“Huan Zong.” Kong Hou hadn’t expected that she and Huan Zong were separated by only a single courtyard. She lifted her skirt and jogged over, stopping halfway to carefully observe and confirm this was truly Huan Zong before continuing toward him.

Stepping up the stairs, before Kong Hou could speak, Huan Zong had already extended his hand, gently and steadily grasping her sleeve.

“I’m not feeling well.” Dark eyes looked at Kong Hou, seeming to contain infinite grievance.

“What’s wrong, what’s wrong?” Kong Hou supported his arm. “Are you unwell?”

Huan Zong slowly shook his head. He lowered his gaze to the worry and anxiety in Kong Hou’s eyes, and smiled gently.

“Not feeling well but still smiling…” Kong Hou rummaged through her storage ring and took out a Condensing Qi Pill, feeding it to Huan Zong’s lips. “Eat this first.”

Taking the pill in his mouth, Huan Zong’s voice was hoarse. “Thank you.”

“You’re welcome.” She glanced around and called out loudly, “Secret Realm Spirit, are you still here? Can we leave now?”

No one responded.

Kong Hou raised her voice. “Secret Realm…”

“Stop shouting.” The black-robed Secret Realm Spirit appeared. With his white mask, he always appeared expressionless. “In public places, loud noise is prohibited.”

“But there are only the three of us here.” Kong Hou said. “This doesn’t count as a public place. Huan Zong doesn’t mind me shouting louder either, right, Huan Zong?”

Huan Zong nodded. The Longyin Sword appeared in his hand.

The Secret Realm Spirit stepped back and said coldly, “With your mental states and abilities, staying in my secret realm any longer serves no purpose.” He waved his hand, and many jade tokens appeared before Kong Hou and Huan Zong. These tokens looked identical, without any differences.

“These jade tokens are keys to many treasure chests. You may each select one.” The Secret Realm looked at Huan Zong. “Five hundred years from now, don’t come again.”

Kong Hou casually picked a jade token and complained offhandedly, “We can barely be considered friends, yet you’re so heartless.”

“I’m just a secret realm. I don’t need emotions.” The Secret Realm Spirit didn’t want to talk more with Kong Hou. “Once you’ve chosen, leave.”

“Wait!” Seeing the Secret Realm Spirit about to disappear again, Kong Hou quickly called out, “I can forgo the treasure chest. Can you help me with one small favor?”

The Secret Realm Spirit turned to look at her.

Kong Hou put her hands together, looking at him pleadingly. “You’re a secret realm left by an immortal—more powerful than other secret realms, and surely kind-hearted too. Please help me.”

“Flattery doesn’t work on me. Secret realms don’t have emotions.” The Secret Realm Spirit’s tone was indifferent. “What do you want me to help you with?”

“I want to know where certain medicinal herbs are located. Please tell me.” Kong Hou bowed to the Secret Realm Spirit. The Secret Realm Spirit carried the divine consciousness left by an immortal, so he must know things that only immortals would know.

“Medicinal herbs?” The Secret Realm Spirit glanced at Kong Hou. This human female was healthy with no hidden ailments. Her root bone and temperament were good—she was someone with immortal affinity. As for the man beside her, though his root bone and aptitude were outstanding and he had some immortal affinity, his spiritual platform had problems. If not careful, his cultivation might stagnate.

“Yes, these herbs. Do you know where they can be found?” Kong Hou handed the prescription to the Secret Realm Spirit.

The Secret Realm Spirit looked it over. This was a prescription from thousands of years ago, used for cultivators with unstable mental states and shattered spiritual platforms. But because the herbs were too expensive, many cultivators whose spiritual platforms were destroyed could only wait for the day their lifespan ran out.

Unexpectedly, after so many years, this prescription had reappeared.

When the master ascended, these herbs were already extremely rare in the world. Now the cultivation world’s spiritual energy was increasingly sparse—how could such precious herbs still grow?

“Give up.” As a secret realm, he hadn’t learned humans’ roundabout way of speaking. “Many of these herbs are extinct. You won’t find them.”

“If we don’t try, no one knows the result.” Kong Hou said. “Please tell me where they once were.”

“I only know the former locations of three herbs.” Seeing her persistence, the Secret Realm Spirit pointed to three herbs. “South of the Wuwang Sea, the bottom of Tingfeng Valley, and…”

The Secret Realm Spirit paused. “The mortal realm.”

“The mortal realm?” Kong Hou came from the mortal realm and knew how sparse spiritual energy was there. She hadn’t expected this herb called Cangyu Ear to be in the human world. “What location in the human world? How can we find it?”

“I don’t know.” The Secret Realm Spirit said. “According to legend, this herb was grown by an emperor who watered it daily with his imperial blood to save the woman he loved. I’ve never seen it. The information about this herb in my mind is just that it was in the human world eighteen hundred years ago.”

“Eighteen hundred years ago…” Kong Hou quickly calculated which dynasty that was.

Eighteen hundred years ago was the Western Phoenix Dynasty. Emperor Sang Yu was deeply devoted to his first wife, and after she died, he never remarried. Deeply affectionate men were rare, and emperors who remained faithful even rarer. So even after nearly two thousand years, countless women still spoke of this emperor.

The rarer something was, the more precious and beautiful it seemed.

For women in the imperial harem, Sang Yu’s actions were like a dream—a dream belonging to another woman. They were merely observers, knowing how beautiful the dream was yet never able to touch it.

“Thank you for telling me.” Kong Hou bowed deeply to the Secret Realm Spirit, who stepped aside. This woman carried dragon energy and immortal affinity—he couldn’t accept such a formal bow from her.

“You should go.” The Secret Realm Spirit said. “Five hundred years from now, don’t come, either of you.”

Kong Hou walked a few steps, then stopped and turned to look at the Secret Realm Spirit. “After we leave, will you stay here alone for five hundred years?”

The Secret Realm Spirit stood in profile, not looking at her bright eyes. “I’m not human. I don’t understand your human loneliness.”

“But when you possess a human body, learned human language, and know retreat and fear, what difference is there from humans?” Kong Hou couldn’t imagine spending five hundred years alone in an empty place. “Don’t you want to… go outside and look?”

“The current cultivation world has changed greatly compared to thousands of years ago. Aren’t you curious?” Kong Hou felt that a Secret Realm Spirit who could think and choose to retreat before Huan Zong’s powerful force was no different from a human.

“I’m very curious.” The Secret Realm Spirit said in his flat tone. “But I’m the will left behind by my master. I want to help him see the next ascender appear. When your cultivation world has a new ascender, I’ll come out and look.”

“But… our Lingyou Realm hasn’t had an ascender for a thousand years.” Kong Hou felt some sympathy. “Will you keep waiting?”

The Secret Realm Spirit nodded seriously. “If not in a thousand years, then I’ll wait two thousand. If not in two thousand, then five thousand. As long as the Lingyou Realm doesn’t disappear, I won’t die or be destroyed. It doesn’t matter.”

Looking at the Secret Realm Spirit’s masked face, Kong Hou somehow saw a hint of persistence and loveliness in the pure white mask.

“Perhaps in a hundred years, someone will ascend, and then you’ll be free.” Kong Hou waved at him. “Then… see you next time.”

The Secret Realm Spirit looked at her. Just when Kong Hou thought he might say something reluctant, he spoke: “Are all female cultivators in the cultivation world as chatty as you?”

Kong Hou: “…”

“Farewell. I won’t see you off.” Kong Hou turned and grabbed Huan Zong’s sleeve, walking outside.

The Secret Realm Spirit didn’t get angry. He watched her leave with Huan Zong. Even after their figures disappeared beyond the barrier, his standing posture hadn’t changed. Wind blew his hair, and in an instant, the entire secret realm was shrouded in fine, dense rain.

A flower rain—was this his way of seeing off this “friend”?

Walking out of the barrier, they found themselves in the enormous golden hall. Floating above the hall were many chests emitting golden light—these were probably the treasure chests the Secret Realm Spirit mentioned.

The jade token in her hand flew out uncontrollably and merged with a certain chest in the middle. The chest opened, and a magical artifact radiating five-colored霞light fell into Kong Hou’s hands.

After the magical light flashed, Kong Hou saw it was an extremely beautiful umbrella.

The umbrella was made of some unknown material, like smoke and mist. The handle was inscribed with the two characters “Conceal Breath.” She opened the umbrella—the ribs were translucent green and comfortable. Almost no woman could resist its beauty.

Then she discovered that the aura around her body was completely concealed. At this moment, she appeared no different from an ordinary mortal. She turned to look at Huan Zong and found him holding a Flying Immortal dress emanating magical energy. The dress was so beautiful she couldn’t look away, but… what use was such a dress to a male cultivator?

“For you.” Huan Zong placed the dress in Kong Hou’s hands. “I can’t use this.” Taking advantage of Kong Hou’s distraction, he hid his right hand behind his back and put an unremarkable ordinary magical artifact into his storage ring.

“But what about your junior sisters…” Kong Hou felt she should at least pretend to be modest.

“I have no senior sisters, and my junior sisters are all obsessed with the way of the sword—they’re not interested in these things.” Huan Zong smiled gently. “The female cultivator closest to me is only you.”

“Huan Zong, you… you…” Kong Hou put away the umbrella, patted her chest, then covered her face. “Don’t smile like that.”

If he kept smiling like this, she feared she couldn’t control her hands from touching his face. How could she be such a shameless woman? She was truly unworthy of the Ji family ancestors and her master and senior brothers’ teachings.

“Do I look bad like this?” The smile on Huan Zong’s face gradually disappeared. He said dejectedly, “I’m sorry. I’ll be more careful next time.”

“No, no, no! You don’t understand what I mean. I mean your smile is too beautiful.” Seeing Huan Zong’s downcast, sorrowful expression, Kong Hou couldn’t care less whether she was shameless. “Very beautiful, super beautiful. I’m afraid other female cultivators will be captivated by your appearance.”

“They won’t.” Huan Zong took her hand and walked toward the hall entrance.

In the secret realm, to avoid guessing the formations wrong, Kong Hou was often led by the hand by Huan Zong. Now being led by him again, she had no resistance at all, obediently following behind him. “Why not?”

The hall doors opened. Outside, flowers danced and fine rain fell. The sky full of flower rain was the most beautiful painting.

“I only smile for you to see. They won’t see it.” Huan Zong turned back, smiling at Kong Hou. “Is this good?”

His gaze was very warm, like melted spring snow, carrying morning dew from flower branches—bright and crystalline with a hint of fragrance and sweetness. Facing such eyes, no matter what he said, Kong Hou would probably only say yes.

“Good.” She nodded in a daze. The beautiful flower rain world behind Huan Zong seemed to blur into nothingness. Only the handsome man before her eyes was real.

The “Cultivation Record” said the protagonist’s white robes surpassed snow. Tall and jade-like, holding a sword atop a mountain peak, the sun, moon, and stars seemed to be beneath his feet, and heaven and earth lost their color. Kong Hou had always been unable to imagine what kind of person could make heaven and earth lose color. Now she finally understood what kind of person could make heaven and earth pale in comparison, turning everything in the world into mere accompaniment.

The flower rain swept up their bodies. When they opened their eyes again, they were outside the secret realm entrance.

Sect disciples guarding outside the secret realm saw someone emerge and all looked over. Discovering it was Zhenren Huan Zong of Liuguang Sect and Immortal Kong Hou of Yunhua Sect, they crowded over to pay respects, wanting to ask about matters inside the secret realm.

Kong Hou answered a few questions. Just when she thought these people would continue asking, they walked away with strange expressions. Even those who wanted to continue were grabbed by others and dragged away. She looked at Huan Zong in confusion. “Huan Zong, what’s wrong with them?”

After one trip to the secret realm, she hadn’t been disfigured—these fellow Daoists didn’t need to make the atmosphere so unfriendly, did they?

Huan Zong said calmly, “I don’t know. Cultivators’ personalities tend to be somewhat strange. Don’t take it to heart.”

“Master Uncle.” Xiao Dong, who had represented Liuguang Sect last time, had been guarding outside the secret realm for several days. Seeing Huan Zong finally emerge, he hurried forward and bowed. “Xiao Dong greets Master Uncle.”

“Xiao Dong, why are you here?” Huan Zong asked.

“In reply to Master Uncle, half a month ago Yuanji Sect sent word to the Sect Master that you and Master Uncle Kong Hou had entered the secret realm. The Sect Master sent this junior to guard the entrance.” Seeing his master uncle had finally remembered his name, Xiao Dong was very happy. “Now seeing you emerge safely, this junior is relieved.”

“With Lin Hu here, I’ll be fine. Tell the Sect Master not to worry about me.” Huan Zong glanced at the sky. “It’s getting late. You should set off back.”

Xiao Dong: “…”

So even though his name was remembered, Master Uncle was still very cold.

“Then this junior will…” Xiao Dong cupped his hands in salute. Halfway through the bow, he suddenly froze, his gaze fixed on the space between Huan Zong and Kong Hou.

“Sword practice is important. Don’t delay.” Huan Zong took out a magical artifact and gave it to Xiao Dong. “A small trinket. Take it and play with it.”

“Thank… thank you, Master Uncle.” Xiao Dong stammered his thanks. When he stood up again, he didn’t dare look anymore. No wonder he’d felt something strange earlier—his master uncle and Immortal Kong Hou were actually standing there holding hands.

Holding hands…

Holding hands…

Clutching the magical artifact, he jumped onto his flying sword and flew away in a daze.

“What’s wrong with Junior Nephew Xiao Dong, flying so crookedly on his sword? Isn’t he afraid of a flying accident?” Kong Hou had heard of many cultivators suddenly colliding in flight. Though cultivators above Foundation Establishment wouldn’t die from a collision or fall, for a dignified sword cultivator to be unable to control his flying sword properly—if word got out, how embarrassing for Liuguang Sect.

Huan Zong was from Liuguang Sect. If Liuguang Sect lost face, it was like losing half of Huan Zong’s face. Thinking this way, Kong Hou felt these junior disciples needed proper education.

Huan Zong was so handsome, his manners so elegant, and such a good person—how could he lose face over such things?

When Lin Hu emerged, he saw the young master and Miss Kong Hou sitting under a tree shade with a small table, drinking tea and eating snacks, chatting and laughing comfortably. If they weren’t still here, he’d almost suspect these two had forgotten his existence.

Walking closer, he heard Kong Hou laugh softly. “Huan Zong, I didn’t expect you did such silly things as a child. Back then, to secretly read storybooks written by Miaobi Ke, I hid books in Second Senior Brother’s cave dwelling.”

“You were very cute as a child.”

“I know you want to say I was very mischievous as a child.”

“I don’t lie.”

Lin Hu: “…”

After just one trip to the secret realm, had the young master lost his soul?

“Senior Lin, you’ve finally emerged?” Kong Hou noticed Lin Hu and waved at him with a smile.

“Young Master, Miss Kong Hou.” Lin Hu walked to their side. Huan Zong put down his teacup and pointed to a seat beside them. “Sit.”

Lin Hu sheathed his sword and sat down beside Huan Zong.

Huan Zong poured him a cup of tea. Steam rose from the tea water, fragrance filling the air.

“Young Master, you seem to be in very good spirits?” Lin Hu lifted the tea and took a sip, carefully observing Huan Zong’s complexion.

Huan Zong’s eyes rippled as he smiled at Kong Hou. “Kong Hou and I have the fortune of Heaven and Earth Dual Cultivation. Naturally I’m in good spirits.”

“Oh right!” Kong Hou just remembered this. “Huan Zong, from now on whenever we have the chance, let’s meditate and cultivate together. This is a wonderful thing that doubles our efficiency.”

“Good.” Huan Zong stood and bent down, extending his hand to Kong Hou. “Let’s try it in the carriage first. If it works, we can also increase our cultivation while traveling in the future.”

“Right!” Kong Hou grabbed Huan Zong’s hand. “Then let’s hurry.”

“Young Master…”

“You stay here and keep watch. After the other cultivators emerge, bid them farewell on behalf of Kong Hou and me.” Huan Zong turned to look at him. “Understand?”

Lin Hu: “…”

Tsk, his cheeks hurt a bit.

Xiao Dong ran and flew all the way back to the sect, not even bothering to acknowledge other junior brothers and nephews who greeted him, rushing up the mountain.

Canghai saw his disciple running in so hastily and frowned. “Why such panic?”

“Master.” Xiao Dong gave Canghai a deep bow. “Master Uncle has emerged from the secret realm unharmed.”

“Isn’t that good news? Why are you so nervous?” Canghai stood to get the teapot. “As a sword cultivator, if you can’t even control basic emotions, how can you achieve the great Dao?”

“But Master, Master Uncle has developed romantic feelings for Yunhua Sect’s Master Uncle Kong Hou.”

“What?” The teapot in Canghai’s hand fell to the ground. He looked at his disciple somewhat失态ly. “You’re saying your junior uncle has fallen for a woman?”

“Yes.” Xiao Dong said. “When Master Uncle emerged from the secret realm, he was holding hands with Miss Kong Hou. When Miss Kong Hou spoke, he even smiled at her…”

“Impossible. In daily life, he’d rather say one less word than open his mouth one more time, let alone smile at people. I’ve known him for three hundred years and haven’t seen him smile at me more than a few times.” Canghai paced around the room, calming himself down, then said to Xiao Dong, “You’re coming with me to report this to the Sect Master.”

As a disciple of Peak Master Song He, it wasn’t difficult for Canghai to meet the Sect Master. So he proceeded smoothly to the main hall. Upon entering and seeing both his master and the Sect Master present, he bowed and said, “Sect Master, Master, Xiao Dong has returned.”

“Both of you sit down and talk.” Jin Yue said amiably, “Your junior brother just sent a flying message telling me everything that happened in the secret realm.”

“Did he… mention Miss Kong Hou to you?” Seeing the Sect Master’s very good mood, Canghai wondered—his junior brother’s mental state was already unstable. Wasn’t the Sect Master worried that after developing feelings for a female cultivator, experiencing great joy and sorrow would further affect his mental state?

“He mentioned it.” Jin Yue’s face showed joy. Since his disciple’s accident, he hadn’t had such a relaxed expression in a long time. “This Miss Kong Hou from Yunhua Sect is truly a great lucky star. Your junior brother meeting her has brought nothing but good fortune and continuous auspiciousness.”

Canghai: “…”

This was somewhat different from what he’d expected.

“You approve of their relationship?” As a sword cultivator who had practiced for nearly five hundred years, Canghai’s expression was rarely this complex.

“How could I not approve of such a wonderful thing?” Jin Yue said. “Among all the cultivators in the world, how many have the great fortune to encounter Heaven and Earth Dual Cultivation? With Miss Kong Hou cultivating with him through Heaven and Earth Dual Cultivation, your junior brother’s heart meridians will slowly be nurtured. Even if he can’t fully recover, I won’t have to worry about his spiritual platform shattering one day and his cultivation scattering completely.”

“Heaven and Earth Dual Cultivation?” Canghai cried out. “It’s really Heaven and Earth Dual Cultivation?”

Song He frowned. His disciple had always been steady in character. What was wrong with him today, speaking and acting like a rash young man?

Jin Yue also felt strange. Heaven and Earth Dual Cultivation was such a wonderful thing—why did Nephew Canghai’s expression look so odd?

“Sect Master, how old is Miss Kong Hou this year?”

“She’s still young, only seventeen in bone age. But they’re not becoming Dao companions—why worry about age?” Jin Yue waved his hand. “Everyone at Yunhua Sect is excellent. Although her cultivation is currently low, your junior brother cultivating with her through Heaven and Earth Dual Cultivation benefits her more. But Heaven and Earth Dual Cultivation is optional for her while crucial for your junior brother. You absolutely cannot bring up age or cultivation level as issues.”

Yunhua Sect giving them merman scales was already an enormous favor. Unexpectedly, his disciple and Kong Hou also had this fortune. He and his disciple owed an immense debt of karma.

Canghai fell silent.

Could it be that Junior Brother deliberately induced her feelings so he could maintain long-term Heaven and Earth Dual Cultivation with Kong Hou?

Miss Kong Hou was only seventeen! Junior Brother actually did something so utterly devoid of conscience?

—

**Author’s Note:** Senior Brother Canghai: Beast! Utterly devoid of conscience! Shame of sword cultivators!