The tranquility of the trading area did not last long.
As time passed, the number of cultivators stationed there grew. Perhaps because the secret realm had been thoroughly explored, many felt there was nothing new to find and chose to rest for a while. The atmosphere throughout the secret realm gradually shifted from the initial tension to a state of increasing relaxation.
Nie Shiyun’s business remained much the same—either he had no customers at all, or he landed a massive deal. Zhai Bairong’s business, however, was unexpectedly booming, with orders coming in one after another. It made sense; alchemy was less expensive than smithing and its products were consumed quickly. Most people used the same trusty weapon for decades or even centuries. Eventually, Nie Shiyun simply handed the shop over to him and retreated into his jade pendant to cultivate in seclusion.
Meiqiu, who had been slacking off inside the pendant, now had Nie Shiyun by his side and could no longer use hibernation as an excuse to sleep all day. Under the supervision of his contractor, his cultivation—which had barely budged since reaching the Spirit Grade—finally began to rise once more.
Nie Shiyun did not dare underestimate the Nascent Soul thunder tribulation. Inside the jade pendant, he patiently circulated his spiritual roots over and over, sensing the movement of spiritual energy within his body to ensure his cultivation was as stable as possible. He had taken some time to visit the Hot Spring Valley alone once more; he felt that tempering his body was even more important than his cultivation level. However, the water in the valley had indeed reached its limit for him; it hadn't become effective again just because a year or two had passed. He could only treat it as a form of exercise, having made the round trip for nothing.
Seeing him so preoccupied, Zhai Bairong couldn't help but worry. However, Nie Shiyun explained that he was merely being prepared, and that he was actually eighty or ninety percent confident about his future advancement. Only then did Zhai Bairong breathe a sigh of relief.
"There is no need to rush. Just let nature take its course."
"I understand," Nie Shiyun nodded in response.
During this period, Duan Mingyu and Rong Lü had vanished from sight. Nie Shiyun didn't know if the two had reunited with Xu Yehua or gone their separate ways, but as long as they didn't come looking for trouble, that was enough for him.
Qi Miaohan, on the other hand, visited several times. On one occasion, Qi Xuan'er and Du Zhi came to visit together. Nie Shiyun observed the atmosphere between the two; it was completely different from before. Though they were still a bit awkward, their physical distance had closed significantly. He guessed that things had likely worked out, but as it was the first awakening of love for two young people, they were both a bit shy. When he asked Qi Miaohan, she only gave a disgruntled huff, which further confirmed his suspicions.
Since the parties involved were embarrassed, he didn't tease them further, choosing to play the fool while knowing the truth.
Qi Xuan'er’s cultivation had stabilized at the Great Perfection of Foundation Establishment, but she had yet to hit the ceiling of the Golden Core stage. She knew she wasn't naturally gifted at cultivation and couldn't rush it, so she contentedly worked hard, hoping to one day form her core. Du Zhi, however, required no concern from Nie Shiyun. Heaven knows what he had been doing these past two years, but his cultivation had soared, and he was now on par with Zhai Bairong. Nie Shiyun could only sigh; as expected of one of the "gongs" from the original work, he was uniquely blessed when it came to cultivation.
The three years within the secret realm passed in the blink of an eye.
As the Hantian Secret Realm neared its collapse and closure, the snow-capped mountains and icy plains took on a precarious, crumbling feel, as is common in such situations. The demonic beasts in the forests scattered in an abnormal frenzy. Nie Shiyun did not miss this final opportunity. After closing the shop, he and Zhai Bairong went into the wilderness to hunt spirit beasts. The harvest was naturally bountiful, and they bagged all sorts of pelts, claws, and teeth that could be used as materials.
Since his weapon had been fully exposed, Zhai Bairong rarely used his old Willow Sword or other spare treasures. He almost exclusively used the Star-Moon Spirit Wood Sword Nie Shiyun had given him, seemingly unable to part with it.
In the final days before leaving the realm, Nie Shiyun tried to "divide the spoils" with Zhai Bairong. But Zhai Bairong didn't want to take anything of his, saying he had no use for such materials and it was better for Nie Shiyun to put them to good use.
Nie Shiyun was quite amused. He and Zhai Bairong no longer distinguished between "mine" and "yours," but seeing his own storage bracelet stuffed to the brim while Zhai Bairong prepared to leave the realm with nothing but his sleeves fluttering in the wind—save for some spirit stones left over from selling pills—Nie Shiyun couldn't help but recall that Zhai Bairong had a similar temperament in the original work.
"You really aren't afraid of getting the short end of the stick," Nie Shiyun said, pulling several magical treasures from his storage ring. Though few in number, they were all rarities.
"You won't let me suffer a loss," Zhai Bairong smiled, taking them. He looked closer and said, "These are...? I don't need these."
Nie Shiyun shook his head. "They certainly aren't for you. If they were for your use, I would have to spend time and effort specifically refining them. These are just high-quality weapons and defensive gear. If word of our situation reaches your Master, you should take the initiative to offer these to him as a sign of filial respect."
Zhai Bairong paused, then tucked them away properly. "You are very thoughtful."
His Master, Qu Zhanmeng, was at the Nascent Soul stage and naturally wouldn't have much use for these, but Qu Zhanmeng was a man of considerable vanity who cared deeply about face. Nie Shiyun’s gesture was partly to show goodwill and partly to demonstrate his own skill. This way, perhaps the Master wouldn't be too harsh regarding Zhai Bairong abandoning Duan Mingyu to "find a new love."
After finally living leisurely together for over two years, they were facing another separation upon their return. Although it was said that a brief absence makes the heart grow fonder, Nie Shiyun felt they separated far too frequently. Fortunately, their relationship was now out in the open. If communications with the Yingyue Sect went smoothly, there would be nothing stopping them from visiting each other's sects in the future.
"Aren't you coming with us?" Meiqiu didn't quite understand the undercurrents between the various sects of the cultivation world. He had long grown accustomed to being with both Nie Shiyun and Zhai Bairong, and hearing that he wouldn't see Zhai Bairong for a while made him a bit sad.
Though his cultivation had increased over the past two years, he hadn't grown as fast as a human child and was still very small. With the lingering childishness on his face, Zhai Bairong felt a pang of reluctance seeing his pitiful expression.
"You're just craving the sugar pearls he refines for you," Nie Shiyun said, ruining the mood.
"Then why don't you learn how to make them too!" Meiqiu snapped huffily.
"Why don't you learn yourself? A dignified descendant of a Divine Beast, and besides blowing a bit of fire, you only know how to eat and sleep. You don't have a single other special skill..."
Meiqiu couldn't win the argument. He transformed into his beast form, indignantly pecked Nie Shiyun’s arm twice, and then dove back into the jade pendant.
Zhai Bairong found their usual bickering amusing and stood by watching the show.
"Be careful on the way back. Keep a close eye on Duan Mingyu. If you don't bring him back, the Yingyue Sect will surely blame you. Once you've handed him over and completed your task, the blame can no longer be shifted to you," Nie Shiyun finally looked up and instructed Zhai Bairong carefully. "Contact me if anything happens. If I'm in seclusion, I'll reply as soon as I emerge..."
Nie Shiyun was rarely this "nagging." Hearing this warmed Zhai Bairong’s heart. He stepped forward, cupped Nie Shiyun’s face, and pressed a light kiss onto those moving lips.
"I know. I wish you a smooth advancement in advance."
Nie Shiyun finally stopped talking and simply nodded.
Soon, the two in the Hantian Secret Realm saw the sky covered in what looked like an aurora. Cultivators flew their swords straight toward the sky, disappearing one after another behind the curtain of light.
Before leaving, Nie Shiyun felt the Purple Silk Immortal Garment in his storage space and looked back at the vast, empty snowy plains.
Originally, these places were small sub-spaces that could be entered and exited freely, part of the cultivation world's territory. However, as eras changed and the world's spiritual energy tended toward depletion, the entrances that were once free to use vanished, gradually evolving into closed secret realms that would not stay open for long. Once he left, it might be hundreds or thousands of years—or perhaps he would never see this same secret realm again. The bitterness and grief of that senior array master and his lost love would perhaps be buried here forever, known to no one else.
Nie Shiyun felt a rare moment of melancholy. Although he had wanted this immortal artifact from the start, after learning the story behind it, he felt that if he truly managed to ascend one day, bringing this item back to the Upper Realm where that woman came from would be a way of letting it return to its roots.
Zhai Bairong had already left first. Nie Shiyun took one last look at the silvery-white scenery, turned, and exited through the curtain of light.
Having experienced the strange sensation of passing through space once before when leaving a secret realm, Nie Shiyun landed steadily on the long-lost soil of the cultivation world.
The exit of the secret realm would remain for a period of time, and many cultivators had already left immediately upon emerging. However, Nie Shiyun had previously agreed with the people from Yunqing Pavilion to leave together, so he spent some time weaving through the crowd to wait at a designated spot a short distance away.
"Senior Brother."
"Senior Brother Nie!"
Before long, Qi Xuan'er and Du Zhi arrived, holding hands. Seeing Nie Shiyun’s "so you two finally made it" look, they both blushed and hurriedly let go, putting some distance between them.
"Ah, this is..."
"I understand, I understand." Nie Shiyun nodded, signaling that they didn't need to explain if they were embarrassed. Knowing their hearts were aligned was a joyous occasion in itself.
To Nie Shiyun’s surprise, despite their generally low cultivation, not a single disciple from Yunqing Pavilion who had entered the secret realm was missing. While waiting, they had already seen other sects suffering casualties during their headcounts, and they hadn't expected their own disciples to be so reliable.
Nie Shiyun’s divine sense swept over them. Although there were no massive leaps, everyone’s cultivation had grown significantly. It seemed most people in Yunqing Pavilion were the type to progress steadily and keep their feet on the ground. He was quite gratified by this.
Just as they were about to pack up and head back together, Qi Miaohan came running toward them, shouting and waving her arms.
"You're leaving without even saying hello? How heartless!"
Qi Xuan'er smiled wryly. "Sister, lower your voice. Didn't we already say our goodbyes inside the secret realm?"
"What about him?" Qi Miaohan jerked her head toward Nie Shiyun.
Nie Shiyun smiled. "I'm rushing back to enter seclusion and advance to the Nascent Soul stage. My apologies to the Great Heroine."
"Sarcastic as always!" Qi Miaohan huffed, then carefully observed his spirit and energy. It was indeed extraordinary. "Fine, fine. I just came to say hello. The Sect Leader has come to pick us up. I'm going into seclusion when I get back too. Who knows whose cultivation will be higher when I come out?"
She threw out her bold declaration and turned to leave like a gust of wind.
Nie Shiyun hadn't used a voice transmission for his last sentence; he had spoken it openly without concealment. Although it sounded like a joke, he had deliberately let others hear his plans. The Nascent Soul stage was a major hurdle. Once he successfully advanced, Yunqing Pavilion would welcome a young Nascent Soul cultivator, and its prestige would be incomparable. Nie Shiyun himself didn't care for such empty titles, but he was happy to secure some early fame for his sect.
Before leaving, he intentionally hid in the crowd to find the gathering spot of the Yingyue Sect. Seeing that Zhai Bairong had successfully retrieved Duan Mingyu, he felt at ease and turned back to leave with the Yunqing Pavilion group.
In the distance, the two surrounded by Yingyue Sect disciples stood a few feet apart, saying nothing. Duan Mingyu was naturally resentful and angry that Zhai Bairong had abandoned him for another man; his complex emotions and displeasure were written all over his face. Zhai Bairong, meanwhile, had just taken Duan Mingyu from Rong Lü’s hands in his capacity as a senior of the Yingyue Sect. He knew that this act was equivalent to dragging Duan Mingyu back into a fire pit, and he couldn't help but feel a twinge of guilt. But having no other choice, he could only stand quietly to the side and try not to think too much.
As for the people of the Yingyue Sect—or rather, seventy to eighty percent of the people who had experienced this secret realm—they all knew that Zhai Bairong had broken off his relationship with Duan Mingyu and gotten involved with Nie Shiyun of Yunqing Pavilion. Seeing this silent scene, the onlookers were more embarrassed than the actual participants. Some looked at the sky, some at the ground, and some played with their fingers; none wanted to get involved in the love-hate entanglements of their seniors. They only hoped the headcount would end soon so they could board the immortal ship and head home.
***
