Sisters

Gu Qingfeng and Xiao Nu settled down in the Tai Xuan Immortal Sect. Having taken control of its entire upper echelon, they lived there as comfortably as if it were their own home.

Were it not for the imminent opening of the Tai Yi Secret Realm, Gu Qingfeng wouldn’t have been willing to leave.

Spending his days playing the flute amidst the immortal mountains and cascading waterfalls, refining his spirit—who would willingly abandon such a celestial existence?

"Master, it's time we depart," Shangguan Wan'er said softly.

"Let’s go." Gu Qingfeng cast one last reluctant glance at the Tai Xuan Immortal Sect, resolving to return once he obtained the Eternal Night Lamp Technique from the Tai Yi Secret Realm.

This was the life one ought to live in the Eternal True World. The Demon Realm, by comparison, was a wretched place—populated by grotesque beings, with female demons even uglier, and resources so scarce there was nothing of value.

The Tai Xuan Immortal Sect was far superior—teeming with fresh-faced female disciples, most of them mortal, but quantity made up for quality. Add to that the finest immortal wines and delicacies...

Soon, the two set off.

The Tai Yi Secret Realm lay millions of miles from the Tai Xuan Immortal Sect, but with their extraordinary speed, they arrived in just three days, leisurely sightseeing and playing music along the way.

The secret realm was nestled deep within a remote mountain range, surrounded by ancient verdant trees and rarely visited.

Yet today, it was crowded with people.

Every opening of the Tai Yi Secret Realm was a grand occasion for the surrounding immortal dynasties and sects.

Even mortal sects without an immortal patron would come to participate, as the realm’s restriction allowed only those below the immortal realm to enter.

Of course, sects without an immortal guardian often met with "unfortunate accidents" here—especially if they happened to acquire something valuable.

As Gu Qingfeng and Xiao Nu arrived, they surveyed the crowd, which numbered in the tens of thousands.

Not all were here to brave the secret realm, however. Only a thousand Tai Yi Immortal Tokens were issued each year, meaning only a thousand could enter.

Most were escorts—disciples sent by their sects to protect the trial-takers from ambushes and theft.

"Quite the gathering," Gu Qingfeng remarked.

"This isn’t even the full number. In a few more days, those still en route will arrive.

Among them are immortal dynasties and sects led by true immortals, as well as mortal sects that have never produced one—though even they usually have Quasi-Emperors or Extreme Path cultivators," Shangguan Wan'er explained.

Their arrival caused quite a stir, as both possessed striking looks that made them stand out like cranes among chickens.

Some even recognized Shangguan Wan'er, prompting immortals from various sects to approach with lowered postures, paying their respects.

Such was the gap between mid-tier and low-tier factions.

"Who is that celestial beauty? Even the immortals leading the major sects are bowing to her—her status must be extraordinary," someone in the crowd whispered.

"You don’t know her? That’s Princess Wan of the Yu Hua Immortal Dynasty!"

"What?! The terrifying mid-tier power, the Yu Hua Immortal Dynasty?"

"Exactly. If she weren’t from a mid-tier faction, do you think those haughty immortals would grovel like this?"

"Ha! So even these lofty immortals know fear. They act aloof toward us mortal factions, but in the end, they’re just scrambling to curry favor with the stronger ones."

"Hey, look at the guy next to Princess Wan—reeking of lower-realm peasant vibes. Probably an ascendant.

Why would Her Highness choose a lower-realm ascendant as her trial-taker? What could those bumpkins possibly offer?"

"Right? That guy must’ve sweet-talked the princess with his pretty face. If only I could be her trial-taker—I’d show her what real talent looks like!"

"You? Your own sect didn’t even pick you as a trial-taker, and you think the princess would? Go take a piss and check your reflection."

Shangguan Wan'er coldly and impatiently dismissed the crowd of immortals.

Normally, she reveled in such adoration, especially when it came from low-tier factions—it fed her sense of superiority.

She often found amusement in watching these low-tier cultivators clumsily imitate her, whether in dress or mannerisms, always falling short.

They strained to mimic the mid-tier, to climb upward, but the low would always remain low.

Yet now, things were different.

She was no longer the lofty princess of the Yu Hua Immortal Dynasty—she was her master’s Xiao Nu.

Every time she stood beside Gu Qingfeng while others fawned over her, she felt a pang of shame.

Each compliment, though flattering, stung when directed at a slave. Worse, she feared displeasing her master.

So she hurriedly shooed away those bothersome flies.

The immortals from low-tier factions didn’t dare take offense—or at least, didn’t show it. No matter what fantasies they harbored, they kept their smiles intact.

Days later, distant factions arrived one after another to join the gathering.

Then, suddenly—

A rainbow bridge of immortal light stretched across the sky, and from it descended a man and a woman.

The woman wore pristine white robes, her beauty ethereal, her aura transcendent—like an orchid blooming in solitude.

The man was clad in black, with sharp brows and starry eyes, his handsome features accentuated by a sword held lazily across his chest. A faint smirk played on his lips, his gaze a mix of nonchalance, indifference, and a trace of cold detachment.

"It’s the Eldest Princess of the Yu Hua Immortal Dynasty—Shangguan Qing!" an immortal exclaimed.

"Why is she here? A mere True Immortal secret realm shouldn’t warrant the presence of two princesses. Is there some hidden secret?"

"They say Eldest Princess Qing is the foremost beauty of the Yu Hua Immortal Dynasty. Seeing her today, the rumors don’t do her justice!"

"I thought Princess Wan was peerless, but her sister surpasses even her!"

"The man beside Princess Qing also carries the aura of the lower realms—another ascendant!"

“What is going on? First, Princess Wan’s trial-taker is a lower-realm ascendant, and now Princess Qing’s is too. Are we, the dignified cultivators of the upper realm, truly inferior to those lower-realm natives?”