My System, My Wife Feng Aotian [Transmigration] - Chapter 22.1

The Spirit Ship of Lanyang Palace, gleaming in the brilliant sunlight, arrived at the Chongshan Secret Realm and landed unhesitatingly on the summit of a mountain peak. The rogue cultivators who accompanied it thanked the crew and disembarked, but instead of leaving, they hid near the ship.

The Chongshan Secret Realm was surrounded by towering mountains and dense forests, concealing countless cultivators who awaited its opening.

Bai Fenghui, sensing he had been subtly outwitted by Feng Jue, emerged after the ship landed. “The Chongshan Secret Realm opened at sunset last time,” he announced to the assembled crowd. “It should be the same this time. Let’s wait.”

Among the crimson-robed disciples, a woman spoke bluntly, “We were all present when the Chongshan Secret Realm opened last time, but not a single White Water Sect disciple was to be seen. Yet you weren’t there, and now you’re the ones with all the knowledge.”

Bai Fenghui’s face darkened at her mockery. As the leader of his sect, if he hadn’t fallen out with Lanyang Palace and offered an apology, even Feng Jue herself wouldn’t have used such biting sarcasm to taunt him. And as a Golden Core Stage cultivator, the highest-ranked on the ship after Feng Jue, he certainly deserved better.

“Gu Yuqing,” Siyi said, her usually gentle and smiling face turning stern as she addressed the disciple. “Apologize to Sect Master Bai.”

Xue Mengtao, standing at the back of the crowd, pursed her lips, recognizing the woman as the one who had impatiently bowed to Siyi in the corridor last night.

“It’s your choice to apologize now,” Siyi said coldly, “or shall I invite the Palace Mistress to ‘ask’ you to apologize?”

The disciples standing beside Gu Yuqing shot meaningful glances her way. Gu Yuqing, her face stiff, offered a perfunctory bow to Bai Fenghui. “Sect Master Bai, I apologize. During our recent expedition to the Chongshan Secret Realm, we returned empty-handed, which left me frustrated. That was no excuse for my disrespectful words. I hope you won’t hold it against me.”

Bai Fenghui waved his hand with a cheerful smile. “No trouble at all, no trouble at all.”

A smile played on her lips, but inside, she was thinking, So Lanyang Palace isn’t as impenetrable as I thought. Siyi is Feng Jue’s right-hand woman, and this disciple’s treatment of Siyi suggests she harbors deep resentment toward Feng Jue. It makes sense, really. After the battle with the Nine Heavens Sect, Feng Jue’s mother was born. She passed away before Feng Jue could ascend to power, and Feng Jue has only been in charge of Lanyang Palace for less than three years. Before that, it seems another peak lord was acting as Palace Mistress.

Feng Jue stood above the crowd, a hint of gloom in her eyes.

“Fools. What a disgrace.”

03, who had been perched on Feng Jue’s shoulder, floated upward at her scathing words. Staring down at the crowd below, it offered, “Shall I go and observe her?”

It looked like it had been waiting for its host to assign it a task.

Feng Jue’s anger made her even more strikingly beautiful. She glared down at 03, her chest heaving, and exhaled heavily. “Forget it. I won’t bother with her for now. But you—why are you so eager?”

03 promptly drifted onto the finger adorned with Feng Jue’s Storage Ring, subtly reminding her:

The Host said to work hard at winning her favor.

Winning favor = completing tasks.

Working hard at winning favor = working hard at completing tasks.

There were no problems.

Feng Jue: “……”

Feeling both amused and exasperated, the last wisp of frustration dissipated in the flickering glow of 03. When Siyi came to report, she found Feng Jue lounging lazily on the couch.

“Twenty-nine Jade Tokens from the White Water Sect, twelve collected from various palace locations—totaling forty-one Jade Tokens have all been distributed,” Siyi said. “Seven each to the Virtue, Righteousness, Etiquette, and Trust Peaks, ten to Renyang Peak, and three to Phoenix Perch Peak. We’re now waiting for the Secret Realm to open.”

“Mm,” Feng Jue said, propping her cheek in her hand as she transmitted her voice to the assembled disciples.

“The Chongshan Secret Realm differs from others in that cultivators of the Qi Condensation, Foundation Establishment, and Golden Core stages may all enter. Once inside, you’ll face not only the realm itself but each other. You are all elite disciples nurtured by Lanyang Palace, and the loss of any of you would be a loss to the palace. Return alive.”

The disciples, bowing in obedience, shouted in unison, “Yes!”

Gu Yuqing, who had been dragged to the back of the group, pursed her lips and muttered, “I doubt she’d care if anyone died.”

Her senior sister immediately tugged at her, scolding, “Are you trying to draw even more attention to yourself?”

“Master has gone into seclusion to cultivate, and Lanyang Palace is now the Palace Mistress’s personal domain. You can get yourself into trouble, but don’t drag Renyang Peak down with you!” Gu Yuqing’s senior brother said.

Gu Yuqing protested indignantly, “The Palace Mistress is the one forcing Master into seclusion! Ever since she became Palace Mistress, she’s made life difficult for Renyang Peak at every turn. Our disciples are the strongest among the five peaks, and we bring back countless Heavenly Spiritual Treasures for the palace every year. Why should we endure this humiliation?”

“She’s living comfortably as Palace Mistress, getting whatever she wants, while we’re left to fend for ourselves. And now she’s even silencing me!”

“Enough! She’s the Palace Mistress of Lanyang Palace, and its founder was her closest relative! You can say these things to us in private, but don’t spread such talk around. Be respectful to Elder Siyi in the future. If you involve Master, you’ll face punishment!” Gu Yuqing’s senior sister scolded.

The portal shimmered into existence, its surface rippling like the surface of a still pond. As I stepped through, I felt a sudden disorientation, as if my very being was being stretched and compressed. When the sensation passed, I found myself standing in a dimly lit chamber, its walls lined with ancient tomes and scrolls. The air was thick with the scent of dust and parchment, and a faint, flickering light illuminated the room.

As my eyes adjusted to the dim light, I noticed a figure standing at the far end of the chamber. It was a tall, slender man with piercing blue eyes and long, silver hair that cascaded down his back. He wore a long, black robe embroidered with intricate patterns, and a silver circlet adorned his forehead. He looked every inch the archetypal mage, and I couldn’t help but feel a shiver of apprehension as I approached him.

“Welcome,” he said, his voice deep and resonant. “I am the Silver-White System, the guardian of this realm. You have been chosen to participate in a most extraordinary experiment.”

I blinked, startled by his words. “What experiment?” I asked, my voice trembling slightly.

“The experiment of fate,” he replied, his eyes glinting with an otherworldly light. “You have been selected to experience the consequences of a single, pivotal decision. A decision that will shape the course of your life, and the lives of those around you.”

I stared at him, my mind reeling. “What decision?” I asked, my voice barely above a whisper.

“That, my dear subject,” he said, his voice dripping with condescension, “is for you to discover. All in good time. For now, simply accept this token of our appreciation.”

He held out a small, silver pendant, its surface etched with intricate patterns. I hesitantly took it from him, my fingers brushing against his. As soon as the pendant touched my skin, I felt a sudden surge of energy, as if the very essence of the object was seeping into my being.

“What is this?” I asked, my voice hoarse.

“A key,” he replied, his voice cold and detached. “A key to unlock the doors of fate. Use it wisely, my dear subject. The fate of the realm hangs in the balance.”

With that, he turned and vanished into the shadows, leaving me alone in the dimly lit chamber. I clutched the pendant tightly, my heart pounding with fear and anticipation. What had I gotten myself into?

“I’m not just talking nonsense,” Gu Yuqing said, clinging to her senior sister’s arm with a mischievous grin. “I’m serious! Just wait until Master emerges from seclusion and his cultivation advances. He’ll take charge of things for us! There’s more than just Lanyang Palace in the world. If they can’t tolerate us, Master can take us and start our own sect! Then who would still bow and scrape before her?”

Gu Yuqing’s senior brother and sister exchanged a glance, their eyes betraying a mix of exasperation and silent agreement. Even if they didn’t start a new sect, things had been most comfortable when their Master was managing Lanyang Palace. Now, they were constantly being held back and restrained.

Sigh!

Two hours later, the sun slowly sank, its rays painting the sky in a magnificent array of colors. In the mountainous terrain, a group of eager disciples stared skyward.

Inside the Spirit Ship, Feng Jue, who had been resting with her eyes closed, opened them and declared, “It’s here.”

As her voice faded, the world came alive with swirling winds and surging clouds. Thick layers of stormy vapor roiled across the sky, instantly transforming the sunset from a radiant spectacle into the ominous calm before a tempest. Violet lightning brewed within the clouds, as if a mighty cultivator were undergoing Tribulation Crossing beneath the storm.

The Fire Rock Jiao coiled around the ship’s mast, its head resting atop the pole, while 03 nestled comfortably on its scaled crown.

The lightning seemed to dance just above its head. 03 had witnessed this awe-inspiring and perilous spectacle, reminiscent of mountains crumbling and earth shattering, countless times before, always observing intently.

It began reciting poetry like a human, its voice cold and steady, like frost-covered snow: “When mountain rain approaches, the wind fills the tower.”

The howling wind carried its voice to Feng Jue’s ears. Just as she was about to call out—

Forget it. Let it fill the tower for now.

Feng Jue turned to Bai Fenghui and said, “When your life is on the line, don’t forget what I gave you.”

Bai Fenghui nodded, feeling utterly reassured.

The sky darkened in an instant. Purple lightning split the heavens, and thunder roared like the sky itself, its fury reaching a climax. The spectacle was overwhelming. Some cultivators, fortunate enough to have obtained Jade Tokens for the Chongshan Secret Realm but lacking sufficient cultivation, began to tremble with fear.

“This is what the upgraded Secret Realm looks like… a Golden Core Stage Secret Realm,” someone murmured, instinctively retreating, their face contorted by terror.

Yet more cultivators were exhilarated. They could sense the spiritual energy thickening with each strike of lightning, as if countless Heavenly Spiritual Treasures within the Secret Realm were beckoning to them!

Finally, after the last thunderclap, a crimson-purple lightning bolt, long-awaited and carrying the force to pierce the earth, crashed down with a deafening roar. The air split open as if torn apart by the lightning, revealing the entrance to the Chongshan Secret Realm. The upgraded spiritual energy poured out in a torrent.

“Keep your communication talismans safe and try to act together after regrouping!” Siyi shouted, pointing toward the Secret Realm with a smile. “Go!”

Except for Xue Mengtao, all the disciples from Lanyang Palace were at the Foundation Establishment Stage or higher. They soared toward the Secret Realm, either riding swords or stepping onto flying artifacts. Siyi helped Xue Mengtao onto her flying artifact and carried her toward the entrance.

“See you later!” After Bai Fenghui departed, only Feng Jue remained on the Spirit Ship, along with the Lanyang Palace disciples guarding it.

Of course, there was also the dragon and the System.

The other cultivators hidden in the mountains and forests also flew toward the Secret Realm. Those wearing sect uniforms entered without issue, but some rogue cultivators, especially those at the Qi Condensation Stage, were halfway through tearing off their flight talismans when masked cultivators suddenly charged out to kill them and steal their tokens.

This was the true, brutal face of the Cultivation World.

Survival of the fittest, fierce competition, and the victors take all.

Both the man and the System remained calm.

03 didn’t forget to scan and generate a map, casually adding passersby to its database. It noticed a familiar hunchbacked old man stumbling through the air, yet skillfully evading multiple attacks before safely flying into the Secret Realm.

Feng Jue clicked her tongue, watching Xue Bufan’s retreating figure along with 03. “What are we waiting for? Let’s go.”

03 drifted over.

The Fire Rock Jiao let out a long roar as it carried Feng Jue and the System toward the Secret Realm.

The moment they entered, the wind vanished, and they were surrounded by a white mist, making it impossible to distinguish sky from ground. Feng Jue frowned and unleashed a stream of flames.

The golden-red fire surged into the mist, tearing open a long rift. More mist rushed in to fill the gap, as if the fiery projectile had sunk into the sea without a trace.

“Strange,” Feng Jue said. “What’s the meaning of this?” She had never encountered a Secret Realm like this before.

03 activated its scanner. “There’s nothing here.”

It was like a void filled with mist.

The silver-white System emitted a faint glow in the mist, scanning relentlessly.

“Hmm?” 03 said. “Something’s appearing.”

As soon as it spoke, the surrounding mist gradually dissipated. Before the man, the System, and the Jiao, a vast mountain forest materialized, bathed in bright sunlight. Inside the Secret Realm, it was a clear day with the sun high in the sky.

Ling Shi soared through the sky, gazing down at the undulating mountains that stretched endlessly below. In the distant sea of peaks, a palace seemed to perch, its location unclear—whether nestled among the mountains or floating in the heavens—obscured by swirling mists.

Feng Jue slapped the Fire Rock Jiao and pointed toward the Celestial Palace, saying, “Go.”

Ling Shi flicked her tail and shot forward without descending, her long shadow sweeping across the forest below.

03, habitually scanning the terrain to update the map, quickly detected an anomaly: the data for one mountain peak didn’t match previous readings. She immediately alerted Feng Jue.

Feng Jue’s trust in 03 compelled her to steer the Fire Rock Jiao toward the suspicious peak. Almost as soon as the creature turned, a thunderous roar erupted from the mountains, like a sudden clap of thunder on a calm day.

The seemingly tranquil mountain peak abruptly took flight, shedding countless boulders that crashed to the ground with deafening booms.

“A Mountain-Swallowing Beast?” Feng Jue exclaimed in shock, drawing her Natal Artifact and lashing it toward the monster’s gaping maw.

The golden-red fiery whip crashed against the beast’s rock-hard carapace with a clang like clashing metal, sending a jolt through the Fire Rock Jiao that left it dizzy. Had Feng Jue not yanked its horns to veer sharply away, Ling Shi would have plummeted directly into the Mountain-Swallowing Beast’s jaws.

03 scanned the Mountain-Swallowing Beast into the Spirit Beast database and gasped, “It’s a giant turtle!”

******

The Mountain-Swallowing Beast towered even larger than the Spirit Ship of Lanyang Palace. Its rocky body was armored with a carapace, beneath which four razor-sharp claws protruded. Its ferocious head and serpent-like tail completed its menacing appearance. Its gaping maw, as long as a Fire Rock Jiao, showed no reaction to Feng Jue’s attacks.

Feng Jue’s expression darkened. She shrank the Fire Rock Jiao to coil around her wrist and plummeted into the forest, quickly erecting a Barrier.

To the Mountain-Swallowing Beast, the human assailant—no larger than a bird—had vanished after the attack. Enraged, it roared and slammed its carapace against the nearby mountain. The earth trembled violently as the towering peak split in two, sending countless boulders cascading down like a river, burying the forest below in rubble.

“Trashing the place,” 03 remarked.

Feng Jue shot 03 a glare, then swiftly navigated through the forest, dodging falling rocks.

“My mistake,” Feng Jue muttered. “This creature actually has a Mid-Stage Golden Core cultivation!”

A creature of such formidable power right at the entrance to the Secret Realm.

“Truly a Newly Promoted Tier Secret Realm,” Feng Jue couldn’t help but think, tightening her grip on her fiery whip. She looked up through the branches at the colossal beast circling overhead.

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