Bai Roushuang frolicked in the air for nearly half an hour, while Xu Shulou spent the same time flying a kite on the ground.
Both of them thoroughly enjoyed themselves.
As the time for the secret realm’s opening approached, the chaotic crowd in the square gradually quieted down, preparing to enter.
Some rogue cultivators tried their luck, going from team to team to see if anyone would take them in.
A few even promised to hand over half of whatever treasures they found in exchange for protection from stronger groups.
There were no strict rules about team sizes, but cultivators from the same sect usually stuck together. Naturally, the most powerful sects became the center of attention.
Lu Beichen, the head disciple of the Lingxiao Sect, ignored the pleading rogue cultivators and minor sect members as he strode through the crowd. His gaze fixed solely on Bai Roushuang as he approached, inviting the Dustless Island group to explore the Void Abyss Secret Realm alongside the Lingxiao Sect.
Just as Bai Roushuang was about to respond, a woman’s voice cut in: "Senior Brother, who are you talking to?"
A young woman in a pale jade-green gown stepped forward, her hair elegantly coiled in twin buns, her demeanor noble and aloof. She stopped before Xu Shulou and the others, turning to Lu Beichen with a frown. "Senior Brother, are you inviting these minor sect disciples to join us?"
She spared no glance for the Dustless Island group, merely sweeping them with a disdainful look. "Who are these people?"
Some people spoke not to communicate, but to remind others of their inferior status.
This woman, Xiao Ya, gave Bai Roushuang exactly that impression. She bit her lip in silent frustration.
Major sects brought large groups—the Lingxiao Sect alone had nearly a hundred disciples. Xu Shulou, in comparison, had only brought Bai Roushuang, her fifth and sixth junior brothers, and a few other disciples from Dustless Island, totaling fewer than ten. No wonder they were mistaken for a minor sect.
Lu Beichen smiled and introduced them. "Junior Sister Xiao, these are disciples from Dustless Island. This is Miss Xu Shulou."
"Xu Shulou?" Xiao Ya’s expression darkened as she scrutinized the woman before her. "So it’s you."
Xu Shulou nodded slightly. "Miss Xiao."
The woman’s fingers traced the artifact on her wrist. "It seems you know who I am."
"Of course," Xu Shulou replied.
Xiao Ya smirked coldly. "If you have any grievances, bring them forward. I, Xiao Ya, owe you nothing and fear you even less."
Her aggressive stance left Bai Roushuang stunned.
Xu Shulou remained unruffled. "You misunderstand, Miss Xiao."
"Let’s hope so." With a final glance, Xiao Ya flicked her jade-green skirts and walked away.
"Junior Sister Xiao!" Lu Beichen sighed at his junior sister’s temper before turning back to Bai Roushuang. "You should still come with us. The Lingxiao Sect has numbers, and it’ll be safer."
Though he addressed the group, his gaze lingered on Bai Roushuang—clearly, the invitation was meant for her alone, with the others merely tolerated.
Amused, Xu Shulou declined politely, and the rest of the Dustless Island group followed suit.
Lu Beichen then looked directly at Bai Roushuang. "What about you, Junior Sister Bai?"
She hesitated, glancing at Xu Shou. Her senior sister shrugged, indifferent to her choice—after all, the Lingxiao Sect was strong enough to protect her in the Void Abyss Secret Realm.
After a brief pause, Bai Roushuang thought of Xiao Ya’s hostility and decided to stay.
Why suffer in another team when her senior sister could keep her safe?
Lu Beichen accepted the rejection gracefully. "Very well. The secret realm is dangerous, so be careful. We’ll meet again at the exit."
Bai Roushuang felt a flicker of warmth and nodded. "You too, Senior Brother Lu."
Once he left, she finally voiced her confusion. "Senior Sister, what’s the history between you and Xiao Ya? She acted like you were enemies."
Xu Shulou smiled wryly. "She’s the imperial princess of the Xiao Kingdom. I was a princess of the Xu royal family—until the Xiao clan wiped them out. I’m not sure what that makes us."
In the tales, Xiao Ya later became one of Lu Beichen’s lovers. The double betrayal had nearly driven the dream version of Xu Shoulou to madness.
Such a dark past… Bai Roushuang fell silent, unsure how to respond.
Xu Shulou, however, seemed unbothered. She handed each disciple a paper talisman. "If we get separated in the realm, crush this. I’ll find you."
They each accepted one.
Nearby, rogue cultivators still scrambled for teams, but their skills varied wildly, and without the coordination of sectmates, numbers meant little. Most sects refused them outright.
With fewer than ten members, the Dustless Island team wasn’t a target for these desperate cultivators. Bai Roushuang mused that if they had been, Xu Shulou—ever the softhearted—might have taken them all in.
Just then, a golden radiance burst forth. Excited shouts filled the air: "It’s open! The secret realm is open!"
By unspoken rule, the major sects entered first, and no one dared challenge them.
As the Lingxiao Sect stepped through, Lu Beichen glanced back at Bai Roushuang, offering an encouraging smile—whether genuine or a reminder of the privilege she’d turned down, she couldn’t tell.
Biting her lip, she asked Xu Shoulou, "Senior Sister, do early entrants have an advantage?"
"Some say the first teams are teleported closer to spiritual treasures," Xu Shoulou replied dismissively. "But it’s just a rumor."
After the major sects entered, the rest surged forward in a frenzy.
Xu Shoulou led her group through the portal, and they were instantly scattered across a mountaintop, with no other teams in sight.
Bai Roushuang marveled at the otherworldly landscape—endless and surreal, unlike anything in the mortal realm. The terrain was unmistakably alien, and even the flowers underfoot were unfamiliar.
The secret realm’s sky blazed with sunlight—too much, in fact. Bai Roushuang looked up and saw two and a half suns burning fiercely. As she stared at this bizarre sight, something enormous slithered through the clouds. She gasped. "What is that?!"
Xu Shoulou chuckled. "A cloud whale. An ancient spirit beast—now found only in the Void Abyss Secret Realm."
"Is it dangerous?" Bai Roushuang asked.
Xu Shulou shook her head: “They are extremely gentle by nature and would never attack humans unprovoked. If anyone finds themselves in danger within the secret realm, the cloud whales will come to their rescue as long as their cries for help are heard nearby.”
Bai Roushuang was surprised. “Given their appearance, I assumed they were dangerous beasts.”
Seeing her curiosity, Xu Shulou extended a hand. “Would you like to get a closer look?”
“Yes!” Bai Roushuang nodded eagerly.
Xu Shulou wrapped an arm around her and leapt into the sea of clouds. Only then did Bai Roushuang witness the cloud whales in their full majesty—far larger than even the grandest spiritual beasts she could have imagined. As they flew beside one, its single eye dwarfed the two of them.
Yet they were breathtakingly beautiful, their smooth, luminous hides gliding effortlessly through the mist, humming an ancient, mysterious melody as if reveling in leisurely tranquility.
Bai Roushuang watched in astonishment as Xu Shulou reached out to stroke the whale’s head, seemingly communicating with it. The creature responded with a slow, deliberate nod.
Then Xu Shulou guided her onto the whale’s back, gently landing. The other disciples of Dustless Island soon followed, alighting gracefully beside them.
The cloud whale turned its gaze upon them, gentle and watchful, as if ensuring they were steady. With a flick of its tail fin, it accelerated, soaring through the skies.
Standing atop the whale’s back, they traversed a thousand miles in moments.
Beneath their feet unfolded wonders beyond imagination; the wind roared past their ears.
Before Bai Roushuang’s eyes, the mystical tapestry of the cultivation world unfurled—as though she had stepped into the *Classic of Mountains and Seas*, encountering mythical creatures, riding a whale through the heavens, gazing down upon endless mountains and rivers veiled in swirling clouds.
When the whale finally halted, she remained spellbound by the marvel of it all.
Xu Shulou leapt down, pressing her forehead briefly against the whale’s in quiet gratitude. “Thank you.”
The whale swayed slightly, as if in reply, before drifting away with another graceful sweep of its tail.
