Chapter 84: The Invasion of the Demonic Cultivators

Lin Kaishu and his companions ultimately decided not to continue onward; they preferred to search for spirit herbs and such around the outskirts instead.

“You really aren’t going?” Ning Xianyu asked, surprised. They had been so eager before, so full of anticipation at their departure.

Lin Kaishu shook his head. “This is a secret realm that only opens once in ten thousand years. Treasures are everywhere—there’s no need to jostle inside with the crowds. We’ll find plenty of good things just by searching the periphery.”

Ning Xianyu saw the flicker of avoidance in their eyes, and she immediately understood. It was nothing more than insecurity—fear, even. She could relate. She was frightened too, and felt just as timid. If not for the formidable demon lord and the abundant spiritual power she now possessed, she would never have dared to join the bustle either.

“Alright, then. Stroll around the outskirts, and if you run into danger, contact me,” she said.

She turned to Xiao Huai and requested the map. “Junior Brother, have you memorized it?”

Xiao Huai hesitated a moment, then nodded.

“I’d like to give this map to my junior brothers. Is that alright?” she asked.

After a brief pause, Xiao Huai agreed.

She handed the map to Lin Kaishu. “It’s very detailed. Don’t go near any of the dangerous places marked here.”

Lin Kaishu glanced at the map and immediately realized how precious it was. He was deeply moved. “Senior Sister, thank you—and I'm sorry,” he said. They had insisted on tagging along, only to lose their nerve and back out, burdening her further. They withdrew on a whim, yet she still thought of their well-being. The sense of shame was overwhelming.

Ning Xianyu waved it off. “Don’t mind it. Take care of yourselves—I’ll be going.”

Suddenly, Xuan Yuan Tunhan’s voice echoed in her mind. “You’re generous with someone else’s things. That map was never yours to give away.”

She coaxed him, “Patriarch, these are all your disciples and descendants. Can you really bear to see them return empty-handed?”

“There’s nothing to be soft-hearted about. Zhao Ling was right—this is survival of the fittest. They should know their own abilities and how to preserve their lives, not attempt what they cannot possibly achieve.”

In his view, those lacking ability shouldn’t wander recklessly. Staying put and surviving was the best course.

Ning Xianyu admitted he was right. She, too, had a clear sense of her own limits. If not for certain troublesome systems and the demon lord, she wouldn’t have ended up running toward danger at every turn.

[Dog System, are you back yet? Did you abandon me here for good? I curse you…]

[Dog System, Dog System…]

There was still no response from the system. She had no idea where it had gone.

Perhaps the bug in her last wish was so severe that the system either crashed or was summoned for repairs. Whatever the case, things were a mess now. She only hoped the system would return before next month—she couldn’t afford to miss her next chance to make a wish.

Next time, she’d make sure to revoke the demon lord’s shape-shifting ability, or he really might kill her.

Xiao Huai led her swiftly forward, pausing every time they encountered something valuable along the way—rare ores for smithing, spirit herbs, or mystical fruits, all treasures that would fetch a fortune outside but were commonplace here.

Ning Xianyu all but drooled as they went, claiming everything she saw.

Although Xiao Huai was an outer disciple and only of the Profound rank, he had earned his cultivation through hard work. He had a keen sense for targeting the weak points of spirit beasts.

As for Ning Xianyu, her only move was to overwhelm with spiritual force—she would strike first, grievously wounding the beast, and Xiao Huai would follow up, finishing it off and collecting the treasures. Their teamwork was seamless.

Xuan Yuan Tunhan lay coiled atop her head, unmoving and disdainful of all these treasures, but his gaze would occasionally linger on Xiao Huai.

“Patriarch, aren’t you pleased that Yuxian Sect has such promising successors?” Ning Xianyu remarked. In her eyes, Xiao Huai was already an outstanding disciple—polite, capable, and respectful.

Any ancestor would be overjoyed to see such talent in their sect, but Xuan Yuan Tunhan merely responded with a faintly dismissive laugh, showing no hint of pride or happiness.

Honestly, his standards were ridiculous—a truly perverse patriarch.

Ning Xianyu grumbled inwardly but pressed on, fighting her way with Xiao Huai toward the location of the Astrolabe Stone.

The Lingchu Secret Realm looked small on the map, but in truth, it was vast. Even at their hurried pace, it still took seven days before they approached their goal.

Though seven days had passed inside, only a few hours had elapsed outside.

When the secret realm opened, Du Juezhi left to search for Xuan Yuan Tunhan, but found the patriarch nowhere. He scoured the sleeping quarters atop the mountain, but to no avail. Even after sweeping the entire Yuxian Sect with his spiritual sense, he found nothing.

“When did Patriarch leave the sect?” he wondered. He hadn’t noticed at all.

So Xuan Yuan Tunhan’s cultivation was still that formidable; that old crone Long Yue hadn’t harmed him in the slightest?

Du Juezhi returned in frustration, deciding that he’d handle the matter of the demonic cultivator’s intrusion himself—there was no need to report it.

Meanwhile, at the entrance to the secret realm, Elders Bu Jiao and Xi Yao both sensed Du Juezhi’s spiritual probe and frowned.

What had happened to make the sect leader sweep the entire mountain with his senses?

Bu Jiao asked, “Seventh Brother, you seem troubled these days. What’s been upsetting you?”

Xi Yao clenched his teeth. “Nothing much. Just some medicines stolen.”

Bu Jiao was struck by realization. “Fourth Brother said a demonic cultivator infiltrated the sect recently—so they stole your medicines as well?”

Xi Yao nodded, his expression complicated as he glanced at the secret realm’s entrance. “Worse yet, they stole my Shape-shifting Elixir.”

“What?” Bu Jiao was aghast. “They took the Shape-shifting Elixir too?”

Xi Yao nodded with deep resentment. “Yes, an entire bottle gone, and I’ve searched the whole sect without finding it.”

The two elders turned to stare at the entrance.

Could it be…?

The disciples inside would have to rely on their own luck now.

Another day passed inside the realm, and Ning Xianyu was on the verge of giving up. She’d only wanted to find Elder Bu Jiao for a divination—who would have thought finding a mere stone would be so troublesome? Not even stealing the Blood Source Stone from the demon realm had been this complicated.

They’d been traveling for eight or nine days and still hadn’t reached their destination. This stone truly was harder to obtain than the Blood Source Stone.

Seeing her mood sour, Xiao Huai cheered her on and spurred her forward.

That day, they entered a desert—a boundless sea of sand, dunes rising and falling with no sign of life.

According to the map, the Astrolabe Stone was located somewhere within this desert.

Legend had it that the stone absorbed all life in its vicinity, turning its surroundings into a wasteland, and that the barren expanse would only continue to grow.

Ning Xianyu first checked her water supply in her storage pouch, steeled herself, and declared, “Let’s go.”

She rose into the air, pulling Xiao Huai with her, eager to seize the stone and leave as soon as possible. All she wanted was to return and sleep. She hadn’t dared rest properly even once during these days in the secret realm.

But the moment she flew over the desert, she plummeted straight into a pit in the sand.

Impossible—had her spiritual power failed her?