"Don't be careless. These Xue Teng can extend for thousands of miles, making them a real pain to deal with. Unless you can uproot them completely, they'll wear you out," Qin Yi warned.

Bai Jingqing said, "Then I'll just destroy all these damned Ghost Vine Trees."

With that said, she launched into the air, and cold Sword Qi shot out explosively.

Clang!

The Sword Qi struck a Ghost Vine Tree, producing a metallic ringing sound.

Moreover, although it left a deep sword mark on the Ghost Vine Tree, it did not sever it as expected.

Bai Jingqing was a little stunned. With her cultivation, she couldn't cut down a single tree with one sword strike.

"Watch out!"

While Bai Jingqing was in a daze, dozens of Blood Ghost Vines shot towards her like sharp arrows.

Qin Yi raised his hand, and Purple Light burst out, slicing through the Blood Ghost Vines.

"Let's get out of here first."

Suddenly, a pair of Fire Wings unfolded behind Qin Yi.

Bai Jingqing was shocked. The Fire Wings were completely formed from purple flames, which, while not emitting any heat, caused her to feel a chill.

"Follow me."

Qin Yi flew upwards, and Bai Jingqing quickly followed after regaining her senses.

Above, the dense sap from Ghost Vine Trees intertwined, obscuring the sky. The wings on Qin Yi's back flapped, sending waves of fire sweeping out like a Fire Dragon.

When those branches and leaves met the fire waves, they instantly turned to ash, revealing a large opening.

Qin Yi took Bai Jingqing and charged out.

Yet, the Blood Ghost Vines surged up hundreds of meters high, attacking Qin Yi and Bai Jingqing.

The wings on Qin Yi's back flapped again, the fire waves sweeping through and turning hundreds of Blood Ghost Vines to ash.

Qin Yi looked down, his gaze flickering slightly; with Phoenix Fire, he was fully capable of destroying this Ghost Vine Forest. But after some thought, he decided against it, thinking that perhaps some unlucky members of the Five Great Families might also stumble into the forest and become its nourishment.

"Let's go."

Qin Yi retracted his Fire Wings and with Bai Jingqing, transformed into two streams of light, flying away from the area.

The two landed in an open space.

"Before coming, the elders in the family warned me that this Secret Realm is fraught with danger. I didn't expect even the trees to be so hard to deal with."

Qin Yi was contemplating why there would be Ghost Vine Trees in this Secret Realm. These things should only exist in the Primordial times. Could it be that there's some connection between this place and the Primordial times?

Hearing Bai Jingqing's words, he instinctively replied, "Blood Ghost Vines have appeared in the outside world too, but you, the children of hidden families, wouldn't know that."

Bai Jingqing was slightly stunned, "They've appeared in the outside world too?"

Qin Yi smiled, but the smile was full of mockery, "Miss Bai, may I ask you, what are you working so hard on cultivation for?"

"Of course, it's for sect honor," Bai Jingqing blurted out without thinking.

Qin Yi snorted with disdain, "For sect honor? What a grand excuse."

Bai Jingqing couldn't understand why Qin Yi had this expression, puzzled she asked, "How can that be an excuse? Every one of us practices cultivation diligently all our lives for the glory of our sect."

"It's just a selfish excuse," Qin Yi said indifferently. "Let me ask you, during the Battle of Luoshen Mountain decades ago, when Qi Refiners from across the nation fought alongside allied forces from other countries, and many geniuses shed their blood at Luoshen Mountain, what were you hidden families doing?"

Bai Jingqing hesitated, about to speak, but Qin Yi spoke first, "You were hiding from the world. Are you saying that hidden families and sects were unaware of this? You knew, you just didn't care about others' lives, thinking it had nothing to do with you. You only cared if your bloodlines were noble and if your sects were powerful."

"During that battle, Luoshen Mountain was stained red. Although Longxia won, it was severely weakened. What were you hidden sects doing? Taking the opportunity to scavenge resources, wooing Guardian Families, and seeking your benefits."

"Bai Jingqing, no one stipulated that you have to go to war, that's moral coercion. But isn't taking advantage of national crises utterly despicable?"

"Moreover, although this matter happened decades ago, there aren't many who can still feel the hardship of that battle now. But I want to say, even after ten thousand years, one shouldn't forget their roots."

"Flower Demon, Mo Buwen, Nan ZaiXu even joined hands with enemies from back then to gain benefits and set up some Heavenly Gamble? Such actions of aiding the enemy, how can you expect me to spare them? This is why I dislike you hidden families, because you don't understand the saying that not a single egg remains intact when the nest overturns."

"Of course, to shameless people like you, even if the entire line of Qi Refiners in Longxia died in battle back then, you'd probably just treat it as a topic of casual conversation. To be blunt, if Longxia's Qi Refiners were defeated, what sect honor would you still have? By then, you'd only qualify to be dogs before the Qi Refiners of other nations."

Bai Jingqing's pretty face turned icy, "Qin Yi, don't go too far. We hidden sects aren't as bad as you make us out to be."

"Isn't what I'm saying the truth? During that battle, did any hidden family send a single person for support?"

Bai Jingqing was silent, finally speaking hesitantly, "Our goals are just different. Those people fought for the nation, and we fought for our sect, we're all fighting, what's the mistake?"

"Bullshit!" Qin Yi was furious, cursing loudly, "Without the country, how would you hidden families even exist? There's a limit to shamelessness, and you guys have none at all."

"Bai Jingqing, let me tell you, if those heroes who died at Luoshen Mountain heard your words, how heartbroken would they be?"

"Profiteering from national crises is aiding the enemy. Do you know how disgusted I am by you self-centered hidden families?"

"You think so highly of yourselves, believing your bloodlines to be noble. Let me tell you, in my eyes, all living beings are equal. If I truly have to rank you, you'd all be trash, and you so-called geniuses would all be worthless."

"Nancheng Fei, Mo Tianhao, you outstanding younger generation peers, the prides of your families. Before me, Qin Yi, you're just jokes. I can crush you with a slap without any effort. So don't show superiority in front of me, and especially don't justify your selfishness, that's just asking for trouble."

Bai Jingqing glared at Qin Yi, her pretty face filled with defiance.

Qin Yi chuckled coldly, disdainfully, "Defiant? I'll give you a chance. Show me your strongest attack. If I can't kill you instantly, consider it my loss."

Bai Jingqing, having grown up amid flowers and applause, had never been so looked down upon. She stared coldly at Qin Yi, her jade hand gripping the hilt of her sword, her knuckles turning white.

Qin Yi's gaze was as indifferent as water, his expression unchanged.