Li Shuang merely smiled faintly.
Interesting.
Truly interesting.
Her cultivation technique, "Clarity of Mind and Nature," made her exceptionally sensitive to everything around her.
Ye Zhaozhao first killed the Nine-Headed Lion, then the Black Python, and finally severely wounded the Golden-Winged Roc.
She observed all three instances up close.
After repeated observations, she could confirm that Ye Zhaozhao had not used any talismans. She had simply, and suddenly, broken through the limitations of the secret realm, gaining the power of the Nascent Soul stage.
The Langya Secret Realm had existed for so many years, and even the top human cultivators couldn't break its limitations. How did Ye Zhaozhao manage it?
No one would believe her if she told them.
Similarly, Ye Zhaozhao herself dared not publicize it.
When she said Ye Zhaozhao was wealthy, Ye Zhaozhao could only accept it.
Li Shuang recalled what Yan Xiao had said. Now, the entire Lingxu Peak was scrimping and saving for Ye Zhaozhao, with ordinary disciples even lacking cultivation resources.
Yet, Ye Zhaozhao still hid several such precious talismans.
What would the other disciples think?
What would Shen Yuan and the others think?
Li Shuang was quite looking forward to it.
What reassured Li Shuang was that after destroying this Golden-Winged Roc, Ye Zhaozhao should truly be unable to use that kind of "talisman" anymore.
Before, in the perception of the "Supreme Emotion Forgetting Art," Ye Zhaozhao had an extremely strong killing intent towards her.
Now, this killing intent had inexplicably faded considerably.
It wasn't that Ye Zhaozhao no longer wanted to kill her.
It was that Ye Zhaozhao knew she couldn't kill her anymore!
Li Shuang waved her hand.
A jade slip immediately flew out from Ye Zhaozhao's embrace.
Ye Zhaozhao's expression instantly turned ugly. She instinctively reached out to grab it back.
But the jade slip had already landed in Li Shuang's hand.
Li Shuang smiled and said, "Thank you, Junior Sister, for keeping this jade slip for me. I'll take it back now."
Now, exactly three hours had passed.
The effect of the Demon-Luring Grass had worn off, the Golden-Winged Roc had been destroyed, and there was no longer any need for the jade slip to remain with Ye Zhaozhao.
Ye Zhaozhao was unwilling. She couldn't help but say, "Senior Sister Li, you might be mistaken. This jade slip is mine."
Li Shuang raised an eyebrow. The "Supreme Emotion Forgetting Art" circulated in her palm, and the jade slip immediately became lustrous.
Li Shuang looked at her with a half-smile, "Junior Sister Ye, this jade slip can only be activated by a cultivator who has practiced the 'Supreme Emotion Forgetting Art.' Master personally gave it to me. Are you sure this is yours?"
Ye Zhaozhao's expression stiffened.
Even her system couldn't discern the true nature of this jade slip.
Such a treasure, who wouldn't have to go through immense hardship to obtain it?
And Li Shuang?
She was actually given it directly by Lin Qingling!
Ye Zhaozhao could only say, "Then I must have remembered incorrectly."
"That's good." Li Shuang calmly put away the jade slip. She glanced at the others and said, "Super-grade demonic beasts are very rare. It's highly unlikely there will be a second one in this Langya Secret Realm. Next, I have other plans. Everyone, let's part ways here."
Yan Fan slowly said, "Your sword dao is above mine. But I also gained something from this battle. After returning, I will definitely make further progress. Li Shuang, I'll wait for you at the Soul Transformation stage. Don't disappoint me."
Li Shuang glanced at him and waved her hand casually.
Her figure flickered, instantly disappearing into the sandstorm.
"Senior Brother Yan, Senior Sister Li just has such a cold personality." Ye Zhaozhao stepped forward, a hint of flattery flashing in her eyes. "How about we travel together for the next period?"
She couldn't unseal her power anymore, so traveling with Yan Fan would naturally be safer.
Yan Fan glanced at her and said indifferently, "Sorry, I'm used to traveling alone."
After speaking, he didn't linger for a moment, directly speeding off into the distance.
Ye Zhaozhao's expression couldn't help but become even uglier.
What kind of "first genius" was this!
He simply couldn't tell good from bad.
She had truly wasted her good graces on Yan Fan.
With Li Shuang and Yan Fan gone, only Ye Zhaozhao and Chang Le'an remained.
Originally, Chang Le'an should have immediately pledged his loyalty to her, saying he would never leave her.
But this time, Chang Le'an's expression towards Ye Zhaozhao was surprisingly cold.
"Zhaozhao, tell me the truth, do you still have any fourth or fifth-grade talismans?" Chang Le'an stared at Ye Zhaozhao.
Ye Zhaozhao was annoyed by his gaze. She couldn't help but say, "No! There really aren't any left."
Chang Le'an calmly said, "Then with our strength, I'm afraid it's not enough to venture into this inner region. Let's go back the way we came, to the outer region."
Ye Zhaozhao couldn't help but purse her lips.
She looked unwillingly in the direction Li Shuang had left.
Li Shuang's cultivation was even lower than hers.
Yet, she could move freely in this Langya Secret Realm, while she herself could only retreat to the outer region?
Ye Zhaozhao felt an immense sense of unwillingness.
She couldn't help but call out to the system again: "System! System! Can you advance me some more benefits?"
This time, the system clearly didn't want to bother with her. After Ye Zhaozhao called for a long time, the system's cold voice finally sounded.
"Do you think the limitations of the Langya Secret Realm are so easily broken? Ye Zhaozhao, I can't give you any more. You will also have to pay a price for these advanced benefits. When you return to the Sword Sect, I will come to collect my debt."
After that, the system's voice directly disappeared.
Ye Zhaozhao's face turned pale with fright. She panicked, continuing to call the system, but the system no longer responded.
Ye Zhaozhao's body couldn't help but tremble.
She hadn't managed to kill Li Shuang, and she didn't know what price the system would make her pay when she returned.
That was one aspect.
On the other hand, she and Chang Le'an had gained nothing so far. How would they explain it to True Monarch Lingxu when they returned? How would they explain it to Shen Yuan and the others?
Ye Zhaozhao couldn't help but look at Chang Le'an: "Third Senior Brother, I believed you had immense luck, which is why I followed you to the inner region. Now we have gained nothing. How will we explain it when we go back? How about, Third Senior Brother, you continue to venture into the inner region, and perhaps you'll gain something?"
Chang Le'an's expression was inexplicable: "What about you, Junior Sister?"
Ye Zhaozhao said, "I'll just wait for you in the outer region."
Her life was incredibly precious, and she didn't want to take any more risks.
Chang Le'an listened to Ye Zhaozhao's matter-of-fact tone, feeling a bit like laughing, but also unable to laugh.
He gritted his teeth and said, "Junior Sister, since you are so wealthy, we won't take any risks this time."
Ye Zhaozhao cherished her life, but didn't he cherish his?
Regardless of what Ye Zhaozhao said next, Chang Le'an identified his direction and directly returned the way he came.
A trace of disbelief flashed in Ye Zhaozhao's eyes.
Chang Le'an, this sycophant, was actually resisting her now?
A surge of anger welled up in her heart!
This guy dared to give her attitude?
If she had known earlier that his so-called immense luck was all artificially created, she wouldn't have given him any good graces at all!
Ye Zhaozhao was filled with anger, but at this moment, she quickly followed him.
Following Chang Le'an could still somewhat mitigate the risks.
As Ye Zhaozhao and Chang Le'an scurried back to the outer region, Li Shuang traveled through the desert, getting closer and closer to the ice lake.