Liu Lizhu.
Liu Kongsang’s personal disciple, Liu Yanqing’s senior sister, and the top prodigy of Chongxu Sect’s generation.
Yan Zhichuan stared fixedly at Liu Lizhu, but she couldn’t spot a single trace of demonic corruption on that fair, clean face.
“Aren’t Demon Cultivators in storybooks all hideously deformed?” Yan Zhichuan asked curiously.
The Heavenly Dao System said, “…Stop reading that junk.” It perched on Yan Zhichuan’s shoulder, its gaze sweeping over the dense crowd, where it spotted over a dozen “red dots”—Demon Cultivators from various sects who had sneaked into Three Ways River. It paced restlessly on her shoulder. Three Ways River made it uneasy.
Perhaps Yan Zhichuan’s stare was too intense, but Liu Lizhu gazed back calmly from across the way, flashing her a friendly, approachable smile.
Yan Zhichuan smiled back.
Fuyu Sha frowned and yanked the eye-flirting Yan Zhichuan behind her, whispering, “What’s so great about Chongxu Sect people?”
Yan Zhichuan sent a mental message: “I’m looking at Demon Cultivators.”
Fuyu Sha was stunned. “You know who it is?” Demon Cultivators always slipped into Xuanmen sword duels to wreak havoc—every Xuanmen cultivator knew they’d have to face them eventually. But the Demon Cultivators were masters of disguise, sly by nature, nearly impossible to pick out from the crowd.
Yan Zhichuan nodded obediently and rattled off a string of names like she was ordering from a menu, then waved Yan Jizhi’s banner at the end: “My master told me to watch out for them.”
“Any evidence besides that?” Fuyu Sha asked. If there was, they could just cut the intruders down right outside Three Ways River.
Yan Zhichuan blinked and shook her head. “Nope.”
Fuyu Sha hummed in acknowledgment and shared the names with her fellow sect members. Better safe than sorry, true or not.
Yan Zhichuan mumbled to herself as Miao Tianyin returned, the Scoring Jade Slips in hand.
She distributed the jade slips to Yan Zhichuan and the others, saying casually, “After you kill Demon Creatures or Demon Cultivators, the jade slip records the points. We’ll rank and decide the order based on points then. Nine Abyss Sect might not take first, but we sure as hell won’t settle for second.”
Yan Zhichuan: “…”
Isn’t that still gunning for first?
“There’s a teleportation talisman inside each jade slip. Activate it if you face an insurmountable crisis. But don’t get too comfortable—this won’t save you every time. Even the Overlord Arena sees casualties, let alone the ruins of an immortal-demon battlefield. Life and death happen in an instant; when disaster strikes, you might not even get the chance to activate it.”
“Understood,” the Nine Abyss Sect cultivators replied in unison.
Miao Tianyin nodded in satisfaction, spun around, pulled out a soft cushion, and settled back onto her golden chair. She toyed with the die in her hand, swiping her fingertip across it. The die split in two and spun in her palm. “Then go on in.”
The ancient battlefield of Three Ways River stretched endlessly—far beyond the reach of the naked eye.
After the Cave Heaven True Persons from each sect had cleared the demonic qi and slain the higher-grade Demon Creatures, they set up a formation accessible via a single secret realm gate.
Yan Zhichuan trailed slowly behind Zhan Yujie and the others, her eyes darting everywhere. Besides the cultivators from the seven great sects, there were those from minor and mid-tier sects, even rogue Golden Core Realm cultivators. They weren’t here for rankings, though—for points. By tradition, points could be exchanged for cultivation resources.
“Lively, huh?” Fuyu Sha asked, arms crossed, glancing at the wide-eyed, gawking Yan Zhichuan.
Yan Zhichuan nodded vigorously. It was her first time seeing so many Golden Core cultivators gathered in one place.
Those in azure-white shirts with little medicine gourds at their waists are from Miracle Hand Sect. Healers who help the poor for free, but charge the rich tenfold. If you need healing later, make yourself look extra roughed up.
“The ones in black-and-red robes with copper coin ornaments and seven-star hairpins are from Heavenly Balance Mansion. Superstitious types who love fortune-telling—at exorbitant prices.”
“The snow-white robes, pearl necklaces, lotus gold crowns, and white veils over their hair? Cihang Studio. Don’t underestimate them—they’ve evolved from chanting sutras to ‘pummeling’ souls into the afterlife.”
“The flashy dressers with spirit beasts in tow, loaded with cash? Probably Myriad Beasts Sect. We bought some of our sect’s spirit beasts from them—they taste great.” Fuyu Sha licked her lips, a nostalgic glint in her eye.
Zhan Yujie shot Fuyu Sha a glance, lips pursed, tone stern: “Senior Sister Yusha.”
Yan Zhichuan’s mind was already mush. What if she corrupts me further?
Fuyu Sha coughed behind her hand. “Last one: White Jade Capital. Its three divisions—Hidden Dragon Division handles intel; you’ll never spot them in a crowd. Demon-suppression Martial Division folks have bad tempers, not easy to approach. As for Peaceful Melody Division, they rarely join sword duels. They purify demonic thoughts with music—best spot them at Peace Workshop.”
Yan Zhichuan’s eyes sparkled as she nodded like a chick pecking at grains.
Miracle Hand Sect, Zhu Feng, shady.
Heavenly Balance Mansion, con artists.
Cihang Studio, punchy redeemers.
Myriad Beasts Sect, filthy rich.
…
In the time it took to chat, the group reached the illusory secret realm gate.
Zhan Yujie lowered her gaze. “We might get separated.” She considered Yan Zhichuan’s meager skills. “If we don’t land together, find Junior Sister Yan first.”
Hunting Demon Creatures mattered, but not more than fellow disciples’ lives.
Fuyu Sha agreed.
Youying pulled out five red cords and tied one around each of their wrists. She shook hers; the red cord turned into a beam of red light that faded away. “Demonic qi suppresses everything—Heaven-Penetrating Treasure Mirror’s useless for sure. Not sure how effective my artifact will be.” She eyed Yan Zhichuan’s face, full of curiosity and excitement, and pursed her lips. “If we split up, find a safe spot and hide first, Junior Sister.”
Yan Zhichuan: “…”
I’m here to hunt Demon Creatures and take first place.
But under her senior sisters’ caring gazes, she said obediently, “Okay.”
Fuyu Sha and Youying were pleased.
Zhan Yujie frowned at Yan Zhichuan, then said abruptly, “Swear it.”
Last time outside Luofu Immortal City, she’d agreed then followed right after.
Yan Zhichuan looked up pitifully.
Facing Zhan Yujie’s expressionless face, she swore grudgingly.
“I toil for her, worry for her, and she still doubts me,” Yan Zhichuan fumed inwardly.
The Heavenly Dao System felt nothing. It poked her: “Because of past precedent.”
Was Yan Zhichuan the type to listen? Of course not!
“If not for your quests, would I have done that?” Yan Zhichuan shot back righteously, quickly shoving the blame. “I wasn’t like this before.”
The Heavenly Dao System: “No, you were.”
Yan Zhichuan sighed pitifully as her senior sisters headed into the “gate” one by one.
Zhan Yujie glanced back. “Junior Sister Yan, wait for me. There’ll be plenty of Demon Creatures to kill when I find you.”
Yan Zhichuan looked up at the sky: “Sure.”
A dreamlike, glassy halo refracted colorless light.
Yan Zhichuan’s first time entering a secret realm for adventure—she lingered a moment in the gate out of novelty, even tapping her foot around to feel if it differed from solid ground.
But when she didn’t move, a force shoved her forward.
An irresistible wind blew from behind, sending Yan Zhichuan stumbling ahead.
Blinding light flashed before her eyes. She instinctively dodged the searing beam. When she opened them again, the scenery had changed.
The world was bleak, eerie winds howling.
Endless wilderness, no path in sight.
Yan Zhichuan checked the red cord on her wrist.
A ghostly breeze blew, revealing the cord—it had been suppressed and eroded by some force, reduced to mere decoration, useless for tracking her senior sisters.
“Xiao Tian?” Yan Zhichuan called mentally.
The Heavenly Dao System: “Cheep.”
Yan Zhichuan sighed in relief. Good, I’m not alone.
She scanned around. Amid the surging demonic qi, the place wasn’t barren—it teemed with medicinal herbs.
Her trash-tier talent shone again while gathering them.
“The red cord’s useless; they can’t find me. Do I wait here?” Yan Zhichuan pondered. “If I make an unexpected choice in an unexpected situation, it doesn’t count as breaking my oath, right? I’m not wandering—I’m walking with a plan.”
The Heavenly Dao System: “…”
Yan Zhichuan gripped her sword.
Nameless Plainness hadn’t earned her a “sword immortal” title—instead, she used it as a medicine hoe, digging in the dirt.
She truly had zero sword talent; Nameless Plainness stayed utterly still, not a wisp of sword qi stirring. The pitiful herbs remained intact in her hands.
After watching her dig with a sword amid thorns, the Heavenly Dao System remembered business: “I can track Zhan Yujie.”
Yan Zhichuan blinked. “Not Senior Sister Yusha?”
No quests here required sticking to Zhan Yujie like glue.
The Heavenly Dao System said coldly, “No.”
If not for Zhan Yujie being a linked target, it couldn’t track her either.
Yan Zhichuan perked up optimistically. “Fine, Senior Sister Zhan it is—super safe.”
“Cloud—don’t come.” Yan Zhichuan started summoning her artifact but trailed off after one syllable, recalling secret realm survival tips from storybooks. Better not draw attention.
Flying around on her artifact? One, it’d attract Demon Creatures. Two, what if she ran into shady cultivators? Get robbed?
Yan Zhichuan: “Xiao Tian, plot the safest route.”
The Heavenly Dao System cheeped curses. How would I know what’s safe?
A misty map appeared before her eyes, her position marked “Darkwater Forest.” At the far end, a moving blue dot symbolized Zhan Yujie.
Everywhere was danger? Take the shortest path.
Yan Zhichuan grumbled, gripped Nameless Plainness for courage, and trudged through the muddy forest.
Strange “jie-jie” cackles echoed from the treetops, mixed with drawn-out “gu-gu”s.
“Xiao Tian, check around for dan—”
Before “danger” escaped her lips, a verdant green lightning bolt streaked toward her face, swift as thunder.
Yan Zhichuan’s pupils shrank. She stabbed Nameless Plainness into the ground as the Medicine God Cauldron materialized, smashing viciously at the green flash.
Bang! The green light crashed down.
Yan Zhichuan looked closely: a mangled, bloody snake.
She’d just exhaled when ripples spread in the puddle by her foot. Thick demonic qi bubbled up; moss-covered “tree trunks” came alive, thrusting upward.
Before she could catch her breath, she looked up into crimson snake eyes.
A demonized python.
Her grand pre-entry vow to rack up points? Forgotten.
Terror froze her stiff; a shrill “help” nearly squeaked out.
