Entering the Secret Realm

【Diary completed. Reward: Defense +4, Strength +4, Cultivation level increased by one tier. Current cultivation: Golden Core Middle Stage.】

A rather ordinary reward.

After finishing her diary, Su Luo decided to lay low and stay unnoticed for the rest of the journey. There was nothing left that required her direct involvement.

Meanwhile, hidden somewhere nearby, Nangong Xiyun furrowed her brows. Her concern was whether the Heavenly Demon Sect was about to make a move.

Nangong Xiyun had clashed with the Heavenly Demon Sect multiple times and knew how troublesome they could be.

One top-tier expert from the Heavenly Demon Sect? She could kill them instantly.

Two? Two seconds.

Five? A complete stomp.

Seven? A decent warm-up.

Ten? Still a stomp if she got serious.

Any more than that, and a few would likely escape. She couldn’t kill them all.

Thinking about this, Nangong Xiyun felt a tinge of regret about her current strength.

The top experts of the Heavenly Demon Sect were elusive and hard to track down, each one a master of escape.

If only her cultivation could advance further, she could ensure none of them escaped, no matter how many came.

But she hadn’t made any progress in her cultivation for a long time.

Still, there was no use in rushing cultivation. For now, she should focus on thwarting the Heavenly Demon Sect’s plans.

Just as Nangong Xiyun was about to cast some minor spells to protect Han Ying'er and the other two, she noticed Li Siyi secretly passing them a message, warning them to be careful of an ambush, though she didn’t specify what kind.

Li Siyi even gave them some protective treasures, which Nangong Xiyun had originally given to Li Siyi for her own safety.

Strangely, Qin San was left out.

Nangong Xiyun found this odd. Su Luo hadn’t mentioned any of this to Li Siyi since the journey began.

Moreover, if Li Siyi had known earlier, why hadn’t she given out the protective treasures before?

Why only after Su Luo updated her diary?

Wait... diary?

Could it be... that Li Siyi also had a diary?

That would explain everything. It all made sense now.

What a good disciple. So, you also have a diary.

......

After three days of flying, Qin San and the group arrived at the secret realm.

The secret realm was hidden deep within a special mist that had strong interference properties. Even those with high cultivation could easily get lost in it.

But Qin San confidently led them straight to the secret realm.

This was the first of his planned moments to shine.

Qin San had walked through the mist many times and was now very familiar with it.

“Qin San, the path you led us on was so smooth. We reached the secret realm so quickly. I thought we’d be wandering in the mist for a while longer. I’m starting to admire you,” Han Ying'er praised.

“I told you, my luck has always been good,” Qin San couldn’t help but smile.

Then, he led everyone into the secret realm.

As soon as they fully stepped into the secret realm, a pair of eyes deep within opened, followed by a low murmur.

“The number is finally correct. I hope I can break free from this damned seal this time.”

......

Upon entering the secret realm, Qin San immediately displayed his incredible observational skills, always managing to find valuable treasures.

“I can’t believe it. We’ve never had such smooth harvests before. Qin San, how did you suddenly become so amazing?” Han Ying'er exclaimed in awe.

In the past, they had gone through countless hardships, only to receive rewards that barely matched their efforts. The treasures had to be split among four people, and sometimes the gains didn’t even cover the cost of the elixirs they consumed.

Of course, it wasn’t always like this, but most of the time, it was.

This time, however, they were already in profit, which was a rare occurrence.

Qin San basked in Han Ying'er’s praise. “I don’t know, but I feel like things will only get better from here. You won’t regret following me.”

“Then I’ll be watching closely.”

“Just wait and see. I won’t disappoint you.”

After that, without any surprises, Qin San rediscovered the treasures he had previously found and even dug up some additional ones he had planted earlier.

By the end of the trip, everyone was laughing heartily at the bountiful harvest.

Han Ying'er, Zhuo Mingyuan, and Yuan Jie were genuinely happy.

Lin Xuan didn’t really care much for these treasures but smiled along.

Su Luo and Li Siyi, knowing the truth, faked their smiles.

Qin San, on the other hand, smirked darkly, knowing that soon all these treasures would belong to him and Han Ying'er.

After the brief moment of laughter, Qin San said, “We’ve gathered enough treasures, and we’ve thoroughly searched the entire secret realm. There shouldn’t be anything left. Let’s take a break and head back.”

Qin San planned to sacrifice Zhuo Mingyuan and Yuan Jie to the Heart Demon Emperor during their rest.

But just as he finished speaking, Lin Xuan’s voice rang out.

“Huh? What’s this?”

Lin Xuan had accidentally triggered some mechanism. With a loud rumble, a hidden passage appeared in the wall.

“Wow, it looks like there’s more treasure here. This is great!” Han Ying'er’s eyes sparkled with excitement. Today’s harvest was truly bountiful.

Meanwhile, Qin San’s heart burned with rage.

Lin Xuan!

Why did you have to find this now, of all times? Right when I said we should leave? Do you have a death wish? Just wait, I’ll deal with you soon.

But he couldn’t reveal his intentions yet. Qin San had to keep smiling.

The group cautiously entered the hidden passage, unsure of what dangers might lie ahead.

But there were none.

They walked smoothly all the way to the end.

At the end of the passage was a large semicircular chamber with eight rooms evenly distributed around the perimeter.

“What is this place?”

Curious, they began inspecting the rooms, remaining highly alert.

But nothing dangerous happened.

After exploring the surroundings, they found only the eight rooms surrounding them.

Just as they were puzzled, a bright light flashed, and a formation activated.

Soon, they understood the purpose of this place.

The ancient powerhouse who created this place had thoughtfully left instructions. When the formation activated, it displayed how to use it, likely intended for future generations.

Though it was unclear why this secret realm had been hidden away for so long.

There was a moment of silence.

Qin San was the first to speak. “The speed boost for pairs is so significant, but we have seven people here. What about the extra one?”

Lin Xuan glanced around and quickly came to a conclusion. “It’s fine. I’ll go alone.”

The Four Talents had often risked their lives together, so pairing up in any combination would work.

As for Su Luo and Li Siyi, they had been close since Autumn Wind City, so they naturally paired up.

That left Lin Xuan to go alone.

Qin San snorted coldly. At least you know your place. Then he turned to Han Ying'er. “Then it’s settled. Ying'er, let’s pair up.”

The thought of being alone with Han Ying'er in a room made Qin San’s heart race with anticipation.

“Alright,” Han Ying'er agreed, though she felt a bit guilty toward Lin Xuan. “You were the one who discovered this place, yet you won’t get the biggest reward. Here, take some of these treasures as compensation.”