Chapter 9

From Qi Refining to Spirit Refining, each realm had three levels. The higher the realm, the greater the gap between each small level.

Wei Hanzhen and the other two had been able to deal with that group of Demon Sect cultivators because, among them, two were at the second level of Golden Core. The Demon Sect side had been more or less the same and had not sent out any third-level Golden Core cultivators.

There was also the matter of cultivation methods. Wuchen’s origins could not be seen through, but Wei Hanzhen and Yun Chiyue were both from major sects. What they cultivated were orthodox methods of the righteous path, so they naturally surpassed those demon cultivators who had been sent out to scout the way.

Below, the scaled rhinoceros ate very quickly. After finishing the leftover pieces of roasted meat, it lifted its eyes and looked toward the flying ship where Wei Hanzhen and the others stood, letting out a long “moo—”

Its manner was leisurely and unhurried, with no sign of attacking. It flicked its steel-whip-like tail, then turned and returned to the depths of the valley.

The three of them looked at one another.

Only after a long moment did Yun Chiyue speak uncertainly. “Was that demonic beast lured out by the roasted meat?”

“Probably?” Wei Hanzhen did not know either.

“Should we follow it?” Wuchen looked toward Wei Hanzhen and asked in a low voice.

Wei Hanzhen frowned and did not answer.

Yun Chiyue, on the other hand, looked deeply conflicted. “Maybe not? Scale Armor Grass isn’t an extremely rare item. It isn’t worth facing a Golden Core great-perfection demonic beast for it.”

Fight if you could win. Run if you could not.

Was that not the ultimate truth of surviving in a secret realm?

She fixed her gaze on Wei Hanzhen. A thought stirred, and she asked, “Senior Sister Wei, do you have a disciple about to form their core?”

In the Nine Provinces, cultivators could accept disciples once they reached Golden Core. Yun Chiyue herself was also planning to go out in search of talented disciples after Dengying Secret Realm ended.

Wei Hanzhen had no intention of hiding it and said frankly, “There is indeed a junior who is about to form her core.”

Yun Chiyue gave an “Oh.”

Since there was a need for it, then they could not simply avoid the matter.

After thinking for a while, she said, “We can go over and scout the path. If there’s danger, it won’t be too late to retreat.”

Wei Hanzhen nodded, then turned to Wuchen and asked, “What does Fellow Daoist Wuchen think?”

Wuchen did not hesitate at all and nodded decisively. “That works.”

Once the Demon Sect disciples left, the black smoke and clouds that had blocked the sky above also dispersed, and heaven and earth returned to clarity.

The Cloud-Stepping Flying Ship made no small commotion. Now that the danger had passed, the three of them got down from the flying ship, concealed their auras, and headed into the depths of the valley.

Generally speaking, great demons rejected their own kind. It was impossible for two Golden Core great-perfection demons [stolen content]to appear in the same territory. Because of that, their journey inward was very safe. They did not even encounter a single fierce demonic beast.

The scaled rhinoceros liked water. Its habitat was a damp marsh.

Wei Hanzhen and the others quietly approached the marsh and were just sensing the location of the Scale Armor Grass when the rhinoceros suddenly lifted its head and gave a long cry.

Water and mud splashed everywhere. The entire swamp suddenly began to shake.

Wuchen reacted swiftly. She grabbed Wei Hanzhen, who was at the very front and had nearly lost her footing. She stepped closer, almost pressing against Wei Hanzhen.

A faint,幽 fragrance lingered around them, but at this moment, no one cared about that. All of them stared fixedly at the scaled rhinoceros, which had suddenly flown into a rage.

The scaled rhinoceros was not angry for no reason.

A figure suddenly swept out from the opposite shore. That person’s escape speed was extremely fast, and their whole body was wrapped in golden light. As she flew past the scaled rhinoceros, she casually tossed something down. With a turn in midair, she landed steadily on the shore.

The scaled rhinoceros stopped attacking. It leapt up, bit down on the enormous object that had been thrown down, dragged it to the opposite shore, and began gnawing on it with full concentration.

That familiar charred fragrance of roasted meat…

Wei Hanzhen and the others stared at the scene in astonishment. Only when that person cast a cleansing spell, shook off the filth covering her body, and walked toward them did they finally come back to themselves.

What a coincidence!

“Amitabha.” Mu Lingxin took off her hood, revealing a radiant smiling face. Her brows and eyes curved, and her gaze brimmed with a ​unauthorized copy​sincere smile. “Everyone, what a coincidence.”

Wei Hanzhen nodded. “Indeed.”

Her gaze fell on Mu Lingxin’s hand. There was a handful of Scale Armor Grass that had been roughly plucked.

“Fellow Daoist wants Scale Armor Grass?” Mu Lingxin noticed Wei Hanzhen’s gaze and raised a brow. “Since that’s the case, I can only reluctantly part with it.”

Wei Hanzhen was silent for a while before saying, “How many spirit stones?”

Mu Lingxin smiled with raised brows. “I’ll give it to you.”

Wei Hanzhen looked at Mu Lingxin suspiciously.

This Buddhist Child, who claimed that Buddha did not save broke bastards, was actually being this generous?

But since Mu Lingxin was being polite for once, Wei Hanzhen would not rush to force spirit stones on her. After accepting the Scale Armor Grass and placing it into a jade box, she asked, “Did Fellow Daoist Mu also come here for the Scale Armor Grass?”

Mu Lingxin sighed. “No.”

Wuchen suddenly said, “She has a light injury.”

Mu Lingxin smiled at that. She glanced at Wuchen and said, “Fellow Daoist has good eyes. But this little injury is no problem.”

“You ran into Demon Sect disciples?” Wei Hanzhen’s expression sharpened.

If there were no conflict between righteous-path disciples, they should not have attacked Mu Lingxin.

Mu Lingxin shook her head and sighed. “It’s a long story.”

Yun Chiyue said, “Then make it short.”

Mu Lingxin nodded. “I can, but you’ll have to pay extra.”

Yun Chiyue: “…”

She took a step back and looked left and right, as though she had not heard Mu Lingxin at all.

Mu Lingxin smiled. She pointed toward the scaled rhinoceros on the opposite shore and said, “This is not a place to talk. Let’s leave first.”

Once that meat was gone, this big fellow would come looking for her to settle accounts.

Wei Hanzhen nodded and agreed, then immediately brought out the Cloud-Stepping Flying Ship.

The flying ship was enormous, large enough to accommodate a hundred people. With a sweep of Wei Hanzhen’s sleeve, a stone table and stone chairs landed on the deck. Beside them, a bronze burner emitted curling wisps of smoke. In the middle of the table was a tall-footed pot filled with spirit tea.

Wei Hanzhen rolled up her sleeves and poured a cup. At once, a delicate fragrance filled the ship.

Yun Chiyue once again marveled at Wei Hanzhen’s extravagance.

Also, was this not biased treatment? Why was there tea the moment the Buddhist Child arrived?!

Yun Chiyue stared eagerly at Wei Hanzhen, while Wuchen simply moved on her own. She sat quietly, faint enough that she seemed to have almost no presence at all.

Mu Lingxin narrowed her eyes, looking rather comfortable. After taking a sip, she finally spoke.

“Fellow Daoists, do you know of Mibing Island?”

Wei Hanzhen frowned. She was certain she had never seen these three words in the book. Could it have appeared later? Of course, it was also possible that this was a deeper part of the world the original author had never touched on.

She sincerely shook her head, only to see Wuchen’s gaze suddenly shoot toward her—confusion and bewilderment hidden within it.

Yun Chiyue crossed her arms and said doubtfully, “Mibing Island of the Northern Sea? That place borders the Demon Court, doesn’t it? But hasn’t it always remained hidden from the world?”

“Yes…” Mu Lingxin drew out the word and then gossiped, “The last time they appeared should have been more than ten years ago, when something happened in the Demon Court, right?”

Her gaze shifted. Lowering her voice, she said, “When the current Mingkong Demon Emperor was still a princess, she was sent to Mibing Island for a marriage alliance. She has another identity too: the queen of Mibing Island. But for some reason, she fell out with Beizhen King of Mibing Island.”

Wei Hanzhen said disapprovingly, “It was a political marriage. What feelings could there be?”

Mu Lingxin nodded, then said, “There’s a secret. No spirit stones charged.”

Before Wei Hanzhen and the others could respond, [bailiantales.com]she continued, “My master once met Beizhen King. One time, he accidentally let it slip that Beizhen King is a woman!”

“Pfft—” Yun Chiyue really could not hold back.

If this was true, then it really was a world-shaking secret. Did the one from the Demon Court know?

But—

She met Mu Lingxin’s gaze and asked curiously, “What does this have to do with you getting injured?”

Mu Lingxin covered her lips and coughed lightly. “Sorry. I went off topic.”

After a pause, she said with deep indignation, “I was injured by a female cultivator from Mibing Island! Her name is Luo Jinghong, and she is Beizhen King’s personal disciple. She carries a lantern and wields a String Sword.”

Wei Hanzhen asked in confusion, “Why did she fight you?”

Mu Lingxin said hatefully, “She called me ‘Reverend Nun’!”

This time, Yun Chiyue could not restrain herself. She slapped the table and burst into laughter, clutching her stomach. Even the corners of Wuchen’s lips rose, and three parts of amusement appeared in her pale eyes.

Mu Lingxin was somewhat embarrassed and angry. She shot Yun Chiyue a sideways look, her face turning red.

Among them, Wei Hanzhen was the calmest. She asked, “You suffered a light injury. What about that disciple from Mibing Island?”

Mu Lingxin sneered. “She probably isn’t much better off.”

They were both at the second level of Golden Core. Neither could gain much advantage over the other.

Wei Hanzhen furrowed her brows.

Seeing her expression, Mu Lingxin asked in confusion, “Is something wrong?”

Wei Hanzhen sighed. “Demon Sect disciples are hunting righteous-path cultivators everywhere. Although Mibing Island does not count as part of the Orthodox Path, she is not a Demon Sect disciple either. If that fellow Daoist is injured and alone, and she encounters Demon Sect cultivators, her situation will not be good.”

Dengying Secret Realm was not only a competition over the Penglai Qi. It had also become a struggle between the Orthodox and Demonic paths.

Mu Lingxin’s expression changed drastically. The smile vanished from her brows and eyes.

She stood abruptly and said, “If that is truly the case, then I harmed her!”

She glanced at Wei Hanzhen.

“We parted not long ago. I need to go back there and find her.”

Wei Hanzhen said, “We’ll go too.”

Wuchen also rose. Looking at Wei Hanzhen, she hesitated for a moment before asking, “You… what are you planning?”

Killing intent flashed through Wei Hanzhen’s eyes.

She said coldly, “Since the Demon Sect disciples are hunting our Orthodox cultivators, why can’t we return the favor? They have methods to block the spiritual mechanism of the entry talismans, so we cannot teleport out. But the Demon Sect can forget about leaving Dengying Secret Realm too.”

Yun Chiyue had no objection.

She had come to Dengying Secret Realm to play. As for the Penglai Qi, what did that have to do with her? Let those who wanted it fight over it.

Following Wei Hanzhen and facing Demon Sect cultivators, even if they could not win, surviving should not be a problem.