Aren't you coming out yet?

White.

This was Zhong Qing and everyone's first impression.

What appeared before their eyes was a pure white, where heaven and earth were indistinguishable, and sun and moon were unseen.

An endless silver-white world stretched to the horizon, merging directly with the sky.

Being a plains, the terrain had little undulation, making this silver-white world appear even more vast and magnificent.

Standing within it, for a moment, one couldn't tell if they were still in this world.

Amidst the boundless silver-white, one felt unprecedentedly small.

This vast snowy landscape made Zhong Qing sigh with emotion for a moment.

The various wonders of this world could still fill people with awe.

Most of the others were also seeing the White Wind Plains for the first time and stopped to observe.

After a while, Sect Leader Lan Tianhe spoke to the Zhan Yue Sect disciples, “Alright, stop looking.”

“You'll have plenty to see in the coming days. Once you get used to it, you won't find this scenery so alluring anymore.”

“We must hurry. We need to reach the Secret Realm quickly during this period while the White Wind is dormant.”

“After all, we not only have to go, but we also have to return.”

“If we walk too slowly, we might encounter the White Wind reappearing on the way back, and then we might not be able to return.”

His words were not alarmist. Even as a Sanyin Realm expert, being in the White Wind, although he could resist the wind and snow, it would consume immense Qi, and continuous travel would not last long.

Not to mention the many dangers hidden in the White Wind Plains.

Once lost in the White Wind, even he himself was not confident he could walk out of the plains.

Although the four Sects entered the plains from the Mountain Pass together, they immediately separated in different directions and advanced individually upon entry.

This was only natural. Not to mention that the relationship between the four Sects was not that close, even if their relationship was good, it would be difficult to cooperate fully in exploring a Secret Realm.

Unequal distribution of spoils has always been the source of disputes. How should the Opportunities gained from two Sects exploring a Secret Realm together be calculated?

Not all gains could be equally divided.

Moreover, they also had to worry about the other party abandoning righteousness for profit and launching a sneak attack. No one felt at ease entrusting their back to people from other Sects.

In this environment, only assuming the worst of others was the safest choice.

However, despite that, they still had to be polite on the surface.

Watching the other three Sects disperse with almost no communication, Sect Leader Lan Tianhe turned around and looked at Zhong Qing.

He chuckled and said, “Little Friend Zhong, would you like to travel with my Zhan Yue Sect? We can look out for each other along the way.”

Zhong Qing's gaze was still fixed on the direction the other three Sects had departed.

When the Frost Sword Sect and Black Serpent Sect disciples left, he clearly felt gazes full of malice from the crowds of those two Sects.

“I hope you're lucky and don't run into me on these plains.”

A slight curve appeared at the corner of Zhong Qing's mouth. He turned to Sect Leader Lan Tianhe and smiled faintly, “Thank you for your kindness, Sect Master Lan, but I'll decline. I can go by myself.”

Sect Leader Lan Tianhe nodded and said, “Since Little Friend Zhong does not wish to travel with us, then I will not force it. We shall part ways here and meet again at the Secret Realm entrance. There are many dangers on the White Wind Plains, so please be extra careful.”

“That Fellow Daoist in black robes is still nowhere to be seen. Little Friend Zhong, it would be best to meet up with him as soon as possible for safety.”

Zhong Qing smiled, “He will catch up very soon, Sect Master Lan, no need to worry.”

Sect Leader Lan Tianhe nodded, “That's good then.”

Saying that, he pulled out a peculiar jade-like object and handed it to Zhong Qing. One could vaguely see that the jade was hollow, and inside, a small flying insect seemed to be circling.

“This item is a Mayfly Direction Stone.”

Sect Leader Lan Tianhe said, “Although you and I both have Secret Realm iron pieces that can guide us to the Secret Realm's location.”

“However, if the Ghost White Wind blows, the Secret Realm's aura will be disturbed and obscured, and the guiding effect of the Secret Realm iron piece will temporarily fail.”

“At this time, although you cannot perceive the Secret Realm's location, you can sense the direction to a certain extent through this Mayfly Direction Stone. As long as spiritual Qi is injected, the guiding mayfly inside will swim towards the south.”

“Although the Secret Realm is in the north of these plains, by walking north, you will most likely eventually meet up, but it can also prevent getting lost midway and wasting unnecessary effort.”

“It's just that this mayfly doesn't live very long, and it may not travel too far before it dies, so it's best to be careful.”

This item was quite peculiar, comparable to a compass from his previous life.

After receiving it, he expressed his thanks.

It's impolite not to return a favor, so Zhong Qing also casually pulled out a wooden carving and handed it to Sect Leader Lan Tianhe.

“Sect Master Lan is thoughtful. I also gift this item to Sect Master Lan. Inject spiritual Qi at a crucial moment, and it might come in handy.”

There was no special aura on this wooden carving, so Sect Leader Lan Tianhe naturally didn't think this ordinary wooden carving would be of any use, but he wouldn't refuse Zhong Qing's good intentions. He took the wooden carving and nodded with a smile, “This Mayfly Direction Stone is not a valuable item; everyone in my Sect has one. However, since it is a gift from Little Friend Zhong, I will graciously accept it.”

His invitation for Zhong Qing to travel together was originally just a courtesy. Although he intended to make friends, and their current relationship was indeed good, they had just met, so mutual trust was naturally not yet established.

Therefore, he did not press further, content to simply forge a good connection.

Zhong Qing naturally knew this but did not point it out. He nodded with a slight smile, “Alright, we'll meet again at the Secret Realm entrance. Everyone of the Zhan Yue Sect, please also be careful.”

As his voice fell, he cupped his hands slightly, bid farewell to everyone, and then turned to leave.

Watching Zhong Qing's slightly thin figure turn into a small black dot in the snow and gradually disappear, Sect Leader Lan Tianhe put away the wooden carving and likewise led his Sect members to depart by another path, sighing inwardly.

“Such extraordinary bearing, and at such a young age, he already has a Sanyin Realm expert accompanying him.”

“I wonder what Zhong Qing's background truly is. I don't seem to have heard of such a person in my Southern Realm.”

...

For Zhong Qing, he gave things purely based on his mood. If others showed kindness, he returned kindness, nothing more.

Perceiving the Secret Realm's direction through the iron piece, he traveled alone.

To avoid going too far before Hei Bai could catch up, his speed was not fast.

He leisurely strolled, admiring the snowy scenery, as if he were just on a tour, without any sense of tension or urgency.

But this calm, snowy White Wind Plains was not difficult to traverse. Before long, Zhong Qing had already traveled hundreds of miles.

Halfway there, Zhong Qing seemed to sense something, narrowed his eyes slightly, and stopped.

“You've been following for so long, aren't you going to come out yet?”