Inside the secret realm, the atmosphere was subtle.
Jiang Huai led Zhu Siyao and Xiao Yue toward the secret realm’s core, the scorching hot region.
Not far behind them, the twin sisters from the Western Desert Yellow Dragon Clan, Cang Ling and Cang Jing, followed at a leisurely pace like shadows that couldn’t be shaken off.
Zhu Siyao grew increasingly impatient and finally couldn’t help but turn her head, snapping sharply at them:
“Hey! Can you stop following us already?!”
Upon seeing Jiang Huai, Cang Ling was practically entranced, her eyes glued to his back as she trailed closely behind.
Even though Jiang Huai hadn’t once given her a friendly glance, she persisted joyfully as if the whole secret realm trial didn’t matter at all.
Hearing this, Cang Ling wasn’t offended; instead, she smiled brightly and replied, her gaze still burning as she stared at Jiang Huai’s figure:
“I’m not following you, I’m following that handsome Daoist ahead.”
Raising her voice, she added:
“Why don’t you tell me your name and sect? I promise I won’t follow you anymore, how about that?”
This secret realm was vast. Once they parted ways, it would be like worlds apart.
She didn’t know when she would meet this mysterious, aloof man who had captured her heart again.
How could she be satisfied without knowing where he came from?
Jiang Huai frowned slightly and finally stopped walking, turning sideways with a cold glare at Cang Ling:
“The Dao is wide, go your own way. If you keep tailing me, don’t blame me for being ruthless with my sword.”
With that, his thumb lightly pushed the sword guard; his blade unsheathed three inches from his waist with a sharp clang, the cold light flashing suddenly.
A peculiar sword intent infused with both Yuanyang Fiery and Xuan Yin Gloomy Chill spread out, chilling to the bone.
Sensing the aura that made her dragon scales ache faintly, Cang Ling instinctively stepped back half a pace, her expression shifting as she recalled the fear of being dominated by that Yin-Yang Sword Qi and the dull ache from clashing Dragon Horns.
Jiang Huai, on the other hand, looked perfectly at ease; the strange black dragon sword horn phantom above his head had long since vanished, as if nothing had happened.
But Cang Ling’s resilience was extraordinary.
Her eyes flickered as she produced a handful of glowing immortal herb ore from her storage treasure, a variety of rare and fine specimens, smiling as she offered them forward:
“Don’t be so distant! I was rash just now. Consider this a peace offering, okay?”
“I really want to be friends with you, no ill intentions at all!”
“Look, many of these are worth just as much as that ‘Scarlet Sun Return Yin Grass’ from before!”
Most of these were casually gathered along the way—precious, but not indispensable to her.
Cang Ling carefully watched Jiang Huai’s expression, only to find him glancing indifferently, eyes calm and unruffled as if looking at nothing but common weeds.
He waved lightly: “No need for immortal materials. And please don’t follow us anymore.”
“This secret realm is perilous; no one watches your back here. If you come any closer, I’ll take it as provocation.”
Cang Ling was momentarily stunned.
Faced with immortal materials that would make many cultivators envious, Jiang Huai showed not a trace of greed, only serene detachment.
Clearly, he was someone spoiled and accustomed to fine things, and his sect or family background must be extraordinary.
This raised her opinion of Jiang Huai and deepened her interest.
“Oh, don’t be in such a hurry to send us away!” Cang Ling said as she quickened her pace to close the gap slightly.
“Don’t you feel something’s off about this secret realm?”
Trying to grab Jiang Huai’s attention, her tone grew serious:
“Normally, a secret realm formed from Ancient Fragment Worlds should be full of spiritual energy, swarming with beasts and guarded immortal materials.”
“But haven’t you noticed how quiet it’s been? Almost no mindless low-rank demonic beasts at all, and so many immortal materials just lying there, barely any proper guardian beasts around—it’s abnormal!”
She paused, then smiled again:
“See? Since this place is so strange, more people means more protection, right?”
“How about this: as an apology for earlier, I’ll act as your temporary escort. I won’t get too close, just enough so we can look out for each other. What do you say?”
Perhaps this was her chance to get closer to Jiang Huai.
Xiao Yue glanced at Cang Ling, then at the quiet but calm Cang Jing behind her, judging the sisters to be quite powerful.
If they traveled together with goodwill, it wouldn’t be a bad thing.
She whispered: “Master, if they mean no harm, it might be alright to travel together.”
But Zhu Siyao immediately thought of her own mother, frowning deeply at Jiang Huai’s way of attracting trouble.
She said coldly:
“No! Who knows what they’re really after? Just now they tried to snatch something, and now they say they want to be escorts. Who can believe them?”
Jiang Huai frowned tightly.
He couldn’t shake them off no matter what.
If he fought, the two women weren’t weak; the cost would be too high and not a wise move.
After a moment of consideration, he finally had to compromise, but his tone remained cold:
“You may follow, you may travel together, but be sincere about it.”
Upon hearing this, Cang Ling’s face lit up, and she quickly agreed:
“Alright, alright, don’t worry, I’ll keep my distance.”
“Besides, with your sword qi, it wouldn’t be so easy for me to take advantage anyway.”
Victory—a great victory!
She immediately pressed further:
“Then Daoist, now you can finally tell me your name and sect, right?”
“I’m Cang Ling, from the Western Desert Yellow Dragon Clan! This is my sister, Cang Jing!”
Jiang Huai glanced at her, then calmly uttered a few words:
“Central State, Nine Heavens Palace, Jiang Huai.”
He said no more and turned to continue walking.
Cang Ling hurriedly noted down the unfamiliar name Nine Heavens Palace and started to chat intermittently along the way:
“Daoist Jiang Huai, where is Nine Heavens Palace located? Is the scenery nice?”
“Daoist Jiang Huai, what do you like to eat? We have a delicious spirit camel milk cake in the Western Desert!”
“Daoist Jiang Huai…”
Jiang Huai mostly ignored these, only occasionally casting a cold glance when annoyed.
Why was this person so irritating? No shame at all? Were all Dragons like this?
Seeing Cang Ling’s shamelessness, Jiang Huai was reminded of his own Qin Qingyue and couldn’t help but smile.
Indeed, both of them were Dragons with thick skins.
Seeing Jiang Huai smile, Cang Ling was further enchanted, trailing behind him with a bright smile.
Cang Jing watched coldly the whole time, only feeling her temples twitch in frustration and a deep sense of shame.
No wonder the sisters had completely opposite desires—this was truly disgraceful for Dragons.
To break the awkwardness and attract Jiang Huai’s attention, Cang Ling shifted the topic to the main point, lowering her voice with a hint of mystery: “By the way, I’ve read some records about these kinds of Ancient Fragment Worlds in our clan’s ancient texts.”
“This secret realm world originally belonged to a very extreme world.”
Jiang Huai kept walking, showing little interest.
Cang Ling pressed on:
“That world wasn’t very large, said to be roughly half the size of the Eastern Wasteland in our current Five Provinces Continent.”
Upon hearing this, Jiang Huai’s footsteps slowed almost imperceptibly.
The Eastern Wasteland was already the smallest region in the Five Provinces, and this world was only half that size?
Seeing she had caught his attention, Cang Ling continued:
“That world was an extreme Matriarchal World…”
“An extremely extreme one.”
Jiang Huai finally grew interested, turning his head to ask, “How extreme?”