Xi Yan tried to move her body to get out of bed.
The moment her toes touched the cool floor, she tried to push herself up, but suddenly felt a wave of intense weakness surge through her entire body.
"Oof," she cried out, her body swaying as she nearly toppled off the edge of the bed.
Thankfully, she managed to catch herself on the bedboard just in time to avoid falling to the floor.
She stared in astonishment at her slightly trembling arms. Internally, her meridians were clear and unobstructed; her spiritual energy flowed even more vigorously than before her injury.
Her Dantian Qi Sea was completely full. Yet her body felt as if all its strength had been drained, leaving her unable to even stand steady, let alone mobilize her true yuan.
"What... what's going on?" she asked blankly, looking up at Chen Xingcai. "My injuries are healed, aren't they?"
Chen Xingcai quickly rushed over to support her, helping her sit back down on the bed.
"Your injuries were very severe," she explained. "Although your foundation is intact after the treatment, you did damage the origin of your heart meridian, lost a significant amount of blood, and had your vitality remodeled with a supreme divine art."
She continued, "It will take some time for your body and soul to fully align and for your qi and blood to completely recover. This weakness in your limbs is normal—it means your body is spontaneously adapting to and consolidating this new power."
She patted Xi Yan's hand reassuringly. "Just rest peacefully. In another day or two at most, you'll be back to normal."
Hearing this, Xi Yan could only obediently sit back down, feeling a bit depressed in her heart.
If she couldn't move, how was she supposed to "live according to her own will"? Was she really supposed to just lie in bed until the end of time?
Just then, the window in the room was slightly ajar, and a faint yet clamorous noise drifted in from the distance carried by the wind.
It seemed many people had gathered somewhere, the sound chaotic with shouts, discussions, and even the faint ripples of spiritual energy clashing.
Xi Yan instinctively leaned closer to listen and blurted out, "What's happening out there? It sounds lively."
The moment the words left her mouth, her heart lurched. She clapped a hand over her mouth, a flicker of panic flashing in her beautiful eyes.
Oh no!
Rule number one of being an undercover agent (one she'd just made up): Never casually ask for information, lest you reveal your identity!
How could she be so careless, asking about other people's internal affairs right after waking up?
Would this cheerful and friendly Chen Xingcai suddenly become suspicious, her expression change, and then summon eight hundred executioners to drag this suspicious person out and behead her?
She nervously peeked at Chen Xingcai's reaction, her heart pounding.
She had already begun to circulate the meager spiritual energy of her Guiyuan realm, wondering if things turned sour, whether she should use the life-saving jade talisman from her Master, or... it seemed there were no other options.
However, Chen Xingcai's reaction was completely unexpected.
Instead of any hint of vigilance or suspicion, she acted as if she'd heard the most ordinary thing, waving it off casually.
She even walked over to the window to look outside, saying in a relaxed tone, "Oh, you mean that? Nothing major, the Heavenly Alliance's Sect Leader Competition is about to start, that's all."
She turned back, leaning against the windowsill, and looked at Xi Yan.
"These past few days, many Heavenly Alliance disciples not from the Immortal Spirit Sacred Land, as well as various scattered cultivators and representatives of small sects affiliated with the alliance, have been arriving near Immortal Spirit City."
"With so many people, some friction and disputes are inevitable, or perhaps private sparring matches," she added. "It's normal for it to be a bit noisy."
Saying this, she looked at Xi Yan's face, which looked innocent and bewildered from just waking up, mixed with a flustered expression like a frightened fawn.
She couldn't resist the urge to tease her. She deliberately put on a stern face, using a tone meant to scare a child.
"So you absolutely must not sneak out and wander around these next two days!" she warned. "It's a mixed bag out there right now, all sorts of people."
"Someone as pretty and easily fooled as you—if some reckless or ill-intentioned fellow sees you, they might just snatch you away, and then you'd never be found!"
Xi Yan's eyes widened in shock. 'What?! The Lower Realm is this dangerous?! People are still kidnapped in broad daylight?!'
But then she thought of her own experience when she first arrived—falling right into a den of demons, almost being captured by a group of evil cultivators...
Hmm, it seemed the security situation in the Lower Realm was indeed quite worrying. Chen Xingcai's words were probably not entirely meant to scare her.
However, seeing how Chen Xingcai spoke of the "Sect Leader Competition" so nonchalantly, even with a gossipy attitude, Xi Yan keenly judged that this didn't seem to be some top-secret matter that needed to be kept confidential.
She pushed down her lingering fear, and curiosity once again surfaced. She asked, following the thread of the conversation, "Sect Leader Competition? What is it?"
"It's obviously a competition of duels, of course," Chen Xingcai said with an "everyone knows this" expression, but still explained patiently.
"Arena battles, elimination tournaments—basically, they just fight and fight. The one left standing at the end, the strongest, becomes the new leader of the Heavenly Alliance."
She added with emphasis, "They'd be able to wield the Heavenly Alliance Order and command all forces under its banner! It's a huge deal in the Lower Realm!"
Xi Yan nodded, not quite understanding. "I see."
She recalled her Master's occasional mentions of the power struggles in the Lower Realm, and it seemed there was indeed a tradition of determining status through martial strength.
She thought of another question: "Anyone can participate? For example... someone not from your Heavenly Alliance?"
Chen Xingcai nodded, then shook her head. "Theoretically, anyone can challenge on the stage. But," she emphasized, "to be recognized and qualified to wield the Heavenly Alliance Order, one must be a core member registered with the Heavenly Alliance."
"Even if an outsider wins the entire competition, they can only receive rewards like spirit stones or magical artifacts," she explained. "The position of Alliance Leader will never be given to an outsider."
"Oh, I see..." Xi Yan blinked, a hint of confusion on her face.
She looked out the window at the still-faint clamor, then at Chen Xingcai, who looked completely relaxed, even a bit like a spectator, and couldn't help but ask, "If that's the case... such a big event, concerning the fate of the Alliance Leader position, why do you all... uh, seem so completely unfazed and not nervous at all?"
According to her understanding, at this critical moment of a power transition, the Immortal Spirit Sacred Land, as one of the core factions of the Heavenly Alliance, should be on high alert, making tense preparations.
How could they still have the leisure to take care of an outsider like her?
Hearing this, Chen Xingcai suddenly smiled mysteriously.
She leaned closer to Xi Yan, lowered her voice slightly, and a sly glint flashed in her lively eyes, as if about to share a massive secret.
"Let me tell you a secret~"
Xi Yan froze, looking at her suddenly mysterious expression. Her heart couldn't help but start pounding again.
A secret?!
Could this be some core secret concerning the very survival of the Heavenly Alliance?!
Was her undercover mission about to have a major breakthrough this soon?! Her Master was truly a master of foresight!
She immediately held her breath, perked up her ears, and focused completely, ready to receive this crucial piece of intelligence.
Then, she heard Chen Xingcai say in a gossipy, slightly teasing tone:
"The position of Heavenly Alliance Leader has already been decided internally!"
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