Chapter 8 Arrival at Nanling
Mu Jianjian realized the importance of the alarm clock, because she almost overdid it during her cultivation.
By the time the system kept calling her in her mind, the group from the Xuan Shuang Sect who had gone to the secret realm had already been gone for three days.
The disciple guarding the library said that during the month she spent there, Chi Wenqing came to see her many times, and Sang Wanyue came once before she left, but she didn't see her.
Mu Jianjian felt ashamed. In order not to be disturbed, she used illness as an excuse to close the door, but it seemed that she had forgotten about her injured senior brother.
Sang Wanyue came to see me again... I missed a golden opportunity to curry favor with her!
[I called you, but you didn't wake up.] (System non-stick pan.)
"I know." Mu Jianjian pouted, her fingertips swirling with energy. She had just broken through from Qi Condensation to Foundation Establishment a month ago, but unfortunately she couldn't go any further. However, she also knew that cultivation still required a down-to-earth approach.
She was completely unaware of how terrifying her cultivation speed was, and hurriedly returned to her courtyard to summon her maid.
"I need to go back to my cave to recuperate. I probably won't be able to leave for three months. Could you watch over the courtyard for me and make sure no one comes in to disturb me?"
The cave dwelling behind the courtyard was specially prepared by the original owner's father. It was made of spirit stones, and the original owner often recuperated there when he was seriously ill.
The maid felt that her mistress had changed recently. She was much more cheerful and her temper was no longer as unpredictable as before. Instead, she was like a warm little sun, and even more dazzling and beautiful.
If Miss could cultivate, she would be even more dazzling...
She sincerely replied, "Yes, Miss, please take good care of yourself."
——
While the elders and disciples of the Xuan Shuang Sect were busy with their affairs and cultivation, they were completely unaware that the sickly young lady in the back courtyard had taken her first step out of the sect and was secretly heading to the Nanling Secret Realm.
Carrying a "huge sum of money," Mu Jianjian went to the black market and bought a disguise mask, a spatial bag, a protective talisman, and so on. She then rushed to the town at the foot of Nanling Mountain.
The mainland is divided and controlled by seven forces: four factions, two sects, and one continent. The Xuan Shuang Sect and the Sheng Lian Pavilion are two of the "four factions," and the "one continent" refers to Yingzhou. The Nanling Mountains are the border land managed by the Hehuan Palace, one of the "two sects."
Thinking of the original book's setting, Mu Jianjian put on her hat and walked into the inn. The inn had two floors. The first floor was a teahouse for storytellers, while the second floor was for sleeping.
Because the secret realm had opened, it was bustling with people. The storyteller on the stage spoke eloquently, while the audience below consisted mostly of wandering cultivators who came from afar hoping to enter the secret realm and gain a glimmer of opportunity.
Mu Jianjian followed the waiter to the steward, took out a medium-grade spirit stone, and the steward's eyes lit up as he quickly took it.
While waiting for the other party to complete the registration process, she suddenly heard her own name and froze.
"...Mu Jianjian suddenly felt a huge sense of loss. She was clearly the eldest daughter of the Xuan Shuang Sect, but she was treated badly because she couldn't cultivate..." The storyteller continued.
Goodness, she's become the main character here. Mu Jianjian asked the system in confusion, "Was the original owner very famous on the mainland?"
Ye Wuluo is very famous in mainland China.
That's true. With such a prominent childhood sweetheart, it would be hard to remain unknown, especially since she was a pampered young lady with no refinement.
Mu Jianjian listened with great interest to the "competition between herself and Ye Wuluo's suitors." Just as she was about to reach for the doorplate that the steward had prepared, a haughty voice came from beside her.
"A superior room."
The manager gave an apologetic smile and pointed to Mu Jianjian, who had her room number booked, saying, "The last superior room has already been booked."
The man, dressed in a dark, narrow-sleeved python robe with gold auspicious cloud patterns embroidered on the cuffs and hem, scanned the veiled woman up and down. Seeing that she was dressed in plain clothes, he asked, "Young lady, how much do you want me to give?"
Mu Jianjian felt uncomfortable upon hearing the high-pitched, flirtatious voice. "Sorry, I won't allow it."
She's very rich now! She's practically a millionaire! Besides, there are many people in Nanling after the secret realm opens. If she leaves this shop, she'll probably have a hard time finding an empty, high-class place to stay.
"I am a disciple of the Hehuan Palace. I hope you will do me the honor." His high-profile words immediately attracted the attention of those around him. The man had a jade pendant hanging from his waist, on which the character "three" was clearly engraved.
The crowd's gaze immediately shifted to the man. Below the Hall Master of Hehuan Palace were the "six adopted sons." The six men had different personalities and their whereabouts were uncertain, but what remained constant was that they all possessed extremely high cultivation and talent.
Unexpectedly, the person sent to the secret realm by the Hehuan Palace this time was the Third Young Master, who was known for his ruthless nature. Everyone turned their worried gazes to the woman standing to the side.
Mu Jianjian didn't think that much about it. She just felt that with so many people around, the other party wouldn't cause her any trouble because of the name of the Hehuan Palace. And after going to the secret realm tomorrow, they probably wouldn't care about her anymore.
After saying the polite words, he turned and went upstairs.
"Third Young Master, look—" The steward trembled, and before he could finish speaking, a slap landed on his face.
Cui Wenxiao didn't move. He looked down and saw the steward who had fallen to the ground and was spitting blood because of the slap. He laughed and said, "The steward doesn't need to slap himself to apologize."
Anyone with eyes can see that he did it!
Everyone around knew the truth perfectly well, but no one dared to interfere. Even the storyteller stopped talking, since no one would risk offending the young master of Hehuan Palace for the sake of a servant.
"Third Young Master, please calm down..." The steward got up and began slapping himself repeatedly. Blood soon flowed from his mouth.
The inn fell silent for a moment, with only the loud slap and the tearful apology echoing in the air.
The moment Mu Jianjian heard the sound of the slap, she turned around abruptly. Unable to hit her, she took her anger out on the servants!
She rushed down the stairs to Cui Wenxiao's side, cleared her throat, rubbed her hands together, and exclaimed in surprise, "Third Young Master! So you're the Third Young Master!"
"Oh dear, look at my eyes, I didn't recognize you at all," Mu Jianjian's voice was completely different from her previous cold attitude. She wiped the sign in her hand obsequiously and handed it to Cui Wenxiao with both hands.
"I have long heard of the reputation of the Third Young Master of Hehuan Palace. Now that I have met you, I am afraid that those empty words are not even a fraction as good as you."
Seeing the other party take the token, Mu Jianjian immediately turned to the kneeling, trembling steward and scolded him, "You idiot, what are you standing there for? Hurry up and get me a room token!"
The steward mumbled "Yes" and quickly got up to carry out his task.
"Then, Third Young Master, what do you think? Tomorrow's secret realm—" Mu Jianjian drawled, hinting that she wanted to climb the social ladder and travel together.
"You dare to say that?" Cui Wenxiao's eyes flashed with disgust as he glanced at the woman. He snorted coldly and turned to leave.
In the second-floor corridor, a boy dressed in purple and wearing a veiled hat leaned against a pillar and witnessed the whole process downstairs. He reached his hand into the long, waist-length veil, and a thin, black and red snake crawled from his neck onto his bony hand, hissing.
The boy raised an eyebrow, as if talking to a snake, "What you're saying isn't right. She was clearly saving that person."
The snake twisted its body and hissed even more vigorously.
"Hua Hua, how come your brain wasn't boiled?" The boy rolled his eyes and casually stuffed the snake into his bun.
"Sun Yu, let's discuss our plan to enter the secret realm tomorrow." Just then, a voice called out from behind, and a woman in blue beckoned to the young man.
The hissing of the slender snake vanished instantly, and the boy's voice became light and sweet, "Okay, I'm coming."
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