26-30

Chapter 26

Song Zhi Xia didn't dare to think further. She could only force herself to close her eyes and not look at Song Wei Zhi, who was resting comfortably.

What Song Wei Zhi and the others didn't know was that everything that happened in the secret realm could be live streamed through the spiritual mirror at the Song Clan Martial Arena. With the key in Tian Ming's hand, he could locate every disciple with a single thought and see what was happening in the secret realm.

Apart from Song Ru Hai and the heads of the Zhao and Tian Clans, there were also many outer disciples of the Song Clan who sat watching the events unfold in the spiritual mirror.

Listening to Song Ru Hai and several elders' instructions, Tian Ming would switch to whichever disciple they wanted to see.

Tian Jun Jie, Tian Yan Yan, and many other Tian Clan disciples moved together, killing many exotic beasts along the way. Tian Yue Lan, watching their performance from her seat, couldn't wipe the smile off her lips.

Combined with Song Ru Hai's occasional business flattery, Tian Yue Lan's smile grew even more pronounced. She turned to Tian Ming next to her and said, "Master Song, I wonder if I can check on your daughter's situation." Tian Yue Lan was also thinking about Song Zhi Xia on behalf of her son.

"Alright." Song Ru Hai nodded. Both his son and Tian Jun Jie hadn't encountered Song Wei Zhi and Song Zhi Xia. How could they build a relationship without even meeting?

Without Song Ru Hai's command, Tian Ming had already switched the image in the spiritual mirror to Song Zhi Xia's side.

Initially, everything seemed quite normal. Song Zhi Xia saw a fellow disciple surrounded by a giant spider and went forward to help, successfully killing the spider. But then the image switched to other disciples. By the time it returned to Song Zhi Xia's side, it was already dark. However, the heads didn't need rest, so they continued watching. The following scenes, though, made the three heads' expressions turn grim, and even some outer disciples who were preparing to return for cultivation were also captivated.

They witnessed their usually serious senior sister move closer to her fellow junior sister, then taking advantage of her while she slept, holding her in her arms. Didn't the junior sister's body stiffen for a moment? Many female disciples were shocked. If they had known the senior sister was like this, they would have taken her place a long time ago! There would be no chance for Song Zhi Xia!

As the disciples buzzed with discussions, the faces of the heads turned even darker, especially Tian Yue Lan, whose expression was particularly menacing.

"Master Song, what is the meaning of this?" Tian Yue Lan's displeased voice carried. In the world of cultivation, things were different from the mortal realm. It was normal for two girls to embrace each other, but seeing Song Wei Zhi and Song Zhi Xia being so intimate made her feel uncomfortable.

Song Ru Hai could only force himself to explain, "Well, they share sisterly affection; it's just ordinary affection between sisters. Master Tian, there's no need to be overly concerned."

"Hmph, I hope so."

After a while, everyone saw that Song Zhi Xia, who had been sleeping, opened her eyes. Her cheeks were flush, and her gaze occasionally flickered toward Song Wei Zhi's lips. Everyone was puzzled. Did Song's junior sister willingly allow her senior sister to take advantage of her? Was she just pretending to sleep?

Seeing this, Tian Yue Lan's expression darkened further. She felt that her son and Song Zhi Xia hadn't even been formally betrothed, and yet her son's feelings were already wavering.

Inside the secret realm, Song Wei Zhi and the others were completely unaware of what was happening outside. Cultivators don't tire as easily, so they didn't feel as sleepy; thus, a few inner disciples were already preparing to leave early in the morning. Though they had each gained a lot of spider parts, they still wanted to see if there were any other spiritual treasures.

Song Wei Zhi and Song Zhi Xia weren't in a rush. They walked leisurely, occasionally letting Song Zhi Xia practice by killing some exotic beasts. But Song Wei Zhi could see that her little junior sister's mind was preoccupied today.

Stretching out her hand to hold the younger girl's hand, she pulled her closer and asked, "Xia Xia, what are you thinking? Why are you so distracted?"

Song Zhi Xia blinked her peach blossom eyes and glanced at Song Wei Zhi, then quickly lowered her head. After thinking for a while, she finally decided to share her doubts with Song Wei Zhi. After all, Song Wei Zhi must be more knowledgeable than herself.

"Um, senior sister, yesterday when I went to get some food, I saw two junior sisters together, kissing. Is that not quite right?" Song Zhi Xia felt relieved after saying this. She had wanted to ask since yesterday but was afraid that her senior sister would find her strange. She glanced cautiously at Song Wei Zhi, feeling slightly relieved when she saw Song Wei Zhi's composed expression.

"Oh, that's nothing wrong. In the cultivation world, partners can be of the same gender or the opposite. It's normal," Song Wei Zhi answered, continuing to walk while holding the girl's hand.

Song Zhi Xia's eyes widened as she stared at Song Wei Zhi, "Senior sister, are you saying that women can also form a relationship together?" Song Zhi Xia felt like her world had been turned upside down; her senior sister's words were completely different from what she'd known before.

"Yes, so Xia Xia, in the future, you can also like girls. It's great to have girls around, soft and fragrant," Song Wei Zhi explained to her junior sister on the side.

The blush on Song Zhi Xia's cheeks deepened, and her ears seemed about to drip blood. At that moment, a thought formed in her mind, something she didn't dare to voice to Song Wei Zhi. Could she also be her senior sister's partner?

Startled by her own thoughts, Song Zhi Xia wondered, Could her senior sister accept being with another girl? Did her senior sister's knowledge of same-gender relationships mean that she also felt different about her?

What Song Zhi Xia didn't know was that her senior sister had lived through multiple lifetimes and was used to such displays of affection between her nieces.

After a short while, they met Tian Jun Jie, Tian Yan Yan, and some other Tian Clan disciples who were being surrounded by a swarm of monkey-like exotic beasts. The beasts were assembling in greater numbers, almost enclosing them.

Song Wei Zhi and Song Zhi Xia jumped onto a tree to assess the situation. The situation was dire. The swarm of monkeys seemed endless, and their reservoir of spiritual energy was quickly depleting. Both Tian Jun Jie and Tian Yan Yan were already showing signs of being wounded by the monkeys. The other Tian Clan disciples had to form a defensive circle against the relentless attack.

Tian Yan Yan, usually pampered, couldn't bear it. She sobbed with a teary voice, shouting at Tian Jun Jie, "Brother, what should we do? It's all because of that wretched Song family. I think they don't want to form a betrothal alliance with us; they want to harm our Tian family. Oh, brother, save me!"

Tian Jun Jie's brows furrowed. Not only had they found no spiritual treasures in this secret realm, but they hadn't even encountered Song Wei Zhi's shadow. What was the point of trying to build a relationship with them? Now they had encountered these unruly creatures. He was beginning to feel an animosity toward Song Ru Hai.

His arms were aching from swinging the sword, and his spiritual energy was running low. Yet, the monkeys kept pouring in. Wanting to flee on his sword, he realized they were fully surrounded. He found himself getting anxious.

Tian Yue Lan, watching from the martial arena, couldn't sit still any longer. Standing up, she demanded of Song Ru Hai, "What's the meaning of your daughter and your senior disciple? They received my son's plea for help, so why aren't they going to rescue them?"

Song Ru Hai could feel his heart waver.

"It might be a mistake in the middle," Song Ru Hai dryly explained. His senior disciple, Song Wei Zhi, had a fiery temperament, so he didn't find her actions strange. However, Tian Yue Lan was on the verge of losing her temper, wishing she could enter the secret realm to rescue them herself.

Tian Yan Yan also thought help was on the way, but after waiting for a long time with no response from them, she pointed at Song Wei Zhi and the others and shouted, "You also go and find them. There are people on the tree over there." Her voice was loud, and the monkeys, who seemed to have gained some intelligence, followed her pointing to the direction indicated. Upon seeing people, the monkeys started climbing toward Song Wei Zhi and the others' tree like they had gone mad.

With Song Wei Zhi's cultivation, she could clearly see things from a distance. Thus, she witnessed Tian Yan Yan's actions just now.

Without much thought, in a fleeting moment, many monkeys had already climbed up. Song Wei Zhi summoned the Li Shuo Sword and, with Song Zhi Xia, flew away on their swords. Song Wei Zhi wanted to fly out of this place full of monkeys, but she found that after flying to the edge of the forest, it seemed as if she had encountered an invisible barrier. No matter how much she tried to fly forward, she couldn't move even a step. She had to try different directions to see if there was a way out. However, she encountered the same barrier every time she reached the edge.

Author's Note:

Song Zhi Xia: Senior sister knows that women can be partners and is still so close to me! Maybe she also has feelings for me!

Song Wei Zhi: It's just normal for nieces to be so close to each other; it's basic interaction.

Chapter 27

It was as if the entire space was enveloped in a barrier, which was probably the means by which this secret realm trapped people. Song Weizhi turned to Song Zixia behind her and said, "Xiaxia, it looks like we need to take action too."

"Okay, Senior Sister." Song Zixia summoned her spiritual sword and rushed towards the monkeys. She used the technique of Burning Sword, and within moments, a raging fire emerged around her.

Song Weizhi released her Frostwing Ice Tiger, a tiger even larger than an elephant, which immediately danced vigorously, using her Lishuo sword to unleash the Frostheart Decision. For a moment, fire and ice intertwined around Song Weizhi and Song Zixia, along with a giant tiger. The monkey-like creatures seemed hesitant to approach them.

While things were going well on their side, the situation for Tian Junjie and the others was dire. The monkeys swarmed towards them, and among them, only Tian Junjie had the initial cultivation of the Open Light stage. However, he alone couldn't withstand the numerous monkeys. Even Tian Yanyan, who was being protected in the middle, suffered injuries.

Crying and wielding her sword, Tian Yanyan pleaded with Tian Junjie, "Brother, think of a way! It's all your fault! If you hadn't pursued Song Zixia, we wouldn't be in this mess. I'll be killed because of you."

"Shut up! What's the point of saying these things now?" Tian Junjie, infuriated, hadn't anticipated the danger within this secret realm. Now filled with regret, he realized that no matter how beautiful Song Zixia was, his own life was more precious. He wanted to move towards Song Weizhi's side with his group, but the surging horde of monkeys made it nearly impossible.

After Song Weizhi and Song Zixia had cleared most of the monkeys surrounding them, leaving a multitude of monkey corpses, they proceeded to the edge of the forest. However, even after using their spiritual power, the barrier in this place remained unyielding.

"Senior Sister, should we go help them? If Tian's group is overwhelmed, these creatures will target us next." Song Zixia looked at Tian Junjie's group besieged in the distance. She didn't genuinely want to assist but knew that if Tian's group succumbed, these creatures would turn to them and Song Weizhi.

Song Weizhi thought for a moment. Xiaxia had a point. With so many monkeys, it would be challenging for just the two of them. Therefore, Song Weizhi and Song Zixia flew over to lend a hand.

When Tian Junjie saw Song Weizhi and Song Zixia approach, he welcomed them with a smile, "Song Junior Sister, I knew you wouldn't leave me to fend for myself. It's great that you're here. Let's work together to eliminate these monkeys."

However, Song Zixia paid no attention to Tian Junjie's words and simply joined the battle.

Dealing with the monkeys was effortless for Song Weizhi. However, she was concerned about Song Zixia's insufficient spiritual power, so she had the large tiger guard Song Zixia.

On the other hand, Tian Yanyan was filled with anger and scolded Song Zixia, "What took you so long? Look at the state I'm in now. After we're out of here, I'll make my mother punish you severely."

As she spoke, Song Weizhi cast an icy glance and said, "Shut up if you want to survive." The oppressive aura of her core formation stage swept towards Tian Yanyan and the others, causing Tian Yanyan, already depleted of spiritual energy, to kneel and cough up blood.

She desperately cried to Tian Junjie, "Brother, look at her. She wants to kill me. Please teach her a lesson. I've never been treated like this in my life."

Tian Junjie had no time for her. He had just been affected by Song Weizhi's aura and was exasperated. "Shut up. If you want to survive, don't waste your breath."

As Tian Yanyan cried, the monkeys found an opportunity to scratch her, leaving two more blood marks on her skin.

At the martial arena, Tian Yuelan couldn't stay seated any longer, especially after witnessing Song Weizhi causing her daughter to cough up blood. She stood up and said, "Head of the Song Clan, what does your senior disciple mean by this? There has never been any enmity between our factions. How could your disciple harm my daughter?"

Song Ruhai felt flustered. He had intended to strengthen the relations between the two clans, but now the situation had spiraled out of control. In previous years, the secret realms had always been safe, with no precedent of disciples getting injured. This time, however, there were numerous incidents.

"We don't know the situation inside the secret realm. Just by looking at the scenes, we can't ascertain exactly what occurred. If it's indeed my disciple's fault, I will give Tian Clan an explanation. However, the most urgent matter now is to investigate the secret realm. In the past, the secret realms were very safe, and there were no such dangers. We need to see if we can get our disciples out early," Song Ruhai said with a furrowed brow.

These were all inner-disciples of the Song Clan, and most of Song Ruhai's efforts were invested in them. If these disciples encountered danger, the Song Clan would surely suffer at the hands of the Qin Clan.

Song Ruhai quickly instructed Tian Ming to find several elders and see if there was a way to get the disciples out early. Tian Yuelan and Zhao Fei also sent people to their respective clans to search for ways to resolve the secret realm crisis.

With the addition of Song Weizhi's group, the situation quickly turned around. The monkeys seemed hesitant to approach them. In a short time, they had killed nearly half of the monkeys in the secret realm. The bodies of the monkeys and demonic beasts formed a small mountain around them, and the once-dreading monkeys now rushed towards them in a fervent manner. Within a short moment, the group had killed a large number of monkeys. Hesitating no longer, Song Weizhi charged into the midst of the monkey horde, and the air was pervaded with the stench of blood.

Her sword technique swept across everything, staining her white clothes entirely red. Tian Junjie, witnessing this ferocious side of Song Weizhi, felt a twinge of fear. With his current strength, he was no match for her.

At this point, Tian Yanyan had also recovered most of her spiritual energy and re-entered the battle. The number of monkeys in the forest dwindled, and each of them found their garments turning increasingly crimson. It wasn't until the last few monkeys fell under Song Weizhi's sword that the eerie silence finally descended upon the forest.

Without much consideration, Song Weizhi restored the large tiger back into her spiritual consciousness. The tiger had expended considerable mental energy, and she too consumed several recovery pills. It was imperative to regain strength as soon as possible while they were still safe. Although Song Weizhi appeared composed on the surface, she truly felt a cold sweat breaking out due to her extreme exhaustion.

Looking at the five fellow disciples by her feet, Tian Yanyan cried out, "Brother, so many of us have died. It's all because of the Song Clan. They could have saved us, yet those two scheming women caused all this. Brother, avenge our fellow disciples and kill those two."

Song Weizhi clenched her teeth and used the remainder of her spiritual energy to change into clean clothes for herself and Song Zixia. Then, they found a clean spot to sit down and began to recover their strength together.

Hearing Tian Yanyan's words, Song Weizhi scoffed, "If you're so capable, why didn't you confront the monkeys directly earlier? It was the monkeys that killed your fellow disciples, not us. Your lack of cultivation prevented you from saving them. It's not our fault. If not for Xiaxia and me, all of you wouldn't have survived today."

"You're still trying to argue..." Before Tian Yanyan could continue, Tian Junjie cut in.

Having witnessed Song Weizhi's strength, he believed that not even her mother could match her. Therefore, he didn't dare offend Song Weizhi any further. He forced a smile and said, "Song Junior Sister, I'm sorry. My sister has been spoiled at home and doesn't know how to speak properly. Please forgive her."

Song Weizhi couldn't be bothered to even cast a glance at him and focused entirely on replenishing her spiritual energy. Tian Junjie had no choice but to grit his teeth and endure.

On the martial arena, after seeing her children safe, Tian Yuelan's lingering apprehension was finally dispelled. Nevertheless, her face remained dark and frightening; after all, five of her inner-disciples had just died.

"Head of the Song Clan, I hope you can provide me with a satisfactory response regarding the secret realm," Tian Yuelan suppressed her anger. She had just realized that Song Weizhi's cultivation was formidable. If she were to truly confront the Song Clan, it wasn't certain that she would emerge as the victor.

Inside the secret realm, Tian Junjie was tending to his sister and administering pills to the injured disciples. They all had sustained varying degrees of injuries.

While everyone was meditating to recover, the bodies of the monkeys that had just been killed in the forest inexplicably vanished, leaving no trace of blood on the ground. Only the bodies of the five Tian Clan disciples remained.

Song Weizhi felt that something was amiss. She activated her Lishuo sword, hoping to check if the barrier around the forest had opened. However, the Lishuo sword remained still at the edge of the forest. Meanwhile, it seemed like someone was approaching from the southwest—a group comprising Zhao Xuankun and two other Zhao Clan disciples entered the woods.

Chapter 28

Seeing Zhao Xuan Kun approaching, Tian Jun Jie immediately stepped forward and asked, "Zhao, how was your journey here? Did you encounter any danger on the way?"

Zhao Xuan Kun saw the bodies of five Tian disciples from a distance, and frowned as he replied, "We were ambushed by spiders just now. Several disciples were injured, so we separated afterwards. What happened to you? How did so many disciples..." Zhao Xuan Kun didn't continue.

Before Tian Jun Jie could respond, Tian Yan Yan, with red eyes, stood up and said, "It was those two, they killed my junior brothers." She pointed towards Song Wei Zhi and Song Zhi Xia and continued, "Zhao, my brother won't seek revenge for them. You must help me. These two women are heartless and should not be spared."

Tian Jun Jie unconsciously glanced at Song Wei Zhi and Song Zhi Xia, and realizing the two were regaining strength, he quickly stopped his sister. He had witnessed Song Wei Zhi's strength earlier and was concerned about his sister's safety if they continued accusing them without evidence.

Without saying anything, Zhao Xuan Kun simply took a few steps back, moving towards where Song Wei Zhi and Song Zhi Xia were.

Though Tian Jun Jie covered Tian Yan Yan's mouth, she still managed to mutter, "You even went to see them after our engagement was called off. My dear brother, don't cover my mouth."

"You seem to know quite a lot, my dear sister," Zhao Xuan Kun said nonchalantly.

Tian Jun Jie felt like using a cloth to cover his sister's mouth. How could she offend every influential person in Lihai City?

"Sorry about that, Zhao. My sister is spoiled at home. Please don't mind her childish behavior," Tian Jun Jie apologized, trying to defuse the situation.

Song Wei Zhi, who was focused on recuperating, found the surrounding people more bothersome than flies. They were still stuck in this forest, possibly facing unknown dangers, yet they were arguing about trivial matters?

After a few breaths, Song Wei Zhi felt her spiritual energy recovering. She opened her eyes and looked worriedly at the girl beside her, Song Zhi Xia, who was still recovering. Placing her hand on Song Zhi Xia's back, her warm spiritual energy flowed through her palm, and before Song Zhi Xia could speak, Song Wei Zhi intercepted, "Be good, now is not the time to be courteous. Xia, there might be tough battles ahead. Let me help you recover first." She then wholeheartedly continued to channel her spiritual energy to Song Zhi Xia.

Song Zhi Xia had faced off against a group of monkeys in the woods, yet when her senior sister began channeling her spiritual energy, she couldn't help feeling sorry. Her sister had single-handedly dealt with the vast majority of the monkeys, depleting a significant amount of her spiritual energy. Now, she was still channeling spiritual energy to her. This made Song Zhi Xia feel uneasy.

After a few moments, Song Wei Zhi felt that Song Zhi Xia's spiritual energy had fully recovered, so she stopped and took a few replenishing pills herself.

Song Zhi Xia, with eager eyes fixed on her senior sister, noticed someone else. Furrowing her brows, she recognized him as the future spouse who backed out of the engagement. Why was he here? He just wouldn't go away!

Sensing someone continually staring at him, Zhao Xuan Kun found Song Zhi Xia looking at him. Suddenly, he was fiercely glared at for no apparent reason. He couldn't understand what he had done wrong. He hadn't done anything, yet he was being glared at.

As Song Wei Zhi was recuperating with her eyes closed, another person entered the woods. It was none other than Song Chao Yun, Song Zhi Xia's elder brother. He ran into the woods, panting as if something was chasing him. It wasn't until he found people that he caught his breath.

"What's the rush, Song? Why are you so hasty?" Tian Jun Jie, relieved to see a familiar face, inquired.

"There are swarms of spiders chasing us from behind. I got separated from the other disciples of the Song family. Luckily, I ran into you all," Song Chao Yun finally breathed a sigh of relief.

At this point, despite feeling physically higher-spirited, Song Wei Zhi spoke up, "Arriving here may not be a good thing; we barely escaped death."

Song Chao Yun joyfully approached, "Junior sister, I didn't want to disturb you as I saw you channeling your spiritual energy; I'm so glad to see you." He had been searching for Song Wei Zhi for over a day without any success, so finding her in such chaos felt like destiny.

As he spoke with high spirits, another person appeared in front of Song Wei Zhi and obstructed his heated gaze: Song Zhi Xia, his sister. With a phony smile, Song Chao Yun spoke, "Zhi Xia is here too. It's great that I'm here to protect you, and you, Tian Shixiong, can also protect her."

"Ha, who's protecting who is still up in the air," Song Zhi Xia lightly scoffed.

Song Chao Yun awkwardly looked at Song Wei Zhi, who didn't even bother to lift an eyelid.

After suppressing his excitement of finding Song Wei Zhi, Song Chao Yun finally noticed the five bodies lying on the ground. Before he could ask what had happened, the ground in the forest began to tremble. Song Wei Zhi held Song Zhi Xia's hand and attempted to fly using her spiritual sword, but found she couldn't summon any spiritual energy. Looking at the others around her, she realized they were all in the same predicament, unable to harness any spiritual energy.

"What's happening? Why are we unable to use any spiritual energy?" Anxious, Song Chao Yun asked, but everyone was focused on their own survival, paying him no mind.

Tian Yan Yan started to cry again. Tian Jun Jie, who usually doted on his sister, now wished he didn't have to deal with her.

"Protect Miss Yan Yan," Tian Jun Jie instructed the remaining three disciples to secure Tian Yan Yan, as he stood in front of them to figure out what was happening.

"Don't be afraid, Xia, I'm here," Song Wei Zhi said, keeping an eye on the surroundings while smiling reassuringly at Song Zhi Xia.

Just that smile made Song Zhi Xia feel instantly relieved. As long as her senior sister was around, she wasn't afraid of anything.

While Song Wei Zhi was focused on the situation around her, the girl behind her gazed at her in admiration.

Suddenly, the trees in the forest began to collapse, and cracks appeared on the ground. Everyone was unable to use their spiritual energies, and they had to rely on their basic abilities to avoid the growing cracks. The cracks seemed to grow larger in response to their thoughts. Song Wei Zhi and Song Zhi Xia barely managed to stand on a narrow one-meter piece of land.

Looking up, Song Wei Zhi noticed that amidst the chaos, Zhao Xuan Kun and Song Chao Yun had vanished. Before she could act, she and Song Zhi Xia fell. Instinctively, she held and protected Song Zhi Xia, and then she lost consciousness.

She couldn't tell how long it had been, but she heard the chaotic sounds around her. Her back hurt from the fall, making it difficult for her to get up. She lay on the ground, trying to understand what was happening.

At the same time, outside the secret realm, Song Ru Hai and the others were becoming frantic. They had sought help from knowledgeable individuals and received an unexpected response.

The Lihai secret realm was different from others. In typical secret realms, people would trigger various mechanisms and encounter strange beasts upon entering. However, the Lihai secret realm was distinct. It was an ancient secret realm covered by multiple layers of mystic arrays. Ordinarily, entering and exiting the Lihai secret realm was like any other secret realm, with no special treasures to find. Only when the secret realm was about to collapse, these mechanisms would activate. This time, the disciples had entered the Lihai secret realm during its collapse.

Song Wei Zhi and the others had undoubtedly entered the core area of the secret realm. Holding the key to the Lihai secret realm, Song Ru Hai couldn't use his spiritual power to see what happened after they fell. He was deeply troubled, as were the other sect leaders. On one hand, they hoped their disciples or children would find valuable treasures in the ancient secret realm, and on the other, they feared the dangers of such a place.

The scene in the martial arts field froze in the forest, which had now turned into a massive pit. The mirror could no longer show what happened next.

"Brother, what kind of place is this? Oh, quickly call for someone to rescue us," Tian Yan Yan, accompanied by several Tian disciples, wasn't injured, yet she kept talking nonstop.

"Don't worry, Yan Yan. Let's first figure out our location here in the secret realm before we do anything else," Tian Jun Jie, feeling frustrated, wanted to leave. This desolate place was far from the gentle abode of a young woman. Just as he thought this, his gaze involuntarily turned towards Song Zhi Xia.

Song Zhi Xia had awakened. She was too preoccupied to bother about other things, her mind focused on the still unconscious Song Wei Zhi, occasionally wiping the sweat from her forehead.

Song Chao Yun walked over, wanting to embrace Song Wei Zhi. However, he was pushed away by Song Zhi Xia, who said, "What are you doing? Unless you step over my dead body, you can't touch my senior sister."

Stumbling back, Song Chao Yun sneered and retorted, "You're being arrogant without your spiritual power. Do you think you and your sister are match for me? Song Wei Zhi is my father's promised fiancée. Even if I found a place to start a new life with her, it would be her rightful place. Get lost."

Song Chao Yun attempted to approach again but was stopped by Zhao Xuan Kun, "Song, taking advantage of others' misfortune is not the behavior of a gentleman."

Song Chao Yun stared as if he couldn't believe it, "Stop pretending, you're not just hypocritical, what else can you do? We don't even know if we can get out of here safely. Let me have a private moment with Senior Sister first, and we can talk about the rest later."

"I'm afraid I can't allow that," Zhao Xuan Kun said firmly, moving forward with his two Zhao disciples, protecting Song Wei Zhi and Song Zhi Xia.

Glancing at Tian Jun Jie, Song Chao Yun continued, "Tian, why don't you take advantage of this opportunity to attend to my sister, as an elder brother would. I entrust my sister to you, but someone is interfering with our family affairs."

Tired after a long day, Tian Jun Jie found an unexpected opportunity. "In that case, don't blame us for being impolite, Zhao."

With Tian Jun Jie leading the remaining three Tian disciples and Song Chao Yun joining, the group now had five sturdy men. In contrast, Zhao Xuan Kun's group only had three. Unable to use their spiritual powers, they resorted to physical combat, and soon Zhao Xuan Kun's group found themselves at a disadvantage.

Just then, Song Wei Zhi, who had been lying on the ground, opened her eyes and calmly said, "Let me see who's causing trouble."

Chapter 29 ≡ Thoughts ≡ Rabbit ≡ Net ≡

When Song Zhi Xia saw Song Wei Zhi wake up, she quickly helped her stand up. Her eyes were red as she said, "Senior Sister, are you okay? Did you get hurt? It's all my fault. You were only protecting me..."

Seeing the young girl on the verge of tears, Song Wei Zhi quickly reassured her, "I'm fine, Xia Xia, don't cry. Besides, protecting you is willingly my choice, don't blame yourself." With that, Song Wei Zhi comforted the tearful girl by pulling her into an embrace.

Song Chao Yun, upon seeing Song Wei Zhi wake up, ceased his attacks on Zhao Xuan Kun. His eyes swept over Song Wei Zhi like a predator eyeing its prey.

"Junior Sister woke up, but don't speak too soon. First, see if you can use your spiritual power. Here, it doesn't matter what your cultivation level is; it's about who's stronger and has more people," Song Chao Yun's eyes gleamed as if everything was already within his control.

When Song Wei Zhi dissembled unconsciousness, she had already discovered that she couldn't use her spiritual power. Not only that, the items in her storage ring and pouch were also inaccessible. However, she had confirmed that the items obtained from the system were not restricted in this place. Therefore, the gun she obtained from a blind box could still be used even when stored in her ring. At this moment, the gun was already holstered at Song Wei Zhi's waist.

"Really? Trash is indeed trash, left with nothing but taking advantage of others' weaknesses," Song Wei Zhi expressed, regarding Song Chao Yun as nothing more than a pile of rubbish.

"Song Wei Zhi, do you think your cultivation is still present? I was thinking of going easy on you, but it seems that's unnecessary," Song Chao Yun's expression gradually turned sinister.

Although Zhao Xuan Kun and his subordinates were left bruised and swollen from the beating, he still wanted to protect Song Wei Zhi and her group.

Song Chao Yun chuckled, "Zhao, at a time like this, you can barely even protect yourself, yet you think of protecting others. Today, I want to see if you can protect her at all."

With that, he signaled to Tian Jun Jie, and the five of them resumed a fresh round of assault on Zhao Xuan Kun and his group.

Song Zhi Xia held Song Wei Zhi's hand and assured her, "Senior Sister, don't worry, I won't let those people touch you. " With that, the young girl spread her arms protectively in front of Song Wei Zhi.

Meanwhile, Song Wei Zhi had already drawn the gun from behind. She narrowed her eyes as she looked at Song Chao Yun and the others assaulting Zhao Xuan Kun. Then, she redirected her gaze to the young girl in front of her. She asked, "Xia Xia, if I injure Song Chao Yun, would you be angry with your senior sister?" After all, Song Wei Zhi still considered Song Chao Yun as Song Zhi Xia's brother, at least in terms of blood ties.

"Senior Sister, what are you saying? He's shameless for daring to harbor thoughts about Senior Sister. I would take care of him myself if I could," the girl replied with some self-reproach, lowering her head.

Seeing this, Song Wei Zhi promptly comforted the girl by gently running her hand over the girl's head, whispering, "Alright, since Xia Xia has said so, I will handle the rest."

With that, Song Wei Zhi removed the safety of the gun and aimed it at Song Chao Yun. However, with the group in a chaotic scuffle, Song Wei Zhi was afraid of accidentally injuring Zhao Xuan Kun's group, knowing that Zhao Xuan Kun had just helped her and Song Zhi Xia.

So, Song Wei Zhi shouted, "Stop the fighting."

With a greasy smile, Song Chao Yun turned to Song Wei Zhi and said, "Since Junior Sister has spoken, Tian, let's not continue. At least give me some face as your fellow cultivator."

With a playful smirk, Tian Jun Jie remarked, "I didn't expect Brother Song to be so tender-hearted. Neither would I want to be rude in front of Zhi Xia. Since they can't bear to watch anymore, how about we stop, Brother Song?"

With that, they ceased the assault on Zhao Xuan Kun's group.

Song Zhi Xia calmly glanced at Song Chao Yun and commented, "You can't even stand, yet you want to protect him. I guess you only have the nerve to take advantage of others."

"Junior Sister, you can't even stand up. Let me hold you and give you some care," Song Chao Yun said as he started to move towards Song Wei Zhi. Zhao Xuan Kun wanted to stop him, but was blocked by Tian Jun Jie and his men.

"You can't even stand up, and you call others useless," scoffed Song Wei Zhi. With that, she pulled the trigger, causing a sharp crack. Song Chao Yun fell to his knees, blood gushing from his right knee.

In agony, Song Chao Yun howled, "No, it's impossible! We can't use spiritual power here, nor can we use our weapons. How can you? My leg, my leg, Tian, save me, save me!"

Terrified, Tian Jun Jie watched as Song Wei Zhi held a dark tube in her hand. He had never seen such a weapon before, and witnessing the severe injury to Song Chao Yun's leg confirmed its formidable power.

"Song Senior Sister said it right. I am useless and not worthy of being mentioned in the same breath as her. Please spare me and my sister," Tian Jun Jie cowered behind his men, his voice trembling.

However, Tian Yan Yan was indignant. She had never seen her brother act so servile, even if it was towards the woman she despised. She turned to her brother and challenged, "Brother, why are you speaking for her? Is she Song Wei Zhi? If you have the guts, come after me."

"All right. Since you have a vile mouth and evil intent, I'll come for you," Song Wei Zhi raised her gun and aimed it at Tian Yan Yan. "Those who stand in front of them and don't want to die, get out of the way. I don't have much enmity with you. Don't sacrifice your lives for others."

Song Wei Zhi's words made Tian's disciples hesitant. At this moment, Tian Jun Jie spoke, "If you dare to move, consider the consequences after we leave."

With a light laugh, Song Wei Zhi retorted, "If I were you, I wouldn't be worried about what Tian's clan would do to you after we leave, because whether you leave or not is still up in the air."

After deliberating for a while, the disciples decided to step aside. However, Tian Jun Jie was anxious and grabbed his two disciples, who, in turn, shook him off, leaving Tian Jun Jie and Tian Yan Yan exposed.

It was in that moment when Song Wei Zhi fired the gun. The bullet shot directly toward Tian Jun Jie's face, and in an instant, Tian Jun Jie pulled Tian Yan Yan in front of him. The bullet struck Tian Yan Yan's forehead, and in her dying moment, she couldn't believe that her brother, who usually doted on her, had shielded her from the enemy's attack.

Distraught, Tian Jun Jie gazed at his sister's lifeless body in disbelief. "Yan Yan, don't blame brother. I didn't mean it. It's not my intention. If you must blame someone, blame Song Wei Zhi. It's her, she killed you," Tian Jun Jie couldn't bear to look any longer and huddled behind his sister's corpse. On the ground, Song Chao Yun was also stunned. He hadn't realized that Song Wei Zhi would actually dare to harm others. The atmosphere in the secret realm was suddenly silent.

"Wow, Tian Jun Jie, who would have thought that you would use your own sister as a shield? I've underestimated you. You've truly reached a certain level of revulsion," Song Wei Zhi sneered at Tian Jun Jie.

Tian Jun Jie cowered behind his sister's corpse, unable to retort. His body was shielded by Tian Yan Yan, but his arms and leg were still exposed, given his larger build compared to Tian Yan Yan's.

Having just fired two shots, Song Wei Zhi's marksmanship improved. She raised her hand and shot Tian Jun Jie in the arm. Subconsciously, Tian Jun Jie used his other hand to cover the wound. In front of him, Tian Yan Yan's body slid to the ground. At that moment, Song Wei Zhi swiftly fired two more shots. One struck Tian Jun Jie's cheek, and the other hit his chest. A few seconds later, Tian Jun Jie collapsed entirely.

Glancing at the remaining three disciples of the Tian clan, Song Wei Zhi said, "You three, leave. I can spare your lives, but whether you can leave here depends on yourselves." Following her command, they quickly fled from the place, fearing that the gun in Song Wei Zhi's hand might sound, bringing an end to their lives too.

Meanwhile, Song Chao Yun, who had been struck in the knee, slumped to the ground. It was unclear if he was genuinely unconscious or merely feigning. As there was some connection between him and her little sister, Song Wei Zhi did not want Song Chao Yun to die by her hands.

Chapter 30

Song Weizhi took a look at Zhao Xuankun and his two unfortunate fellow disciples, feeling a pang in her heart as she exchanged three healing pills from the system.

Following this, the mechanical voice of the system chimed in, "Host exchanged three healing pills, consuming 30 points, leaving a current balance of 720 points."

Song Weizhi handed the healing pills to Zhao Xuankun and his companions, saying, "Go ahead and take the medicine first."

At this moment, Zhao Xuankun had slightly recovered and received the healing medicine from Song Weizhi, saying, "Thank you, Junior Sister Song." He then distributed the pills to his two fellow disciples.

Song Zhixia's gaze alternated between Song Weizhi and Zhao Xuankun. For reasons unknown, her senior sister always seemed to be paying attention to others, leaving her feeling somewhat lost, especially when it came to Zhao Xuankun.

As if noticing the young girl's dejection, Song Weizhi looked at Song Zhixia tenderly and asked, "What's wrong, Xiaxia? Did you get scared just now?"

Shaking her head, Song Zhixia glanced at Zhao Xuankun, who had already stood up. In a determined manner, she wrapped her arms around Song Weizhi's slender waist, burying her head in Song Weizhi's embrace. Believing the girl was frightened, Song Weizhi quickly comforted her, "Be good, Xiaxia, don't be afraid. I'm here, and I won't let anything happen to you. Don't be afraid, don't be afraid."

Unbeknownst to her, at that moment, the young girl in her embrace blushed, then lifted her head slightly to meet eyes with Zhao Xuankun beside her.

Song Zhixia didn't retract her gaze but continued looking at Zhao Xuankun. In the end, it was Zhao Xuankun who first looked away.

Zhao Xuankun and the other two disciples of the Zhao family had just taken the medicine Song Weizhi gave them. Although their pain had subsided, they felt awkward standing there, not knowing whether to leave or stay, especially as they watched Song Weizhi and her junior sister wrapped in each other's embrace. Zhao Xuankun couldn't help but cough tactically before speaking, "Um, Junior Sister Song, shall we leave this place first? Once we have found a safe location, the two of you can then embrace."

It was then that Song Weizhi seemed to realize there were others around. She then reassured the young girl in her arms, "Xiaxia, be good. Let's take a look at our surroundings first. You can embrace your senior sister later, okay?"

Zhao Xuankun, who stood nearby, was astonished. Was this the same decisive Song Weizhi from before? Why was she speaking so softly to her junior sister? Were they really just pure senior and junior sisters? Zhao Xuankun had his doubts.

After Song Zhixia calmed down for a while in Song Weizhi's embrace and her face's temperature returned to normal, she lifted her head, too afraid to meet Song Weizhi's eyes as she said, "Senior Sister, I'm fine now. Let's go."

With a gentle laugh, Song Weizhi ruffled Song Zhixia's soft hair and said, "Good, as long as Xiaxia is okay." With that, Song Weizhi held Song Zhixia's hand and followed behind Zhao Xuankun as they left.

The area was vast, with intersecting passages. Song Weizhi warned Zhao Xuankun and the others, "Zhao Brother, the terrain here is complex. Let's not get separated."

Zhao Xuankun nodded in agreement.

Meanwhile, after Song Weizhi and the others left, Song Chaoyun took the opportunity to tend to his wounds. However, the object lodged deep in his knee was difficult to remove, so he simply tore a piece of cloth from his clothing to make a simple bandage before slowly moving forward.

As they advanced, Song Weizhi and the group found the place increasingly unsettling. The air grew colder, and the caves began to show signs of shedding skin and scales, with viscous slime and a foul odor permeating the surroundings.

One of the Zhao disciples in front was disconcerted by the sight and quietly asked Zhao Xuankun, "Senior Brother, this place is so disgusting. Could we have fallen into a snake's den?"

"Stay quiet. Be careful not to attract anything untoward," Zhao Xuankun replied in a low voice.

In the darkness of the cave, they could only vaguely see the blurry figures around them, unable to discern any immediate danger. Realizing this was not a sustainable situation, Song Weizhi exchanged a long-range flashlight and four long knives from the system.

The mechanical voice of the system rang out once more, "The host spent a total of 40 points on item exchange, leaving a remaining balance of 680 points."

Deciding it was a necessary expenditure, Song Weizhi distributed the items, first handing the flashlight to Song Zhixia and then providing the long knives to Zhao Xuankun and the others.

Zhao Xuankun felt more confident with the long knife in hand. He might have been somewhat apprehensive earlier, despite leading the way, but he was adamant about not letting the girls take the forefront, even during hunts with fellow disciples.

Expressing his gratitude to Song Weizhi, he said, "Junior Sister Song, thank you. If we have the chance to make it out alive, I owe you one."

Agreeing with a nod, Song Weizhi replied, "Yes, there are plenty of strange creatures here. It's better to have something to defend ourselves with."

While Song Weizhi and Zhao Xuankun were speaking, the young girl beside Song Weizhi started to appear more dejected.

Now equipped with knives for defense and Song Weizhi's flashlight, the group's morale gradually picked up as they continued. However, as they ventured deeper into the cave, it grew damper, and the slime and scales from the cave ceiling began to string into long strands that descended. As they dodged these nauseating substances, they realized they were in a perilous environment.

Suddenly, Song Weizhi thought she heard other people's voices in the cave. She discreetly called out to Zhao Xuankun and the others, "Zhao Brother, it sounds like there are people here."

"Song Junior Sister, should we go over to meet them?" Zhao Xuankun asked. While it might be alright if they encountered other Song and Zhao family members, encountering members of the Tian family might pose more complications, especially since Song Weizhi had recently taken the lives of the Tian family's sect leader's son and daughter.

"Let's forget it. Let's mind our own business," Song Weizhi decided that keeping the group small would minimize potential conflicts, if any.

While Song Zhixia felt increasingly aggrieved, she knew the danger they faced and forced herself to remain silent. She feared that this incident might change Song Weizhi's view of Zhao Xuankun, leaving her unsure of what to do.

With Song Weizhi's total attention focused on surveying the surroundings, she failed to notice the young girl's despondency. Instead, she grasped the girl's hand and continued forward. They had walked through numerous similar passages, but Song Weizhi's group finally encountered the others.

Before Song Weizhi and her group could speak, someone else on the other side spoke first, "It's Senior Sister and Senior Brother Zhao. They injured Big Senior Brother's leg. What should we do, Big Senior Brother?"

Song Weizhi shone her flashlight towards the others and saw that they were all from the Song family, with one of them carrying Song Chaoyun on his back. She briefly illuminated Song Chaoyun's eyes with the light.

Song Chaoyun was clearly terrified, blurting out, "Quick, hide, hide. There's something sinister on Song Weizhi. Whoever she targets with that dark tube will die."

His alarmed exclamation caused the disciples to quickly back against the walls, leaving only a few scattered individuals standing in the middle of the passage.

Song Weizhi couldn't help but chuckle. Was he really that cowardly?

Some of the Song disciples expressed doubts, among them Xu Wenyuan and Liang Qin.

"Senior Brother, I believe there must be a misunderstanding. Senior Sister wouldn't harm someone without reason," Xu Wenyuan said, looking at the others.

"Um, I feel the same way," added Liang Qin, who still remembered when Song Zhixia and her companions helped during the incident with the giant spider.

Song Yueling, who had some kinship with Song Ruhai, also chimed in, "You two idiots. Isn't Song from the Song family after all? Can't you see there's no spiritual power now? Why are you all afraid of that traitor, Song Weizhi?"

"Ha, well said, Yueling. Once we're out of here, I'll make sure my father takes you as a direct disciple," Song Chaoyun joked from a fellow disciple's back.

"In that case, I'll thank Big Senior Brother in advance," Song Yueling responded in a sycophantic tone, which seemed out of place in the passage.

Song Weizhi was amused by their audacity. It was one thing to falsely accuse her; however, now they were already daydreaming about the future. With a snort, she retorted, "You fools. Let's see if you can make it out of here."

"Senior Brother, please intercede for me," Song Yueling pleaded, cuddling up to Song Chaoyun.

Forcing a smile, Song Chaoyun said, "Song Weizhi, don't go too far. Just now, there were only a few of us. You first poisoned the Tian family's sect leader's son and daughter, and now, do you want to target all the disciples of the Song family?"

To be honest, Song Weizhi did consider it. Having unknown circumstances in the mystical realm, having a few more people would at least divert the attention of whatever was inside.

"Too lazy to waste words on you, useless one. Do you two want to follow me?" Song Weizhi asked Xu Wenyuan and Liang Qin, who had just spoken up for her.

The two exchanged glances and nodded.

"As long as Senior Sister doesn't mind us, that's all we need," Xu Wenyuan replied, having had enough of Song Yueling's constant startles along the way.

"I feel the same," added Liang Qin.

From behind, Song Chaoyun's voice echoed, "Good. You two better not regret it. Leaving us here is the same as betraying the sect along with Song Weizhi and Song Zhixia."

His words had little effect. Xu Wenyuan and Liang Qin happily ran to join Song Weizhi's side. Even though everyone had lost their spiritual power, they still felt it was more reliable to follow Senior Sister. At the very least, Senior Sister wouldn't abandon those around her and flee.

"Betray the sect? To be honest, sooner or later, you'll be begging me, and I won't even want to stay in this lousy Song sect," Song Weizhi exchanged two more long knives for self-defense from the system. At this point, Song Weizhi's points were down to 660.

Author's comments:

Zhao Xuankun: Tsk tsk, the relationships between senior and junior sisters these days are quite something.

Song Weizhi: It's just an ordinary pure senior and junior sister relationship.

Song Zhixia: ????