Chapter 20: A Demonic Beast’s Greed

No matter how she thought about it, Bai Xiaoxiao still felt there was some connection between Rong Yuzhuo and Rong Qingqing—not just the shared surname, but because they looked so remarkably alike.

It would be hard to explain without some blood relation.

So after a moment’s deliberation, she decided not to beat around the bush any longer.

Asking directly was, in a way, tipping one’s hand. But Bai Xiaoxiao genuinely found it exhausting to plot out a roundabout interrogation. Besides, she had an instinct…

Perhaps because she was now a Spirit Beast, she could sense a person’s nature more keenly—especially malice, which she perceived very sensitively.

Rong Yuzhuo’s appearance here was strange, but her temperament was gentle and her eyes clear, utterly unlike Rong Qingqing’s disguised innocence.

So Bai Xiaoxiao decided to just ask directly: “Fellow Daoist Rong, I won’t waste words with you. Actually, I wanted to ask whether you know someone named Rong Qingqing.”

Rong Yuzhuo had sensed the probing in Bai Xiaoxiao’s words, but it was only now that she understood, and surprise flashed in her eyes.

Bai Xiaoxiao understood from her expression: Rong Yuzhuo did indeed know Rong Qingqing.

This woman didn’t seem good at hiding her feelings either—her face was crystal clear.

And Rong Yuzhuo was indeed very surprised. “So… the acquaintance you mentioned is the Eldest Miss of the main line.”

“The Eldest Miss?”

Bai Xiaoxiao blinked.

Rong Yuzhuo nodded. “Her name is Rong Qingqing… right? If I’m not mistaken, there is indeed a young lady by that name in the main line of the Rong family.

Although the Rong Family is only a small noble clan in the Central Continent, the current generation of the main line is quite talented.

The most outstanding is this Eldest Miss. I heard that because of her remarkable talent, she entered the Shangqing Sword Sect and was accepted as a disciple by Sword Venerable Mingyue.

When word came back, the main line was so overjoyed they held a grand banquet, inviting every branch of the family.”

Rong Yuzhuo spread her hands. “But I didn’t have the time then, so I didn’t go join the fun.”

Bai Xiaoxiao had a feeling of “I knew it.” So they were related by blood, though only distantly.

But if Rong Qingqing was a child of the main line, why did she look so much like Rong Yuzhuo of the side branch?

Were the two of them really not twins?

Bai Xiaoxiao couldn’t figure it out. After a moment’s thought, she probed, “Fellow Daoist Rong, do you know that you look very much like Rong Qingqing?”

Rong Yuzhuo was startled. “Very much?” Then she shook her head. “No, I really didn’t know. Our branch, aside from still bearing the surname Rong, has almost no contact with the main line.

Our family no longer lives at the Rong family estate. Aside from receiving word on major occasions like that, we don’t even bother with face-to-face visits.”

But… so she looked very much like that Eldest Miss?

Rong Yuzhuo suddenly understood. “So it was because you mistook me for her that you saved me.”

Bai Xiaoxiao choked. She wanted to say no, but upon closer examination, there wasn’t anything wrong with that reasoning, so she was stuck without a word.

Rong Yuzhuo was open-minded and laughed. “Don’t mind it, Fellow Daoist. I’ve always been clear-headed about things. I know it was you who saved me, and I certainly won’t credit the Eldest Miss for the debt.

If you ever need anything in the future, you can come to Fog City to find me. But we’ve chatted a long while and I still haven’t asked your name?”

“My name is Bai Xiaoxiao.”

After giving her name, hesitation flickered across Bai Xiaoxiao’s face.

Keeping this hidden felt like lying, and she couldn’t get past that hurdle in her conscience. So she let out a breath and said, “You may have misunderstood, Fellow Daoist Rong. I’m not friends with that Eldest Miss of yours. In fact, we have some friction. When I realized you weren’t her, I was actually relieved.”

No one wanted to save someone they had a grudge against, especially since Rong Qingqing had just schemed against her.

Bai Xiaoxiao hadn’t forgotten the grudge. It was just that her modern sensibilities constrained her—she couldn’t bear to watch a person die right before her eyes.

If she hadn’t noticed, that was one thing. But seeing someone in danger and refusing to help—even if it didn’t become an Inner Demon, it would always leave a shadow.

She spoke candidly, without the slightest attempt to hide it.

Rong Yuzhuo, in turn, laughed, her expression relaxing. “I see. You’re a straightforward person, Fellow Daoist Bai.

You saved my life. I’ll remember this debt. If you ever come to Fog City, you must come find me, so I can fulfill my duties as host.”

Bai Xiaoxiao nodded. “Of course, of course—as long as I’m not too much trouble for you, Fellow Daoist Rong.”

The two chatted for a while, each finding the other likeable, and the atmosphere grew quite congenial.

Unfortunately, this wasn’t the time for idle talk.

As they spoke, the thick gray mist shrouding the secret realm had noticeably thinned.

Bai Xiaoxiao was surprised when she noticed, but after a moment’s thought, her expression changed.

She remembered Ming Jingqiu saying this secret realm might have dragged the cultivators in to devour them, using them as nourishment to complete its formation.

Now that the gray mist was thinning, did it mean some of the swallowed cultivators had already died?

That would be a real problem.

If the secret realm had already started making its move, then the cultivators inside were in great danger.

No one knew how much nourishment it needed, or whether it would be their turn next.

At this point, survival was the only thing that mattered.

As for the Secret Realm Stone… who the hell knew what that thing actually was?

Bai Xiaoxiao didn’t believe it was literally a stone. She was afraid that before she found this great opportunity, she’d end up losing herself instead.

With a long sigh, Bai Xiaoxiao decided to ask, “System, can you check where the Secret Realm Stone is, and what it is? I refuse to believe it’s really a stone.”

“The Host will need to investigate on her own.”

Bai Xiaoxiao mused, “This is the Cultivation World. Weird and wonderful things are everywhere. Even if it’s called the Secret Realm Stone, I shouldn’t limit myself to the literal meaning. But if that’s the case, wouldn’t it be even harder to find?”

“That’s right, Host.”

Bai Xiaoxiao sat in thought for a moment, then suddenly clapped her hands. “I’ve got it. Since the Secret Realm Stone is the Female Lead’s opportunity, it only makes sense for me to stick close to Rong Qingqing.”

With her decision made, Bai Xiaoxiao rose and looked around. Visibility was growing better and better, but her face grew more worried.

Rong Yuzhuo was good at reading expressions. When Bai Xiaoxiao fell into thought, she’d tactfully kept quiet. Now seeing her rise, she also stood. “Fellow Daoist Bai, do you know what this place is?”

Bai Xiaoxiao just remembered there was another person beside her—and that Rong Yuzhuo had presumably been dragged in randomly by the secret realm as well. So she gave a soft sigh and explained the situation.

“In that case, we can’t leave even if we want to?”

Rong Yuzhuo’s face was full of woe after listening.

“With luck like mine, I really am down on my luck. How did I get pulled into a man-eating secret realm out of nowhere?”

She had no great ambitions. Even if she knew this secret realm held great opportunities, she knew her own limits, so she took it in stride.

More than a great opportunity, Rong Yuzhuo cared about staying alive.

Bai Xiaoxiao looked at her and inexplicably felt the same salted-fish aura she herself had. A sense of kinship arose.

“Don’t be afraid, Fellow Daoist Rong. Why don’t we travel together for now? I need to find my senior sister and companions anyway. If we stick together, we can at least watch each other’s backs.”

Rong Yuzhuo’s brows relaxed. “Then thank you very much.”

If she could, she’d have liked to leave right away. But clearly this damn secret realm wouldn’t let people go so easily.

Rong Yuzhuo had no choice but to go with Bai Xiaoxiao. With her current cultivation, she’d likely step into danger the moment she was alone.

So the two set off at once, plus one little snake.

Strangely enough, that little snake hadn’t changed along with Bai Xiaoxiao when she resumed human form; it remained a little snake.

Bai Xiaoxiao was baffled. She stared at it for a long time, then finally let the snake follow. She was curious to see what it really wanted.

Shen Zhiyue had said the little snake was harmless for now—but since “for now” was attached, it meant at some stage, it might change.

At the thought, Bai Xiaoxiao paused, then sent a sliver of Divine Sense into her Sea of Consciousness, hoping to quietly check on Shen Zhiyue’s condition.

She found the little figure sitting with eyes closed, the spiritual aura around her slightly dim.

Bai Xiaoxiao knew that meant Shen Zhiyue’s consciousness wasn’t on the Soul Fragment.

Knowing she was away brought not only disappointment but a strange feeling.

Maybe she was overthinking it, but every time something involving Rong Qingqing came up, Shen Zhiyue’s consciousness just happened to not be on the Soul Fragment.

Then again, maybe she was just being paranoid.

Bai Xiaoxiao walked along, distracted, until a hard shove sent her body lurching aside. Where she’d been standing, a thunderous crash exploded, and an invisible wave of force blasted toward her, nearly throwing her away.

For a moment, Bai Xiaoxiao’s ears rang, and she couldn’t hear a thing.

Before she could recover, another attack came at her. Her pupils shrank.

Her instincts from recent training made her twist away and roll, barely dodging—but where she’d stood a moment ago, a massive crater now gaped.

What the hell was that?!

Her scalp crawling, Bai Xiaoxiao was shaken dizzy.

“Fellow Daoist Bai, watch out—it’s a Demonic Beast!”

Rong Yuzhuo’s voice seemed to come from very far away. Bai Xiaoxiao finally realized the earlier impact had damaged her ears.

But she couldn’t worry about that now. She yanked the Cangqing Sword from her back in one motion and stared warily at the unknown Demonic Beast hidden in the gray mist, cold sweat pouring down her back.

A Demonic Beast? There were Demonic Beasts in this secret realm?!

Shock filled her heart, but she didn’t dare lower her guard.

If a Demonic Beast was really attacking her, this would be a hard battle.

This was too much to ask. A little Foundation Establishment cultivator like her, forced to face a Demonic Beast head-on?

Bai Xiaoxiao’s confidence was low, but the Cangqing Sword hummed with fighting spirit.

“You really are worthy of being the sword Shen Zhiyue once used.”

Sigh. It was a shame the sword was matched with a little salted fish like her.

Bai Xiaoxiao found bitter amusement where she could, but her eyes were locked on the gray mist.

The mist churned continuously, as if the Demonic Beast was constantly shifting positions.

“Clang—”

Bai Xiaoxiao’s pupils contracted as she raised the Cangqing Sword to block the attack on pure instinct—but the blow against the blade rang out like metal striking stone.

Just what kind of beast was this?

Bai Xiaoxiao was forced back several meters by the force. She drove the Cangqing Sword deep into the ground just to stop herself.

From a single exchange, she knew: this Demonic Beast’s cultivation far surpassed hers.

It was probably a demonic beast nearing Golden Core.

Bai Xiaoxiao spat out a mouthful of stale air.

Even between Foundation Establishment cultivators, there were great gaps between minor stages. A single minor stage was hard for an ordinary cultivator to overcome—let alone a beast about to form its Core.

Back when she’d read novels, protagonists always managed to fight above their level, and it had felt satisfying to imagine herself in their shoes. But now that she had to actually do it, Bai Xiaoxiao could only taste bitterness.

A sweet, coppery taste rose in her throat. She’d taken some internal damage.

She held back the blood and stared coldly at the beast, now unable to hide as the gray mist faded.

The Demonic Beast was hideous, ugly beyond words. Its crimson eyes were like lanterns, and when they looked at her, they were filled with greed.

Bai Xiaoxiao understood why it had come at her. It wanted to eat her.

Of course. Demonic Beasts loved to devour cultivators, and a Spirit Beast like her would surely be a great tonic.

She let out a breath and tightened her grip on her sword, but she still couldn’t stop her body’s instinctive trembling.

Just then, the Demonic Beast exhaled a gust of breath, murder in its eyes, and leapt into the air.

Bai Xiaoxiao had been watching it closely. The moment it moved, a suffocating Spiritual Pressure crashed down on her. She clenched her jaw and bore it, but the sword she tried to swing felt as heavy as ten thousand jin.

The force of her grip split the skin at the base of her thumb, blood seeping out—but Bai Xiaoxiao couldn’t feel any pain. All she knew was that if she couldn’t dodge this strike, she’d almost certainly die.

In that critical moment, her mind became clearer than ever before.

Memories from her studies at Knowledge-Seeking Peak surfaced like a lantern reel.

…

“Cultivation isn’t just about building your cultivation base—it’s about cultivating your heart, comprehending Heaven and Earth, and advancing steadily.

Of course, sometimes accidents are unavoidable. If one day you encounter a higher-realm cultivator with no retreat left…”

“Try to comprehend Heaven and Earth. Perhaps there will be a thread of hope.”

When death was already at the door, could anyone really comprehend Heaven and Earth at a moment like that?

That had been Bai Xiaoxiao’s thought at the time.

But now, it seemed there was no other choice.

She didn’t actually know how to comprehend Heaven and Earth. But watching the attack grow closer, in an instant, all sounds and images receded like the tide.

Her eyes shifted rapidly—suns and moons turning, starry rivers filling the sky—until it all transformed into a single wisp of gentle wind.

The onrushing Demonic Beast seemed to slow a hundredfold. Bai Xiaoxiao’s expression suddenly calmed, and the Cangqing Sword in her hand let out an excited hum.

In the gray-shrouded secret realm, a thread of wind had somehow materialized out of nowhere. It expanded at terrifying speed, spiraling the gray mist around it as it rushed toward Bai Xiaoxiao.

For a single instant, the world in Bai Xiaoxiao’s eyes seemed to turn black and white. Only that wisp of wind felt intimately familiar.

The sword in her hand had somehow become impossibly light, as if it weighed nothing.

So Bai Xiaoxiao swung. That gentle wind, as if summoned, howled toward the Demonic Beast.

In that flash, its might shook the heavens, and a Heaven and Earth Phenomenon emerged.

The gentle wind in Bai Xiaoxiao’s eyes, once released, transformed into a terrifying Astral Wind capable of killing.

Bai Xiaoxiao watched the Demonic Beast being engulfed by the Astral Wind. In the blink of an eye, it was gravely wounded, its body covered in gaping cuts that reached the bone.

At some point, the ringing in her ears had faded, and faint sounds slowly returned.

It was then that Bai Xiaoxiao realized someone was calling her.

She turned her head slowly and saw Rong Yuzhuo, face full of panic, running toward her.

The world spun. Bai Xiaoxiao felt incredibly weak, as if she’d been hollowed out.

Her arms trembled uncontrollably. The Cangqing Sword fell silent, no longer stirring.

Bai Xiaoxiao finally gave out and collapsed to the ground, her breath coming in short, ragged gasps.

“Fellow Daoist Bai? Are you alright? Fellow Daoist Bai?!”

It was Rong Yuzhuo speaking.

Bai Xiaoxiao knew she shouldn’t close her eyes—after all, Rong Yuzhuo was a stranger she’d only just met. But she was too tired.

Her eyelids were impossibly heavy, darkness closing in. In the last moment of consciousness, Bai Xiaoxiao seemed to sense a familiar presence.

But she had no strength left to look.