Yun Xi drew in a long breath. This was the worst injury she had ever suffered since setting foot on the cultivation path. She had nearly lost half her life.
Withdrawing her divine sense, she finally rasped hoarsely, "Master, this disciple's injuries are very severe this time."
Leng Ruo Han nodded. "I know. While you were unconscious, Zuo Qiu tried to strike at you in secret. Fortunately, your natal immortal artifact automatically defended you, blocking his blow. Afterward, your Mystic Thunder Violet Flame shrouded your body, refusing anyone's approach.
I could not treat you, so I placed that stalk of Xianling Grass at your side. Luckily, it wasn't rejected. It kept feeding you spiritual energy, maintaining the Shengji of your body."
Yun Xi nodded in understanding, then asked,
"Master, how long was I asleep?"
"Nearly two years. If you hadn't woken, I was about to rouse you with soul force."
Yun Xi's lashes quivered. "Master, I wouldn't have slept so long if not for the Heart-Asking Thunder I encountered while crossing the Nascent Soul tribulation outside the secret realm."
She explained briefly how she had been trapped in her own sea of consciousness.
Leng Ruo Han's brows furrowed. He had not expected such an ordeal. "And the hidden danger—is it eradicated completely?"
"This time, it should be gone for good." Yun Xi's voice was firm. Then her brows drew together."Master, why would Zuo Qiu try to kill me?"
"The cause lies with me. He and I have always been at odds. This time, by having his disciple consume a Dao Enlightenment Fruit, he stepped into Divine Transformation ahead of me. Then he tampered with the formations at Lingxue Peak, intending to see me destroyed under the tribulation.
But you fought desperately, winning me a thread of life. That enraged him, so he turned his hand against you. If you had perished, my Dao heart would have wavered."
Yun Xi gave a wry smile, as if she had guessed all along. "Master, had I not gone into the new secret realm, perhaps I would have uncovered his plot earlier."
Leng Ruo Han shook his head. "He was already Divine Transformation. With your then Golden Core cultivation, you might not have noticed anything. Worse, you could have been ensnared and perished at Lingxue Peak.
When I faced tribulation that day, every disciple left behind at Lingxue Peak fell."
Yun Xi inhaled sharply. "Master, we cannot let Zuo Qiu off this time. He must pay the price."
"Rest assured. Your Martial Uncle, the Sect Master, will handle this. Your priority is to heal."
Yun Xi nodded slowly. Then, hearing faint rippling water, she realized she was soaking in a spiritual spring pool. The place was familiar—it was the same Qingye Pool she had used when breaking through before.
As Yun Xi tried to rise, Leng Ruo Han raised a hand and sent a spell forward. He lifted her gently from the pool, followed with a Dust-Cleansing Technique, then said, "Now that you're awake, I'll bring you back to Lingxue Peak to recuperate."
"Thank you, Master."
Right now she was as fragile as glass, unable to withstand any strain. Her Master carried her carefully back to Lingxue Peak, where her long road of healing began.
Back at her cave dwelling, Yun Xi finally released Dian Dian from her storage space. The little beast, upon seeing her, threw itself onto her face, sobbing.
"Master, Dian Dian thought I was going to die! I thought I'd never see you again!"
Yun Xi gently pried the small creature from her face, rubbing its tiny body with her fingers, and smiled faintly.
"See? I'm still here. It's just that my injuries are truly serious this time. It will take a long while to heal."
Dian Dian wiped its eyes with its paws and stared at her pallid face. "Don't worry, Master, you'll recover. You've been so busy all along—training, advancing, venturing out, even fighting that vile woman over opportunities. You never had time to rest. Just treat this as a vacation."
Yun Xi chuckled. "You really do know how to comfort me. Very well, I'll listen." Then her expression darkened slightly.
"Fei Xia was gravely hurt helping me. She has already cocooned herself. I sent her into the space. Watch over her closely."
Dian Dian nodded vigorously. "Rest assured, Master, I'll take care of her."
With a thought, Yun Xi sent Fei Xia from her beast pouch into the space. Thankfully, her divine sense was usable again; otherwise, she could do nothing.
She touched her brow. The Huadian Immortal Artifact had vanished once her consciousness returned. Zi Yan had also retreated to her dantian and fallen into slumber.
Before he slept, Zi Yan had told her that having absorbed too much tribulation lightning, he needed time to refine it. Until then, if she wished to use the strange flame, she would have to control it with her own divine sense.
Yun Xi knew her body had escaped further tribulation damage only because of Zi Yan's protection. She reassured him silently: take your time. She could wait.
Next came the treasures she had brought back from the secret realm: the bamboo sapling Zhu Sheng, and the Shengji Tree. She carefully placed them into her space, instructing Dian Dian to plant them in suitable ground.
Afterward, she stepped into the Yixian Gate's great hall within the space and connected to the chat group.
The light screen flickered. "Fleeting Cloud" had come online.
Almost immediately, Ethereal Grace sent a message: "Little Cloud, were you looking for me before? What was the matter?"
"Senior, this junior was exploring the new secret realm and encountered some trouble. I wanted to seek your advice, but you were offline. Fortunately, I ran into Sacred One senior, who guided me."
"Your luck is good. Sacred One rarely appears. Whatever advice he gave, you must take it seriously."
"Of course. Thanks to that, I gained much in this trip. It's just that I was injured, so I hoped to ask if there's a way to repair it."
"Injured? That's normal. Where were you hurt?"
"All my bones suffered comminuted fractures, my meridians shattered, and my dantian split open."
"What did you do to get injured so badly?" Ethereal Grace was taken aback.
"Well... I blocked two Divine Transformation tribulation bolts for my Master."
"Tsk tsk. Your fate is hard indeed, not shattered into dust. But why interfere with your Master's tribulation?"
"Senior, it's a long story. But how could I watch my Master perish before my eyes? Without him, I'd be bullied to death. I had no choice but to risk it."
Yun Xi never regretted her decision. To defy the heavens was to pay a price, but as long as it was within what she could endure, she would always fight.
"Bone injuries are easy to heal. Bone-Mending Pills will do. For meridians, reconnect them with spiritual energy, then slowly nourish with spiritual power. But the dantian wound... that is troublesome. Dantian damage is not easily repaired."
Yun Xi quickly replied, "Exactly because it's difficult, I seek Senior's guidance."
"If the dantian is damaged, you cannot store spiritual power. Your cultivation will halt where it is. If you can find a Genesis Azure Lotus, use its petals to mend your dantian. Then it will recover perfectly."
Yun Xi inhaled sharply. The Genesis Azure Lotus was an ancient treasure. She had only read about it in old texts. No one even knew if it existed in the Wei Yu Realm. Where could she possibly find it?
Still, she forced herself to ask, "Senior, is there a second method?"
"Change your body."
Yun Xi's mouth twitched. "This junior is quite satisfied with my body and my aptitude. Any other ways?"
"Then use the first method."