“I really didn’t do it on purpose!!!”
Suspended in midair by Cluru’s tentacles, my whole body tightly bound, I hastily tried to explain.
Just now, Cluru had watched the surveillance video provided by the casino staff.
Naturally… she found out who threw the flash bomb.
Cluru grumbled, “I know.”
Of course she knew I didn’t do it on purpose.
Why would I be so full as to deliberately hurt her?
“But being upset is being upset… I’ll let you experience it for a little while!”
Cluru forcefully blindfolded me with a piece of black cloth.
Only then did she finally let me down.
“Don’t take it off! And no using divine sense!”
Alright, alright.
Anyway, I made a mistake, so I’ll let Cluru have her way for a bit…
I obediently shut off my divine sense.
As if I had suddenly lost all autonomy, lost all sense of control over the world, I couldn’t help but instinctively grab Cluru’s arm.
In this darkness, seeking a support was an instinctive reaction.
“Hehe, good, I’ll take you along~” Cluru was thoroughly enjoying herself.
This clinging, docile little fox was exactly what she wanted—a treat she couldn’t get on an ordinary day.
I couldn’t help feeling a bit nervous. “You… you’d better not use this chance to take advantage of me!”
“Anyway, I’ll definitely win this bet. There’s no need to rush now.”
“Nonsense, I’m the one who’ll win! Once we’re inside the Wenxue Ancient Realm, you’ll see!”
The Wenxue Ancient Realm, a place without law or order, where a cultivator’s true nature is laid bare!
Killing for treasures, infighting among peers—all of it is on blatant display in there!
As soon as we enter the Wenxue Ancient Realm—Novice Trial, Cluru will realize that my worries are absolutely justified!
Cultivators are nothing but ruthless creatures!
Even the Taiming Sect cultivators are no different; they will surely reveal their true colors in the Wenxue Ancient Realm!
“Junior Sisters, we’ll escort you up to here. The Wenxue Ancient Realm limits cultivation level, and we’ve long surpassed the restrictions of the Novice Trial.”
“Thank you, Senior Brother.”
They’re not sending anyone in with us?
There must be people lying in wait inside, already set up for an ambush.
“Once inside, you two can contact the Zerg Cultivators within the ancient mirror. Those cultivators have ties with our Taiming Sect and should be able to offer suitable guidance for your trial.”
Oh, of course! I knew it—how could they possibly let easy targets like me and Cluru go so easily?
“We will.” I clasped my fists in response. “Thank you, Senior Brother.”
Cluru grabbed me and spun me around, aligning me in the right direction.
“…Don’t fool around like this after you go in. The Wenxue Ancient Realm uses random teleportation; you two will be separated, and you might get sent somewhere dangerous.” Shaori said with concern.
Yes, random teleportation—to ensure fairness in the trial.
Back in the day, the demonic cultivators in the Wenxue Ancient Realm used to form gangs and ambush lone cultivators; that’s why I set up the random teleportation rule.
But for Cluru and me, such rules could naturally be ignored at will.
“See you inside.”
Holding Cluru’s wrist, we drew a talisman on each other’s wrists and stepped into the Novice Trial.
I quietly lifted a corner of my blindfold, curiously gazing at the world before my eyes.
Hmm… compared to before… nothing’s really changed.
Most of the Novice Trial area was forest, and between each forest, like clusters of neurons, were scattered small relay stations.
Monsters would periodically appear in the forests; defeating them would reward cultivators with decent resources.
The whole Novice Trial’s style revolved around a simple loop: wild monster hunting → return to town for trade → grow stronger → go back to hunting.
It was rather straightforward and savage.
At this moment, Cluru and I arrived beside one of the relay stations.
The relay station looked just as I remembered—a small village, really.
But at its entrance stood a commemorative monument.
“Huh? What’s this?” I walked up to the monument and read the inscription one character at a time, “Erdao Village, Co-mm-e-m-o-r-a-t-i-v-e M-o-n-u-m-e-n-t of S-u-c-c-e-s-s-i-v-e O-f-f-i-c-i-a-l-s?”
So this place was called Erdao Village.
“Why are you coming to the Wenxue Ancient Realm at a time like this?” A cultivator from the village asked in surprise. “Whose disciples are you? Where are your elders?”
“Taiming Sect.” Cluru and I showed our identity.
The man’s attitude instantly turned respectful.
“So it’s the geniuses of the Taiming Sect! Come in quickly, the Xu Tide is about to happen. We need to reach Sandao Village’s shelter before the Xu Tide arrives.”
Xu Tide?
From earlier, they’d kept mentioning “Xu Realm” and “Xu Tide”, but I had no memory of there being a Xu Tide in the Wenxue Ancient Realm.
Was this a change that happened after I left?
“Is everyone accounted for? No one’s left behind, right?” The man called out toward the village.
By now, the villagers had formed evacuation squads, lined up in groups with their bags and belongings.
“We’ve checked, no one’s missing, let’s go! There’s no time!” someone replied anxiously.
“Let’s go! Keep together! Taicai Boundary Guards, stay alert and prevent Xu Beasts from hurting anyone if they show up early!”
The man mounted his horse and took the lead at the front.
He gestured for Cluru and me to climb onto the carriage behind him.
“Little sisters from Taiming Sect—and the one who can’t see—hold on tight, don’t fall off.”
“Okay.”
Cluru hugged me close, and I pulled down the cloth, continuing to play blind.
The carriage jolted so much that I couldn’t help but grab Cluru’s sleeve and huddle into her arms.
A satisfied smile rose to Cluru’s lips.
“Damn, the Xu Tide’s early!” The man glanced at the sky, his expression changing. “Hurry!”
Suddenly, it was as if a black cloud had blotted out the sky, dividing the bright day into a stark line of light and shadow.
The refugee convoy ran desperately along this boundary, chasing the setting sun for all they were worth.
A step too slow, and darkness would swallow them whole.
And as the darkness swept over, scarlet cracks began to appear out of thin air in the atmosphere.
From those cracks came the famished roars of monsters.
“From the looks of it, these are spatial rifts caused by a collision…” I peeked at the cracks, analyzing.
“At certain times, space and time overlap, causing monsters from another world to enter the Wenxue Ancient Realm. That world is what they call—the Xu Realm.”
The Xu Realm wasn’t among the Nine Realms in my memory.
Yet, there was a distinctly familiar aura here, telling me that this was indeed one of the Nine Realms I had once reached—even lived in.
Back then, though, it wasn’t called the Xu Realm with such a withered name.
“Cluru, I’m going to the other side for a bit.”
“Want me to come?”
“No, I’ll go alone.”
“Then come back soon.”
“Mm.”
Cluru released her tentacles, and I jumped down from the carriage.
“Little one! Wha—what are you doing?!” The whole group was stunned by my actions.
At that very moment, countless savage, vicious monsters were pouring out of the portals.
And I was throwing myself right into their midst!
“Don’t mind me, you all go ahead.”
I targeted one of the spatial rifts and blinked right into it.
The moment I entered, the world turned completely scarlet.
The sky was scarlet, the earth was scarlet—even the very air seemed thick with tiny beads of blood.
I searched my surroundings.
Before long, I really did find a broken stone tablet.
I set it upright, wiping away the bloodstains.
Three characters were carved on it.
[Peach Blossom State]