The moment the little junior sister spotted the figure, her eyes lit up like a butterfly finding nectar.
She instantly released her hold on Senior Sister's arm and skipped forward, her smile blooming like spring flowers.
"Greetings, Junior Brother!" she tilted her head playfully, her bright eyes sparkling with curiosity. "Congratulations on passing the secret realm's trials and officially becoming a member of our Lishi Pavilion! My name is Huang Ling'er—may I know how Junior Brother is addressed?"
The young man who had just stepped out of the secret realm seemed not yet fully recovered from the ordeal within. Confronted with her sudden warmth, he froze for a heartbeat before hastily bowing in return.
"G-Greetings, Senior Sister. I… I am Wen Yuan," he said, his tone carrying a faint uncertainty, as if even his own name still felt unfamiliar. "By great fortune, I managed to pass both trials of the secret realm. At last, I have lived up to the Pavilion's expectations and succeeded in becoming a Scholar."
He paused, sincerity shining in his eyes.
"I must also thank the Pavilion for granting me this chance to enter the trial. To think that in a single day, I could be elevated to the mid-stage of Qi Refining… such a grace is no less than remaking my very life. Wen Yuan will never forget this kindness."
As he spoke, Huang Ling'er's smile grew even brighter, her heart secretly dancing with joy.
Perfect! Not only a Scholar, but also a humble, grateful one—an honest man through and through.
Such a person would be more than suitable to send into that other secret realm two days from now.
Without hesitation, she spun around and called out eagerly:
"Senior Sister! Quickly, come see! This Junior Brother Wen Yuan isn't just talented—his character is so pure as well! I think he's excellent! Why not let him go to the secret realm in two days? Please, won't you agree?"
The woman addressed as Senior Sister approached slowly, her sharp gaze falling upon Wen Yuan.
His foundation was solid, his qi condensed, clearly at the fourth layer of Qi Refining. His spirit was pure, without the slightest taint of demonic energy. By all appearances, he truly was a rare seedling.
And yet, a flicker of hesitation still lingered in her eyes.
Ling'er noticed at once, and quickly wrapped her arms around Senior Sister's once more, shaking them gently while her voice turned sweet enough to drip honey.
"Aiya, Senior Sister, what are you hesitating for? Just look at him—handsome, gifted, a dragon among men! Letting him go is a hundred times safer than me! Say yes, please, please~"
"You…" Senior Sister sighed, lightly flicking Ling'er's forehead. "You mustn't be so sly. This is a matter of great importance—no trifling thing."
"But you said so yourself! If a Scholar appeared, you'd send him in my place!" Ling'er puffed her cheeks, pulling out her ultimate weapon. "You wouldn't go back on your word, would you? If you do, I'll never believe you again!"
Faced with her relentless pestering, Senior Sister felt her resistance falter.
Perhaps she was overthinking. To break her word now would indeed tarnish her authority.
She was just about to nod—when the entrance to the secret realm rippled again.
Another figure slowly stepped out.
Everyone froze, even Ling'er, their eyes snapping toward the stone gate.
The newcomer too wore the simple scholar's robes—the attire of one who had passed both trials. His posture was steady, his aura calm, his expression utterly unshaken.
At that sight, a spark finally lit in Senior Sister's cool phoenix eyes.
So she had been right—something had felt off about the count. Only now, with this final man's arrival, did the numbers match the entrants.
Two Scholars emerging from a single trial… such a thing was almost unheard of!
Even Ling'er was left gaping in shock. She had never seen the like.
But she recovered quickly, her clever mind already spinning. She clutched her sister's arm tightly and blurted:
"Senior Sister! You already promised me! You can't take it back now! You said Wen Yuan would go, so it has to be him. I can't be the one to enter two days later!"
In truth, whether it was Wen Yuan or this new Scholar mattered little to her.
All that mattered was that she herself avoided the danger.
But this time, Senior Sister only shook her head, a faint smile touching her lips.
"Ling'er, I promised that if a Scholar appeared, he would be sent to the next secret realm.
But I never said which one."
Her gaze swept from Wen Yuan to the newly arrived scholar, before explaining slowly:
"You still don't understand. The later one exits the trial, the better their performance inside and the greater the rewards they receive.
Between these two, I must choose the second."
Ling'er, surprisingly, had no objection. So long as she was spared, she didn't care who went.
Senior Sister then turned solemnly to Wen Yuan.
"Junior Brother Wen Yuan, forgive me. By rights, since I already agreed, I should not change my word"
Wen Yuan only looked bewildered, his face still marked by confusion. He scarcely understood what being sent to another secret realm even meant, whether it was blessing or curse.
But the other Scholar—Wen Shan—startled at the words.
Two days later the Six-Yao Mountain secret realm?
The very same one Qin Yi was bound for?
He didn't know why both righteous sects and the Demonic Sect were so fixated on that place, nor how both sides would even enter the same realm.
But a dangerous thought seized him.
If he went there too, then he and Qin Yi might join hands, in secret.
Who would ever imagine a demonic cultivator of the Grand Dao Heavenly Demon Sect and a righteous scholar of the Lishi Pavilion working together in the shadows?
The idea rooted itself deeply in his mind, impossible to suppress.
Yet he had no say in the matter. He could only stand quietly, waiting for Senior Sister's decision.
It was then he realized the woman was the very same cultivator who had first discovered him when he arrived here, the one who had taken the stone carving from his hands.
Perhaps because the tension had eased, or perhaps because of their closeness, he suddenly caught the faintest trace of fragrance from her body—light and elusive, but impossible to ignore.
Wen Yuan seemed to notice it too.
As Senior Sister spoke earnestly to him, his already shy face flushed crimson, until it seemed he might bury his head in his chest.
Wen Shan found himself wondering: just who had this man been, before?
But then Senior Sister's brows drew ever so slightly together. A subtle disappointment flickered in her eyes.
Her tone cooled.
"I will not be one to break my word. Here is what we shall do: the two of you will compete.
Whoever performs better shall enter the secret realm two days from now."
A familiar chill shot down Wen Shan's spine.
His eyelids twitched.
And he could not help but ask:
"Compete… in what?"