeating the directions from the original novel in his mind.
“We’re here. Wanci, look!”
As they flew past the last towering tree, their view suddenly opened up.
A ruined palace covered in vines appeared before them.
“The view is wide here. You probably won’t feel like you did back in the forest,” Xu Linxiu said, crouching to set up a concealment array. Then he turned and smiled at Song Wanci.