Lu Xiangleng slowly awakened.

What met her eyes was the lightless sky canopy with enormous cracks, as if someone had slashed it open with a knife one cut after another. The sinister void lurked behind the sky canopy, faintly revealing a menacing face.

She was suddenly dazed, unable to clearly distinguish where she was.

Was she still on the Clear Heart Cliff of Baiyue Valley?

But then, a light voice reached her ears, from blurry to clear: “Awake.”

Lu Xiangleng blinked and saw a face with considerable indifference appear in a corner of the sky canopy above, like a vast expanse of white snow.

Only the delicate corner of those eyes traced a long, narrow arc, adding a touch of the most subtle cold beauty to this snow-like plainness.

“Was I unconscious for long?”

Her face pale, Lu Xiangleng pressed her fingers against the cold ground, forcing herself to sit up. Looking around, she saw the muddy quagmire where she had fallen when trapped by Song Lin’s scheme.

Surrounded by endless water light, that muddy quagmire was now only a shadow.

A huge crack had appeared below, and even the entire water area was being swallowed. Soon, the “small island” they inhabited would also disappear.

Lu Xiangleng wanted to stand up.

Jian Chou helped her up, saying: “You should have been allowed to rest longer, but the hidden realm’s collapse is becoming increasingly severe. Time waits for no one, so I had to wake you.”

Her brow furrowed slightly, a look of understanding crossing her cool face.

Lu Xiangleng asked nothing, only released her body’s acupoints, briefly sensing her condition before saying: “I’m fine.”

This was to reassure Jian Chou and the others.

After all, she was a medicine woman herself. Whatever her condition, she could handle it as long as she remained conscious.

Since Jian Chou had said “time waits for no one,” naturally time was more urgent. Her questions could be answered on the road.

Before awakening Lu Xiangleng, Jian Chou had already examined her meridians. Now seeing her self-examine, she was naturally more assured.

Standing among everyone, she looked once in the direction they had come from.

The entire maze was almost completely submerged, and the land was gradually shrinking.

Across the vast water area, she could only see a vague patch of black shadow on the previous island, where many spirit beasts should still be standing, watching them.

Jian Chou took a deep breath, withdrew her gaze, and pointed east: “Lijun is to the east. We must cross the remaining three gates to enter. I have the secret talisman to open the gates, so I’ll take the lead, with Fellow Daoist Xie second.”

The others suddenly frowned, even Xie Buchen giving her an additional glance.

Enemy, not friend, yet she had Xie Buchen walk behind her?

Was this sudden trust, or had her brain developed holes?

Young Master Ruhua pondered, preparing to say something like “beauties need heroes for protection, why don’t I walk behind you,” when Jian Chou unexpectedly added: “Young Master Ruhua’s cultivation is profound—could I ask you to guard the rear?”

Young Master Ruhua was immediately stunned.

He looked at Jian Chou, and Jian Chou looked at him.

In that instant, unable to restrain himself, Young Master Ruhua actually laughed aloud, understanding Jian Chou’s meaning: This was true strength in numbers!

Xie Buchen had the Great Bright Seal, so Jian Chou placing him second was normal.

Though it seemed dangerous, Jian Chou still had all of them.

Strength in numbers—if Xie Buchen dared make a move, they could join forces for a ruthless strike!

Understanding front and back, Young Master Ruhua’s peach blossom eyes narrowed with infinite charm: “Aiya, Fellow Daoist Jian Chou trusts me so much, how could I disappoint you? Though pitifully bringing up the rear, since you’ve asked, I naturally have no reason to refuse.”

“…”

Like a brothel keeper.

Jian Chou smiled slightly, her heart quite calm.

When a road reached its end, hatred would ferment into a jar of fine wine, buried underground, gaining the most mellow flavor, its fragrance becoming subtle instead.

Fearless.

Too lazy to care.

Jian Chou didn’t say much. After determining the order, the others would stay in the middle, with Young Master Ruhua naturally able to care for everyone properly.

After determining direction, she was the first to take flight.

“Let’s go.”

“Whoosh…”

Great winds blew from the cracks, painful against the face.

That leaping figure instantly merged with the wind.

Those following could clearly see her, but sensing with spiritual consciousness, they would only feel wind ahead, not a person.

Young Master Ruhua couldn’t help but praise: “Wind-riding technique, reaching the ultimate realm.”

Zuo Liu also looked with some envy: “If only I could be like Senior Sister someday.”

Indeed, she was worthy of his admiration.

Very impressive!

Jian Chou heard this, her eyes remaining calm as she looked toward the distant vast water area, her voice clearly floating to Zuo Liu’s ears: “No need to be like me. Being like yourself is good enough.”

“Uh…”

Zuo Liu thought being like himself would be terrible—no promise at all. The words reached his throat, about to emerge, but catching sight of Jian Chou ahead, he suddenly felt somewhat dazed.

Why…

This sentence gave him a strange feeling, as if something was hidden behind it…

Zuo Liu suddenly fell silent.

The group continued forward.

To accommodate Lu Xiangleng, Jian Chou had already slowed her pace, yet among cultivators of this realm, she was still ridiculously fast.

Everyone had to focus completely to ensure they weren’t left behind.

Swift as lightning.

Perhaps because the hidden realm had completely collapsed, perhaps because all spirit beasts serving as “gatekeepers” had already gathered on the island, or perhaps because Lijun had opened the gates for them…

Nothing blocked their path, so smooth it was unbelievable.

Half a quarter-hour later, they encountered the second gate, buried in underwater ruins.

Jian Chou drew a seal through the water surface, and the phantom gate that had appeared before manifested again. Everyone quickly entered, heading toward the next gate.

The entire hidden realm had obviously undergone precise calculations. Jian Chou maintained constant speed, and crossing each maze layer took exactly one quarter-hour.

So after two more quarter-hours, the final gate appeared before Jian Chou.

This was the only gate they had seen still standing throughout their journey.

Covered in moss yet bearing fresh cracks, both doors were tightly closed, with the upper right section completely collapsed, revealing the world beyond.

Still a vast water area, with no koi pool and no Lijun they had seen from the sky dome.

In the center of the door panels, the hexagonal groove remained intact.

Jian Chou was already experienced. After scanning the surroundings, she approached and pressed her finger into the groove.

“What we see behind this door differs from what the old turtle and silver fox described. If their words were true, the environment beyond the door will certainly change once opened—what’s before us is merely an illusion. If their words were false, this is conspiracy and trickery, and danger will appear once the door opens. Everyone be careful.”

Everyone naturally understood her concerns. The former was acceptable, but if the latter occurred, this hidden realm would be truly treacherous.

Each had their own thoughts, but all five behind her tightened their spirits to the extreme—

Not only to protect themselves, but to be ready to help in case of emergency.

After all, Jian Chou stood at the front, and if anything happened, she would bear the brunt.

Jian Chou was well aware of this. Taking a deep breath, she let her already calm heart sink even deeper.

Her finger pressed on a starting point in the groove, sliding gently along the trajectory in her memory.

Buzz…

The moment her finger began moving, a slight vibration appeared.

Centered on where Jian Chou’s finger passed, a light trace suddenly brightened, casting gentle thin red light that enveloped the entire groove.

Bit by bit…

The entire seal became more complete, and the light under Jian Chou’s palm grew more intense.

The instant the seal was completed, a light column shot straight from the groove toward the sky!

Jian Chou stood before the great door, her figure nearly drowned by this light column’s radiance, visible only as a vague shadow.

The hearts of everyone behind immediately rose to their throats.

Fortunately, the sky-reaching light column didn’t remain bright long, quickly retracting toward the groove like a whale drawing water.

“Rumble!”

A muffled sound.

The worn gate actually began trembling thunderously, opening inward.

“Crack.”

The hexagonal groove at the junction of the two door panels split in half with the sound, opening with the gate.

In that moment, everyone was stunned, finding it difficult to describe.

The door’s interior didn’t reveal particularly mysterious changes, nor did it open like the Dragon Gate above the Empty Sea at the Left Three Thousand Assembly to reveal another space, another world.

In fact, what appeared before them should be a painting.

A scroll hung high, spanning the stone door’s upper and lower ends—a painting of lotus pool and koi.

The painting paper was well-preserved, not wrinkled at all, only slightly aged, seemingly having endured long years of influence, somewhat yellowed.

Only the five colors used for painting remained vivid.

The courtyard was rendered and outlined with varying shades of ink, becoming a somewhat ethereal background in the scroll, with corridors vaguely visible.

In the center was a sizable jade lake, with narrow stone paths extending into the water, connecting one after another.

Lotus leaves in the lake were round and deep green, floating singly in sparse areas, overlapping where dense.

Lotus flowers were pink and white in various shades. Some were budding, some in full bloom, some withered…

Various postures with natural brushwork, free of artificial traces.

At the lake’s center, what seemed to be a stone platform surrounded by massive rocks, with the middle hollowed out to let lake water flow in, forming a stone pool.

Inside were smaller lotuses with modest leaves but more colorful flowers.

Yet most colorful were the koi in the pool.

Around the central lotus leaf, a red koi swam gently.

The painter was very careful—that tail-flicking turning motion was depicted extremely realistically, almost making one believe the koi would leap from the painting.

Jian Chou watched with amazement, but the next moment, her pupils contracted sharply as she discovered in shock: that koi had actually moved!

Everyone behind her except Xie Buchen widened their eyes in amazement.

“This…”

How could the koi in the painting move?

One person seeing wrong was possible, but a whole group seeing wrong? Absolutely impossible!

The koi in the painting had truly moved slightly.

Its red tail swayed gently, and the painted koi turned sideways, immediately revealing mottled wounds on its body.

How familiar!

Delicate fish scales were missing and fallen, exposing pale fish skin with an indescribable sense of incongruity, extremely jarring.

Who else could this be but Lijun, injured in the battle under the Heavenly Palace dome?

The koi in the pool turned around, swimming in the water, only saying: “Come in.”

A gentle voice, slightly hoarse, low and melodious.

Deep exhaustion was hidden behind such gentleness, difficult to detect.

So the koi pool the spirit beasts spoke of was such a painting.

Jian Chou roughly understood its meaning. After hesitating briefly, she stepped forward, and with one step, she actually entered the painting!

In that instant, Jian Chou’s figure transformed into light ink wash, merging into the painting.

Everyone was astonished. Looking carefully, as Jian Chou disappeared, a plain figure appeared in the painting, standing at the lotus pool’s edge.

That form and bearing, even including the Human Emperor Sword in her hand, all told them: this figure in the painting was Jian Chou!

This painting contained great mysteries!

Everyone was somewhat worried about Jian Chou’s safety, but seeing her figure move and turn back toward their direction, seemingly looking at them, their hearts settled.

Following their previously established order, Xie Buchen should enter next.

But just as Xie Buchen was about to step forward, a paper fan directly blocked his path.

“…”

Frowning slightly, Xie Buchen looked over with a cold expression.

Young Master Ruhua smiled: “Who knows what dangers might still be inside? Fellow Daoist Xie is injured and is Master Hengxu’s disciple. If something happened, we couldn’t bear the responsibility. Why don’t I go in first to explore?”

He finished speaking on his own, not caring about Xie Buchen’s reaction. Cupping his hands as if he had agreed, he turned and entered the painting.

Thus, beside the woman in the painting, another person immediately appeared.

After entering the painting, Jian Chou found herself standing by the lotus pool.

Before her eyes, the jade lake rippled with points of light, lotus leaves floating, lotus flowers in various forms, with a stone path winding through the lake’s full lotus blooms toward the koi pool at the lake’s heart.

“Beautiful scenery.”

A voice of praise came, accompanied by footsteps landing.

Jian Chou turned to see an ink mark suddenly appear before her, gradually solidifying until a living Young Master Ruhua stood before her.

Jian Chou remembered the order.

Young Master Ruhua seemed to see her confusion, spreading his hands with a smiling explanation: “I was really curious about what it feels like to become a figure in a painting, so I entered first.”

This was simply to prevent Xie Buchen from entering second and potentially conflicting with Jian Chou.

After all, with all four gates now completely open, Xie Buchen no longer needed Jian Chou—who knew when he might act?

Jian Chou knew his earlier curiosity was just a joke, but his real purpose was precautionary.

So she smiled slightly, only saying “Thank you.”

As her words fell, another figure immediately appeared beside Young Master Ruhua.

It was Xie Buchen.

Then the remaining three—Zuo Liu, Lu Xiangleng, and Xia Houshe—appeared nearby in succession.

All six were quickly assembled.

Stepping directly into a painting was truly a novel experience. Zuo Liu looked around, saying: “I thought we’d see ink wash spreading everywhere, but it looks just like reality…”

Was this painted realm real or illusory?

Jian Chou wasn’t sure. Her gaze turned toward the lake’s center, where the koi pool lay amid full lotus flowers and leaves, with what seemed to be a red shadow.

Whether due to distance or some restriction, standing by the lake, Jian Chou couldn’t see clearly what that shadow was.

“I feel somewhat uneasy…”

Young Master Ruhua naturally noticed the red shadow, frowning as he spoke.

But Jian Chou, thinking of the spirit beasts’ earlier words, shook her head: “Uneasy or not, we must go. We can’t see clearly from here—let’s go look.”

After all, Lijun had invited them.

Carrying the Human Emperor Sword, she walked from the lotus pool toward the stone path leading to the lake’s center.

The narrow stone path was a winding route through the lake’s lotus leaves and flowers.

Occasional lotus leaves stretched across the path, but Jian Chou didn’t trample them, only gently stepping over, composed and calm.

The closer to the lake’s center, the clearer the vague became, and the more peaceful Jian Chou’s heart grew.

The koi pool’s location seemed to have some special presence, releasing calming aura.

Gentle, intimate, with a touch of ephemeral melancholy.

The walking state was wonderful. If one had to describe it, her soul had separated from her body, floating lightly above her head about three feet, not wandering far, seemingly wanting to merge with the wind, quietly watching her.

A gentle breeze brought the freshness of lotus leaves and fragrance of lotus flowers—light and unworldly, lingering around her body and heart, staining her robes.

The five people behind seemed also touched by this tranquil beauty, all falling silent.

Six people walked on the jade lake, stepping among lotus flowers, all feeling refreshed and happy.

Their pace was unhurried, but the narrow stone path eventually had an end. Jian Chou’s gaze remained fixed on the koi pool, never shifting.

The closer they came, the clearer it became.

But only when Jian Chou took the final step, emerging from the stone path with her feet firmly on the ground beside the koi pool, did everything finally seem to dispel the mist and lift the curtain, bright and completely clear.

In that instant, Jian Chou’s steps involuntarily stopped.

The koi pool was full of blooming lotus flowers.

Sparse water grass grew at the pool’s bottom, dyeing the entire pool floor a deep dark green.

Both sides of the pool had constructed steps, level by level, extending from the edge down below the water surface, seemingly leading to the pool’s bottom.

Dark green water grass at the steps’ base, being closer to the water surface, had its darkness somewhat dispelled, becoming three parts brighter, like a woman’s beautiful hair flowing with the current.

Thus, the entire koi pool had changing colors.

From dark green to deep jade, then to light jade…

Lotus flowers bloomed on the water surface, small but more brilliantly colored.

But Jian Chou’s gaze lingered neither on the water grass, nor the lotus leaves, nor the flowers…

Her gaze was uncontrollably drawn to the figure on the left steps.

A man.

When Jian Chou looked at him, he also quietly looked at her.

Very refined features, as if carved with the most careful and detailed craftsmanship—angular yet gentle. His skin showed a sickly pallor, faintly transparent, as if it would release a pool of water if cut.

Though his appearance was fine, Jian Chou paid little attention.

Those profound eyes had already captured all her attention.

Faint traces of flowing water appeared in his eyes, like a fish moving inside, immediately creating fine ripples on the surface.

He wore somewhat bright yet not intense red robes, hanging loosely on his body, with wide sleeves on both sides spread out like two large fans, floating on the water surface.

He seemed somewhat tired, sitting on those steps slanting into the koi pool, his dark red hair spread out like silk.

One leg bent, the other somewhat relaxed but not completely flat.

An extremely relaxed and extremely weary posture.

His pale bare feet extended into the water below, surrounded by flowing waves.

Splash…

Water flowed past his insteps.

Red robe hems moved with the current, swirling once before returning to his side.

Without desire or demand, plain and simple.

Full of tolerance and gentleness, when looking at people, his eyes held a glimmer that let one easily sense his goodwill.

Beautiful.

Jian Chou had never seen such a beautiful person—or rather, demon.

He carried water-like tolerance, with stored beauty containing a fish’s few parts of liveliness.

Those eyes were the cleanest and gentlest Jian Chou had ever seen.

Even long afterward, they would be hard to forget.

Lijun watched her for a while, then smiled slightly, nodding at her in a friendly manner.

Then he turned his gaze away, naturally observing the people standing behind her, very directly, yet when he did it, it didn’t feel presumptuous at all.

Young Master Ruhua, Zuo Liu, Lu Xiangleng, Xia Houshe…

He looked at each in turn but didn’t find the person he sought. Naturally, it shouldn’t be so soon.

A flicker of reminiscence seemed to pass through Lijun’s eyes, and that gentle gaze finally settled on Xie Buchen.

“I remember you came before, but not alone.”

He spoke, his voice low and melodious.

Xie Buchen stood there without speaking.

The previous hidden realm journey was not a pleasant memory worth recalling for him.

He had come with Qu Zhengfeng, and what happened was no longer secret.

“So this time, he didn’t come with you…”

Lijun didn’t mind his silence, only withdrawing his gaze with some sighs, murmuring softly.