Secret Realm (3)

After that, Shen Yuxi and Wen Jian fell into the difficult predicament of fighting as they fled.

Within this secret realm, communication artifacts were like phones with no signal—completely useless.

Even the sound transmission stones that the Profound Heaven Sect's direct disciples always carried for emergencies had malfunctioned without warning. They could only run on their own two legs and gamble on whether they might run into someone.

Shen Yuxi did not know what the other sects were doing, but his own bunch would definitely come over to see what was happening if there was any excitement.

Thus, Shen Yuxi made up his mind. Since they could not shake this troublesome demonic beast anytime soon, they might as well fight while retreating and hope the sounds of battle would draw reinforcements.

Shen Yuxi had hesitated over whether to go all out against it. With his strength, if he gave it everything he had, it was not as though he had no chance of fighting it.

But then he thought of how he had visited the gates of hell three times in less than half a year, and it rubbed him the wrong way. Did they take the underworld for some five-star tourist attraction? Had he gotten addicted to touring it?

With that in mind, he decided to retreat for the moment and preserve his strength.

Because Wen Jian's cultivation was still too shallow, he could not calmly handle such an intense battle while flying on a sword.

Seeing this, Shen Yuxi did not waste a word. He simply carried Wen Jian upright in his arms, poured spiritual power beneath his feet, and urged his flying sword forward like an arrow leaving the bowstring. The sword darted through the dense forest, while wind blades fired by the demonic beast from behind streaked past them from time to time, danger lurking at every turn.

Shen Yuxi narrowly dodged the attacks again and again, yet several wind blades still mercilessly sliced across his body, leaving savage wounds on his arms and back. Crimson blood seeped out in steady streams, quickly staining his clothes red. Yet he had no time to care about those injuries. His only thought was to take Wen Jian out of danger.

Though he did his best to remain calm, the prolonged high-intensity flight and repeated counterattacks had already drained too much of Shen Yuxi's spiritual power, and his strength was gradually failing. His breathing became hurried and heavy. Beads of sweat the size of soybeans covered his forehead, rolling down his cheeks and soaking his robes.

Wen Jian saw Shen Yuxi's condition and was frantic with worry. He knew full well that Shen Yuxi had already exhausted himself to keep him safe.

Without caring about anything else, he hurriedly rummaged through his storage pouch for pills that restored spiritual power, held one to Shen Yuxi's lips, and shouted, "Second Senior Brother, hurry and take a pill to replenish your spiritual power!"

Shen Yuxi swallowed the pill in one gulp. It melted as soon as it entered his mouth, becoming a warm current that swiftly flowed through his limbs and bones, lending a spark of life to his nearly depleted spiritual power. He took a deep breath, forced himself to focus, and continued driving his flying sword through this perilous escape.

After narrowly avoiding another attack from the demonic beast, Shen Yuxi pulled at his wounds with the overly large movement. He squeezed his eyes shut, fury surging into his heart. "Damn it, so what if I'm a repeat customer at the underworld?! I really do like this sort of thing! You mutt, if I don't show you some color, you'll really think this lord is easy to bully!"

Just as he was about to draw his sword and strike, a familiar fluctuation of spiritual power suddenly arrived. At the same time, a thunderous shout rang in his ears—

"Get down!"

A razor-sharp flash of sword light came slashing over like lightning. No one knew where it had come from, and it was so fast that it caught them completely off guard.

Shen Yuxi reacted instantly. He pressed down with the spiritual power beneath his feet, and he and his flying sword plummeted sharply downward. At the same time, he bent backward like a crescent moon, narrowly evading the fatal strike.

The attack he had avoided struck the pursuing demonic beast squarely and heavily.

A furious roar that shook heaven and earth rang out. The demonic beast was clearly enraged by the sudden attack, its eyes turning blood-red in an instant like two burning flames.

The newcomer gave it no chance to lash out. He gathered every scrap of spiritual power in his body into the wooden sword in his hand. Amid the howling gale, the left side of his forehead, usually hidden by his long hair, was exposed, revealing a peach blossom mark. The color of two petals was gradually fading.

Vast spiritual power surged from him like turbulent ocean waves. When the demonic beast came lunging at him with bared fangs and claws, he actually used that overwhelming power to fiercely suppress the Nascent Soul Realm demonic beast's vicious offensive.

"Seventh Junior Brother, I love you to death!!"

With willows dark and flowers bright, he had finally held on until one of the little brats from home arrived. Seeing this, Shen Yuxi could not help roaring in his heart.

Ye Jingxuan was fully focused on confronting the demonic beast, his nerves drawn taut. When Shen Yuxi's earth-shaking shout suddenly rang through his mind, his hand jerked in fright, and the attack that had been securely in hand immediately lost its aim.

The demonic beast seized this rare opening and lunged in a savage counterattack, moving as fast as an afterimage.

Ye Jingxuan felt a foul wind rush into his face and inwardly cried that things were bad. He hurriedly twisted aside, but the beast's claws still grazed his shoulder. His clothes were instantly torn apart, revealing a shallow bloody mark.

The strike broke him out in a cold sweat. Shocked and furious, he gritted his teeth and said, "Second Senior Brother!!!"

If you encountered Eldest Senior Brother when you were at the end of your rope, do not be happy too soon. On the contrary, you had to turn around and run immediately.

The formula told them that when they encountered a lone Long Aotian, he was most likely either already fleeing or about to embark on a desperate escape. Behind him, a stronger enemy was bound to be in hot pursuit.

If they foolishly went up to join him under those circumstances, they would undoubtedly be seeking their own deaths.

But if you encountered Seventh Junior Brother when there was nowhere left to go, congratulations—your life was as good as saved.

In ordinary stories, someone gentle and considerate, more popular than the male lead, with solid strength, good looks, few enemies, and the ability to thrive anywhere was called the devoted second male lead. And apart from the male and female leads, the devoted second male lead usually never had to suffer anyone's losses.

Though Seventh Junior Brother was not written as a devoted second male lead, as a professional rear guard—the kind of exemplary supporting character who saved the dying and helped the wounded in numbers that could rival medical cultivators—once you met him, your troubles were over.

—Did they understand the weight of the Profound Heaven Sect disciples' undefeated record through the early and middle stages? Did they understand the peace of mind that came from having no worries behind them?!

Wen Jian did not understand. Not one bit.

During their escape, he could clearly feel Second Senior Brother's condition worsening by the moment.

Shen Yuxi had expended enormous amounts of spiritual power and was wounded besides, but even so, when faced with that relentless and ferocious spirit beast, Shen Yuxi's arm around him tightened. In that instant, Wen Jian immediately realized that Second Senior Brother intended to risk his life.

His heart clenched sharply. All kinds of emotions flooded his chest at once, leaving him with an unbearable, stifling ache—this was caused by worry and shame.

Then, at the critical moment, Seventh Senior Brother's familiar voice suddenly rang out. Upon hearing it, Shen Yuxi abandoned his plan to fight for his life.

Wen Jian, however, felt as though his mind had turned blank and rusted over, temporarily losing the ability to think—this was because, at such close range, Shen Yuxi's Heart Voice had struck him like thunder, shaking his very soul and inflicting double damage upon his eardrums and mind.

Now that Wen Jian had finally recovered his senses, he felt unbearably stifled, wanting to speak but stopping himself, wanting to cry but having no tears—this was because the strange expression on Lin Huaixu's face across from him had infuriated him.

Lin Huaixu had indeed arrived somewhat late, but he had not missed Shen Yuxi's confession that had been as shocking as a stone splitting the sky.

With one glance, he saw his slightly bedraggled Second Senior Brother tightly holding Ninth Junior Brother in his arms. And his mind was still buzzing from Shen Yuxi's Heart Voice, which had just rung out like a great bell and shaken his soul.

He instinctively swept his gaze around. Eldest Senior Brother, who had not been seen since they entered the secret realm, was still nowhere to be found.

Lin Huaixu's mood became complicated as well, and he could not help muttering inwardly, ...Second Senior Brother, you really play hard, huh...

Even Lin Huaixu, who had always been free-spirited, open-minded, and widely experienced, was thoroughly stunned by the sight before him. His imagination immediately began to run wild—

If Sect Master Martial Uncle learns about this, he'll probably be so angry he jumps around. Second Senior Brother not only likes grazing on grass by his own nest, he's holding one in his arms, thinking about one in his heart, and keeping one outside. Our Profound Heaven Sect is doomed sooner or later.

Wen Jian, who had been struck so hard by Shen Yuxi's Heart Voice at point-blank range that his head nearly split apart, now had his face covered in black lines.

At first, he had not realized exactly what was wrong. But when Lin Huaixu stared at him with that peculiar gaze, Wen Jian instinctively lowered his head and saw Second Senior Brother still holding him tightly. Then he understood something, and his face darkened further.

Wen Jian felt as though he had carelessly stepped into some absurd and bizarre story. His mind was a pot of porridge, filled with helpless bewilderment.

Especially when his gaze accidentally met Lin Huaixu's. There was amusement in the other man's eyes, a hint of teasing, and an undercurrent of inexplicable meaning. The feeling only grew stronger, like thorns pricking his back.

Wen Jian's scalp tingled, and a wave of powerlessness rose in his heart. He could not help sighing inwardly, ...If I say I'm actually not in this story, is it still too late?

As if they understood each other without words, Lin Huaixu's half-smiling gaze seemed to answer him—Too late.

Not a word passed between them, yet through that meeting of eyes, they perfectly understood each other's thoughts. An indescribably strange atmosphere filled the air.

Though Shen Yuxi's thoughts jumped all over the place, his hands moved cleanly and decisively, without the slightest hesitation. He steadily set Wen Jian down, his expression grave and solemn as he instructed word by word, "Be careful."

With that, he kicked off the ground fiercely and shot forward like an arrow, charging without hesitation toward the eagle-shaped demonic beast that was fiercely confronting Ye Jingxuan.

At that moment, the afterglow of the setting sun fell at just the right angle, though it had been finely filtered through the spreading mist. Gray, hazy rays shone upon the longsword in his hand, and its blade immediately gleamed with cold light, like a pool of autumn water or frost beneath a frigid night sky. That radiance seemed to tremble with excitement for the coming battle, faintly gathering fierce Sword Qi as if challenging the vicious demonic beast.

Lin Huaixu had originally been watching the excitement with great interest, secretly regretting that he had not watched enough of the show before they had to start killing and fighting. Still, he knew that such an urgent situation was clearly no time to keep watching the fun.

He let out a soft sigh and lazily flicked his folding fan. Spiritual power spilled from its tip, transforming into a streak of white light that coiled around him like a nimble wandering dragon. Then he leaped into the air like a bird and joined the battle.

The three quickly formed an encirclement and launched a combined assault on the eagle-shaped demonic beast.

Shen Yuxi's swordsmanship was incomparably fierce. Every thrust carried the howl of wind splitting apart, like a savage gale, each sword aimed directly at the beast's vital points. Wherever the blade passed, the air seemed to be sliced apart by a sharp edge, producing hissing sounds.

Ye Jingxuan coordinated with Shen Yuxi flawlessly, attacking at the right moments between Shen Yuxi's sword moves.

Like the finger of an amorous woman gliding across flower petals, his every motion looked soft and powerless. Yet when his wooden sword gently fell and slid over the demonic beast's massive body, it effortlessly cut through hide as hard as iron, delivering fatal blows with the lightness of a butterfly flitting among flowers.

Lin Huaixu cast spells from the side, his hands dancing like phantoms as he chanted under his breath.

Moments later, a massive chess formation slowly unfolded in midair, black and white pieces shooting toward the demonic beast like meteors chasing the moon.

As the pieces flew, they constantly changed positions, tracing complex paths. Some disrupted the demonic beast's movements, some restricted its attacks, and others sealed off its retreat, leaving it unable to tend to one side without losing the other and exhausted from defending itself.

With the three working together, the formerly incomparably fierce eagle-shaped demonic beast, all fangs and claws, gradually found itself unable to support left or right and incapable of holding them off.

As time passed, more and more wounds appeared on its body. Crimson blood continuously seeped out, dyeing its once magnificent golden feathers blood-red. Its movements grew slower and slower, and every flap of its wings looked increasingly powerless.

The demonic beast tried several times to flee, only to be blocked by Lin Huaixu. Fury surged through it as it prepared to attack him without regard for anything else.

But how could Shen Yuxi stand by and watch it strike at his junior brother? Whenever the demonic beast turned its back to him, he unleashed his ultimate moves without restraint, striking at its wounds every time and beating it until it howled miserably, too occupied with itself to care for anything else.

In the end, not long afterward, the eagle-shaped demonic beast let out a miserable "Awoo!" Its cry was full of pain and unwillingness. Then it fell powerlessly to the ground like a kite with a broken string, declaring its defeat.

Once the crisis was over, everyone breathed a sigh of relief.

They tacitly began moving on their own. Lin Huaixu went to clean up the battlefield and collect valuable materials from the demonic beast for future cultivation, while Shen Yuxi hurriedly found a place to sit, closed his eyes, and tended to the damaged meridians and depleted spiritual power from the battle.

Not far away, Ye Jingxuan sat on a relatively flat rock while Wen Jian crouched beside him, focused on detoxifying him. The eagle-shaped demonic beast's spells caused only genuine superficial wounds, but its claws carried poison that could paralyze its prey.

Ye Jingxuan wore a helpless expression, grumbling inwardly that Second Senior Brother did not even pick the right time for one of his episodes and had nearly gotten him killed. Yet Shen Yuxi himself remained completely unaware of it.

For a time, although the surroundings had quieted, the air still carried the lingering tension and exhaustion of battle.

After resting briefly, the atmosphere gradually eased. Then Shen Yuxi seemed to suddenly remember something and asked, "Have you run into anyone else?"

Lin Huaixu was lightly fanning himself with his paper fan. Hearing Shen Yuxi's question, he thought for a moment before saying, "On the way here, I heard some news about Sixth Junior Sister, but it seems no one has seen Eldest Senior Brother. What about Seventh Junior Brother?"

"I haven't seen Eldest Senior Brother either."

"I see." Having confirmed what he wanted to know, Shen Yuxi casually dropped a bombshell. "Mm, it's only right that you haven't seen him. Around now, Eldest Senior Brother should be in a secret chamber cultivating feelings with the Young Valley Master. A lone man and woman shut in a secret room together for three days and three nights—even an iron tree would have to bloom for me!"

The moment those words left his mouth, it was like a stone thrown into a calm lake, instantly stirring up a thousand waves.

Lin Huaixu's leisurely paper fan abruptly stopped; Ye Jingxuan's inward complaints came to a sudden halt; Wen Jian's bandaging hand froze as well, and he unconsciously used a little too much force, making Ye Jingxuan suck in a breath of cold air.

Shen Yuxi refused to believe otherwise. In such a huge dungeon, could it really fail to advance the male and female leads' relationship? Could a couple personally ordained by the Heavenly Dao be split apart? Of course not! The reason he had remained so unhurried and composed all along was precisely because he knew there was still such a crucial turning point ahead!

The Heavenly Dao of the Nine Domains was utterly willful. Once it decided something, not even ten oxen could drag it back. For instance, when he had been tangled up with Little Junior Sister by chance, had the pairing not stabilized the moment Eldest Senior Brother emerged from seclusion? At any rate, after Eldest Senior Brother came out of seclusion, Little Junior Sister had never come looking for him again.

It was the same now. Though Gu Yueyao had previously been willing to use a beauty trap on Wen Jian for the sake of Outer Domain medicine, that was ultimately all for her career, without a single emotional factor involved! Was that even a problem for the male lead's plot armor?

As long as Eldest Senior Brother and the Young Valley Master entered the secret chamber together, everything afterward would develop along the predetermined path, and the male and female leads' feelings would surely progress steadily in this dungeon. And the variable of the secret realm randomly teleporting people around was simply too perfect for the Heavenly Dao to meddle with.

"This secret realm can't be left by ordinary means. Only by successfully activating the secret chamber mechanism can one open the passage to the outside world. That secret chamber is fraught with danger, peril at every step. Under this suspension bridge effect, the two of them will definitely heat up fast!"

After hearing Shen Yuxi's speech, the three of them were stunned dumb as wooden chickens, staring at one another. They all thought at the same time, Good heavens. We were wondering why you had no reaction when their relationship wasn't progressing. So you saw it coming and had been waiting right here!

Little Theater:

Shen Yuxi: The things the Heavenly Dao decides can't be pulled back by ten oxen!

Heavenly Dao: ...They brought eleven oxen.

Eldest Senior Brother, who had somehow gone from the main carry to the one being kept outside despite not even being present: How strange. Why do I feel like someone is badmouthing me? Second Junior Brother can't possibly wake up and start badmouthing me the moment he opens his eyes, right? Right?

Shen Yuxi: I'm warning you not to talk nonsense. I'll sue you for slander, you know? I'll sue you for slander!

/Turning to Ninth Junior Brother: "He's slandering me!"

Wen Jian: ...I can testify that it wasn't Second Senior Brother this time. Eldest Senior Brother, if I tell you who did it, can you go stab him? The kind where I never have to see him again in this life?

Lin Huaixu: Second Senior Brother didn't badmouth you, but he did set you up.

Shen Yuxi: Don't talk nonsense. When it comes to the Heavenly Dao, can you call that setting someone up?

Ye Jingxuan: So what exactly does this story have to do with me? Why am I even here?