The Azure Sprout Secret Trove and the Demon Kings of Thousand Worm Mountain

Two months later.

Autumn had arrived.

A torrential downpour had washed away the summer heat from the mountains, and Qin Yan now found himself within the Azure Sprout Secret Trove.

This was a grand battle royale amongst the Seven Great Sects, the major aristocratic families, and the various dynasties; for seven days, representatives from these powerful factions would vie for supremacy within this secret realm.

Following this, other cultivators would enter, plunging the secret realm into even greater chaos.

Though referred to as a secret realm, this particular world bore a closer resemblance to a minor realm created by a Void Return stage cultivator just before their demise.

It was a place where grudges could be settled and grievances avenged; the secret realm served more as a grand stage for the Northern Region’s major powers to contend, all without depleting their own foundational strength.

However, should a prodigy from one’s own sect perish here, it would be akin to severing a vital limb, making any future development virtually impossible.

From the perspective of that Void Return stage cultivator, it seemed as though she had long foreseen the future state of the Northern Region, with its sects, dynasties, and aristocratic families locked in perpetual conflict, and had deliberately set this stage for their struggles.

Gazing at the verdant mountain forests in the distance, Qin Yan couldn’t help but marvel, ‘Indeed, a cultivator who has lived for ages possesses a truly far-reaching perspective.’

This secret realm, which opened once every decade, featured a different world and unique events each time, and despite the Northern Region’s cultivators diligently attempting to discern its patterns, their efforts consistently yielded nothing.

It was almost as if each activation of the secret realm presented a fragmented memory of that Void Return cultivator.

Upon entering the secret realm, Qin Yan found himself amidst this very mountain forest, surrounded by towering trees, utterly unaware of his precise location, let alone the surrounding circumstances.

“It’s always best to proceed with caution.”

With this thought, Qin Yan ceased using his flying artifact, choosing not to conspicuously traverse the skies.

As he swiftly moved through the mountain forest, he soon detected an anomaly: a distinct sound that reached Qin Yan’s ears.

“The Great King has called upon me to patrol the mountains~”

Like a whimsical folk song, the sound drew Qin Yan in its direction.

Before long, Qin Yan spotted a greenish-blue insect demon, resembling a praying mantis, carrying a gong. As she walked, she beat the gong and sang a lively tune, seemingly patrolling the mountains, just as her song declared.

****

Within the Yanqing Sect.

A towering stone stele floated above the plaza—the Azure Sprout Stele, a derivative artifact of the secret trove itself.

Cultivators within the secret realm could earn merit points by slaying demons, and naturally, those with higher merit rankings would receive more bountiful rewards from the trove.

“Senior Brother Qin Yan’s name has appeared on the stele!”

It was unclear who had first cried out.

“His merit points are constantly accumulating! Truly worthy of being our Yanqing Sect’s foremost talent of this generation!”

An excited voice rang out.

Many cultivators had gathered in the plaza, and similar steles stood erect in all the major sects; at least for this day, it was a grand occasion for the Northern Region’s cultivators, with everyone keenly following the events.

Unlike the excited cultivators around her, Yu Qingxuan gazed at Qin Yan’s name on the stele with a slight frown.

Considering how little time had passed since he entered the secret realm for his name to appear, she, having experienced the secret realm herself, clearly understood the trouble Qin Yan was facing.

The numbers beside Qin Yan’s name on the stele continued to fluctuate, quickly climbing past twenty.

Until they finally ceased.

“Oh no, could something have happened to Junior Brother?”

Witnessing this, Yu Qingxuan felt a surge of overwhelming worry, yet she was utterly helpless. She harbored no desire for Qin Yan to bring glory to their sect; her sole wish was for her junior brother to remain safe and sound.

****

What exactly was Qin Yan doing at this moment? He was bound hand and foot, his body thoroughly entangled in white silk threads.

Earlier, upon seeing the small demon patrolling the mountains, he had intended to capture it alive, hoping to ascertain his location and gather some information. However, the mantis demon proved exceptionally cunning and agile; with a single cry, just as Qin Yan was about to silence it, a horsehair worm (TL Note: A parasitic worm, also known as a Gordian worm, known for its ability to manipulate its host.) emerged from its rear, summoning countless companions.

With matters having escalated to this point, Qin Yan had no choice but to unleash a massacre, only to his surprise, the mountain’s demon kings appeared.

All three demon kings were apex Foundation Establishment stage demons, each possessing innate divine abilities. This was precisely where human cultivators often fell short compared to demon cultivators; some demonic creatures not only boasted formidable physical bodies but also wielded their unique innate powers.

“A human cultivator? Why would you trespass into my Thousand Worm Mountain?”

A female demon with an alluring face, her eight legs carrying her forward, approached Qin Yan. Her delicate features seemed smudged with kohl, while her lower body resembled that of a spider.

She extended a hand, pinching Qin Yan’s chin as he was held aloft by the surrounding demons, examining him from side to side before a smile played on her lips.

“You’re quite handsome, actually. Perfect to be my cultivation vessel (TL Note: A male partner used by a female cultivator for dual cultivation, typically to absorb their essence for advancement).”

Though Qin Yan had, in his previous life, encountered numerous ‘monster girl’ mangas, when a true insect maiden appeared before him, he still felt a touch of ‘Lord Ye’s love for dragons’ (TL Note: A Chinese idiom, ‘Ye Gong Hao Long,’ describing someone who professes to love something but is terrified when actually confronted with it.).

It had been a moment of carelessness just now; he had been instantly ensnared by the spider demoness’s silk, spat from her abdomen. Otherwise, facing these three demon kings, he could have at least used an artifact to escape.

Hearing this, another demon king, standing beside the spider demoness, furrowed her brows.

This demon king’s black hair cascaded down her sides, while her lower body was a thousand-legged centipede-like form, scuttling across the ground—a sight that would surely be fatal to anyone afflicted with trypophobia (TL Note: The fear of closely packed holes or patterns, often associated with insects or organic forms).

“Great King, this human cultivator’s origins are unknown; perhaps it would be best to interrogate him first…”

She offered her suggestion, her myriad legs shifting beneath her, crushing the plants on the ground with a soft rustle as she approached Qin Yan. Her dark eyes met his, seemingly intent on seeing through him.

The third demon king was a scorpion demon, bearing no discernible human features whatsoever—it was purely a standing scorpion.

It remained silent.

“Second King, why such excessive worry? This human cultivator likely stumbled into my Thousand-Legged Mountain by accident; there’s no need for concern. Today, I am in high spirits, so I shall return to my cavern abode first to enjoy some wine, and we can discuss this further then.”

The spider demoness shook her head, seemingly dismissive of the centipede demoness’s words.

She had a premonition that by engaging in dual cultivation with this male cultivator, plucking his yang to supplement her yin (TL Note: A cultivation method where one absorbs the vital essence of another, typically a male’s ‘yang’ essence by a female, to enhance one’s own cultivation.), she might very well achieve Golden Core advancement this time. The thought sent a flush of heat through her lower body.

Upon hearing this, the centipede demoness offered no further words.

Qin Yan listened quietly to their conversation, refraining from struggling, for he had already tried. The spider silk binding him was exceptionally tough, and once it cut into his skin, it released toxins that suppressed his spiritual energy.

Rather than resist fruitlessly, it was better to be cautious, taking one step at a time; this was his only recourse.

Then, the spider demoness hoisted him onto her shoulder with a single swift motion, patting Qin Yan’s backside as she let out a boisterous laugh, openly licentious.

Though Qin Yan was a normal male, he felt utterly humiliated and violated at that moment.

The spider demoness and the centipede demoness walked away into the distance, followed by the un-transformed scorpion demon. Qin Yan inadvertently met its gaze, and to his surprise, he perceived an emotion within its eyes—an emotion named envy.