Wanxi Rebirth - Chapter 77

Considering the special nature of the Ghost Domain Secret Realm, decades ago, when powerful experts ventured inside and met with misfortune, the medical cultivators of Zhenyun Valley not only sealed its entrance with layers of barriers but also required high-level elders to measure the concentration of lingering resentment before any entry. Only then would they decide which method to notify the explorers.

Luo Yansha hugged Bifang tightly, taking deep breaths for what seemed like the umpteenth time, and followed closely behind Yue Tingxi, waiting for midnight to arrive.

Soon, she noticed a female cultivator dressed in the elder robes of Zhenyun Valley ascend to a small platform on the inn’s second floor. She gathered her spiritual energy and spoke solemnly:

“Explorers, there is a severe anomaly in the Ghost Domain Secret Realm—our instruments have detected no trace of resentment. Even the puppets sent hundreds of miles in advance could not detect any. It is as if it has vanished into thin air!”

Her words caused a stir among the crowd.

“As we all know, the Ghost Domain Secret Realm has always been filled with resentment. Now that it is completely gone, we must immediately seal the entrance and investigate its disappearance!” the Zhenyun Valley elder raised her voice. “Until then, the Secret Realm will be in a ‘high-risk state’ as defined by our sect. We cannot guarantee that the resentment will not suddenly surge, affecting the surrounding area!”

“This is the current status of the Ghost Domain Secret Realm. If anyone wishes to change their mind, you still have time to leave and retreat!”

The hall erupted into chaos.

“Is this the work of the World Consciousness?” Yue Tingxi asked Xie Zhi through their blood pact.

“Clearing the path, and removing potential interference, isn’t it?” Xie Zhi replied with a smile.

Yue Tingxi decided to optimistically assume that the World Consciousness was “welcoming” them.

As some began to retreat toward the inn’s door, she stepped forward to the still-inactive teleportation array, looking at the Zhenyun Valley elder.

“On behalf of Miss Qin, I have come to explore the Ghost Domain Secret Realm. May your sect activate the teleportation array to send me inside?”

As soon as she mentioned the title, the hall erupted in chatter again.

Even Lan Chaoyao cast her a surprised look. He had assumed that even if this snake demon intended to enter the Secret Realm to hunt monsters, she would hide her identity. Instead, she openly declared it.

The Zhenyun Valley elder had heard of Miss Qin’s closed-door seclusion but had not expected that, upon the Secret Realm’s opening, someone would arrive under her name. She paused to ask, but Yue Tingxi revealed Miss Qin’s pair of life-bound knives, leaving no doubt.

The crowd immediately made way for the elder and her disciples. The sky-blue wood spiritual energy was injected into the teleportation array, temporarily activating it and linking the two arrays.

“Since you are a distinguished guest of the Qin family, please proceed,” the female elder said respectfully, gesturing for her to enter.

Yue Tingxi stepped into the array, followed by a dense group of cultivators.

Even though they were not Qin family members, having a high-level expert enter the Secret Realm was a statement of intent.

Observing her lead, Lan Chaoyao snorted and blended into the crowd.

He still cared about maintaining the “face” of the Qingxu Sect leader. Disguised with a mask, he assumed no one would notice, nor would anyone associate him with the murderous Ghost Sword cultivator.

Yet, no sooner had he entered the Ghost Domain Secret Realm than he was attacked from all directions by projectiles and spells!

Lan Chaoyao had imagined countless scenarios of Yue Tingxi and Qin Suoliu ambushing him but never expected them to strike immediately upon entering the realm. Caught off guard, he relied on instinct and experience to dodge.

Looking around, he noticed that everyone had clear identity panels visible in his vision.

“This means none of them are the two I’m guarding against!”

“Daoist Wang Jue of Daohai Hall, Ye Banyu of Qianhe Villa, Ming Ye of Chiyang Alliance… who the hell are these minor cannon fodder characters?!” He cursed in his mind while drawing his sword to fend off attacks from these “cannon fodder.”

What shocked him further was that all these originally nameless minor characters had Out-of-Body stage strength!

Moreover, he was 100% certain that none of them had any relation to Yue Tingxi or Qin Suoliu.

And yet… more cannon fodder kept joining the fight!

It felt as if, overnight, he had become an enemy of the whole world!

Information panels filled nearly all of Lan Chaoyao’s vision within minutes of entering the realm. He had to shut off some functions, keeping only the alerts for attack directions and methods. Clumsily, he dodged countless strikes, swinging his sword nearly a hundred times in one breath.

After surviving the first round, he infused full spiritual energy into his sword, thrusting toward a target indicated by the system.

The enemies were too many and nearly matched his cultivation level. Without pre-deployed strategies or formation arrays, prolonged combat would only exhaust him to death.

He only needed to create a small opening!

The Out-of-Body cultivator expanded his spiritual sense, using it alongside his sword to detect a path of escape.

In the next moment, the black-clad man surrounded by enemies vanished.

“It’s a teleportation technique!” someone shouted. “He actually escaped just like that!”

“Don’t let him get away! Chase!”

Yue Tingxi was the first to enter the Ghost Domain Secret Realm.

As Xie Zhi had said, the World Consciousness had “cleared the path.” The Secret Realm, which should have been brimming with resentment, was empty—at least near the entrance.

Even so, she coordinated with Qin Suoliu to deploy an isolation barrier around themselves and Bifang.

Bifang followed the plan, attaching fire spiritual energy to the barrier in a reduced amount, just as a precaution.

After roughly 500 steps, they heard the sounds of magic and weapon clashes behind them.

“Already fighting? Looks like ‘Brother’ has quite a grudge from the Xuanshui Secret Realm!” Lan Fengqing teased, amused by the sounds.

Qin Yingguang coordinated with two Star-Picking Pavilion elders responsible for positioning, exchanging information.

Every Secret Realm was under the World Consciousness, which had already revealed a detailed map, including absolutely safe routes leading directly to the ghost city “Skeletons Blooming.”

“The divination points to the southeast,” said one of the five elders of the Star-Picking Pavilion. “It’s a necessary route to Skeletons Blooming. Let’s head there early.”

Yue Tingxi summoned the giant leaf artifact, infusing it with spiritual energy to carry everyone southeast.

Not long after, she noticed more cultivators following them.

Perhaps the Star-Picking Pavilion had recently spread information about the Ghost Sword cultivator, or maybe because Yue Tingxi was the first to step into the teleportation array, or because of her connection to Miss Qin and the Qin family. Regardless, these cultivators treated her as the leader.

Yue Tingxi temporarily allowed them to follow to help exhaust Lan Gou’s energy, spiritual power, and techniques, without wasting her own.

When Gray Moth signaled Lan Chaoyao’s location, she leisurely infused the leaf artifact with energy and transported them all to a safe distance from the “battlefield.”

However, a Gray Moth cloaked in concealment remained behind, allowing them to watch the intruder being punished from afar.

“How long will this take?” Luo Yansha asked, impatient. She had long wanted to strike this blood-stained, heinous man, and now could only watch for the moment.

“Not long. Let them vent a bit more,” Qin Suoliu replied. “Don’t worry. He’s like a cockroach—hard to kill.”

Yue Tingxi watched intently.

In past cycles, it was always they who had been forced into desperate situations by this man, exhausting every artifact and ounce of spiritual energy, yet never escaping death.

The intruder had always been a storm cloud over them, blocking the sky. Now, she could watch it being pierced, which was immensely satisfying.

Initially, Lan Chaoyao tried to conserve strength, relying on sword techniques and wind to block attacks. But as the encirclement intensified, he had to use protective artifacts, then unrefined artifacts taken from the dead.

He knew using these would confirm his identity as the Ghost Sword cultivator. So, in one moment, he detonated multiple artifacts, hoping the residual power of the spiritual energy explosions would open an escape route.

His plan was to reach Skeletons Blooming, enter the ghost city using a few Cold Crisps, and then meet the monster Qiongqi through forged demon tokens for cooperation.

His calculations seemed flawless—until he realized his attempt had failed.

All artifacts he drew seemed deactivated, silently rendered harmless, like decorative trinkets.

Was this the World Consciousness intervening again, or was the Dou Fox Asura, the tribulation-stage cultivator, nearby?

Realizing this, Lan Chaoyao became furious.

Taking advantage of gaps in the cultivators’ attacks, he roared spiritual energy:

“The Dou Fox Asura is in the Secret Realm! They’re watching from afar! Cashing in on my misfortune!”

—No one paid attention to him.

Even if the Dou Fox Asura had come, these female cultivators only punished evil. What they were doing now was jointly eliminating a supreme villain!

He even heard a cold, unfamiliar female voice in his mind:

“You enjoy manipulating humans and monsters alike? Now taste the same!”

“You will never return to the Book Management Bureau, dying in a tiny world where your mission can never be completed, your soul filthy and broken, worthless.”

“This is the fate you deserve.”

Though no snake demon was beside him, he felt as if icy serpents were coiling tightly around his body, their gaping jaws ready to bite, suffocating him painfully, threatening his life.

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