Chen Fan and Bai Mulan stood before the cave, their gazes fixed on the distance. Before long, a figure came rushing toward them at full speed. Once again, Jiang Haoran was being pursued by an enemy cultivator. This time, however, his condition appeared far worse—his robes were tattered, stained with fresh blood, and his movements were unsteady, betraying the injuries he had sustained.
As he ran, he spotted two figures ahead. His heart clenched, and despair flickered in his eyes. But just as he was about to brace for the worst, he recognized one of them, and shock froze him in place.
Without hesitation, Bai Mulan raised her hand, conjuring a fireball and launching it past Jiang Haoran. The blazing sphere shot toward his pursuer, leaving the enemy cultivator no time to react. Instinctively, the pursuer tried to block the attack, but as soon as the fireball struck, it exploded violently. Yet, strangely, there was no scorching heat. Instead, an eerie chill spread through the air. A creeping frost took hold of the enemy cultivator's limbs, their vision blurring as an unnatural cold invaded their senses.
Jiang Haoran watched this unfold, his expression frozen in disbelief. Slowly, his gaze shifted to Bai Mulan, and a bitter sensation welled up in his chest. They had once been equals—both saints who stood at the same level. Yet now, the gap between them had widened into an unfathomable chasm.
"Thanks," Jiang Haoran muttered, his voice filled with complicated emotions as he looked toward Chen Fan and Bai Mulan, who were now approaching him. A hint of embarrassment surfaced on his face, but before he could dwell on it, a thought struck him. His brows furrowed in confusion. Logically, Chen Fan and Bai Mulan should have been near the enemy's base—so why were they here instead? However, sensing that they had no intention of explaining, he chose to remain silent.
"Are there any other enemies nearby?" Chen Fan asked
Jiang Haoran quickly gathered his thoughts and replied, "No. That was the only one I saw."
"I see," Chen Fan nodded. "Then we'll be taking our leave. It should be safe now."
"Ah…" Jiang Haoran opened his mouth but hesitated. His fingers curled at his side as frustration simmered within him. Even now, despite everything, his first instinct was to stay close to them—to cling to their strength in hopes of securing his own safety. The realization left a bitter taste in his mouth.
As he watched their figures recede into the distance, he instinctively raised his hand, wanting to call out to them. But in the end, he let it fall back to his side, swallowing the words before they could leave his lips.
A dry chuckle escaped him. "Haha… To think there would come a day when I would be nothing but a burden." A self-mocking smile tugged at his lips as he stood there, utterly alone—save for his pursuer, still frozen in place before him, locked in an icy stillness that mirrored the hollowness in his heart.
----
Chen Fan and Bai Mulan once again navigated the familiar cave, making their way toward the exit. As they moved, Chen Fan cast a sidelong glance at Bai Mulan and spoke casually,
"Just to be sure… you do realize we could take on all the enemies ourselves, right?"
Bai Mulan huffed, puffing out her chest with pride. "So what? I'm strong now. Didn't you see my technique earlier? Even you wouldn't be able to defeat me so easily anymore!" The thought that she could finally fight alongside Chen Fan instead of relying entirely on his protection filled her with a sense of relief and joy. In the past, all she could do was cling to him for safety, leaving everything in his hands. But now, things were different.
A voice suddenly echoed in her mind.
"You do know that I was the one who made that move earlier, right?" Hong Xuan remarked dryly.
"It's my body," Bai Mulan shamelessly claimed the credit without a hint of guilt.
Hong Xuan's eye twitched. She hadn't expected the woman before her to be this brazen. In truth, Bai Mulan had been suppressing her emotions ever since stepping into this place, painfully aware of her previous uselessness. But now, even if the power she wielded wasn't entirely her own, the fact that she had proven herself useful lifted a great weight off her heart. With that burden gone, her true personality was beginning to emerge.
Chen Fan chuckled at Bai Mulan's reaction. He could tell that her complexion looked far better than before, as though the weight of past insecurities had been lifted from her shoulders. He, too, felt a sense of relief—now, Bai Mulan could protect herself far better than before. Aside from Nie Mingjue, there shouldn't be anyone left who could pose a real threat to her.
Before long, they reached the cave's exit and made their way toward the enemy base. Along the road, they encountered several enemy cultivators, but dispatching them required little effort. However, as he fought, Chen Fan noticed something peculiar—each enemy they eliminated seemed to be preparing something upon spotting them. Likely some kind of signal. Yet before any of them could complete their move, he and Bai Mulan swiftly cut them down.
Before long, they arrived at the enemy base for the second time. However, the situation had changed. The number of guards had significantly increased, their patrols forming a nearly impenetrable perimeter. Unlike before, there was now no room to slip in unnoticed.
"You can use my power to move underground," Ao Xue suggested to Chen Fan, offering a solution as he explained his ability to freely traverse beneath the earth. However, after a brief pause, he furrowed his brows and added, "But are you certain that infiltrating the enemy base with just the two of you isn't too reckless?"
"There must be a reason why the enemy elder refuses to enter this place," Chen Fan reasoned, his gaze sharp with contemplation. "If we remain idle, we'll be stuck in a passive position, nothing more than prey waiting to be hunted. Risky as it may be, this is the best way to uncover the enemy's intentions and gauge their strength. Besides, even if we do end up facing the elder, it's not as if we'll be completely powerless. Their strength will be suppressed as well. But… what exactly is this place?" he asked, curiosity flickering in his eyes.
Ao Xue's expression darkened slightly. "This place is a remnant of the past. Once, a powerful force resided here, but they have long since perished. That is why we were brought here—to be sealed away, trapped within a formation meant to suppress our cultivation. Even so, killing us was never truly an option for them."
Chen Fan's brows lifted slightly. "The seal is powerful enough to suppress your cultivation to the Nascent Soul realm or even lower?" he asked, somewhat surprised by its potency.
Ao Xue shook his head. "No. A seal of such strength does not exist. At the time, it merely restricted our power to the limits of this realm—the Ascension Stage. It was only after we were sealed that they further increased the suppression. From the looks of it, they even relocated the entire realm to your world. Had it remained in the upper realm, there is no way such suppression would have been effective against cultivators above the Ascension Stage."
Chen Fan's eyes narrowed slightly as he considered the implications. "So they did it to prevent your allies from finding you?"
"Perhaps,"
"I see," Chen Fan murmured as he quietly processed the information. His master had once mentioned that there were realms beyond Ascension, but he had never gone into detail. So, when Ao Xue brought up the Upper Realm, Chen Fan wasn't too surprised. Still, his master had always been secretive about his true identity, and now, uncovering it seemed pointless. Strength was what mattered most—he had to focus on growing stronger.
Without delay, Chen Fan relayed the plan to Bai Mulan. Then, he raised his hand toward her. Bai Mulan hesitated for a brief moment, a hint of embarrassment flashing across her face, but she quickly pushed it aside and clasped his hand. Almost instantly, she felt his power envelop her, and the next moment, they sank into the ground.
The ability itself was straightforward—rather than breaking through the earth, the ground instinctively parted around their bodies, forming a temporary hollow space just a meter ahead of them. As they moved forward, the earth behind them seamlessly closed up, leaving no tunnel or passage behind. It was as if they were encased in an invisible bubble, untouched by the pressure of the soil. The only telltale sign of their descent was the displaced dirt at their original position on the surface, the only flaw in an otherwise undetectable movement.
Not only could they move undetected underground, but they also had the ability to see through the earth as if it were transparent, allowing them to observe the surface clearly. Sounds from above reached them effortlessly, letting them hear conversations without being noticed—an ability truly suited for stealth missions.
As Chen Fan and Bai Mulan walked beneath the ground, they looked upward, watching the movements of the Devil Sect members. Countless disciples patrolled the area nonstop, searching for any sign of intruders. Chen Fan weighed his options—should he eliminate them one by one or head straight for Nie Mingjue?
If he took out the guards individually, there was a high chance their absence would be noticed. The enemy likely had a strict patrol schedule, and even one missing person could raise the alarm. On the other hand, if he went directly to Nie Mingjue's location, failing to end the fight quickly would leave them surrounded with no escape.
Turning to Bai Mulan and the dragon spirit within him, Chen Fan asked, "What do you think?" seeking their opinions on the best course of action.
"Just kill them directly. What's the point of all this unnecessary planning?" Hong Xuan scoffed, seeing nothing but weaklings among their enemies. To her, strategizing against such lowly opponents was nothing short of ridiculous.
"And let them call their higher-ups?" Ao Xue retorted with a sneer. "We're still under the realm's suppression, idiot. Even we wouldn't be able to escape unscathed if stronger reinforcements arrived."
"WHAT DID YOU SAY?!" Hong Xuan's fury flared at Ao Xue's mockery.
Sensing the tension rising, Bai Mulan quickly intervened. "Why not do both?" she suggested, attempting to pacify Hong Xuan. "I can handle the underlings without much trouble."
Chen Fan frowned. "Even so, their numbers are a bit too much for you alone—"
"You can handle it, right?" Bai Mulan cut him off, her gaze unwavering. She could feel the concern behind his words. It warmed her heart, but at the same time, it frustrated her. She didn't want to be the one protected all the time. "Don't worry, I have Hong Xuan with me. It won't be a problem. Besides, I'll pick them off one by one."
Chen Fan fell silent, his mind grappling with the habit he had formed—protecting Bai Mulan. For a brief moment, emotions clouded his judgment. But with a deep breath, he steadied himself.
"Alright," he relented. "If things go south, come to me immediately."
"Hmph. Maybe you'll be the one needing protection later." Bai Mulan smirked, prompting a chuckle from Chen Fan.
Slowly, he released her hand. His power would remain effective until she reached the surface. They exchanged a final glance, silent yet filled with understanding, before Bai Mulan moved upward, searching for the best place to strike.
Meanwhile, Chen Fan continued forward, his steps steady as he neared his target.
—
At that moment, Nie Mingjue stood solemnly before a pool of blood, his thoughts consumed by a single unknown variable—Chen Fan. He couldn't rely on the elder's aid; the enemy had already reached the entrance to the secret realm, forcing the elder to hold them off. It would take time before their leader arrived to absorb the blood pool and enhance their power further. Until then, his duty was clear—he had to guard this place at all costs.
Yet, in the next instant, a wave of danger crashed over him.
Without hesitation, Nie Mingjue leapt away, but his reaction was a fraction too slow. Pain erupted through his body as blood sprayed from his left arm, now crushed beneath the attacker's foot. His gaze snapped toward the figure who had seemingly appeared from thin air, his expression darkening.
A familiar smirk greeted him.
"We meet again." Chen Fan's voice carried a hint of amusement as he looked down at Nie Mingjue.