In a secret realm of the cultivation world.
A group of people were being hunted by a lion-python beast. As the distance between them narrowed, they could even feel the scorching heat from the flames at the beast's nostrils.
"Senior Brother, are we going to die here?" Qingzhi, clutching her sword and running frantically, asked the man beside her with a tearful voice.
"Don't be afraid! As long as we find our fellow disciples from the sect ahead, we'll be saved." An Yu comforted his junior sister while throwing a magical artifact backward.
The aftermath of the artifact's self-destruction successfully slowed the lion-python beast's movements, but the flames from its nostrils surged even more fiercely.
These weak cultivators were challenging its dominance as a overlord, and they must not be allowed to escape.
An Yu cursed inwardly. How could they be so unlucky as to be teleported to the core of the secret realm? How could beings at the Mortal Realm like them possibly deal with Earth Realm demonic beasts?
If their master hadn't secretly stuffed him with many good things when they left, they would have already died under the beast's hooves.
Even so, their chances of survival were slim. But as the earliest disciple to join the sect among them, An Yu could only throw artifacts and talismans to impede the lion-python beast's progress while continuously firing signal flares into the sky, hoping some fellow disciples would see them.
Finally, they had nothing left on them to impede the lion-python beast's progress. As they fearfully closed their eyes, a sword light flashed, and the towering lion-python beast fell to the ground, lifeless, before it could even let out a mournful cry.
A woman in white, with a cool demeanor, landed on the ground after stepping on air twice, slowly sheathing her sword.
"Are you alright?"
Her voice was cold, but to the ears of the group, it was like heavenly music.
"It's Senior Sister!" An Yu exclaimed with excitement. This was the first time he had ever seen the chief Senior Sister of the Heavenly Horizon Sect!
It was rumored that Senior Sister's cultivation had already reached the late stage of the Earth Realm, and she was less than a hundred years old, a true genius.
Xing Yue wore a light veil, obscuring her face. She frowned slightly, observing them closely. They were merely cultivators of the Mortal Realm. What courage did they have to venture into this area? Were they tired of living?
Xing Yue's voice was stern, "Why are you here?"
"Reporting to Senior Sister, we were originally training in the outer regions of the secret realm. Unexpectedly, we stumbled into a cave and were directly teleported here. That cave seemed to be the lair of this lion-python beast, and we've been chased ever since."
"Thanks to Senior Sister, otherwise we would have all died here." An Yu's expression was astonished. He didn't know how unlucky they were to encounter such a rare event.
Xing Yue was also slightly taken aback, then she took out several bottles of healing pills and distributed them to the group. "Rest and recover first, then you will take me to see that cave."
With a wave of her hand, she collected the lion-python beast's corpse into her spatial ring. Great demonic beasts like the lion-python were treasures, and some of its materials could be used for alchemy and artifact refining later.
The group, rarely seeing Xing Yue, a sect genius, was extremely attentive throughout their journey.
Xing Yue was accustomed to such behavior from others, her expression remained calm.
It was not until they reached the cave that she sensed the abundant spiritual energy. Xing Yue was secretly surprised. No wonder the spiritual energy in this secret realm was so thin; it had all gathered in this place.
This secret realm could only be entered by those below the Heaven Realm. Xing Yue, being a genius, naturally had the ability to challenge opponents of higher realms. No matter how strange things were in the cave, she was not afraid.
"Are you going in with me, or waiting here?" Xing Yue asked.
"Together, together!" Qingzhi cried out anxiously. She was so scared that she felt safe only by staying by Xing Yue's side.
"Senior Sister, why don't you take us in with you! With our strength, we can't defeat any demonic beast we encounter. We won't do anything extra." One of them said hurriedly.
"Alright!" Xing Yue pondered for a moment and nodded.
Since she had already saved these people, she naturally couldn't watch them die before her eyes.
The group lit torches and entered.
"Is this a Breakthrough Grass?" someone suddenly exclaimed.
A glowing, verdant little grass swayed before everyone.
Breakthrough Grass, as the name suggests, when refined into a pill, could allow cultivators below the Earth Realm to break through shackles without side effects. As it also had the same effect on demonic beasts, its numbers had always been extremely scarce.
Xing Yue was also somewhat surprised. This was precisely her goal for this trip.
An Yu was perceptive. "If it weren't for Senior Sister, we would have likely been devoured by demonic beasts. This thing isn't of much use to our current realm. If Senior Sister feels indebted, perhaps you could give us some suitable cultivation resources!"
"You are quite clever!" Xing Yue carefully placed the Breakthrough Grass into a jade box, saying in a good mood, "Don't worry, I won't treat you unfairly."
The group continued to walk deeper. The lion-python beast had collected many items, likely left behind by cultivators who had died while training in the secret realm, but there was only one such precious Breakthrough Grass.
"No, gone?" someone stared at the wall in front of them, utterly confused.
"I remember the teleportation array was here before."
Xing Yue activated her eye technique, a hint of colored light flashed in her eyes, and she said calmly, "It's a formation. Step back a few paces."
Xing Yue formed hand seals and struck in one direction. With a puff of dust, another cave appeared before them.
This cave was beautiful, illuminated by a circle of luminous stones. In the center, a formation resembled the heart of an altar, with a faintly glowing "egg."