"I think..."
Yun Ze looked up at the surging spiritual energy, sounding uncertain, "I heard someone calling my name."
"It's not 'think',"
Wei Lanshu added from the side, "Someone is indeed calling you."
Yun Ze frowned slightly, "Why would they call me? It couldn't be because they have a grudge against me, right?"
Xiao Shu remained silent, her expression extremely complex as she looked at Yun Ze, as if she knew the answer.
"Wait..."
Yun Ze seemed to recall something, a wry smile appearing on his face, "It couldn't be because of my senior sister, could it?"
"Highly likely."
Wei Lanshu also gave a wry smile, "Before I entered the secret realm, my mother specifically warned me that I absolutely could not meet up with you before you or I reached the Foundation Establishment stage, otherwise, it would likely bring trouble to innocent bystanders.
However, with the changes in the secret realm now, I had no choice but to come find you first."
"Why!"
Yun Ze was somewhat perplexed, "Didn't senior sister already subdue their elders before? Why are they still coming after me?"
"Think about Senior Mu's choice of words?"
"Cannot kill..."
Yun Ze had only uttered three words before he realized where the problem lay.
Not being able to kill him didn't mean they couldn't strike him, nor did it mean they couldn't spar!
His expression instantly changed, "Wait! Then they're looking for me just to..."
"To save face."
Wei Lanshu explained to Yun Ze the reason her mother had told her, word for word, "If the elders lost, that's their business, but as juniors, they naturally have to save face for their sect's legacy.
Otherwise, if they bottle up this resentment, they will inevitably become a laughingstock, and they truly won't be able to hold their heads up."
Yun Ze's face instantly turned pale!
It wasn't that he was afraid, but rather... this challenge was coming at the wrong time!
He was only at the seventh level of Qi Refining, how could he contend with the prodigies of the Foundation Establishment stage? He'd probably be sliced in half with a single strike!
If he could achieve Heavenly Dao Foundation Establishment, then it would be different!
Let alone Gu Wudao, even if Xiu Yun and Tan Chenyu came, he would dare to fight them with all his might!
As for now...
Yun Ze continued to fly towards the direction of meeting Tan Chenyu, as if he hadn't heard the sounds echoing in the air.
Wei Lanshu smiled, knowing her brother was currently unwilling to go, and silently followed behind him.
Before long, the four met up midway.
Tan Chenyu was still carrying the 'monster' he had taken earlier, and beside him was a mysterious woman in a black robe and a cloak.
Yun Ze frowned, realizing that Tan Chenyu had been speaking to this person when he contacted him through the jade token earlier.
"Xiao Yu, who is this..."
"A passerby."
Before Tan Chenyu could speak, Su Ling interjected, "Daoist friend Yun, there's no need to be nervous.
Although I am from the Demonic Cave, I am aware of what is happening in the secret realm now and understand the seriousness of the situation. Naturally, I am willing to cooperate with you."
"Don't worry, Junior Uncle. She can be trusted," Tan Chenyu also said.
Since Tan Chenyu had said so, Yun Ze had no reason to doubt.
"Hey, Junior Uncle, where's the monk you brought?"
Tan Chenyu immediately noticed something missing from Yun Ze's hand.
"I was just about to mention that."
Yun Ze casually took out the pair of Glazed Pupils from his Sumeru Ring.
"This is..."
Tan Chenyu recognized the item at a glance and couldn't help but exclaim, "The Buddhist Glazed Pupils! Unless a Buddhist disciple willingly gives them up, even gouging out their eyes would only yield ordinary eyeballs!
No, no, no!
There were a total of six people from the Buddhist sect who entered the secret realm this time, and none of them cultivated to the level of Crimson Glazed Pupils. How did you obtain this item?"
"The monk I brought gave it to me. His name is Du Zhi."
Yun Ze's expression was extremely serious as he recounted everything that Monk Du Zhi had told him, causing both of them to frown deeply!
Unlike Wei Lanshu, though they were both young ladies from immortal cultivation families, the latter had grown up in the Guinu Sword Sect without a renowned master's guidance. However, the former were different.
Not only had these two been taught by famous masters since childhood, but they had also been nurtured in the environment of immortal sects, often overhearing discussions among lofty figures.
Their vision, thinking, and logic were all top-tier.
After listening to Yun Ze's account, they immediately understood the gravity of the situation, and their expressions turned extremely grim.
"The changes happening in this secret realm are more terrifying and dangerous than we imagined."
Yun Ze was about to summarize the current situation and state his plan.
However, halfway through his words, he saw Tan Chenyu and Su Ling exchange a glance, and they spoke in quick succession.
"Monk Du Zhi, a Buddhist prodigy from eighty-nine hundred years ago, cultivated the Three-Rank Golden Body and Crimson Glazed Pupils at the Qi Refining stage. He was hailed as a reincarnation of a Buddha's son and was also one of the first batch of prodigies to enter the secret realm.
If he says it, it's credible!"
"Then I'll contact Xiu Yun. He can be here in half an hour."
"I'll go to the area where the spiritual energy erupted. A group of people should gather there soon, and we can contact them then."
"Give me your communication jade tokens so we can stay in touch."
"Mine is yours. I'll take Junior Uncle to find Gu Wudao and resolve their matters along the way."
Su Ling immediately closed her eyes, and an instant later, opened them again, "They are also near the spiritual energy eruption. It's on the way, let's go together first!"
"Alright!"
Tan Chenyu responded, and almost simultaneously, tossed the jade token in her hand over.
Yun Ze had barely processed what they were saying before the two turned to look at Yun Ze and Wei Lanshu, then exchanged another glance and asked each other in unison.
"Who are you taking?"
Su Ling didn't answer, but directly grabbed Yun Ze's wrist and rushed towards the place where the spiritual energy was erupting!
The strong wind roared past his ears, and Yun Ze felt the scenery before him rapidly receding.
This speed was even a third faster than his full-speed travel! He estimated that she was at least at the peak of the ninth level of Qi Refining, or perhaps at the early stage of the ninth level.
Yun Ze glanced back and saw Tan Chenyu following closely behind, struggling somewhat due to dragging the monster and Wei Lanshu.
For some reason, Su Ling'er's figure suddenly appeared in Yun Ze's mind.
If her cultivation could reach the ninth level of Qi Refining, he wondered if she could achieve this level.
"Yun Ze."
Hearing the voice beside his ear, Yun Ze looked at the black-robed woman pulling him forward, "Yes?"
"Don't speak for now, listen to me."
Su Ling's voice was very soft, almost inaudible when masked by the strong wind. If Yun Ze hadn't been so close, he probably wouldn't have heard her.
She was afraid that others besides them would hear!
Yun Ze remained silent, curious to hear what this person had to say.
"I know Xiao Hanshi. He asked me to find you."
Brother Xiao?!
Yun Ze couldn't help but be startled, yet he also frowned.
Had he truly entered the demonic path? Otherwise, he wouldn't have found such a demonic prodigy to help.
"There are some things he can't tell you face-to-face, nor can he tell you through others, so he can only have me deliver them to you."
Su Ling's voice continued, "I've already placed the item in your embrace. Open it when you're alone, understand?"
"In my embrace?"
Yun Ze blinked. He instinctively reached into his embrace and found a cloth bag about the size of a fist.
He couldn't help but be shocked!
When did this item get placed there?
Let alone noticing when she made her move, if she hadn't reminded him, Yun Ze wouldn't have even realized that something had been added to his embrace!
If she had intended to kill him...
Hiss!
Yun Ze couldn't help but gasp.
Was the gap between him and the contemporary prodigies this large?
"What's wrong?"
Su Ling seemed to sense that Yun Ze was not quite right.
"...Nothing."
Yun Ze replied after a few moments of hesitation.
"Good, if nothing's wrong, don't forget what I said."
It was normal to have a gap!
He had only been cultivating for less than a year, and his aptitude wasn't considered good, just lucky. If he could surpass these cultivation geniuses with excellent aptitude and renowned masters guiding them since childhood, wouldn't that be too unfair?
These were all innate differences!
However, it was just some differences, and he could find a way to make up for them!
This Heavenly Dao Foundation Establishment was right before him. If he could succeed, he could bridge this innate gap!
A trace of determination flashed in Yun Ze's eyes, and he looked up at the converging point of spiritual energy ahead.
He had witnessed the prodigies at the Qi Refining stage, and he wondered how strong the prodigies would be after reaching Foundation Establishment.
If there was an opportunity, it wouldn't hurt to witness it.
After all, they wouldn't dare to truly kill him, they just wanted to save face.
It was likely that Senior Sister Mu had established her reputation for him back then, also intending to use those prodigy successors to temper him.
Such opponents, who wouldn't kill him but were powerful peers at the same level, were extremely rare. Fighting them would surely yield gains!
It could even be considered a good thing, except...
A wry smile appeared on Yun Ze's lips.
Senior Sister, Senior Sister, aren't you truly afraid of breaking this sword of mine!
One Foundation Establishment prodigy was fine, but if all the other prodigies also reached Foundation Establishment and came looking for trouble, wouldn't he have to fight the remaining half of the prodigies?
Eh! Wait a minute!
Who said he had to fight the remaining half of the prodigies?
Challenges were inherently reciprocal, and this could completely be treated as a business transaction!
A brilliant idea suddenly flashed through Yun Ze's mind, and the smile on his lips gradually became more unrestrained.
...
...
At the same time.
Gu Wudao roared to the sky nine times before descending from the air and coming before Xiu Yun.
Before he could speak, Xiu Yun asked first, "Do you think he'll come?"
Gu Wudao, holding his long saber, said calmly, "Whether he comes or not is irrelevant to me. I have already issued the challenge. If he doesn't come, it means he's afraid to accept it."
"Then you..."
"I will wait here. If he doesn't come within three months, it will be his admission of defeat."
Xiu Yun casually drew the long bow behind him. Although no arrow was nocked, his words were sharp and aggressive, "Three months is still a long time. How about we fight first?"
As soon as he finished speaking, the eleven purple-robed figures beside him all retreated, not daring to enter the battlefield.
Gu Wudao looked at Xiu Yun before him, pondered for a few seconds, and then uttered two words.
"Very well."
As soon as the words fell, Gu Wudao drew his saber and slashed, while Xiu Yun nocked an arrow and shot!
Instantly!
The saber's shadow and the arrow's shadow collided in the air and dispersed!