Nan Zhi had made up her mind to slay the evil soul half a month ago. When she learned that the secret realm was a fragment of the Four Provinces Continent, she had intentionally had Hongluo stay away, fearing it might have some adverse effect on her.
To her surprise, Hongluo did not even recognize Ma San, the locust-headed man.
And the evil soul of the Locust God had long forgotten the little red-furred hedgehog demon that had followed him thousands of years ago.
Nan Zhi did not know what Hongluo's ultimate fate was in the original timeline of the Four Provinces Continent.
But she would never let history repeat itself.
Hongluo was real, Wanniang was real, Xu Zi was real, the Nan family was real, and Shen Luohe and Hua Xijian were real too.
—She did not want to see her relatives and friends, whether familiar or unfamiliar, turn into cold names recorded only in history books.
However, the Four Provinces Continent had shattered into forty-nine secret realm fragments, scattered all over Blue Star. With the Spiritual Resurgence now occurring in the real world, relying on herself alone to find all the remaining secret realms would be a monumental task.
Nan Zhi lowered her eyes, watching the splashes kicked up by the red fish swimming in front of her, and slowly tapped her fingers on the stone table.
Since the secret realms were scattered across Blue Star, she had to make full use of her Ma Guniang and Mountain Lord cover identities to expand and strengthen her own influence.
After all, she couldn't be in two places at once. If she was constantly roleplaying, it would be easy to slip up.
Those who joined Ma Guniang's ranks had to be intelligent, bold, fundamentally decent, law-abiding, and low-key.
Furthermore, they needed to have a clear grasp of the situation, unlike Li Dapeng, who arrogantly believed that cultivators were superior to ordinary humans.
After all, she had no desire to constantly clean up after her subordinates.
It would be even better if this candidate had some connection to the authorities.
Nan Zhi's gaze suddenly drifted to the side.
...
Life underwater was undoubtedly dull and tedious.
Once the initial novelty wore off, they could only move around in a confined space. Their diet consisted of monotonous fish and shrimp without any seasoning. No matter how much effort the cook put into preparing the meals, everyone inevitably grew weary.
It was a deep, bone-weary exhaustion.
It was the numbness that set in after a roller coaster of extreme emotions, once the body's threshold had been pushed to its limit.
The dangers they had encountered in the secret realm were still vivid in their minds. Every day, people would wake up gasping from nightmares. Only by staring at the soft white light of the night pearl overhead could they find the peace to fall back asleep.
Some felt like lost, newborn beasts, constantly needing to verify that the green-robed figure had not vanished before they could feel at ease.
Fearing that everyone's mental health would deteriorate if this continued, Qin Yue carved out time every day to provide psychological counseling. She even organized patriotic sing-alongs before bedtime to bolster their collective spirit.
By supporting and comforting one another, they managed to endure the nightmare-like memories.
All of them had written suicide notes before descending.
Having been gone for so long, they had no idea how their families were reacting.
Her mother would probably have a good cry upon seeing her return alive.
Qin Yue sat in front of a sample box, clutching a wolf tooth necklace in her hand, her expression softening.
“Sister Qin, I was wondering why you weren't resting. So this is where you've been hiding.”
Lyu Dongfang, Hu Manni, and Liu Guansheng crept over like thieves and sat down beside her. Qin Yue couldn't help but smile.
“Here, I threw out the trash for those academic professors just now, and they gave this to me.”
Lyu Dongfang stealthily fished a chocolate bar out of his pocket and waved it in front of them:
“I was planning to keep it for my sister and me, but this bastard Liu Guansheng spotted me and insisted on getting a bite. I figured I couldn't let him have it too easy, so—”
Liu Guansheng, who had lost a lot of weight, still looked somewhat fair and plump, though the flesh on his cheeks had visibly thinned.
He gave Lyu Dongfang a gentle shove:
“Cut the crap. Let's just split it and eat. We've been gnawing on fish and eating compressed biscuits every single day. Right now, if anyone could give me a bag of fifty-cent spicy strips, I'd call them my ancestor!”
At the mention of the word “spicy,” the four of them couldn't help but swallow their saliva.
Their supplies were sufficient, and there was plenty of fish and shrimp in the water, so they certainly wouldn't starve to death.
But they were craving real food.
The supplies on the fish's back were reserved for the injured and the elderly professors. After all, the youth could bear the hardship.
Since they were all around the same age, they had become life-and-death companions, especially Lyu Dongfang and Liu Guansheng.
The two, who used to be bitter rivals and fought whenever they met, were now so close they could practically share a pair of pants. Although they still bickered, they both knew it was all in good fun.
But deep down, they knew their bond had been forged in a life-or-death struggle.
A single chocolate bar wasn't very big, so sharing it among the four of them only gave each a tiny taste.
Yet, they were still incredibly satisfied.
Leaning against the sample box, the four of them looked up at the river flowing above them. The night pearl continued to emit its gentle, warm glow.
“Sister Qin, are you homesick?”
Hu Manni asked in a soft, quiet voice, her eyes slightly red. “I miss my grandmother too. Since I've been gone, she must think something happened to me. I can't imagine how worried she must be.”
—During this descent into the secret realm, two of the three guardian spirits accompanying Hu Manni had perished.
She had been utterly depressed ever since, and it was only when she heard they were going home that a bit of color returned to her face.
Qin Yue treated Hu Manni like a younger sister, so she naturally spoke from the heart:
“Yeah. My father passed away early, so my mother raised me all by herself. Later, I went to the police academy and became a cop, so I never really got to spend much time with her. Once we get back, I want to take some leave and properly keep her company.”
“Hey, do you think that since we've been missing for almost two months, the country might think we're dead? They might have even held our funerals already.”
Lyu Dongfang suddenly had a wild, whimsical thought:
“If they did, I'll take my funeral portrait and go clubbing right in front of the houses of the relatives I hate. It'll scare them half to death, hahaha!”
“‘Clabbing’? What is that?”
A strange, slightly stiff voice suddenly echoed from above their heads. Their scalps went numb, and they instantly leaped up in alarm—
With a quick roll, Qin Yue's hand instinctively reached for her waist, only to find that it was Hongluo squatting on the sample box. The little girl was cradling her cheeks, smiling mischievously at them:
“Ma Guniang... wants... to see you.”
Ma Guniang wanted to see them?
The four exchanged bewildered glances.
None of them could guess what this meant.
...
“You're here?”
When the four of them followed Hongluo over, Ma Guniang was leaning against a wooden couch, resting with her eyes closed.
She opened her eyes, and upon seeing the four of them, her brow furrowed slightly. Her gaze settled solely on Qin Yue as she spoke directly:
“In the past, the cultivation world collapsed and shattered into the Four Provinces' secret realms, which scattered across the mortal realm. I intend to recruit demon suppressors to travel the world and search for the whereabouts of these secret realms.
I see that you possess some courage and boldness. Would you be willing to join our Demon Suppression Division?”
Though it was framed as a question, her tone was entirely flat.
What an immense surprise!
Qin Yue felt as if a massive, unexpected fortune had just dropped from the heavens straight into her lap. Countless pros and cons flashed through her mind in an instant.
In the next second, without even blinking, she immediately knelt and bowed:
“This junior, Qin Yue, is willing to join the Demon Suppression Division and serve at Ma Guniang's command.”
“Good. You are indeed a clever one.”
Ma Guniang lazily waved her sleeve, and three glowing treasures slowly floated over to hover in front of Qin Yue:
“When I was first waking up, I was in a daze and mistook you for a demon suppressor, passing on a cultivation technique to you. Now that I have officially taken you into my ranks, it can be considered a fortunate coincidence and a match ordained by heaven.
These three items are a Snake-Bear Pill, a Spirit Beast Talisman, and an Exquisite Bone-Piercing Mirror.
The Snake-Bear Pill can be paired with your 《Small Twelve Bone Forging Method》 to strengthen your bones and temper your bone and blood. The Spirit Beast Talisman can assist you in forming a contract with a spirit beast, and the Exquisite Bone-Piercing Mirror is perfectly suited for your current cultivation and strength, serving as a protective artifact.
Currently, the Lord Commissioner is far away in Penglai of the East Sea, tracking down an evil dragon. Once she returns victorious, I will report everything to her and finalize the date of your official induction.”
—She was just spinning a yarn anyway. The fictitious Lord Commissioner was nowhere to be found; she'd accept defeat if the government's people actually managed to locate her.
“Thank you, Master.”
Qin Yue accepted them with deep respect, but Ma Guniang shook her head and chuckled softly:
“I have merely offered you some guidance; I cannot be considered your master. Cultivate diligently from now on. Once you reach the Foundation Establishment stage, it will not be too late to address me as such.”
Qin Yue's eyes dimmed slightly as she nodded in agreement.
Beside her, the eyes of the other three turned green with envy.
Pills!
Talismans!
Dharma treasures!
Which one of these wouldn't trigger a bloody storm of desperate fighting if thrown into the outside world?!
And there were rewards too?!
Ma Guniang, are you still looking for disciples?
Rate on N.U.
