Chapter 32

Whenever a secret realm appeared in the cultivation world, the three great sects could sense it in time. The only difference lay in which sect’s territory the entrance appeared in, and the sects had also reached a certain tacit understanding with one another.

This secret realm was very small, and it would only remain open for two days, so each sect only had six spots.

Tianjian Sect’s flying boat stopped outside Yudao Sect. Lu Qianlu, who was already the chief eldest disciple, personally brought people to welcome them.

“Fairy Wangyou, this way, please.”

Zhai Wangyou glanced at him and nodded without any change in expression. Ever since Elder Ren, it seemed no one had called her that anymore.

It was fine if the disciples privately called her that, but openly, they should still be more formal. After all, Zhai Wangyou was now a sect elder.

Lu Qianlu naturally understood this principle, but he did not want to. He simply did not want to call Zhai Wangyou “Elder,” as though doing so would mean he had lost completely.

After his failed proposal three years ago, although he had been promoted to chief disciple, his cultivation was still at late Golden Core. Meanwhile, Zhai Wangyou had already stepped into the Spirit Division stage and become the number one person in the cultivation world. She had also completely become a woman he could no longer dream of reaching.

A trace of gloom flashed across Lu Qianlu’s face. There was no meaning in persisting anymore. After this small secret realm closed, he should agree to his master’s wishes and hold a Dao Companion Ceremony with his junior sister.

Originally, the secret realm would only open in two days, but because the people from Tianjian Sect and Medicine unauthorized copy Sect had both arrived early, the three great sects moved the opening time forward to the next day.

On the first day the secret realm opened, eighteen Foundation Establishment disciples lined up to enter.

Before going in, Xi Zhou could not help looking back toward Tianjian Sect’s side.

In her line of sight, Zhai Wangyou stood with her hands behind her back. Her red robe swayed lightly in the wind. She simply stood there, yet she occupied all of Xi Zhou’s vision, as though she were the only person left between heaven and earth.

At the side, Zhou Zhouzi saw his little companion look back and quickly waved hard. In the end, Xi Zhou did not look at him at all.

He quietly followed Xi Zhou’s gaze. Was she looking back at Fairy Wangyou?

Zhai Wangyou’s expression was calm. Only after Xi Zhou turned back and entered the secret realm did she faintly curve her lips.

A cold, beautiful woman suddenly smiled. Even if the smile was faint, it was still breathtakingly beautiful.

Inside the secret realm, the moment Xi Zhou entered, she found herself in a dense forest. White mist filled the air. Aside from yellowed grass and trees, there was nothing else.

She looked at the faint white mist lingering before her, and her breathing slowed. This white mist looked somewhat familiar…

The dense forest was not large. Before long, everyone had more or less run into one another. In their hearts, they also roughly [bailiantales.com]understood why so few people had come this time. This secret realm was truly too small.

After people from the same sect encountered each other, they consciously gathered together. The eighteen people divided into three groups again, just as they had been when they came in.

After searching for half a day, everyone found nothing. At that moment, among the tree shadows not far away, a strange light faintly lit up.

“All disciples, follow me.” The inner disciples leading the three great sects immediately flew over there.

Xi Zhou was just about to follow them when she kept feeling that something behind her was attracting her.

She turned around and stared at a cluster of shrubs behind her. Lush, verdant shrubs. It was clearly autumn, and everywhere else in the secret realm, the grass and trees were withered. Why was this patch of shrubs so lush? It seemed it had not been there earlier…

Outside the secret realm, everyone had originally been following the others’ figures elsewhere. When they saw one person fall behind, they glanced over. With that glance, they discovered something different.

The people with higher cultivation instantly understood. This female disciple from Tianjian Sect had hit great fortune.

Xi Zhou did not know that the people outside were all examining her. She hesitated for a moment, then took out a glittering golden longsword from her storage ring and walked over to lightly chop at the shrubbery.

In the blink of an eye, the shrubbery vanished. In its place was a green stone, square and about half a person tall, glowing faintly.

Xi Zhou knocked it with the golden sword. There was nothing unusual.

She looked at the green, glowing stone and thought that it could not be some kind of jade or agate, could it? It should count as treasure, right? She immediately placed her hand on the stone and shouted toward the air, “Pork knuckle, this is the first treasure I found. It’s yours.”

She was clearly speaking to someone outside.

Outside the secret realm, discussion broke out.

“Spiritual power condensed into crystal form. That is a long-lost spirit stone.”

“The spiritual power contained in such a large spirit stone is enough for an early Foundation Establishment disciple to break through to late Foundation Establishment.”

“I wonder who this ‘pork knuckle’ is. This female disciple from Tianjian Sect is truly generous.”

Everyone looked toward Tianjian Sect’s side. Zhou Zhouzi’s face was full of wild joy, answering the question without anyone needing to ask. So it was this boy, who was at early Qi Refining.

Zhou Zhouzi hurriedly took out his little notebook. Such a large spirit stone—if he absorbed all its spiritual power, he could at least rise to late Qi Refining. Xi Zhou was too loyal. How thrilling.

No one saw the darkness in Zhai Wangyou’s eyes. The first treasure had to be given to another man. Her fingers curled slightly, and her gaze fixed tightly on the person inside the secret realm.

Inside the secret realm, after Xi Zhou said this, she prepared to put the spirit stone into her storage ring. The moment Read on BaiLianTalesthe other disciples returned, they saw the spirit stone by her feet. Before anyone could cry out in surprise, she waved her hand and put the spirit stone into her storage ring.

Zhou Baihui froze for a moment, then was the first to recover. “Junior Sister Xi Zhou, was that a spirit stone?”

Spirit stone? What was that?

“Probably.” Xi Zhou’s eyes flickered. She neither confirmed nor denied it. Who knew what this thing was? In any case, she had to give it to Pork Knuckle.

“This dense forest may be small, but it may not necessarily be safe. We should travel with Junior Sister.” Before Zhou Baihui could continue, Yudao Sect’s leading disciple hurriedly spoke.

His master had said that in past years, the first person to discover treasure in a secret realm usually had great luck on their side and had a high chance of gaining even greater harvests. Therefore, one could enjoy the shade by leaning against a great tree. If they followed someone with good luck, they should be able to gain some benefit too.

“We should also walk with Junior Sister. If anything happens, we can look after one another.” The people from Medicine Sect also spoke up at that moment.

Xi Zhou frowned and looked toward the other Tianjian Sect disciples. They also did not know whether they should agree or not.

Zhou Baihui, however, agreed at once. Then they would all go together.

Although they said they were going together, Xi Zhou was still used to walking at the back. The people in front intentionally slowed down, and she walked even more slowly.

The people outside the secret realm watched with complicated stolen content expressions. Was this supposed to be treasure hunting? They were openly taking a stroll. A turtle would crawl faster than them.

“Quick, look at that female disciple from Tianjian Sect.” Medicine Sect’s Elder Qingliu suddenly shouted, and everyone looked into the secret realm. Xi Zhou had suddenly stopped and turned to the right.

A few steps away, a patch of green suddenly appeared again. Seeing the people ahead stop one after another to look over, she made a prompt decision, walked over with her sword, and chopped down. Sure enough, the shrubbery vanished. It was a spirit stone about the same size as before.

“Spirit stone! It really is a spirit stone.” This time, all the disciples saw clearly.

Xi Zhou apologetically touched the spirit stone and said, “Pork knuckle, the second one.” It seemed her luck was not very good. The first three treasures would not all be this kind of green stone, would they?

In the blink of an eye, Xi Zhou put the spirit stone into her storage ring. The disciples secretly exchanged glances, and their steps grew even slower.

When Xi Zhou discovered the third spirit stone, the people inside and outside the secret realm all understood. So the treasure in this small secret realm was spirit stones. To Foundation Establishment disciples, they were undoubtedly priceless treasures.

As for Zhou Zhouzi outside the secret realm, he was almost fainting. He kept muttering, “One stone to late Qi Refining, one stone to Foundation Establishment, another stone to late Foundation Establishment. I’m dead. I’m rich. I’m dead. I’m rich…”

Zhai Wangyou stared at the scene inside the secret realm. This small secret realm was probably a spirit stone mine. But why was Xi Zhou always the one discovering them? And that white mist that lingered without dispersing was very familiar, very much like the one in dreams…

Inside the secret realm, when the fourth spirit stone appeared at Xi Zhou’s feet, someone finally could not hold back.

“Junior Sister Xi Zhou, those who see it should have a share. We protected you all along the way. Even if there is no merit, there is still effort.” Yudao Sect’s leading disciple was the first to speak again.

Xi Zhou looked at him, her eyes thoughtful. Why did it feel like these people were very covetous of those green stones? Could they really be some kind of treasure?

She slightly curved her lips. “I do not need everyone’s protection. Senior Brother may either search for them yourself, or come and snatch them.”

The Yudao Sect leading disciple’s gaze paused, then he smiled. “Junior Sister is joking. Our three great sects have always lived in harmony. How could I attack and snatch something?” It seemed she was not easy to bully.

Eighteen disciples, six per group, forming a three-sided balance. No one could gain any advantage.

Seeing that he had no intention of attacking, Xi Zhou let out a breath of relief inwardly and said, “Actually, there is another way.”

“What way?”

“You can spend money to buy them. If I discover any more, I won’t keep them to give away. I can sell them to you.”

Xi Zhou smiled and made calculations in her heart.

Perhaps she would not need to wait until she went to Beishan Peak to be Eldest Senior Sister’s managing disciple. She might be able to earn money herself. After most of the day, she had also vaguely understood that before those green stones appeared each time, she seemed to be able to sense them in advance. In that case, why not make some money?

Buy?

A long-lost spirit stone whose value could not be measured by the market, and someone was actually willing to sell it?

How much gold would be enough to buy it?

The people outside the secret realm also began discussing. At that moment, Zhou Zhouzi suddenly muttered quietly, “Oh no. Xi Zhou probably doesn’t know what these spirit stones can do, right?”

Everyone pricked up their ears and listened. Combined with Xi Zhou’s earlier behavior, they could not help having the same guess.

Those with intentions quietly used secret methods to send messages to their disciples inside the secret realm. In this way, this was simply taking a heaven-sent advantage.

The moment Yudao Sect’s leading disciple received the message, he looked toward the other five Tianjian Sect disciples. If he wanted to obtain them at a low price, he would first have to deal with these people.

He immediately decided to invite them aside for a conversation. When their goals were aligned, enemies could also become friends.

Xi Zhou was not in a hurry either. While they were discussing, she found two more spirit stones. Looking at the space remaining in her storage ring, she weighed her options and took the table out.

Looking at the disciples walking back after finishing their discussion, she took out one spirit stone and placed it on the table, smiling. “Then let us begin. The rule is payment and goods exchanged on the spot. No credit. I will only count to five. Highest bidder wins.”

The peerlessly beautiful woman smiled with deep meaning. No relationship was truly reliable, especially an alliance temporarily built on profit. As long as the time was short enough, and the competition tense and exciting enough, even an apparently firm alliance would break with one poke.

The disciples exchanged glances and instantly understood the key point. Now this was difficult. If they bid too low, the spirit stone would fall into someone else’s hands. If they competed with one another and drove the price up, what advantage would there be left to take?

“One.” Xi Zhou had already begun counting. Everyone remained silent.

“Two.”

“I bid one hundred taels of gold.”

“Three.”

“I bid three hundred taels.”

“I bid five hundred taels.”

“Four.”

“Six hundred taels.”

“Eight hundred taels.”

“I bid one thousand taels.”

“Five. Sold for one thousand taels. Senior Brother, the spirit stone is yours.”