Yu Chen turned around in surprise, seeing a beautiful young girl standing behind them.
She looked like a fairy brought to earth. Her skin shone with a soft luminescence, highlighting the lustrous black hair that fell in shining waves around her flawless face. Her clothing was immaculate. Her silky gossamer robes embroidered with delicate images that appeared finer even than those worn by the sect head.
Where she had come from Yu Chen couldn’t say. He’d never sensed her arrive. Even now, he was looking at her and he still couldn’t feel her presence.
“Who are you?” Yu Chen asked the strange girl, repeating Cang Wuji’s question. He eyed her warily, unsure of her motives.
The strange girl looked between them before placing a hand over her mouth and letting out a lilting laugh. She gave off an impression of innocence, but Yu Chen didn’t believe it for a second, seeing the appraising look in her eyes as she sized them up.
“The brave warriors wish to know about little old me?” She said, batting her long eyelashes at them. “Why, I am the one who has come to conquer this secret realm.”
Yu Chen looked towards Cang Wuji, and saw the other boy had a perplexed look, sharing in his confusion.
“What’s there to conquer?” Yu Chen asked, bewildered. “All there is to do is seize as much good fortune as you can.”
She pouted at his words, tossing him a pitying look. “There is good fortune and then there is good fortune, brave warriors. And what one considers fortunate may not be enough for another to pick their teeth.”
“In the end it depends on the size of your appetite. Those with the largest appetite will not be content unless they eat the most.”
The strange girl raised a hand to her face, framing her impeccable features. Quirking an eyebrow inquisitively, she looked between the two boys before speaking.
“Tell me, how large are your appetites? what desires drive you, where does your path lead?”
Cang Wuji clenched his fist and spoke out instantly, speaking with a firm voice.
“To Baixian City!”
“Baixian City?” She repeated, and Yu Chen could hear the surprise in her voice. “Now that’s a name rarely heard. You have quite the appetite indeed.”
“Are you sure you can stomach it?” She teased with a mischievous smile.
Cang Wuji’s ears turned red, and she let out another tinkling laugh that echoed enchantingly.
“What about you?” She asked, looking towards Yu Chen inquisitively.
Yu Chen looked back at her, but he didn’t truly see her. Instead, he saw a vision of an endless river, and a tiny dragon swimming through its waters.
“One day I’ll reach the source of the Yellow River and see what few others have.” He said softly, but with a deep certainty that made it hard for others to doubt his words.
If she had been shocked at Cang Wuji’s words, she was truly dumbfounded by Yu Chen’s.
“With an appetite like that, I should call you big bro.” She said with a soft sigh, crossing her arms.
“The two of you humble me.” She said, shaking her head. “I’ll offer you an opportunity.”
Her face suddenly turned serious at the words, and she looked between the two boys to see their reactions. Cang Wuji shuffled in place, impatient, but Yu Chen simply nodded at her to continue.
“If you truly wish to fill your bellies and see your desires become a reality, there is something in this Secret Realm that can help you, and I know where to find it.”
That caught the two boy’s attention. They gave her their full attention and the strange girl nodded in satisfaction.
“Deep within this jungle lies the remains of a once powerful sect. This is well known of course, and plenty of cultivators seek out the ruins in the hopes that there is some heavenly treasure waiting to be found.
“What’s less well known is that this journey through the wilderness and the countless spiritual beasts that cover the land, all of this is just a trial the sect had in place for new disciples. And, what almost no one knows is that this is just the first trial. There are further trials, just waiting to be activated somewhere within the ruins.”
“Is that true?” Cang Wuji asked with a wild look in his eyes, and Yu Chen was a bit surprised. He hadn’t realized the other boy had such an avaricious streak.
The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.
Or perhaps reaching Baixian City just meant that much to him. Yu Chen could understand that. He’d seize any opportunity himself in the pursuit of his own goal.
“Of course.” The beautiful girl said, tilting her head in a way that caused her hair to cascade around her face enticingly. “However, the trials are not designed to be entered alone. So, here I am, seeking out all of the brave warriors who are willing to seize a once in a lifetime opportunity.”
“If you are interested in joining me, then prove yourself worthy by reaching the ruins. Well, I'm off to find the others. I’ll see you there, if you make it of course.”
She winked at the two boys before turning around, beginning to walk away.
“Wait, we haven’t heard your name!” Yu Chen called to the girl as she turned to leave.
“Oh?” She said, casting a dazzling smile his way before dashing away, calling out over her shoulder, “I’m Tianyun Lingxuan of course. I’ll see you brave warriors at the ruins!”
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Yu Chen and Cang Wuji discussed the strange girl as they broke apart the soul-cleansing jade, splitting it up.
“She’s related to the royal family somehow.” Cang Wuji stated confidently, pocketing his chunk of jade.
“I suppose so.” Yu Chen said, puzzling over the encounter.
The girl had been beautiful, distractingly so, and Yu Chen didn’t know how trustworthy he found her. He preferred straightforward people, and everything about the girl had been contrived, her actions performative, intentionally designed to entice and manipulate.
But… He still believed her words. There doubtless were ruins deep in the jungle, and the trials likely existed as well. As to what she truly needed them for? He had his doubts.
Even so, he knew he knew he’d go, and she knew it too. She’d set the hook deep and the rewards she promised were just too great for the two boys to do anything else.
They began traveling again once they were finished. They were no longer wandering aimlessly, however. They now had a purpose, and began making their way in the direction the young girl had pointed out.
As they walked, Cang Wuji shared what he knew about the secret realm.
Before, he’d told Yu Chen that those who entered the realm went to different places, but there was more to it than that. The entire valley had been split down the middle, containing two paths. Those in Qi Condensation had been sent to the left-hand side, while those in Foundation Establishment had been sent to the right-hand side.
Originally the two halves of the realm had been mirrored, at least according to the reports Cang Wuji had, but year after year the changes had compounded, drastically changing the environment over time.
It was believed that originally each side had only had Stage 1 or Stage 2 beasts, but that had changed in the years since the realm had been abandoned. The realm had other strange properties as well. Given the way time worked within the realm, a period of darkness followed the months of light. This was a time in which many beasts went into hibernation, and even the vegetation fell dormant, slumbering for months on end.
The strange cycle had created many unique treasures that were hard to find elsewhere.
“Where did you get all this information about the Secret Realm from anyways?” Yu Chen asked the other boy.
Cang Wuji shrugged, putting his hands behind his head.
“Information is a currency as well, you know? Rogue cultivators such as myself have our own meetings. If you know where to look you can find the gatherings, where people trade trinkets, information and even techniques and martial arts. I found out about this secret realm at one such meeting.”
“I paid a hefty price just to find out about a realm everyone knew about.” The other boy muttered, kicking a rock. “The least they could do is provide some good information.”
Yu Chen gained a bit of respect for Cang Wuji. The other boy’s resourcefulness was enviable. It wasn’t easy to walk a path of cultivation unsupported by others. It was only due to strange events that Yu Chen had found himself walking this path, and it inspired him to see someone so self-motivated.
As their path took them further into the jungle Yu Chen began to see the remnants of civilization. Hints of what had once been a cobblestone road appeared in the undergrowth, sections of individual stones that peeked through the vegetation covering the floor of the jungle, destroyed by the trees that had grown right through the middle of it.
As they pushed, he saw the remains of a stone building appear, the moss and vines covering it giving a clear indication of its age.
“Help!”
The two boys stopped as the frantic cries carried through the jungle.
Exchanging glances they cycled their movement techniques, dashing through the undergrowth towards the sound of the cries that were growing louder. Yu Chen’s eyes shot up as they approached, and he burnt his qi, dashing ahead of the other boy.
He knew that voice, it was Ling Xia, Elder Shu’s disciple. The sounds of battle became louder as he approached, and he noticed with a hint of surprise that Cang Wuji had caught up to him, refusing to be left behind.
They burst through the trees, arriving in a clearing.
Ling Xia’s robes were ripped, and blood streaked her face as she dashed across the clearing, fighting off two older boys in robes of deep black. Another cultivator in black robes stood on the other side of the clearing, and Yu Chen watched as he drove a dagger into another boy that lay crumpled on the ground.
Yu Chen recognized that shock of red hair. He’d been one of the disciples who entered the realm with them. He didn’t react to the blade entering his body, and Yu Chen felt a sickening feeling rise in him as the black robed man stood up, making eye contact with him.
Yu Chen didn’t hesitate, diving in to join the fray.