The disciples of the Immortal Sect were all fired up, chattering amongst themselves. "Sister Qingcheng, don't worry. If I see Feng Ninghe in adversity, I'll gather all my fellow disciples to surround and attack her immediately!"
"Even if that demoness's cultivation has reached the Nascent Soul stage, she won't be able to withstand an attack from so many people!"
Feng Qingcheng's gaze, however, was drawn to the man standing beside Feng Ninghe.
The man was tall and imposing, his black robes embroidered with intricate patterns. A chilling aura emanated from him, making it impossible to approach. He wore a golden mask on his face.
The moment she saw the man, Feng Qingcheng's heart pounded violently in her chest, her pupils contracting uncontrollably.
The Jinling blockade required time to set up. Si Jianye would surely sense the formation of the barrier and could leave before it was completed.
She had thought the Underworld King had already left Jinling, but unexpectedly, he was still here.
Feng Qingcheng, unable to suppress her urgency, quickly moved in the direction of the man.
"Underworld King."
She called out to Si Jianye.
Her sweet, delicate voice made her appear much softer, dispelling her usual sinister expression.
Feng Qingcheng bore the title of Jinling's foremost beauty. Her delicate face seemed to exude moisture, evoking pity, and her pink silk gown accentuated her graceful and curvaceous figure.
The woman's appearance caused Feng Ninghe to recoil with disgust. A clear look of annoyance crossed her face, and she disdained any further interaction with her.
Even being this close made her feel nauseous.
Feng Qingcheng, oblivious to her actions, fixed her gaze on Si Jianye. "Underworld King, I thought you had already left Jinling. I didn't expect you to still be here."
Si Jianye acted as if he hadn't heard her, his gaze indifferent.
Feng Qingcheng was not discouraged; she was long accustomed to the Underworld King's unpredictable temperament.
"Underworld King, if you ever have free time, please do visit the Immortal Sect. The Immortal Sect will surely host you well."
She spoke in a sweet, delicate tone, her body intentionally or unintentionally leaning closer to Si Jianye.
The woman's intentions were all too obvious.
A flicker of annoyance crossed Si Jianye's cold eyes, and he quickly stepped forward, widening the distance between himself and Feng Qingcheng.
His unyielding demeanor successfully altered Feng Qingcheng's expression.
Bai Niannian's eyes roamed over Feng Qingcheng, her words laced with a hint of sarcasm. "I never expected to witness such an enthusiastic display from Feng Qingcheng. It's truly surprising."
The underlying meaning in the woman's voice was crystal clear.
Feng Qingcheng's expression turned stern when facing them, as if she wished to eliminate them immediately. Yet, when facing Si Jianye, she was exceedingly gentle, appearing as a delicate beauty.
Feng Qingcheng's gaze immediately shifted, and she shot a cold glare at Bai Niannian.
Bai Niannian remained unfazed, as if she hadn't noticed the look, and calmly said, "Feng Qingcheng, I haven't forgotten how you looked like you couldn't wait to twist my head off when you saw me. Why are you acting like a coy young lady now?"
Feng Qingcheng's eyes instantly filled with darkness, her voice laced with a threat. "Bai Niannian, your cultivation is low. Whether you can safely leave the secret realm is yet to be seen. Don't be so eager to court death."
Bai Niannian playfully stuck out her tongue at her, unconcerned. "Don't worry, even if I die, I'll die after you. You should worry more about your own safety."
Feng Qingcheng's face turned ashen with anger. She bit her lip tightly, her eyes filled with resentment, and fell upon Feng Ninghe. "Feng Ninghe, you are what you teach. You can actually produce a talented disciple? It's a complete joke!"
"Exactly!"
Wang Junzhao chimed in from the side, agreeing.
When her gaze fell on Feng Ninghe, her eyes were filled with fury. "Feng Ninghe, Senior Brother Di died tragically, and you, the culprit, are still at large. I truly wish to dig out your heart to see if it's black."
The two women's sarcastic remarks did not cause Feng Ninghe's expression to change much. A layer of frost formed in her eyes, and her voice was chillingly cold. "You two should go pee and look at yourselves. You're not worthy of speaking more with me."
She disdained to deal with these petty individuals.
As for Feng Qingcheng, even if Di Wenbin didn't wake up, she would still deal with this ruthless woman.
There was still an unsettled score between them...
"Look quickly! The moon is out! The secret realm is about to open!"
"Everyone, prepare yourselves! We must be the first to step into the secret realm!"
The surroundings suddenly erupted in a clamor, and the noisy sounds interrupted Feng Qingcheng and Bai Niannian's conversation at this moment.
Feng Ninghe looked up at the sky.
A full moon hung high in the night sky, its bright moonlight casting upon the earth. The stone gate leading into the Xuanjing Secret Realm shone brilliantly under the moonlight.
Creak—
The heavy stone gate emitted a prolonged sound.
As everyone watched with anticipation, the secret realm gate swung open.
"Rush in quickly! First come, first served! I might be the first to discover an opportunity!"
"Treasures are mine! My secret manuals are mine! You dare not snatch them from me!"
The cultivators descended into a frenzy, their eyes filled with intense greed.
They swarmed forward, madly rushing into the stone gate, fearing that if they were a step slower, all the treasures would be taken by others.
Those who impatiently rushed into the secret realm gate were mostly rogue cultivators, lacking any sect affiliation.
The major sects of Jinling waited on the side. After the frenzied cultivators had mostly entered, they organized their disciples to enter the secret realm.
Su Hongxiu stared at the stone gate for a moment before retracting her gaze and looking at the disciples of the Willow Face Sect. "Let's go too. Be careful with everything."
Under his leadership, they advanced in a grand procession.
Seeing Si Jianye stride away, Feng Qingcheng was anxious to follow, but a male voice blocked her path.
"Qingcheng, let's go together."
It was Zhenyang King Baili Yang.
A barely perceptible trace of annoyance flickered in Feng Qingcheng's eyes. Reluctantly, she glanced in the direction Si Jianye had departed.
Even if she followed him now, she would be separated upon entering the secret realm, making it difficult to encounter Si Jianye within.
She might as well focus on Baili Yang. Perhaps after entering the secret realm, Baili Yang could be of assistance.
With this thought, Feng Qingcheng lowered her gaze. A smile appeared on her exquisitely made-up face. "King Zhenyang, I will trouble you to take care of me within the secret realm."
The woman's smile captivated Baili Yang, who hastily agreed. "Qingcheng, you and I are both from Li Country. If anything happens, I will do my utmost to help and will not stand by and watch you get into trouble."
Their conversation did not last long, and soon they followed the crowd into the secret realm.
Su Hongxiu intentionally moved closer to Feng Ninghe's location and lowered his voice to remind her. "Let's try to stay close. If we're lucky, we might even be assigned to the same area."
Before Feng Ninghe could respond, a strong and powerful hand firmly grasped her wrist.
She instinctively looked up.
The one holding her wrist was none other than Si Jianye.