24: Little snake, you can't handle this fruit.

Deep within the Luoyun Mountain Range, outside a valley perennially shrouded in mist, a bustling crowd had already gathered.

The elite Disciples of Qingyang City's three great Families were clearly divided into three factions, their gazes filled with scrutiny and hostility towards each other.

And at the forefront of the three teams, the Family Heads of the Ye, Liu, and Wang Families were putting on a show of "meeting with great joy."

"Haha, Brother Ye, still doing well!" The Liu Family Head, a slightly plump middle-aged man, cupped his hands with a forced smile.

"Brother Liu is too kind." The Ye Family Patriarch's expression was gentle as he returned the greeting, "I hope that during this Secret Realm expedition, the younger generation of our three Families can work together with one heart and avoid any discord."

"Naturally." The gloomy-looking Wang Family Patriarch interjected, his gaze subtly sweeping over the Ye Family team, "But... for such an important event today, why is the Ye Family Great Elder not present?"

As soon as these words were spoken, the Liu Family Head also "opportunely" revealed a look of confusion, feigning agreement, "Indeed, Brother Ye, the Grand Elder is the pillar of your esteemed Family, how could he be absent?"

The two of them, in perfect sync, seemed concerned but were actually probing.

When they saw Ye Feiyan's cool and elegant figure standing safely within the Ye Family team, their hearts were already filled with suspicion!

Didn't that old dog, the Grand Elder, swear he would present Ye Feiyan's head as a "pledge of allegiance"?

But now, Ye Feiyan was alive and well, while he himself had vanished without a trace!

Upon hearing this, the Ye Family Patriarch's face showed no unusual expression, maintaining his usual calm demeanor, and responded with his pre-prepared explanation: "The Grand Elder has important matters to attend to and left the Family yesterday to handle them. He will not be returning anytime soon."

Hearing this explanation, the Liu and Wang Family Patriarchs exchanged glances, both seeing a hint of understanding and a cold sneer in the other's eyes.

They had a tacit understanding and instantly "figured out" everything!

Fake!

Everything about the Grand Elder surrendering and working from within was all fake!

This was simply a trap set by that old fox from the Ye Family! The purpose was to lure their two Families in and then capture them all in one fell swoop!

What a treacherous Ye Family!

However, both were deeply cunning individuals; they showed no emotion on their faces, but murderous intent was already surging in their hearts.

Almost simultaneously, they quietly issued a cold secret order to the leading Genius in their respective Family teams.

"After entering the Secret Realm, ally with the Wang/Liu Family and, at all costs, completely eliminate Ye Feiyan!"

Regardless of whether what the Grand Elder said was true or false, Ye Feiyan, this Prodigy who had repaired her Heaven Rank Spiritual Root, must die!

Better to kill by mistake than to let her go!

This was the code of conduct for these ruthless heroes!

As the three Family Heads simultaneously injected Spiritual Qi into an ancient stone platform in front of the valley, a shimmering spatial portal slowly opened in the Void Realm.

"Secret Realm, open!"

"All Disciples, enter!"

With a command, the Disciples of the three clans, along with hundreds of Loose Cultivators who had been waiting nearby, surged like a school of fish, transforming into streaks of light and pouring into the Secret Realm, which was filled with the unknown and Opportunity.

Allowing Loose Cultivators to enter was a joint decision of the three great Families.

Firstly, they could use the lives of these Loose Cultivators to explore the dangers within the Secret Realm and temper their own Disciples.

Secondly, they could also offer small favors, making these normally unruly Loose Cultivators grateful to the three great Families, achieving two goals with one effort.

However, what no one knew was that amidst this torrent of Cultivators, none higher than the Ninth Level of Qi Refining, a truly terrifying existence that should not have been there had infiltrated.

Mysterious Ink, a Second Order Demon Beast in the Middle Stage!

...Within the Secret Realm, a world of its own.

Ancient trees reached the sky, Spiritual Qi was so dense it was almost tangible, the air was filled with the fragrance of various Spirit Medicine, and... a faint scent of blood.

As soon as she entered, Ye Feiyan stopped.

She glanced at the massive Mysterious Ink beside her, pondered for a moment, and communicated with Divine Thought: "Mysterious Ink, this place is vast. We'll split up to be more efficient."

In her opinion, Mysterious Ink was now a powerful First-Rank Mid-stage Yao Beast with astonishing scale armor defense. As long as it didn't encounter a Second Order Demon Beast, self-preservation would be more than sufficient.

Moreover, there was still that faint pseudo-contractual link between them.

If it truly encountered an irresistible crisis, it could immediately call for her help.

"Alright."

Mysterious Ink agreed indifferently.

Anyway, there was nothing in the Secret Realm that could threaten it. Coming here, this Secret Realm was just a playground for it.

Separating was fine.

The person and the snake thus went their separate ways, each choosing a direction, their figures quickly disappearing into the depths of the dense forest.

Relying on a Yao Beast's innate super perception of Heaven And Earth Treasure, and its Second Order Divine Sense power, which was many times stronger than that of Qi Refining Cultivators, Mysterious Ink was truly in its element within this Secret Realm.

Just half an hour later, behind a hidden waterfall, it discovered a fruit forest with dozens of crimson Spirit Fruits growing.

The Spirit Fruit was called "chiyan fruit," a High Grade Spirit Medicine of the First Tier, containing quite pure fire-elemental Spiritual Qi. For fire-attribute Qi Refining Cultivators, it was a rare treasure for Cultivation.

"This thing isn't very useful to me." Mysterious Ink surveyed the trees full of fruit, secretly calculating in its heart, "However, it smells good. I can pick some to take back for Father and Mother as after-meal fruit."

Just then, a violent roar came from deep within the fruit forest. A robust, Late First Tier Yao Beast covered in rock-like scales — a Rock Scale Lizard.

It suddenly shot out of its cave, its brutal beast eyes firmly locking onto Mysterious Ink, the "intruder."

However, facing the threat of this guardian Yao Beast, Mysterious Ink didn't even bother to move.

It merely subtly swept its deep, dark snake eyes over.

Just, one glance!

"Roar... whimper?"

The Rock Scale Lizard, which had been ferociously aggressive a second ago, stiffened abruptly the moment its gaze met Mysterious Ink's.

It was an uncontrollable, extreme fear originating from its Bloodline, from the deepest part of its Soul!

It was as if it hadn't seen a Yao Python of the same rank, but a resurrected ancient overlord, a supreme existence at the top of the food chain!

It was an absolute suppression on a life-level!

Under Mysterious Ink's calm gaze, this Rock Scale Lizard, which would have given ordinary Cultivators at the seventh or eighth level of Qi Refining a headache, trembled and crawled to the ground.

Then it scrambled away, turning around and fleeing back into the depths of the mountain cave, not daring to look back.

Having dealt with this minor annoyance, Mysterious Ink began leisurely picking the fruits.

But just as it was about to put the first fruit into its mouth, a loud shout, full of greed and domineeringness, suddenly came from not far away!

"Put down the fruit! Let me have it!"

A team of five Loose Cultivators appeared from the forest, led by a burly man with a scarred face.

His aura had actually reached the seventh level of Qi Refining! Among this group of Loose Cultivators, who generally only had three or four levels of Qi Refining, he was definitely an outstanding powerhouse!

It was precisely because of this that when they saw this unguarded chiyan fruit forest and the black giant python that was "snacking," their eyes were instantly filled with endless greed!

In their opinion, this Yao Python, whose aura was only that of a "First-Rank Mid-stage" beast, was nothing to fear!

The burly man at the seventh level of Qi Refining even directly regarded Mysterious Ink as a "wild Yao Beast" with no threat, sneering, "Little snake, you can't handle this Spirit Fruit, just hand it over to me."

His companions behind him also let out malicious laughter, looking at Mysterious Ink as if it were a lamb waiting to be slaughtered.

Facing these ignorant ants, Mysterious Ink slowly swallowed the chiyan fruit in its mouth.

It raised its cold, emotionless snake eyes and quietly stared at these fools who already had one foot in the gates of hell.

A detached, yet infinitely chilling Divine Thought, slowly echoed in everyone's minds.

"Isn't living well?"