Hearing Seraphine’s name from another person’s lips made my heart clench strangely. I touched my chest in confusion and said, “Seraphine isn’t here. I’m looking for her.”

Siyi appeared surprised.

From another section, Qiu Shuangshuang rushed forward with swollen, tear-stained eyes. “Master’s wife…… wiffff! Finally, someone who can save us! Senior, please help!”

The dozen or so trapped cultivators looked at me like I was their savior. I calmly scanned the group, pausing when I spotted Xue Bufan sitting in the back corner.

Oh.

Not surprising at all.

I drew Nine Heavens.

The blade sang as silver-white sword light struck the barrier like a dragon. At that moment, Qiu Shuangshuang looked at the suddenly alert Water Dragon’s Hymn and wailed, “Now you decide to wake up? Where were you when I was getting captured?”

Water Dragon’s Hymn remained motionless.

Error suddenly turned toward something behind Echo.

A slender figure approached, laughing in a voice like silk: “Naturally, it’s because your cultivation is too pathetic to be worthy of Water Dragon’s Hymn. It disdains being wielded by you.”

Without turning around, I studied the barrier that had resisted my attack. “Soul Transformation stage.” I noted quietly.

“Hehe.” The woman behind me laughed melodiously. “Indeed. Without some level of cultivation, how could I invite everyone here for a pleasant chat about golden dragon fragments?”

I finally turned around.

Their eyes met. The black-haired woman in purple robes paused, pressing a finger to her lips with a bemused expression. “Oh my, such a beautiful creature.”

“However shall I bring myself to harm you?”

Qiu Shuangshuang shouted urgently, “Senior, be careful not to fall for her tricks! She’s Meng Xiangfei, the witch of the Mysterious Yin Sect!”

“Haha.” Meng Xiangfei seemed delighted by the title, laughing softly before addressing Echo. “Will you voluntarily surrender your golden dragon fragments, or shall I invite you to join these cultivators for tea and conversation?”

I looked down at Nine Heavens in my hand, weighing the sword thoughtfully. “Regarding pigs, I prefer free-range.”

Meng Xiangfei blinked in confusion. She felt no fear about fighting Echo—beyond the rules established by Ink-Trace Venerable, only two Soul Transformation cultivators had entered the Twin Dragon Secret Realm. She was one of them, and she knew the identity of the other. It certainly wasn’t this white-haired woman.

So what was there to fear?

But what on earth was she talking about?

I tilted my head with genuine curiosity. “You keep acting so…… coquettish. Is there someone you’re trying to impress?” I turned and pointed at someone in the barrier. “Is it him?”

The indicated Xue Bufan recoiled in horror, frantically waving his hands in denial. The other trapped cultivators looked between Xue Bufan and Meng Xiangfei with strange expressions.

Only Qiu Shuangshuang suddenly remembered Seraphine’s description of Xue Bufan back in the Chongshan Secret Realm and drew a sharp breath.

Come to think of it, after Xue Bufan had been captured, Meng Xiangfei had indeed been constantly flirting with him. Could it really be……?

Meng Xiangfei giggled. “Sister, don’t tease! I do have a beloved, you know. I’m simply—”

Before she could finish, I suddenly moved. Meng Xiangfei smiled confidently, knowing I wouldn’t dare attack.

But instead of striking with my sword, I threw out a blood-red seal.

“New Moon.”

My cold voice echoed through the chamber as the blood-red seal split into eight pieces, creating walls of scarlet shadow. Crimson Moon Blood Seal shone down like a flowing sea of blood, their light eerily beautiful and menacing.

“Oh my, what a frightening thing.” Meng Xiangfei said, covering her mouth in mock alarm.

I extended an invitation: “You’re welcome to come in and take a stroll.”

The rules prohibited actively harming people, but they said nothing about people wanting to be harmed.

My meaning was clear: What if someone felt like it?

“Oh, one more thing,” I added casually. “I became human rather late in life, so I’m not your sister. If you insist on formal address, you may call me Ancestor.”

Meng Xiangfei’s smile faded slightly. “Fellow Daoist has been playing dumb this entire time. Do you really think you can take them away?”

“No, I just wanted to stop you. You and that snake at your feet.”

I glanced down at the snake that had nearly blended with the floor, now blocked by my seal formation.

Siyi called out from within the barrier: “That snake’s mist induces sleep—that’s how we were captured.”

Anyone wanting to leave had to surrender their golden dragon fragments, or remain trapped forever, unable to compete with others for entry slots to the Insight Academy Palace.

“It’s not poisonous mist,” Meng Xiangfei corrected with a playful wag of her finger. “Saying that makes it sound like I want to harm you all. I’m quite kind-hearted, you know.”

I stopped chatting and called out to Water Dragon’s Hymn.

“If you’re willing to break this barrier and escort us out of here, I’ll agree to one reasonable request within my power.” I was very careful about logical loopholes in my phrasing.

Qiu Shuangshuang sniffled. “Senior, I’ve begged it so many times already. Unless it’s a critical moment, it won’t even—”

HUMMM.

The divine weapon manifested as a magnificent water-blue dragon materialized within the barrier. Though only a projection, its majestic presence was impossible to ignore.

I tilted my head and gave Water Dragon’s Hymn an appreciative thumbs up.

The dragon lashed its tail, and the barrier containing everyone shattered instantly. The freed cultivators cried out in joy, quickly summoning their flying artifacts.

Qiu Shuangshuang puffed out her cheeks and pouted, wiping her tears as she approached Error. “Error, give me a ride.” I’m the master’s personal disciple, after all!

Error cleared her throat and said crisply, “Climb on!”

“EH?!” Qiu Shuangshuang was thunderstruck.

Error could talk now!

I also settled onto the dragon’s back. Only after Error took flight did I dismiss the Crimson Moon Blood Seal. In the chamber below, Water Dragon’s Hymn regarded the now-scowling Meng Xiangfei before transforming into a spear and chasing after us.

“Tch.” Meng Xiangfei stamped her foot in annoyance. “I worked so hard to capture all those people, and she just let them all go! How irritating!”

“And you just stood there watching instead of helping me.”

She turned around with a coquettish complaint.

A figure approached, stepping on streams of light, his white robes illuminated by the chamber’s pearls. He smiled. “Please forgive me.”

Meng Xiangfei laughed softly and walked over, reaching up to caress the man’s face. “You do look best in white. Speaking of which, I captured someone earlier who also wore white—gentle and refined in temperament, very much like you. Most importantly, he was more handsome than you. Hehe.”

The man listened without anger and asked, “Did you fancy him?”

Meng Xiangfei studied his smiling face and pouted with boredom. But then he continued: “If you did, by all means pursue him. I’m sure he would grow to love you too.”

Meng Xiangfei raised an eyebrow and said deliberately, “The way you love me?”

The man simply smiled without answering.

Finding this even more tedious, Meng Xiangfei crossed her arms. “Good brother, you promised to send your talented junior sister to Mysterious Yin Mountain to serve me. Why has there been no word?”

The white-robed man—Wen Chunsheng—sighed. “She acted on her own and has become useless.”

Meng Xiangfei looked surprised, covering her lips. Her eyes sparkled as she studied Wen Chunsheng. “What’s this? Just because she’s a woman, you won’t use those miraculous methods of yours? She was exceptionally talented—aren’t you disappointed to see such potential wasted?”

Wen Chunsheng chuckled. “It’s not that. Someone more worthy of attention has simply appeared.”

Meng Xiangfei smiled as well, slowly backing away two steps. “Fine. I never question your methods. But you know my feelings, so please don’t ever use those techniques on me. Otherwise, I’ll…… bring us both to ruin.”

“Understood.” Wen Chunsheng smiled and turned to leave.

Meng Xiangfei watched him go. Only after he’d vanished did she raise her hand to brush away the goosebumps on her arms. She inhaled slowly, exhaled carefully, then reached out to stroke her enlarged spirit snake.

“Dancing with tigers,” she whispered. “Ha.”

⁂

The group that escaped the sand dune flew several thousand meters before finally relaxing. Fortunately, we weren’t far from the Golden Jade Tower, so everyone decided to head there for rest while spreading word about Meng Xiangfei’strap.

Upon landing at the tower, the cultivators swarmed me with gratitude. I replied honestly, “It was Water Dragon’s Hymn who deserves credit.”

They turned to thank the spear clutched in Qiu Shuangshuang’s hands, but the weapon remained coldly unresponsive, appearing to be nothing more than an ordinary spiritual artifact.

“That witch kept me trapped in her cave for ten full days! I was ready to surrender my fragments—Siyi talked me out of it.” One cultivator bowed to Siyi gratefully.

Siyi smiled. “If you’d given up your fragments, you’d only be praying not to encounter her again. Otherwise, not only would you lose any chance of passing the second round, you’d become her tool for collecting fragments from others.”

I blinked and looked away guiltily.

Hahaha…

Another cultivator said angrily, “Who knows how many others fell for her schemes and meekly handed over their fragments! Why is the Mysterious Yin Sect even allowed to participate in the Five Continents Competition?”

“The Mysterious Yin Sect may act arrogantly and use underhanded methods, but in matters of true principle, they’ve never erred. They count as righteous cultivators. During the battle against the Nine Heavens Sect, Mysterious Yin disciples gave their all—their sect master lost half his life in that conflict and later died attempting ascension.” Another cultivator spoke more reasonably.

Though still resentful, mention of the Nine Heavens Sect silenced further complaints. Everyone simply urged caution against Meng Xiangfei’s future schemes.

The group shared worried glances before bowing once more to Water Dragon’s Hymn and Echo. Having barely escaped with their lives, they needed to quickly resume fragment hunting—who knew how far behind they’d fallen!

I wanted them gone quickly. “Farewell!” I waved enthusiastically.

Xue Bufan lingered until last, offering a respectful bow before departing. Siyi commented casually, “Young Master Xuecertainly has excellent manners.”

“Master!”

A pink-robed young woman rushed out from the Golden Jade Tower, her face lighting up with relief as she called out softly. Her eyes were slightly red. Siyi decided to tease her, pointing at Xue Bufan’s retreating figure. “Look there—do you recognize him?”

Xue Mengtao looked up at the various departing silhouettes in confusion. “Who? Which fellow daoist?”

Siyi said in surprise, “The one in white. Don’t you know him?”

Xue Mengtao shook her head uncertainly, assuming Siyi was trying to change the subject. She grabbed her master’s hands angrily. “Next time you leave me alone to face danger, I’ll be truly upset!”

“Eh?” Both Error and Echo tilted our heads simultaneously.

Echo reflexively pulled out a handful of sunflower seeds, tossing some into Error’s open mouth. Qiu Shuangshuang, who hadn’t left yet, quietly extended both hands and received a generous portion.

What a wonderful senior!

Qiu Shuangshuang was moved to tears.

Siyi didn’t mind our snacking and smiled. “Better that you carry the fragments while I get captured than both of us being taken together. Even if she truly intended harm, she wouldn’t obtain the fragments.”

I was genuinely amazed that Siyi had managed to protect Xue Mengtao from Meng Xiangfei’s clutches!

Sensing my confusion, Siyi explained, “My master gave me two protective artifacts when she emerged from seclusion. They happened to be useful.”

Xue Mengtao pursed her lips. “Master is stronger than me. You should have stayed behind instead. Who knows if there’s a second Meng Xiangfei out there? Even if there were, Master could escape safely and continue searching for fragments!”

“Don’t overestimate me. Focus on cultivation so you can protect me in the future.” Siyi smiled and patted Xue Mengtao’scheek. The young woman’s eyes reddened as she nodded.

Protect.

I stopped eating seeds, feeling a strange tightness in my chest. I poured the remaining seeds into Error’s mouth, straightened my clothes, and addressed Siyi earnestly.

“Siyi, you’re intelligent. I have a question: if there were an isolated location within this secret realm, where do you think it would be?”

Siyi didn’t understand why Echo was asking, but noticing that the Palace Lord wasn’t with Echo, her heart sank. She began thinking seriously.

Seeing this, Xue Mengtao pulled out a map from her storage ring—the most comprehensive chart available from the Golden Jade Tower, though vast unexplored regions remained blank.

Qiu Shuangshuang peered over their shoulders. Seeing everyone looking troubled, she scratched her face and said quietly, “When I used to play hide-and-seek with my senior sisters, I always hid in the place closest to whoever was counting. It stopped working eventually, but at first, no one could find me.”

Siyi’s eyes brightened. “Right under their noses?”

Right under their noses?

In this secret realm, where would that be?

I lowered my gaze and placed my finger on the map’s edge.

A stretch of blooming peach groves spread like pink clouds across the corner—where everyone had started.

[Author’s Note]:

Work Log……

Main System, you once asked me what it felt like when I couldn’t locate my host. Now I know: anxiety. Tremendous, overwhelming anxiety that strips away my capacity for rational thought.

Main System Response:Sometimes losing your composure can be charming too! Please keep up the excellent work!