Translator: CinderTL
Xu Sanyan returned home, gazing thoughtfully at the secret realm fruit in his arms.
Lin Fan had entered. Should he follow?
After a moment's deliberation, he decided to wait.
First, he couldn't be certain Lin Fan would appear within Dog Clan territory. The Secret Realm World was vast. According to Xun Ancai and the others, the Dog Clan, Snake Clan, and Bear Clan occupied only a small portion of it. Even including the Eagle Clan and Stone Clan, they represented merely the total population of Southern Mountain. Beyond Southern Mountain lay other tribes.
Thus, the probability of Lin Fan appearing in Dog Clan territory was extremely low.
Second, it wasn't a good time for him to leave. Thousand Autumns City had just experienced a major incident tonight, and his sudden disappearance would inevitably lead people to suspect his involvement.
He would have to put it off for now and wait until things settled down.
With the commotion outside, Xu Sanyan couldn't bear to stay alone in his room. He rose, left the courtyard, and headed toward the Third Madam's residence.
Meanwhile, within the Secret Realm World,
Lin Fan's eyes fluttered open, his gaze drifting across the unfamiliar surroundings. He sat up in a daze, brushing the dirt off his clothes.
"Where did I end up...?"
After a moment of focused recollection, he remembered the reason: this must be the holy son's secret realm.
"This... will the holy son be upset?"
Lin Fan felt a pang of unease. He had only intended to assist the holy son, but he had stumbled into this place by accident.
How embarrassing, he thought, scratching his head. It feels like I've taken advantage of the holy son.
He knew the immense value of secret realm worlds; otherwise, so many wouldn't be vying for them.
"Ah, well, I'm already here..."
Left with no choice, Lin Fan gripped his longsword tightly. Suddenly, he froze. "Wait... where's my spiritual power?"
He closed his eyes, sensing carefully. Not a trace of spiritual energy lingered in the air. This place seemed to be a spiritless land!
Crack!
Before he could react, a faint sound of a snapping branch came from his side. Instantly alert, Lin Fan whirled around, only to see a figure in the shadows staring at him with wide eyes.
Lin Fan sighed in relief. Good, it's just a person, not some demonic creature. The ghosts and monsters from the Hundred Saints Secret Realm had left a lingering shadow in his mind.
"This humble one is Lin Fan. Greetings, uh..."
Lin Fan wasn't sure how to address him. "Fellow Daoist" felt inappropriate, so he settled for, "Greetings, brave warrior."
The figure slowly emerged from the shadows, his gaze fixed intently on Lin Fan. Every muscle in his body was coiled tight, ready to unleash a ferocious attack at the slightest provocation.
The man had dark skin, piercing eyes, and a muscular physique that radiated raw power. He didn't seem particularly intelligent.
Lin Fan kept his eyes fixed on the man's face, deliberately avoiding glancing at his lower body. He wanted to appear as respectful as possible.
"Which tribe do you belong to?" the man asked, his voice deep and resonant.
Lin Fan hesitated. He wasn't good at lying. Pointing to the sky, he answered truthfully, "I'm not from any tribe. I came from outside."
"Outside?"
The man tilted his head back, his simple mind struggling to process the concept. "Where is this 'outside'?"
Realizing he couldn't explain it, Lin Fan changed the subject. "Where am I?"
The man gestured behind him. "Jade Clan."
"Jade Clan?"
Lin Fan's gaze drifted to the man's rough, calloused feet. He suddenly realized what he'd been thinking and mentally cursed himself for his inappropriate thoughts.
I'm getting corrupted by the holy son, Master, he thought.
"Um, can I come with you to see your tribe?" Lin Fan asked, eager to learn more about this world.
The man was about to nod in agreement when suspicion flashed across his face. "You're not a spy from another tribe, are you?"
"Of course not."
"Then you can come."
Their conversation was brief and direct. The man immediately led Lin Fan back the way they had come.
Lin Fan was stunned. Was it really that simple?
"Come on," the man called out.
"Oh, coming."
After walking for a while, Lin Fan looked up and saw a towering mountain ahead. At its base stretched a vast, open plain where numerous figures, mostly naked, were busily working. Most wore only animal skins, barely covering their waists.
Lin Fan's cheeks flushed red as he tried to avoid looking at the bare-chested women.
The mountainside was riddled with densely packed caves, resembling an ant colony. Countless vines hung down from the caves, seemingly serving as their paths home.
"A primitive world...?" Lin Fan murmured, recalling what he had read in books.
Someone noticed Lin Fan and approached the man. "Hey, Jade Rabbit, who's this?"
"Jade Rabbit?" Lin Fan stared in disbelief at the rugged man before him. "Your name is Jade Rabbit?"
The man nodded matter-of-factly. "Yeah, what's wrong with that?"
Realizing he had been impolite, Lin Fan waved his hands frantically. "No, no, nothing's wrong. It's a good name."
The patrolling man eyed Lin Fan warily. "Jade Rabbit, do you know him?"
"No," Jade Rabbit shook his head.
"Then why did you bring him back?"
"Just felt like it."
"...Alright, go play now."
"Oh," the Jade Rabbit replied and scampered off.
Lin Fan found the situation increasingly strange. The Jade Rabbit reminded him of a child.
"Where do you come from?" the man asked, scrutinizing Lin Fan's peculiar attire.
"The outside world."
"Hmm?"
The man frowned in thought, as if recalling something. After a moment of appraising Lin Fan, he said, "Come with me. I'll take you to the clan chief."
"Alright." Sensing no malice, Lin Fan gradually relaxed, his tense muscles loosening.
"Do you know about the outside world?" Lin Fan asked, noticing the man's familiarity with the term.
"Our clan history records it," the man replied curtly, unwilling to elaborate.
Lin Fan was astonished. A primitive tribe with written history?
The two descended the mountain, the man leading the way. Everyone they passed stared at Lin Fan, making him feel self-conscious. To break the awkward silence, he said, "That Jade Rabbit... is he a bit..."
Lin Fan tapped his head, trying to phrase it delicately.
"Oh, he's still just an eight-year-old child."
"Eight years old?" Lin Fan exclaimed in disbelief. "This is what an eight-year-old looks like? He's bigger than me! And not just bigger..."
Lin Fan marveled at the Jade Clan's extraordinary natural gifts.
Outside,
As dawn broke, the formation had already vanished, and the clamor outside had long subsided. Xu Sanyan crawled out of Wang Zixuan's bed and waved his hand to disperse the lingering bloody scent in the room.
Wang Zixuan lay flat on the bed, her breathing rapid and her pupils unfocused. Her once neatly arranged hair was now tangled in disarray, and red marks marred her slender, pale neck.
This was the alibi Xu Sanyan had painstakingly crafted throughout the night.
Knock, knock, knock~
A knock sounded at the door, followed by the maid's voice, "Miss, Madam requests your presence. Young Master Lin is also to accompany you."
The maid outside flushed with irritation. That Young Master Lin! He didn't let Miss rest all night. By the latter half of the night, her throat was hoarse from shouting. Doesn't he care about her at all?
After all these years of Madam's care, I could have taken some of the burden off Miss's shoulders...
(End of the Chapter)
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