After confirming the area was safe, Xie Zhaolin rested briefly in a hidden cave. She hadn't expected the demons to move so fast—they'd already reached the inner area of the secret realm. But then again, the Fusang Secret Realm wasn't that big, more of a small-to-medium-sized one. Given the demons' strength, this speed made sense.
"Looks like I need to pick up the pace," she muttered to herself.
Even counting her five beast souls, she only had six "hands" to work with. Other sect teams had at least ten members, and the big sects often had twenty or thirty.
Xie Zhaolin look the map Mo Yan had given her, combined with her past-life memories, and started planning her route anew. She decided to avoid popular spots, focusing instead on secluded areas rich in resources. The places everyone else was eyeing usually saw the fiercest fights. The real treasures often hid in the overlooked corners.
Over the next few days, Xie Zhaolin constantly moved through the inner area. Her five beast souls spread out to scout. Whenever they found rare herbs or resources, they immediately reported to her.
A few careless cultivators did cross her path.
One group of five demon cultivators tried to kill her and steal her loot, only to end up as snacks for the beast souls. Several disciples from small sects, seeing her bountiful harvest, tried to gang up and rob her. They, too, ended up as trophies in her storage bag.
The riskiest encounter came with ten disciples from the Xuanyang Sword Sect. Seeing her alone and unscathed in the inner area, they grew suspicious and tried to question her.
Xie Zhaolin acted quickly, having her beast souls create a commotion in the distance to draw most of them away, leaving only three behind. She dealt with the three with lightning speed, packed up their storage bags, and vanished immediately.
Step by step, her storage ring grew fuller and fuller. Yet she stayed alert, sticking to secluded paths and avoiding other cultivators whenever possible. Half a month later, after killing a foundation late-stage Iron Clad Rhino and preparing to move to a new area, she suddenly heard a sharp shout behind her:
"Xie Zhaolin! Stop right there!"
Her steps didn't falter, and she didn't even glance back, continuing forward. She looked like an unremarkable male cultivator now, even disguised her gender. How could anyone possibly recognize her?
"Stop! I said stop!" Wei Qingwu's voice grew sharper.
Xie Zhaolin still ignored it, walking steadily ahead. She knew perfectly well that stopping would be the same as revealing her identity. Even more importantly…
There was Yu Xiaotang behind Wei Qingwu. Although she didn't know how these two groups had gotten tangled up, she wasn't about to confront them head-on just yet.
Wei Qingwu's eyes flickered with confusion and annoyance at Xie Zhaolin's lack of response. Since entering the secret realm, she'd had it pretty easy. At first, when she realized Xie Zhaolin hadn't joined the team, she'd immediately suggested leaving, secretly cursing that Xie Zhaolin be torn apart by beasts.
Every time she imagined Xie Zhaolin possibly dying a miserable death, she felt immense satisfaction.
Thanks to the pills and resources Elder Wei provided, she quickly fit in with the other disciples. Most of the time, she didn't have to lift a finger—just commanding from the sidelines earned her decent loot.
But her good luck didn't last.
Three days ago, they encountered a group of demon cultivators, chased in utter chaos. Seven disciples died, and the rest fled recklessly into the middle area, luckily running into a Hehuan Sect team and being rescued by Yu Xiaotang.
At first, Wei Qingwu truly felt grateful toward Yu Xiaotang. When the Hehuan Sect's team descended like divine soldiers to save them, she almost knelt in thanks. When Yu Xiaotang kindly said someone would escort them back to the outer area, she even teared up.
It was then that she realized what kind of once-in-a-lifetime opportunity she had in front of her—Hehuan Sect, one of the top sects in the cultivation world. Even the outer disciples' treatment far surpassed that of Qingxi Sect's inner disciples.
She immediately started fawning.
Wei Qingwu remembered frantically taking out her most precious Essence-Concentrating Pills, holding them carefully before Yu Xiaotang, her face plastered with ingratiating smiles.
Yu Xiaotang merely glanced at her and politely refused.
Then when the Hehuan Sect disciples offered their high-grade pills, she felt utterly humiliated. The contemptuous looks the disciples gave as they received the pills still stung. Some even deliberately toyed with the pills, making the dense spiritual energy radiate sharply. She could even clearly recall the suppressed whispers from her fellow disciples behind her, each word like a needle piercing her heart.
Though Yu Xiaotang spoke up to stop the chatter, her gentle tone carried a clear sense of distance. Wei Qingwu knew perfectly well that Yu Xiaotang had no real intention of protecting her. She watched as Yu Xiaotang was surrounded by others, treated with respect by all Hehuan disciples, even gaining deference from cultivators of other sects.
What stung the most was Yu Xiaotang's cultivation—already at the peak of foundation mid-stage, nearly breaking into late-stage.
Why?
Wei Qingwu clenched her sleeves and dug her nails into her palms.
They had the same triple-spiritual-root aptitude. Why could Yu Xiaotang advance so fast while she struggled at Qi stage eight? Why did Yu Xiaotang get so many resources, be admired by so many?
These thoughts gnawed at her like venomous snakes, turning her original gratitude into jealousy.
For three days, she imagined possessing everything Yu Xiaotang had—the enviable resources, connections, power—all hers!
But reality always dragged her back, reminding her of her place. She had to keep fawning, swallow her humiliation, and force a humble smile. Every polite but distant rejection deepened her jealousy. Even though she burned with resentment, Wei Qingwu knew this was a rare chance to connect with a major sect. If she missed it, there might never be another opportunity.
She gritted her teeth, fully disguising herself as a servile lackey. If it meant rising up, entering Hehuan Sect, this humiliation was nothing, she told herself. Whenever Yu Xiaotang passed, she was the first to approach, her face full of obsequious smiles.
She watched Yu Xiaotang's every need, responding instantly to a glance. When other disciples gave her orders, she obeyed without complaint, even going above and beyond.
Late at night, she practiced her smile in the water mirror until her cheeks ached. She repeatedly reminded herself: endure a moment's humiliation, trade it for a brilliant future. Once she entered Hehuan Sect, once she had the same resources and status, those who laughed at her today would pay.
This twisted belief kept her playing the humble role. She buried all jealousy and hatred deep in her heart, daring to show even a hint only when alone. Now, seeing that figure so similar to Xie Zhaolin's back, all the pent-up emotions of three days finally found an outlet.
Without thinking, she shrieked the name.
But the figure ignored her scolding. Wei Qingwu, without hesitation, unleashed a sharp attack.
The spiritual power carried every bit of her three days' worth of resentment, hurtling toward the retreating figure!