The marks of the Divine Transformation cultivator vanished completely before the eyes of the four, erased not only by the fall of Yi Ran Zhēnjūn but also by the attacks of the three Yuányīng Zhēnjūn.
At the same moment, in the secluded cultivation grounds behind the central domain's Huaxian Gate, a Divine Transformation Ancestor emerged after breaking through a barrier, their face dark with displeasure as they tore through the space and left the central domain.
The four who had escaped, Yun Xi among them, looked tense. Yu Su Zhēnjūn, watching Yun Xi retract the Nine Nether Dragon Umbrella, finally spoke:
"Feng Xiyun, what exactly just happened?"
Yun Xi swallowed a top-grade Spirit Nourishing Pill before answering: "That senior from Huaxian Gate tried to devour the strange fire in my dantian. To save my life, I broke the contract with the fire. It was eager to escape me and quickly left my body. As for why it backfired on Yi Ran Zhēnjūn, I do not know."
She would never admit any involvement in Yi Ran Zhēnjūn's death. In front of everyone, the strange fire returned to Yi Ran Zhēnjūn's dantian, reducing him to ashes, and then escaped again under everyone's gaze. There was no evidence linking her to the incident.
Although the three were half-convinced, they did not press Yun Xi further. After all, she was the lowest in cultivation among them and had not even managed to retain her own strange fire.
"We should pray that Yi Ran's Ancestor does not seek revenge once we leave this secret realm," Han Lian said coolly, merely reminding them without complaint.
Though they had gained an enemy, she did not take it personally. Which sect does not have a few hidden Divine Transformation cultivators?
Yu Su added: "We did nothing. He brought death upon himself. Even if he comes after us, we are justified. For now, we need to handle the evil cultivators and the Soul Nurturing Stones."
"Amitabha! Han Lian Zhēnjūn and I have already informed the nearby sect members. Feng Xiaoyou has notified the Golden Core-level disciples as well, though no reply has come yet," Yun Chen Fózǐ responded.
After some discussion, the three Yuányīng Zhēnjūn decided to continue exploring the secret realm, advancing while awaiting replies from their sect. If they encountered other Nascent Soul cultivators, they would inform them directly. They had both human and material evidence, which would convince others.
Yun Xi had no right to oppose and could only follow.
The four-person team left the rubble-strewn Stone Forest and picked a random direction. As before, Han Lian led, Yu Su and Yun Xi followed in the middle, with Yun Chen Fózǐ bringing up the rear.
Han Lian, intrigued by Yun Xi after the earlier incident, asked directly:
"Feng Xiaoyou, your cultivation method seems unusual. You can resist the pressure of a Divine Transformation-level cultivator. This must be why you were sent here to train."
Yun Xi gave a modest smile and explained:
"I practice both the Body and Law cultivation, which enhances my divine sense. Coupled with the family heirloom that resists divine sense pressure, I narrowly escaped disaster."
Her answer was straightforward and revealed little useful information.
Han Lian continued:
"What attribute does your strange fire have?"
Yun Xi responded promptly as they walked:
"It is lightning attribute."
"Unexpectedly fortunate. You even obtained the other half of the Mystic Thunder Violet Flame."
News of the Mystic Thunder Violet Flame from Baohua Mountain was widely known. The Divine Transformation cultivator from Huaxian Gate had seized one half, and the other vanished shortly after. It was surprising that a disciple from Haoran Sect had acquired it.
Yu Su's eyes brightened. She had not expected Feng Xiyun's luck to be so favorable.
Yun Xi feigned disappointment:
"Han Lian Zhēnjūn, obtaining that fire was difficult. I nurtured it in my dantian for a long time before stabilizing it. Now it has escaped, wasted for someone else."
The strange fire had fled quickly. With the Divine Transformation projection appearing, everyone had been occupied resisting the pressure, leaving no time to pursue it. The opportunity vanished in an instant.
"Amitabha! What seems a loss may be a blessing. Because the strange fire left your body, Feng Xiaoyou survived. Because it backfired on Yi Ran Zhēnjūn, the Divine Transformation projection vanished. There is no need for despair. As long as the fire is still in the secret realm, we can find it," Yun Chen Fózǐ reassured.
While answering Han Lian's questions, Yun Xi communicated with Dian Dian through the space:
"Dian Dian, how is Zi Yan?"
"Zi Yan is fine. It has grown fatter and stronger. Dian Dian does not dare approach it. It went to the alchemy furnace to rest and examine its consumed original body, making sure the previous owner cannot tamper with it," came the reply.
"Good. Though I stored Zi Yan in time, it escaped publicly. To avoid drawing attention, it should not appear again until we leave the secret realm. Keep an eye on it," Yun Xi instructed.
"Yes, Master. Dian Dian will watch over Zi Yan. If you need Dian Dian, just bring it out of the space," came the reply.
"Let's wait a bit. If the three Zhēnjūn still do not notice, then we'll act," Yun Xi said. Though protected by the three Nascent Soul Zhēnjūn, her every move was under scrutiny, so she chose to keep a low profile.
She had risked everything this time. Thanks to Yi Ran's protective projection, she seized the opportunity. While the three Yuányīng Zhēnjūn were suppressed by pressure, she used her contract with Zi Yan and powerful divine sense to store the Mystic Thunder Violet Flame in the space, creating the illusion that the strange fire had escaped. The deception had succeeded.
Any misstep would have brought endless trouble. So far, it seemed the plan had worked, and the three had not suspected her.
After leaving the flattened Stone Forest, the four entered a dense bamboo grove.
The bamboo, nurtured by spiritual energy, grew tall and dense, blocking the sun. As they entered, their figures vanished again, leaving the Nascent Soul loose cultivators trying to track them empty-handed.
Sheng Yuhong struggled forward atop Sword Mountain, lost in a state of total focus. His eyes, mind, and hands were devoted entirely to his True Sword. Each strike blocked the dense surrounding sword qi, allowing him to advance half a step before enduring another wave of attacks.
When the spiritual energy in his dantian depleted, Sheng Yuhong would step back, consume a Spirit Nourishing Pill, restore his peak state, and continue forward.
Wei Yunqing's luck was worse. After winding through the underground caves without finding an exit, she accidentally disturbed a third-rank earth dragon, turning pale with fear.
She feared such soft-bodied beasts the most. Their thick, tough skin made them hard to penetrate. At her current cultivation, she could not break through the brown hide. She resorted to smashing talismans while retreating.
Meanwhile, in a miniature city within the mountain, Wei Chenyin and three others were clashing with Buddhist cultivators from Yunmen Temple, each preparing to unleash their ultimate moves to end the battle.