Chapter 77

Chapter 77: A Narrow Path Encounter

The fifty disciples stepped into the transport array. Meng Yi Fei personally activated it. In the next instant, a white flash filled the array, then it dimmed and fell silent again.

All fifty disciples had entered the Langya Secret Realm.

Looking at the empty array, Meng Yi Fei’s eyes held a trace of expectation.

The Langya Secret Realm had been open for several hundred years.

For centuries, Elite Disciples of the Six Sects had entered one wave after another, yet they had explored only a small, relatively safe slice of the Outer Zone.

The broader and deeper Inner Zone and Core Zone remained veiled in mystery.

What they did know was this:

Many famed experts in the Immortal Realm had gained their fortunes here long ago.

Some found rare wonders of heaven and earth.

Some discovered powerful artifacts.

Some received ancient inheritances.

Even he himself had found a mysterious cultivation method in the Langya Secret Realm and then set foot on his own path.

Now, a new generation would go seek their chances.

He hoped they would bring the sect some good surprises.

A gentle breeze carried the scent of flowers.

Li Shuang lifted her eyes.

Thick leaves covered most of the sky. Light spilled through the gaps and stung a little.

She narrowed her eyes.

Here she was.

This was the Langya Secret Realm.

She looked around. After entry, they had all been scattered.

But their starting positions would be inside the Outer Zone.

Li Shuang checked her token and confirmed her location.

Her first goal was the ice lake. If she could get another Lotus Seed, her task would be done.

The lake lay at the border between the Inner Zone and the Core Zone.

It was a strange lake, half in the Inner Zone and half in the Core Zone.

Demonic Beasts guarded the lake.

Last time, luck had played a part in her taking a seed.

This time, she might not be so lucky.

However, in terms of strength she could use inside the secret realm, she was stronger than before.

Li Shuang recalled the lake’s position and started moving.

She had walked only a short distance when the Heaven and Earth Furnace flickered.

Her eyes sharpened.

The Outer Zone did hold many treasures, but most of the obvious ones were long gone.

What remained were the well hidden ones.

In that case, common disciples would struggle to make gains.

But she was different.

She had the Heaven and Earth Furnace.

Whenever the furnace sensed something with spiritual power, it reacted.

After searching around, Li Shuang found a small seedling in a clump of shrubs.

The token chimed with a clear prompt: “Third Tier spiritual herb, Illusory Spirit Herb seedling. Seedlings are not recommended for picking. Seedling position marked. On return, gain two sect contribution points.”

Li Shuang raised a brow.

Seedlings could not survive outside the Langya Secret Realm, and if picked now, they had no medicinal effect. So the usual practice was to mark them and wait for them to mature, then have sect disciples harvest them.

Earning two contribution points put her in a decent mood.

After all,

the expedition would last a full three months.

This was only the beginning.

In the forest, the Heaven and Earth Furnace flickered now and then, and Li Shuang soon got busy. She did not chase every tiny spark of spiritual power, since that would waste time.

Only when the furnace’s reaction was strong did she search carefully.

Even so,

after several hours, she had gained quite a bit.

But her expression grew more and more serious.

She had explored here for so long, and nothing had happened?

The Outer Zone was safer only in a relative sense.

A forest this large should have many Demonic Beasts living in it.

Yet along her path, she had not met a single one.

[Something is wrong here. The exit is ahead. Leave now.]

Just as Li Shuang was about to step out of the forest,

voices sounded.

Someone said excitedly: “Senior Brother Chang is truly Senior Brother Chang. We took the route you picked and didn’t run into any danger at all! Is this what a real Child of Destiny looks like?”

Then Chang Le An spoke with pride: “Of course. My fortune only shows its full power inside secret realms. If I choose a path, it is absolutely safe. Stay with me, and we should find more later.”

Others chimed in.

One person said with conviction: “We are definitely sticking with Senior Brother Chang.”

Another laughed and said: “We were lucky this time too. The four of us met up so early! With all four together, we’re much safer than the others.”

A third added thoughtfully: “Maybe it’s also Senior Brother Chang’s amazing luck that brought us together.”

A fourth concluded: “It’s got to be Senior Brother Chang.”

Over the flattery, a gentle voice urged: “Alright, don’t waste time. Keep following Senior Brother Chang. This forest looks rich with good things.”

Everyone answered in high spirits: “Yes.”

Li Shuang let out a small sigh.

[What kind of luck is this?]

Chang Le An.

Ye Zhao Zhao.

Plus the two other Ling Xu Peak disciples who made the list.

She had run into all four?

And not just her meeting them. How did these four, in a vast Outer Zone, gather so fast?

Li Shuang knew the Thousand Mechanisms Sect of the Six Great Sects had a secret art that let their disciples sense each other’s positions.

That was their sect’s secret. Only Thousand Mechanisms Sect disciples could do it. Because of that, their survival rate in the Langya Secret Realm was always higher than others.

But these four from Ling Xu Peak…

How did they group up?

Was it Chang Le An’s fortune?

No one knew the source of that so called fortune better than Li Shuang.

So was this really just a coincidence?

Li Shuang did not want to meet them. She shifted direction to slip away quietly.

Suddenly,

Ye Zhao Zhao moved as if she had pinpointed Li Shuang’s spot and walked straight toward her, saying, “Huh, someone is here.”

Li Shuang frowned.

She had hidden her aura as much as possible. How did Ye Zhao Zhao find her?

She stopped hiding and stepped out, greeting evenly, “Junior Sister Ye.”

Ye Zhao Zhao showed a bright smile and said, “Senior Sister Li, what a coincidence.”

She buried the hatred in her eyes.

Coincidence?

Of course not.

She had made a deal with the System. For the next three months, the System would mark Li Shuang’s trail.

She could see Li Shuang’s position at any time.

When the moment came, she would briefly unseal Nascent Soul strength and make Li Shuang die without a sound.

Watching Li Shuang, Ye Zhao Zhao trembled with excitement.

So much for a favored child of the Heavenly Dao. In the end, Li Shuang would still fall under her sword.

But she could not act yet.

She would track Li Shuang and wait for her to leave the Outer Zone.

A hard glint flashed in Ye Zhao Zhao’s eyes.