Chapter 14

In the dead of night, all was silent.

Above the vast sky, threads of light poured down from the horizon, directly illuminating the summit of Yunmiao Mountain in the Northern Territory.

Cultivators gathered across the Northern Territory sensed something and looked up toward the illuminated place in the sky. The Battle for Supremacy secret realm had manifested, quietly breaking the silence of the north.

At the summit of Yunmiao Mountain, the gate to the secret realm slowly opened. Around it, a fierce sword wind blew as cultivators from all directions arrived one after another—some riding swords, others taming beasts.

The gate opened slowly, and while everyone waited, the bustling crowd quietly sized each other up.

Lou Changjing, the Curse Cultivation Tower leader of the South Ridge’s Qingxia Sect, glanced around and paused his gaze on a group not far off. With a hint of disbelief, he asked a fellow sect member, “Are those people from the Cangwu Sect?”

His companion glanced briefly, “Yes.”

Lou Changjing lowered his voice, “Don’t you feel that this time, the Cangwu Sect brought surprisingly few people?”

This Battle for Supremacy secret realm descended upon the Northern Territory. The Cangwu Sect, as the premier sect of the North, had fewer representatives than even their own sect.

His companion now looked more closely and found Lou Changjing’s observation was true. A bit smugly, he remarked, “Maybe the Cangwu Sect is in decline.”

“The South Ridge folks sure have long tongues.”

Lou Changjing turned to see a dark mass of people moving their way. Leading several familiar disciples, a young woman in white countered their words with a sly smile.

She moved lightly, her figure graceful and swift, crossing the mountains in just a few steps. Her hair was styled in double ringed immortal buns, with wisps of hair softly framing her sharp, bright eyes, lending her a subtle elegance.

With a half-smile, she regarded Lou Changjing and his companion and asked, “Which sect of the South Ridge do you hail from?”

Lou Changjing’s companion whispered, “Chu Chan, the prodigy talisman cultivator of the Cangwu Sect.”

Lou Changjing raised an eyebrow slowly, then stepped forward, crushing an array talisman that had appeared beneath his feet without anyone noticing. “I didn’t know talisman cultivators of the Cangwu Sect had a penchant for eavesdropping.”

“If you’re not convinced, you’re welcome to eavesdrop yourself,” Chu Chan curved her eyes, utterly unfazed by Lou Changjing’s gesture.

Behind her stood a large group of Cangwu Sect disciples. No matter how much they mocked each other within the sect, outwardly they all chimed in to back Chu Chan’s words.

“We only eavesdrop because we have the ability. If you have the skill, come listen in too.”

“Don’t want to listen? Or can’t hear?”

“Hey, you’re too blunt. What if you hurt their feelings?”

Lou Changjing’s companion shot a glare, “The thick-skinned reputation of the Cangwu Sect is well-deserved.”

Chu Chan chuckled, “You’re the ones who started it, like crickets bothering the Cangwu Sect first.”

Lou Changjing laughed, suddenly pointing at a young girl peering curiously around with wide-eyed wonder behind Chu Chan’s group. “What’s wrong with what we said? This time in the Battle for Supremacy secret realm, your Cangwu Sect even sent disciples who haven’t reached the fusion stage. Isn’t that a sign of decline?”

Qi Miao: “...”

She only wanted to see what the secret realm entrance looked like and hadn’t uttered a word in their exchange, yet other sects used her as a pawn.

Chu Chan glared fiercely at Lou Changjing, “Hmph, what can your fish eyes see?”

Lou Changjing: “...”

Just now they called the Cangwu Sect thick-skinned and they didn’t react, but mention a low-level disciple and she’s easily rattled.

The Cangwu Sect is truly problematic.

Qiu Tu tilted his head and glanced at Qi Miao, who had already withdrawn her head quietly, behaving like a little quail.

“That’s a cultivator from Qingxia Sect.”

Qi Miao tilted her head and looked at Qiu Tu. He raised his chin slightly and continued introducing, “Qingxia Sect is the foremost immortal sect of the South Ridge. Due to some old grudges, they don’t get along with us.”

Qi Miao whispered, “They don’t seem to have brought many people.”

“Right. The South Ridge favors gu cultivation—a lot of gu masters—but their bugs can’t withstand the cold. So they probably won’t participate in this Battle for Supremacy.”

Qi Miao tensed but relaxed slightly upon hearing the latter part.

In her previous world, bugs were mankind’s greatest enemy.

Shaking off distractions, she turned her gaze elsewhere.

Above the cliff on the western summit hovered a massive cloud ship. Many men and women stood on the deck, their faces veiled in white scarves, blending with the surrounding mist.

“Who are they?”

“The Guanghan Palace from the Western Region.”

Qi Miao turned her head. This time, the black-clad sword cultivator standing beside her, Tang Mingqin, explained, “Those veiled are the sound cultivators of Guanghan Palace.”

“Sound cultivators?” Qi Miao, curious about this, asked, “Our Cangwu Sect doesn’t seem to have sound cultivators.”

“East divines fortunes, west cultivates music. Fortune tellers are only in the Eastern Extremity; sound cultivators only in the Western Region. Who would be foolish enough to cultivate music in Cangwu Sect?” Qiu Tu couldn’t help but say. “What have you been doing all this time? You still act as if you know nothing about the cultivation world.”

Qi Miao scratched her cheek honestly, “Working hard to refine artifacts.”

Debts weighing on her shoulders, there was hardly time to learn about such things.

Qiu Tu: “...”

Tang Mingqin wasn’t speechless but seriously told Qi Miao, “Cultivators of Guanghan Palace are quite wealthy. You can refine more spiritual artifacts to sell to them in the future.”

Qi Miao was silent again: “...”

No wonder the cold, silent sword cultivator senior brother answered her questions—it was all to introduce potential rich clients.

Qiu Tu, enlightened by Tang Mingqin, poked Qi Miao’s arm, “Look, those people come from Central Dynasty, born into cultivation families and very wealthy.”

Qi Miao looked in the direction Qiu Tu indicated. A spirit beast with broad wings leisurely floated a carriage in midair. The carriage was intricately carved with exquisite patterns, and its doors were adorned with jewels and treasures—truly magnificent.

Qi Miao’s eyes gleamed green with envy, but she forced herself to look away. “Are the others cultivators from the Eastern Extremity?”

“The rest you see are partly from minor sects and partly wandering cultivators. Eastern Extremity cultivators mainly specialize in artifact refinement, divination, and soul arts. The first two rarely leave their homeland; soul cultivators are here too but conceal their forms, so we can’t see them yet…”

Qiu Tu suddenly fell silent, lowering his eyes to the ground.

The secret realm had opened.

The Cangwu Sect members also dispersed, leaving parting messages for Qi Miao.

“Sister Qi, make sure you stay close to Qiu Tu. His divine medical skills will surely keep you alive.”

“Sister Qi, Tang Mingqin may be taciturn, but his swordsmanship is unquestionable. Call on him immediately if you’re in danger.”

“Sister Qi, keep the talisman Chu Chan gave you on your person. With it, low-level beasts won’t dare approach you.”

“Sister Qi, if enemies appear, hide behind Liu Ruzhen. When magic cultivators fight, that place is always safe.”

Qi Miao: “...”

She couldn’t help but recall what happened before departure.

Her creditors were arguing endlessly around the artifact workshop. Seeing time slip away, she grew anxious, afraid she wouldn’t make it on time, so she interrupted them.

“Brothers and sisters, I don’t intend to go anywhere dangerous. Since you can’t reach a conclusion, why don’t we just each go our own way?”

The creditors exchanged glances, ignored her, but finally backed down.

The Battle for Supremacy secret realm lasts ten days, and teams can have up to five people. If a group exceeds five, they will be randomly split inside.

So her creditors discussed behind her back and decided these four would form a team to protect her.

After brief reminders, they hurried into the secret realm.

Within two minutes, only Qi Miao and her four protectors remained.

Qi Miao looked at them.

Chu Chan studied the secret realm’s entry direction, Liu Ruzhen closed her eyes calmly, Tang Mingqin stood sword-ready like a pine, and Qiu Tu idly fiddled with grass growing in the cliff’s cracks.

Qi Miao felt guilty, not wanting them to waste their cultivation and treasure-hunting time protecting her.

She pondered and timidly said, “Seniors, protecting me like this is a big effort. This trip might be a waste.”

“No problem,” Qiu Tu unusually smiled kindly, “We’ve agreed with others. We’ll keep you safe, and in return, they’ll give us one-fifth of everything except the cultivation methods.”

“...”

Qi Miao was speechless.

At that moment, Chu Chan found the best position and turned back to say, “Follow me.”

Qi Miao followed. As she stepped into the glow-shrouded secret realm entrance, she felt weightlessness. Two seconds later, the dazzling light faded, and she stood in a lush forest.

“No one’s here. Lucky.”

Chu Chan shot a glare at Qiu Tu. “What luck? This is a spot I carefully chose.”

Qiu Tu nonchalantly looked away.

Seeing them bicker, with Liu Ruzhen and Tang Mingqin unmoving, Qi Miao tilted her head instinctively and softly asked, “Aren’t we going?”

“Wherever you want to go, we’ll follow,” Liu Ruzhen said lightly.

“...”

They truly came to protect her.

Knowing she couldn’t persuade them otherwise, Qi Miao scanned the surroundings.

The forest was vast; she saw no other path. After thinking, she took out a mechanized umbrella, summoned it, and flew above the treetops.

Her view suddenly cleared.

To the south, the forest connected to an endless river. To the east stood a magnificent pavilion. The west and north were shrouded in clouds, too distant to see clearly.

Qi Miao returned to the ground and led Liu Ruzhen and the others southward.

Liu Ruzhen exchanged glances with the others; the surprise in their eyes was mutual.

Each had means to detect opportunities in all directions without flying high. What shocked them was Qi Miao chose the direction with the fewest opportunities.

Clearly, she meant what she said—she didn’t want danger, and even with their protection, she avoided risk.

Suddenly, the girl stopped and pulled a book from her storage pouch, flipping through pages rapidly.

Qiu Tu glanced and was surprised, “The Herbal Compendium?”

Qi Miao nodded without looking up, finally stopping on a page. Holding the book, she compared a rose-colored grass leaf in front of her to confirm it was a hemostatic herb.

To be sure, she asked Qiu Tu, “Senior Qiu, is this hemostatic herb?”

“Yes.” Qiu Tu looked puzzled but saw her eyes light up. She then pulled out a sickle and ran to the tree, hastily gathering the herb.

“...Sister Qi,” Qiu Tu hesitated, “What are you doing?”

Qi Miao kept gathering, answering between movements, “Collecting herbs.”

Qiu Tu’s confusion deepened, “Why collect herbs? You’re not a medical cultivator.”

She looked up with a matter-of-fact expression, “To sell them.”

“...” Qiu Tu twitched his mouth. “Hemostatic herbs aren’t rare. These under the tree will sell for at most a hundred spirit stones.”

Qi Miao continued energetically, “Senior Qiu, every little bit counts. Are there any medical cultivators wanting them?”

She finished in three minutes.

Three minutes, a hundred spirit stones—she made a killing!

Qiu Tu massaged his temple, a headache forming, “You don’t plan to collect every herb you see, right?”

“Why not?”

Qiu Tu laughed at her naivety, gesturing to grass and leaves on the ground, “These are all useful to medical cultivators. You don’t intend to gather everything, do you?”

He had been amused by her wild ideas.

Who in their right mind would spend time in a secret realm gathering common herbs?

Yet when he saw the sparkle in her eyes grow brighter, his right eyelid twitched nervously.

“Senior Qiu! It’s so good to have you here!”

Qi Miao no longer complained about their protection.

Look, without Senior Qiu, she’d miss out on all these treasures.

After collecting the last hemostatic herb, she rolled up her sleeve, took out an axe, and happily went to chop down a tree.

The four stood dumbfounded as Qi Miao skillfully used her spiritual energy to fell a tree in no time, stuffing it into the storage pouch before moving on to the next sapling, clearly intent on gathering them all.

“............”

*

Like a locust swarm, Qi Miao swept through the area, leaving no grass alive over three days.

Elsewhere—

Lou Changjing’s robes were stained with blood, and his companions looked battered. After fighting a beast for two days, they finally obtained the Heavy Flame Crystal.

Though exhausted, their spirits were high.

They decided to rest in the dense forest for two days before hunting for the Witch Curse Scriptures.

Traveling eastward from the Heavenly Pool, Lou Changjing suddenly stopped, startled, “What’s wrong here?”

His companions looked ahead with him.

The sight stunned them all.

A forest that had been lush three days ago was now barren and desolate.

“This place must have seen fierce battle,” one companion said with regret, “Not a single blade of grass left.”

“The Battle for Supremacy secret realm is truly fraught with danger!”