Central Continent.
Under the moonlight, beneath the night sky.
"This terrain is steep, overgrown with weeds, and the spiritual energy here is far more depleted than elsewhere."
Li Xingtian pointed to a spot not far away and continued, "Look over there. According to celestial divination, if nothing goes wrong, there should be a secret realm here."
Lin Luoyu nodded, though her expression held a trace of hesitation.
Though the Tianyan Sect's leader had spoken vaguely, broadly referring to it as an "opportunity," strictly speaking... a secret realm could indeed be considered one.
However, relying on celestial phenomena and terrain to locate secret realms...
For some reason, Lin Luoyu found it odd—it didn’t feel like they were searching for an opportunity, but rather...
"So we must learn from past mistakes. If we’re going to bury—er, establish a secret realm, there’s no need to fuss over celestial or geomantic signs. Just find an ordinary, desolate spot and bury it directly. The more elaborate the setup, the more flaws there’ll be, and the easier it is for others to discover."
Li Xingtian generously imparted his wisdom: "A secret realm that goes unnoticed is a good secret realm."
Lin Luoyu glanced sideways at her second senior brother, suddenly realizing something.
Wasn’t this just... grave robbing?
Though their recent expeditions with him had been fruitful, and he had shared many valuable insights—how to conceal their tracks, act cautiously, and avoid unnecessary trouble—Lin Luoyu found these lessons quite useful.
But upon reflection...
She had indeed seen far too many coffin lids lately.
This journey could be summed up as—digging from Nascent Soul realms all the way to Soul Transformation realms.
Any secret realms belonging to Soul Unity or higher cultivators they encountered along the way were marked for later.
Li Xingtian had deemed them too dangerous to explore now, reserving them for when their cultivation was higher—secret realms to be "executed in autumn."
This trip had certainly taught her a great deal about secret realms.
But the more she thought about it, the more she wondered—wasn’t this a bit unethical? Calling them "secret realms" didn’t change the fact that it felt like digging up graves.
Lin Luoyu asked hesitantly, "Should we... explore this secret realm too?"
Li Xingtian answered earnestly, "Of course. Every secret realm could hold the so-called 'opportunity' our master is searching for."
As he spoke, he turned to his junior sister.
This was the first time he had taken her on a mission.
Previously, their master or their domineering eldest senior sister had always led the way.
Lin Luoyu was entirely different—when she fully grasped his intentions, she only helped refine the plan rather than barging in like their eldest senior sister—"Move aside! Let me handle it!"
This cooperation had left Li Xingtian quite satisfied.
Lin Luoyu was no fool—she was obedient, never acted recklessly, and meticulously remembered every piece of knowledge he shared. She would undoubtedly become a skilled explorer of secret realms in the future.
Lin Luoyu pursed her lips. While secret realms did yield treasures and wealth quickly...
She cautiously reminded him, "Second Senior Brother, I don’t think the Tianyan Sect leader’s so-called 'opportunity' would just be some Soul Transformation or Soul Unity secret realms... Could it be..."
Li Xingtian nodded in agreement.
"Naturally, it should be at least Mahayana-level or higher. Otherwise, how could it be called an opportunity?"
Lin Luoyu opened her mouth but found herself at a loss for words.
Noticing her conflicted expression, Li Xingtian asked out of concern,
"Junior Sister, is there something bothering you?"
"I just think... the opportunity the Tianyan Sect elder spoke of might not necessarily be secret realms," Lin Luoyu continued carefully.
Li Xingtian pondered for a moment—perhaps she had a point.
After a brief hesitation, he made up his mind.
"You’re not wrong. Let’s finish looting this secret realm first, then explore other avenues."
Lin Luoyu sighed inwardly. At least this was good news—just one more unlucky soul to dig up, and they’d be done.
"Alright... Senior Brother, where should we start?"
Li Xingtian scanned the area and quickly pinpointed a location.
The cultivator buried here was definitely no stronger than Soul Transformation, and the setup was relatively simple—an easy dig.
But the next moment, he pulled out a talisman from his sleeve.
Lin Luoyu’s eyes lit up hopefully—had their master found the so-called opportunity? Would they finally stop digging?
After absorbing the message from the talisman, Li Xingtian turned to Lin Luoyu.
"Master seems to have found the opportunity. He says we can head to Ten Thousand Blossoms Ridge if we’re free."
Lin Luoyu quickly replied, "Should we leave now?"
"No rush." Li Xingtian turned back to the secret realm, speaking calmly. "Master said it’s not urgent. Let’s finish here first."
Lin Luoyu pressed her lips together tightly.
---
Ten Thousand Blossoms Ridge.
San Dong cheerfully wandered around with Li Yingling, Cui Hao, and the others.
Truly, when luck turned in their favor, good fortune followed relentlessly.
First piece of good news—Ten Thousand Blossoms Ridge hadn’t exploded into the sky, meaning San Dong could still live there.
Second piece of good news—San Dong could now be neighbors with their good friend Li Yingling.
They were planning to build houses here, so they could visit Li Yingling whenever they pleased.
Moreover, San Dong had realized that most people were actually quite nice.
At least this time, everyone accompanying Li Yingling was kind.
One of them, Cui Hao, was especially pleasant—often gifting them Moon Essence and Wood Spirit Crystals.
Though some of his words were a bit hard to understand.
Still, his jokes were quite amusing.
The others were also wonderful, always looking out for them. With neighbors like these, San Dong was overjoyed.
The third piece of good news—San Dong had gained a little follower: Luo Yue!
It wasn’t often that San Dong met another of their kind, so they were determined to get along well. Though Luo Yue kept asking questions—many of which San Dong didn’t know the answers to—it didn’t matter.
San Dong would still take good care of Luo Yue.
---
Li Yingling carefully planned the sect’s layout. Their master had approved establishing a branch sect here, and Luo Yue had already verified the spiritual energy concentration.
The sect might expand in the future, but the initial branch in Ten Thousand Blossoms Ridge wouldn’t be too large.
So choosing a scenic spot for the foundation was ideal.
This time, their master had granted them freedom in designing the sect’s architecture, allowing them to build in whatever style they preferred.
But... what did they prefer?
That was the tricky part.
Li Yingling turned to San Dong and asked, "San Dong, what kind of house do you like?"
San Dong’s eyes sparkled with excitement. "One without a roof! San Dong loves looking at the moon."
"But... what about when it rains?"
"Just open your mouth and drink it! San Dong loves rainwater."
"...And when the sun’s blazing?"
San Dong nodded vigorously. "Yes! It’s warm."
Li Yingling was speechless.
They then glanced at Cui Hao, who had been scribbling on paper for a while, and asked curiously,
"What are you working on?"
Cui Hao chuckled lightly, then with a flourish, tossed the papers into the air, using spiritual energy to suspend them.
Soon, the sheets connected seamlessly.
In an exquisitely detailed scene, a magnificent and luxurious yet tasteful structure stood nestled within the landscape of Ten Thousand Flowers Ridge, harmonizing with its surroundings without disrupting the natural beauty.
The style... somewhat resembled the Tianyan Sect, yet carried a fresh originality.
Li Yingling cast a surprised glance at Cui Hao—who would have thought this troublemaker of a junior brother had such skills?!
San Dong’s eyes followed, brightening with delight:
"This is beautiful! San Dong loves a house like this!"
Cui Hao remained silent, merely tilting his chin up slightly before letting a proud grin spread across his face.
True aesthetic mastery could win over anyone!