The Secret Realm’s Promise

In a secluded corner of Storm Valley, Yuan Xing and Xiao Siyu hid within a mountain hollow, observing the swarm of cultivators flying back and forth in the distant sky. They looked at each other in dismay.

Good heavens, it seemed that almost every cultivator in Storm Valley had gathered in this one area.

They had intended to leave the territory of the Human-Faced Owls, but just as they stepped past the boundary, they encountered a large group of cultivators heading their way. They had quickly landed and hidden, not daring to emerge until the group had passed.

Then, upon closer observation, they spotted Lei Lie among them.

Lei Lie’s face was deathly pale. He lacked the strength to control his own flying artifact and was forced to sit on the tool of a leading cultivator, pointing the way with a trembling finger.

Initially, Yuan Xing and Xiao Siyu assumed Lei Lie had been captured during his escape and coerced into guiding them. But when they overheard the conversation below, Yuan Xing was shocked.

“The Spirit Realm is indeed in this area. I guarantee it with my life!” Lei Lie croaked. “The reason I tell you this is because I am destined never to obtain the treasure… but those two brats must die. If you kill them, it will count as my revenge. The treasure will be your reward!”

These were Lei Lie’s own words. He had taken the initiative to find these people and reveal the secret. Clearly, since he knew he was too injured to claim the prize, he would rather make the secret public than let Xiao Siyu have it.

What a deep, petty hatred, Yuan Xing sighed inwardly.

During their observation, several more groups arrived. It seemed Lei Lie had broadcast the news through every channel available to him. This was getting interesting; in just half a day, everyone in Storm Valley had squeezed into this one territory.

Fortunately, Yuan Xing had lied earlier. If the Spirit Realm were actually there, given the current situation, even using his true Foundation Establishment strength wouldn’t have been enough to secure an advantage against such a mob.

Yuan Xing tugged at Xiao Siyu’s sleeve, urging her to leave this place of trouble immediately. They headed in the opposite direction, leaving the frantic crowd behind.

With the majority of the valley’s cultivators distracted by the Human-Faced Owl territory, the rest of the valley was unusually empty. This made it much easier for Yuan Xing to guide them to the actual location without worry.

About an hour later, Yuan Xing sensed the specific resonance of spiritual energy and led Xiao Siyu to the foot of a jagged mountain. He pointed at the rock face and said, “It’s inside, about ten zhang deep.”

“Alright, leave it to me!” Xiao Siyu stepped forward excitedly, placed her palm against the stone wall, and closed her eyes.

Waves of spiritual power surged from her hand, penetrating the mountain. Soon, accompanied by a low vibration, the rocks inside began to fracture and wash out with a controlled flow of water. In the time it took to burn an incense stick, a passage half the height of a man appeared. A faint, ethereal light shone from within—the soft blue fluorescence of high-density spiritual energy.

“Let’s go.” Xiao Siyu smiled and led the way.

Once Yuan Xing followed her inside, Xiao Siyu paused. She formed a hand seal, manipulating her Qi to control the water and debris, sealing the entrance behind them with rubble to ensure no one followed. Only then did she feel at ease.

At the end of the passage was a massive, luminous cavern—the true Spirit Realm. As soon as they stepped inside, they were washed over by a wave of unprecedented comfort.

“Mm… sigh. Now I understand why the major sects go to war over spirit vein resources. This feeling is incredible. Cultivating here would increase efficiency several times over,” Xiao Siyu said, raising her arms and stretching lazily.

A Spirit Vein is a natural geyser of spiritual energy. Such locations are the lifeblood of sects; a sect’s power is often measured by the scale of the veins it controls. A Spirit Realm is a variation of this—it is a place where scattered spiritual energy naturally pools due to the terrain. Because it “gathers” energy rather than generating it, the supply is finite and impure. Once the energy is drained, it typically takes decades to accumulate again.

This was why Spirit Realms weren’t usually contested by sects, but by individual rogue cultivators. The victor would absorb the energy or take the treasures and leave the site derelict for another ten years.

Both Xiao Siyu and Yuan Xing were at the lower rungs of the cultivation world. The spirit veins in their respective sects were reserved for the elite elders. This was their first time standing in such a sanctuary.

Yuan Xing felt exhilarated. “The other cultivators are all busy in the owl territory. Since we won’t be disturbed, how about we cultivate here for a while after we take the Morning and Evening Dew?”

Xiao Siyu’s eyes lit up. “Okay! Let’s do that.” No cultivator could resist the siren call of pure spiritual energy. “Then let’s not waste time. Let’s find the fruits quickly.”

They ventured deeper into the cave. They didn’t have to look far; the treasure was located where the spiritual energy was most dense.

In the center of the cavern was a small, crystal-clear lake. From its center grew a tree that looked like milky-white stalactite, about the height of a person. On its uppermost branches hung three white fruits. Each was the size of a thumb, but they looked incredibly heavy with concentrated power.

Xiao Siyu flew across the water and carefully plucked the three fruits. When she returned, she stood before Yuan Xing and hesitated for a fraction of a second. Then, she tossed one of the fruits to him with a genuine smile.

“Here. One for you, as per our agreement.”

The Morning and Evening Dew was a vital catalyst for breaking through from Qi Refining to the Foundation Establishment stage. While a cultivator only needed one fruit for themselves, the market value for the remaining two was astronomical. In a world governed by the “Immortal Gene” of absolute selfishness, giving away such a treasure was like cutting off one’s own limb.

Of all the people who had offered to “cooperate” with Yuan Xing back at the tavern, none would have actually handed over the fruit. They would have murdered him the moment the treasure was in hand, viewing it as the only logical conclusion.

Xiao Siyu had clearly wrestled with that same cold logic. But in the end, she chose to keep her word.

And that single choice would change her life forever.