Volume 1, Chapter 115 – Whispers Among the Crowd

Inside the secret realm, the atmosphere at the entrance to the valley surrounding the ruined palace grew increasingly tense and charged.

As time passed, more and more streaks of light converged from every direction.

Qingyun Sacred Land, Lingxu Sacred Land, Tianyuan Sacred Land, the Flowing Cloud Sword Sect, the Wondrous Sound Pavilion…

Groups of disciples from the Southern Region’s various first- and second-rate powers arrived one after another, some in small groups of three or five, others in parties dozens strong.

Even from a distance, they could see the ruined palace emanating the aura of fragmented Dao principles. They also saw the Yaochi Immortal Palace contingent, now more than twenty strong, assembled at its entrance.

Two female disciples with strikingly different temperaments stood at the head of the group.

One was Liu Ruyan, gentle and composed, who had only recently broken through to the middle stage of Golden Core.

The other was Ye Ling’er, with her long ice-blue hair and cool, ethereal bearing.

What made the newcomers even more apprehensive was the lingering aftermath of battle that had yet to fully dissipate from the air.

Then there were the torn robes and shattered armor belonging to disciples of various sects, faintly visible in the distance, along with bloodstains that had yet to dry.

“Those are the people from Yaochi Immortal Palace…”

“That’s Liu Ruyan… and the blue-haired one looks like Ye Ling’er!”

“Wasn’t Liu Ruyan only at early-stage Golden Core before entering the secret realm? How long has it been? She broke through again?”

“Look over there… Those seem to be traces left by people from the Xuanming Sect and Ten Thousand Poisons Ridge… Did they fight Yaochi Immortal Palace here earlier?”

“Judging by the outcome… it doesn’t look like things went well for them…”

Hushed discussions spread through the various groups, filled with surprise, curiosity, and a faint undercurrent of wariness.

Just then, an incredulous, uncertain voice rang out from a newly arrived group.

“Hey! Have you heard? Huo Wushuang from Heavenly Fire Valley… He… he seems to have met his end!”

“What? Huo Wushuang? The one with the Scarlet Flame Spirit Body? He’s dead? Who killed him?”

“Who else could it be? Yaochi Immortal Palace! Liu Ruyan did it!”

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“Are you serious? Huo Wushuang was at late-stage Golden Core! I remember Liu Ruyan being only at early-stage Golden Core!”

“It’s absolutely true! One of my senior brothers saw them fighting from a distance!”

“And it wasn’t just Huo Wushuang. Two Golden Core disciples from Ten Thousand Poisons Ridge and the Xuanming Sect are dead too!”

“They say… they say Liu Ruyan used some extremely sinister technique that sucked people dry and turned them into desiccated corpses!”

“Sucked them dry?! Heavens! That… why does that sound like some kind of demonic art?”

“Shh! Keep your voice down! Do you want her to suck you dry too?!”

Rumors of Huo Wushuang’s death and Liu Ruyan’s “bizarre technique” spread like wildfire from the mouths of certain cultivators, rapidly circulating among the disciples of every major sect gathered there.

Everyone who heard the news reacted first with disbelief, followed by profound horror.

The young valley master of Heavenly Fire Valley, blessed with the Scarlet Flame Spirit Body, possessing late-stage Golden Core cultivation and a powerful background… had died just like that?

And he had been killed by a woman at early-stage Golden Core?

Using such a… bloodcurdling technique?

For a time, the gazes directed at Yaochi Immortal Palace’s group, especially Liu Ruyan, became exceedingly complicated.

There was fear, wariness, revulsion, and scrutiny, along with greed buried so deep that no one dared reveal it.

After all, a “cultivation technique” capable of devouring another person’s cultivation held a fatal allure for any cultivator.

Within the Qingyun Sacred Land contingent, Sacred Son Mubai and Holy Maiden Su Wan’er stood side by side.

As Su Wan’er listened to the discussions around her, her face turned slightly pale, and she instinctively glanced at Mubai beside her.

Mubai’s brows were tightly furrowed. He looked at Liu Ruyan, then at Ye Ling’er, and a trace of gravity flashed in his eyes.

These two personal disciples of Yaochi Immortal Palace were each more unfathomable than the other.

Most of the Lingxu Sacred Land disciples remained composed, though a little more caution now lurked in their eyes.

The Tianyuan Sacred Land disciples, on the other hand, mostly watched with burning eyes, eager for battle.

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This was especially true of the leading body cultivators. The looks they directed at Ye Ling’er and Liu Ruyan were openly challenging.

They had heard the rumors as well, but Tianyuan Sacred Land revered strength. Its disciples cared little about so-called “sinister techniques” and placed greater value on actual combat prowess.

Ling Chen, First Senior Brother of the Flowing Cloud Sword Sect, still stood with his long sword clasped in his arms, his expression stern.

He glanced at Liu Ruyan, then at Ye Ling’er. Sword intent flickered briefly in his eyes before fading back into stillness, as though the rumors had nothing to do with him.

The female disciples of the Wondrous Sound Pavilion gathered together and spoke in hushed voices. The looks they gave Liu Ruyan held a measure of revulsion and aversion.

Clearly, they had a natural distaste for methods such as “devouring another person’s cultivation.”

As for the scattered disciples from the Xuanming Sect and Ten Thousand Poisons Ridge who arrived later, their expressions were exceptionally grim.

Hatred and fear filled their eyes. They kept well away from the Yaochi Immortal Palace group, not daring to approach.

The various factions also remained wary of one another, keeping their distance.

Yet their gazes repeatedly drifted toward the entrance of the ruined palace and Liu Ruyan, who sat quietly outside it.

The atmosphere grew increasingly oppressive as greed and fear silently festered and collided.

Liu Ruyan could naturally sense the myriad gazes directed at her from all sides, particularly those laden with fear and greed.

Her expression remained gentle and composed, as though she had not heard the surrounding whispers accusing her of using “demonic arts” and “sinister techniques.”

Ye Ling’er, however, tightened her grip slightly on the hilts of her twin Nether Moon blades, a chill flashing through her ice-blue eyes.

She disliked the slanderous looks being directed at her Second Senior Sister.

“Second Senior Sister, they…” Ye Ling’er murmured.

“It doesn’t matter.”

Liu Ruyan gently shook her head and looked toward the shadowy entrance of the palace.

“The innocent need no defense, and the guilty cannot hide.”

As each moment passed, more and more people gathered in the valley.

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At last, someone could no longer restrain himself.

A stern-faced young man dressed in the robes of the Flowing Cloud Sword Sect stepped out from the crowd, a long sword strapped to his back.

He was another elite disciple sent by the Flowing Cloud Sword Sect into the secret realm. His name was Lu Chen, and he possessed middle-stage Golden Core cultivation.

Within the sect, his reputation was second only to First Senior Brother Ling Chen’s.

Lu Chen stopped about fifty zhang from the Yaochi Immortal Palace contingent. Cupping his fists, he called out in a clear voice.

“Fellow Daoist Liu of Yaochi Immortal Palace, I am Lu Chen of the Flowing Cloud Sword Sect. Greetings.”

His manner was neither servile nor overbearing. He maintained his distance while showing the proper respect.

Liu Ruyan slowly opened her eyes and regarded Lu Chen calmly.

“Fellow Daoist Lu, what is it?”

Her voice was gentle, yet it carried an intangible pressure.

Sensing the unfathomable depth beneath her placid gaze, Lu Chen’s heart tightened, and his expression grew even more solemn.

“Fellow Daoist Liu, this palace is clearly where the secret realm’s central opportunity lies.”

“All of us entered this secret realm in search of opportunities.”

He paused and swept his gaze over the growing number of cultivators behind him before continuing.

“You and your fellow disciples arrived first and gained the advantage. None of us objects to that.”

“However, the opportunities within a secret realm belong to no one. By barring the way here, are you not being… somewhat unfair?”

His words immediately struck a chord with many of the cultivators behind him.

“Senior Brother Lu is right!”

“Everyone who finds the treasures of a secret realm deserves a share!”

“Surely Yaochi Immortal Palace isn’t planning to keep everything for itself?”

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Voices of agreement gradually rose. Though none were particularly loud, together they formed a wave of pressure that rolled toward Liu Ruyan.

Liu Ruyan’s expression did not change. She merely regarded Lu Chen and the restless cultivators behind him with indifference.

“Fellow Daoist Lu, you are mistaken.”

Her voice remained calm, yet it clearly carried over all the surrounding noise.

“Yaochi Immortal Palace will not stop anyone from entering.”

She raised a hand and pointed toward the palace’s shadowy entrance.

“The entrance is right there. If you wish to go inside, you may do so at any time.”

“However…”

Liu Ruyan’s tone shifted slightly as she swept her gaze over the crowd, a hint of coolness entering her voice.

“If any misfortune should befall you inside, do not blame Yaochi Immortal Palace afterward for failing to warn you.”

Her meaning could not have been clearer.

The way was open. They could enter whenever they pleased.

But once inside, whether they lived or died was their own concern. If someone perished, they had better not come looking for trouble afterward.

Lu Chen froze for a moment.

He had not expected Liu Ruyan to be so straightforward. Not only did she make no attempt to stop them, but she openly invited them to enter as they pleased.

That only made it harder for him to discern her intentions.

Was she truly so magnanimous?

Or was there some kind of trap inside the palace, and she wanted others to scout the way first?

For a moment, he hesitated.