The Open Conspiracy of the Sacred Clan

"If the Shepherd Dogs are so powerful, why don't they just unify the Qing Realm? Wouldn’t that make harvesting humans more convenient?"

"As you say, it would indeed make harvesting easier, but such an approach would be like killing the goose that lays the golden eggs—draining the pond to catch all the fish. Unlike ordinary people, the Sacred Race prefers human martial artists, and the stronger they are, the higher their selling price. Once humans are enslaved, martial artists lose their fighting spirit, which greatly hinders their cultivation. When despair takes hold, a few heroes may emerge, but most will become numb, like walking corpses. That’s why the Shepherd Dogs won’t unify the Qing Realm. Instead, they occasionally stir up demonic chaos, using external threats to keep humanity alert and vigorous."

Hearing this, Gu Qingfeng was speechless.

Isn’t this just the catfish effect? Damn, these Sacred Race dogs know a lot.

The so-called catfish effect is when a catfish—a natural predator of fish—is placed in a tank of sardines. The catfish, unfamiliar with its surroundings, swims around aggressively. The sardines, terrified, dart frantically to evade it. As they say, life lies in movement. With the catfish’s stimulation, the sardines live longer and their flesh stays fresher.

This is exactly what the Sacred Race’s Shepherd Dogs are doing—periodically provoking humanity to keep them in a state of crisis, pushing them to train harder and become better "ingredients." Plus, this method also fosters unity among humans.

Humans are like that—without external threats, they turn on each other. The Sacred Race naturally doesn’t want their livestock wasted in infighting, so they keep supplying external dangers.

"Ah." Jue Mingzi sighed again. "The Sacred Race’s methods are blatant, open schemes. We in the Hidden Realm can’t reveal the truth to the world because doing so would only cause panic. It’s better this way—with a thriving cultivation atmosphere, it’s easier to produce strong warriors who can replenish the Hidden Realm’s ranks."

"Wait, if the Sacred Envoys are invincible, why does the Hidden Realm recruit these divine-level experts? Do you have another plan?"

"That involves the Hidden Realm’s secrets. You’ll need to fully join us and pass our vetting before we can disclose anything. For now, forgive me for not elaborating. Alright, Fellow Daoist Gu, let’s head to the Hidden Realm. We shouldn’t linger here too long—it’s easy to attract the Shepherd Dogs’ attention."

"Fine, let’s go."

Jue Mingzi gave Gu Qingfeng a puzzled look. "Aren’t you bringing your disciple, Gu Qingfeng? You might have some misconceptions about the Hidden Realm. While it’s an organization of divine-level experts, not everyone there is one. There are also disciples, family members, and clansmen of these experts. So you can bring—"

"No need." Gu Qingfeng cut him off. "My disciple has another mission, and he’s in a safe place. It’s fine."

Jue Mingzi thought to himself, Is there anywhere safer than the Hidden Realm?

But since this was a matter between master and disciple, he didn’t press further.

Instead, he took out a yellow talisman from his spatial ring and handed it to Gu Qingfeng. "This is a concealment talisman crafted by the Dark Emperor, specifically for evading the Shepherd Dogs’ tracking. Activate it before we proceed."

Gu Qingfeng took the talisman, intrigued. "The Dark Emperor? Your leader in the Hidden Realm?"

"Indeed. The Dark Emperor is our leader and the strongest in the Hidden Realm. The Hidden Realm was originally founded by his ancestors, and its name—Hidden Realm—means ‘the world concealed in darkness.’"

As they spoke, the two set off.

Along the way, Gu Qingfeng learned many more secrets through their conversation.

He also finally understood why demons had their Shadow Domains while humans had none—because the Heavenly Dao favored demons. In this era, demons were the protagonists of the world, blessed by heaven and earth.

Both were formidable figures, so their journey was swift.

But the farther they went, the more confused Gu Qingfeng became. Staring at the human town ahead, he asked, "Is the Hidden Realm in Lin'an City?"

Jue Mingzi smiled without answering and continued leading the way.

Soon, they entered the city, weaving through its streets until they stopped in front of an inn called Yuelai Inn.

Looking at the sign, Gu Qingfeng’s lips twitched. Wasn’t this the legendary, universe-spanning Yuelai Inn?

And it turned out to be the Hidden Realm’s hideout?

"So the Hidden Realm is hidden here? Quite down-to-earth."

Jue Mingzi chuckled and shook his head. "The Hidden Realm isn’t here. I just felt a craving and thought I’d treat myself. I’ve heard the Yuelai Inn’s scale-fish is a Lin'an specialty—might as well try it today."

Gu Qingfeng was too exhausted to even complain. After all the talisman activation and detours, they ended up here… for fish?

Then again, what even was scale-fish? Was it good? He’d never tried it. If it could attract a divine-level expert, it must be something special.

The thought made Gu Qingfeng realize he was hungry too.

He was a worldly man at heart—fond of beautiful women, fine wine, and good food. With delicacies before him and no urgency, why not indulge?

In fact, ever since learning that the so-called Sacred Race was just demons, Gu Qingfeng’s tension had vanished. Instead, he felt a strange excitement and ease.

"Sure, I’ve never had scale-fish either. Let’s give it a try."

They took their seats, ordered from the waiter, and chatted casually.

"Fellow Daoist, your composure is remarkable. Even after learning the cruel truth behind this world, you remain unfazed, willing to share a meal with me. I admire that," Jue Mingzi said with respect.

When he first joined the Hidden Realm and uncovered these secrets, he hadn’t been nearly as calm—his worldview had shattered, as if the sky had fallen.

By comparison, Gu Qingfeng’s demeanor was truly impressive.

"Even if the sky falls, people still need to eat, no? Besides, food is fuel—skip a meal, and you’ll feel it," Gu Qingfeng replied casually.

Jue Mingzi laughed heartily. "You truly are a rare one. But I didn’t bring you here to waste time. The reason we’re eating first is that the timing isn’t right yet."

"Oh? Does entering the Hidden Realm require a specific hour?"

"Exactly. The Hidden Realm—how can one enter during the day? We must wait for nightfall."

Gu Qingfeng was about to ask more when an irresistible aroma wafted into his nose. Turning, he saw the waiter bringing their fish to the table.

The smell made him swallow his questions.

When the scale-fish arrived, Gu Qingfeng examined it closely. Its appearance was unlike any ordinary fish—its body was slender, rounded at the front and tapered at the back, with a brownish hue and four thick, long whiskers. The exposed flesh was snow-white, firm, and steaming, its rich fragrance making his mouth water.