Chapter 31 Guess what? Warm breath brushed against her sensitive spot, almost imperceptibly…
Zhong Jiuli raised her eyes and glanced at the newcomer. When she saw the other person's cultivation level, her brows furrowed involuntarily.
The young master of the Sima family had already reached the late stage of the Golden Core realm. His spiritual energy was solid, his blood and qi were vigorous, and his physique was obviously extremely strong.
A sense of unease crept into her heart; she wondered if the little tiger could defeat this man.
After hearing the other person's boastful words, Bai curled his lip impatiently and replied, "If you want to fight, then fight. What are you pretending for? If you're so good at pretending, are you a trash can?"
Although the young man in the purple robe did not know what a trash can was, he knew from the name that it was an object used to hold trash.
"You're courting death!" he said coldly, his face darkening.
Before he finished speaking, the purple-robed youth flipped his wrist, and a golden spear immediately appeared. The spear tip flashed with a cold light, like a dragon emerging from the abyss, aiming straight for Bai Ye's throat.
Bai didn't dare to underestimate his opponent. This person seemed much stronger than the previous ones, after all, none of the previous opponents could put on such a show as him.
The two figures clashed like lightning, exchanging dozens of blows in the blink of an eye.
The sound of metal clashing echoed in the sky. The two fought with great force, their sword shadows and spear flashes crisscrossing. In a short while, many of the bluestone slabs on the ground were smashed.
If their original owner were here, he would definitely make those two regret it.
With a clang, the heavy sword and the golden spear collided in mid-air, and a violent shockwave swept around them.
Bai gripped the sword hilt with both hands and retreated more than ten steps. The purple-robed youth also retreated seven or eight steps before regaining his balance.
The purple-robed youth pointed his spear diagonally at the ground. His eyes narrowed slightly, and his previous contempt had completely vanished: "You're only at the early stage of Foundation Establishment, yet you can match my strength. You do have some talent. No wonder you dared to kill someone from my Sima family."
His gaze swept over Bai Ye, and he suddenly sneered, "Considering your talent is not bad, I will make an exception for you today. Come back to Guzhou with me as my personal maid, and you will be spared from death."
Upon hearing this, Zhong Jiuli looked at the purple-robed youth as if he were a dead man.
Liu Xianyue was so angry that she laughed out loud. What kind of trash is she? She doesn't even deserve to let her little tiger be a maid.
Bai Ye, on the contrary, was the most composed, and said with a light laugh, "I will definitely pay a visit to the Sima family of Guzhou when I have the chance!"
She emphasized those last four words, clearly indicating her murderous intent.
"Now, let's deal with you, you trash can." Bai Ye shouted in a low voice, his toes touching the ground as fast as lightning.
The heavy sword cleaved through the air, seemingly tearing apart even space itself. She gripped the sword with both hands and slashed down at the purple-robed youth.
The young man in purple robes parried with his spear, and with a loud "boom," the bluestone slab beneath his feet instantly turned to dust, and he was slammed into the ground by the force of the impact.
"Have you ever played whack-a-mole?" Bai shouted. "Like what we're doing right now."
As she spoke, her heavy sword fell one after another, each strike as heavy as a thousand pounds. The purple-robed youth's body sank with this immense force, until in the blink of an eye only his shoulders and above were still above the ground.
Just as Bai Ye raised his sword to strike again, the purple-robed youth suddenly launched an attack.
With a loud "boom," the ground exploded open, and the purple-robed youth burst out of the ground. His once magnificent purple-gold brocade robe was now covered in mud, and the jade crown that bound his hair had long since been shattered by the sword energy.
At this moment, his hair was disheveled, with strands of hair hanging down that covered most of his face, leaving only his bloodshot, scarlet eyes visible.
"You're nothing but ants!" the purple-robed youth roared, his voice devoid of any trace of the composure of a noble young master. "You dare to hurt me? Today I'll show you the very foundation upon which my Sima family stands."
He suddenly jerked his spear, and a blinding golden light shone from the shaft. In an instant, thirty-six afterimages appeared in the arena, each maintaining a different spear-wielding posture, thrusting, parrying, or sweeping, like a cage that completely enveloped Bai Ye.
"Phantom Gun!" Someone in the crowd recognized the gun technique and exclaimed in surprise.
This is an ancient spear technique secretly passed down by the Sima family. It is said that only direct descendants can practice it. Those who master it can conjure up a thousand spear shadows, each of which is difficult to distinguish from the real one, making it impossible to defend against.
Bai felt a dizzying sensation as dozens of spear tips, gleaming with a cold light, hurtled straight toward his face.
This was the first time she had encountered such a situation, so she was inevitably a little flustered, and her swordplay became somewhat chaotic for a moment.
"Young man, seeing is not always believing!" Xiao Jin suddenly spoke up to remind him.
Upon hearing this, Bai immediately closed her eyes. That's right, she was a cultivator with the ability to escape through the void and control the laws of space. Why would she need to use her eyes to search for that real attack?
The power of the void circulated, and time and space seemed to freeze.
In the arena, thirty-six figures were frozen in mid-air.
At this moment, only Bai was real; her heavy sword moved, and with each swing, a spear shadow shattered.
Thirty-five sword strikes were unleashed in succession, and thirty-five illusory figures shattered one after another, vanishing without a trace like flowers in a mirror or the moon in the water.
The final sword strike, imbued with the force of splitting the heavens and earth, slammed heavily into the tip of the purple-robed youth's spear.
"boom!"
The purple-robed youth was struck as if by lightning, and he was sent flying backward, crashing heavily into the tightly closed bronze door.
The defensive array on the bronze gate activated automatically, bouncing him back into the field, where he landed with a "thud" in front of Bai Ye.
Once the dust settled, everyone seemed to awaken from a dream and looked at the tall figure standing in the center of the arena, sword in hand.
Everything happened so fast that many people didn't even see what was going on. All they saw was that in that instant, dozens of red-robed figures wielding heavy swords appeared in the air, confronting the purple-robed youth with the gun.
At this moment, everyone had the same question in their minds: How come the young master of the Sima family was instantly killed after just unleashing his ultimate move?!
Bai Ye's heavy sword was pointed diagonally at the purple-robed youth, the tip of the sword pressed precisely against his heart. The sharp tip of the sword was blocked by the purple-robed youth's robe, but if she wanted to, this heavy sword could pierce his heart at any time.
The purple-robed youth's face drained of color, his previous arrogance vanished, and large beads of sweat rolled down his forehead. He never expected to be defeated, especially by a relatively unknown Foundation Establishment cultivator.
This made him feel ashamed.
The young man in the blue robe was ashen-faced. How could his elder brother have been defeated by this young girl? What were they to do next? Would they be wiped out?
Upon seeing this, the Sima family guards were about to rush into the arena to rescue their young master. The moment they moved, the cultivators from the Wilderness State also sprang into action, blocking them all.
"A Golden Core cultivator fighting a Foundation Establishment cultivator, if they lose, are they going to gang up on them?" Li Chengfeng mocked.
"Exactly, that's really shameless," someone else chimed in.
"You can tell these people are too ashamed to show their faces by looking at them in black robes."
The crowd chimed in, making the black-robed cultivators' faces tense. However, they were surrounded by cultivators from the Wilderness State and unable to go up to rescue their young master.
Bai glanced back at the group of people behind him, then looked at the trash can on the ground and asked, "Aren't you going to beg for mercy?"
Her gaze was calm, but it chilled the young man in purple robes to the bone; he could feel the killing intent in her eyes.
"Do you know that even in Guzhou, few dare to provoke the Sima family? If you dare to harm me, it will bring annihilation upon your clan..."
Bai grinned, revealing his white teeth, but the smile didn't reach his eyes. "You wouldn't be thinking that your family has a terrifying ancestor who would hunt me down to the ends of the earth if I dared to kill you, would you?"
The young man in purple robes didn't speak, but his meaning was self-evident.
"Then let's give it a try!" Bai Ye showed no fear in his eyes. Which protagonist isn't constantly being hunted down?
Her grip on the sword suddenly loosened.
The sword suddenly plunged downwards.
"laugh!"
Just as the sword tip pierced half an inch into the purple-robed youth's chest, a dazzling golden light suddenly erupted from his body.
An illusory figure of an old man with white hair and beard appeared out of thin air. As soon as he appeared, he raised his hand and slapped down at Bai Ye.
The withered hand, carrying the force to destroy the heavens and the earth, slammed into Bai Ye's crown.
At this critical moment.
"Smack!"
A pale, jade-like hand effortlessly blocked this devastating blow. The moment the two hands met, the entire hall and plaza trembled.
A violent shockwave exploded, sending the onlookers flying like fallen leaves.
Everyone was shocked and quickly retreated, clearing the battlefield.
As the smoke cleared, Zhong Jiuli was seen standing there, her plain white robes fluttering in the wind. The ground beneath her feet had collapsed, and behind her, Bai was still standing perfectly fine, without even moving an inch.
"Old man Sima," Zhong Jiuli called out, her voice not loud, but it contained an imposing aura.
Upon recognizing the newcomer, the old man Sima's arrogant expression instantly froze. He withdrew his hand and bowed, saying, "This old man was blind and did not know that Sect Master Zhong had come in person. I have offended you greatly."
He spoke quite politely, unlike the arrogant old man outside the secret realm. This was actually normal; the higher one's cultivation, the more one understood how terrifying Zhong Jiuli was.
In the eyes of this old man Sima, he would be willing to sacrifice the entire Sima family in exchange for a sliver of immortality.
Therefore, why would they risk their lives against Zhong Jiuli for the sake of a descendant? Zhong Jiuli wouldn't casually attack the younger generation, but she wouldn't hesitate to kill these old guys.
Over the years, countless old monsters who went to the Sanqing Sect to cause trouble have been forcefully suppressed by her.
Those people, which one of them didn't end up with their soul and spirit destroyed?
Zhong Jiuli did not return the greeting. She glanced at the purple-robed youth on the ground and said, "When juniors spar, you use a killing move right away. Isn't that a bit too much?"
Old Man Sima glanced at the purple-robed youth lying on the ground like a dead dog, a flash of anger crossing his face. He feigned a pained and remorseful expression, saying, "I hope Sect Leader Zhong will forgive us. This is a misfortune for our family! These worthless descendants are truly..."
Liu Xianyue flew forward and mocked, "Heh, you old fool, you talk so nicely. If it weren't for Zhong Jiuli blocking this, my little tiger would probably have been killed by your palm today."
When the old man Sima saw Liu Xianyue approaching, his figure immediately swayed. He cried out in alarm, "Oh no! My soul is unstable and I'm afraid it will dissipate soon. Another day, another day my Sima family will definitely go to Zhongzhou to apologize to Sect Master Zhong in person."
Before he finished speaking, the old man Sima's phantom had already vanished into thin air like a bubble.
Liu Xianyue twitched the corner of her mouth and said with a gloomy expression, "That old fox, he's quick to run away."
Her gaze fell on the purple-robed youth on the ground. "In that case, I'll use this trash can to pay off my debt."
Upon hearing this, the young man in the purple robe was shocked and instinctively hugged his arms and shrank back.
Liu Xianyue looked at him with disdain: "Don't act like I'm lusting after your body. You look like a ghost, not even as cute as a single hair of my little tiger. Stop dawdling and hand over your storage ring."
"And you, all of you, hand over your storage equipment." She pointed at each of the Sima family cultivators one by one, her slender fingers stained with crimson nail polish.
The group immediately turned pale. They had gained a lot from their trip to the secret realm, having picked countless spiritual herbs and medicines, and also obtained many good things from the cultivators of the Wilderness State.
To hand it over now would be like cutting flesh from their bodies.
"Wow, Zhong Jiuli, is this how you robbed people when you and Liu Xianyue were adventuring together?" Bai Ye leaned close to Zhong Jiuli's ear and asked in a low voice.
Zhong Jiuli glanced at her with a light laugh, "Don't follow her example."
"I've already learned it!" Bai Ye's voice was somewhat excited.
Her perspective is still too narrow.
Liu Xianyue is indeed a businesswoman. From the very beginning, she probably saw these black-robed cultivators as fat sheep that she had released. Once they had fattened up, it would be time for her to reap the rewards.
Before long, a small mountain of storage artifacts had been piled up on the ground, including storage bags, storage rings, storage belts, storage bracelets, and many other styles.
The sheer quantity of items piled up on the open ground was enough to make even the cultivators from the Wilderness Continent stare in disbelief. Wasn't the whole point of entering the secret realm to seize treasures?
Unfortunately, the lessons of the past are right here. If anyone dares to make a move, the fate of the Sima family will be the fate of everyone else.
Liu Xianyue reached out and patted Bai Ye on the head, laughing, "Little guy, what are you daydreaming about? Go and put everything away."
Like a cat that has just discovered dried fish, Bai ran over excitedly and put all the things on the ground into Xiao Lü's storage space.
Zhong Jiuli looked at the little tiger's greedy appearance and couldn't help but shake her head and chuckle.
"You're so useless," she scolded softly, her eyes full of children, how greedy she was, yet she was so adorable, and I couldn't do anything about her gentle demeanor.
After Bai finished picking up the things on the ground, he returned to the trash can and kicked him, saying, "What are you waiting for? Stop dawdling and hand over the things."
The young man in purple robes, though unwilling, had no choice but to take off his storage ring and throw it on the ground.
After removing the storage ring, he picked up the golden spear from the ground and was about to leave.
"Wait," Bai shouted, "Leave the gun behind."
"You!!!" The purple-robed youth glared angrily, his eyes bloodshot.
"Stop talking nonsense! Do you think watching you show off doesn't hurt your eyes? This is my compensation for work-related injuries!" Bai said loudly.
Personally, Bai didn't want to let this person go either, but she couldn't kill him when his ancestor was around.
Moreover, this person cannot die in public, otherwise countless people will suffer the consequences.
With a clang, the purple-robed youth threw down his spear and strode away with his men.
Bai happily picked up the storage ring from the ground. To be honest, the storage ring was quite beautiful. The antique black ring band shimmered with a faint light, and some dark patterns were engraved on it. After putting it on his hand, the ring band automatically shrank to a suitable size.
"Don't try to keep it all to yourself, we'll split the profits later," Liu Xianyue's voice rang out softly.
Bai chuckled and said, "I know, am I that kind of person? Everyone who follows me praises me, saying I'm a really good boss."
Liu Xianyue asked curiously, "Oh, I had no idea who your followers were?"
“Yes, don’t you know them all? Little Green, Big Black, they all hang out with me,” Bai said shamelessly.
Liu Xianyue rolled her eyes, slapped her on the head, and pushed her away. She had thought this little one really had some secret she didn't know.
Bai wasn't annoyed at all. He stepped back and hummed that today was a good day before running to Zhong Jiuli's side.
With the Sima family members gone from the plaza in front of the palace, the atmosphere was much more relaxed, and all the cultivators gathered around the bronze gate to study the restriction.
Zhong Jiuli stood in front of the door, intently observing the ancient patterns on the bronze door. Dressed in white, tall and elegant, she stood out in the crowd.
"Did you figure anything out?" Bai also leaned closer to her and asked.
Zhong Jiuli shook her head slightly, "The entire hall is shrouded in an ancient formation. Without the key, it should be impossible to open."
"This must be where the master of the secret realm left his legacy, right? Could it be that none of us are to the master's liking, so the gate is tightly closed and we are not allowed to enter?" Bai said curiously, gently pushing the door open.
However, something unexpected happened.
With a creak, the massive bronze gate, sealed for thousands of years, slowly opened.
A ray of golden light shone through the open door crack and landed on Bai Ye, who was standing to the side.
This added a touch of sanctity to her appearance.
The square fell silent. Everyone held their breath and focused their attention on Bai Ye.
Previously, everyone had tried their best, whether it was forceful destruction or attempts by those skilled in formations to break the formation, all of which ended in failure.
At this moment, Bai Ye casually pushed open the giant door, as naturally as if the owner of this place were returning home.
Bai also looked at her palm in surprise. She hadn't even used much force. She had just wanted to look cool and casually leaned against the door to talk to Zhong Jiuli.
The door was surprisingly pushed open.
"I just gave it a light push..." Bai muttered softly.
Zhong Jiuli chuckled, "It seems you're right. Those people before didn't meet the master of the secret realm's expectations, so they were unwilling to open the door. This secret realm seems to have a special connection with you, little tiger."
Bai also thought of the elegant white tiger he had seen outside the secret realm. Could this secret realm have been left behind by the ancestors of the White Tiger clan?
Thinking of this, she unconsciously increased the force in her hand, pushing open the massive bronze door that had only a slight crack.
With a creak, a dazzling golden light surged forth like a tide, enveloping everyone present in its golden glow.
Everyone instinctively raised their hands to shield their eyes. As the golden light gradually dissipated, when they looked back into the hall, they saw only an empty, vast hall.
Bai Ye turned to look at Zhong Jiuli, "Shall we go in?"
Zhong Jiuli nodded slightly, reached out to stop Bai Ye from taking a step forward, and said, "I'll go in first."
With that, she stepped over the threshold, which was about half a person's height.
Bai also stared wide-eyed into the doorway, but as soon as Zhong Jiuli went in, she disappeared from sight.
She thought to herself, "Oh no, is it another random teleportation?" Without thinking, she chased after them.
"You two heartless bastards, wait for me!" Liu Xianyue's voice was somewhat exasperated.
Seeing this, the other cultivators surged in like a tide, and the plaza in front of the hall was empty in the blink of an eye.
Just then, the purple-robed youth returned. He and his men stealthily crept into the main hall. This place was very likely the site of the inheritance, so how could he possibly miss it?
......
The moment Bai Ye stepped into the main hall, she felt a sudden dizziness. When her vision cleared, she found herself in an unfamiliar palace.
This palace seems to be the master's bedroom. The furnishings inside show signs of age, yet they are spotless.
Bai Ye's gaze was fixed on the golden table that seemed to be cast in gold. On the table was a set of jade tea set and a small tin of tea.
"Could it be Phoebe zhennan?" Bai murmured to herself. With her knowledge, Phoebe zhennan was the only thing she knew about.
"Bullshit, that's the ancient Ruomu tree. You stinky tiger, you've struck it rich, hurry up and put that tea set away!" Little Green suddenly said.
Bai was also shocked, as she knew that Ruomu was one of the ten ancient divine trees.
She quickly gathered up the table, tea set, and tea leaves, which could be used to make tea for her mother later. Legend has it that under the Ruomu tree, one is immune to all diseases. Whether it is a demon in one's heart or any other stubborn illness, it can be cured.
With this tea table, wouldn't Atractylodes macrocephala be able to live for hundreds of years?
"You stinky tiger, everything in this room is a treasure. See what's displayed on that display cabinet?"
Bai looked up when he heard this, and saw several trinkets on the display cabinet, including a jade carving and an incense burner of unknown purpose.
Anyway, since Xiao Lü said it was a good thing, Bai didn't care about the consequences and just bought it.
After putting away the items on the shelf, Bai also turned his gaze to the canopy bed in the distance, which was carved with a hundred beasts.
Hanging from the bed canopy were glass-like beads that shimmered with light. I don't know what material they were made of. They felt warm to the touch and emitted a shimmering luster. It seemed as if there were clouds and mist flowing inside. They were extremely beautiful.
She couldn't help but hum "Today is a good day" again, and put all the beads into her spatial storage.
Little Green suddenly laughed, "Pfft... you stinky tiger, I didn't expect you to be so ignorant! Do you even know what kind of material this bed is made of?"
Bai knew exactly what Xiao Lü meant, and before she could even finish speaking, she had already taken the entire bed away.
She realized she really didn't know what she was missing, so she decided to switch to bandit mode!
Take away any unfamiliar screens, and also take away the robes hanging on the rack.
In short, it can be summed up in one word: plucking feathers from a passing goose.
When Bai Ye came out of the bedroom, the once simple and elegant bedroom was now just bare walls and a floor tile with a corner pried off.
As Bai stepped out of the palace, she patted her chest with lingering fear. Just now, when she was prying up the floor tiles, she had felt a strange divine thought.
It seemed that if she dared to pry open the floor tiles again, the divine power would kill her right there.
Startled, she shoved the half-pried floor tile back into place and ran out of the bedroom in a flash.
Bai looked around and found himself in a long corridor. The vermilion corridor stretched endlessly in both directions, and he had no idea where it led.
She randomly chose a direction and walked aimlessly.
"This place is like a maze," Bai muttered to herself as she casually pushed open a palace door.
Inside was a pill-making room, with six or seven bottles of white jade gleaming with a lustrous spiritual light on the shelves. Without saying a word, she began to devour them.
Suddenly, footsteps sounded behind him. Bai's eyes sharpened, and he drew his sword and turned to look at the person who had come.
Upon recognizing the person, the wariness in her eyes turned into surprise.
"Zhong Jiuli, how come you found me again? You always manage to find me, are you very concerned about me?" Bai Ye leaned closer and asked with a grin.
Zhong Jiuli's gaze swept across the room, and she immediately knew what this guy was doing.
"Wait for me, I still have some to collect." Bai Ye said as he ran back into the hall, swept through the medicine bottles on the shelf, and then ran to Zhong Jiuli's side in a few steps, reaching out to grasp her wrist.
"Hold my hand, otherwise we'll get separated again." Her explanation only made things worse, giving the impression that she was trying to cover something up.
"By the way, you still haven't told me how you found me?" Bai turned his head, staring intently at Zhong Jiuli, trying to glean some clues from her face.
She's not stupid. In this vast secret realm, how could someone find her so quickly and accurately without any search methods?
Zhong Jiuli didn't rush to answer. Her gaze slowly slid to the red T-shaped hairband behind her head, which swayed slightly as she walked, making it particularly eye-catching.
A slight smile played on her lips, and a soft chuckle escaped her throat. Her voice was low and soft, drifting gently into Bai Ye's ears.
The laughter was so close, it felt like it was brushing against his earlobe. The warm breath brushed against his sensitive earlobe, and Bai felt a tingling sensation on one side of his body, as if he had been struck by a tiny electric current, the sensation spreading from his earlobe all the way to his fingertips.
She subconsciously raised her hand to rub her ear, her fingertips touching something burning hot, which made her cheeks feel hot as well.
"What are you laughing at?" Bai stammered.
Zhong Jiuli tilted her head slightly, her gaze falling on her bright red ears. She felt a little itchy to pinch them, but she restrained herself.
"Why is it red again?"
Bai also paused, wanting to shout, "Don't you know why you're so red?"
Such a beautiful woman leaned close to your ear, chuckling in a seductive voice, her fragrance penetrating your very soul—who could resist?
Zhong Jiuli leaned closer and chuckled softly, "Guess...?"
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Author's Note: Bai Ye: Next time, I'll kill your old man Deng too! [Sunglasses]
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