The Sanghai Secret Realm was rather peculiar, as communication talismans could not be used within it.
Bai Shengyi had initially assumed that Sun Ling would first rendezvous with Jing Fei and Qin Sanxiang, but to her surprise, Sun Ling shook her head.
"We agreed to split up and move west in the end."
After finding another Grand Spiritual Mansion, both of them gained considerable benefits. Sun Ling successfully formed her Golden Core, while Bai Shengyi, already in the Golden Core stage, found the effects less pronounced.
This was their third month in the secret realm, meaning only three days had passed in the outside world.
According to Wen Jiuyin's prior instructions, they could stay in the secret realm for a maximum of seven years. However, there was no guarantee that the Sanghai Secret Realm wouldn't expel cultivators prematurely or close itself.
Currently, she and Sun Ling had collected nine Spiritual Mansion Keys, a pace that wasn't too slow.
"In that case, we'll continue at our previous pace, training with the Spiritual Mansion Guardian Beasts while searching for Mansions," Bai Shengyi said with a smile.
The Spiritual Mansion Guardian Beasts were incredibly diverse, with a myriad of unique innate divine abilities. Mantis demons and mutated leeches, which Bai Shengyi had encountered earlier, were considered rather common. Later, she encountered fish that could transform into birds and Flame Bears capable of consuming metal.
In essence, these spirit beasts possessed formidable combat power and harbored intense animosity towards humans. Bai Shengyi speculated that their purpose might be akin to whetstones.
Engaging in battles with these spirit beasts would also help consolidate one's cultivation. Sun Ling naturally agreed, responding cheerfully, "Alright."
As she finished speaking, she saw Bai Shengyi retrieve a food box from her storage pouch. The box was made of spiritual jade, preserving the freshness and cleanliness of the ingredients. They emerged exactly as they had been placed inside.
Bai Shengyi snapped her fingers, and a flame appeared, heating the food box. A fragrant aroma wafted out.
Sun Ling took a deep breath and suddenly felt hungry.
Yet, she knew this was an illusion. She had consumed a辟谷丹 (Bìgǔ Dān - a type of fasting pill) a few days prior, and these pills could sustain her for half a month without hunger.
"Shengyi, you've already achieved辟谷, so why do you still eat? If you want to eat, just consume some spiritual fruits or beast meat."
This wasn't the first time, so Sun Ling was prepared. She silently took out a spiritual fruit, feeling a liquid being secreted in her mouth, beyond her control.
Bai Shengyi smiled. "My lover made it for me, and it would be a waste to discard it."
She enjoyed eating delicious food and was not accustomed to taking辟谷丹.
Before entering the secret realm, she had planned to catch some fish herself and keep them in her storage pouch to roast and eat when hungry. However, she hadn't expected that while she was unaware, Qin Si had specifically learned to cook and had prepared a considerable amount of food for her before they entered the secret realm. Each box was packed in special spiritual jade, requiring only heating for her to eat.
Sun Ling propped her chin on her hand and smiled. "No wonder. He's truly considerate. You know, after Changxing recovered his memories, he felt so guilty towards me, but he never did anything like this."
For cultivators, cooking was not considered a dignified profession. In their eyes, such tasks were for family servants and ordinary people. Moreover, cultivators should not indulge in gluttony and should save time for more cultivation.
"Oh, indeed. That's why I cherish it so much." Bai Shengyi's eyes held a smile, softening her ordinarily cold and striking beauty.
While the two of them had the leisure to chat and rest, Yun Youyue and her party were on the verge of exploding.
"I don't care. If you all still intend to follow Bai Shengyi, then I'm quitting the team!"
Sun Chongyang crossed his arms. "We've been in here for three months and only found two Spiritual Mansions. If this continues, there's no way we'll have a chance to find the Sanghai Spiritual Mansion."
Yun Youyue said coldly, "The Sanghai Spiritual Mansion only requires Spiritual Mansion Keys. We can just snatch them when the time comes. What are you worried about?"
"Exactly! Sun Chongyang, don't forget that the previous two Spiritual Mansions were both found by Youyue. You can't just abandon us after we've succeeded!" Jin Lingfeng followed Yun Youyue's lead, accusing him.
"Nonsense!" Sun Chongyang hissed. A shade of gloom appeared on his pale face. "If I hadn't killed those Spiritual Mansion Guardian Beasts, would you have been able to enter the Mansions? Crown Prince Jin, do you take me for a fool?"
"Sun Chongyang!" Jin Lingfeng roared.
Sun Chongyang remained unfazed and let out a soft snort. "I don't care. Either change the route, or I quit."
As he spoke, he looked at Yun Youyue with incomprehension. "Fairy Youyue, I don't understand why you insist on antagonizing Fairy Shengyi. Isn't it better to just find your own Spiritual Mansions?"
The crucial point was that they insisted on following Bai Shengyi, which resulted in his cultivation remaining the same as before after being in here for so long, without gaining any benefits!
Yun Youyue clenched her fists, suppressing the surging anger. Her expression remained grim.
She glanced at Xia Lingling. "Lingling, what do you think?"
"I want to pursue Bai Shengyi," Xia Lingling said in a low voice. She raised her head, as if trying to persuade Sun Chongyang. "Bai Shengyi must have at least five Spiritual Mansion Keys in her possession."
Sun Chongyang was baffled. Why were these two women so insistent on clashing with Bai Shengyi!
"Then I'm leaving!" Sun Chongyang declared and strode away.
Jin Lingfeng frowned slightly, a hint of worry in his voice. "Youyue, won't this affect your plan?"
Yun Youyue looked at Xia Lingling. If Jin Lingfeng were to observe closely, he would notice that Yun Youyue treated Xia Lingling with considerable courtesy, even a trace of apprehension.
Xia Lingling replied, "Don't worry. I put something in the water I gave him yesterday, and he drank it."
Only after Xia Lingling spoke did Yun Youyue give a cold laugh and reply to Jin Lingfeng, "It won't. Just wait and see, Sun Chongyang will be proven wrong by himself."
Jin Lingfeng frowned slightly, feeling that Yun Youyue and Xia Lingling were hiding something from him. Thinking of this, he couldn't help but feel a sense of loss.
Wasn't he the person closest to Youyue? How could Xia Lingling, who had joined their team midway, know things that he, as an original member, did not?
...
Sun Chongyang was unaware of Yun Youyue's scheme. After leaving the team, he headed east. However, as he walked, he began to feel that something was amiss.
Sun Chongyang looked at the two women in front of him. One of them was precisely his type, her beauty as resplendent as a newly bloomed peony, possessing a distinct and unrestrained indifference that was exceptionally captivating.
Perhaps his gaze was too undisguised, as the woman raised an eyebrow coldly, displeased, and asked, "Who are you?"
Before Sun Chongyang could reply, he saw the woman beside her look up, her expression changing slightly. "Shengyi, this is Sun Chongyang."
Sun Chongyang was slightly stunned. Was this Bai Shengyi?
How had he encountered Bai Shengyi again?
Disregarding Sun Ling's peculiar expression, Sun Chongyang immediately checked the spiritual artifact that was guiding him.
Damn it! When had that woman Yun Youyue tampered with his spiritual artifact? He hadn't even noticed!