Seeing Baizhu and the others already riding white cranes toward Mount Shu, Jiang Yan withdrew his gaze.
He had already instructed the cranes to first take Baizhu and his group on a tour through the Cave-Heaven of Mount Shu, then return to Mount Shu Village.
The plaza in front of Mount Shu Village's gate needed to be activated properly—this was also a good chance to test how effective the Heart-Refining Formation truly was.
Baizhu's matter wasn't urgent. What was more pressing now was that Ganyu and the others were still within the secret realm.
Refocusing his divine sense into the Nine Nether Secret Realm , Jiang Yan swept a glance across the surroundings. It was a dense and verdant jungle.
Not far ahead, the group was creeping cautiously toward a bright crimson fruit.
It was a spiritual fruit—the only thing that had caught Ganyu and the others' attention.
But with just one glance, Jiang Yan saw the hidden danger behind the fruit.
He couldn't help but shake his head with a faint laugh.
So, it seemed Ningguang and the rest were about to suffer their first loss in the Nine Nether Secret Realm .
But Jiang Yan had no intention of warning them.
Without stumbling a few times, how would they ever grasp the perils of the cultivation world?
A fall teaches a lesson—that's true anywhere.
Inside the Nine Nether Secret Realm .
About half an hour earlier, after burning through more than a dozen Ten-Thousand-Li Swift Talismans, the group had barely managed to reach the outskirts of the Myriad Demon Mountains.
Yet even at the edge, the trees were unimaginably massive.
Even towering trees comparable to Dragonspine's colossal arbor were considered small here.
For the first time, everyone could directly sense their own insignificance.
Still, along the way—even when probing a bit deeper into the mountain range—they hadn't encountered any demon beasts.
Their vigilance loosened.
They carefully examined every patch of flora along the road, but found nothing particularly special.
It seemed that in the cultivation world, spiritual herbs weren't exactly everywhere to be plucked.
Nor were demon beasts.
The most they saw were ordinary animals.
Even fierce beasts were uncommon.
At first, Ningguang and the others had been tense, cutting down even the smallest of creatures in fear of an ambush.
What if these animals were merely demons in disguise?
What if they were spies reporting back to stronger foes?
Better to kill the wrong thing than let danger slip.
But as they realized how rare demon beasts truly were, their nerves eased.
Until just moments ago, when Ganyu suddenly cried out, pointing to a patch of soil where a red fruit was growing.
The dense spiritual energy radiating from it was like a candle in the dark.
Utterly enticing.
Everyone instantly confirmed—it was a spiritual fruit.
And not a low-grade one either.
They could profit from this!
With that thought, excitement surged among the group.
Still somewhat cautious, they refrained from rushing forward. Instead, they spent a long while observing the surroundings.
Nothing stirred—not even a stray animal. Only then did they cautiously creep toward the fruit.
Along the way, Xiao and Venti even set down a formation to conceal their presence.
This much Jiang Yan approved of. At least they remembered the basics.
But after that? A complete mess.
Not a single one used their divine sense—the most important tool of a cultivator—relying solely on their eyes.
They looked careful, but in truth their approach was riddled with flaws.
Their mindset hadn't shifted yet.
They still thought danger meant visible beasts hiding in the grass.
They forgot that threats could come from the sky, from underground… or even from the fruit itself.
They believed that startling the grass would drive out lurking enemies.
But why hadn't they thought—what if the demon beast was the grass itself?
Many demons were born from vegetation, naturally lazy, slumbering for ages. Their "grass-rattling" would only serve to wake them up!
Fortunately, this was only the edge of the Myriad Demon Mountains. Such insidious creatures had yet to appear.
Even the fruit they'd found carried no hidden formations or traps.
They'd gotten lucky.
But when it came to formations, Jiang Yan still frowned.
They knew to lay a formation before plucking fruit—but why not first check whether the fruit itself had a natural protective array?
From his perspective, the scene was full of holes.
Still, since it was their first real foray into a secret realm, Jiang Yan sighed and chose to say nothing.
Let them learn the hard way. Next time, they'd know better.
Step by step, the group finally reached the fruit. Everyone let out a breath of relief.
Keqing smiled, glancing at the fruit before them.
"Looks like Ganyu's luck is the best. We've searched so long without finding anything, and she spots a spiritual fruit at first glance."
Ganyu pressed her lips into a shy smile.
"It wasn't anything special—I was just walking the same path as everyone else."
"But the Sect Master isn't here. We don't even know what this fruit is, or how it should be harvested."
She frowned, troubled.
"It seems much higher-grade than Starlight Grass, at least."
Ningguang pondered, then looked toward Lisa.
"Lisa, doesn't your alchemy manual mention how to identify spiritual herbs?"
Lisa shrugged.
"It does."
"Then hurry and identify it!" Keqing urged.
Lisa sighed helplessly.
"The manual says: to identify spiritual herbs, one must consult the Herb Compendium in the Scripture Pavilion."
"…"
Awkward silence. Then they quietly dropped the subject.
Venti scratched his head.
"Anyway, let's just harvest it the way Sect Master taught us."
"What if we waste it?" Alice countered, thinking of strange fruits like Ginseng Fruit.
"It shouldn't be that bad," Ganyu said uncertainly.
"Master said truly special herbs needing unique methods of harvest are very rare—and very high-level."
"This one looks valuable compared to Starlight Grass, but… it's only at the mountain's edge. With no beasts nearby, it probably isn't that precious."
"Of course, that's just my intuition. You all decide."
The others exchanged glances, then declared in unison:
"Then let's harvest it!"
"Eh?" Ganyu blinked in surprise.
"You're not going to think about it more?"
"No need," Ningguang teased.
"With luck like yours, Ganyu, your intuition must be the right answer."
Everyone nodded seriously.
Ganyu blushed faintly, saying no more.
Zhongli glanced at Xiao, who stepped forward carefully.
Uncertain whether to take just the fruit or the roots as well, Xiao simply thrust his spear, digging up a whole patch of soil along with it.
He wrapped the fruit in true essence, then exhaled in relief.
"First Seat, the fruit has been—"
Before he could finish, a wave of deadly intent washed over him.
His scalp tingled. His body froze.
"Xiao!"
Zhongli cried out, but Venti was already moving. His flying sword shot out, intercepting a streak of purple light rushing toward them.
Zhongli quickly stepped in front of Xiao, voice like iron.
"Fall back!"
Xiao clutched the fruit and leapt behind him.
The purple light circled once and landed on a high tree branch.
Only then did they clearly see it.
A massive beast, half-hidden among even taller treetops.
Its body black as ink, with four claws, tail feathers three meters long, and wings spanning nearly ten. Purple-black radiance flashed along its wings.
Most horrifying of all—it had three heads, six eyes, all locked with feral malice on the fruit in Xiao's hands.
The aura rolling from its body made Zhongli's heart sink.
Qi-Refining, Spirit-Transformation Stage.
A true Great Demon.
This was the first real demon beast the group had encountered—and it was already one at the Spirit-Transformation Stage.
Their hearts grew heavy.
"Damn it! We were careless! We should've scanned with divine sense earlier!" Ningguang clenched her fists in self-reproach.
The beast's demonic pressure rolled down like a tidal wave.
If not for Zhongli and the others shielding them, the rest would've been crushed outright.
"Now isn't the time for guilt," Alice said coldly.
"Stay behind me. It's only early Spirit-Transformation. Zhongli and Venti can handle it."
The demon's eyes flickered between Zhongli and Venti, wary at first, then filled with hatred.
Its gaze locked on Venti's flying sword.
"—The Sword-Control Art… Good. Very good."
"After hundreds of years, you despicable Mount Shu scum still dare enter the Nine Nether Secret Realm?"
"Still dare steal this lord's fruit?"
"Damnable disciples of Mount Shu—you think we fear you?"
"Three mere late-stage Spirit-Transformation cultivators, dragging so many Qi-Refining brats into the Myriad Demon Mountains!"
"Mount Shu is nothing but a nest of arrogant fools!"
"Very well! It's been a long time since I tasted Mount Shu blood. Today, I'll feast on you!"
The group burned with fury at such insults.
Xiao raised his weapon, murder in his eyes.
"Calm down!" Alice caught his arm.
"That's a Great Demon. You can't handle it."
Her gaze darkened as it met the beast's.
Zhongli's voice was steady, yet sharp as a blade.
"So, you've eaten Mount Shu disciples before? Then you cannot be allowed to live."
The Great Demon flinched slightly. The others were negligible—but those three late-stage Spirit-Transformation cultivators, he dared not face head-on.
If not for stalling, he wouldn't be wasting breath.
"You? Speak to me? Do you even know who I am?"
"I am a personal guard of the Snow Howler! When we slaughtered your sect centuries ago, you weren't even born!"
"Which branch of Mount Shu do you belong to?"
Zhongli's spear swept out.
"Longshou Peak—Zhongli!"
He didn't say "Acting First Seat." In the Nine Nether Secret Realm , to boast such a title with only Spirit-Transformation cultivation would disgrace Mount Shu.
The Great Demon's eyes bulged.
"Longshou Peak!!!"
"Damn you! Damn you all!"
"You—what is your relation to that old dog, Mo Yixi?!"
Zhongli's sword brows drew tight, killing intent blazing to the heavens.
"How dare a mere beast insult my master? Die!"
The spear streaked forward like a rainbow.
The Great Demon jolted, instinctively using its innate divine art to transform into a streak of light.
But after a moment, it sneered.
"So Mo Yixi has disciples like you? He truly declines with age!"
"You can't even control the Sword-Art properly, yet you dare enter my Nine Nether Secret Realm ?"
"Ha! You'll die here today! Slaying you is as good as cutting down that old dog himself!"
Zhongli's fury boiled over, his spear chasing relentlessly.
But his Sword-Control Art was crude, while the demon's innate gift was speed. Though weaker in cultivation, it dodged time and again, sometimes getting clipped, never cornered.
All the while, it mocked Zhongli without end.
He was on the verge of unleashing his Sacred Manifestation Mantra when Alice suddenly snapped:
"Venti! Strike now! He's stalling for time!"
"What?! Damn it!"
Venti paled, abandoning any notion of letting Zhongli temper himself in battle. He leapt forward, unleashing his full might alongside him.
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