On the Jade Extreme Flying Vessel.
Elder Second Master had nearly worn out his lips from persuasion, yet Gu Yunqi ahead showed no reaction whatsoever. Instead, her gaze toward Xu Wanci grew increasingly fervent, and her hands began to fidget restlessly with the sleeves of her robe.
Elder Grandmaster, having known her for years, keenly sensed the restless ambition flickering in her eyes.
With a flick of his finger, a thick strand of spiritual energy tightly bound her outstretched hand.
Gu Yunqi didn’t even glance at her restrained wrist. She deftly switched to her other hand, about to reach out toward Xu Wanci—whom she regarded as nothing short of a divine opportunity—only to be yanked back without hesitation by Elder Grandmaster’s spiritual energy.
Watching herself being pulled further and further away from Xu Wanci, she stretched out a hand, her expression one of utter despair and sorrow, as if she were being torn apart from a beloved.
Elder Second Master, standing beside Elder Grandmaster, sighed almost imperceptibly as he watched Gu Yunqi being dragged back. Then, with practiced ease, he placed a spirit fruit into her still-outstretched hand.
Gu Yunqi reflexively clenched her fingers around it. Immediately, Elder Grandmaster and Elder Second Master took positions on either side of her, firmly restraining her movements.
Elder Second Master’s voice was gentle yet laced with an unmistakable warning:
"Junior Sister, the journey is long. You should conserve your energy and rest properly."
At the stern of the vessel, Shen Wenxin observed the scene and instinctively glanced at Chu Qingchuan beside her. Seeing him calmly gazing ahead, she suppressed her confusion and turned her attention back, keeping her questions buried deep within.
Hadn’t the Third Elder just returned to the sect?
Why did she seem so hostile toward Xu Wanci, as if itching to vent her anger on her?
If not for Elder Grandmaster’s intervention, the Third Elder might have already taken action against her.
But then…
She lifted her head, looking at Xu Wanci with admiration.
Truly worthy of being the champion of the sect’s grand competition—remaining utterly composed even under the wrath of a Transcendent Realm expert.
Such unshakable calm in the face of overwhelming pressure…
Xu Wanci was truly a role model for them all!
An hour later, the Jade Extreme Flying Vessel began its descent.
Ning Menglan stood before a towering, jagged boulder, his voice solemn and commanding:
"The Boundless Secret Realm is a legacy of the Taiqing Sect, passed down for millennia. Every disciple of the Taiqing Sect may take only one treasure from the secret realm in their lifetime."
"Those who violate this rule shall have their spiritual roots severed and be exiled from the Taiqing Sect, never to return."
The Boundless Secret Realm opened once every ten years. Though its spiritual energy was extraordinary and its opportunities countless, without restraint—
In a hundred or a thousand years, it would inevitably wither away.
For the sake of the Taiqing Sect’s millennia-long legacy, even he, as the sect master, was no exception.
Having said this, Ning Menglan’s expression softened slightly, and he added in a reassuring tone:
"With the opportunities within the Boundless Secret Realm, even a single treasure will be enough to benefit you for a lifetime."
"Remember, the secret realm will close in three days. You must choose the treasure you wish to take within that time."
A surge of spiritual energy emanated from him, and the Sect Master’s Token—imbued with the accumulated essence of the Taiqing Sect over thousands of years—materialized before him.
Beside him, the three elders also took their positions.
Ning Menglan grasped the Sect Master’s Token, his voice carrying the weight of millennia:
"Boundless Secret Realm."
"Open."
Three strands of Transcendent Realm spiritual energy swept over the massive boulder. Gradually, a faint glow began to emerge from its pitch-black surface.
By the time the three elders had paled and their bodies trembled slightly, the boulder finally revealed a depression at its center.
Ning Menglan placed the Sect Master’s Token within it using his spiritual energy. A blinding radiance instantly enveloped the surroundings.
In the next moment, the spiritual energy of Xu Wanci, Chu Qingchuan, and Shen Wenxin resonated with the boulder. A beam of light flashed, and the three vanished from sight.
Gu Yunqi had been standing closest to Xu Wanci.
Just before Xu Wanci disappeared, she flicked her wrist, sending a wisp of spiritual energy clinging to her.
Xie Tingbai, standing at the rear of the group, noticed her action clearly. His fingers twitched, but in the end, he did not intervene.
He wasn’t the only one who had noticed.
Elder Second Master withdrew his spiritual energy, his gaze toward Gu Yunqi now tinged with rare anger:
"Junior Sister, have you forgotten what you promised in the Hall of Judgment?"
Elder Grandmaster also frowned:
"Junior Sister, what did you just place on Xu Wanci?"
Gu Yunqi steadied her own spiritual energy before answering nonchalantly:
"Just an illusion array, nothing more."
Ning Menglan, who had just retrieved the Sect Master’s Token, nearly stumbled at her words. His voice trembled as he demanded:
"Just an illusion array?"
"Third Elder, do you have any idea how much effort I’ve spent just to keep Xu Wanci from seeking death?" He thought of everything that had happened recently, his voice weary. "Even so, all I’ve managed is to keep her alive."
"Her wounds—physical and otherwise—remain untouched."
As the sect master, he had practically piled every defensive artifact the Taiqing Sect possessed onto Xu Wanci.
Yet what good had it done? He couldn’t stop her from participating in the sect’s grand competition, nor could he prevent her from reforging that kind of sword heart.
At this thought, he sighed helplessly:
"Third Elder, I know you excel in illusion arrays, but…"
"Xu Wanci truly cannot endure any more distress."
Gu Yunqi studied Ning Menglan’s exhausted expression, then glanced at Elder Grandmaster and Elder Second Master, both glaring at her in disapproval. She straightened carefully, cleared her throat, and said:
"I promised my senior siblings I wouldn’t act recklessly, and I have no intention of breaking that vow."
"I merely placed an illusion array on Xu Wanci. I won’t activate it until you all agree."
Gu Yunqi folded her arms across her chest. When it came to matters of opportunity, not even Elder Grandmaster and Elder Second Master could make her yield an inch.
She arched a brow, her voice low and laced with persuasion:
"Sect Master, you saved Xu Wanci once. But can you save her ten times? A hundred?"
"If she is determined to die, who can truly stop her?"
Elder Grandmaster frowned at her words:
"So, you intend to use the illusion array to persuade her?"
"Aren’t you afraid you’ll achieve the opposite and drive her further from the opportunity you seek?"
Gu Yunqi smirked, radiating confidence:
"We may not be able to persuade her, but within the illusion array, someone else might."
Here, she blinked slowly, her usually aloof expression suddenly tinged with curiosity:
"Besides, don’t you all want to know what really happened back then?"
At her words, Xie Tingbai’s footsteps faltered almost imperceptibly.
His expression remained unchanged, his face still graced by a gentle, composed smile.
He stopped between the four of them and said softly:
"The secret realm’s summoning has begun."
The moment he spoke, ripples formed on the surface of the boulder. Within moments, the figures of Xu Wanci, Chu Qingchuan, and Shen Wenxin reappeared.
Amidst a sea of pale green spiritual herbs, countless high-grade spirit plants—exceptionally rare in the outside world—were scattered casually throughout the landscape.
Every five steps, a spirit plant; every ten steps, a spirit tree.
On the staggered spirit trees, countless luminous dots flickered and intertwined, faintly revealing glimpses of spiritual beasts and insects before vanishing back into the verdant greenery.
The scenery was breathtaking, brimming with spiritual energy—a true paradise for cultivation.
After a dizzying shift in space, Xu Wanci and the others stumbled slightly as they found themselves standing amidst the spiritual grass.
The moment Xu Wanci stepped into the secret realm, she was struck by the overwhelming density of spiritual energy.
The energy washed over her meridians in gentle waves, gradually mending the hidden injuries within her body.
As expected of the Taiqing Sect’s millennium-old secret realm—its reputation is well-deserved.
She steadied herself imperceptibly, keeping all her awe and surprise hidden deep within.
No matter what she felt inside, her expression remained composed and unreadable from start to finish.
In the original novel, everything that happened in the secret realm was projected onto the Secret Realm’s Mirror.
Right now, outside the secret realm, Ning Menglan and the Elders were likely observing her every move.
Xu Wanci gazed quietly at the Starbloom Grass—the path leading deeper into the secret realm as described in the novel—her eyes devoid of any fluctuation, instead carrying a trace of melancholic nostalgia.
She blinked slowly, recalling the decision she had made before entering the secret realm:
She couldn’t afford to appear ignorant of the secret realm’s layout.
Her objectives were too deliberate, too precise to fool those watching from outside.
Besides, many were surely curious about her reason for coming to the Endless Mirage Secret Realm.
Well, she would give them their answers.
Just then, Shen Wenxin beside her couldn’t hold back her admiration:
“This truly is the Endless Mirage Secret Realm! The spiritual energy here—cultivating for three days would be equivalent to half a month outside!”
The moment she entered, she had already begun circulating her spiritual energy to cultivate.
While absorbing the energy, she cautiously—yet with barely concealed amazement—scanned their surroundings:
“And the grass beneath our feet…!”
“Heavens, it’s sixth-grade Starbloom Grass!”
“Wait—that’s sixth-grade Crossing Lotus!”
“By the skies, that’s a seventh-grade Nettle Spirit Tree grove!”
After taking in the sights, Shen Wenxin clutched her chest, her voice trembling with excitement:
“No wonder I chose this sect after such deliberation!”
“The Taiqing Sect is rich!”
Chu Qingchuan, upon entering the secret realm, instinctively looked toward Xu Wanci. When he saw her calm yet wistful expression, his eyes lowered briefly before he turned away, fixing his gaze ahead.
Listening to Shen Wenxin’s exclamations, he frowned and warned:
“The Endless Mirage Secret Realm is fraught with danger. Shen-shimei, it’s best to remain cautious—”
Before he could finish, Xu Wanci had already stepped forward.
She walked along the edge of the Starbloom Grass, moving steadily toward the heart of the dense forest. As she passed a Nettle Spirit Tree, her fingertips brushed its trunk with unexpected gentleness.
Chu Qingchuan’s eyes flickered with concern—unnoticed even by himself.
He quickened his pace to catch up, reaching out as if to stop her.
“Wanci, you—”
Hearing his voice, Xu Wanci seemed to recall something. The emotions in her eyes gradually settled, leaving only stillness behind.
She paused and turned her head slightly to look at him.
When Chu Qingchuan met her gaze—cool and detached, as if he were a stranger—his outstretched hand froze midair.
Slowly, he lowered it, his voice slightly hoarse:
“Be careful.”
Xu Wanci smiled politely, distantly.
“Thank you for the reminder.”
Though Shen Wenxin was a disciple of the Harmony Sound Peak, she was well-versed in the… complicated history between Xu Wanci and Chu Qingchuan.
Admittedly, Xu Wanci’s recent rise in prominence had overshadowed her past infatuation with Chu Qingchuan.
Now, standing awkwardly between the two, Shen Wenxin felt like digging her toes into the ground, utterly at a loss for how to ease the tension.
Just as she was about to break the silence, Xu Wanci spoke softly:
“This is the entrance to the Endless Mirage Secret Realm. As long as…”
She turned her head, her gaze serene yet sorrowful as it rested on the dense forest ahead:
“As long as we’re careful, we won’t encounter any real danger.”
Without another word, she turned and walked forward in silence.
Chu Qingchuan stared at her retreating figure, momentarily lost in thought before following after her.
Shen Wenxin watched their backs, baffled:
That’s it? They’re just leaving?
Shouldn’t they at least test the surroundings for threats with artifacts?
And Chu Qingchuan—hasn’t he always been cold and dismissive toward Xu Wanci, even disdainful?
How could he follow her without a shred of doubt?
Shaking her head, she hurried after them:
Whatever. I’ll just conceal my spiritual energy for now.
Sticking together is better than splitting up.
Xu Wanci walked ahead, her face calm, but her heart was tense.
The entrance to the Endless Mirage Secret Realm was not as safe as she had claimed.
This was the first trial to weed out disciples—laden with poisonous plants, hidden spirit beasts, and even slumbering high-tier creatures.
In the original novel, Chu Qingchuan had suffered a crushing defeat here during his first visit, emerging from the forest only after a day, battered and bruised.
Fortunately, the spirit plants here followed fixed, unchanging patterns.
Given her current persona—one of utter desolation—being ambushed by spirit beasts would be too passive. Avoiding them was the wiser choice.
And more importantly—
Listening to the footsteps behind her, her eyes turned icy:
She needed everyone to believe she was intimately familiar with the Endless Mirage Secret Realm.
She mentally reviewed the novel’s details, though she had already memorized this route backward in recent days. Still, she dared not relax for even a moment.
Seven feet past the Resting Flower, three zhang before the seventh-grade Nettle Spirit Tree…
Outside the secret realm, Ning Menglan abruptly stood up, while even the unflappable Elder Grandmaster widened his eyes in shock:
How is this possible?
They had witnessed countless disciples enter the Endless Mirage Secret Realm—nearly every one of them had been trapped at the entrance for hours, with some even returning severely injured.
Yet Xu Wanci was…
The observers frowned as they watched her advance with unshaken confidence:
Every step she took was steady and swift, without the slightest hesitation.
As if… someone had guided her through this path long ago.
Could it be…?
A thought seemed to strike Ning Menglan, her face twisting in disbelief as she stared at the Secret Realm’s Mirror:
No… It can’t be…
Xie Tingbai watched the unfolding scene in silence, his expression inscrutable.
Back in the secret realm, Xu Wanci and her companions had already traversed the dense forest.
Before them, a crystal-clear azure stream flowed gently, its banks lined with radiant white spirit stones.
Under the glow of the spirit stones, all the spiritual plants around were bathed in a soft, radiant halo.
Shen Wenxin finally relaxed at the sight.
Her eyes sparkled as she gazed at Xu Wanci, brimming with admiration:
"Wanci, how are you so incredible?"
"It's almost as if you've been to the Delusionless Secret Realm before!"
"You're practically a genius..."
Before she could finish, she felt the warning glare from Chu Qingchuan beside her.
Hearing her words, Xu Wanci froze for a moment but ultimately said nothing.
Shen Wenxin didn’t know what she had said wrong, but she could clearly sense the melancholy surrounding Xu Wanci.
Bewildered, she blinked before cautiously changing the subject.
Looking at the scenery around them, she coughed and remarked,
"The view here is so beautiful—it seems like the perfect spot for lovers to meet in secret."
Outside the secret realm, the expressions of the onlookers were particularly vivid:
They truly hadn’t expected a disciple like Shen Wenxin, whose words cut like a knife, sharp and piercing.
And yet, she meant no harm.
Inside the realm, Chu Qingchuan’s expression stiffened again at Shen Wenxin’s words. Recalling his suspicions, he instinctively glanced at Xu Wanci standing nearby.
Xu Wanci kept her head lowered, her face unreadable.
After a long silence, she murmured softly,
"Yes, it is beautiful."
Hearing her agreement, Shen Wenxin completely ignored Chu Qingchuan’s sharp gaze and cheerfully added,
"Right? This stream is breathtaking—the shade of blue is the most stunning I’ve ever seen..."
Chu Qingchuan could no longer hold back. He cut her off abruptly, his voice firm,
"Time is limited. We should move quickly."
Xu Wanci quietly observed the blue stream, her tone calm,
"When crossing this stream, each of us will be transported to a separate, unfamiliar location."
After Xu Wanci’s earlier guidance, Shen Wenxin no longer doubted her words.
Reluctantly, she glanced at Xu Wanci and bit her lip,
"So we have to part ways now?"
But she quickly composed herself, stepping forward with a wave of her hand,
"Wanci, once I’m out, I’ll treat you to a spiritual feast!"
The moment her foot touched the stream, her figure vanished from sight.
Chu Qingchuan paid no mind to Shen Wenxin’s departure. Instead, he turned his head, staring intently at Xu Wanci, his eyes filled with unrestrained worry.
If she encountered danger after they separated—would she truly evade it?
Would the defensive artifacts their master had placed on her really be enough to protect her?
Clenching his fists, his voice came out hoarse,
"Wanci, you..."
But seeing her standing there quietly, absorbed in the stream, he swallowed his words and simply said,
"Be careful in all things."
Chu Qingchuan had always known his priorities and what he sought. Since they were destined to part ways, lingering here would be pointless.
Just as he stepped into the stream, an almost inaudible voice reached him from behind,
"In the far west of the Delusionless Secret Realm lies a swamp of misfortune. Within it, there’s a secluded realm."
Xu Wanci continued evenly,
"There, you’ll find the Flame of Nothingness."
In the original narrative, during Chu Qingchuan’s first visit to the Delusionless Secret Realm, he had been on the verge of forming his Nascent Soul. Whether by sheer luck or fate, he had obtained the Jade Soul Orchid—a treasure that not only ensured a successful breakthrough but also triggered celestial phenomena.
Yet, the Jade Soul Orchid only aided his Nascent Soul formation without addressing the root issue of the Thousand Elixirs Transformation.
After stagnating at the Nascent Soul stage for years, he had exhausted countless methods before finally learning of the Flame of Nothingness from an ancient artifact.
The Flame of Nothingness—colorless, temperatureless—could merge all flames in existence. It was the essential spiritual fire needed to complete the lost second volume of the Thousand Elixirs Transformation.
Unfortunately, the flame resided within the Delusionless Secret Realm, and disciples of the Taiqing Sect were permitted to take only one spiritual treasure from it in their lifetime.
In the end, Chu Qingchuan had sacrificed half his cultivation and resolved a major crisis for the Taiqing Sect just to earn three hours inside the realm.
The path Xu Wanci had taken earlier was the same one he had followed during his second visit.
At this thought, Xu Wanci’s fingers twitched slightly:
No one’s fortune could rival Chu Qingchuan’s.
If she wanted the Jade Soul Orchid, she had to ensure he obtained the treasure he desired even more.
Hearing her words, Chu Qingchuan whirled around, his eyes alight with astonishment:
She was... scheming for his sake!
His heart pounded violently as he rasped,
"Why are you telling me this?"
Xu Wanci didn’t look at him. She simply walked step by step toward the stream.
Just before vanishing, her voice drifted to his ears:
"The Thousand Elixirs Transformation."
"Let it endure."
The light in Chu Qingchuan’s eyes dimmed. He turned away, his voice resolute,
"I will."
Outside the secret realm, Ning Menglan took an unsteady step back.
If Xu Wanci’s knowledge of the safe path into the realm could be attributed to her keen instincts...
Then this—
Even as the sect leader, he hadn’t known the Flame of Nothingness existed within the Delusionless Secret Realm.
Yet Xu Wanci not only knew of it but could pinpoint its exact location.
The Elder Grandmaster and Elder Second Master were equally stunned, their expressions grave:
This left only one possible explanation.
A century ago, Immortal Venerable Qingyan had brought Xu Wanci here.
He had guided her past every danger at the entrance and meticulously led her to every spiritual treasure she might need.
The Elder Second Master lowered her gaze, murmuring in disbelief,
"But why?"
As an Immortal Venerable, he could have simply presented the treasures to her back then. Why go through such lengths...
She pressed her lips together:
It was as if everything Immortal Venerable Qingyan had done a century ago had been to ensure Xu Wanci could now obtain what she needed—by her own efforts.
Suddenly, Gu Yunqi’s voice shattered the silence:
"What fortune—such incredible fortune!"
She didn’t question how Xu Wanci knew so much about the secret realm. Instead, she stared obsessively at the realm’s projection, her fox-like eyes burning with envy:
"Just being near Xu Wanci brings such opportunities—"
"If I can reignite her will to live, breaking through to the next stage would be effortless!"
She had been stuck at the early stage of the Tribulation Transcendence realm for centuries. No elixirs, spiritual plants, artifacts, or cultivation methods had helped.
Her only hope now lay in elusive serendipity.
Hearing her, the Elder Second Master frowned.
Gu Yunqi raised her hands in surrender, signaling she meant no mischief.
Though desperate for fortune, she wouldn’t break her word.
Still...
"Didn't you say Xu Wanci was determined to die?"
"With so many dangers in the secret realm, and her being the only one left..." Gu Yunqi glanced at Elder Second Master. "Aren't you afraid that once she discovers the defensive artifacts on her, she might discard them all and willingly embrace death?"
Ning Menglan froze for a moment.
As bizarre as it sounded, this was exactly the kind of thing Xu Wanci would do.
At that moment, Xie Tingbai stepped forward, his voice as gentle and soothing as bamboo rustling in the wind:
"Elder Third Master makes a fair point."
"Though I wonder, can Elder Third Master's illusionary realm be halted at any time?"
Gu Yunqi quickly nodded. "Of course."
Xie Tingbai's gaze remained serene. "If the Sect Leader and the Elders are concerned, simply have Elder Third Master stop it."
His tone then carried a hint of resignation:
"After all, even if it fails, we'd merely return to the starting point."
Had they ever truly allowed Xu Wanci to leave that starting point?
Elder Second Master caught the unspoken implication in Xie Tingbai's words.
She stood silently, offering no objection.
In the end, Ning Menglan sighed and nodded reluctantly.
"Then let's try it."
As soon as the words left her lips, Gu Yunqi formed a hand seal with a speed no one could follow.
Xie Tingbai watched the secret realm's projection quietly, his gentle eyes concealing an unfathomable darkness beneath.
Inside the secret realm, Xu Wanci lay peacefully asleep amidst a field of illusory feather flowers.
The moment her vision darkened, she had already tightened her grip on the Three-Leaf Lotus in alert.
Feeling its faint warmth, her mind cleared instantly:
In the original story, Chu Qingchuan had never encountered an illusion in the feather flower field.
So this illusion was most likely Gu Yunqi's doing.
Xu Wanci could distinctly sense an unfamiliar voice echoing in her heart, slowly coaxing out her fondest memories.
It called to her, urging her to awaken.
To open her eyes to everything she desired most.
Suddenly, Xu Wanci realized—this was the Heart Illusion Array.
Everything within it was conjured from the entrant's own heart. The caster was merely a guide.
Gu Yunqi wanted her to see the person she longed for most.
Or rather, to relive moments she had shared with Immortal Venerable Qingyan.
Xu Wanci's heartbeat quickened for a fleeting moment:
Even though she had fabricated countless intricate stories about herself and the Immortal Venerable, could she truly weave their interactions seamlessly from imagination alone?
Watching her now were the Taiqing Sect's Leader and Elders.
Forcing herself to stay calm, Xu Wanci slowed her breathing, desperately searching for a way out:
She couldn’t reveal the Three-Leaf Lotus, nor could she expose her ability to remain conscious within the illusion.
And she absolutely couldn’t conjure the scenes Gu Yunqi wanted to see.
Unless...
Outside the secret realm, Gu Yunqi confidently declared:
"Rest assured, the Heart Illusion Array is my specialty. Once Xu Wanci awakens, she’ll see the person or thing she desires most."
"Then, I’ll channel the array to make her fight for survival."
Since the illusion was drawn from Xu Wanci’s own heart, even if she envisioned the Immortal Venerable, it would only cost Gu Yunqi some extra spiritual energy—no heavenly punishment involved.
Just then, Xu Wanci finally opened her eyes.
But what appeared in the secret realm’s projection was an endless, unchanging darkness.
Xu Wanci stood at its center, her expression tranquil.
She showed no surprise at finding herself in this unfamiliar void, nor any trace of panic. She simply walked forward, step by step.
Along a pitch-black path with no end in sight.
Gu Yunqi stared at the scene, her eyes widening in shock. "How could this happen?"
"My illusion can’t be wrong!"
"The illusion isn’t flawed," Xie Tingbai clenched his fists, the pain in his palms lacing his voice with quiet sorrow,
"It’s that she... no longer has anyone she wishes to see."
Or perhaps, she had lost the ability to perceive the illusion’s intent.
She could no longer feel the joy or delight the array sought to evoke.
Xu Wanci walked on, calm and unhurried.
It was just another path to tread, another day to survive.
This darkness was no different from anywhere else.
