Helian Chi approved Little Wei’s proposal.
After all, with the Dan Peak’s master accompanying them, he could rest easier.
Otherwise, this girl had never experienced the darker side of human nature, and Helian Chi was genuinely afraid she might be deceived—especially in matters of the heart.
The young cultivators these days were full of cunning schemes!
Duan Lingyun followed Ye Mingtian to a barren stretch of land, eyeing him sideways.
Ye Mingtian stood half a head taller than her, holding the spirit herb detector given by the Dan Peak’s master, his expression serious.
“Are you sure there are any herbs in a place like this?” Duan Lingyun thought this area was even worse than the stream they’d passed earlier—at least the water there had looked fresh and drinkable.
Having spent so much time with her master, Duan Lingyun had developed a bit of a gluttonous streak.
It didn’t quite match her current refined demeanor.
“Of course there are. This area has Fire Spirit Grass, and not in small numbers. If we can refine it into Fire Spirit Pills, it’ll be greatly beneficial for both of us.” Ye Mingtian’s face lit up as the detector reacted.
“Let’s go—southeast direction.”
Ye Mingtian’s detector proved incredibly useful. Before long, the two spotted a vast patch of Fire Spirit Grass in the distance.
Meanwhile, Duan Lingyun was still mulling over her master’s words. Unfortunately, despite being inside the secret realm for some time now, she hadn’t caught sight of Cheng Yuguang.
And another thing…
Why was her master so fixated on these two?
Even in normal times, Master Zhongling often wandered around the main peak and Dan Peak. Now, she’d even tasked Duan Lingyun with keeping an eye on them.
Did her master have a fondness for handsome young men?
Duan Lingyun mused, scrutinizing the elegant youth diligently plucking Fire Spirit Grass.
Honestly, nothing special.
“What are you spacing out for? Don’t just stand there—this place is overflowing with Fire Spirit Grass. Half for you, half for me.” Ye Mingtian was rather considerate toward Duan Lingyun.
Despite her noble upbringing, after a few years of hardship, Duan Lingyun had grown into a poised beauty with an air of aloofness—exactly the kind to stir a young man’s desire to conquer.
“Ah, right.” Duan Lingyun snapped out of her thoughts and bent down, retrieving tools from her storage bracelet to harvest the Fire Spirit Grass one by one.
After half an hour of labor, they finally gathered all the Fire Spirit Grass in the area.
“So… Miss Duan, is your master not teaching you much?” Ye Mingtian suddenly blurted out.
Duan Lingyun paused, turning her head to look at him.
“What do you mean?” Her brows furrowed slightly.
Seeing her reaction, Ye Mingtian hurried to explain, “No, no—that’s not what I meant! I just wanted to say, if you’re interested in alchemy, you could come to Dan Peak for lectures. Master Zhongling may be highly skilled, but she’s only a few years older than us.”
As he spoke, he scratched his head, his cheeks flushing with embarrassment.
Duan Lingyun arched a brow, studying his expression. Just as Ye Mingtian was agonizing over her thoughts, she finally spoke.
“No need. I may have a fire spiritual root, but I’ve no interest in alchemy.”
Her tone was calm, leaving no doubt that she meant every word.
Just as Ye Mingtian’s face fell, Cheng Yuguang arrived, hovering above them on the flying artifact gifted by the sect leader—a lotus leaf that could expand or shrink at will. Powered by spirit stones, it was perfect for disciples who hadn’t yet mastered sword flight.
Though such a valuable item was something only the sect leader could afford to hand out.
Spotting the harvested Fire Spirit Grass, a flicker of disappointment crossed Cheng Yuguang’s face, but he quickly masked it with a smile.
“Seems I’m late. But how about joining forces?”
When Cheng Yuguang appeared, Duan Lingyun also sized him up.
Unlike Ye Mingtian’s refined handsomeness, Cheng Yuguang had striking peach-blossom eyes that carried a hint of allure, making him seem less like an orthodox cultivator. Even his mannerisms were bolder than most.
“Miss Duan? Shall we stick together? After all, I’m technically your martial uncle. My master told me to look after you in the secret realm.” Cheng Yuguang’s eyes crinkled with amusement.
Martial uncle?
What an irritating title.
Still, remembering her master’s instructions, Duan Lingyun suppressed her reluctance and decided to travel with the two.
“Fine. Let’s go together—better to have backup.” For once, a faint smile touched her lips.
Ye Mingtian frowned at the scene, shooting Cheng Yuguang a displeased look.
This guy was clearly after Duan Lingyun’s beauty.
Didn’t he know the concept of first come, first served?
Cheng Yuguang noticed Ye Mingtian’s glare but chose not to comment.
“Where to now?” Duan Lingyun asked.
“My master gave me a map of the secret realm. There’s one spot I think is worth checking out.” Cheng Yuguang pulled out a scroll from his robe, though the details were smudged, only roughly marking locations of treasures.
One area, however, was conspicuously blank—undoubtedly suspicious.
That was where Cheng Yuguang wanted to go.
“This place… Miss Duan, we passed it earlier. It’s just a sea. What could possibly be there?” Ye Mingtian frowned at the map, baffled.
“Weapons,” Duan Lingyun said flatly.
Even Cheng Yuguang was taken aback.
He’d assumed the blank spot was unexplored, not that it was a body of water.
Weapons in the sea? That was beyond strange.
“We should check it out,” Duan Lingyun insisted.
If it really was a sea, senior disciples from previous years would have noted it. The absence of any markings suggested something was off.
“If there’s danger, we leave immediately. Survival comes first,” Ye Mingtian warned the other two.
Cheng Yuguang and Duan Lingyun nodded in agreement.
Cultivation was important, but what use was power without life?
The trio soon reached the marked location. Though none could fly on swords yet, their lightness skills made for swift travel.
The area was desolate—nothing but an endless expanse of sea.
Cheng Yuguang paced the shore for a long while before stopping to dig through the sand.
Duan Lingyun stood poised at a distance, gazing at the sea.
Something was wrong.
But she had no intention of sharing her thoughts.
After sifting through the sand, Cheng Yuguang looked up to find Duan Lingyun standing alone by the water.
“Miss Duan? Where’s Ye Mingtian?” he asked, a note of panic in his voice.
There were no hiding spots nearby—how could a living person vanish into thin air?
Duan Lingyun blinked, glancing to the left where Ye Mingtian had been wandering moments ago.
He was gone.
Damn it. Where did he go?
A sense of foreboding crept over her. When she turned back, Cheng Yuguang had also disappeared.
This was bad.
Her heart sank. Her master had explicitly told her to keep close to these two.
Just as panic set in, the ground beneath her gave way, and she plummeted downward.
After what felt like an eternity, her feet finally touched solid ground.
(The site is undergoing a major upgrade, adding more books and timely chapter updates.)