Long before Lu Zhiyun entered the secret realm, the spirit of the secret realm had already sensed her presence.
“Finally, someone’s here!”
Lingmeng whispered excitedly.
As the manager of the Qi Induction Secret Realm 2.0, she was also among the earliest batch of secret realm spirits to work at Tianque Sect.
Back when the major sects began to regulate the cultivation process and introduced secret realm teaching, she seized the opportunity and smoothly joined Tianque Sect.
Lingmeng had witnessed Tianque Sect take off step by step, until it became the super-class sect it was today, and she felt quite gratified.
But along with that gratification, there was also a faint loneliness.
The reason was simple—she’d somehow been dispatched to Qingluan Peak.
At first, Lingmeng was very happy.
After all, Tianque Sect was a land of talented people; she could work at any Main Peak.
But the truth was she’d been happy too soon.
Ever since arriving at Qingluan Peak, Lingmeng had basically started her retirement life early—because this damned Qingluan Peak simply couldn’t recruit anyone!
Lingmeng didn’t know what the problem was.
After every Ascension Conference, the other Main Peaks always returned full, while Qingluan Peak seemed haunted—often no one came at all.
Every time she watched the sisters from the neighboring Main Peaks chat in the “Tianque Sect, One Big Family of Spirits” group about how they helped so-and-so achieve Qi Induction today, or how someone had remarkable talent and the bearing of an emperor…
Lingmeng was extremely envious—she was just too bored!
To waste her youth like this—Lingmeng couldn’t help but feel sorry for herself!
But finally! At last!
After waiting for ages, at last, someone had been sent to Tianque Sect!
Lingmeng looked at the little girl in the midst of chaos, not yet awake, and immediately felt a motherly tenderness!
She was determined to help her enter the Qi Refining stage comfortably, using the gentlest way to guide Qi into her body!
Although, according to Wu Qinglong’s instructions, she had to act according to the script and play out the person’s most recent fear.
But that didn’t stop her from giving the other party a little help.
In principle, the secret realm spirit should obey the secret realm master’s orders, but who let this secret realm’s design keep even the master out?
That meant Lingmeng herself was the principle!
“Let me see! The person and thing this little girl fears most!”
Lingmeng fiddled with her hands, her gaze penetrating Lu Zhiyun’s heart, as if she could see right through her.
“Ah! This is…”
Upon seeing the other party’s thoughts, Lingmeng covered her mouth in surprise.
According to the secret realm’s display, this little girl was actually most afraid of Elder Lin Yingxue of Shuiyun Peak.
Lingmeng had heard of Lin Yingxue’s reputation, too.
According to her secret realm spirit sisters on neighboring peaks, whoever had the best performance got to taste her cooking.
But the sisters all seemed to avoid her—instead of aiming for first place, second and third were actually more popular.
Some spirits even wept with gratitude at getting second place.
Lingmeng didn’t understand.
Lin Yingxue was at the Integration stage!
A Lingchef at that cultivation—practically a rare treasure.
They didn’t know how good they had it!
But why was this little girl the same as them?
Lingmeng pondered for a moment and immediately understood everything—this had to be a forbidden love, love that could never be!
That’s right!
This little girl, just as pure and kind as herself, had been duped into coming to Qingluan Peak.
But in the eyes of the unkind bunch at Qingluan Peak, she was simply too easy to bully, so she’d been excluded everywhere.
Amidst such a daily life, Lin Yingxue extended a helping hand to Lu Zhiyun, letting her feel what love was.
But because of their relationship, the little girl could never confess her feelings and could only keep them hidden.
Lingmeng had even heard gossip from her sisters that Lin Yingxue seemed to have rumors with Qingluan Peak’s eldest senior brother, always finding excuses to bring him food.
With that, it all made sense.
Lu Zhiyun actually wanted to taste Lin Yingxue’s cooking too, and for that, she’d even developed a Heart Demon, which was why, in the secret realm, the person she feared most was Lin Yingxue.
Such a lovesick little girl!
Lingmeng shook her head and sighed, “Let me fulfill your wish!”
***
Outside the old house, the shabby wooden door swung back and forth, making Lu Zhiyun’s heart tense up along with it.
She stared warily at the “female ghost version” of Lin Yingxue wandering at the far end of the corridor, legs stiff as a board.
Calm down! Calm down!
Though she didn’t know why this Shishu she’d met less than three times appeared, Lu Zhiyun was inexplicably scared.
Logically, faced with something scary, her legs should be trembling—but when she saw the “female ghost version” of Lin Yingxue, it was her stomach that rumbled loudly.
It was definitely not because she was hungry!
Lu Zhiyun was sure—the real problem was that bowl of rice in the other party’s hand.
That was the real source of her fear!
Remembering how, after eating that bowl of rice yesterday, she’d almost gone to meet her parents in the next world, Lu Zhiyun felt inexplicably fainthearted.
In her terror, Lu Zhiyun vaguely sensed a trace of spiritual energy flowing inside her.
It was weak, but very distinct!
“Actually, the human body already contains spiritual energy—there’s no need to guide it in from outside! You just lack a little external stimulation!…”
Lu Zhiyun recalled Lin Shu’s words and pondered them carefully.
Though the demonic cultivator hadn’t spelled out what that external stimulation was, combined with this secret realm, she understood.
The so-called stimulation was inner fear.
That trembling and the thrill hidden within when facing fear—that was the direct source of sensing the spiritual energy inside.
That demonic cultivator truly was a genius!
Lu Zhiyun had heard a bit about cultivation methods in other sects—most focused on attuning to nature and awe for the heavens and earth.
Lin Shu’s straightforward way was truly unique.
But the method was too inhumane.
Lu Zhiyun looked at the female ghost under the dim lights, glanced at the bowl of rice that looked delicious but could kill, and felt tormented.
To face her inner fear head-on was no different than courting death.
But if she retreated, and the demonic cultivator found she hadn’t succeeded at Qi Induction in the secret realm, she’d be classified as “useless” and never able to get close enough for a deep investigation.
After much deliberation, Lu Zhiyun swallowed hard and braced herself!
Whatever! This is so as not to disappoint the Imperial Preceptor!
For Great Qian!
Lu Zhiyun bravely stepped forward into the corridor.
As soon as her foot touched down, the red lantern on the beam creaked and swayed.
The “female ghost version” of Lin Yingxue instantly flashed before her.
“Food… freshly made food… please eat!” she rasped hoarsely.
Through her fringe, Lingmeng saw Lu Zhiyun’s attention was entirely on the bowl of rice in her hand, and rejoiced inside.
As expected!
Her inner Heart Demon was exactly as she’d thought.
If she didn’t have performance targets to meet, Lingmeng wouldn’t even want to appear as a ghost—she’d much rather use her original appearance to grant the little girl’s wish.
Lu Zhiyun took a few deep breaths, forced back her urge to vomit, and closed her eyes before opening them again.
She looked at the “Lin Yingxue” before her.
Her face was pale and ghastly, her hair messy, and her eyes mostly covered by bangs.
Thank goodness this wasn’t Lin Yingxue’s real face, or she’d have fainted on the spot.
The way Shishu held that bowl of rice was already deeply imprinted on Lu Zhiyun’s soul—utterly terrifying!
“I… I’ll eat!”
Lu Zhiyun took the bowl from her, sneering.
You think I’m scared to eat it?
I’ll eat it right in front of you!
If it benefits the nation, what’s a little life and death?
Why avoid risk for personal fortune?
The fate of Great Qian rests in her hands; she doesn’t fear death!
At worst, she’ll be a good woman again in eighteen years!
Bottoms up!
Under Lingmeng’s gaze, Lu Zhiyun began devouring the food.
Every bite radiated her resolve to face death for her country.
In that moment, she could truly feel spiritual energy surging within her body—the force as fierce as crashing waves, straight to her spiritual roots.
So this is Qi Induction?
She did it! Lu Zhiyun had succeeded in entering the Qi Refining stage!
In the corridor, Lingmeng beamed like a doting aunt as she watched Lu Zhiyun.
She’d done another good deed! Surely this little girl must be happy.
But why were her eyes getting whiter and whiter?
Wait! Why did the little girl faint?
“Little girl! Little girl! Wake up! Did you faint from happiness?”
“It’s all fake in the secret realm. If you want to find true happiness, you must work hard!”
“I support you and Elder Lin!”
Sadly, Lu Zhiyun could no longer hear.
***
Outside the secret realm, Lin Shu and Wu Qinglong were snacking on melon seeds and gossiping about Tianque Sect.
“By the way, this secret realm spirit was sent by the Sect Master from the Main Peak. She’s got quite a background,” Wu Qinglong said, sipping his tea.
“The Sect Master’s own Main Peak? Isn’t that better than our Qingluan Peak? Why’d she come here?”
Lin Shu was puzzled.
Normally, anyone sent to Qingluan Peak had messed up or gotten into major trouble.
“Oh, that spirit loves to let her imagination run wild,” Wu Qinglong began to reminisce.
“Back during the Hundred Sects Foundation Establishment Conference, at the Vine Lake stage, all those disciples got caught up in the vines. She thought they were just swinging on a playground. Luckily, everyone got rescued in the end.”
“Last time, when the neighboring Beast Taming Sect rented our secret realm for their new disciples to learn how to control spirit beasts, she got the task backwards. After that secret realm, the spirit beasts experienced the joy of riding Beast Taming Sect’s disciples instead. Nearly made their Elder cough up blood.”
“Oh, right, when the eldest disciple of Hehuan Sect came to train here, she talked her into becoming a nun.”
“She wasn’t beaten to death for that?”
Lin Shu exclaimed in shock.
“No, because there was also a Buddhist Son from Qiyun Temple in that secret realm. She convinced him to return to the secular world, and now he’s the Holy Son of Hehuan Sect.”
Wu Qinglong nodded.
Lin Shu rubbed his forehead and pressed his thumb to his temples.
If even talents like that could be kept by Qingluan Peak, why did he feel Qingluan Peak was doomed sooner or later?
Just as Lin Shu was losing hope, a faint ripple came from the entrance to the secret realm.
Lin Shu and Wu Qinglong both rose to their feet at once.
Little Junior Sister was about to come out!
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