Xuan Chuan-secret realm
The night was calm and mystical, bathed in the glow of a huge, luminous moon. A bright, magical river with a bluish glow wound from the jagged mountains through the land, splitting into smaller streams and reflecting the moonlight. In the distance, several small waterfalls fell gently, adding to the serene, otherworldly feel. Dark, twisted trees rose along the riverbanks, their branches stretching into the sky, scattered and mysterious. On the right, a large tree with intricate, sprawling branches stood prominently.
Sharp, jagged mountains pierced the mist in the distance, their peaks looming like ancient guardians. The sky was dark and clear, with a smaller crescent moon floating near the upper left corner. The whole scene felt mystical and timeless, full of quiet beauty and the hush of an untouched world.
A person meditates on a rock beside this river. This place is not simple. This is the immortal river of legends, whispered to have been cut from the immortal world itself. Its waters flow with an ethereal glow, a bluish light that seems to hum faintly, as if carrying secrets from a realm far beyond mortal comprehension. Yet here it lies, hidden within a secret realm, untouched by time, guarded by its own quiet vigilance.
That young person has an ethereal look,hi is only in his 17,his sharp eyes like snow, piercing and cold yet filled with unspoken fire. He wears a misty purple robe that flutters softly in the wind, as if the night itself has chosen to wrap him in twilight. Soon, his eyes open. He is Liang Zhu Ye.
It looks calm on the surface, but inside him, it is completely opposite. Turmoil churns like the river flowing beside him. His chest rises and falls with quiet restraint, but beneath it, a raging current of emotions stirs—memories, frustration, and determination tangled together in a silent war.
"Heaven, you are so cruel. Some years ago, I thought I would completely seclude myself in this secret realm where the immortal world's immortal river exists, so I used the lupe hole to stay here even after the secret realm's opening time ended. This secret realm will open after 100 years, so before that no one will find me, but you made some tricks, and a woman of another sect could enter here secretly—and we fell in love with each other. And some days ago, you completed your trick: that woman now leaves this small world, and my only way to find her is by going out from the secret realm.
Ha… ha…"
The words echo in his mind, fading into the shadow of memory. And with them, the memory itself begins to return, vivid and persistent, as if the river's glow has pulled it to the surface.
Flashback
Inside a dim cave, the air is cool and faintly damp, carrying the smell of earth and stone. Liang stretches, feeling a twinge of dizziness. "Oh… I feel a bit dizzy. Qing Mea'er, are you awake already? Oh, first time you wake before me. Congratulations."
He speaks softly, a faint warmth threading through his tone. Slowly, he puts on his robe and rises from his bed, the motion smooth and deliberate. But then his eyes fall upon something that makes his heart stutter. Words are etched upon the cave wall, sharp and deliberate, glowing faintly in the low light:
"I really love you, but if I stay with you, they will kill you. They are already tracking my location and coming this way, so I am leaving. Do not try to find me—it is too dangerous. —You're Qing Mea'er"
"What… she left me! Who permitted you to leave me? I will not agree to it." Liang sneers, his voice low but hard, like the rumble of raging energy within a mountain. His fists clench unconsciously, nails digging into his palms. Every nerve in his body screams against the injustice of it.
He begins searching, slowly at first, then with mounting desperation. Every corner of the secret realm, every shadowed cliff, every hidden valley—he turns them all over, following even the faintest trace of her presence. Yet every attempt ends in emptiness, the world refusing to yield even the smallest clue.
"She really left me! You said you love me. How can you leave me?" His chest heaves, his voice rising until it roars into the emptiness. Yet even this despair is transformed quickly into sharp resolve.
"I will kill all of them in fear of whom you leave me, and I will find you even if you are in the last corner of this world."
He pauses in his walk, letting the words sink into him, letting their weight settle like stones in the bottom of a river. The more he remembers, the more precise his determination becomes. Every fleeting shadow, every subtle clue, every delicate nuance of her behavior he has observed—they are no longer just memories; they are pieces of a puzzle, waiting to be solved by his mind.
Back to present
"To think about this… she really feared them. She knew I am in Ning Qi stage, which is at the third level of cultivation. But she left me. That means they are at least one level higher than me. I must be prepared. But the first important thing is… I do not know her identity. First time she saw me beside a tree, and tried to hide herself. When I first break through to the Zhu Je stage, I first sense her. If I think carefully about her, she always presents herself as a Zhu Je stage cultivator. But now… she is truly mysterious. I do not know her origin. She is not from my sect, and when I try to ask her about it, she mostly says, 'I do not know,' avoiding me. I think, at that time, she was not sure whether the person before her would find her or not. She did this because, if any day she had to leave me for my protection, then I would not be able to successfully find her. Because she thought… they would kill me. Even when she left a message, she did not tell me this. But I will not fail. For only you, I am going to get out from this secret realm."
Liang Zhu Ye starts walking, each step measured and deliberate, flowing as naturally as the river itself. His mind runs with calculations, possibilities, and subtle manipulations. If I can emerge stronger than those who guard her… if I can understand even half of their moves… then nothing can stand in my way. Every secret, every shadow, every weakness in this world… he will know them all before he even confronts them.
After some time, he approaches a door, ancient and silent, almost merging with the natural rock around it. From within his robe, he draws a token, intricately carved, the weight of it familiar in his palm. A world is deeply engraved within it. That is—虚. which mean Void.
He crushes it between his fingers. In an instant, the secret realm unravels, and he finds himself outside the confines of the hidden world, stepping into a huge room bathed in soft light. In the center of the room, an old man cultivates, his aura radiating outward, tangible yet still calm.
When Liang appears in front of the door, the elder's eyes snap open, sharp and immediate. "Who is it?" His voice strikes like lightning, demanding presence and recognition.
Liang clasps his fists and bows slightly, tone steady, eyes unwavering.
"This junior greets elder."
He adds, his voice deliberate, carrying a measured weight:
"I am Liang Zhu Ye. Three years ago, at this same time, I entered with other outer disciples in this secret realm, but I was trapped by—"
Before he can complete his words, the elder's eyes widen in recognition. "Liang Zhu Ye! The best outer disciple of our sect? The one banished after entering the secret realm?"
"Yes, elder. I am."
The elder immediately moves forward, crossing the distance with astonishing speed for his age, his eyes scanning Liang like one who measures not just strength but the essence of a person's journey. "What happened with you? How were you trapped there?"
He pauses, studying Liang's aura. "Wait a minute… your cultivation is already at the Ning Qi realm. It means you were trapped but have come out from the secret realm with the qualifications of a core disciple, equal in cultivation strength. You only need to complete some missions, and then you can become a core student of our sect!"
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