chapter 42

Do you like this person?

Before heading to the Kun Yuan Secret Realm, Zhan Yunwei first needed to settle the rescued clan members. Now, Madam Hua, Zhan Xueyin, and even Bai Rui were all present.

The Dongshi Mirror, which Zhan Yunwei always carried with her, finally had its use. No longer restricted by the Spirit-Binding Bracelet, she could now activate the mirror on her own.

As the ripples faded, the image in the mirror revealed a scene that surprised Madam Hua.

"Where is this?"

In the mirror, the Lord of Changya Mountain was sitting in a bamboo house, and through the faint view, one could see a golden sky outside.

Zhan Yunwei paused for a moment and said, "Probably in the Xumi Valley."

Zhan Shujing said, "The mountain lord is not in the human realm, how could he have gone to the Xumi Valley?"

No wonder he had been out of touch for the past few months.

According to rumors, the Xumi Valley was located outside the three realms, forming a fourth realm beyond the human world, spirit domain, and Du'e City. It could only be accessed with the moonlight as a key, and it could only accommodate soulless bodies or the remnants of souls without physical form.

No one knew exactly where it was located.

Madam Hua, being over a hundred years old, pondered for a moment before saying, "I have heard of a saying that the Xumi Valley is the dwelling place of an ancient divine race. Meeting it is a rare opportunity. Given the mountain lord's current situation, it shouldn't be a bad thing."

Zhan Yunwei nodded. In her past life, the elder of Changya Mountain had mentioned this matter to her, saying that her father had a chance to enter the Xumi Valley, which eventually allowed him to repair a broken spiritual pill.

It must be during this time.

She let out a sigh of relief. As long as there was no change, it would be fine. If she counted the days, her father would return safely in a year.

Zhan Yunwei glanced at her father in the mirror one last time before retracting her spiritual power.

The further the Dongshi Mirror could see, the more it consumed the wielder's spiritual energy. It was a pleasant surprise that she had successfully traced it back to the Xumi Valley.

On the day of the Zhongyuan Festival, Zhan Yunwei sat in a mountain pavilion. The vast sky stretched out, and a gentle breeze filled her sleeves.

The common people feared the legend of the "Hundred Ghosts Procession," so they typically stayed indoors on this night.

When Zhan Shujing found her, he noticed she was not admiring flowers or gazing at the moon, but instead was guiding the moonlight, practicing Spirit Control Techniques.

Sensing his arrival, Zhan Yunwei withdrew her technique.

Zhan Shujing ascended to the pavilion and looked at the young girl beneath the moonlight. Her bright eyes and white teeth made him think again that she didn't resemble a Spirit Master at all.

Which Spirit Master practices so diligently? And even specifically practices forbidden techniques.

He remembered that when he was younger, while studying at the academy, due to his irritable temper, he had poor relationships with others.

At one point, many people crowded around him.

These people brought rare books and medicinal pills, and they would always ask, "Young Master Zhan, what does your sister like?"

"I recently got a chess manual. Can I bring it to your sister?"

"Has the mountain lord mentioned when he plans to betroth Miss Zhan?"

Zhan Shujing once wanted to strangle all these people and tell them to go far away. His mother was the leader of the Qingyang Sect, and he was her only child—he didn't have a sister!

Later, when these people learned that Zhan Yunwei was studying Spirit Control Techniques, they finally became much quieter.

Before the great war of the Immortal Sect Dynasty, Zhan Shujing and Zhan Yunwei had a strained relationship. He found her to be an irritating troublemaker, while she saw him as an unreasonable ingrate.

But after their meeting in the prison, Zhan Yunwei had become inexplicably gentler toward him. However, Zhan Shujing still didn't know how to get along with her.

Zhan Yunwei asked, "Why are you here?"

Zhan Shujing had been feeling conflicted recently, swinging between great joy and deep sorrow. When he heard that Zhan Yunwei was going to cancel her engagement, he thought that at least she had some taste.

What was so good about Pei Yujing? He practiced a cold and unlikable path, the old men of Penglai were annoying, and his mother was even worse, full of malicious thoughts.

Though he didn't want to admit it, Pei Yujing did look good, and his strength was undeniable. But Zhan Shujing still felt that whoever married him would be unlucky.

Recently, Zhan Shujing had been secretly trying to understand what "emotional entanglement" meant, and when he found out, he nearly fainted.

But the fact that Zhan Yunwei had returned unscathed was the greatest blessing amidst the misfortune.

Compared to life and death, everything else truly seemed insignificant.

Such matters weren't a big deal. At most, it was like being bitten by a mad dog—a little annoying to think about, but nothing more.

Meeting Zhan Yunwei's gaze, Zhan Shujing said, "I couldn't sleep, so I decided to take a walk. This day, in the past, was also when the Immortal Sect would eliminate evil spirits."

All the disciples would be busy all night, ensuring that evil spirits wouldn't escape into the mortal realm to harm humans.

Hearing this, Zhan Yunwei thought that this year, without the Immortal Sect's involvement, the task of eliminating the evil spirits would fall entirely on the Che Tian Mansion.

Only on this day did people hope that they would do their best, keeping everyone safe.

She couldn't help but think of the sachets she had made for Lord Yue, hoping they would be useful.

Zhan Shujing seemed to recall something and narrowed his eyes. "Let me borrow your mirror."

"What do you want to do?"

Zhan Shujing said, "I want to see the situation in the Spirit Domain. After all, it's the Zhongyuan Festival tonight."

Zhan Yunwei handed the mirror to him.

The Dongshi Mirror shimmered, and Zhan Yunwei leaned in to look. At first, she thought her brother wanted to see the common people under Changya Mountain.

But as the image gradually became clearer, a man appeared in the mirror, wearing a ghostly mask with fangs, dressed in a black robe with silver patterns.

"..." She almost laughed in anger. Zhan Shujing really just wanted to see if Yue Zhiheng had died tonight.

In the mirror, twenty-four ice needles pierced through the vast black fog, and wherever they passed, the evil spirits screamed and vanished.

Eventually, the ice needles gathered in the hands of the man in the black robe, forming an ice-blue whip.

The areas on his body stained with evil spirit blood appeared dull.

It was already past the second watch. Yue Zhiheng had likely killed a significant number of evil spirits. When the whip was swung again, he suddenly clutched his chest, pausing for a moment.

Zhan Yunwei frowned.

Zhan Shujing raised an eyebrow. It seemed the emperor of the dynasty didn't regard that scoundrel as human either. While Pei Yujing was still nursing his wounds, Yue Zhiheng was still leading his men through the dark night of the Spirit Domain.

It was unclear if Yue Zhiheng sensed someone's gaze, but he suddenly looked up.

In that instant, his sharp and precise gaze met Zhan Yunwei's directly.

Although he wore a mask and his expression was hidden, Zhan Yunwei could see only his eyes—dark as ink—and they caused an unexpected flutter in her chest.

Zhan Yunwei quickly covered the Dongshi Mirror, interrupting Zhan Shujing's technique. She was a little annoyed and shot him a glare.

Why did he have to look around like that!

The Dongshi Mirror shouldn't be used to spy on anyone. If Yue Zhiheng had truly sensed something, Zhan Yunwei felt almost embarrassed enough to dig a hole and hide in it.

What would Yue Zhiheng think?

Meanwhile, on the dynasty's side, Fang Huai, panting heavily, caught up with Yue Zhiheng. "Are you alright, Brother Yue?"

Yue Zhiheng withdrew his gaze and replied in a calm voice, "I'm fine."

"What were you looking at just now?"

Yue Zhiheng lowered his head, putting away his whip without saying a word. He seemed somewhat lost in thought.

Fang Huai glanced at the empty space, trying to imitate Yue Zhiheng's behavior, but aside from the remnants of the vanishing evil spirits, he saw nothing.

Because Yue Zhiheng wore a mask, Fang Huai couldn't discern his mood. He was exhausted; despite having brought everyone he could from the Fang family to assist, he still felt strangely helpless.

Managing the Che Tian Mansion wasn't a task for ordinary people.

They kept going until dawn, and the group returned without further incident.

That night, eight members of the Che Tian Mansion's guards were lost.

A mute woman approached and, as expected, found that Yue Zhiheng's wound had opened again. She was heartbroken, and her tears nearly spilled.

Yue Zhiheng took off his mask, gently pushed her away, and said calmly, "It's nothing. I'll be fine in a couple of days."

Though his face was pale, his eyes held an inexplicable, strange expression.

He appeared slightly better than in the past few days, and the mute woman noticed this subtle change, though she was still confused.

What had happened tonight?

In the following days, Yue Zhiheng was able to rest and heal. By the 22nd of July, the Kun Yuan Secret Realm finally opened.

With Yue Zhiheng going, Fang Huai felt greatly reassured, but Yue Zhiheng coldly poured cold water on him.

"The Kun Yuan Secret Realm is one of the few remaining ancient secret realms. Unlike the evil spirits in the Kaiyang Realm, the Kun Yuan Secret Realm harbors demonic creatures."

As the Spirit Domain developed, demons had long since vanished from the world. Only in the oldest secret realms, which opened once a year, did new demons continue to be born, even if the old ones perished.

Although these creatures could not leave the Kun Yuan Secret Realm, their very existence was a danger.

If it weren't for the need to take over the family business in a few years, and his current lack of strength to protect his family, Fang Huai really wouldn't want to go.

But sometimes, crises also meant opportunities. He just hoped his luck would be a bit better!

As they were about to depart, Shen Ye was waiting outside, and to everyone's surprise, Qu Lanyue was also there.

Fang Huai, stunned, asked, "You're going too?"

Qu Lanyue covered her lips and smiled. "I also want to expand my knowledge. Moreover, now that Lord Yue no longer has a Dao companion, it's a long, lonely night. It's good to have someone who understands the cold and warmth..."

Yue Zhiheng glanced at her.

She smiled and closed her mouth, stopping her nonsense. "How fierce," she thought. "No wonder that cute beauty doesn't want you."

This was her persona, after all, so she had to maintain it.

Fang Huai, with a complicated expression, said, "Miss Qu, the secret realm is dangerous. You should return. If something happens, we may not be able to protect you."

Qu Lanyue twirled the umbrella in her hand but said nothing, only smiling.

Yue Zhiheng said to Fang Huai, "Mind your own business. Even if you die, she may not."

Fang Huai was stunned.

It was only then that he seemed to realize that Qu Lanyue was also a Spirit Cultivator.

How many levels of spiritual veins did she have?

Qu Lanyue smiled playfully, "I'm much more capable than you, Lord Fang."

A considerable number of people from the Immortal Sect were also going into the Kun Yuan Secret Realm.

In the past, when the Immortal Mountain still stood, such expeditions were common. Although few dared to choose the Kun Yuan Secret Realm, due to the presence of demons, the situation was different now. With the impending collapse of the Immortal Sect, everyone knew they had to grow stronger. And what better place than the ancient secret realms?

If they were lucky enough to gain a legacy, they could undergo a transformation in the blink of an eye.

Before departure, the Lord of Ming Valley said, "I entrust my daughter to Young Master Pei. I hope you can keep her safe and bring her back."

Pei Yujing glanced at Ming Xiu and furrowed his brows. "Lord, you overestimate me. The secret realm is dangerous; I cannot afford to make promises. Miss Ming should return."

Ming Xiu bit her lip. "If anything happens, I won't blame anyone. I'll take full responsibility! I won't go with you. I'll go with the disciples of the Medical Cultivation Valley."

Pei Yujing's expression turned colder, and he pursed his lips, saying nothing.

Penglai's senior brother glanced at the Lord of Ming Valley, whose face darkened, and couldn't help but tug at Pei Yujing's sleeve. Pei Yujing quickly pulled his sleeve back, unmoved.

As a Sword Cultivator, he naturally flew with his sword.

Just like when he walked directly to Zhan Yunwei's Xuanwu carriage when they were younger, he now extended his hand to her: "Yangyang, come."

The golden divine sword gleamed under the light, smooth and translucent. Ming Xiu was so furious she was nearly choking.

Zhan Yunwei glanced at Pei Yujing and shook her head. "No need, thank you, Senior Brother Pei. I'll go with my brother."

Zhan Shujing didn't object this time, instead giving her an approving glance.

At least you're not as annoying as before. Finally, your eyes are useful now that you've grown up.

Pei Yujing was publicly rejected, and Penglai's senior brother couldn't help but look at his junior, worried he might feel embarrassed. But to his surprise, Pei Yujing's expression remained calm, even offering a gentle smile. "Alright."

Senior Brother suddenly realized that he might not understand Junior Brother Pei as well as he thought. This went beyond having a good temperament. Junior Brother's determination and resilience were far more formidable than he had imagined.

From childhood to now, Pei Yujing had only ever been devoted to two things. Before he turned eighteen, it was solely the sword. After eighteen, Zhan Yunwei was added to that list.

He had spent years pursuing the way of the sword, and as a result, the divine sword answered his call. Zhan Yunwei was breathtakingly beautiful and, as he had hoped, became his fiancée.

But now, Zhan Yunwei's attitude had changed.

Senior Brother was uneasy and found himself beginning to worry about his junior.

Upon entering the secret realm, a wave of dizziness swept over them. Zhan Yunwei lowered the sleeve shielding her eyes.

Before her stood an ancient mansion.

The mansion was grand and exquisite, with green-tiled roofs and intricate carvings. The red wooden doors were not fastened with copper locks but with two golden ones.

The ground was covered in a thick layer of snow, the cold biting to the bone.

Zhan Yunwei stood in the midst of the falling snow. Inside the secret realm, it was winter—starkly different from the outside world.

She was the only one in sight.

Looking down at the Binding Bell on her waist, Zhan Yunwei let out a cold laugh. Originally, the bell was supposed to ensure that those entering the secret realm together wouldn't be separated, but her bell had clearly failed.

It was obvious who had tampered with it.

Before their departure, the Binding Bells had been distributed uniformly by the Immortal Sect, now led by Penglai. Lady Pei had truly gone to great lengths to ensure her death.

In Lady Pei's eyes, an Empyrean Spirit Master without the protection of a spiritual cultivator in the secret realm was as good as dead.

Zhan Yunwei tossed away the bell on her waist and pulled another one from her sleeve.

She already knew what kind of person Lady Pei was, so she had prepared for this. The new bell was bound only to Zhan Shujing.

This was also her way of making Pei Yujing see reason and let go.

Some things simply weren't meant to be.

Zhan Yunwei shook the bell, and sure enough, a response came from not far away, inside the mansion.

Feeling a headache brewing, she glanced at the ominous mansion before her. She suddenly remembered that Zhan Shujing had always been somewhat unlucky.

Before she could figure out how to enter, the doors swung open on their own, without so much as a breeze.

A young man in red leaned against the doorway. It was a familiar face.

He gazed at Zhan Yunwei with deep affection, his tone tinged with reproach: "My dear wife, why have you arrived so late? Today is our big day. Missing the auspicious hour is quite inauspicious."

The face unmistakably belonged to Senior Brother Feng Lanyin, but Senior Brother Feng would never speak like this.

Zhan Yunwei knew the mansion was unusual. She remained still and refrained from responding rashly.

The young man let out a soft "Oh" and murmured, "You don't like this face? That's strange—I think it's quite nice."

The face was indeed beautiful, with an androgynous allure. It was a face people found irresistible.

But since the little lady didn't like it, he didn't mind changing. He turned around, fiddled with his face, and pinched it a few times. When he turned back, it was Zhan Shujing's face.

"How about this one? Hm, still not to your liking?"

After a moment, the face changed again, becoming Yue Zhiheng's.

The red-clad man stood in the doorway, smiling at her. "Do you like this one?"

Zhan Yunwei: "..."

"Still no? That person just now was so easy to please." The man seemed annoyed. He changed his face once more—this time to Pei Yujing's.

He nodded with satisfaction. "This one isn't bad either. The men you know are all exceptionally good-looking."

His gaze turned sinister as he looked at her. "But tell me—how is it that in our Ninefold Forgetting Mist, you're the only one who remains clear-headed?"

Zhan Yunwei's heart sank. At some point, the world around her had filled with a purple mist.