“Senior Brother, I know you have my best interests at heart. Although my cultivation realm has dropped right now, I still retain some ability to protect myself. If I were truly to seal my spiritual sea, I’m afraid it would cause a great deal of inconvenience.”

“But…”

“Senior Brother, rest assured. I will do my utmost to control my emotions and will not use spiritual energy again unless it is an absolute last resort.”

“You stubborn, obstinate fellow. Oh well, just be careful and mind yourself.” Jiang Xiaohua compromised helplessly, then changed the subject: “In a few days, the Liyang Mountain Secret Realm will open. Do you have any disciples participating from your peak?”

“Yes, I do. Shi Menglan, Ling Guang, and Sui Yu—all three of them are going,” Yun Mu replied.

Jiang Xiaohua drank a cup of tea and did not stay long. After offering a few words of caution, he departed.

The whip wounds on Sui Yu’s body had already healed for the most part under the effect of the Rejuvenation Pill, with only the bite mark on his neck showing no signs of fading, leaving him endlessly irritated.

By the time Shi Menglan and Ling Guang came looking for him, he had already cleaned up and even used a silk ribbon to wrap tightly around his neck, concealing it completely.

“Little Junior Brother, are you doing alright?” Ling Guang looked toward Sui Yu with an expression of sympathy.

Shi Menglan couldn’t help but inwardly slap her hand against her forehead. This second junior brother’s personality didn’t match his name at all; why was he so foolishly dense? Could all his usual arrogance and overbearing attitude simply have been put on?

Couldn’t he even tell that the little junior brother was radiating a keep-out-of-my-face chill? For all they knew, Sui Yu might even assume they had deliberately come over to watch him make a fool of himself!

“Ahem, Little Junior Brother, in seven days the Liyang Mountain Secret Realm opens. Master has ordered the three of us to go together.”

Sui Yu replied indifferently, “Understood.”

Knowing this junior brother’s temperament, Shi Menglan didn’t say much more. She simply left a bottle of premium healing medicine on the desk, then quietly led Ling Guang away with her.

Over the next few days, Yun Mu lay idly on his bed recovering, flipping back and forth through the original plot of Desolate Sky Demon God: Counterattack of the Black Lotus in his mind.

The cultivation restriction inside the secret realm was capped at the Golden Core stage. Among his three disciples, only Shi Menglan had reached this level, while the second disciple Ling Guang was at the late Foundation Establishment stage, and the youngest, Sui Yu, was barely lingering at the threshold of the Foundation Establishment stage.

According to the current trajectory, although this trip to the Liyang Mountain Secret Realm would yield rewards, it was also fraught with danger. With their strength, self-preservation should be guaranteed, but just to be safe, it was best for them to have magical treasures by their sides.

It would already be a blessing if that old schemer of an original host hadn’t tormented them; he certainly wouldn’t bestow any good treasures upon his disciples. Trying to hand out gifts while maintaining character integrity without violating OOC rules was still a bit tricky.

At this thought, Yun Mu sprang up in one swift motion. With a thought, he emptied everything out of his storage ring to inspect it.

Well, what do you know! The original host’s character might have been trash, but he had no shortage of good items. Spirit stones, talismans, medicinal pills, and herbs were countless, and high-tier magical treasures and spiritual instruments were available in abundance. He even had half of a divine artifact! Talk about being filthy rich!

Even though it was only a fragment, it was still an overpowered piece of hardware that ordinary people couldn’t find anywhere.

Now all of this belonged to him. In the blink of an eye, he had transformed into a tycoon something he could never have dreamed of in his past life. Cradling this pile of treasures, Yun Mu felt thoroughly bolstered with confidence. The only thing he needed to consider now was how to gift defensive magic treasures to his disciples.

System: [Ding-ding-ding… Your system has come online! Mu’Mu, did you miss this system at all?!]

The familiar mechanical voice rang in his sea of consciousness. Yun Mu couldn’t help rolling his eyes: “Miss you like a hole in the head!”

System: [You… In just a few short days, Mu’Mu, you’ve changed your heart. So love really does fade…]

Yun Mu massaged his temples, completely unwilling to entertain this occasionally unhinged system. He really shouldn’t have accepted this big, round pie in the sky to begin with.

On the eve of the Liyang Mountain Secret Realm opening, the disciples came unanimously to bid farewell to Yun Mu.

Sporting a deadpan, expressionless face, Yun Mu lectured them: “Do not disgrace the sect on this trip. The two or three of you possess mediocre cultivation, so avoid trying to stand out. Focus on participation and experience.”

[What should I do now that my mindset is kind of cracking? I beat someone into that state just a few days ago, and seeing them again now makes me feel somewhat guilty. This is just way too awkward.]

Sui Yu lowered his head, the peaks of his brows lifting slightly in secret. It seemed that day really hadn’t been an auditory hallucination; he truly could hear his master’s inner voice, and what’s more, only he could hear it.

“These Dharma artifacts are merely useless items here with me. Take them along to protect yourselves, just consider it a small token of your master’s goodwill so others don’t laugh at our Luoxuan Sect’s Qianyun Peak for mistreating its disciples.”

He deliberately picked out a few magical artifacts that appeared understated and unflashy on the exterior, yet possessed extremely high practicality in combat and matched their respective spiritual root affinities. Unceremoniously tossing them to the three disciples, he coldly issued an order for their eviction.

No sooner had the disciples stepped out of the sect gates than the system issued a mission prompt.

Main Mission 1: Help Sui Yu acquire his natal weapon, the Ze Feng Blade, within the Liyang Mountain Secret Realm. Host is requested to maintain the original host’s persona and clock in daily for abusing Sui Yu physically and mentally (Clock-in day 0).

“What mission? The Liyang Mountain Secret Realm has a cultivation restriction. Although my realm has dropped right now, I’m still a Nascent Soul cultivator! Who on earth do you think you’re looking down on? Do you honestly expect me to get in there?!”

No sooner had his voice trailed off than a paper-crafted fox appeared before him, accompanied by a sphere of rippling blue light and a floating placard labeled “Anywhere Door,” as if terrified people wouldn’t know what it was.

System: [Mu’Mu, you don’t need your true physical body to enter. You just need to attach your divine sense to this item. Once you enter the secret realm, it will automatically activate a spirit beast form. However, remember to stay far away from water sources; this thing is not waterproof.]

“Wait, but once I turn into a spirit beast, how am I supposed to maintain my persona and complete the daily clock-in mission of abusing my disciple?”

System: [That’s easy. Once you transform, you’ll become a rare Hidden-Spirit Fox, no longer looking like the vicious master. The OOC requirements can be appropriately relaxed.]

Oh, ho?

That meant what he thought it meant, right?

This system turned out to be quite user-friendly after all!

Using a brand-new form to execute missions actually sounded rather fun.

Liyang Mountain was located to the northwest of the Luoxuan Sect, featuring undulating, rolling mountain ranges, deep forests, and dense foliage. Amidst the curling mists, it resembled shimmering green waves.

By the side of the spiritual spring pool atop the main peak, people crowded together in a continuous stream all elite disciples dispatched by major immortal sects for experiential training. Those who knew one another gathered in groups to exchange greetings and reminisce. The chatter filled the air, injecting plenty of lively human warmth into the traditionally secluded mountain grounds.

When Sui Yu and the other two arrived, it was already rather late. Fortunately, the Luoxuan Sect wasn’t an obscure, nameless minor sect; their chief senior brother, Liu Su, had long since claimed a designated area belonging to their sect. Catching sight of them from afar, he immediately hurried over to guide them in.

“Many thanks, Senior Brother Liu Su,” Shi Menglan took the lead in thanking him.

“We’re all fellow disciples, no need for thanks,” Liu Su waved dismissively with an air of cool detachment. “The secret realm is about to open. Once you’re inside, you must make sure to watch out for your safety.”

Sure enough, within a brief moment, a thick, heavy fog condensed above the spiritual spring. A point of blue light expanded from deep within, instantly enveloping every living entity present before leaving the area completely empty in the blink of an eye.

The secret realm was boundless, partitioned according to the five elements. However, the specific regional assignment upon entering was entirely uncontrollable and distributed at random.

[$(艹皿艹)$ What the hell! What kind of demonic free-fall is this? I’m gonna fall to my death!]

When Sui Yu stabilized his footing and landed, his chest was struck by a fluffy, white, cute little creature. He instinctively raised a hand to catch it, immediately hearing that familiar inner voice.

Master?! How did he get here too? But… how come he couldn’t see anyone?

“A Hidden-Spirit Fox?” Sui Yu hoisted the Hidden-Spirit Fox up by the skin of the back of its neck and gave it a shake. “To run into a spirit beast renowned for its intelligence and speed the moment I step in this place is truly extraordinary. But… why is it so light? It feels like it’s made of paper.”

[Yue~~ Why is this brat holding me up by my neck? I’m gonna throw up, dammit!]

The corner of that certain brat’s lips twitched slightly upward, revealing an air of wicked wildness beneath his naive and innocent appearance. A strange, dark glimmer flashed across his eyes, carrying a faint trace of excitement.

So it was this little thing. Coming so impatiently to seek its own death how could a disciple not oblige?