123: Chapter 123 Sincerity

On the central square of the City Lord's Mansion, two giant spiritual light scrolls spread out in the air, marked with dense red dots representing Cultivators and the point rankings of various factions.

The Great Wei Immortal Officials were drinking and making merry on the banquet platforms, betting against each other on which factions could make it into the top five. Sometimes someone would slap their thigh and cheer, sometimes someone would smash a cup and curse angrily, behaving like commoners in a gambling den, without a shred of immortal poise.

Whenever a faction disappeared from the rankings, it meant that all the Cultivators of that faction had fallen.

But in the eyes of the Immortal Officials, these were just ordinary chips on the gambling table; the outcome of the bet was far more important than those lives crushed into dust.

Alliance Leader Situ Yu sat on the banquet platform of the Qi Refining Factions, quietly watching this scene.

He had come this time to represent the Yunshou Alliance, not his personal Family.

However, the Yunshou Alliance did not participate in this martial competition because its members could not trust each other and were prone to conflicts of interest, so they simply did nothing and came here just to go through the motions.

However, Alliance Leader Situ Yu noticed the Su Family; they had only left one Sword Cultivator at Qi Refining Perfection outside to provide support, while everyone else had entered the Secret Realm.

"What is the Su Family doing? In such a dangerous Secret Realm, with just those few people, they dare to go in and fight for opportunities?"

Entering the Secret Realm was one thing, but leaving a Qi Refining Perfection Cultivator outside was truly incomprehensible.

Alliance Leader Situ Yu was puzzled, looking at the spiritual light scroll above.

His gaze locked onto the points of the 'Qingyuan Su Clan,' and he found that the score was actually climbing steadily.

Based on his understanding of Su Yang, he certainly wouldn't be foolish for the sake of an Opportunity. Thus, there was only one truth: the Su Family's foundation was definitely more than just Rank Eight!

What concerned Alliance Leader Situ Yu even more was that many factions in the Secret Realm had been wiped out, yet not a single person had been teleported out so far.

The Cultivators of the various factions present were also puzzled by this, their expressions gradually turning grim.

The white jade banquet platforms on both sides were deathly silent, with only the Great Wei Immortal Officials discussing heatedly as if no one else were around, immersed in and enjoying the grand event.

Jiang Wuyu reclined casually before his desk, slowly sipping spiritual wine, glad that he hadn't brought his Family into the Secret Realm.

Since no one had been teleported out for so long, he had already deduced in his heart that the jade tokens actually had no teleportation function; they were only meant to let the Cultivators slaughter each other without reservation.

"It looks like the Su Family is finished..."

Jiang Wuyu muttered to himself, the corners of his mouth turning up in a mocking sneer.

Cheng Lan, sitting not far away, heard this and also showed a smile on his face: "The Head of the Su Family thought there was a teleportation safety net and could take his children in for some training. However, everyone underestimated the cold-bloodedness of Great Wei."

The two exchanged a look; neither believed the Su Family could walk out of the Secret Realm alive, and they were already thinking about how to divide the Su Family's assets.

...

At this moment, a fierce chase was unfolding within the bamboo forest.

Thunder and lightning flickered as over a dozen figures streaked through the bamboo shadows. Every booming explosion was a fatal clash.

Su Xuanxiao manipulated two spirit-attached puppets, carrying the unconscious Lingxi Sect girl and Zhao Wanyi, fleeing with all his might.

The Lingxi Sect girl was already heavily injured and fainted before long.

Although Zhao Wanyi could barely move, her old wounds hadn't healed, and after several fierce battles, she finally fell into a coma due to excessive blood loss.

At this moment, the safety of both rested entirely on Su Xuanxiao alone. He intercepted all the pursuing demonic Cultivators by himself, exhausting all his means and reaching a state of near-total depletion.

He was able to hold on until now entirely because the spirit-attached puppets were inscribed with Talisman effects, allowing him to release stronger Spell attacks with minimal Qi consumption.

"If this continues, I'll be worn down to death sooner or later."

Su Xuanxiao's face was pale, his body covered in numerous wounds.

This bamboo forest was endless, not due to a Formation, but because of spatial folding. It was like entering a bamboo labyrinth; one wrong step led to another.

He tried to crush the jade token, and the result was just as the Lingxi Sect girl had said: the jade token only recorded points and could not teleport him out.

"Am I going to die here today?"

Su Xuanxiao's breathing gradually grew heavy, and he coughed up blood. This was the first time since he started cultivating that he had encountered such a desperate situation, and a sense of despair and desolation welled up from his heart.

The lightning wrapped around him flickered erratically, just like his current state, hovering on the edge of his limits.

"Young Master..."

Zhao Wanyi's weak voice sounded; she had woken up from her coma, her throat as dry as if it were filled with sand.

"Go on your own, don't worry about us anymore."

If he didn't have to take the two of them along, Su Xuanxiao would surely have been able to escape alone with his strength.

"Don't talk nonsense!"

Hearing this, the despair that had just emerged instantly vanished. His Family's teachings made it impossible for him to abandon his companions.

"If this continues, you will die too!"

Zhao Wanyi screamed at the top of her lungs, trying to break free from the Puppet's back, but she was held down firmly by the Puppet's hands.

"Shut up!" Su Xuanxiao suddenly roared. "You are just a servant of the Su Family; you have no right to disobey my orders!"

"But Young Master..."

Zhao Wanyi's eyes filled with tears, her choked words drowned out by the whistling wind. Before she could finish, Su Xuanxiao's figure was like a dying remnant of lightning, crashing toward the attacking demonic Cultivators.

The deafening thunder seemed as if it would blast the bamboo forest apart.

Su Xuanxiao's figure reappeared after the lightning-fast clash, staggering as he landed. His face was as white as paper, and the blood overflowing from the corners of his mouth was startling.

At some point, the lightning on his body had become exceptionally dim, losing its original extreme Yang nature.

"Put us down... go on your own."

This time, it wasn't Zhao Wanyi who spoke, but the Lingxi Sect girl lying on the Puppet's back.

Her tired eyes slowly opened. She had heard the conversation between the master and servant clearly just now.

In this cruel and heartless Cultivation World, those who abandoned their companions for self-preservation were everywhere. Yet, this master and servant on the brink of death could display such pure and sincere persistence, which deeply moved her.

Even a servant was willing to give up her life; what right did she, an outsider, have to demand the other's protection? She didn't want to be a burden!

"Stop talking, we won't die for now!"

Su Xuanxiao's voice was low as he resolutely rejected the two women's suggestion. The purple-white lightning surging around him lost its blinding brilliance, and at this moment, it seemed as if ink had been dripped into a clear pond, staining it with the colors of a wash painting.

"Could this be..."

Su Xuanxiao suddenly noticed the change in his lightning technique, his heart filled with shock: "When things reach an extreme, they reverse; extreme Yang becomes Yin and soft!"

He hadn't expected that at this moment of life and death, he would finally comprehend Yin Lightning!

At this moment, his lightning technique was pushed to its limit, his spiritual energy was nearly exhausted, and his body was on the verge of collapse, which was why he had touched upon the mystery of Yin and Yang reversal!

Su Xuanxiao couldn't help but complain in his heart. What was the use of comprehending Yin Lightning at a time like this?

In a desperate situation, with the spiritual energy in his body about to run out, mastering Yin Lightning wouldn't be able to turn the tide.

The demonic Cultivators in the bamboo forest scurried around like black mist, like a cat playing with a mouse, in no hurry at all. The resistance of a dying person was the most extreme, so they only needed to wait for the moment Su Xuanxiao's spiritual energy was depleted.

Just as everyone thought the dust was about to settle, Su Xuanxiao's bloodshot pupils suddenly focused.

He saw the bamboo forest ahead suddenly open up. In front of a quiet thatched cottage stood two familiar figures that made his blood boil.

Su Xuanxiao's expression froze, then he couldn't help but laugh out loud.

A surge of hot liquid rushed to his eyes, instantly blurring his vision. The exhaustion and soreness turned into tears of joy at this moment.

His chest rose and fell violently, and his choked throat let out a raspy cry:

"Big Brother! Sister-in-law! Save me—!!!"