Chapter 49: Run, There Are Blood Vine Demons!

“Of course. That is a magical artifact left behind by the last immortal elder of the Qingling Sect who ascended.”

“You tell me if it’s powerful.”

“What’s more, it has an artifact spirit.”

No wonder there was such a commotion below.

Ling Jue Shangren continued: “If you encounter misfortune inside the secret realm, you can crush your jade token, and you will be immediately transported out. Everyone is from the same sect; stop before going too far, do not kill to the last man.”

“Alright.”

“Junior Brother Qingxue, open the secret realm.”

A huge hole appeared in mid-air above the martial arts arena.

Hua Qingxue tossed out his long sword.

A sword cry rang out.

Qingling Sect disciples scrambled to fly inside.

Ling Jue Shangren felt playful. “Ning Xuan little friend, why not let An’an and Xue Chen go in and have some fun too?”

It wasn’t a bad idea.

It was a good opportunity for experience. The Qingling Sect’s competition wouldn’t involve life-threatening danger, and there were so many elders watching outside.

Ning Xuan: “Do you want to go?”

He looked at Ning Shengsheng, and Ning Shengsheng looked at Xue Chen.

Ning Xuan: …

“We’ll go.” Ning Shengsheng saw Xue Chen was quite interested and accepted on his behalf.

“Good, good, young people should experience everything.” Ling Jue Shangren waved his sleeve, and Ning Shengsheng and Xue Chen were thrown into the secret realm.

Gu Xuancang hesitated but ultimately said nothing.

Hua Qingxue half-closed his eyes, entering a meditative state.

“Ahhh!”

Ning Shengsheng screamed as she free-fell.

“Eh, why doesn’t it hurt?”

“Xue Chen, where are you? Hello?”

It was pitch black all around. She felt around everywhere, realizing the texture under her hand was strange.

Just as she was about to crawl away, someone coughed beneath her. Xue Chen’s voice was tight, “I am underneath you.”

“…”

I’m going to die.

She scrambled off, taking out a Night-Luminescent Pearl from her storage pouch to illuminate the surroundings.

“Are you okay?”

“I’m fine.” Xue Chen stood up and dusted off his clothes. “And you?”

“Never mind, I shouldn’t ask.”

Since he acted as a human meat cushion, she was naturally doing great.

Ning Shengsheng grinned, “Hehe~”

“…”

Outside the secret realm.

Five profound mirrors floated in mid-air.

Every corner of the secret realm was projected onto them.

During a break in his cultivation, Hua Qingxue heard the commotion from Ning Shengsheng and Xue Chen and glanced at Ling Jue Shangren.

His senior brother had always had a mischievous streak.

Throwing people in like that was obviously intentional.

Ling Jue watched Xue Chen and Ning Shengsheng in the mirror with gusto, waving his fan and sighing with emotion.

“It’s good to be young!”

Hua Qingxue closed his eyes.

Too lazy to deal with this old urchin.

Inside the secret realm.

Ning Shengsheng followed closely behind Xue Chen.

The air was filled with the smell of rotting stench. Everywhere the eye could see were scorched black trees.

There was no moon in the sky.

Only the Night-Luminescent Pearl in her arms emitted a faint light.

Suddenly, a flock of crows flew past, cawing eerily.

“Xue Chen, are you scared?”

She hugged the Night-Luminescent Pearl tighter.

“Not scared.”

Xue Chen scouted ahead. Compared to his childhood, this place was like a fairyland. “Hold onto me, you’ll be fine.”

“Mm!”

Ning Shengsheng gripped his sleeve tightly.

Suddenly!

Something fell from the tree.

Ning Shengsheng held up the Night-Luminescent Pearl. The light shone on it, almost scaring her to death.

A giant python was coiled around the tree trunk.

The thing that fell was its head. The snake’s mouth opened, flicking a scarlet forked tongue at them.

“I’m so~ scared~ of~ snakes~”

Ning Shengsheng’s hand trembled, and she tossed the Night-Luminescent Pearl high into the air.

It smashed squarely onto the snake’s head.

The giant python’s head spun around twice, dizzy, and its entire body fell from the tree.

Xue Chen: “……”

Ning Shengsheng was too scared to speak. Her hands shaking, she pulled out dozens of talismans.

“Go to hell!”

Five-Thunder Talismans were thrown at the giant python as if they cost nothing.

Just like that.

Before the giant python could even fight, it was finished.

Ning Shengsheng patted her chest with lingering fear. “You’re so bad, daring to scare this princess.”

“Your Highness, is it possible that compared to you being afraid of it, it is more afraid of you?” Xue Chen issued a soul-searching question while staring at the python’s charred corpse on the ground.

“Huh? Really?”

Ning Shengsheng didn’t forget to pick up the Night-Luminescent Pearl.

She pretended to be profound.

“Cough, it’s getting late, let’s go.”

Xue Chen looked up. There wasn’t even a moon in the sky; he didn’t know where her statement ‘it’s getting late’ came from.

…

Outside the secret realm.

Gu Xuancang: “Great Ning has deep financial resources. The Princess threw dozens of Five-Thunder Talismans at once just now. What a big spender.”

Ning Xuan waved his hand. “It’s nothing. The good things I gave her are more than just these.”

He himself was a high-level weapon refiner.

Gadgets refined out of boredom could be exchanged for countless talismans.

Gu Xuancang looked envious. Although he was the Vice Sect Leader, there were many disciples in the Qingling Sect.

The benefits allocated to him weren’t that many.

Unlike Ning Xuan.

Enjoying the full financial power of the Great Ning Imperial Family.

If he had that much support in pills and magical artifacts, his cultivation would surely reach a higher level.

“It’s not just talismans. The little girl hasn’t even reached the Earth Aperture realm, yet her reaction is very keen. She was able to overcome her fear in the first instant and take out the most effective method to attack the enemy.”

Ling Jue Shangren nodded appreciatively. “If there was someone who could refine the Nine-Orifice Exquisite Pill to help the little girl open her spiritual apertures, with her intelligence, her future achievements would not be low.”

“Sect Leader Ling’s evaluation of An’an is so high. If she hears this, her tail will curl up to the sky.”

“This old man does not speak falsehoods.”

Ning Xuan also couldn’t help but think, if only there really was someone who could refine the Nine-Orifice Exquisite Pill.

As long as he was alive, he could protect her for a lifetime. But if one day he died, with Princess Ning An having no cultivation, who knew how many people would come seeking revenge?

Who could protect her then?

The Hundred Herb Valley was a family of alchemists.

If he had time, he should make a trip there.

Ning Xuan kept this matter in mind. Ning Shengsheng also didn’t expect that it was precisely because of this that the meeting between Yun Huaiyue and Ning Xuan was advanced.

…

Inside the Swallowing Sea Abyss.

Ning Shengsheng and Xue Chen walked for an unknown amount of time.

Xue Chen was quite surprised that she could persist this long. “Can you still walk?”

“Stop and rest for a while?”

“No need!” A sly glint flashed in Ning Shengsheng’s eyes. She leaned close to him and smiled. “Look at my legs.”

Xue Chen looked down and saw her legs covered in talismans.

Good grief.

No wonder she could walk further than him.

“You want some too?” Ning Shengsheng reached both hands into her storage pouch and grabbed two handfuls of assorted talismans. “There’s no need for us to suffer unnecessary hardships, right!”

He thought about it and agreed.

He took two from her hand and stuck them to the sides of his calves.

Without human effort, the talismans carried their legs forward.

“Much better, right?” Ning Shengsheng’s arms were sore from holding the Night-Luminescent Pearl. She shook her arms.

“Give it to me.” Xue Chen held the Night-Luminescent Pearl in his left hand and held his sword in his right to cut down dead branches on the road. “It is much better.”

Ning Shengsheng thought he wouldn’t answer.

Unexpectedly, he added a sentence in a low voice.

She put her hands on her hips triumphantly. “Of course, this princess is extremely smart!”

Xue Chen admired her very much.

Obviously scared, yet she could face difficulties with trembling hands.

Obviously a trivial matter, yet with one compliment, her tail could curl up to the sky.

He really didn’t know what to say.

“Xue Chen look, there’s light over there!”

Ning Shengsheng pointed excitedly to the northwest.

“Let’s go.”

The two quickened their pace.

Suddenly!

Someone ran towards them rapidly from the northwest.

Dust billowed behind his butt.

That person shouted: “Run! There are Blood Vine Demons!”