Chapter 26

The unexpected encounter with the Three Blacks sharply heightened Liuli’s sense of crisis.

She realized reality was always crueler than imagined. She had thought fate was unchangeable, that things would always circle back to the original plotline no matter what—wrong. The heavens told her: I can also bring the original plotline ahead of schedule.

Isn’t this just screwing with people?!

Still, every loss has its gain. The flaw in the Back Mountain Forbidden Area’s defenses was repaired. Thanks to Liuli’s psychological warfare, the Three Blacks were successfully divided against each other. Xue Meiniang told her that these men likely wouldn’t last long before spilling all their intelligence.

Xue Meiniang also set other traps in the Forbidden Area, waiting to catch other Black Lotus Sect disciples who might be lured in after the Three Blacks sent word back.

But the expected arrivals never came; perhaps they sensed something was wrong and retreated.

These matters no longer required Liuli’s intervention. She focused on her cultivation, anxious to reach the Golden Core stage.

The Golden Core stage and the Foundation Establishment stage were worlds apart. A single first-level Golden Core cultivator could easily defeat ten at the Great Perfection of Foundation Establishment.

Once she reached the Golden Core stage, Liuli could finally feel somewhat at ease.

But cultivation couldn’t be rushed. Seeing her frantic efforts, Feng Xiwu instead shook her head. “There’s no need for such impatience. Laying a solid foundation is the superior path.”

Liuli outwardly agreed, but privately she continued on as before.

Hmm, she was truly the kind of disciple who caused worry.

Perhaps having discovered Liuli’s feigned compliance, one day Feng Xiwu summoned Liuli and led her down the mountain.

“Where does Shizun plan to take this disciple?” Liuli asked curiously.

Feng Xiwu briefly explained.

As the largest sect in the vicinity, the Heavenly Martial Sect had abundant resources, controlling several large and small Secret Realms. Whenever a Secret Realm opened, sect disciples could enter for training. The resources they harvested could be turned in for exchange points or kept for personal use.

Three days later, a Small Secret Realm suitable for Foundation Establishment disciples was set to open. This realm had only recently been developed, so disciples couldn’t share experiences with each other—perfect for Liuli to explore.

This trip was specifically for Feng Xiwu to take Liuli to register.

After registering, Liuli suddenly asked, “Shizun isn’t going in?”

Before Feng Xiwu could answer, the registration Steward chuckled first. “This Secret Realm can only be entered by Foundation Establishment disciples. If Perfected One Feng entered, she’d likely cause the realm to collapse.”

Liuli sighed. “I was just asking casually.”

The Secret Realm opened once a year, for seven days each time. Though the time wasn’t long, Liuli had only recently become Feng Xiwu’s disciple and was about to be separated. An inexplicable reluctance filled her heart.

On the day the Secret Realm opened, the registered disciples gathered early at the entrance—an unremarkable little hill.

Liuli was like a student heading into an exam, escorted by family—Feng Xiwu and Liang Tiantian.

The entrance opened, looking as weird as a scorched rice cake that had bubbled up and split. Liang Tiantian handed her a small box.

“Senior Sister, this is food. You must take good care of yourself inside.”

“Don’t worry, I’ll come out safely.” Deeply moved, Liuli put the Food Box away into her storage.

Although the Secret Realm restricted entry to Foundation Establishment disciples only, it still held many unknown dangers inside. No one could guarantee they wouldn’t encounter any.

By now, most of the disciples had already entered. Liuli licked her lower lip, wanting to say something to Feng Xiwu but feeling too shy to speak.

In front of everyone, she still wanted to save some face.

So she waved reluctantly. “I’m going now.”

“Go on, Senior Sister.”

“I’m really going now.” She took three steps out.

“Mm-hmm!”

“Don’t miss me too much!” She took seven steps.

Feng Xiwu, resigned, could only say, “Be cautious above all.”

Liuli’s eyes lit up. She nodded heavily with a “Mm,” turned, and strode into the Secret Realm.

After entering through that bizarrely shaped entrance, her vision first blurred, and then a wave of dizziness hit her. A moment later, everything stabilized. Liuli rubbed her temples and looked around.

Strange, this looked like she was inside a cave.

This Small Secret Realm evolved from a Small Cave Heaven refined by an ancient great power. Liuli had inquired beforehand; she heard that disciples were teleported to different places upon entry. Some arrived in a forest, some in a grassland.

And some appeared right at the entrance of a courtyard.

But the core region of this Secret Realm had never been identified.

Calling this a “cave” wasn’t quite accurate either, because it was rare to see such an open and tall cavern. Liuli cast a Light Illumination Technique to brighten the nearby area and discovered the cave walls seemed to be artificially carved. The surface was uneven, yet faintly held a hidden pattern.

Ahead and behind lay two dark paths. Liuli did an eeny-meeny-miny-moe, randomly chose a direction, and moved forward cautiously.

After a few steps, nothing seemed unusual except the darkness.

She noticed a Ferocious Beast-shaped stone lamp bracket carved onto the rock wall and curiously leaned in to examine it. The bracket was actually filled with solidified grease, with a wick nestled inside—seemingly still usable.

Liuli had no intention of lighting it. Who knew if burning this stuff would release toxic gas?

But just as she decided against it, the moment Liuli turned away, the beast lamp bracket “whooshed” and lit itself!

Startled, Liuli instinctively jumped back two steps, only to find that starting from the lamp bracket right in front of her, the lamp brackets hidden in darkness along the cave wall ignited one after another in a blazing chain!

The darkness was instantly driven away by the orange-red light.

Since both ways were the same, Liuli stopped hesitating and continued forward.

Not long after, a strange sound reached her ears.

It was like small gravel rolling to the ground, mixed with the sound of a heavy object scraping against a rough surface.

Liuli pulled out a Big Wooden Hammer, ready to face danger at any moment.

Soon, the initially faint sound grew louder and louder. Liuli suddenly whipped her head around and realized the cave walls were moving!

Al-alive?!

The rock walls above, below, left, and right all trembled in unison, as if a switch had been thrown, the shaking intensifying. Broken stones mixed with dust pattered down. Liuli frowned and sprinted forward.

Although the walls ahead were also moving, she couldn’t just stay in place forever. If she could reach the end, maybe she could run out of this cave!

Soon, Liuli watched helplessly as stone after stone detached from the rock wall, finally understanding what was happening!

The real cave was actually even taller than what she first saw; its surface was covered with a layer of “wall skin” formed and assembled by mechanical Stone Puppets.

Now, these Stone Puppets had been activated for some unknown reason. One by one, they shook off the dust and chased after Liuli together!

Glancing at the nearest dog-shaped Stone Puppet behind her, Liuli gave a bitter laugh. “If you were a real dog, I might even squat down to pet you. A fake dog doesn’t need to chase and bite people!”

The stone dog made no sound or bark, rolling on its four spherical “feet” as it rushed towards Liuli.

More and more Stone Puppets were being activated, quickly sealing off the path entirely behind Liuli. The wall ahead trembled even more violently, and though activating slower, a few small Stone Puppets were already blocking the way!

Liuli swung her Big Wooden Hammer, smashing one per swing, knocking them all flying.

And in a spot she didn’t notice, a thin little paper figure, only the size of a palm, clung to the back of her shoulder, fluttering in the breeze as if not very firmly attached.

…

After running for who knew how long, Liuli was gasping for breath, yet the path ahead still seemed endless.

She used the Divine Movement Technique, making her speed surpass top-tier supercars. But to her dismay, as soon as she sped up, those Stone Puppets also sped up!

Now, not only was a pack chasing her from behind, Stone Puppets were rushing chaotically ahead, and occasionally one even dropped down from overhead!

Liuli listened in all directions and watched every angle, swinging her Big Wooden Hammer with intimidating force. Countless small Stone Puppets were smashed to pieces.

The larger Stone Puppets, however, were far tougher and not as easy to smash as the small ones.

Suddenly, the movements of the surrounding Stone Puppets eerily froze for an instant.

“Ran out of battery?” The moment this thought flashed through her mind, Liuli saw those large Stone Puppets actually grab the small Stone Puppets next to them and install them onto their own bodies—a super-sized humanoid stone puppet emerged.

Liuli: “What the hell!”

Why did I fall into this kind of place after entering a Secret Realm!! Liuli shed a tear of bitterness for her misfortune.

Every step the Giant Stone Puppet took made the ground quake violently from the sheer weight. Liuli glanced at the number of Stone Puppets chasing behind her; her vision went black, and she nearly slipped and crashed into the wall.

In that moment of hesitation, the Stone Puppet swung its bronze-gleaming mechanical arm, smashing down fiercely towards Liuli’s skull.

Liuli’s expression changed drastically. She instantly cast a Water Cover on herself, but in the next instant, she watched the Giant Stone Puppet suddenly disintegrate into a pile of dust.

Wha-what happened?! She didn’t even attack it!!

Could there be a second person here?!

Liuli flipped and leaped, jumping up to smash the head of one large Stone Puppet. She shouted sternly, “Who’s there?!”

In the next moment, a familiar voice sounded in her mind, nearly scaring Liuli into falling out of the air.

“Me.”

“Shi-Shi-Shizun!” Liuli was overjoyed. “Is it you, Shizun?!”

“It’s me.”

“Where are you, Shizun? How did you get in?” Liuli asked hopefully, scanning her surroundings while dodging the Stone Puppets’ attacks.

Feng Xiwu’s voice sounded in her mind again. “That’s not important. The focus of this trip is you.”

“I understand. Don’t worry, Shizun, I definitely won’t let you down!” Liuli braced her shoulders like she was carrying a great flag, patting her chest loudly.

It didn’t matter if Feng Xiwu didn’t wish to show herself. Knowing Shizun was by her side, it was as if Liuli had found her backbone, instantly breaking free from the intense anxiety.

She had a sense of security and confidence to stir up trouble again!

Liuli calmed down, emphasizing “look carefully, observe carefully” in her mind. Sure enough, by running, counterattacking, and observing at the same time, she actually noticed something off.

She felt like the path ahead was growing wider and wider, and the gravel under her feet was increasing.

As if some Stone Puppets had already been smashed to pieces here earlier.

Liuli spun around abruptly and smashed at a spot on the cave wall she’d just broken a few Stone Puppets free from.

“Weng—”

The wall shuddered violently and began raining down stones again, as if new Stone Puppets were being born.

So the wall formed by these Stone Puppets wasn’t just a single layer!

“I think we may have been going in circles,” Liuli murmured.

As long as the circle was large enough, without a compass, it was enough to mislead the person inside, making them think they were walking a straight path.

Perhaps this entire cave wall was composed of Stone Puppets!

The path forward was endless, the way back was blocked, the wall couldn’t be broken through, and the ceiling was too high.

Liuli swung her large hammer and smashed fiercely at the ground beneath her feet.

The earth instantly trembled. It was working!

Bang, bang, bang!

Liuli used all her strength, pouring True Qi into the wooden hammer until it seemed like iron. Hammer blow after hammer blow landed in the exact same spot. Finally, a crack rapidly widened, and a black hole collapsed inward, centered on the hammering point!

A powerful suction force gushed from the black hole, sucking Liuli and the nearby Stone Puppets in together. Moments later, the ground squirmed and returned to its original state…