The Secret Realm Exploration Quest

Once everyone had left, Lin Xiao finally felt relieved and took out an axe from his private stash, handing it to Sun Yigao. The two then began to diligently work as lumberjacks.

Suddenly, the system's voice rang in Lin Xiao's mind:

[Ding--Secret Realm Exploration Mission Issued: Please find and successfully acquire the Heart of the Green Wilds Secret Realm. After acquisition, the secret realm will belong entirely to your sect, and no one else will be able to forcibly open it.]

Lin Xiao, who was getting a little tired of chopping trees, received this task and immediately put away his axe, saying to Sun Yigao:

"Yigao, this secret realm contains a Heart of the Secret Realm. If we can obtain it, this secret realm will belong entirely to our sect, and no one else will be able to enter."

Sun Yigao laughed:

"Actually, I think it would be good to meet other people, otherwise we wouldn't know what the cultivators outside are like."

Lin Xiao shrugged and said:

"Those people are probably just outer disciples of some minor sect."

With the task of finding things, Lin Xiao no longer just plundered wherever he went as before. He would grab a handful of whatever he could and put it in his private stash. When he had time, he would appraise it to see if it was of great use. If it was, he would put in more effort to get more. If it was not useful, he would not collect it for the time being.

After all, you can collect things anytime, but finding the Heart of the Secret Realm is a mystery – who knows how long it will take?

They walked on like this until nightfall, and Lin Xiao and his companion did not encounter anyone else.

Lin Xiao was somewhat puzzled. Wasn't it said that there were two sects in this secret realm that sent one hundred disciples in every year for training?

They've been walking all day, and they only encountered those five people at noon.

Could it be that this little secret realm is actually quite large?

So letting two hundred people in was like throwing a stone into the sea?

Lin Xiao and Sun Yigao found a relatively flat spot and started a fire.

The two went into the water, caught some fish, and started grilling them over a fire.

Sun Yigao took out the salt his mother had given him from his Storage Bag, sprinkled it on the fish, and then began to turn it around.

Watching him skillfully grill fish with his sleeves tucked in, Lin Xiao shook his head and smiled:

"Yigao, I can't believe it. Just a month ago, you couldn't even fetch water properly."

Sun Yigao curved into a smile:

"I feel like I'm at my most relaxed in over a decade right now. Before, I never even dared to dream of things like sleeping outdoors and cooking for myself."

He turned the fish a few times, then let go and lay down on the grass beside him, resting his head on his hands and gazing at the starry night sky.

"From a young age, I studied with a lot of expectations and pressure. When I was little, I watched the children in the village playing in the mud, climbing trees, and catching fish. I felt that what they were doing was meaningless and boring, but I was also envious and occasionally wanted to join in."

Lin Xiao also lay down on the other side of the fire, resting his head on his hand, and said:

"Actually, everything we do is meaningless in the face of our short lives."

Sun Yigao turned to look at him:

"Is the sect leader such a pessimistic person after all?"

Lin Xiao looked at the night sky and smiled:

"I'm the kind of person who likes to waste my life, so these meaningless things are just right for me."

Sun Yigao looked relaxed, and then turned his head back:

Indeed, life doesn't need so much meaning; or rather, simply following one's own thoughts is already very meaningful.

Lin Xiao turned to look at him and asked:

"When you joined the sect, I remember you saying that you wanted to cultivate so that you could better help the world?"

Sun Yigao nodded:

"The more books I read, the more blood and tears I see behind the words. As a scholar, I'm always Dayi, still fantasizing about doing something, changing something, even though it may all be in vain in the end."

The fire between the two men crackled, and the two fish on top gradually charred and smelled delicious.

The shadows of the trees swayed gently in the moonlight, and the chirping of forest birds seemed to adorn the night.

The night passed in the blink of an eye.

Before you know it, dawn is breaking again.

Lin Xiao ran to the riverbank and brushed his teeth.

Since learning the Dust Removal Technique, he has never taken a bath or brushed his teeth. Looking back now, he feels that he has deprived himself of a joy in life.

So he decided to reclaim that lost joy.

It starts with brushing your own teeth.

Seeing Lin Xiao like this, Sun Yigao smiled, squatted down beside him, and brushed his teeth with him using the river water.

After having breakfast, the two continued their journey.

There is a large mountain not far away.

As they entered the mountains, they found themselves in a vast valley.

In the valley, the grass grows tall and the birds fly, a scene of lush greenery.

In the very middle of the valley is a huge lake.

Beside the lake stands a small thatched hut, weathered by time, yet still remarkably sturdy.

Several deer were drinking water around the lake.

Sunlight poured down from the valley, bathing the area in a dazzling glow.

It looked like a dream, so beautiful it seemed unreal.

Lin Xiao became wary. Could this be an illusion?

However, no matter how closely he observed, he couldn't find a single flaw in the place.

Sun Yigao did not relax despite the beautiful scenery before him. He asked Lin Xiao softly:

"Shall we go in?"

Lin Xiao nodded:

"Since we're already here, and this is the only place along the way that looks a bit different, we should definitely go in and take a look."

So the two of them headed into the valley.

Once inside, the two discovered that the space was enormous.

The lake in the center shimmered under the sunlight. As Lin Xiao approached, he saw what appeared to be a beam of light flash across the lake.

What is that?

When he looked again, he found that there was nothing in the lake except for the reflected sunlight and clear water, which was bottomless.

Lin Xiao was hesitating whether to go down to the lake to check when he heard a soft thud from the thatched hut beside him.

Its door is slowly opening outwards.

Lin Xiao and Sun Yigao immediately huddled together, their eyes fixed on the wide-open doorway.

Because they were on the side of the thatched hut, they couldn't see inside.

The two moved lightly, slowly walking towards the front of the thatched hut.

Suddenly, a figure floated out from inside.

The reason it's described as floating is because this person is completely levitating.

And most importantly, it's semi-transparent!

Sun Yigao and Lin Xiao immediately realized that this was not human!

The two immediately retreated dozens of meters away, their eyes fixed on the ghost.

The figure that suddenly appeared only floated to the door of the thatched hut and did not go any further. Seeing this, the two stopped their retreat.

The figure appeared to be an elderly man in his sixties.

His pale face was adorned with long eyebrows and a long beard, making him resemble the 'old man' in various stories who could offer help to the protagonist.

Lin Xiao dared not be careless, and Sun Yigao, who had never seen such a situation before, was even more vigilant.

Just as the two were on guard, the old man spoke.

"My good disciple... I've been waiting for you for so long..."