Zhao Zi’ang stood up.
As he expected, Yuyuan Sect Master treated his disciples with humility and would not make things difficult for him.
He rose and swept his gaze over everyone present.
Shenfu Peak’s Wen Ping, Xuandan Peak’s Xu Qianlan, Wanzhen Peak’s Feng Ze…
As expected, someone from the Holy Demon Sect was here too—was it Feng Lie?
Zhao Zi’ang looked around as if he had already predicted who should be here.
He was mostly right, though he hadn’t realized the person from the Holy Demon Sect standing before him was the Vice Sect Master, not the Sect Master.
Adding in the Hehuan Sect Master Liu Xia, who had kidnapped him, everyone was essentially accounted for.
Zhao Zi’ang caught sight of the imposing Female Emperor Xiyue, clad in a red palace dress and reclining on a red chaise, her domineering aura unmistakable. He couldn’t help but swallow hard.
He even unconsciously took a step forward.
But Xiyue only gave Zhao Zi’ang a faint glance, and Zhao Zi’ang broke out in a cold sweat, quickly scurrying off to stand aside.
His eyes swept past Su Qingyue, sitting next to Xiyue in a pale blue, low-cut dress.
A question rose in his heart. He didn’t recognize this person; it felt as if she didn’t belong here at all.
Someone gasped softly, “Someone in the Secret Realm has stood up!”
Everyone’s gaze immediately turned to the scene inside the Crystal Ball. Among the twenty-odd people there, someone had indeed gotten to their feet.
But what was strange was that this person looked rather average, with a broad build, thick eyebrows, and ordinary clothes. How did he manage to stand up?
Even more puzzled were Yun Yan and the others.
Logically, no one should have been able to break free from the illusion in the Secret Realm so quickly.
Yun Yan carefully recalled this person’s information. He remembered that during the spirit root test just now, this person was called Yang Xiong.
His spiritual roots seemed to be Gold-Earth Dual Spiritual Roots, decent enough talent, and a sweep with divine sense showed his constitution was nothing special—quite ordinary, really.
Inside the Secret Realm.
Yang Xiong looked around warily.
“Good, I really made it in. The set of mantras Zhao Ge taught me really can avoid the illusions in the Secret Realm.
Now, all I have to do is find the Mystic Realm Core!”
Yang Xiong muttered to himself.
In front of him was a golden cave. The walls were smooth, like some strange rock, emitting a soft yet dazzling light.
Corridors stretched in both directions as far as the eye could see, both equally bare, equally aglow with gold. There was no telling where they led.
He sneakily chose a direction and moved forward.
“I say, Sect Master Yun, it seems your method isn’t so effective. The first to awaken seems pretty cunning.”
Luo Yan stroked his chin, which was covered with stubble.
Everyone present had lived for at least a hundred years. It was easy for them to gauge a person’s character at a glance.
At the very least, it was clear this person was planning something.
Yun Yan stroked his beard, not the least bit worried.
“It’s nothing. Just a Foundation Establishment Stage junior. Let him be reckless if he wants—there’s only the Mystic Realm Core inside, nothing else.”
“Hey, hey, aren’t you afraid this brat will steal your Mystic Realm Core?”
“Not at all.”
Yun Yan’s face radiated confidence, though who knew where it came from. Luo Yan had nothing more to say.
Suddenly, among those lying down, another person stood up.
This person was thin and small, causing everyone to stare in shock.
Even Yun Yan fixed his gaze on the figure in the image.
It was none other than Jiang Che.
Seeing Jiang Che unharmed, Xu Qianlan finally let out a sigh of relief.
But just then, a massive shadow appeared in the image.
That gigantic shadow moved steadily closer to Jiang Che, stretching and expanding across the ground, almost entirely engulfing the slender youth.
Soon, the shadow’s outline sharpened, and an enormous, heart-stopping body slowly emerged from the golden-lit background of the cave.
It was an enormous lion, its fur and mane nearly snow white, except for the deep black stripes running along its back and limbs.
Luo Yan rubbed his eyes in disbelief.
This creature wasn’t a particularly high-ranking Ling Beast, but it was impossible for one of this kind to grow so large!
“I say, Sect Master Yun, are you testing new disciples, or just serving up a meal for your Ling Beast?”
Yun Yan didn’t get a chance to answer before Wen Ping spoke calmly:
“Hehe, Vice Sect Master Luo, you jest. This is one of our own Ling Beasts, used to guard the Secret Realm.”
As for why Luo Yan was so surprised, the main reason was that this lion was likely a fifth-rank Ling Beast—the Heiwen Lion.
But its size was nothing like a typical fifth-rank!
He gritted his teeth and could only think of one possibility: this Heiwen Lion was an atavistic Ling Beast.
It was said such beasts were descendants of the Ancient Divine Beast Monkey. No wonder Yun Yan, that old fox, was so fearless.
What he didn’t know was that Yun Yan wasn’t worried simply because he didn’t believe that person could get the Mystic Realm Core, not to mention having to face this Ling Beast as well.
At this moment, the other bigwigs familiar with the situation at Shenxiao Sect were not particularly surprised. Luo Yan could only keep his reaction in check.
However, Zhao Zi’ang in the corner was repeatedly shocked.
He hadn’t expected anyone to stand up, much less a little blind kid—and he felt this kid looked quite familiar.
And Luo Yan? Shouldn’t Feng Lie have come instead?
Questions piled up in his heart, and all he could do was pray that everything would go smoothly from here on out.
Inside the Crystal Ball, the massive Heiwen Lion slowly lowered its head, its enormous nostrils flaring as it carefully sniffed Jiang Che.
Everyone watching the Crystal Ball outside drew a sharp breath.
Just when they all thought the next moment would be a scene of bloodshed, the lion’s massive head stopped.
A low, rumbling purr came from its throat, and it stuck out its tongue to lick Jiang Che’s face.
“Little White?”
Jiang Che asked softly. In response, the lion lowered its head and nuzzled Jiang Che’s chest, as if wanting Jiang Che to scratch it.
The stillness in Jiang Che’s heart eased slightly. He gently stroked Little White’s mane with both hands.
“It’s been so many years, and you’ve grown so big.”
Jiang Che murmured.
This was the Ling Beast he’d rescued; many had said he was unlucky to have picked up a half-dead cub.
Back then, it was just an ordinary little lion cub.
But after its atavistic transformation, it was taken away by the Sect Master and Yushou Peak Master Kong Ranran.
Since then, Jiang Che had rarely seen it.
Little White let out a louder purr from its throat, pressing its giant head into Jiang Che’s palm and rubbing it hard.
As if nuzzling wasn’t enough, its massive body swayed, and, like a spoiled big cat, it turned its soft underbelly toward Jiang Che.
It looked for all the world like it was waiting to be petted, ready to roll on the ground in bliss.
Jiang Che gently patted Little White’s neck, his voice a little hoarse.
“Little White, I don’t have time to play with you right now. Go amuse yourself for a while.”
Little White let out a low whimper, but its huge head came even closer, its moist nose brushing Jiang Che’s slightly cold hand.
Those amber beast eyes seemed to sense the youth’s loneliness. It stuck out its rough tongue and gently licked Jiang Che’s palm again.
After that, Little White stopped acting spoiled.
It let out a low roar, as if responding, and its massive body moved—surprisingly gently—and then quietly lay down beside Jiang Che to doze.