He Still Couldn't Forget His Thirty Years East of the River, Thirty Years West of the River

A fierce voice, tinged with gritted teeth, came from somewhere nearby. "I never expected you to be going to the Nine Yin Secret Realm too. I remember everything that happened before, hmph. Bai Lan, I've remembered your name. Sooner or later, I'll make you regret what you did in the past."

Without a doubt, that tone and that manner of speaking belonged to Long Aotian.

"Are you referring to the matter of me breaking off our engagement, or the time I watched you get beaten up by a crowd?" Bai Lan casually lifted her head and listed Long Aotian's embarrassing moments one by one. "Or perhaps... the day I defeated you on the fighting platform?"

A few muffled laughs laced with mockery suddenly sounded around them.

He had originally come to utter threats, yet he had not expected Bai Lan to directly expose his shameful history in public.

Long Aotian's expression had already turned ugly beyond compare.

According to the original plot, after entering the sect, Long Aotian should have soared straight up through the clouds, rising step by step. Yet ever since he had encountered Bai Lan, he seemed to have suffered setback after setback.

As a result, Bai Lan had already become the number one enemy in his heart.

If he could get rid of Bai Lan, that would be one thing.

But if he could not get rid of her, then Bai Lan's shadow would become the greatest inner demon of his life.

"Junior Nephew Bai, you are far too disrespectful of seniority. Senior Brother Long is an inner disciple and True Lord Changle's disciple. By seniority, you ought to call him Martial Uncle. How can you press him so aggressively, with no sense of propriety?" Another familiar voice spoke up. The newcomer was Bai Ling.

Bai Lan had figured it out. As long as she and Bai Ling were in the same place, Bai Ling would definitely show up to needle her a few times.

Just like now.

"Will you die if you don't keep picking fights with me?" Bai Lan said speechlessly.

Bai Ling fell silent. "...I'm merely stating the facts."

"Will you die if you don't keep following me around to state the facts?" Bai Lan's expression was indifferent as she glanced again at Long Aotian in the distance. "Besides, a Martial Uncle who was beaten so badly by his junior nephew on the fighting platform that he could not fight back has no right to discuss seniority before me."

Long Aotian, who had already walked some distance away, was whipped through the corpse once more.

"Hahahahaha! Well said! A Martial Uncle beaten by his junior nephew until he could not fight back is indeed a rare sight."

Before they saw the man, they heard his voice. Turning around, they found that it was Ji Feng.

Yet Ji Feng's hearty laughter sounded like naked contempt and mockery in Long Aotian's ears.

"Hmph, her victory over me is only temporary! Thirty years east of the river, thirty years west of the river—never bully a poor young man!" Long Aotian said through clenched teeth.

"..."

Bai Lan rubbed her forehead.

"Junior Nephew Bai, do not forget your Martial Uncle's important matter." Ji Feng paused slightly as he passed Bai Lan and reminded her.

Bai Lan nodded. "Rest assured, Martial Uncle."

Only then did Ji Feng smile. He walked to the front of the crowd, raised a hand to press downward, and made a gesture for silence.

If he had merely been an ordinary Foundation Establishment stage cultivator, that would have been one thing. But the jet-black jade pendant at this Martial Uncle's waist marked him as someone from the Law Enforcement Hall.

The crowd gradually quieted down.

"Everyone, the Nine Yin Secret Realm lies on the Beiming coast north of Wuyun State. Even with Core Formation stage elders escorting us all the way, it will take several days to arrive. The secret realm will remain open for one month, and no one may leave before then. If you have urgent matters, you may leave now." Ji Feng looked over the crowd and spoke in a clear voice. Threads of spiritual power were woven into his words, carrying them distinctly to every person present.

"Besides the cultivators of the Azure Origin Sect, the Joyous Union Sect, which is friendly with our sect, will also be entering the secret realm this time. Let me put the ugly words first: the Azure Origin Sect is indeed friendly with the Joyous Union Sect, but behind the scenes..." Ji Feng gave a light cough and paused.

The Qi Refining stage disciples present immediately looked at one another, their expressions somewhat tense.

"If any female cultivators of the Joyous Union Sect are hot-tempered, and an argument arises that leads them to try to kill you at the slightest disagreement, remember that preserving your lives comes first. If you die in the secret realm without evidence, then you will truly have no door through which to seek redress." As Ji Feng spoke, he shook the folding fan in his hand and gave a mocking laugh. "Your Martial Uncle is only a small Foundation Establishment cultivator. I do not possess the ability to pierce through the secret realm and save you."

Everyone was confused.

Bai Lan sank into thought.

The situation in the cultivation world was complicated. In terms of lineages, Dao cultivators formed the majority, while there were also Buddhist Cultivators, Ghost Cultivators, demonic cultivators, and more.

In terms of factions, there were the Azure Origin Sect, Joyous Union Sect, Danxia Sect, Sword Sect, and others above, while below them stood the four great Lineages of the cultivation world, such as the Gongsun Family, Ge Family, Qin Family, and Li Family. There were also forces such as the Myriad Treasures Pavilion and the Heavenly Secrets Pavilion.

As for good and evil, there was the distinction between righteous Dao cultivators and demonic Dao cultivators.

All of it was far too complicated. Bai Lan had even seen a three-finger-thick volume in the sect's Library Pavilion titled The Close and Distant Relationships Among the Major Sects, Families, and Factions of the Cultivation World. The relationship chart tucked inside was a full three meters wide.

So Bai Lan decisively gave up on reading it and merely had the system take pictures to record it. She could look it up later if needed.

But even though she did not understand these matters deeply, she still knew that people's hearts were separated by their bellies.

These sects, families, and factions appeared harmonious on the surface, but whether their feelings were sincere or false behind the scenes was known only to their higher-ups.

So Ji Feng's words just now meant that they should be wary of the Joyous Union Sect's people?

"All right, I have said all that needs to be said. Once you enter the secret realm, life and death will be decided by fate. Everything will depend on your own fortune."

After Ji Feng finished speaking, he turned and saluted True Lord Lingxiao, who had arrived late behind him. "Master, everyone is here."

True Lord Lingxiao nodded.

True Lord Lingxiao was the one escorting everyone to the secret realm this time. The several hundred disciples present would travel to the Beiming Sea aboard the sect's communal Flying Ship spiritual artifact.

The journey was calm and uneventful, without any danger. It was not until they reached the so-called Beiming coast that Bai Lan finally perked up.

What a boundless ocean it was, yet its waters were black.

The endless black sea even cast a gray haze over the sky at its edge, and an oppressive, gloomy feeling rose in her heart.

Yet amid that expanse of gray darkness, a sudden flash of red was particularly eye-catching.

A graceful, curvaceous figure slowly approached, followed by a group of women in purple robes. All of them were disciples of the Joyous Union Sect.

"Oh my~ Who would have thought, who would have thought that it would be Fellow Daoist Ling Xiao this time? Had I known it was you coming, I would have dressed myself up before meeting you." The woman's bearing was seductive, and her voice even more winding and alluring. Her scarlet robes made her seem all the more radiant amid the gray tones of the Blackwater River.

Ling Xiao merely snorted. "Put away your Charm Technique, old ghost of the Joyous Union Sect. Do not try to play tricks on this old man. I do not fall for that nonsense."

The woman in red gave a soft laugh. "Why must Fellow Daoist Ling Xiao be angry? I merely used a Charm Technique as a greeting. It is an old custom of the Joyous Union Sect."

Her expression did not change. With a smiling rebuke, the red in her pupils gradually faded away and turned black.

Well, damn.

Bai Lan looked away. She had thought the woman opposite her was merely a flirtatious, seductive older sister, but it turned out that she had secretly been stirring up trouble with a Charm Technique.

Only because Ling Xiao's cultivation was profound had he spotted the flaw. Had it been Bai Lan instead, she would have fallen straight into the pit long ago.

"Host, host! This is one of Long Aotian's future harem members—True Lord Hong Xiao!" The system suddenly became alert and cried out in Bai Lan's mind.

Bai Lan's expression paused as she looked toward Long Aotian beside her.

Sure enough, he was staring motionlessly at the woman in red. Clearly, he had fallen for her.