The scar-faced burly man's cry of 'Run for it!' sounded like the mournful howl of a stray dog. The remaining four rogue cultivators, already terrified, felt as if granted a pardon upon hearing it. No longer caring about any camaraderie, they only wished their parents had given them two more legs. Even if it meant taking a hit from their opponents, they would turn and flee desperately into the depths of the dense forest.
Liu Yun's sword momentum was like a rainbow; she was about to keep the rogue cultivator she had wounded—now slow-moving—but Mu Qingfeng spoke up to stop her.
'Do not pursue a desperate enemy; too many variables exist in the secret realm.'
Upon hearing this, although Liu Yun felt unwilling, she understood her senior brother's concern. In this unknown place, rashly pursuing remaining enemies could easily lead them into a trap or attract stronger beings. She resentfully sheathed her sword, its tip still trembling slightly, emitting a faint hum as if expressing unsatisfied dissatisfaction. She kicked a low‑quality flying fork left behind by a rogue cultivator on the ground and spat, 'Hmph, they ran fast enough! A motley crew, daring to target us!'
Over at Shi Jian's side, his opponent had already been scared out of his wits by his brutal fighting style, almost scrambling away on hands and knees. Grinning widely, he walked over to Mu Qingfeng, patted his chest, and laughed in a muffled voice, 'What a thrill! Senior Brother, these fellows look fierce, but they can't take a hit! I haven't even warmed up yet!'
Xiao Qi slowly exhaled a turbid breath, shook off some dust from his frying pan, and returned it to his back. For his first life‑and‑death struggle against scheming cultivators, it would be false to say he wasn't nervous, but more than that was a sense of steadiness and confidence tested in actual combat. He subconsciously circulated the 'Basic Purification Technique,' feeling the pure, clear, and freely flowing spiritual power within his body, raising his regard for that incomplete technique several notches. Had the purification technique not quietly neutralized the toxicity on the dagger earlier, he would never have handled it so easily.
Mu Qingfeng's gaze swept calmly over everyone; seeing no one injured—even Xiao Qi only slightly short of breath and otherwise fine—a faint, hardly noticeable approval flashed in his eyes. He said gravely, 'Although the scoundrels have retreated, their words were not unfounded. Looking at our baggage, the harvest is indeed conspicuous. Within the secret realm, people's hearts are inscrutable. From now on we must be even more cautious in speech and action, not flaunt our wealth, to avoid attracting unnecessary trouble.'
Everyone solemnly agreed. Through this battle, they deeply realized that in this opportunity‑filled secret realm, greedy eyes are everywhere; sometimes, one's own kind are more dangerous than demon beasts.
Liu Yun walked over to Xiao Qi, examining him curiously, lingering especially on his black pot for a moment, and raised an eyebrow, 'Not bad, Xiao Qi, that move was quite cunning! That pot of yours… hits people rather handily? And, why do I feel that the dagger‑wielder's poison seemed to have little effect on you?'
Xiao Qi's heart skipped a beat, but he kept calm outwardly, explaining vaguely, 'Perhaps the poison on his dagger wasn't strong to begin with, or I was lucky and didn't get any on me. This pot… it's just quite sturdy.'
Liu Yun gave him a suspicious look, clearly not quite buying the 'lucky' explanation, but seeing Xiao Qi unwilling to say more, she wasn't one to pry. She simply patted his shoulder, 'Regardless, well done! Didn't disgrace your senior sister!'
Shi Jian also came over, his fan‑like large hand slapping heavily on Xiao Qi's other shoulder, laughing heartily, 'Junior Brother Xiao Qi, impressive! From now on fighting side by side with you will be even more exciting!'
Xiao Qi winced from the slap, but his heart warmed. The recognition from his senior brother and sister made him happier than any gain.
Mu Qingfeng collected a few worthless low‑grade artifacts left behind by the rogue cultivators, a meager but better‑than‑nothing spoil. He glanced at the sky, sensed the surroundings, and said, 'This place has just seen conflict; spiritual energy is chaotic, unsuitable for lingering. Let us rest briefly to regulate our breathing, then continue on our way. The urgent task remains finding Junior Sister Su Xuan and exploring toward the secret realm's core region.'
No one objected. Each found a clean spot, took Qi‑recovery pills, sat cross‑legged to regulate their breathing, striving to recover the spiritual power and energy consumed in the battle as quickly as possible.
Xiao Qi closed his eyes, focusing his mind. While circulating his cultivation method to recover spiritual power, he reviewed every detail of the recent battle in his mind. Fighting rogue cultivators differed from battling demon beasts—more deceitful and variable, demanding higher on‑the‑spot reactions and skill application. He meticulously combed through his use of body movement to dodge, his frying pan to block and counter, and his secret activation of the purification technique to neutralize toxicity, drawing valuable experience.
At the same time, he realized that the 'Basic Purification Technique' might have more applications in actual combat, not limited to neutralizing toxins. Earlier he could keenly sense the sinister energy attached to the opponent's dagger; perhaps… it could also interfere with or even counter similar vile spells or artifacts? This would require him to slowly explore and verify in the future.
About the time of one incense stick later, everyone opened their eyes one after another, their essence, energy, and spirit all restored to peak condition.
'Let's go.' Mu Qingfeng stood up, once again choosing a direction.
The four‑person squad set off anew. Having undergone the baptism of fighting side by side and defending together against enemies, the team's cohesion andtacit understanding rose another level. Between them, a glance, a subtle movement could convey intent. Like a well‑honed arrow, they pierced through layers of dense forest and obstacles, steadfastly advancing deeper into the secret realm.
Sunlight filtered through the leaves of strange plants, casting dappled, shifting light and shadow upon them. The road ahead remained full of unknowns, but with reliable companions and ever‑improving strength, Tang Xiao Qi's heart brimmed with unprecedented confidence and power. He knew that whatever he encountered, he would face it together with his senior brother and sister, fighting side by side, overcoming every trial.