Chapter 90: Just Ask Yourself If You Saved Them or Not

Ruan Xing continued walking along the passage for a while. Strangely, she did not encounter any obstructions; it was quiet and empty inside, with no mechanisms and no arrays.

But soon, Ruan Xing saw something different. The yellowish-brown tree trunk she was stepping on had spots of bloodstains on it.

The blood was deep in color and had already dried; it might have been left there several days ago.

Ruan Xing ground it with the tip of her shoe, but it didn't rub off.

The passage was the only path, and the bloodstains extended all the way until, on a slightly larger circular patch of ground, she saw the corpse of Fu Qinghong.

His eyes were half-closed, his mouth slightly agape, and his face and body were stained with large patches of blood. Ruan Xing went over and touched his carotid artery; good grief, it had already stiffened.

It was fortunate that Cultivators in the world of Cultivation were unscientific; under normal circumstances, corpses would not develop lividity or stink. Otherwise, Ruan Xing could hardly imagine the consequences of someone dying and lying here for several days in such a sealed space.

She quickened her pace and stepped over Fu Qinghong's corpse. A few dozen steps further, she saw a platform with a slightly larger space. Facing her was the corpse of Fu Yu. She had collapsed on the edge of the platform, face outward, her eyes wide open, which gave Ruan Xing a start.

She climbed onto the platform through a small gap left beside Fu Yu and saw something intertwined like tree roots in the center. What they were supporting was a palm-sized rectangular block, deep ink-green in color, emitting a faint fluorescent green light.

That thing must be the tree heart, right? It should be a good item.

Ruan Xing lifted her foot and walked over.

As for Xie Huai, he was leaning against the tree roots, sitting with his head hanging low, devoid of any vitality, with several Sect Jade Tokens scattered by his hand.

Just as she was about to take the tree heart and leave, her ankle was suddenly grabbed, and she felt a sudden chill on her foot. Ruan Xing hurriedly shook it off and retreated several steps. "Damn, a corpse coming back to life?"

Following the shaking motion, Xie Huai's corpse tilted to one side. Ruan Xing leaned in close and finally sensed his faint vitality.

"Save me..." His lips moved slightly, the sound he emitted barely audible.

Ruan Xing was amused. "Hey, is your brain broken? You want me to save you?"

If one were to ask who would be happiest if Xie Huai died, she would be the first to set off firecrackers in celebration.

Xie Huai seemed to be in a delirious state. After being shaken off by Ruan Xing, he did not change his posture, but instinctively discovered someone nearby and was calling for help.

But no matter who saw the two corpses of the Central Province Cultivators beside Xie Huai, they wouldn't save him, right?

If this scene were the beginning of a book, she could already guess the plot direction: a beautiful and kind female Cultivator and a handsome and cunning Demon Cultivator, because of a moment of soft-heartedness, invite a lifetime of entanglement. The grace of saving a life makes the usually cold and selfish Demon Cultivator have a side different from others, and the two go around in circles, a deep and tortuous love...

The character archetype of Gu Xiaowu was quite popular ten years ago.

Unfortunately, you won't be able to wait for your heroine, and the content of this book isn't written for that kind of plot either.

Ruan Xing rubbed her hands in excitement and picked up her Short Sword to finish Xie Huai off. Fearing she hadn't pierced through, she wasn't at ease, so she stabbed his throat, heart, and other vital parts a few more times.

After cautiously checking once more to confirm that Xie Huai was truly dead, Ruan Xing reached out to take the tree heart. As she held the heavy piece of wood in her hand, Ruan Xing's vision shifted, as if this space had just experienced a minute tremor.

A flash of realization dawned on Ruan Xing; so, the changes in her vision the previous few times were because of this piece of wood.

In that case, perhaps Xie Huai had recovered on his own by the eighth day, or perhaps someone had saved Xie Huai on the eighth day, or perhaps someone else had entered after Xie Huai died and taken the tree heart.

Then, if she left the Secret Realm now, would she return to the Xuanbing Sect, or would she end up in front of that gray-clothed Demon Cultivator?

But she had to go back to the Cave Abode to take the two big shots with her first. Leaving required a Sect Jade Token. When she was finding Puppet materials for the big shots, she had pocketed their Storage Bags, and the jade tokens were also prepared.

Flying back would take nearly two days; it would be exactly the eighth day when she returned.

It was a pity there was no time for her to study that piece of wood, and she didn't know what it was for.

Rushing back to the Cave Abode without stopping, she looked at the two big shots and took out the wood to ask her question.

"This was taken from the Xian Tai Tree, right?" The Demon Cultivator glanced at it casually. "We fought over the Xian Tai Tree back then. The Xian Tai has a Heavenly Leak, and the Heavenly Leak drops Divine Light. This Xian Tai Tree is a treasure left behind from the upper realm. Unfortunately, the fighting caused Spatial Turbulence, and this place became a Secret Realm, and we were all trapped here to die. If not for my Spirit Severing cultivation and powerful Divine Soul, and the convenience of my technique to devour and nourish, I fear I wouldn't have lived until now."

Having said that, he looked at the fairy with a half-smile. "As for those fellow disciples of yours and my subordinates, they must have long since exhausted their lifespans and had their souls dissipated."

The fairy ignored him and instead said coldly, "This tree heart of yours doesn't look like it has the aura of a Xian Tai Tree; instead, it has a sense of Death Qi."

"The fairy is truly bright and intelligent!" Ruan Xing hurriedly flattered her. "The place where I got the tree heart indeed had a giant tree that had already withered."

"Withered?" The fairy was dazed for a moment.

The Demon Cultivator sneered. "Trapped here, you don't even know the information from the outside. So the Xian Tai Tree had long since withered. Can a dead tree heart still be a Xian Tai Tree heart? It's nothing more than a piece of Soul Nourishing Wood of slightly better quality."

Soul Nourishing Wood? Ruan Xing's heart stirred, and she recalled the introduction to Soul Nourishing Wood in the *Nether Ghost Record*.

Born in a place of death, dying in vitality, that is the wood for nourishing souls.

This was a top-tier material that was essentially good for making Puppets.

The Demon Cultivator looked down on the Soul Nourishing Wood, but Ruan Xing was quite happy. She didn't know how to use something like a Xian Tai Tree heart, and taking it would just make it a hot potato in her hands, but she knew how to use Soul Nourishing Wood.

And such a large piece could be divided to make many Puppets! No, no, she wasn't an Evil Cultivator, why would she make Puppets? It was all because she was influenced by that damned Xie Huai; she was clearly a good person.

She silently stuffed the Soul Nourishing Wood back into her Storage Bag. After she went back, she could give this thing to the Sword; nourishing his soul would not only strengthen his power and the speed of his Yin Qi condensation but also improve his intelligence.

"Two seniors, it's about time, let's leave the Secret Realm." As Ruan Xing said this, she handed the Sect Jade Tokens to them. After teaching them the method of use, because their bodies were the original owners of the jade tokens, they accepted the master's commands even though their auras were different.

The three of them appeared outside the Secret Realm. Looking at the gloomy sky and the blood-red soil on the ground, Ruan Xing's heart sank. Sure enough, it was still here, and it was still this Demon Cultivator.

Perhaps because Ruan Xing had taken the tree heart on the sixth day this time, although the Cultivators had not received the jade token message from Fu Yu, quite a few Cultivators still sensed something was wrong and left the Secret Realm early. This vigilance allowed them to take a step ahead of others on the Yellow Springs Road.

Dozens of corpses piled in front of them were enough to make one want to vomit. Ruan Xing suppressed her discomfort and began to search for the figure of the gray-clothed old man. That Demon Cultivator's technique seemed very special and had strong concealment; as long as he didn't take the initiative to speak or appear, one wouldn't notice his presence even if he were standing right in front of them.

As for the two big shots, their thoughts were much simpler. Seeing the corpses all over the ground, they gave their feedback and evaluation immediately.

The Demon Cultivator's eyes lit up: "So much food!"

The fairy was furious: "Extremely cruel!"

Ruan Xing covered her forehead: Don't just think about eating, my living ancestors, look at what kind of environment this is.

"You knew long ago that it would be like this when we came out?" The fairy keenly sensed something and questioned Ruan Xing: "I was wondering before, bringing two such obvious Puppets out, aren't there your teachers and elders watching outside? So the world has become like this now, where disciples are slaughtered at the entrance of their own Sect's Secret Realm and they remain indifferent!"

Her voice sounded very sorrowful and pained. "That's not exactly it..." Ruan Xing rubbed her nose. "I don't know where this is, but it is definitely not the entrance to the Sect's Secret Realm. It is not a time when demons and monsters rule either. You will know more as you see more of the world later. For now, let's think about how to survive."

The Demon Cultivator suddenly let out a strange cry and began to run, pulling one person with each hand.

The fairy was a bit confused by this sudden change. "What are you doing? Why are you running?"

"Didn't you see with your Divine Sense just now? That person is so dangerous!"

"No, it is very impolite to use one's Divine Sense to scan someone from head to toe without their permission," the fairy said righteously.

The Demon Cultivator rolled his eyes. "Ah, yes, yes, yes, you are polite, I am rude. But I am the one taking you to escape, fairy!"

Ruan Xing was even more bewildered. "You guys saw someone just now? Where??"

"There was an old gentleman in gray clothes over there just now," the fairy said.

The Demon Cultivator said irritably, "That is a Demon Cultivator!"

Ruan Xing said blankly, "You are a Demon Cultivator too, what are you afraid of? If you can't talk it out, just fight him."

"Do you think we Demon Cultivators are like you lot, living in peaceful coexistence between sects?" The Demon Cultivator spat. "We aren't the same faction; if you barge into someone else's territory for no reason, it's a fight to the death. Besides, that brat is at the Nascent Soul Stage. The three of us combined can't even beat a Golden Core right now, and you want to fight him?"

Nascent Soul Stage! Ruan Xing was stunned. No, was that necessary? Although Xie Huai's goal was to kill all the new generation of sect powerhouses entering the Secret Realm, everyone was at the Foundation Establishment stage. Sending a Golden Core to make a show of it would have been enough; why bring in a Nascent Soul big shot to slaughter the newbie village? This was something she truly hadn't expected.

"So the famous Demon Lord is actually this cowardly? Hah, you may be afraid of him, but I am not. He has killed so many Righteous Cultivators; I must act on behalf of heaven, dampen his arrogance, let me down!" the fairy scolded angrily.

"Give it a rest, can you even handle a single blow from him? Don't forget that our Puppet Body can only exert the strength of an early-stage Golden Core at most right now!"

"I am not afraid, I will have no regrets even if I die!"

"Didn't you say back in the Cave Abode that you would follow me to stop me from doing evil? If you die, there will be no one left to look after the places I go to where life will be devastated, right?"

The fairy hesitated for a moment, and just as she was about to say something, it was already too late.

The Demon Cultivator's strength was only at the Golden Core stage now, and he was dragging two dead weights along with him. The gray-robed old man quickly caught up, and with a simple flick of his finger, he crushed them one by one.

After the Simulation ended, Ruan Xing sighed.

Although she had obtained a good item like the Soul Nourishing Wood this time, this was a Real-scene Simulation, so she couldn't take any random items out.

However, the amount of information gained was quite substantial. She had mastered the method to successfully bring the two big shots out, and they hadn't turned hostile after coming out; the Demon Cultivator even took her along to escape, which proved they truly didn't know that her death had no impact on them.

Furthermore, she now knew the location where Xie Huai was causing trouble: inside the withered Xian Tai Tree.

If she wanted to stop Xie Huai, she would still have to go find him after returning to the Sect Secret Realm entrance as usual.

Ruan Xing started the Real-scene Simulation again.

She didn't plan to look for the two big shots, but instead went straight to the Xian Tai Tree to see if she could catch up and join in the excitement.

It was just that her spawn point was still some distance away from the Xian Tai Tree, and it took her a whole day of flying to arrive.

The entrance to the Xian Tai Tree was very calm, and there seemed to be no traces of anyone having been there, but Ruan Xing was still very cautious. Having prepared herself, she violently broke the mechanism array at the entrance in advance, then walked into the passage and saw Fu Qinghong's corpse not long after.

It seemed she had arrived a step too late; it appeared she couldn't save him on the fly.

Ruan Xing glanced at it with some regret and continued walking forward, then saw Fu Yu's shocked expression.

Fu Yu was in a posture as if she were rushing toward her direction. She didn't have time to think about whether this Nanzhou Cultivator had accidentally walked here or was in cahoots with the Demon Cultivator inside, but she shouted subconsciously, "Run!"

Run where? Ruan Xing watched her a beat too late. The final scene before her eyes was a silent and heroic explosion. Xie Huai seemed to have activated some kind of ultimate weapon. Fu Yu's wide-open eyes suddenly froze, her body stiffened as she tilted forward, and her side face hit the edge of the platform heavily.

Ruan Xing's thoughts seemed to slow down all at once; at the critical moment of life and death, what crossed her mind were actually completely unrelated thoughts.

So that was how Fu Yu ended up dying face-out on the edge of the platform.

The Simulation ended, and Ruan Xing fell into deep thought.

Had she gone too early or too late?

Too late, she hadn't managed to save Fu Qinghong.

Too early, she had managed to get herself buried along with Fu Yu.

After a long while, Ruan Xing sighed. She didn't even know how she had died, so how could she save this pair of siblings? Moreover, if the two of them hadn't beaten Xie Huai into a state of critical injury, she wouldn't have been able to reap the rewards.

Let it be.

The Real-scene Simulation started. Ruan Xing waited outside the Xian Tai Tree for an extra day and didn't enter the passage until the third day. What she saw this time was about the same as the first.

Walking past the corpses of Fu Qinghong and Fu Yu, in the innermost part where the tree roots were tangled together, Xie Huai was leaning back, critically injured and on the verge of death.

His handsome face was extremely pale, and he was in a state of unconsciousness.

Ruan Xing stepped forward and gave him a hard kick to knock him over, then fed him a Healing Pill.

After waiting for a while, the effect of the Healing Pill had mostly taken hold. She sat on top of Xie Huai and slapped him twice across the face to wake him up.

A faint red fingerprint appeared on his pale face, and Xie Huai slowly opened his eyes.

"You save me and then hit me... what are you trying to do?"

Uh, he still had perception while unconscious? Ruan Xing felt awkward for a moment, then said righteously, "Never mind that, just tell me if I saved you or not."

Xie Huai remained silent.

"Although I'm not someone who holds favors over others' heads, you still have to repay this favor. You must tell me how I can safely return to the Sect."

Xie Huai smiled with difficulty. "You ask me this—have you been out and come back in again? And you didn't die... truly impressive."

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