Another half an hour passed, and both Qingzhou and Mo Tong had mostly recovered from their injuries. Shi Yu intended to wrap up their affairs and make haste to leave the secret realm.
They had already delayed for quite a few days. Fortunately, this trip had yielded abundant gains; once they left the secret realm, they would need to hurry along their way.
Burning away the corpses of the two gaunt cultivators, Shi Yu dispelled the illusion array and looked at the others. “Let's go check out those palaces and see if there's anything else useful we can bring along.”
Now that the Nine Underworlds Diagram had been put away, the secret realm revealed its original appearance. It was no longer a vast, boundless wonderland of grand palaces and jade towers, but merely a few halls and small towers that appeared rather quiet and secluded.
The perimeters of these halls and towers were encircled by layers of restrictions, making them difficult to enter. Looking out, a few surviving cultivators were gathered outside, trying to figure them out.
Shi Yu observed those restrictions and got a general sense of them.
Hiding in the shadows with Qingzhou and the others, she watched as the restrictions flickered. The cultivators cast various grand and loud spells to break them, but the attacks were like clay oxen plunging into the sea, vanishing instantly into nothingness without stirring up a single ripple.
“This secret realm's master was far too stingy! Even in death, they're still holding onto these treasures so tightly, humph!”
“That senior from earlier was truly generous. Though I wasn't destined for the legacy, I was fortunate enough to comprehend a sword technique from the sword wall. I'm already content.”
“Humph! This secret realm is full of perils! We barely survived, so what is a single sword technique worth?!”
Refusing to give up, those few tried again and again using all kinds of means, yet made no progress whatsoever. In the end, they could only leave in disgrace to search for opportunities elsewhere.
Shi Yu watched them leave in disappointment. After confirming that no one else was lurking around, she stepped out from the shadows and brought Qingzhou and the others to the front of the halls and towers.
Although the restrictions around the exterior appeared seamless and indestructible, after countless years, they were actually like the roots of an old tree, full of subtle cracks and areas where spiritual energy stagnated.
Breaking these restrictions was not a difficult task for Shi Yu.
“Stand guard nearby. I'll undo the restriction.”
With that, her fingertips traced lines in the air. Her spiritual energy condensed into threads, outlining complex and orderly light patterns that gradually aligned with and embedded themselves into the restriction.
A moment later, as the final hand seal was struck, the transparent barrier enveloping the hall rippled violently like water. Brilliant light surged rapidly for several breaths before a soft pop echoed, and the restriction dissolved into nothingness.
A long-dusty scent mixed with the smell of old books drifted out.
“It worked!” Ji Yu said with delight.
Shi Yu let out a soft breath, fine beads of sweat already appearing at her temples. Though unraveling the restriction was not hard, it consumed a considerable amount of mental effort.
She adjusted her breathing briefly, then turned to the three of them. “The restriction is open. Let's go in and out quickly—don't linger.”
The four of them stepped into the hall. The interior furnishings were simple, devoid of the expected glittering jewels or piles of rare treasures.
On the left was a study featuring bookshelves lined with numerous jade slips and books. On the right was a quiet meditation room where a prayer mat and an incense table remained. In the center hall hung a portrait depicting a figure in green robes, looking at the clouds with hands behind his back. The sword at his waist was none other than Nine Nether—he was Qingyun Daojun.
However, the painting bore no inscription or signature, making it appear somewhat lonely and desolate.
Shi Yu walked toward the bookshelves first, sweeping her divine sense across the jade slips and books.
Most contained insights on sword cultivation, travel logs, miscellaneous notes, and general records from the cultivation world, with no core techniques or secret arts. It seemed the true core legacy had already been left within the sword wall.
Still, these texts could greatly broaden her horizons and solidify her foundation, so Shi Yu carefully gathered them all up.
In front of the portrait in the main hall, a thick layer of ash had accumulated in the incense burner. Shi Yu paused for a moment and bowed respectfully toward the figure of Qingyun Daojun in the painting.
Qingzhou and the others also stepped forward and bowed respectfully.
They had obtained opportunities here and felt deep gratitude in their hearts.
Afterward, the group explored the other two small towers.
One was a storehouse containing high-quality artifact refining materials. Among them was the exact Jade-Blood Cold Gold Shi Yu needed, and its quality was exceptionally rare. Stacked together like blocks of congealed blood, a close look revealed fine glazed textures shimmering with a faint blue light on its surface.
“After all this effort, the materials for crafting the Flying Star Dragon-Wandering Talisman are finally complete.” A smile lit up her eyes; with this much Jade-Blood Cold Gold, it would be more than enough.
Leaving that tower, they found the other tower appeared to be guest quarters with simple furnishings, yielding little else.
Having collected all useful items, Shi Yu did not linger any longer.
On this trip, she had not only obtained what she needed, but had also acquired a treasure like the Nine Underworlds Diagram; she was thoroughly satisfied.
“Our work here is done. Let's leave immediately.” Taking a final look at Qingyun Daojun's portrait, she turned and walked outside.
Qingzhou and the other two followed closely behind.
Upon exiting the tower, Shi Yu looked up and noticed a gate floating faintly in the distance. It was the secret realm's exit, though it was unclear when it had appeared.
Pondering for a few breaths, she withdrew her gaze. “The Qi inside the secret realm is fluctuating. It seems the moonlight's power outside is starting to fade, making it difficult to keep the realm open. We had better leave as soon as possible.”
With no objections from the other three, they rushed toward the gate.
Figures darted past from all directions—cultivators who, like them, intended to leave. Shi Yu glanced around and sighed internally. She remembered how a massive crowd of cultivators had flooded in when the secret realm first opened, but now, only a scattered few remained.
On the path of cultivation, every step was like a fine sieve, filtering out countless lives. All she could do was try her best to pass through and head toward the next sieve.
A touch of melancholy brushed through her mind, but as her cultivation deepened, her mind became increasingly serene and calm. Having established her Dao Heart early on, her character was far more resilient than her peers, so the feeling flickered across her heart for only a brief moment before she dismissed it.
When the four reached the gate, Shi Yu took Ji Yu's hand. “Let's go together. Don't get separated.”
With that, she kicked off the ground, leveraging her force to spring into midair, intending to turn and leap through the gate.
Behind her, Qingzhou and Mo Tong simultaneously cast out a long rope formed of flowing water, wrapping it around Ji Yu's ankles. With a single tug, they closely followed Shi Yu's steps through the gate.
“Hey, hey... hey!” Ji Yu rolled his eyes and held on tightly to Shi Yu's arm.
A feeling akin to a thin film covering her face washed over her as ripples dissolved around her body, bringing a subtle tearing sensation. In the next instant, Shi Yu and Ji Yu broke free from the secret realm, stumbling twice before their feet finally landed on solid ground.
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