Ascended Without Me: Cultivating with a Genius Son | Chapter 44 | Into the Secret Realm | Novela.app

Yiyi rolled her eyes at Yun Wenhao’s words. They had repeated the same warnings countless times already. She valued her life more than anyone, didn't she? Of course, she knew they were only worried about her, and she felt a deep sense of warmth in her heart. On the sixth day, the airship finally reached the gathering point for the Chuyun Secret Realm. During those six days, Li Xue had become acquainted with Yun Mingxuan and Yu Ming. Yun Mingxuan was an elite of the younger generation from the Sect Leader’s branch of the Yun family, which went without saying. Yu Ming, however, was an outer disciple who had started as a rogue cultivator. Despite possessing a four-element spiritual root, his will was steadfast, and he had grown rapidly through extensive combat experience. Li Lin, Yun Mingxuan, and Yu Ming were already a well-established team; along with Ji Rufeng, the four of them frequently formed groups to venture into various dangerous lands for experience. With the four of them protecting the two "little fledglings," Li Xue and Yiyi, their safety was more than assured. Only then did Yun Wenhao finally feel at ease. The gathering point was a flat expanse of land outside a valley. The Chuyun Secret Realm lay within the valley, protected by layers of restrictions. Only those at the Qi Condensation stage with a special token could enter. The realm would remain open for one month before closing, and even a Core Formation cultivator would be unable to force it open once shut. A large crowd had already gathered outside the valley. Once the Lingyun Airship descended, the disciples of the Yunjin Sect disembarked one by one. Finally, Yun Wenhao stowed the airship away while another Foundation Establishment cultivator from the sect, Yun Wencheng, stepped forward to greet the leaders of the other sects and families. Yun Wenhao never bothered with such social niceties; aside from his cultivation, he rarely concerned himself with worldly affairs. Had Yiyi not insisted on coming for this trial, he wouldn't have come at all. The people within the sect were well aware of his temperament, so all the polite formalities were left to Yun Wencheng. "Rufeng! Over here, over here!" Yun Mingxuan waved toward someone in the Bai family’s crowd, his voice echoing throughout the valley. This drew everyone’s attention—some looked on with amusement, others as if watching a play. A refined and elegant young man, as gentle as warm jade, came walking over slowly while fluttering a folding fan. He smiled and nodded politely to the female cultivators he passed, causing many of them to look on with starry eyes. "Wow, it’s Senior Brother Ji Rufeng from the Bai family of East Beast Mountain! He’s so handsome!" exclaimed Female Cultivator A. "Yes, yes! He just nodded at me!" gushed Female Cultivator B. "If I could become his dual cultivation partner, I would be so happy!" sighed a lovestruck cultivator. "Keep dreaming. Look at yourself first," a male cultivator sneered. "I’m just daydreaming a little!" the girl retorted. Listening to the chatter, Yun Mingxuan said disdainfully, "What a poser." Seeing Li Xue’s stunned and surprised expression, he quickly added, "Don't let that hypocrite Xiao Feng deceive you!" In truth, Li Xue was only surprised by the bold comments of the crowd; she hadn't expected Ji Rufeng to be quite so popular. Ji Rufeng soon arrived before them. He smiled at Li Xue and said, "Sister Li, it has been several years. I hope you have been well?" "Xiao Feng, you’re really something! Look at how you’ve charmed those young girls!" Li Xue stepped forward and patted Ji Rufeng on the shoulder. Yun Mingxuan and Yu Ming, standing close by, naturally overheard their conversation. They were shocked to see that Li Xue and Ji Rufeng seemed so familiar with each other. "You two seem very well-acquainted?" Yun Mingxuan asked Ji Rufeng, sounding somewhat disgruntled. Ji Rufeng arched an eyebrow. "Sister Li is Li Lin’s mother and the one who guided me onto this path. How could we not be well-acquainted?" He affectionately threw an arm around Li Lin’s shoulder. Li Lin, however, remained calm and indifferent, as if the world didn't concern him; he was clearly used to the bickering between his friends. "Hmph." Yun Mingxuan gave Ji Rufeng a fierce glare before turning back to Li Xue with a bright smile. "Sister Li, this kid Rufeng is quite the big deal now. Word is that Daoist Ruihua is currently looking for a dual cultivation partner for him. He’s quite the favorite among the daughters of the great clans!" Upon hearing this, Ji Rufeng’s face flushed with embarrassment. He stepped forward and punched Yun Mingxuan’s arm. "Stop shouting nonsense! I haven't even reached Foundation Establishment yet. What dual cultivation?" Li Xue looked Ji Rufeng up and down and remarked, "Well, Xiao Feng is getting older. But wouldn't Daoist Ruihua choose a bride from within the Bai family? Why would he be willing to let an outsider have you?" The others laughed loudly in agreement, making Ji Rufeng even more embarrassed. "Sister Li, please stop teasing me!" The group shared a hearty laugh. It was clear that the bond between them was excellent, and Li Xue quickly integrated into the dynamic of the four partners. Yiyi stood to the side, quietly listening to their jokes and conversation. A hint of envy touched her heart as she thought to herself: *Their bond must be truly wonderful.* Li Lin, Ji Rufeng, Yun Mingxuan, and Yu Ming were all at the tenth level of Qi Condensation. Li Xue was at the eighth level, and Yiyi was at the seventh. Together, the lineup of this six-person team was quite formidable. Under Yun Wenhao’s final exhortations, the six of them stepped into the Chuyun Secret Realm together, beginning their month-long journey of trial.