Yao Yue's cries did not stop A Li.
Those two short legs didn't move very far, but their speed was unbelievably fast.
The cultivators along the way only felt a gentle breeze brush past them, and before their clothes could even flutter, A Li had already appeared a hundred feet away.
There was no fluctuation of spiritual energy.
There wasn't even a trace of the movement technique left behind.
Yao Yue pushed the secret movement technique of Qingqiu to its limit, and purple demonic power flickered under her feet, barely managing not to be completely shaken off.
What is the origin of this little monster?
The more Yao Yue chased after her, the more terrified she became.
She has now recovered to the Divine Sea Realm Sixth Layer, and her speed is among the top in the same realm. However, she still has to burn her bloodline power to catch up with a girl who looks to be three or four years old.
What's even more alarming is that A Li carried the candied hawthorn stand the whole way, her cheeks bulging from eating, clearly not paying attention to the journey.
After a few breaths, A Li finally stopped on the outskirts of the central square.
She casually placed the half-empty candied hawthorn stand next to the stone railing, tilted her little face up, and looked at the hundred-foot-long array gate hanging in the center of the square.
At this moment, the six high-ranking officials are still waiting in their respective seats.
On the high platform of the Heavenly Sword Sect, Nangong Hai exuded a chilling killing intent. He gripped the shattered fragments of his life tablet tightly in his palm, their sharp edges already piercing his flesh.
Blood dripped from between his fingers, but he was completely unaware.
Most of the powerful figures from various sects were focused on Nangong Hai and the secret realm's gate, and no one noticed the child who had suddenly appeared at the edge of the plaza.
The main structure of the array gate still exists, but the central spatial rift has closed, leaving only streaks of golden dragon patterns slowly moving about.
A Li's dark eyes gradually lit up.
She stared into the depths of the array gate for a moment, as if she could see through layers of space and into the mountains, spiritual veins, and countless treasures of the secret realm.
Buzz.
A slight ripple traveled through the array gate into the void.
Near the palace, in a pavilion concealed by an array, Ling Changkong suddenly opened his eyes.
Just a moment ago, he clearly sensed that the spatial barrier of the Heavenly Mystic Secret Realm was touched by some kind of force.
The force wasn't strong, but it caused the golden array plate controlling the array gate to briefly lose its balance.
What happened?
Ling Changkong frowned slightly, and his divine sense instantly enveloped the central square.
All the high platforms, the edges of the plaza, and the passing cultivators were all completely visible to him.
But when his divine sense swept across the white jade railing, he only saw an empty candied hawthorn stand.
A Li was clearly standing there.
She was even tilting her head back when her divine sense brushed past Ling Changkong's, yet this Dao Mysterious Realm expert's perception naturally bypassed her.
There is no trace of it being blocked.
There was no fluctuation caused by the concealment technique.
She seemed to exist entirely outside of this world.
Ling Changkong investigated repeatedly, but still could not find the source of the anomaly.
" The Heavenly Mystic Secret Realm is currently the only secret realm in the Eastern Continent. Could it be that the Blood Baleful Intent Tower Master has secretly infiltrated it, preparing to seize the secret realm?"
Ling Changkong remained vigilant but did not rashly unleash the pressure of the Dao Mysterious Realm expert.
In the shadows of the imperial city, at least three auras no weaker than his were hidden.
Those people are all Supreme Elders of various sects at the Dao Mysterious Realm. If they become aware of anything amiss, the situation will only spiral out of control before it is even fully revealed.
Beside the stone railing, A Li paid no attention to the observation from high above.
She gazed at the entrance to the secret realm, her nose twitching slightly as if she were smelling the most tempting delicacy in the world.
But a moment later, she pouted in dissatisfaction.
"There's someone inside, how annoying."
A Li squatted on the stone railing, her two small hands supporting her chin, her face full of confusion.
" A Li promised her master she wouldn't eat people, what should she do?"
Upon hearing this, Yao Yue, who had just caught up, stumbled and nearly fell.
She steadied herself, her face already deathly pale.
The image of the Qingqiu Secret Realm being devoured in one bite resurfaced from the depths of my memory.
When A Li talks about eating, it's never a metaphor.
She truly could swallow the entire secret realm, including its core.
However, judging from what A Li said, it seems that because there are people in the secret realm, they won't cause any trouble.
Yao Yue had just breathed a sigh of relief when she saw A Li rubbing her rumbling tummy, her face showing increasing distress.
"But A Li is so hungry."
She gazed at the golden array gate, lowering her voice discreetly, as if discussing something with herself.
"Should we eat it secretly? If we eat it quickly, Master shouldn't find out, right?"
Yao Yue's vision went black, and she nearly fainted on the spot.
She knew she couldn't have any hope for this little monster.
Of all the hidden realms in the Western Continent, which one didn't vanish in an instant?
By the time the various races realized what was happening, A Li had already taken everything, leaving not even a fragment of the secret realm behind.
Yao Yue walked quickly to the stone railing, trying to keep her tone calm.
" A Li, the secret realm won't reopen for another three days. You can eat them after everyone inside has come out. Since you promised your master you wouldn't eat people, you can't secretly break your promise, otherwise your master will definitely be angry."
When her master was mentioned, A Li indeed showed some fear.
She looked around, as if worried that the mysterious master might emerge from the void at any moment and seize her on the spot.
"You can't eat people, and you can't let your master find out."
A Li counted on her fingers a few times, becoming more and more distressed.
After a while, she looked up at the golden array gate and said aggrievedly, "But A Li can't wait three days."
"There are lots of delicious things inside, and there's a dark thing that smells weird. A Li really wants to try it."
"A dark shape?"
Yao Yue's heart stirred slightly.
She was unaware of the existence of the remnant souls of the secret realm, and only assumed that A Li was referring to some kind of rare treasure from the secret realm.
A Li nodded vigorously and gestured with her little hand.
"The black thing wasn't big, but it had a strong smell. After eating it, A Li felt like she was one step closer to flying."
Yao Yue's expression immediately turned strange.
Fly?
Once a cultivator reaches the Heavenly Origin Realm, they can fly through the air.
A Li was able to devour the entire secret realm, so her strength must far exceed her comprehension. Why would she still be thinking about how to fly?
Confused, Yao Yue subconsciously released her divine sense and carefully probed into A Li's body.
The next moment, she froze on the spot.
It was completely empty.
There was no dantian, no spiritual power, no demonic power, and no trace of meridians left by any cultivation techniques.
No matter how you look at it, A Li is just an ordinary girl with a mortal body.
"Mortal?"
Yao Yue's purple eyes suddenly narrowed, her heart filled with even greater terror.
If A Li were a cultivator, no matter how high her cultivation level, she should have left traces of her power circulation.
But there wasn't even the slightest fluctuation of spiritual energy within her body.
Could an ordinary child possibly chase after a secret realm to eat?
This is even more incomprehensible than her possessing astonishing cultivation level.
Just as Yao Yue was about to withdraw her divine sense, A Li suddenly turned her head and looked straight at her with her clear, large eyes.
"Miss, are you watching A Li?"
Yao Yue's heart trembled, and she quickly dispersed her divine sense.
"I'm just worried that you'll harm your health by eating random things. Since you promised your master you wouldn't eat people, you should wait patiently for three days. That way you can enjoy the secret realm without being punished by your master."
A Li's little face scrunched up in a frown.
Three days was too long for her.
She touched her belly, then looked at the gate, and suddenly her eyes lit up.
"That's right, A Li can go in first and eat all the good food. The others won't be able to find anything and will come out on their own."
Yao Yue was stunned for a moment, then helplessly rubbed her forehead.
" A Li, the entrance to the secret realm is closed. Even if you can see what's inside, you can't go in now. Let's go back to the Pill Pavilion and wait for three days. There are plenty of spiritual fruits and pills there; we can at least fill our stomachs first."
After hearing this, A Li stood up from the stone railing, put her hands on her hips, and looked smug.
" A Li has a way to get in, hehe."
A sense of foreboding rose in Yao Yue's heart.
"Wait a moment. There's a royal array protecting the entrance. If you force your way through, you'll definitely alert the Dao Mysterious Realm experts in the plaza. Since you sneaked out, if you cause too much of a commotion, your master will find out very soon."
She tried to stop him by using what A Li feared most.
A Li did indeed think about it seriously.
Then, she put a finger to her lips and said in a low voice, "Then A Li, keep your voice down so they don't hear us."
Before Yao Yue could persuade her again, A Li had already stuffed the rest of the candied hawthorns into her mouth and then struck a running pose.
Her calves were slightly bent, her body leaned forward, and her blue hair ribbon fluttered gently behind her.
The next moment, A Li's little foot touched the ground.
There was no fluctuation of spiritual energy.
There is no space for oscillation.
Her small figure vanished from Yao Yue's sight.
Yao Yue suddenly looked up.
Before the now-closed entrance to the secret realm, a barely perceptible dent appeared in the space.
The dent lasted only a moment before it disappeared completely.
The array set up by the royal family did not light up even a single pattern.
The guardians of the nearby Divine Sea Realm did not react at all.
Even the powerful figures from the six sects, who were sitting high in the sky, did not notice anything unusual.
A Li thus silently entered the Heavenly Mystic Secret Realm.
Among the hundreds of thousands of cultivators around, not one noticed the unexpected presence of someone in the secret realm.
The Yao Yue stood frozen in place.
She opened her mouth, but couldn't make a sound for a long time.
Although she knew A Li was extremely terrifying, seeing her treat the barrier of the secret realm as nothing still sent chills down Yao Yue's spine.
This secret realm was personally opened by an elder of the royal Dao Mysterious Realm.
When A Li went in, she did so as easily as if she were pushing open the gate to her own yard.
"She really is a monster." Yao Yue clutched her clenched chest, her voice trembling with tears. " Chu Yunfei, you absolutely mustn't run into her. You're always so sharp-tongued; if you refuse to befriend her, you won't even have anyone to collect your corpse..."