433: Chapter 433 I am Number Three

Yun Xuanxuan slowly opened her eyes, stood up, and gave Chen Xuan a respectful bow:

"Thank you for your help, Revered Master."

Chen Xuan waved his hand dismissively; if anything, he should be the one thanking her. "The Deity Transformation Realm can be considered quite powerful in the Flame Continent, but in the entire Nine Provinces Continent, it's clearly not enough."

"After all the changes you've experienced, you surely understand that in this cultivation world, as long as you are strong enough, everything is negotiable. But if your strength is insufficient..."

"This Disciple understands!"

Yun Xuanxuan nodded with a serious expression. "I will definitely continue to work hard in my cultivation and will never slack off in the slightest."

Look at that, what an awareness.

If I had that kind of awareness back then, my boss could probably have afforded another mistress or bought another house.

Chen Xuan reached out and patted her shoulder. "I'm just giving you a reminder; there's no need to keep your heartstrings so tight. You can also go out to gain experience and relax occasionally."

"With me here, the unpleasant things of the past will never happen again."

A hint of warmth filled Yun Xuanxuan's heart. Since becoming his Disciple, she had indeed forgotten many memories she didn't wish to recall.

Mu Wanqing came running in. "Revered Master, the Junior Brothers and sisters have come out of the Secret Realm. Senior Dongfang asked me to remind you that it's time to set off."

Chen Xuan gave an affirmative hum. He had just taken two steps when his sleeve was tightly grabbed by a warm little hand.

Mu Wanqing blinked her almond-shaped eyes and pouted, whimpering:

"Revered Master, you can't be biased."

"I also want to travel more and see the world."

Chen Xuan reached out and held her head, gently shaking it. "Fine, I won't be biased. Once you Breakthrough to the Deity Transformation Realm, I'll permit you to go out for experience for a while and even prepare a protective Magic Treasure for you."

Hearing this, Mu Wanqing immediately curled her lip and muttered softly:

"The Deity Transformation Realm isn't that easy to reach. Revered Master is intentionally making things difficult for me."

"Oh, right, Revered Master."

Mu Wanqing's eyes lit up as if she suddenly remembered something. She hurriedly said, "Senior Dongfang said my Aptitude is good and my Divine Soul is condensed, so she suggested I go to Tiangong Pavilion's 'Zixiao Grotto-Heaven' to gain some experience. What do you think..."

Chen Xuan understood.

Previously, the two sides were merely in a collaborative alliance, but after he stepped in to kill the Desolate Night Wolf Venerable, Tiangong Pavilion seemed to want to extend an olive branch further.

He pondered for a moment before speaking calmly, "I'm aware, but we'll discuss this matter later."

"Ah?"

Mu Wanqing was stunned on the spot, and her grip on his sleeve loosened slightly. "Why, Revered Master? That's the Zixiao Grotto-Heaven, a place countless Cultivators dream of..."

"The time has not yet come."

When they returned to the Stone Gate Square, Xie Xingchen and Xiao Lingxian were already waiting there. Seeing Chen Xuan approach, both stepped forward and bowed respectfully:

"Revered Master!"

Gu Yunshen saw that everyone had arrived and stepped forward, saying in a deep voice, "Peak Master Chen, all the Disciples have gathered. We can set off now for that spatial rift."

Chen Xuan nodded and turned his gaze toward Dongfang Li:

"Miss Dongfang, how is your injury after intercepting the Yao Venerable's strike earlier?"

Dongfang Li gave a slight smile, her aura steady and calm. "Thank you for your concern, Peak Master Chen. It's nothing serious. Although the aura left by my Revered Master didn't completely block that strike, it neutralized ninety percent of its power. I only suffered some minor tremors and have long since healed through meditation."

Pavilion Master Shen lamented from the side, "By my count, we have been in this Secret Realm for eighteen days. According to the rules of the Secret Realm, the entrance's spatial rift will close in another twelve days, yet we still haven't boarded the guixu immortal ferry boat."

"Time is running out for us."

Chen Xuan appeared quite indifferent.

On this trip to the Secret Realm, his four Disciples—Xie Xingchen, Xiao Lingxian, Mu Wanqing, and Yun Xuanxuan—had each found their own opportunities. Even the least improved, Xiao Lingxian, had advanced by two minor Realms, stabilizing from the Middle Stage of the Nascent Soul to the Late Stage Peak. Yun Xuanxuan had even directly broken through to Soul Transformation. It could already be considered a worthwhile trip.

Furthermore, he had learned the true identities of Number Five and Number Eight. Even if they failed to board the guixu immortal ferry boat in the end, it wouldn't be a loss.

After chatting for a while, they finally bid farewell to A-Qi.

With Gu Yunshen and Pavilion Master Shen leading the way, the group hurried toward the spatial rift a thousand miles south of the Spirit Devouring Cave.

A-Qi intended to stay in these sect ruins for the rest of his life.

Speeding along the way through the pervasive yellow sand, Gu Yunshen skillfully struck out a burst of spiritual power, opening a gap in the barrier, and everyone entered one by one.

The moment they passed through the rift, spatial turbulence raged. Gu Yunshen and the other elder circulated their spiritual power to form a protective barrier around everyone.

A moment later, when they stepped on solid ground, a bone-chilling cold instantly swept over them, making Mu Wanqing sneeze.

"So cold!"

"This is..."

"It seems this is the second region of the Secret Realm."

The scene before them had completely changed. It was no longer a rocky desert filled with yellow sand, but a world permanently covered in ice and snow.

Snow fell amidst howling winds. All around were towering glaciers, crystal clear and stretching endlessly until they vanished over the horizon. The world was left with nothing but a monotonous white.

Chen Xuan narrowed his eyes slightly after entering this area.

The guidance within that Dragon Clan token became increasingly intense, as if echoing something in this world.

It seemed there was indeed another Dragon Venerable in this glacial world, and perhaps, even a Yao Venerable possessing a god-rank magic treasure.

Without any hesitation, Dongfang Li waved her slender hand, and a palm-sized Bronze Bird flew out from her sleeve, circling above everyone's heads.

As the Bronze Bird flew, a layer of faint green mist emanated from its wings, slowly spreading and completely concealing everyone's presence, blending them into the surrounding wind and snow.

Gu Yunshen looked around and said in a deep voice, "This glacier is endless with no clues in sight. It seems we'll have to spend a lot of effort again."

Dongfang Li said softly, "Why don't we go take a look over there?"

Seeing Dongfang Li point toward the front left, which was exactly the direction guided by the Dragon Scale Token, it seemed she was indeed Number Five.

But if they really went that way, how would it be any different from a delivery service walking straight to the door?

Chen Xuan said calmly, "I think we might find something to the right instead."

"Oh?"

The three of them turned their gazes toward him.

Chen Xuan explained offhandedly, "It's just a guess. According to the map obtained in the first level of the Secret Realm, the direction Miss Dongfang pointed to corresponds exactly to the location of the Yellow Sand Fortress. That place has been a base operated by the Yao Race for many years. Now that the Secret Realm spaces are overlapping, that is likely their lair."

"If there really is another Yao Venerable in this place, intruding recklessly would be extremely risky."

"It's better to go this way."

Chen Xuan raised his hand and pointed to the level glacial area on the right. "The terrain here is relatively flat with no obvious dangerous spots; perhaps we can find some clues. Even if we can't find the guixu immortal ferry boat for now, we can first scout out the terrain and the distribution of the Yao Race in this world. Taking it slow is better than plunging headlong into the enemy's trap."

After some hesitation, Chen Xuan decided to be honest.

Through a Heart-Lake Connection, he said to Dongfang Li, "Miss Dongfang, do not take comfort in Number Eight's words. According to my deduction, Number Eight should be one of the Yao Race."

Dongfang Li's pupils constricted as she suddenly looked toward the figure in white beside her.

Only to see that person smile slightly as another voice echoed in her mind: "Let me introduce myself: I am Number Three."