After Ye Yirui broke free from the illusion, she entered the mist first. When she emerged, she saw rows of undulating medicine mountains, each meticulously cultivated with herbs that were impossible to find in the Weiling Realm. Her eyes lit up. Perhaps among these herbs, there was something capable of restoring her younger brother's dantian.
Ye Yirui exhaled a long breath, then her figure flickered as she moved toward the first mountain. The herbs here were low-grade, some even absent from Medicine King Valley. She had to pause and carefully pick only the herbs unavailable in the valley, taking just two of each and placing them in her jade box. She was certain the mountains ahead held even more precious treasures.
Half an hour later, she arrived at the second mountain. Here, the herbs were far rarer, all visible plants of the fourth tier. Excitement made Ye Yirui clench her fists as she stepped into the field. But in the next instant, her ankle was ensnared by a transparent thread.
A jolt of alarm ran through her. She had been careless. The smooth passage through the first mountain had lulled her into complacency, ignoring the fact that high-tier herbs were always guarded by mystical beasts.
Ye Yirui swung her hand and cast a red spell, severing the thread wrapped around her ankle. She quickly retreated, but within less than two breaths, she felt her spiritual energy circulate more sluggishly.
Her divine sense swept over the area where the thread had touched. A ring of black marks crawled up her ankle toward her calf. She immediately pressed along the injured leg, closing the meridians in her calf, then swallowed a third-grade antidote pill.
The pill dissolved instantly, sending a refreshing wave into her calf, gradually erasing the black marks.
Just as Ye Yirui let out a sigh of relief, a fierce attack struck at her face. The spiritual energy carried a strange, ominous black aura. She raised her hand to cast a spell in defense and quickly retreated beyond the herb field, unwilling to damage the precious plants.
The clash of red and black forces was intense. The black energy overwhelmed the red, forcing her back another two steps. She frowned when she recognized the attacker: Elder Wang of Medicine King Valley.
Yet Elder Wang looked somewhat disheveled. His robe was badly torn, his face pale and grim, and his gaze toward Ye Yirui was hostile. After realizing his initial attack had failed, he swung his sword for a second strike.
"Elder Wang, what is the meaning of this?"
Ye Yirui dodged and countered, her voice low but sharp.
Elder Wang gave no reply. He simply pressed his assault, as if death alone could stop him.
Although Ye Yirui did not understand why he acted this way, she had already entertained the thought of killing him before entering the secret realm. Now that he struck first, she had all the more reason to retaliate.
She turned defense into offense, fully leveraging her dual Fire and Wood spiritual roots. She used Wood energy to manipulate the purple vines in the mountain, binding Elder Wang while launching fiery projectiles at his vital points.
The vines slowed him, but Elder Wang's cultivation was higher. With a shake of his body, he snapped the vines and sent a black energy sphere toward Ye Yirui's dantian.
She leapt back, evading the attack. For a moment, she noticed Elder Wang's face contorting, as if trying to speak but failing.
Ye Yirui's perception swept over him. His entire body was almost entirely wrapped in those transparent threads, making him like a puppet. Every attack was executed under the threads' control, and he struggled against them with little effect.
Her eyes flashed as she shouted, "Elder Wang, what is your purpose? Why are you trying to kill me? We are both from Medicine King Valley; we should face threats together. Why do this?"
Though her voice carried reproach, her movements did not slow. After dodging several strikes, she summoned her spirit plant from her dantian.
She named it Red Branch. A short vine blossomed with tiny red flowers, charming in appearance but deadly. Red Branch was carnivorous, and its attacks were powerful. Once infused with her Wood energy, the vine thickened and extended, bristling with sharp thorns amidst the red flowers.
As the vine struck, it collided with Elder Wang's black energy. While their forces struggled, another vine silently coiled around his ankle, piercing and injecting paralytic liquid.
Elder Wang frowned and conjured a wind blade, slicing the vine around his ankle.
Ye Yirui immediately recalled her spirit plant and stared at him, pale but smiling. Even at the risk of injuring Red Branch, she would take Elder Wang down.
Elder Wang seemed to realize something. He raised his hand to strike again, but his eyes rolled back, his body going limp like noodles. In his final conscious moment, a massive fiery blade came at him.
The unconscious Elder Wang twisted unnaturally under the threads, trying to evade Ye Yirui's attacks.
Killing intent flickered in her eyes. With Elder Wang fully unconscious and controlled only by the threads, it was far easier to handle him.
She understood Medicine King Valley's plan. They feared her independence and her potential closeness with Yixian Gate's heirs. By sending Elder Wang, they intended to monitor her.
In truth, what they feared most was her finding a way to repair her brother's dantian. If she succeeded, she could awaken him and learn the truth of the past.
Since their schemes were laid bare, she would strike back. Death in this new secret realm would be Elder Wang's fate.
Ye Yirui gripped Red Branch, launching a new wave of attacks.
Meanwhile, Wei Yunqing, trapped by Sheng Yuhong's deception, finally broke free from the illusion thanks to the persistent effort of the Crimson Bracelet. The moment she opened her eyes, she summoned her spirit sword to cut through the cocoon encasing her.
After falling to the ground, her first glance went to the Crimson Bracelet on her wrist. The chain, affected by her struggles, had revealed itself and now appeared dim. When she probed it with her consciousness, her face turned pale—the space within had shrunk.
Clenching her teeth, she scanned the area. Sheng Yuhong was nowhere in sight. With a frown of confusion, she swallowed a replenishing pill and stepped into the mist, intent on leaving as quickly as possible.