Departure! Flowing Cloud Secret Realm!

This time, Li Nanzhu traveled on Mu Wenyan’s flying sword. Feng Yi and Duan Xianxing had already been added to her blacklist.

Of course, Mu Wenyan did not disappoint her. He not only set up a spiritual energy shield in advance but also prepared a small cushion, fearing she might be uncomfortable from sitting too long.

Duan Xianxing looked resentfully at the little junior sister enjoying the attentive protection of their eldest senior brother. He didn't get this treatment when the eldest senior brother brought him along back then.

Mu Wenyan didn't care about any of that. Junior brothers could be tossed aside at any time, but a little junior sister could not.

Because the distance to the secret realm was vast, even on a flying sword it would take a full day. Li Nanzhu decided to spend the time practicing her techniques.

She had already decided on the path she wanted to take—she would become a dharma cultivator. However, she still hadn't decided what to use for her life-bound magic treasure. Her two senior brothers couldn't give her precise advice on the matter, so it had to be put on hold for now.

Li Nanzhu only stopped her cultivation after they were nearly halfway through the journey.

She took out the guide her eldest senior brother had made, and her eyes were immediately drawn to the name of the secret realm.

The Flowing Cloud Secret Realm.

While it wasn't a particularly rare secret realm, it was the place where Cang Dongqing’s rise in the cultivation world truly began.

In this realm, Cang Dongqing not only obtained the extremely rare profound light glazed wood, but she also selflessly gifted this spiritual plant, which could purify demonic energy, to an elder of the Wuji Sect who had been infected by it.

Because of this generosity, she directly won the favor of the Wuji Sect’s Chief, Ji Yanzhi, ensuring a nearly endless supply of talismans from then on.

At the same time, she used this realm to break through to the peak Qi Condensation stage, leaving her only one step away from Foundation Establishment. Harvesting both a stellar reputation and increased strength, Cang Dongqing truly entered the sights of the core disciples of the major sects.

Destiny is inescapable after all, Li Nanzhu sighed helplessly. Was she really destined to run into the heroine no matter what?

Out of all the secret realms, picking this one meant picking the one where Cang Dongqing was present. This wasn't just forcing her to be cannon fodder; it was pushing her directly toward becoming a villainous supporting female character.

However, since things were as they were, she would certainly have to compete with Cang Dongqing.

Instead of letting Cang Dongqing take it to gain a favor, she would simply let the people from the Wuji Sect get it themselves.

In the original novel, the Wuji Sect members also received news that the Flowing Cloud Secret Realm contained something capable of dispelling demonic energy. However, they were attacked by a demonic beast near the Glazed Wood, and it was during that chaos that Cang Dongqing snatched it.

Thinking back, Li Nanzhu had been quite puzzled when she read that the Wuji Sect highly admired Cang Dongqing. Usually, isn't it first come, first served?

Moreover, the Wuji Sect was already in the middle of slaying the guardian beast; the item was something they rightfully deserved.

Wasn't Cang Dongqing's behavior just theft? Returning the item, yet the people who did the work had to thank the thief? And Ji Yanzhi even took a liking to her?

Li Nanzhu really wanted to open up that Chief’s head to see if it was filled with water. How else could he behave so absurdly?

So, she only wanted to stop Cang Dongqing from stealing the spiritual plant so she wouldn't become involved with the Wuji Sect.

Although the item was valuable and could fetch a large sum at an auction house, Li Nanzhu wouldn't do that.

Setting aside the fact that they were the ones who killed the guardian beast, they had been wounded by demonic cultivators while protecting civilians, leading to the demonic energy entering their bodies. Whether for reputation or otherwise, a gentleman is judged by his actions; since they protected the people, they deserved to have that spiritual plant to save their lives.

As for the other opportunities Cang Dongqing might find to breakthrough, Li Nanzhu would snatch them if she happened upon them, but she wouldn't go out of her way to find them. The purpose of this trip was experience; delaying her own cultivation for the sake of others would be more loss than gain.

Li Nanzhu read through all the key points again and again until she had them completely memorized before putting the guide away.

She had always known that whether in the modern world or the cultivation world, she wasn't a genius, nor even a particularly clever person. Therefore, she never compromised on things that could save her life.

Even with her eldest senior brother and seventh senior brother by her side, if they encountered real danger and the two were unable to rescue her in time, these were the things that could save her.

Li Nanzhu only ever truly trusted herself, and only ever dared to trust herself.

She silently re-entered her cultivation state.

Her level of diligence left Duan Xianxing dumbfounded. He knew his little junior sister was hardworking, but did she have to push herself this hard? Since he and the eldest senior brother had to control their spiritual swords, they couldn't fully immerse themselves in cultivation.

Then, he watched as Mu Wenyan silently pulled out a cultivation manual and began to read.

Duan Xianxing looked at his own storage bag and fell silent. He had miscalculated; he had nothing with him.

In the end, he could only watch in silence as these two spent the trip grinding their cultivation intensely.

Dammit, he was definitely bringing a book the next time he went out!

They flew through another night.

As the first light of dawn appeared, Li Nanzhu exhaled her final breath of spiritual qi and slowly opened her eyes.

Mu Wenyan also tucked away his book.

In the distance, many figures were already faintly visible. They were all people preparing to enter the secret realm.

After all, an unclaimed realm like the Flowing Cloud Secret Realm opened every five years. It didn't contain anything exceptionally precious, making it perfect for training and slaying demonic beasts. Thus, both sect disciples and rogue cultivators liked to come here.

Finding an empty patch of ground to land on, the arrival of the three didn't attract much attention, which was exactly what Li Nanzhu wanted.

As far as the current situation was concerned, she wanted to appear before the disciples of the various sects as little as possible. If she was going to cause trouble, she had to do it in the shadows; even if she was discovered, she would only be mistaken for a rogue cultivator.

After all, the eight major sects explicitly forbade their disciples from killing one another.

It was fine if it happened in private without being seen.

But it was better to be safe than sorry, which was why Li Nanzhu had specifically requested they not wear their sect uniforms before they set out.

Although probably few people recognized the emblem of the Five Elements Dao Sect—a five-colored pentagram—right now,

it wasn't impossible that disciples from the great sects might have seen it.

Li Nanzhu always followed the principle of avoiding trouble whenever possible, only facing it head-on if it was unavoidable.

After all, she had an eldest senior brother at the Nascent Soul stage behind her.

Generally, secret realms like this were led by Golden Core stage cultivators; one almost never saw Nascent Soul elders. Thus, Mu Wenyan’s cultivation level here was in a class of its own.

Li Nanzhu pulled her two senior brothers to a corner to quietly adjust their states. Of course, this was mainly for her two senior brothers; her own current state was as good as it could be.

Now, Duan Xianxing finally had a chance to properly recover, as constantly controlling a flying sword consumed spiritual energy.

Li Nanzhu took out a veiled hat and put it on. With a light leap, she jumped onto a large tree beside them. From this position, she could get a good look at the disciples from the great sects at the very front.

This time, not only were people from the Sword Heart Sect and the Wuji Sect here, but even the Hehuan Sect had come.

Li Nanzhu could understand the Sword Heart Sect and the Wuji Sect gathering together, but the incident between the Hehuan Sect and the Sword Heart Sect last time hadn't been pleasant. Why was Rong Yuying still with them?

Moreover, it looked like Rong Yuying and a male cultivator from the Wuji Sect were constantly discussing something, and the atmosphere seemed a bit strained.

Wait, could that male cultivator from the Wuji Sect be Rong Yuying’s fiancé?

Li Nanzhu thought back carefully.

Rong Yuying’s fiancé seemed to be named Mu Zeting, and he was also a core disciple of the Wuji Sect.

Given he was standing there and speaking with Rong Yuying, she likely hadn't misidentified him. But looking at the situation, had he and Rong Yuying started arguing because of Cang Dongqing again?

In the original novel, he was one of the heroine’s major simps. Li Nanzhu just hadn't expected the two of them to get hooked up this early.

If there’s a chance, I should help Rong Yuying out, Li Nanzhu thought silently.

On the other side, Ji Yanzhi didn't seem interested in any of it, simply sitting there alone in meditation. If not for the respectful attitude of the people around him, Li Nanzhu wouldn't have guessed he was the Chief of the Wuji Sect; he was surprisingly low-key.

Just then, the surrounding spiritual energy suddenly rushed toward a single point, gradually forming a vortex.

The Flowing Cloud Secret Realm was open!