Since Xiao Hong’s trump card was useless, she would definitely be captured. She knew what her fate would be if she was captured by a True Demon. And Death was a better option in her book.
She was already contemplating whether to run away. She had done her best, right? She had saved so many lives that would’ve otherwise been forfeit! She could run away now, right?
If she ran away now, she could save herself!
She had already given her all, so it would be okay to run, would it not?
Yet…
Yet, why did she feel so reluctant? Why did her chest tighten when she thought about what would happen if she did? These people respectfully called her ‘Senior Sister’ with admiration and gratitude, she could not bear to let anything happen to them.
Moreover, she had gained her Sect mates’ trust after so much effort. If she ran away now, would it not be flushing all her effort down the drain?
Even if rationality told her to run, she just could not. Because after decades of facing mistrust, she finally gained people’s trust. It was unbelievably precious to her.
The camaraderie she had forged with her Sect mates would be broken in an instant.
Moreover, they had also protected her. Without their effort and sacrifice, she would never have had the chance to set up the Formation in the first place!
So abandoning them now did not sit right with her.
Moreover, even if she ran away, who’s to say she won’t be unlucky enough to run into the Demonic Cultivators either way? Xiao Hong knew very well that her luck was not very good. So, it was entirely possible that she could run into a True Demon thanks to sheer misfortune.
And that was without even considering that they might have powerful tracking capabilities. A bit of her blood or hair was enough for them to track her down - her Heaven Concealing Method had not reached the level where she could conceal her Life Aura. Even if she tried to erase all traces of herself, she might have missed something. She did not think she could escape the pursuit of a True Demon.
Besides, who knew if those Nirvana Stage True Demons had some special methods that she did not know about? After all, Xiao Hong had only properly been part of the Cultivation World for a few years. The old Xiao Hong was a shut-in that completely depended on the stupid Senior Brother named Lin Fan whom she had ensnared with her charm. Thus, she never really came into contact with such things.
As a result, Xiao Hong did not dare to discount the possibility that the Nirvana Stage True Demons had a way to track her regardless of how well she destroyed her traces. That 6th Disaster Demonic Cultivator's slap was a lesson powerful enough for her to never underestimate her enemies. It was better to assume the worst-case scenario.
So, she gritted her teeth and turned to Bai Hao, her eyes filled with determination. She had made a decision. She took a deep breath and let it out before asking, “How long would it take if you had Supreme Quality Yuan Essence Pills?”
Bai Hao, who was deep in thought, looked up from the ground and directed his confused eyes towards Xiao Hong, “... What Quality Pill?” His voice quivered slightly. With his Cultivation Base, it was pretty much impossible for him to hear wrong. It was just that, this Junior Sister’s words were a little too startling!
“Supreme Quality Yuan Essence Pills. I can refine them.” Xiao Hong asked again, her tone firm and filled with confidence, “So, how long would it take you to reach Nirvana Stage if you had Supreme Quality Yuan Essence Pills?”
Bai Hao just stared at her as though he saw the collapse of the Heavens in her face! Not only him, but even her other companions were shocked. Even Gu Ran was!
No one could judge this reaction of theirs. A Supreme Quality Pill was extremely, extremely rare! Even the most talented Alchemists at Grade 5 and above might not succeed in refining a Supreme Quality Pill at Grade 1 - they would need a bit of luck to succeed. Only a Grade 7 Grandmaster Alchemist could guarantee Supreme Quality Pills - and it would never be for a Grade 7 Pill.
But Xiao Hong was merely a Grade 2 Alchemist. It was rather unbelievable that she could refine Supreme Grade Yuan Essence Pills. And the way she spoke, she could refine Supreme quality Pills as long as she wanted to!
They were almost inclined to believe it was a joke, but given her tone and their situation, it was extremely unlikely that she was joking! So it was very likely the truth.
Additionally, the translucent, light blue Grade 2 Healing Pills that Xiao Hong had fished out were proof enough! That glossy texture of the Supreme Grade Pill was exactly as mentioned in the records they had read.
Bai Hao took a deep breath before he shook his head, “I would still need 2 weeks. Ten days if I push it.”
Instantly, the small light of hope that had ignited was snuffed out.
Xiao Hong closed her eyes for a few moments before she made another decision - she would have to reveal more of her secrets. This was not the time to hold back. Secrecy was useless if she was not alive in the first place. “Is there anyone who has insights into Grade 3 Formation mastery? If I have enough information, I can reach Grade 3 quickly.
“I have a special Spiritual Constitution that allows me to comprehend subjects and get used to them quickly.
“If the information is comprehensive enough, I can become a Grade 3 Formation Master in little more than a week. Even if I can’t completely reach the Grade 3 Formation level, I can set up a Pseudo-Grade 3 Formation as long as I gain enough insights into Grade 3 Formation Mastery.”
Bai Hao, Gu Ran, Jun Meiling and Qiao Xuan all stared at her in shocked silence! It was almost as if she were a monster!
“... No wonder, no wonder.” Jun Meiling whispered in realisation, her voice shaking slightly. “Perfection-level Dark Flame Serpent, Earth Shell and Star Shifting Steps. Grade 2 Formation Master and Grade 2 Alchemist… It can all be explained if you have such a powerful Spiritual Constitution!”
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Qiao Xuan’s mind went blank for a few moments, before a strange look flashed across his eyes, ‘No wonder she refused my offers. To recruit her with those measly benefits is more of an insult than a favour!’ He felt somewhat embarrassed now. ‘Hmm. Let’s put aside the agenda of recruiting her for now. Getting into her good books should be more important.’ Qiao Xuan was quite flexible.
‘Does the Stellar Primordial Body also grant such a powerful comprehension ability?’ Gu Ran was utterly confused, before he instantly denied that thought, ‘No, that’s not possible.’
Even if the Stellar Primordial Body was only a far-off legend in Gu Ran’s previous world, the general idea of the Stellar Primordial Body’s strengths and weaknesses could be deduced from its description. Anyone with sufficient knowledge about Cultivation would be able to deduce it!
The Way of Heaven always imposed restrictions in one form or another - it would never allow a Talent without any weaknesses to be born, at least not naturally. The Way of Heaven would always, always impose a weakness that was almost impossible to patch up when it came to overpowered Talents. And the Stellar Primordial Body’s weakness was the Spirit!
But now… he did not know what to think. His common sense forged through vast experiences failed so many times when it came to this Junior Sister that Gu Ran felt a little tired.
‘Not naturally…’ Gu Ran suddenly realised that Xiao Hong’s circumstances might not be as simple as he’d initially imagined. At the very least, there was interference from some entity beyond even his comprehension because he certainly could not go behind the Way of Heaven and give someone else such Talent at his peak.
Bai Hao’s thoughts were much simpler. He took a deep breath and looked at Xiao Hong. His gaze was sombre as he spoke heavily, his head inclined, “If what you say is true, Junior Sister Xiao, I - and everyone here - would be eternally grateful to you!”
“I swear on Dao Heart that everything I’ve said is true.” Xiao Hong directly swore. “As long as I have enough information, I can do everything I said I can.”
A dazzling grin appeared on Bai Hao’s face. “Good!”
He placed a hand on his chest and spoke in a resonant voice, “I swear on the Way of Heaven to never reveal Xiao Hong’s secrets in any way, shape or form, directly or indirectly without her explicit permission. Nor shall I coerce or trick her into revealing her secrets! If I do, may Heavenly Punishment destroy me in Body, Soul and Essence!”
Boom!
A formless, boundless, ethereal and utterly incomprehensible Will descended upon Xiao Hong and Bai Hao. It was something they could not begin to comprehend, yet, it was there, unmistakable.
It was beyond every metric that had been established and Cultivators could imagine. It was a force beyond human comprehension, a will that defied the boundaries of any concept they could imagine. It was as if the Universe had gathered its very essence and delivered it unto them.
It felt like a Mother’s loving embrace, yet also like the chill of an executioner’s blade resting upon your neck. It was magnificent like the Dawn of Creation and terrifying like the Nightmare of Destruction. It was a force that could not be quantified, a power that could not be harnessed, a destiny that could not be denied.
It felt like many things, but one thing was clear: in the face of this transcendent power, resistance was futile, defiance was meaningless, and obedience was the only path to follow.
This was the manifestation of the Will of the Way of Heaven!
Despite appearing only for a fleeting moment, Xiao Hong felt a reverence take root deep inside the core of her being. She felt like a mortal looking up at the Endless Sea of Stars, humbled by the majesty, grandeur and sheer vastness of it. She felt a deep terror, knowing that if she offended it, her very existence would be annihilated down to its very roots - and she would have no hope of resisting it.
Right after it disappeared, she felt a connection form within her mind, linked directly to Bai Hao. If Bai Hao ever breached his oath, he would surely die, but she would also know that he’d breached his contract - no matter how far she was from him.
Despite all the commotion, no one other than the ones involved - Bai Hao and Xiao Hong felt the sensation of the boundless Heaven’s Will descending upon them.
But they all heard Bai Hao’s oath.
Bai Hao then turned to the rest and looked at them pointedly. The meaning of this gesture was obvious: I’ve already shown my sincerity, how about you?
Gu Ran simply shrugged and swore. He would not reveal it either way - he understood the value of trust.
Jun Meiling also didn’t mind.
And Qiao Xuan, stared at by four people, was also forced to swear on the Way of Heaven.
***
While Bai Hao ran off to gather what she required, Xiao Hong started to dig herself a place to go into a short Secluded Cultivation Session. As she threw spell after spell at the earth, she lamented inwardly, ‘All of this would not be a problem if the Sect let Nirvana Stage cultivators come along with us…’
But she knew that was impossible because, firstly, the Nirvana Stage - as the final Stage of the Divine Sea - was the ceiling of the Demon Beast Haven Realm. Meaning, they could not cultivate at all while they were in the Demon Beast Haven Realm. And for Cultivators, regardless of Demonic Path or Immortal Path, this was incredibly uncomfortable! For most Cultivators, Cultivation was only second to their lives.
It was like pushing against an immovable wall and utterly failing to do anything at all. This feeling of helplessness made it doubly uncomfortable for the Cultivators who did everything to not feel helpless! No Cultivator would want to torture themselves for no apparent reason.
Even Cultivators like Bai Hao were unlikely to come along since they would be able to achieve Nirvana very soon. The only reason he came along was because he had other agendas. As the Heir of the Bai Family, he had come along to build relationships and connections. And what better opportunity than this Trial where the best of the best among the Outer Sect had gathered?
For example, Bai Hao’s Heavenly Oath was his way of demonstrating his sincerity to Xiao Hong and establishing a great image in her heart. He wanted to build a connection with this monstrous Cultivator with a ‘Spiritual Constitution’ and unbelievably strong Battle Prowess!
Even Qiao Xuan had the same agenda as Bai Hao in participating in this Trial - although he was not ready to breakthrough yet, he could still build connections while preparing for Nirvana.
Moreover, if Nirvana Stage Cultivators came along, all the limelight would be placed on them and not Bai Hao and Qiao Xuan, making their intentions to build connections difficult!
Secondly, there was no need. There were no Nirvana Realm Demon Beasts around.
Let alone Nirvana Stage, normally even the 8th Disaster Cultivator did not have to make a move - with the tremendous experience they had gained over centuries, 7th Disaster Cultivators were enough. What were the Nirvana Stage Cultivators supposed to do then? Be a mascot? Cheerlead? Moreover, this was the first time such a thing happened - everything had been just fine before this.
Thirdly, this was a Trial. If the Sect sent Nirvana Cultivators it would be no different from coddling them! The Sect wanted to raise powerful Cultivators that were useful to them, not some fucking sheep who could not fight!
Fourthly, Nirvana Stage Cultivators were Outer Deacons or Inner Disciples, they had better ways to kill time than play around with some puny Disaster Stage children!
Fifth, Yuan Essence Pills - the most attractive thing about this Secret Realm - were of little use to them. They would need multiple times the amount required by 8th Disaster Cultivators for the slightest result. It wasn’t that Yuan Essence was useless to them, it was because the source of the Yuan Essence - the Beast Crystal Core - was too weak! They would need Yuan Essence Pills refined from the Beast Crystal Cores of Nirvana Stage Demon Beast for it to be useful.
All in all, Nirvana Stage Cultivators were not gonna come along.