Chapter 23- That Harmless Smile

"What terrifying speed!! Even I almost lost track of him when he made his move. Is he really only at the Foundation Realm?!"

A mid-stage Core Formation disciple in astonishment.

"Not only that, he actually managed to stop an attack from an early Core Formation realm cultivator with just a finger. What a monster, it looks like Young Master Longwei with his Legendary Physique isn't the only monster-level genius the Wu Clan has."

As Longmin stood there with his finger against Xiang Shi's sword, the red rune on the tip of his finger released a string of energy into it.

With astounding speed, it shot towards the hidden aura that was headed for Xiang Shi's dantian.

The hidden aura began to struggle while it was being wrapped up by Longmin's string of energy, but its struggle was futile as the string of energy effortlessly overpower it and began to pull it towards Longmin's finger.

After the aura entered the rune on his finger, Longmin dropped his hand and slowly turned around to look at Li Shen, who was still on the ground.

Li Shen had sensed what just happened to his hidden aura and a look of surprise flashed within Li Shen's eyes, which then transformed into anger before quickly turning calm.

Those changes were so minor a normal person wouldn't have been able to detect them, however, Longmin who was silently looking at Li Shen saw those changes within his eyes very clearly.

The fourteen-year-old Longmin just smiled as he looked at Li Shen. That smile held a certain charm that made him seem harmless.

His young and immature face could make one feel he was any but a naive youth. People like that weren't rare in the cultivation, having been pampered from a young age and sheltered from any and all dangers.

It could be possible that this Longmin was such a person, given his background.

Li Shen took that into consideration as he saw that smile. He then thought to himself.

'Was it a coincidence he found my Mirror Aura? The manual said that no one below the Sage Realm should be able to sense it if used it with my current cultivation. Even Sage Realm cultivators if they aren't specifically looking for it they wouldn't be able to sense it. It must have been a coincidence, there is no way this Foundation Realm brat's perception could be similar to a Sage Realm expert.'

The tension in Li Shen's heart eased. This technique was his most guarded secret and he went to great lengths to make sure no one found out about it.

The last thing he wanted was for the Wu Clan to get wind that he had a technique like this. He knew how powerful and special the technique was, and he didn't want to take any chances.

'Though I have to admit that this little guy in front of me is really a monster-level genius. He's so powerful despite being in the mid-stage of the Foundation Realm. He's not like his brother who has a Legendary Physique, so he must have popped several heavenly pills to have this amount of strength at his age.'

As soon as Li Shen's attention drifted and he stop thinking of Longmin as a threat.

With the same smiling expression, Longmin's brown pupils suddenly lit up with a blue and gold rune.

Longmin's eyes then glazed over Li Shen's body, stopping at his dantian for a second and then moving to his forehead.

Li Shen suddenly felt a cold chill go down his spine as he sensed the treasure in his sea of consciousness trembling along with the developing Mirror Aura within his dantian.

Li Shen's face went pale as he realized his blunder.

He let his guard down, he thought that Longmin was here to stop the fight and happened to sense the aura within Xiang Shi's sword.

'How is this possible?! Damnit! Now that he found out about my technique there's no way he's going to let me go. Dammit!!"

Li Shen cried out internally.

‘It's because of that bastard Xiao Fang forcing me to come here. I don't know how he found out about the manual in my sea of consciousness but he had no idea about the technique itself and how special it was, so I could have handled his schemes. But now this demon of a child appeared out of nowhere and just causally figured everything out. Worse of all he's one of the Young Masters of the Wu Clan. I've dealt with people like him before, and they're nothing but a bunch of greedy shameless dogs who see everyone as ants below their feet. But even so, there's no way I can't fight back against him.'

Li Shen's heart was in turmoil as he gritted his teeth in frustration.

'The only way for him to get the technique is to sever the connection between the manual and my soul, but they're totally fused. I would die if he decides to take it.'

Meanwhile Li Shen was having a panic attack inside, the pupils in Longmin's eyes faded away and with the smile never leaving his face he said.

"That's a really powerful technique you have there, it's probably on the same level as a Legacy Technique from our clan, or even a bit higher."

Hearing that, Li Shen's heart seized with fear, and an overwhelming amount of dread washed over him.

'That's it, I'm dead! Kaput! I’m definitely a goner! He's going to kill me to get the manual! There's no way I'm living past today!!'

However, Longmin's next actions caused Li Shen's mind to go blank while he just stared on confused.

Longmin twitch his finger slightly and the trapped aura was released. Then showing off its miraculous properties, it merge with the surrounding Spiritual Qi and remained undetected as it traveled through the air and passed through Li Shen's abdomen, and entered his dantian.

Not spearing a further glance, Longmin turned and vanished, reappearing several dozens of meters away next to Longwei.

"Did you find something interesting, little brother?"

Longwei asked softly from the side.

Longmin thought for a moment then replied.

"I'm not sure yet. When we enter the Pocket Realm we'll see."

Longwei didn't ask any further questions, he knew Longmin would tell him eventually.

As the crowd's focus shifted from Longmin and back onto the Pocket Realm's entrance, their excitement bubble burst and overflowed as the entrance was now fully opened.

The tear in space had completely covered the entire Valley.

Its length had stretched from between the two mountain peaks to reach the Valley's floor, and its width was as wide as the space between the two mountains' bases, which was several hundred meters wide.

All the disciples watched as it stabilized, but no one moved to enter.

Despite their excitement and eagerness to enter the Pocket Realm, they all forcefully stopped themselves and turned to look at Longwei and Longmin. They were all waiting for them to enter first.

Nothing less was expected in this situation since they were the Wu Clan. Even though they were the elites of the younger generation of the various sects and clans, they were still under the control of the Wu Clan and thus Longwei's and Longmin's status was far above theirs.

Longwei and Longmin began to walk through the path the crowd had made for them.

Before long, they reached the humongous entrance where the strange aura was a lot stronger.

Longmin stretched out his arm and it came into contact with a clear membrane-like structure. He felt that as long he willed it he could push past it and enter the world beyond.

Longwei's voice sounded next to him.

"Are you ready?"

Longmin nodded his head in confirmation.

"Here."

Longwei said while handing Longmin a jade slip.

Longwei followed up by saying.

"Father gave me a jade slip with a detailed map of the Lesser Pocket Realm. I made a copy of it on that slip."

Longmin nodded his head once again as he took the jade slip and place it in his storage bag dangling from his waist.

Meanwhile, the disciples only stared on with greed, wishing they could get a hold of such a valuable item.

None of the sects had a detailed map of the Pocket Realm, at most they would have several places where treasures could be found as well as some territories of dangerous demonic beasts marked down.

If they could get a hold of a map like that, they could navigate around the dangerous areas in Realm and loot all the treasures they find.

But sadly, the Wu Clan kept a close guard on such a map.

"Alright little brother, let us go get my Heavenly Pallet."

As Longwei said that, he push past the clear membrane and entered.

Longmin was right behind him, but just before his entire body entered through the entrance he suddenly felt someone's gaze on them.

Before he could turn around to see who it was, the sensation vanished and his entire body entered the Lesser Pocket Realm. The two late-stage Core Formation bodyguards followed suit.