Chapter 78
Chapter 78: The Bronze Gate
Ji Xuan Yin propped her chin with both hands, elbow on her knee. “Just don’t sulk.”
Then, as if remembering something, she squinted. “But compared to my brother always secluding himself, I wander around these peaks all the time. How come I never saw you before?”
Shao Heng had already decided: once she left this secret realm and entered the disciples’ grand competition, she would stop hiding her cultivation.
When she advanced into the inner sect, anyone who saw her level would know her talent wasn’t as simple as Lower Grade. And Jiang Yun Jiang wouldn’t keep her secret either.
So Shao Heng answered honestly. “I’m an outer sect disciple. Thanks to a gift from the elders, I got a Moon-Inquiry Token and entered the secret realm to look for chances.”
“You’re an outer sect disciple?!” Ji Xuan Yin’s voice rose, unrestrained. They’d already set a soundproofing spell, so she didn’t bother holding back. “I-I’m not looking down on outer sect disciples just because I’m inner sect, but—aren’t outer sect disciples all Lower Grade talent?”
In an immortal sect, outer sect disciples usually needed about 60 years to reach late First Realm. That was average.
In all of history, the True One Yuan Sect had only one female disciple who reached late First Realm in her 27th year after joining. Even then, her talent was the best among Lower Grade. She advanced into the inner sect during a grand competition, and in truth she spent 26 years cultivating in the inner sect—plus she’d gained a major opportunity outside the sect.
Yet in Ji Xuan Yin’s eyes, Shao Heng’s life aura was extremely young—clearly not even 20.
Ji Xuan Yin wasn’t stupid. Earlier, Jiang Yun Jiang and Shao Heng had argued like enemies, which meant they already knew each other. One inner sect, one outer sect. A possibility formed—so absurd her eyes widened.
“Don’t tell me you and Jiang Yun Jiang entered the sect together this year!”
Shao Heng nodded. “I entered the sect with her last September, recruited from the Mortal Realm.”
Ji Xuan Yin fell silent. Then she suddenly lunged forward and hugged Shao Heng around the waist, as if that would make the reality easier to accept. “With your cultivation speed, how could you possibly be Lower Grade talent?”
“I was even thinking that when we return to the sect, I’d find a way to look after you as compensation.” She pulled back, half laughing, half stunned. “Turns out I had it all wrong.”
“My brother will regret choosing Jiang Yun Jiang instead of you.”
“Choosing?” Shao Heng’s smile didn’t reach her eyes.
That single word made something sharp stir in her chest. She wanted to crush Ji Fei Guang’s pride the moment she found a chance.
After all, she was petty and vengeful by nature.
Ji Xuan Yin still had her hands at Shao Heng’s waist. Shao Heng wasn’t used to that kind of closeness. She stiffly pushed her away.
“I don’t know why the Source-Appraisal Jade Disc showed Lower Grade talent back then,” she said. “I can sense heaven-and-earth qi well. Not long after joining, I successfully drew qi into my body.”
“But I couldn’t argue with the jade disc’s result. Anyway, once this secret realm ends, I can enter the disciples’ grand competition right away. If I take top 10 and advance into the inner sect, maybe I’ll get my answer then.”
Ji Xuan Yin covered her mouth as she laughed, delight bubbling over. “When the time comes, you’ll be dealing with a bunch of early First Realm disciples. That’ll be easy.”
They chatted a little longer. After more than a quarter hour, Ji Xuan Yin finally waved and returned to her team.
As soon as she left, Ao Chuan’s voice sounded in Shao Heng’s mind, low and displeased.
“Hmph. I don’t like her. The moment she heard your cultivation speed, she got all enthusiastic. And her eyes feel strange, like some special physique.”
Shao Heng replied in her thoughts, amused. “Once she learned my talent isn’t ordinary, of course she got more enthusiastic. Should she have pulled away and acted lofty instead?”
“And if she were weak in talent and cultivation,” Shao Heng continued, “then no matter how enthusiastic she was, I wouldn’t be moved. I’d even find her a burden. Isn’t that true?”
The joy and sorrow of the weak were as light as clouds—scattered by a single breeze, and few people cared.
But the anger and happiness of the strong were studied again and again, treated like commands.
“I actually think she’s worth being friends with,” Shao Heng added quietly.
She looked down at the jade plaque in her hand.
Watching someone at their warmest and closest didn’t mean much. Better to watch them when they had nothing.
In a desert, she didn’t demand a brilliant flower. One green plant—with water in its roots—was enough.
When Ji Xuan Yin still believed Shao Heng was merely a decently talented inner sect disciple, she’d still chased after her and handed over a jade plaque full of sect secrets. That was why Shao Heng was willing to return her a smile.
Ao Chuan snorted. “But we True Dragons want the most genuine feelings. You can’t fool us with fake affection.”
Shao Heng didn’t bother arguing. She shifted the topic.
“The blueprints for the yin altar have been refined again and again by great experts from both sects. Only elite disciples hold them. They’ve already gathered enough yin qi. Now all we can do is wait.”
She paused. “But the jade plaque said the trial behind the bronze door is the Ling Long Illusion Realm. There are 72 layers. If you go in with me, you’ll face illusions too.”
“Will you stay on the peak and wait for me, then?”
“No way,” Ao Chuan answered immediately. “If the secret realm ends and you’re still not out of the inheritance land, you’ll be forcibly teleported out.”
“If we get separated then, what if someone catches me?”
For all the Little White Dragon complained—and no matter how proud he was—he still understood one thing: against a high-level cultivator, he had no resistance. He’d be skinned, tendons pulled, blood drained. Staying near Shao Heng was far safer.
The Blood Pact was a shackle, but also protection. Because Shao Heng could control him completely, she was willing to invest resources in him.
Ao Chuan spoke quickly, trying to sound confident. “Don’t worry. We have the Blood Pact. I can use a Dragon Clan secret art and anchor my true spirit to it. My body will fall into sleep.”
“If you really sink into an illusion, I’ll be threatened too and get jolted awake. I can remind you.”
It sounded useful.
“Fine,” Shao Heng agreed.
She sat cross-legged on her cushion and tossed her formation plate upward. She didn’t hide her presence. Formation power spread into a thin film of violet-gold light, sealing over her like a second skin.
She set her timing talisman and closed her eyes.
—
Seven days passed in a blink.
When the timing talisman woke her, Shao Heng withdrew her formation and opened her eyes.
Perfect timing.
Each of the five peaks had its own altar now. Cultivators were compressing yin qi into black bricks, stacking them in precise patterns to fill the last gaps. Runes pulsed like slow heartbeats along the stone.
A burning gaze pricked at her.
Shao Heng looked over and met Zhao Qing Tu’s eyes—fury barely leashed behind his face.
She tilted her head, expression openly provocative. Her lips moved without sound.
Come on.
Zhao Qing Tu twitched as if he’d lunge, then forced himself still. One, he feared that terrifying wood-element immortal art. Two, the altar was nearly complete, the moon ascent imminent. He couldn’t stir up trouble here.
So he swallowed it and stayed put.
When the altars on all five peaks were fully completed, cultivators holding three Shattered Moon stepped onto them at once.
The open space on each altar was wide, able to hold about 20 people. Shao Heng walked on as well.
The Shattered Moon in her hand warmed. Runes lit beneath her feet, drawing the Shattered Moon into countless sparks that circled her body. A gentle force lifted her—
And she shot upward, a streak of light, toward the bright moon hanging in the sky.
Wrapped in soft radiance, Shao Heng couldn’t see clearly. Only when the glow faded did the world come back into focus.
They stood on clouds.
Before she could fully take it in, her gaze locked forward.
Ahead towered a gigantic Bronze Gate. No matter how high or wide it was, its edges vanished into distance as if the world itself couldn’t contain it.
Carved across its face were patterns of insects, fish, birds, beasts, flowers, and towering trees—an ancient totem scroll wrought in metal.
People arrived one after another through the altars. After a while, no more came.
Ji Fei Guang stepped forward and called out, voice ringing across the cloudscape. “Fellow disciples, and fellow cultivators of the Star-Inquiry Sect—the inheritance land is here. Let us join forces and push open the Bronze Gate!”