Chapter 56: You

The news that the ruins’ entrance had been found spread rapidly across the Qingyun Realm, and now all cultivators’ eyes were fixed upon it.

The Ancient Remnant Clan had once been the most powerful race in the Qingyun Realm, even daring to challenge the Dao of Heaven.

What treasures lay hidden within their tombs was a question that countless people cared about.

As disciples of the immortal sects entered the mountains, a layer of the ruins’ mystery was suddenly unveiled.

One disciple claimed the ruins contained vast stretches of desolate forest, with ancient broken walls and pillars scattered among the trees—towering like mountains, shaped like houses.

Amid the dense vegetation, others had seen strange stone statues, their surfaces covered in moss, expressions ambiguous—neither smiling nor frowning.

Some had also spotted obscure, unrecognizable symbols.

After the Ancient Remnant Clan was annihilated by seven sages united with the Dao of Heaven, humanity was still in its primitive age, and few records of that era had survived.

Now, seeing these statues, bizarre ruins, and mysterious carvings, everyone felt they had stepped into another world.

On the third day, a disciple who had ventured into the ruins returned, and his words shocked every immortal sect and noble family.

That day, countless flying swords hovering above Beisha Town surged toward the ruins’ entrance.

“Treasure—it’s the treasure for immortality.”

“Vast fields of spirit herbs and immortal seedlings, inexhaustible!”

“I felt the chance for immortality—it’s right before me, deep within, deepest within…”

Upon hearing the news, more disciples from immortal sects arrived, and their cultivation realms grew ever higher.

As they delved deeper into the ruins, they discovered countless rare treasures scattered across the wasteland as if they were worthless.

Soon after, rumors spread that a disciple of the Shanhai Pavilion had found a crimson fruit; after eating it, his entire body glowed with immortal radiance.

No danger, no killing intent—only omnipresent immortal fortune.

But once this immortal fortune became widely known, fellow cultivators became the killing threat.

On the fourth day of entering the ruins, the desolate forest was thick with malevolent energy.

Zhuo Wanqiu of Lingjian Mountain, accompanied by three outsiders, hurried through the dark forest, her expression grim.

Unlike other sect disciples, they remembered their mission: to find their own sect members, not to seize treasures.

Yet fortune struck unexpectedly.

Deep in the woods, they picked up a crimson fruit—and were immediately targeted by a group of Chen Shixian clan youths.

Just then, a sharp whistle pierced the air as a Xuantong Realm man landed before them, blocking their path.

“Hand over the item.”

“Fine, we’ll give it to you—but you must let us go.”

The Chen Shixian Xuantong cultivator nodded. “Of course. I only seek immortal fortune; I have no desire to stain my hands with blood.”

Zhuo Wanqiu took a deep breath, placed the crimson fruit on the ground, and slowly stepped back.

But at that moment, the Xuantong cultivator suddenly drew his blade, and a thunder-charged slash surged toward them.

Zhuo Wanqiu raised her sword to block it—she was flung ten zhang away and slammed hard into a tree trunk, letting out a muffled groan.

“Let you go? Then everyone would know I have this fruit.”

“We’re here only to find someone—we won’t tell anyone. You can trust us.”

“Dead men don’t talk.”

Though the ruins, like Qiling Mountain, were filled with malevolent energy that hindered spiritual flow, the Xuantong cultivator still towered over them by one full realm.

Seeing him advance with blade raised, Zhuo Wanqiu regretted picking up the fruit.

But just as the Xuantong cultivator raised his blade, a flying sword suddenly screamed from afar, sending up a wave of earth and dust.

The Xuantong cultivator reacted instantly, slashing to deflect it, then whirled around with a furious expression—only to find five more swords hurtling toward him along different trajectories. He barely dodged, stumbling backward.

“Who are you? Hiding in the shadows—is that how an immortal sect disciple acts?”

“Damn, he’s acting righteous—take him down!”

Hearing the voices, the Xuantong cultivator’s face darkened as the six flying swords suddenly changed direction, each unleashing a distinct sword technique.

Though the six swords appeared to fly chaotically, when their sword qi surged, they sealed every possible escape route—the blade light bloomed like a thousand flowers.

Dodging and defending? Dodging saves spiritual energy—but these six swords clearly gave him no such chance.

The Chen Shixian Xuantong disciple roared, pouring all his spiritual energy into his blade and slashing fiercely against the five flying swords.

He had already fought several battles before arriving; his spiritual energy was low. He dared to ambush the fruit only because he saw these four Lingjian Mountain disciples were low in realm and exhausted.

But he never imagined someone else lurked in the forest.

And there had to be more than five fully cultivated Lower Realm cultivators.

“Damn!”

The Xuantong cultivator cursed fiercely, fighting as he retreated.

The fruit was already in his grasp—he had no desire to risk more. His best choice was to flee now and recover his spiritual energy.

The Chen Shixian Xuantong disciple channeled his spiritual energy, releasing a torrent of force that slashed downward, sending the six flying swords flying through the air—he then turned and fled.

But at that moment, an arrow pierced the wind and shot straight through his chest.

“My brother-in-law, you can kill enemies across realms here?”

“No matter how powerful the opponent, once their spiritual energy is drained, they’re useless—too easy to kill. From now on, I’ll follow this principle—I don’t believe anyone here can outlast me.”

“Didn’t you say you’d ignore everything after entering, just find my sister?”

“Lingjian Mountain disciples on a rescue mission can’t be ignored.”

Zhuo Wanqiu, now helped to her feet by her disciples, watched the two approaching figures with wary eyes.

She didn’t recognize them and assumed they, too, sought the fruit—so she and her three companions drew their swords and retreated.

Lower Realm fully cultivated, like me?

Zhuo Wanqiu recalled the six screaming swords and was stunned.

Spiritual energy here flows so slowly—controlling six swords at once? Unless you can kill instantly, it’s suicide.

But what surprised them even more was that after arriving, the two men didn’t even glance at the fruit in the Xuantong cultivator’s hand—they pulled out the arrow embedded in the tree through his chest, then turned and left.

“Can your jade disc sense your sister’s location yet?”

“No, its sensing range is limited—you need to get closer to use it.”

“This place is huge—where’s close enough?”

“It can’t be near the edge. I think we should go deeper.”

“Deeper? You’ve got to pay extra for that!”

“My sister is very beautiful…”

“Beautiful or not—you still pay extra!”

Zhuo Wanqiu and the other three disciples froze, staring at the abandoned fruit, at a loss for words.

Everyone entering here came for fortune.

They never imagined someone would disdain it entirely—only pulling out an arrow.

In the days that followed, many cultivators trapped in peril encountered these two ghostlike figures.

One constantly demanded payment; the other looked simple-minded.

(End of Chapter)