Xie Jingci was stunned.
From the moment she entered the Ten Thousand Ghost Cave to being violently ejected from the illusion by an overwhelming force, it had taken no more than the blink of an eye.
Unlike one’s physical body, the spiritual consciousness wouldn’t suffer any real harm even if it perished within the illusion—the only downside was that pain couldn’t be blocked.
That sudden, unstoppable force had swept through her entire being in an instant. Caught completely off guard, her meridians still throbbed with a dull ache, and she could barely steady herself to avoid collapsing from exhaustion.
Thanks to that brief three-second tour, she had managed to catch a glimpse of the Ten Thousand Ghost Cave.
True to its name, the cave was filled with grotesque, jagged boulders, and the dim surroundings were illuminated only by faint, glowing vines clinging to the walls.
The moment she stepped inside, Xie Jingci had been struck by an icy, bone-deep malevolence.
In terms of danger level, this place could be classified as a mid-tier illusion, teeming with wandering spirits and demons. There was nowhere for cultivators to hide—only a direct confrontation awaited.
The problem was, she hadn’t even had time to draw her blade before being unceremoniously eliminated.
Xie Jingci was the only one forcibly expelled from the illusion.
That little thief, Fu Nanxing, didn’t seem to possess cultivation superior to hers, yet he remained safely inside the cave. Combined with his earlier remark about being kicked out in five seconds…
Though the specifics were still unclear, this was likely one of the Ten Thousand Ghost Cave’s attack mechanisms.
He wasn’t a first-time challenger here, so naturally, he knew more than she did.
For cultivators, dying in the Black Tortoise Realm was nothing unusual.
As the excruciating pain gradually subsided, Xie Jingci pressed her fingers to her temples and was about to re-enter the cave when the illusion’s entrance darkened—another figure emerged.
Xie Jingci and Pei Du stared at each other in silence.
Initially embarrassed, she couldn’t help but smirk when she saw him. "You died too?"
Given his strength, he shouldn’t have been defeated so quickly.
Pei Du replied simply, "Mn."
After a brief pause, his voice betrayed no hint of the agony he must have endured. "Shall we go in together?"
And so, the two of them made their second attempt.
"Hey, you’re back!"
Fu Nanxing, a talisman cultivator, summoned crackling lightning with a flick of his fingers. "So, was it five-four-three-two-one?"
"My apologies, Miss Xie! We’ve been here so many times, we forgot to warn you about the initiation ritual."
Mo Xiaoyang, his face full of remorse, sliced through an oncoming specter while hastily explaining, "The Ten Thousand Ghost Cave has a nasty habit of humbling newcomers. At the start of the illusion, the Ghost Cave’s master makes an appearance and randomly attacks someone."
And she had been the lucky one chosen.
Xie Jingci might be bold, but she wasn’t reckless.
She had originally intended to see if she could clear the challenge, but instead, she got a dreamlike opening—sent straight to the afterlife with a single strike. The Ghost Cave’s master had obliterated her spiritual consciousness in one hit, like a cleaver slicing through a cucumber. Its cultivation was undoubtedly formidable.
There was no way they could win against that.
She had thought Mo Xiaoyang was reliable, assuming she’d boarded a smooth ride to success. Turns out, the ride was smooth—just headed straight for the crematorium.
What a spectacular ghostly drift.
"To my shame, despite multiple attempts, I’ve never once encountered the Ghost Cave’s master."
Mo Xiaoyang was an undeniable chatterbox. Xie Jingci had met talkative people before, but someone who kept up a running commentary even while fighting was a first. "These ghosts are just the appetizer. Soon, they’ll multiply until the entire cave is packed. We won’t even have room to stand, let alone fend them off."
His tone was light, but there was already a hint of strain in his movements.
Even as mere "appetizers," the current wave of vengeful spirits was no easy feat. They stood in the cave’s central clearing, surrounded by shadows lunging from all directions—a true ambush.
The eerie ghostly aura was as cold as ice. Xie Jingci focused, swinging her blade.
These specters were persistent, but nowhere near strong enough to instantly kill Pei Du. She wanted to ask how he’d fallen, but reconsidered—perhaps he was still adjusting to the pain of his spiritual wounds. Bringing it up might embarrass him.
After all, Pei Du hadn’t mentioned her three-second ejection either.
The surrounding wails grew louder, and a frigid gust swept through the cave.
Mo Xiaoyang’s voice turned grave. "Be careful. The assault is about to intensify."
Before his words faded, an overwhelming surge of killing intent filled the air.
The darkness was punctuated only by the sickly green glow of the vines, casting shifting, chaotic shadows like a disorienting kaleidoscope.
A chilling howl echoed in her ears. Xie Jingci raised her blade.
This illusion was like a training ground—waves of monsters, each stronger than the last, forcing them to exhaust every ounce of their strength just to defend themselves.
Or rather, "barely survive."
There were too many.
Mo Xiaoyang hadn’t exaggerated. As time passed, the number of ghosts in the cave swelled, their power visibly escalating.
At first, she had handled them with ease, treating it like slicing fruit. Now, the fruit had turned into a hailstorm of boulders, and Xie Jingci was struggling.
Another surge of malevolent energy shot toward her—Pei Du intercepted it with a slash of his sword.
Her spiritual consciousness had been damaged, weakening her cultivation. Pei Du, despite his shattered meridians, retained his spiritual strength. Here in the Black Tortoise Realm, he was slightly stronger than her.
Xie Jingci murmured a thanks, frowning silently.
The Ten Thousand Ghost Cave had become a living hell, packed with demons like puzzle pieces crammed into every available space.
On the other side, Fu Nanxing was nearing his limit. "I told you, didn’t I? This damned place is impossible—ah! Damn it, that hurts! I can’t take it anymore!"
Mo Xiaoyang, too, was faltering, his body littered with wounds. Barely managing to spare a glance, he called over his shoulder, "Miss Xie, are you two holding up?"
Pei Du answered for her. "Mn."
The ghosts kept coming. In this chaos, no one could afford to watch out for others.
Xie Jingci hadn’t experienced such unrestrained slaughter in a long time. The only sound in the silence was the frantic pounding of her own heart. It wasn’t until she paused for breath that she realized Fu Nanxing and Mo Xiaoyang’s voices were gone.
She froze mid-motion.
"Finally noticed we’re missing, huh?"
Outside the Ten Thousand Ghost Cave, Mo Xiaoyang watched the scene through a projection mirror, scratching his head with a wry smile. "Fellow Cultivator Xie… really goes all out."
Fu Nanxing snorted.
He and Mo Xiaoyang had attempted this challenge over a dozen times, dying at this exact point every single attempt.
This time was no exception. Mo Xiaoyang could’ve lasted longer, but seeing the situation was hopeless, he relaxed his guard—only to be taken out by a sneak attack.
"She’ll be defeated within half the time it takes to drink a cup of tea."
Fu Nanxing, still aching from the pain, slumped against a nearby boulder. "Do you know anything about those two’s cultivation levels?"
"Miss Xie should be nearing the Golden Core stage, as for Young Master Pei..."
Mo Xiaoyang found himself momentarily at a loss, his gaze fixed intently on the circular mirror.
Initially, neither he nor Fu Nanxing had paid much attention to Pei Du.
He had heard Pei Du’s name mentioned by Xie Jingci before, and upon their first encounter, the young man had struck him as nothing more than a delicate, frail figure—hardly someone with formidable cultivation.
Later, after entering the Ten Thousand Ghosts Cave, Xie Jingci had been the first to fall, eliminated after her "death" in the trial. Pei Du had followed soon after, moving sluggishly as a low-tier ghost creature pierced his chest. It wasn’t until Xie Jingci returned that he stopped making such blunders.
To put it bluntly (though it felt a bit rude), wasn’t he just a pretty face? The only reason he was still in the cave had to be Xie Jingci’s protection.
That was what Mo Xiaoyang had assumed.
But when they stepped out of the illusion and took a closer look at the mirror, something felt… off.
The young master seemed to be deliberately suppressing his cultivation. Though he never made any earth-shattering moves, every strike he executed was effortless and fluid. Rather than Xie Jingci shielding him…
It would be more accurate to say, "Young Master Pei was quietly clearing obstacles for her."
"I really don’t get it," Fu Nanxing muttered, eyes wide as he watched the flashes of blades and swords in the mirror. "What kind of monsters are these two?"
The battle had reached its most intense point. From outside the illusion, it was clear both were at their limits.
Pei Du was faring slightly better, but Xie Jingci was covered in wounds. She spat out a mouthful of blood as she severed the ghostly claws gripping her ankle.
"She’s in this state and still refusing to quit? I—"
Just looking at her made Fu Nanxing wince in sympathy. He cut himself off mid-sentence, stunned into silence.
Inside the illusion, Xie Jingci and Pei Du had reached the farthest point he and Mo Xiaoyang had ever reached in the Ten Thousand Ghosts Cave—the place where they had lasted the longest.
Ghostly creatures surged endlessly, as if determined to fill every crevice of the cavern. Xie Jingci wiped the blood from her lips, her blade carving a crescent arc through the air. Her movements were so swift that multiple afterimages flickered in her wake.
Fresh wounds split open across her body, but she fought like a beast backed into a corner—every slash driven by pure instinct, with no room for hesitation in this life-or-death struggle.
She hated losing. Despised it.
An ordinary person might achieve such speed, but no one could endure the agony of a thousand ants gnawing at their flesh, let alone maintain razor-sharp focus under these conditions, fighting for survival on the brink of death.
The earlier chatter died down abruptly.
Even Fu Nanxing, who had never been particularly fond of Xie Jingci, took a long moment before murmuring, "...No way."
Wucheng wasn’t a prosperous place. Most folks dressed plainly, but Xie Jingci had always stood out—flamboyant, unapologetically pampered, the very picture of a spoiled young mistress.
Fu Nanxing had been ready to watch her crumble, expecting tears or a swift surrender. But this? This was sheer, unrelenting madness.
He and Mo Xiaoyang, seasoned as they were, had deemed the trial hopeless and retreated early. Who could’ve guessed that these two newcomers they’d casually brought along would fight like demons, charging forward without hesitation?
Once this was over, it might well be Xie Jingci laughing at them.
All his schadenfreude evaporated. For once, Fu Nanxing’s expression turned solemn as he stared at the scene in the mirror.
This was the hellscape they had failed to conquer after dozens of attempts.
Blood sprayed as the ghosts shrieked, launching their final assault. Xie Jingci’s head throbbed violently as she struggled to block, but then—a flash of white streaked past her.
"These lowly creatures are hardly worth your effort, Miss Xie."
Pei Du stood before her, his voice soft and composed. Yet the sword in his hand blazed with a blinding light, its edge lethally sharp.
He was being considerate—even though he could clearly see Xie Jingci was at her limit, he framed it as "not wanting to trouble her" rather than pointing out her exhaustion.
Xie Jingci scoffed inwardly.
The next instant, a brilliant radiance flooded the Ten Thousand Ghosts Cave. At its center stood the young man, his dark eyes fathomless. For the first time, the gentle, unassuming aura around him shattered, replaced by a killing intent as keen as a blade.
Sword energy erupted, annihilating every demonic entity within its reach. The moment it surged upward, the ghosts and fiends disintegrated into smoke, leaving behind only fading howls.
Mo Xiaoyang’s eyes lit up with battle lust.
Fu Nanxing stood frozen, goosebumps rising across his skin. Words failed him—all he could manage was a dumbfounded, "Damn."
After a long pause, he finally exhaled, voice tinged with awe: "...That was cool."
Unfortunately, miracles didn’t last.
Xie Jingci and Pei Du were ejected from the illusion soon after—quite literally.
Pei Du’s final strike had drained him completely. But before they could catch their breath, the master of the ghost cave emerged amidst the dying wails of the creatures. With a single palm strike, it sent both of them flying out of the Ten Thousand Ghosts Cave.
Fu Nanxing, for once, didn’t immediately resume their usual bickering. He just stood there, lost in thought. Mo Xiaoyang, on the other hand, practically glowed with excitement, trailing after Pei Du with an endless stream of praise.
Xie Jingci, having been "slapped" out twice now, was thoroughly irritated. With her spiritual energy nearly depleted, she quickly left the Black Tortoise Realm.
She had intended to return to the inn for some much-needed rest, but before she could even reach the training hall’s entrance, a loud, unfamiliar voice cut through the air.
"Well, well, if it isn’t Young Master Pei? The Pei family has turned the world upside down searching for you… and here you are, hiding in the Ghost Domain?"
The tone was dripping with disdain.
Xie Jingci frowned and looked up, meeting the speaker’s smug grin.
The man was tall and broad-shouldered, dressed in luxurious robes. His eyes held nothing but open contempt.
Beside him stood a fair-skinned youth in jade-white silk, an exquisitely carved dragon-and-tiger jade pendant hanging from his waist—clear indicators of his noble status.
And indeed, his background was anything but ordinary.
The third young master of the Pei family wasn’t someone just anyone could approach.
Since the Ghost Gate hadn’t yet opened, their presence in the Ghost Domain likely meant they, like Xie Jingci and Pei Du, had stumbled through a spatial rift.
Xie Jingci glanced at Pei Du beside her. His lips were bloodless, his gaze shadowed. Sensing her look, he lowered his lashes and said quietly, "Miss Xie, I’ll handle this."
—No matter what, he refused to become a burden to her.
The burly man didn’t recognize her, striding forward with his nose in the air, assuming she was just another local of the Ghost Domain.
"Young Master Pei is quite impressive. A stray dog like you, yet you’ve already found a beauty to cling to after just one day here."
He sneered, giving Xie Jingci a sidelong glance. "Do you even know what kind of man he is, girl? If you stick with him, you’ll—"
Before he could finish, Xie Jingci cut him off impatiently. "Who are you?"
"Luo Zheng, a disciple of the Pei family."
Smirking, he handed her a neatly folded name card. "You may not be aware of the Pei family’s standing, but our estate—"
Xie Jingci tuned him out, letting his words go in one ear and out the other.
As for what status the Pei residence held, she couldn’t care less. The only thing Xie Jingci knew was that she was in a foul mood after losing in the illusionary realm, and now, right after stepping out, she had stumbled upon the perfect stress reliever.
As the saying goes, there are three great remedies for stress: eating, sleeping, and beating up mama’s boys.
