Three days.
For three days, Chen Yuyang remained silent, simply following Ling Xi.
Unlike others who entered the Ziyang Secret Realm filled with excitement and anticipation, he seemed detached, as if he were just wandering around casually.
Ahead, Ling Xi frowned, glancing around anxiously, her face full of confusion:
“Huh? This shouldn’t be. Why can’t we find anything at all?”
“And why are there other cultivators here in such a barren and remote place?”
As she spoke, Ling Xi bit her lip, unwillingly realizing something.
Those other cultivators probably had the same idea as her—trying their luck in this seemingly untouched wasteland, which ironically turned this barren place into a hotspot.
But could she admit that?
If she did, the dignity she had painstakingly built in front of her senior brother would vanish in an instant.
Blinking, Ling Xi pondered and then looked deep into the Ziyang Secret Realm.
If that was the case, to gain anything at all, they would have to venture deeper into the realm.
“Hm… looks like our luck isn’t great. We should… head further inside, then.”
Having made her decision, Ling Xi turned and headed deeper into the secret realm.
Chen Yuyang said nothing but glanced once toward a place less than a hundred zhang away from their original path.
The spiritual energy flow there was unusually strong, and the vegetation was growing in an unreasonably lush manner.
Based on his experience, there was very likely a third-grade earth attribute spirit herb in that direction.
However, since Chen Yuyang was in a leisurely mood, plus Ling Xi’s earlier attitude had irked him slightly, he chose not to alert her.
“Wow, a third-grade spirit herb! My decision was right after all.”
Just as Ling Xi changed course and prepared to explore deeper, a boy’s excited shout came from nearby.
Perhaps he was too excited to control his volume, so Ling Xi heard him clearly.
From this distance, Ling Xi could even see what exactly the boy had found.
For a moment, the girl’s expression turned complicated.
Regret was nearly spilling over.
Noticing the two nearby, the boy immediately tensed, clutching the spirit herb protectively.
“Hey! What do you want? I’m a disciple of the Kuakuo Sect, so I advise you not to get any ideas.”
“Hmph, it’s just a third-grade spirit herb. I don’t even care about that.”
“I’m not the type to snatch or rob.”
Ling Xi proudly lifted her head and turned to leave.
“Honestly, junior sister, you can’t beat him.”
Chen Yuyang followed silently behind her, quietly adding.
Ling Xi said nothing but bit her lip fiercely, quickening her pace considerably.
“If I’m not mistaken, that spirit herb is worth thirty premium spirit stones.”
“Junior sister, why aren’t you saying anything? Is your throat sore? No, senior brother didn’t do anything to you last night, right?”
Ling Xi shot the boy a sharp glance.
For the first time, she realized just how irritating her senior brother could be.
Damn it, if only I could beat you…
Ling Xi clenched her teeth in frustration.
Chen Yuyang cleared his throat and, seeing the blame in her eyes, smiled and stopped joking.
He casually pointed in a direction.
“If that’s the case, junior sister, why not listen to your senior brother this once and head this way for a bit?”
Ling Xi, still annoyed, immediately turned her head away.
“I’m not going. Hmph, just now I lost the spirit herb because I didn’t stick to my judgment. This time, I definitely won’t.”
Chen Yuyang shook his head helplessly, looking toward the indicated direction and sensing the extremely faint but rhythmic spiritual energy fluctuations in the environment.
Judging by this, there should be some kind of fourth-grade dual Wood-Water attribute spirit fruit over there.
Since junior sister refused to heed the elder’s advice, it could only mean that the spirit fruit was not meant for her.
Chen Yuyang didn’t press the matter but thought to himself with some resignation.
But the next moment, Ling Xi suddenly turned and began heading toward the direction Chen Yuyang had pointed out.
“Oh? Little junior sister, why the change of heart?”
Chen Yuyang asked, surprised.
“Oh, I just thought it over. You can’t always act stubbornly. Sometimes you have to listen to senior brother’s advice~”
Ling Xi smiled brightly but thought to herself.
If I lead us and don’t find any treasures, I’ll just swallow the ridicule.
But if senior brother can’t find anything either, then I can launch a counterattack.
Senior brother, just wait. My sharp tongue is quite formidable.
When the time comes, you won’t be able to take it~
Thinking about flipping the tables and mocking Chen Yuyang, Ling Xi’s disappointment over losing the spirit herb instantly vanished, replaced by a subtle sense of anticipation…
Anticipation that he would come up empty-handed.
A moment later.
“Junior sister, look! There are five fourth-grade Xitang Fruits on this tree.”
Ling Xi: “???”
“Wow, and here’s some third-grade Qingwen Sandalwood, the main material for making Focus Incense.”
Ling Xi: “!!!”
“Look, you can even pick up large pieces of high-grade spirit stones by the roadside.”
Ling Xi: “…”
“Junior sister, why aren’t you smiling? Are these things beneath your notice?”
“Junior sister, say something.”
Ling Xi’s small spiritual ring, already not big to begin with, was soon stuffed full with these treasures.
She didn’t know whether to cry or laugh.
Damn it, what kind of ridiculous luck is senior brother having? He finds good stuff wherever he goes.
It makes no sense—she hadn’t found anything for three days…
Besides, when had the Ziyang Secret Realm ever been so abundant?
Spirit herbs of third grade and above were supposed to be rare.
She’d heard her senior sister say that finding even a fourth-grade spirit ore inside was considered unbelievably lucky.
So what was all this bulky loot of hers supposed to be?
Ling Xi was completely baffled.
What she didn’t know was that Chen Yuyang’s efficiency in finding various treasures was due to multiple factors.
First and foremost, his perception of spiritual energy was incredibly sharp.
After countless lifetimes of cultivation, his soul force had grown to a level he himself struggled to describe.
Because of this, he developed extraordinarily keen sensory abilities.
The existence of spiritual treasures always subtly affected the flow of spiritual energy in the surrounding environment.
Thus, even before his spiritual consciousness had fully awakened, he could sense the presence of treasures hundreds of zhang away.
Second, it was his knowledge.
He had seen and recognized all kinds of spiritual treasures.
Even high-quality treasures didn’t always come with obvious anomalies, let alone the lower-grade ones.
Some looked like ordinary stones, trees, or grass with just a slight difference.
Under those circumstances, identifying them at a glance amid a forest or thicket was a true test of insight and eyesight.
Many people might pass by without realizing the treasures in front of them.
In fact, due to limited entry slots and the fact the realm only opened once every three years, there were quite a few treasures in the Ziyang Secret Realm.
But most people walked along a single route, limiting the treasures they could encounter.
Chen Yuyang, with his ability to sense spiritual energy, performed a broad sweep over a larger area.
Ling Xi bit her lip, still unwilling, thinking for a while.
In the end, she decided to smile.
If she didn’t gain anything, so be it.
As long as she could eat her fill following senior brother, that was enough.
These were all treasures.
Although most were of attributes that didn’t suit her, anything taken out could be exchanged for spirit stones.
With spirit stones, what treasures couldn’t she get?
“Oh~ Senior brother is awesome~ Junior sister shouldn’t have been so stubborn before~”.
Having come to terms, the girl’s posture softened instantly, clinging stickily to the boy’s arm as she coquettishly said, “Senior brother, where are we going next? Junior sister still wants more~”
“With this much, you’re still not satisfied?” Chen Yuyang thought to himself. After gathering so many items, she should be content.
“Senior brother, how is this considered ‘this much’? Think about it—we’re the generation tasked with reviving the sect. The more treasures, the better. Even if we don’t use them, exchanging them for spirit stones can relieve Master’s burdens.”
“Most importantly, we don’t steal or snatch anything. All these things are brought out of the Secret Realm by our own skill…”
Ling Xi spoke righteously, but the glitter of greed in her wide eyes betrayed how genuine her lofty words really were.
Still…
Chen Yuyang considered the logic behind it.
If they could legally ‘restock’ the Helan Sect by gathering treasures here, why not?
He felt embarrassed giving Master a mere four thousand premium spirit stones because Master insisted these were his earned fortunes and therefore his own.
But since Master granted him the entry quota to the Ziyang Secret Realm, it was only right and proper that he returned part of his gains to the sect.
Chen Yuyang suddenly felt as if a switch had flipped inside him, and his thoughts stirred.
“In that case, junior sister… there’s nothing left to say.”
Chen Yuyang rolled up his sleeves and grinned.
“Let’s get to work!”
“Yay!”
Half a month later.
Three young cultivators clad in blazing red robes walked side by side.
Judging by the patterns on their robes, it was obvious they were from the Dan Sect.
“What’s going on? We’ve been in the Ziyang Secret Realm this long, and I’ve only found a few second-grade spirit herbs. Not a single one above third grade.”
The leader frowned and said with a heavy face.
“I don’t know, Young Master Lin. This entire area looks like it’s been completely swept clean. Nothing valuable is left. Maybe we should try a different direction.”
“No way. The Ziyang Secret Realm forbids any cultivators below Nascent Soul stage. Without spiritual consciousness born from Nascent Soul, who could sweep the place clean? It must be bad luck on our part,” Lin Yu shook his head.
He would rather believe his own bad luck than admit his judgment was wrong.
“Young Master Lin, look! There are people over there.”
Suddenly, someone behind Lin Yu pointed forward.
Under a tree, a girl stood expectantly, while another boy circled the tree, apparently searching for something.
“Hm, familiar faces.”
Seeing them, Lin Yu’s pupils constricted sharply as a cold smile curled at the corner of his lips.