Encounter, Wang Family Ancestor?

[In November of the second year, you arrived at the stone wall in Secret Forest from your memories of your past life.]

[Sure enough, you found the secret realm entrance nearby, shaped like a fissure. And someone had clearly entered the secret realm before you!]

[You found two sets of footprints on the ground. You recognized one as your Fifth Sister's. As for the other, it was much broader, and you guessed it had been left by a man.]

"Was Fifth Sister not the only one who entered the secret realm?" Mu Xingqi voiced his doubt.

"There's another man. Who could it be? Seventh Brother?"

No wonder Fifth Sister had entered the secret realm later this time. Had she gone to find someone else for help?

Mu Xingqi clearly remembered that the last time he and Fifth Sister had entered the secret realm to explore, it had been in October of the second year. This time, however, it had been delayed by a full month.

Mu Xingqi shook his head. He could not possibly guess the answers to these questions out of thin air right now. He would just see how the simulation proceeded.

[You entered the secret realm without hesitation.]

[After the world spun around you, you arrived in a Secret Forest.]

[It was still the same place as in your past life, but the grass around you, nearly as tall as a person, had clearly been parted into a path.]

[You already knew the answer in your heart and swiftly followed the trail.]

[You clenched your teeth. You did not want Fifth Sister to die a tragic death again!]

[Before long, you heard the sounds of a fierce battle. Looking toward them, you found two people fighting a black tiger demon.]

[The two were a man and a woman. One was your Fifth Sister, while the other man was a stranger to you.]

[You knew that black tiger demon all too well. It was the Shadow Pattern Tiger.]

[Your Fifth Sister and the man worked together seamlessly, their combined attack sending the Shadow Pattern Tiger flying several meters.]

[Seizing the opportunity, you unleashed a strike of the Nan Sword Art. Azure-green sword qi shot from the Rusty Sword, and with a single strike, you beheaded the Shadow Pattern Tiger!]

[Your Fifth Sister and the man were both greatly shocked by your sudden appearance!]

["Who is it?!" The man first shielded your Fifth Sister behind him, then warily looked around, trying to find you.]

[You did not waste any time and revealed yourself directly.]

[The man apparently did not recognize you either. He stared at you with a grave expression. Though you looked under eighteen now, what secret arts did the world of cultivation lack?]

[Especially since you had beheaded the Shadow Pattern Tiger with one sword strike just now. That display of strength made the man all the more suspicious of you.]

[Though he possessed eighth-layer Qi Cultivation, he was not confident he could have taken that sword strike.]

[When your Fifth Sister clearly saw that it was you, her pupils trembled violently. "Ninth Brother?"]

[Seeing your Fifth Sister call you Ninth Brother, the man also revealed a surprised expression. "You're Ninth Brother Mu Xingqi?!"]

[You were wondering why this unfamiliar man knew your identity, but since he also called you Ninth Brother, his identity was naturally self-evident.]

[Your Fifth Sister immediately stepped between the two of you. She first turned to introduce him to you. "This is your Second Brother, Mu Xinglong."]

[Mu Xinglong, the Grand Elder's eldest son, ranked second among the Main Branch disciples. He was your Second Brother, and also the biological elder brother of your Fifth Sister, Mu Xinghuang!]

[Though somewhat surprised, you still politely greeted your Second Brother.]

[Your Second Brother praised you lavishly. "I never expected it to be Ninth Brother. I thought some old monster was deliberately pretending to be young!"]

[You had not expected your Second Brother to be just as blunt and straightforward, saying whatever came to mind without the slightest reservation.]

[You looked at the Second Brother before you. Upon closer inspection, you found that he and your Fifth Sister did indeed look rather alike, especially their facial features. Otherwise, how could they be biological siblings?]

[However, your Second Brother's hair was a normal color, with only a small tuft in the middle being red.]

[You casually made up an excuse, saying that you had been worried about Fifth Sister's safety and had secretly followed her. Neither your Fifth Sister nor Second Brother asked further questions, and they believed your explanation.]

[You continued exploring the secret realm with Fifth Sister and Second Brother. You wanted to take the two of them away from this mysterious secret realm, but seeing the anticipation written all over their faces...]

[You knew that even ten oxen could not pull these two stubborn bulls back...]

["As long as we don't enter that Eerie Palace, it should be fine, right?" At this moment, your heart was filled with unease.]

[A month later, with your addition, every demonic beast you encountered along the way was slain by the three of you working together.]

[Even the Earth Splitting Pangolin that had escaped disaster in your past life was killed by you, leaving it no chance to flee again.]

[After consuming a great deal of demonic beast meat, you felt that you had taken another step closer to the ninth layer of Qi Cultivation.]

[Your Fifth Sister had even successfully broken through to the eighth layer of Qi Cultivation. You were happy for her successful breakthrough.]

[Two more days passed, and the three of you found a magnificent palace.]

[The same towering spires, the same enormous oak doors, yet they stirred not the slightest desire in you to explore.]

[You knew full well how terrifying this palace was. All you felt now was the urge to retreat.]

[Fifth Sister asked whether you wanted to enter and investigate. You decisively refused, explaining that the palace gave you the creeps and was surely fraught with deadly danger.]

[Though Fifth Sister and Second Brother did not know why you were so certain, seeing that you did not wish to go, they both began to hesitate.]

[Just then, a figure burst through the oak doors and fled from within.]

[You saw clearly that he was an elderly man—and your grandfather!]

"No! Why is Grandpa in this secret realm too?"

Mu Xingqi shot to his feet in shock. Then he suddenly remembered that his grandfather had previously been invited by the Wang Family Ancestor to explore a secret realm.

He had returned gravely injured in the end!

Could the secret realm Grandpa had gone to explore be the very one his Fifth Sister had discovered?

Could there really be such a coincidence under heaven?

Mu Xingqi continued looking at the Simulation Panel. He wanted to see just what was going on.

[The three of you were instantly shocked, and your grandfather was equally shocked to see the three of you.]

[But your grandfather neither explained nor questioned anything, because this was clearly not the time. He grabbed the three of you and fled forward for his life.]

[A moment later, a figure burst out of the palace behind you. His body was round as a ball, yet he was not slow at all, rolling along like a tire.]

[The ball-like old man looked at your grandfather. Though curious as to why your grandfather was carrying three juniors, he still laughed arrogantly. "Mu Shengde! You can't escape. If that old fool from the Zhang Family hadn't self-destructed, do you think you could have escaped from that lord's hands?"]

[Your grandfather snorted coldly. "Wang Qiu! To think you actually colluded with the Blood Demon Sect—you are utterly shameless!"]

["Hahaha! The victor becomes king, the loser becomes a bandit. You should die!" Wang Qiu was instantly enraged and raised his hand to attack your grandfather.]

[Your grandfather threw the three of you aside, turned around, and prepared to face the Wang Family Ancestor alone.]

[The three of you naturally knew that this was a battle between Foundation Establishment cultivators. You were still unable to intervene.]

[In your heart, you prayed that Grandpa would surely return safely. However...]