Ever since she realized the person who suddenly grabbed her was Jiang Yin, Tang Muxi’s anxious heart gradually calmed down.
Although Jiang Yin was currently just a low-level Qi training disciple, her domineering demeanor as a demon lord was so ingrained that Tang Muxi had no doubt she could evade pursuit.
The only thing that upset her was Jiang Yin’s fierce attitude; couldn’t she be a bit gentler?
Demons are truly unreasonable.
Jiang Yin somehow managed to pull her away right under Wang Qu’s nose, and he, oblivious, continued his pursuit straight ahead, disappearing into the bamboo forest in just a moment.
Once he was far enough away, Jiang Yin slowly let go of her hand, took a half step back, and stood with her hands behind her back amidst the bamboo.
Tang Muxi, feeling a bit sore from the grip, rubbed her wrist.
She didn’t want to bother with Jiang Yin, but seeing her staring intently, she couldn’t help but pout and defensively said, “I was just looking for someone, it was a chance encounter.”
“Looking for Duan Yurong?”
Jiang Yin spoke coldly, her gaze sharpening as if to pierce through her.
Tang Muxi lowered her head, silent.
“I didn’t know my junior sister cared so much about a mere servant disciple. Hiding things from me and even begging the elders to accept him.”
In that moment, Jiang Yin truly felt murderous.
She had also heard the conversation between Duan Yurong and Wang Qu, and now she wished she could tear Duan Yurong to pieces.
If it weren’t for today’s incident, she might have almost forgotten that in her past life, it was Duan Yurong who always encouraged Tang Muxi to ruin her face and destroy her spiritual roots.
If not for her strong will to live, she might not have survived.
These past few days, Tang Muxi seemed like a different person, constantly calling her “senior sister” in a way that seemed rather foolish, which made Jiang Yin lower her guard.
But today’s events were a huge disappointment.
Tang Muxi could choose to deceive and hide things, but if she dared to plot anything malicious, Jiang Yin swore it would be more than just a sword through the heart.
Dolls are amusing, but if they try to harm, she wouldn’t hesitate to turn her back on them.
Under Jiang Yin’s oppressive gaze, Tang Muxi finally gave in, reaching out to grab Jiang Yin’s sleeve and whispered in compromise, “Don’t be angry… I just felt pity for her, I didn’t want her to continue making mistakes.”
Jiang Yin stared at her for a long while before finally looking away.
Wang Qu was only temporarily misled by her illusion; without the support of spiritual power, it wouldn’t take long for him to notice something was amiss.
Initially, she had thought to eliminate Duan Yurong to prevent future troubles, but hearing Tang Muxi’s quiet explanation, the fierce anger in her heart unexpectedly dissipated quite a bit.
“Just this once.”
Jiang Yin, hidden among the mottled bamboo, glanced at Duan Yurong, who had also followed, said nothing, and left.
After she left, Tang Muxi also took a deep look at Duan Yurong, feeling exhausted, and turned around.
She had intended to persuade Duan Yurong, seeing her not beyond redemption in her eyes.
But now, seeing her associated with the demonic Wang Qu, taking lives without hesitation, and not knowing what agreement they had reached, Tang Muxi no longer wished to associate with her.
If someone is determined to go down the wrong path, then no one can save them.
* The next morning, all disciples eligible to enter the Tianji Secret Realm gathered at the plaza at the entrance.
Several elders stood on the platform, with the central spot remaining empty, indicating they were waiting for the sect leader to arrive before opening the entrance to the secret realm.
Jiang Yin seemed angry.
After returning last night, she stopped interacting with Tang Muxi, maintaining her silence even as they gathered at the plaza this morning, standing alone at the edge of the crowd.
Tang Muxi arrived a bit later, hurriedly catching up after packing her things and seeing no one in the room, “Senior sister…”
she panted as she ran to Jiang Yin’s side, carrying a large bundle on her back, looking rather comical, “Why didn’t you wait for me?”
Jiang Yin didn’t respond, but unlike last night, she wasn’t completely indifferent, glancing sideways at the large bundle on Tang Muxi’s back, seemingly embarrassed, and moved two steps to the right to distance herself.
Among the hundreds of disciples on the plaza, even if some carried bags, they were only small ones for personal weapons.
No one else carried such a large bundle like her, making it seem as if she was moving house.
Tang Muxi, sensing her disdain, felt a pang of hurt but still puffed her cheeks and moved closer, “Senior sister, I have all the essential items here, I’m very foresighted.”
In her previous life, Jiang Yin had never entered the Tianji Secret Realm, but Tang Muxi had.
Inside, the seasons were chaotic, and the weather unpredictable; it could be sunny in the morning and start thundering by noon.
Moreover, food was scarce, most fruit trees were poisonous, and the beasts were mostly fierce, making hunting difficult.
Without preparing in advance, one might end up starving.
So, this time, Tang Muxi was smarter, packing everything she might need.
Pots, pans, oil, salt, soy sauce, and vinegar, nothing was left behind.
Because she brought so much, and the storage bag had limited space, she had to carry a large bundle.
She smugly looked at the fools in front of her, anticipating them starving once inside.
Without food or warmth, they wouldn’t even be able to cast spells, let alone seek fortune.
Tang Muxi chattered beside Jiang Yin, but upon seeing Duan Yurong, she immediately fell silent.
Jiang Yin, curious about her sudden quietness, followed her gaze to the servant disciple, her expression darkening as she snorted coldly.
Tang Muxi, not wanting to be misunderstood, quickly moved closer to Jiang Yin in a panic, “Senior sister, don’t worry. If you don’t want me to look for her, I won’t. I’ll be good.”
Good?
That was hardly evident.
Jiang Yin glanced at her, coldly saying, “Junior sister misunderstands. Senior sister wouldn’t dare to take offense at someone junior sister cares about.”
Tang Muxi pursed her lips, finding the great demon annoying for being sarcastic and hypocritical.
But she had a good temper and didn’t hold grudges.
Half a moment later, a black figure arrived, exuding a majestic and dignified aura.
Landing in the center of the platform, the surrounding elders bowed in respect.
Without saying much, this presence could only belong to the sect leader.
Although the Tianji Sect wasn’t the top sect in the spiritual cultivation world, it wasn’t weak either.
Sect Leader Chen Qing, a mid-stage Nascent Soul cultivator, was powerful and well-respected among cultivators.
Unfortunately, in his previous life, he was unlucky, injured during a demonic invasion, and later fell under Jiang Yin’s revenge, dying with regrets.
Tang Muxi calculated the time; if she remembered correctly, the demonic invasion would occur in a few years.
Chen Qing scanned the crowd, seeing that almost everyone had arrived, and began his speech.
This time, the Tianji Secret Realm’s weakest and most peaceful primary area was opened, with the highest level of beasts being at the Foundation Establishment stage, posing little danger.
It was specifically for disciples who had been in the sect for only a few years to practice.
Therefore, his speech was relatively relaxed, briefly mentioning some precautions.
Fearing that some would rashly enter as in previous years, he emphasized, “The secret realm token is the credential for entering the Tianji Secret Realm. Those without a token cannot enter. If you encounter danger, crush the token immediately, and the secret realm will teleport you out. The time limit is three months. If anyone remains inside after that, they will be forcibly expelled. Please keep this in mind.”
After finishing, seeing that it was time, he gestured for the elders to open the secret realm.
The entrance to the secret realm was a blue and white intertwined vortex of power.
Touching the vortex would randomly teleport the person to a certain location in the primary area.
Once the entrance was opened, the waiting disciples rushed in, fearing others would get ahead and snatch the treasures.
The plaza quickly became chaotic.
Tang Muxi, with her large bundle, was jostled about.
Jiang Yin, unable to stand it, took her bundle into her storage bag and grabbed her hand to prevent her from falling.
Tang Muxi felt lighter and, feeling a strange touch on her hand, looked up to see Jiang Yin’s indifferent face, as if nothing had happened, and couldn’t help but smile, “Thank you, senior sister,” while holding her hand in return.
At that moment, Duan Yurong, who had been watching them for a while, snorted as she passed by, using a sharp and sarcastic voice to insult, “Shameless.”
Jiang Yin’s expression hardened, ready to act, but Tang Muxi stopped her in time, “Senior sister, the sect leader is still here.”
The implication was to wait until they were inside the secret realm.
The Tianji Secret Realm, although owned by the sect, was not monitored by it.
Entering it was a matter of life and death, depending on fate.
However, each Tianji Sect disciple had a life lamp that would transmit their final moments back to the sect if they died.
If someone killed a fellow disciple, they would face severe punishment upon returning.
Jiang Yin, with a cold face, no longer spoke, pulling Tang Muxi’s hand as they entered the secret realm, but keeping another score in her heart.
As they were transported, they experienced a dizzying whirl.
When they opened their eyes, they were already inside the secret realm.
In front of Jiang Yin was a vast desert, with sand flying and the sun blazing.
The sand underfoot felt as if it had been scorched by fire, painfully hot.
The air was dry, and the surroundings were desolate, without a single beast or plant in sight, let alone water.
The barrenness made exploration seem futile.
“Tang Muxi…”
Jiang Yin instinctively called out, only to realize that the person who had been holding her hand just moments ago had disappeared, her expression darkening further.
Jiang Yin found herself in the desert, while Tang Muxi was in a completely different environment.
She was transported to a lush and vibrant place.
The sky was filled with towering trees and vines, countless greenery and flowers spread out, exuding a fairy-like aura, as if it were a paradise.
Tang Muxi was stunned by the magnificent scenery in front of her, her eyes wide open, dancing with excitement, “Senior sister, senior sister, where is this? I’ve never seen such a beautiful place!”
However, her words were met with silence.
Tang Muxi turned around, shocked to find herself alone, clearly having been separated during their entry into the secret realm.
In that instant, all her excitement faded.
They had never been separated in her previous lives, so why had it happened this time?
Damn it!
If Tang Muxi had paid more attention to her surroundings, she would have noticed the exceptionally rich spiritual energy, something not possible in the primary area of the secret realm.
Unfortunately, her mind was preoccupied with being separated from her senior sister.
