The old woman noticed the change in Yun Xi's expression and nodded.
"Yes. We are the descendants of the Wu Tribe."
Yun Xi's brows furrowed tightly. She was beginning to understand why the incantation cast upon that golden gemstone had no effect on her. Most likely, her Wu bloodline was purer than theirs. Otherwise, she could not have activated that cross-realm chat group in the first place.
At that moment, Yun Xi's sea of consciousness stirred. The redwood plaque had completely fused with the Yixian Gate's stone stele, transforming into a crimson stele that floated within her mind. Her connection to the space was restored.
Anxious to check the fused space, Yun Xi turned to the old woman and said, "As far as I know, the Wu Tribe was destroyed long ago. Because the tribe meddled in the Heavenly Dao, the Dao reclaimed the power it had bestowed, leaving the Wu Tribe erased from the mortal world.
Even if I carry Wu blood, I cultivate another path. How could I possibly help you escape decline and ruin?"
A trace of sorrow flickered across the old woman's face.
"This old body knows we are forcing too much. To ensure the continuation of our tribe, the last High Priestess of the Wu Tribe exhausted her life's power, scattering our people into different small worlds to avoid extinction.
Some were sent into this newly born secret realm. The self-contained laws of the realm shielded us from the Heavenly Dao, which is how we have survived until now. But aside from me, the traces of Wu blood have nearly faded in our people. As you must have seen, none of them carry true Wu power.
To survive here, to fight against the great beasts that roam this secret realm, our people adopted other cultivation methods. Yet, over time, our numbers still dwindled. I have long hoped someone could lead our tribe out of this plight. At last, you have appeared."
The more Yun Xi listened, the greater her headache grew. This truly was tangled with her fate. She frowned slightly and said,
"I need time to think. I will give you an answer tomorrow."
With that, she left the tribe decisively.
The burly man who had been waiting outside saw Yun Xi depart and stepped forward.
"Ancestor, will she not help us?"
The old woman sighed.
"I used some methods that displeased her. She said she would consider it."
"Ancestor, she is an outsider. Can we trust her?"
"She is our only hope!"
Yun Xi, of course, knew nothing of their exchange. She used Fufeng Step to vanish quickly before the tribe, leaving Qin Du, who had rushed to thank her, grasping at air.
Finding a towering tree, Yun Xi leapt swiftly through the branches until she reached the thickest cluster, then slipped directly into her space.
"Wow! Master, the space is so much bigger now!"
Dian Dian immediately darted out, chirping with excitement.
Yun Xi also realized she now stood within the main hall of Yixian Gate. Everything was just as she remembered. At the head of the hall stood a throne carved from ten-thousand-year-old golden nanmu, a seat only the sect masters of Yixian Gate were ever allowed to occupy.
The excited Dian Dian bounded to the throne, sniffing rapidly as it circled the chair before speaking gleefully.
"Master, this chair is a treasure! Better than any soul-nourishing pill, and without any of the pill toxins!"
It even wiped its drool with a paw as it spoke.
Yun Xi smiled faintly, her mood instantly lifting. The space had grown several times larger. Yixian Gate itself had become her inner world. Every tree, every flower, every blade of grass now changed at her will. She was the true master of this space. The feeling was indescribably wondrous.
Back when the wooden plaque space was too small, she never felt it this way. Only now, after the fusion and expansion, did it feel like a true personal realm.
With a wave of her sleeve, Yun Xi released the Flying Mist Butterflies to settle within the space. Then she stepped toward the golden nanmu throne.
The instant she sat down, her mind cleared and her spirit brightened. With a single thought, a light screen appeared before her. The chat group reconnected, and words glowed across it:
"User Fleeting Cloud has logged into the chat group."
Leaning against the chair, Yun Xi sent a private message to Ethereal Grace.
"Senior, the fusion is complete. This junior can now enter the space freely."
The reply came quickly.
"Little Cloud, your luck is excellent. So fast! How long did the fusion take?"
"Roughly half a year."
"That is not long. With the fusion complete, you now have another way to preserve your life."
"Yes. I must thank Senior for the guidance. Otherwise, I would not have dared to attempt it."
"That is also because your divine sense is strong enough. To absorb an entire sect into a space would otherwise drain your mind dry, perhaps even leave you crippled. I only suggested it because I knew your divine sense was sufficient."
Yun Xi chuckled softly, then shifted to the main point.
"Senior, this junior entered a secret realm and encountered descendants of the Wu Tribe. They claim they were placed here by the last High Priestess to escape annihilation."
After Yun Xi explained the matter in detail, Ethereal Grace remained silent for a long while before replying.
"They are likely telling the truth. If it was the Wu Tribe's High Priestess, she had the power to do so."
"Then… should I help them escape their predicament?"
"You share their bloodline. Whether to help or not, you already know the answer in your heart. Why ask me? Simply follow what your heart tells you."
Yun Xi let out a quiet sigh. In truth, the moment she learned these people were Wu descendants, she knew she could not abandon them. The butterfly's wings had already been stirred by her. From that instant, she was inevitably entangled.
Moreover, by inheriting the chat group left by the Wu Tribe Holy Maiden, she had already accepted the gift of her ancestors. To accept another's gift meant to shoulder responsibility. Heaven never dropped spirit stones without reason.
Having made up her mind, Yun Xi thanked Ethereal Grace.
At that moment, Star Trek sent her a private message.
"Little Cloud, long time no see. What have you been busy with? How is your Beginner Star Refining Body Art progressing?"
Yun Xi quickly replied.
"I've been busy with training outside, so I haven't logged in. As for the Beginner Body Art, I've reached minor completion. I've mastered all the movements, and when combined with my cultivation methods, it grants additional benefits."
Star Trek: "Good. I think it's about time you exchanged for the Intermediate Body Art."
Yun Xi's lips curved as she replied,
"On my travels, I obtained an inheritance of alchemy techniques. It may be the same origin as the mental suppression medicine you once exchanged with me. By your terms, this would count as an ancient prescription. I imagine it would greatly advance your current pharmacology. Would you like to trade?"
She felt like the wolf grandmother luring Little Red Riding Hood.
Sure enough, Star Trek's response was instant.
"Trade! Of course! Such a precious inheritance must not vanish in history. It should be used to further the human race's interstellar age. Tell me, what do you want? As long as it isn't a large spaceship, I can get it for you!"
Reading this, Yun Xi could only press her hand to her forehead. She could almost feel his burning eagerness through the screen. She had no choice but to reply,
"Don't get too excited. Listen first. Though the alchemy art is precious, the problem is the spiritual herbs it requires. They may not exist in your time."