Chapter 63

Shi Ran kept that glance from Lingxiao in her heart, and as she stood with Luo Changfeng and the others, just as she settled, an acquaintance came over.

Wei Yuzhu wasn't wearing red this time; she wore a uniform sect robe, and in the crowd she still stood out like a crane among chickens, stunningly beautiful.

"Shi Ran!" She grabbed Shi Ran and walked to the other side, saying, "How's your injury? And that red… whatever wrap? Can you undo it?"

It's rare that this person's thoughts aren't on Gu Yusheng; Shi Ran smiled and nodded, "The injury's better, it's just that red silk wrap… still not undone…"

"Such a hassle!" Wei Yuzhu frowned, "I wanted to ask last time—after all these years of cultivation I've never heard this name. Is it a poison?"

"Not exactly a poison, more like a gu!" Shi Ran didn't worry like Wei Yuzhu did; if she dies, she dies—maybe she can even go back.

Wei Yuzhu also sensed Shi Ran's indifference; since the main person isn't anxious, she doesn't know why she should be either, "You're so bold! Besides, you're also a casualty—what secret realm are you going to?"

"For that book!" Shi Ran told Wei Yuzhu the whole story in detail, asking her to keep an eye out; if it isn't a Floating Dream Sect disciple who wins first place, she still hopes Wei Yuzhu can recommend her one or two.

"That's naturally no problem!" Wei Yuzhu smiled, "But in the secret realm you must stay safe—don't risk your life for some opportunity, or you'll lose more than you gain."

"Don't worry! I'll definitely hide until the end!" Shi Ran still had confidence in her survival skills.

"If there's real danger, you can also let those three white wolf pups out—can't keep them fed for nothing! Got it?!" Wei Yuzhu kept giving Shi Ran advice.

But what good would letting them out do? He only flirts with beautiful women—should he come out just to fool around?

"Ah‑choo!" Yun Tingliao in the sea of consciousness sneezed, looked at Bai Xiaohong with a white strip on her face, and said gloomily, "You scolded me?!"

Bai Xiaohong couldn't see clearly, but she waved her hands frantically, "No, I didn't, I'm not—this sound came because someone was thinking of you! Definitely not me!"

Thinking of him? Could it be Han? Yun Tingliao frowned tightly.

On the other side, the only thing left in the Dragon Claw was Fan Tian with a 777 and a 4, extremely impatient: "Do it! Do it! Do it! Do it! Do it! Don't make me come out!"

"Do it!" Bai Xiaohong excitedly threw out four 2's, "Blown up!"

"Blown up!" Fan Tian's first reaction was that it was over, his second was, "What are you doing? We're both farmers, he's a landlord, he's a landlord!"

"Ah, sorry, sorry! Can't see well!"

"This round doesn't count!"

"No way! No regrets after placing a piece!"

"Where's the piece? Shi Ran said this is called a card!"

"Same thing!"

The three monsters bickered into a chorus, while Shi Ran felt nothing; she and Wei Yuzhu chatted about clothing styles in the spirit realm and who in the Jade Power Sect had split up and gotten back together, completely overturning Shi Ran's worldview.

The two were blushing when Lu Zitan's voice floated over softly, "The Lotus Flower Secret Realm opens—disciples, listen up!"

Inside the hall, all disciples lowered their heads; only Shi Ran lifted hers, wanting to see what the mysterious Lotus Flower Secret Realm looked like, but she accidentally saw Lu Zitan frowning at her. Shi Ran instinctively smiled, and Wei Yuzhu beside her forcibly pressed her head down.

"This opening of the Lotus Flower Secret Realm lasts five days; within those five days, disciples must not kill each other inside the realm, each relying on their own ability to slay demonic beasts; after five days, whoever has slain the most demonic beasts wins!"

Lu Zitan's voice was clear and bright; though not loud, everyone could hear it clearly. She raised her hand, and a purple iris flew to each person's waist, "Guard this iris well—if the flower remains, the person remains; if the flower fades, the person will be recalled to the spirit realm. Understand?"

The disciples assented; the seven sect heads joined forces, sending over a hundred disciples through a pink rift in the sky—the entrance to the Lotus Flower Secret Realm!

Shi Ran rubbed her waist as she got up, "What the hell—why does it keep slamming into rocks? My waist! My chest!"

"Enough, stop rubbing!" Luo Changfeng carefully examined his own iris, "You're not that bad; hurry and look at my flower—is it a bit wilted?"

"Senior Brother?!" Shi Ran looked bewildered; wasn't Wei Yuzhu standing beside her? She hurriedly looked around, and then she was dumbfounded.

The mountains before them resembled the curved spine of a gigantic beast, jagged bones propping up a pink horizon; those verdant forest giants twisted like old men's meridians, weighing down heavily, emitting a faint glow.

A gentle breeze swept through the whole forest like a whisper, leaves fluttering, light spots swaying like scattered stars on the night sky, flickering at the dense treetops.

A small stream wound between the rocks, but its water wasn't clear; it first showed a moon‑like hue, flowing silently, washing the banks of those multicolored pebbles; Shi Ran and Luo Changfeng sat and stood by the bank, watching the stream reverse time, carrying petals and fallen leaves upward along the slope.

A bright moon hung above the peak, several layers of mist entwining it, hazy, neither night nor day.

Shi Ran clapped her hands and stood up, "Where do we go next?"

Luo Changfeng frowned, "To be honest, I don't know either! I originally planned to follow this Junior Brother Gu and Ah Xue, but a gust of wind blew and I…"

Shi Ran rolled her familiar eyes again, "Sorry for keeping you waiting, old man!" She still didn't want to—she had been holding Wei Yuzhu's hand all along!

Luo Changfeng was about to say a couple more words when he heard a soft rustling; he poked his head out to look and was nearly scared into having smoke pour from his seven orifices.

On the pebbles behind Shi Ran crawled a spider only the size of a bean, each one as big as a bowl, snow‑white all over, even its venom glands were glossy white—beautiful, yes, but the point is these spiders are low‑level demonic beasts in the Lotus Flower Secret Realm—Soul‑devouring White Spiders.

Luo Changfeng's expression was off, so Shi Ran stepped forward and linked arms with him, "Just relax, just relax!"

Luo Changfeng chattered his teeth, "I… I've always been terrified of creatures with many legs—it's practically torture for me!"

Just like everyone isn't afraid! Shi Ran flicked her fingers twice, summoned an Ice Stream, "Go!"

Immediately behind her a slaughter erupted; the two timid ones sprinted a few steps, hid behind a big rock, and watched the fight.

The Soul‑devouring White Spiders were so numerous that under the Ice Stream sword a little mountain of blood piled up instantly.

Shi Ran glared at Luo Changfeng, annoyed, "You could at least shout 'Break Cloud' already—what are you waiting for?"

"Will it? Will it?" It's filthy! Luo Changfeng shakily produced the Broken Cloud technique, "Shi Ran, if my Broken Cloud gets dirty today, you must wash it clean and give it back to me!"

"Wash your ass!" Shi Ran kicked Luo Changfeng, then in the next second was about to bite her finger; Luo Changfeng jumped in fright and flung the Broken Cloud away, "Go!"