Chapter 68: The Deterrent Force of Zhu Shiyao Among the Young Generation’s Prodigies.
This day marked the opening of the Demon Beast Secret Realm.
The Secret Realm was located three hundred li north of Sky Star City.
Following the Lin Family’s caravan, Lin Mo learned quite a bit from Lin Qingqing along the way.
Besides their Lin Family, the Nangong Family, Xia Family, Jiang Family, and Zhu Family would also be participating.
Only one hundred people could enter the Secret Realm, with each family having twenty slots.
Due to the extreme danger of the Secret Realm, only junior disciples whose cultivation level had reached Foundation Establishment could participate from the Lin Family.
As per the original plan, the leader was Lin Changjian, whose cultivation level was Early Golden Core.
Everyone set off before dawn, arriving at the location of the Demon Beast Secret Realm near noon.
Besides the Lin Family, the Jiang Family and Nangong Family had also arrived.
When enemies meet, their eyes burn with hatred.
Upon seeing Lin Mo, Nangong Xu stepped forward to provoke him, saying, “The Secret Realm is not that easy to traverse. After entering, I hope you watch your step and don’t accidentally ‘trip’.”
Lin Mo had no good impression of this hypocrite and coldly replied, “Scram.”
Nangong Xu suppressed the anger in his heart. This was not the time for a fight. With a cold snort, he decided to tear Lin Mo to shreds once they were inside the Secret Realm.
In his opinion, Lin Mo only had a Dual Spirit Root talent, and at most, he could form a Rank 6 Golden Core.
He, on the other hand, was already at the Mid Golden Core stage, his core achieved Rank 7. He practiced a top-tier Earth-grade Cultivation Technique from Xuanming Hall, and he also had many protective mystical artifacts given by his Master.
Within the Secret Realm, killing him would be as easy as crushing an ant.
Jiang Yanran did not come forward but observed Lin Mo coldly from a distance.
She had intended to compensate him and then let bygones be bygones, but his insulting remarks to her in front of everyone a few days ago had completely severed their ties.
The white-clothed maiden saw through Jiang Yanran’s thoughts and whispered, “Don’t forget that Master sent me to follow you. She wants you to gain greater benefits in the Secret Realm. Do not let impulsive moments delay the main business.”
Jiang Yanran retracted her thoughts and respectfully replied, “Yes, Senior Sister.”
The true identity of the white-clothed maiden was an external avatar of Gu Qianxue, the Palace Mistress of the Ice Palace.
Having learned of the Secret Realm’s requirements, she had specifically set the age of this avatar to twenty-three.
At this age, she possessed the strength of the Great Perfection Golden Core stage, while her true body was a True Monarch of the Integration stage.
Even with the external avatar at the Great Perfection Golden Core stage, she could easily kill demon beasts at the Nascent Soul or even the Soul Division stage.
Of course, she had not informed Jiang Yanran of this, merely saying that this external avatar was her Senior Sister.
This was why Lin Mo felt a sense of danger and incongruity from her.
As time trickled by, the Xia Family also arrived.
“Xia Xia, it’s Senior Brother!” Qu Ruyan pointed at Lin Mo and shouted excitedly.
Hearing the familiar voice, Lin Mo trembled.
The next moment, Qu Ruyan, skipping and hopping, ran towards him. She lowered her head and rubbed her small face against the back of his hand, “Senior Brother, I missed you so much!”
The surrounding people were astonished by this action.
Lin Qingqing stared blankly and asked, “Uncle Lin Mo, who is this?”
“She is my Junior Sister.”
Saying this, Lin Mo pushed Qu Ruyan’s face away, “Why are you here?”
He didn’t know which wire had snapped in this girl’s head to make her rub her face against his hand.
Qu Ruyan explained, “I came with Xia Xia.”
Lin Mo’s gaze swept towards the Xia Family’s entourage and indeed, Xia He was among them.
Seeing him look over, Xia He stepped forward, looking surprised, “Senior Brother, you’re from the Lin Family…”
Lin Mo responded with a simple ‘En’.
Compared to Shen Ke’er, he could communicate slightly better with this woman, Xia He.
If all else failed, he could resort to ‘palm communication’.
“Are you taking Qu Ruyan into the Secret Realm?”
Xia He shook her head, “This time I came home, Yan Yan secretly followed me. I didn’t know…”
Qu Ruyan pouted, “I just felt the Sect was boring, so I went to Azure Bamboo Peak to look for Senior Brother. He wasn’t there, and seeing you were leaving, I secretly followed.”
Saying this, she became excited again, “I just didn’t expect to meet Senior Brother here!”
Lin Mo frowned, “Didn’t you tell your own Master?”
“Ah, should I have?” Qu Ruyan blinked her eyes, looking somewhat surprised.
Lin Mo put his hand to his forehead. In Qu Ruyan’s eyes, he saw a ‘purity unpolluted by knowledge,’ or in simpler terms, an idiot.
“Senior Brother, I want some candy.”
Lin Mo couldn’t bring himself to get angry with this girl.
He spent two hundred Regret points to randomly draw another pack of candy from the System and tossed it to Qu Ruyan. He then instructed, “When we enter the Secret Realm later, first follow my Lin Family’s group back.”
He couldn’t rest assured leaving this girl to return to the Sect alone.
It would be better for him to personally escort her back once the Secret Realm ended.
This was what Lin Mo thought.
Nangong Xu’s group, seeing that Lin Mo had such good relations with the Xia Family, also frowned.
If he received help from the Xia Family in the Secret Realm, it would not be so easy for him to deal with Lin Mo.
At this moment, the man leading the Xia Family’s group urged Xia He to rejoin them.
“Senior Brother, I’ll head back now.” After exchanging pleasantries, Xia He returned to the leading man’s side. After some conversation, the man gave Lin Mo a deep look.
The five great families and four great clans had all arrived.
Only the Zhu Family had yet to arrive.
As the time to open the Secret Realm drew nearer.
Just as everyone was getting impatient from waiting.
High in the sky, over a dozen figures were rapidly flying towards them.
The leading woman descended on her sword, stopping before everyone. She said calmly, “Apologies for keeping all fellow Daoists waiting.”
Seeing that the leader was Zhu Shiyao, everyone’s earlier impatience vanished, and they forced smiles onto their faces.
In their eyes, this person was not to be trifled with.
Years ago, Zhu Shiyao used to visit their various families in turn, seeking out prodigies for sparring matches.
It could be said that relying on her Innate Sword Embryo physique, she had beaten the talented disciples of their various families to a pulp.
The disciples leading their respective groups had all suffered beatings from Zhu Shiyao more than once.
They thought that after reaching Golden Core, their situation would be better. Who knew that Zhu Shiyao’s pill had achieved Rank 8? Before, they could at least fight back, but now, she was completely like a sandbag.
They were even more shocked to hear that after just reaching Golden Core, she had challenged prodigies of the Nascent Soul stage and had not been at a disadvantage.
Everyone regarded Zhu Shiyao as “the most unprovocable existence among the young generation in the cultivation world, No. 1,” and internally called her a female demon.
The ascendants among the younger generation present all knew that despite Zhu Shiyao’s outwardly demure appearance, when she got into a fight, she was terrifying.
Jiang Yanran looked at Zhu Shiyao and couldn’t help but lower her head.
Although she was already considered a rare genius among the younger generation.
Compared to Zhu Shiyao, she was still far inferior. She had also been beaten quite a few times after reaching Golden Core.
Not to mention that her Golden Core quality was one rank lower than Zhu Shiyao’s. Zhu Shiyao was also an extremely rare mutated Ice Spirit Root among the Heavenly Spirit Roots, and she possessed a physique suited for the sword.
With such monstrous talent, Jiang Yanran truly had nothing to be proud of in front of her.
Moreover, Zhu Shiyao’s appearance was not inferior to hers at all.
Just as everyone was slightly lowering their heads, not wanting to meet Zhu Shiyao’s gaze.
Zhu Shiyao’s excited voice rang out.
“Fellow Daoist Lin, you’re here too!”
…
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