To avoid arousing Xiao Heyun's suspicion, she didn't immediately imprint the blood lotus mark onto him. Instead, she tested the waters with a light touch.
Fortunately, the system gave no response.
The corner of Song Wanníng's lips curved slightly, and she directly pressed the blood lotus mark onto him.
Once it was done, she casually widened the distance between them and quickly stepped into the secret realm. As soon as she crossed the gate, just as expected, she was transported away once again.
The location was random.
When she regained her senses, she found herself standing in a place filled with birdsong and blooming flowers.
Gentle streams trickled in all directions, the scenery like the depths of a forest untouched by time. In the distance, herds of elk grazed leisurely, occasionally pressing their antlers against tree trunks to scratch an itch.
Where was this place?
Song Wanníng took out a map, drawn by senior cultivators who had once ventured into the Lingxi Secret Realm. Every member of the Guhan Sect carried one, the markings recording many known areas.
Tracing her position carefully, she finally found her location.
"According to this… there's a medicine garden here!"
A familiar voice suddenly echoed in her sea of consciousness. It was Xiao Jin, the golden little sword, who had finally woken up.
"You're awake?"
Song Wanníng's tone held genuine delight. These past days had been oddly quiet without Xiao Jin's chatter.
"Mhm, awake!"
Xiao Jin nodded sheepishly and hopped onto her shoulder.
"Brother, you're finally awake! We missed you so much!"
Long Ling pulled Shenyou Mystic Flame along, the two of them leaping out. Soon, all three little companions were perched on her shoulders, looking almost like guardian spirits.
"Hehe…"
Xiao Jin scratched his head in embarrassment.
Song Wanníng didn't rush to ask about his condition. Instead, she followed the map toward the marked location of the medicine garden. It seemed fortune was favoring her lately. Even random teleportation had brought her exactly where she wanted to be.
With her newly gained alchemy inheritance, she urgently needed rare medicinal herbs for high-grade pill refining. Many of these could not be made with materials brought from the lower realm.
This was like having a pillow handed to her just when she was drowsy.
However, the records warned that the medicine garden was protected by restrictions and guarded puppets. Carelessness would be dangerous.
Crossing the stream, she advanced about eight hundred meters before catching sight of a faintly glowing barrier, radiating an air of mystery.
Testing it with her spiritual sense, she found it impenetrable.
She readied her defenses, then drew out her immortal hairpin. With ease, she unlocked the barrier and slipped inside.
At once, a thick medicinal fragrance enveloped her. One deep breath filled her body with vitality.
Before her eyes stretched a lush courtyard overflowing with herbs. Every type was neatly grouped, the arrangement meticulous with not a single gap. Song Wanníng's brows lifted slightly. This was no abandoned plot. Someone had been tending it carefully.
Recalling the puppet sightings recorded by the seniors, she quickly pieced it together. The guardian puppet must have been caring for these plants all this time, allowing them to grow so well.
A lucky break for her.
She didn't immediately start harvesting. Instead, she walked the courtyard, selecting the most valuable herbs first. She also refrained from taking everything, leaving some for future cultivators who might stumble upon this place.
Besides, the puppet would hardly allow her to take the entire garden.
Soon, her figure flitted quickly among the herb beds.
She stored the harvested plants inside the medicine house she had acquired earlier, which could preserve their potency for the longest time. The most precious herbs, she even replanted.
Before long, the puppet appeared.
Its body was forged entirely from metal, eyes glowing with wood-element green light, and its gaze locked onto her with murderous intent.
"It's all yours!"
Song Wanníng gave a small smile to the companions on her shoulders, then sped up her harvesting.
She couldn't damage the roots, so her movements could only be so fast. A garden this large couldn't be cleared in a short time.
"Alright, Sister, leave it to us!"
With a mischievous grin, Xiao Jin charged forward with Long Ling and Shenyou Mystic Flame in tow, rushing the puppet head-on.
…
On the other side of the secret realm, Jiang Cen darted anxiously from place to place. She had been lucky at first, teleporting straight to a top-grade fruit tree laden with spirit fruit that would greatly aid her cultivation.
But her mind was set on greater treasures—especially those she suspected Zhang Shuning possessed. Compared to that, a few spirit fruits were nothing.
"I have to find the place described in that book. But the directions are vague, I'll have to search myself! This damn place is huge. How long will it take me to find it? I'd better not let Zhang Shuning get to the treasure first!"
Her anxiety mounted, and she charged through the secret realm recklessly, until she alarmed a powerful beast.
In moments, a storm of blood and carnage swept through the area.
Meanwhile, Xiao Heyun was making his own way through the secret realm under his system's guidance. But his debt was so deep he could no longer buy even the treasure-seeking function.
Ever since crossing into this world, he hadn't been in such an awkward position.
"No, if this keeps up, someone else will get the treasure first. System, locate Yun Yunzhu for me right now. As long as I raise her favorability, I can exchange for the treasure-seeking function!"
With the system's help, finding her would be easy.
"Please wait, Host. Locating target…
Target located. She is nearby. Please proceed immediately."
A red dot flashed on his interface, and Xiao Heyun's eyes lit up.
He tidied his appearance, chose a new robe, and only after assuring himself he looked impeccable did he rush toward the marked spot.
After about an hour, he finally reached Yun Yunzhu's location.
Before he could approach, he saw her beset by a beast, her situation dire.
Xiao Heyun's heart leapt. This was a perfect hero-rescues-beauty opportunity.
Without hesitation, he dashed into the fray.
Yun Yunzhu, in the midst of battle, was startled by his sudden appearance and nearly struck him down.
Luckily, he was clearly attacking the beast.
Her gaze cooled, and she quickly stowed away an item in her hand.
Catching that motion from the corner of his eye, Xiao Heyun nearly choked on his own blood. He had stepped in to help, yet this woman's first thought was to hide her treasure from him, as if he were here to steal it.
Biting back his irritation, he masked his feelings and continued his assault on the beast, his strikes cold and forceful.