Chapter 11

For a person with ordinary talent, reaching the Qi Condensation Great Circle might take eight, nine, or even ten years. Those with good talent would still need three or four years. Even those heaven-favored prodigies, such as You Xueer whose body had been modified in her past life, still took two years to reach the Qi Condensation Great Circle. As for You Yu, taking two years to reach the Qi Condensation Great Circle was completely fine. The crucial point was that she didn't spend all that much time cultivating; a lot of the time she was studying recipes, refining pills, and reading books! If she didn't do those things and focused wholeheartedly on cultivation, reaching the Qi Condensation Great Circle in a year would be no problem at all. Besides, she had dual spirit roots! Who didn't know that having dual spirit roots required twice the cultivation time of a single spirit root? And that was assuming they didn't know she had gained a water spirit root on top of that; otherwise, they would have been even more astonished. Advancing faster with multiple spirit roots than with a single one—was anyone else supposed to live? Recalling back then, Ji Qing began cultivating at fifteen and only advanced to Foundation Establishment at twenty, simply because she possessed both fire and wood spirit roots, with each taking over two years. And that was considering that none of Ji Qing's spirit root grades were low. From this, one could see just how popular those with single spirit roots were. You Yu did not find alchemy tedious and stayed inside without stepping out for several days running, which worried Rong Xuan and Jin Haochen sick. The two of them were afraid she might be suffering inside her room and wanted to go call her out. However, seeing the "Closed Door — Do Not Disturb" sign hanging on the door, they worried she really was in secluded cultivation and that a rash visit would disturb her. Fortunately, the entrance was about to open, so they could finally go call her out fair and square. Only, before Rong Xuan's raised hand could knock on the door, it swung open, revealing You Yu's little sprout-like figure. "Sixth Senior Brother," You Yu called out excitedly. Rong Xuan looked You Yu up and down; she hadn't starved herself thin, and although her energy seemed a bit lacking, her eyes were as bright as ever. She looked to be in a very good mood. Junior Sister was back to her old self from her days in the sect, which was wonderful. He smiled at You Yu: "The entrance to the Three Elements Secret Realm is about to open, so I've come to fetch you along." "Okay!" You Yu took the "Closed Door — Do Not Disturb" sign off the door and stowed it away in her spatial ring. "Let's go, then." Jin Haochen had also come over, observing You Yu's condition at the very first moment. Seeing that she looked somewhat exhausted, he said, "Wang Liang says this entrance is at the nearby Longevity Mountain. Judging by these fluctuations, we still have two days, so let's head over and wait there first." "All right." Once outside the city, Wang Liang produced one of his flying boats, infused it with spiritual energy to expand its size, and after Jin Haochen led everyone aboard, he steered the flying boat toward Longevity Mountain. You Yu stood on the deck, watching the scenery flash backward as it receded, and sighed at how wealthy the Jin family truly was for even a guard to own such a fine flying boat. She didn't know that Old Master Jin had specially given this to Wang Liang so that if his grandson ever encountered another incident like the last one, Wang Liang could take him and run for it! Naturally, Jin Haochen undoubtedly had something much better in his own possession. Because the flying boat traveled at high speed, You Yu saw quite a few people who had departed earlier being left behind in their wake. When they arrived, there weren't many people at the entrance. Chapter 28: You, the Annoying Pest, Xueer That was simply how secret realm entrances were; although a large area could be sensed in advance, the specific location remained undetectable until the final day or two. They disembarked from the flying boat and saw scattered tents set up by a handful of people. These individuals must have already been inside Longevity Mountain to arrive so quickly. Jin Haochen was a master of comfort; instead of pulling out a simple tent like the others, he produced a model of a small courtyard. You Yu took one look and recognized it as the kind of portable small courtyard, somewhat similar to theirs, though not as large as the one given by their Master, nor did it have as many rooms. Jin Haochen channeled his spiritual energy into it, causing the courtyard to expand. Seeing You Yu staring at the courtyard, he smiled and explained, "This is a spiritual artifact with no real function other than making one live a bit more comfortably when out in the wild." You Yu naturally knew this, given that everyone in the Taiyi Sect basically had two of them. "Is this thing very common?" she asked. "How could that be?" Jin Haochen laughed. "Courtyards like this are difficult to refine, and one of the primary materials needed is extremely rare, so very few circulate on the market. Generally, only sect masters and elders of the major sects, or key figures of super clans, possess them." You Yu widened her eyes. So rare! She glanced at Rong Xuan and saw that he also wore a look of surprise, clearly unaware that the courtyard given to them by their Master was so hard to come by. It was just that their Master could casually craft such a Saint Artifact, which made him a bit extraordinary. "This courtyard has enough rooms for each of us to have our own. Little Sister, pick a room first," Jin Haochen told You Yu. You Yu randomly chose a room, and then Rong Xuan and Jin Haochen tacitly selected the rooms on her left and right. "I'm going to rest for a bit to recover my spiritual power," You Yu told the two of them. She had just refined two cauldrons of medicinal pills before coming out of seclusion, depleting a fair amount of spiritual power. With the secret realm about to open, she still needed to restore her condition to its absolute best. "Go ahead. I'll activate the formation so the outside world won't disturb you," Jin Haochen said. You Yu knew how reliable that was and went to rest with peace of mind. Once inside her room, seeing the empty, barren space, she remembered that this type of courtyard came unfurnished. She pulled out the traveling kit prepared by her Eldest Senior Sister, which had beds, quilts, and everything else fully supplied. That's right, she planned to have a good sleep, seeing as she hadn't slept in ages. Clearly not feeling tired at all, the moment she lay down on the bed, she fell asleep instantly. While she was sleeping, quite a few more people arrived one after another. The prime location had already been high-handedly occupied by Jin Haochen's courtyard, leaving everyone else to automatically stake out ground and pitch their tents all around. When You Xueer, Yu Feng, and Li You arrived at the spot, they caught sight of the uniquely standing courtyard and asked with curiosity, "How is there a courtyard here? Whose storage bag is even big enough to bring a whole courtyard out with them?" "Junior Sister, this is a kind of spiritual artifact," Li You said. "The last time the Young Sect Master and I traveled out together, I saw him use one." However, too many people had traveled together on that occasion, and as an outer disciple, he hadn't been qualified to stay inside it. At the mention of the Young Sect Master, Duanmu Haoyan, You Xueer thought of his otherworldly and handsome appearance, his aloof and cold temperament, and the smile he had given her when they met in the sect last time, causing ripples to stir in her heart. He didn't smile like that for anyone else! Just one glance, and he had made her fall completely! Originally, he was supposed to take on this mission with them, but just before departure, he gained some insights and went into secluded cultivation. If only Duanmu Haoyan were here too; she could have spent the journey properly cultivating a relationship with him. "Courtyards like this must be very rare, right?" she asked curiously. "Right. Those who can afford to use one are either immensely wealthy or of noble status," Li You said. "I've heard that even among the elders in our own sect, not every single one of them has one." You Xueer cast a couple of extra glances toward that courtyard. Immensely wealthy or of noble status... At that very moment, Jin Haochen emerged from the courtyard, followed by Wang Wei and Wang Liang. Upon seeing Jin Haochen, she felt a jolt in her heart: How could it be him? The other day, she had seen how Jin Haochen protected You Yu. When on earth had You Yu ever crossed paths with someone like that? "Young Master Jin, you've come as well?" A man in green robes walked over to speak with Jin Haochen, seeming somewhat familiar with him. "Fellow Daoist Luo." Jin Haochen nodded toward him. "Young Master Jin, the Three Elements Secret Realm opens frequently and no longer holds any real treasures. Given Young Master Jin's status, why would you still want to go?" "I'm accompanying my little sister to have some fun." "Young Master Jin's little sister is truly blessed to have such a wonderful brother." This remark greatly pleased Jin Haochen, bringing a few more traces of a smile to his face. "That person should be the Young Master of the Wangyue Pavilion, the Jin family young master," Yu Feng said. "He is the Young Master of the Wangyue Pavilion?" You Xueer was utterly shocked. She had already gained some understanding of what kind of existence the Wangyue Pavilion was during this trip down the mountain. It could be said that the master of the Wangyue Pavilion—meaning Jin Haochen's old man—was entirely on equal footing even when sitting alongside her own master. They were, after all, one of the top-tier sects! Moreover, the Jin family was ridiculously wealthy! How could someone like that have such a good relationship with You Yu? Thinking of how he had defended You Yu that day and the look he had given her, You Xueer couldn't keep herself from bubbling over with jealousy. At this moment, she was still only a fourteen-year-old child, unable to master her emotions or control her gaze. Sensing a gaze upon him, Jin Haochen looked over and happened to catch the resentful look in her eyes born of pure jealousy. A perfectly fine face completely twisted out of shape—truly ugly! Jealous of him? That was out of the question. With a single thought, Jin Haochen guessed what she was jealous of. She was undoubtedly thinking: how could You Yu, who was treated worse than a servant in the You family, possibly have such a good relationship with him? Seeing Jin Haochen look over, You Xueer's expression shifted in an instant; she reined in her resentment and even flashed a sweet smile at him. Jin Haochen frowned. This female was not only vicious at heart, but also adept at putting on a front. Later on, he would have to give his little sister another thorough warning not to be tricked by her. One had to admit, a preconception truly could alter the trajectory of two people. Therefore, when You Yu woke up from her sleep and came out, she was met with Jin Haochen's speechlessness and lingering hesitation. Seeing You Yu looking so happy, Jin Haochen thought better of it and decided to let it go. Her mood had finally improved; there was no need to bring up those annoying pests and ruin her day. You—Annoying Pest—Xueer: ......He didn't mention it, however, and while out for a stroll after dinner, You Yu still ran into that infuriating person.

"Sister, you're here too!" You Xueer’s cheerful voice came from the side, as if their unhappy parting earlier had never happened.

The heroine had turned into a leech, it seemed!

Fortunately, someone called out to her, preventing her from rushing over immediately.

You Yu rolled her eyes and whispered to Jin Haochen beside her, "Brother Jin, do you have something that can record images?"

"I do. I have a few Image-Capture Stones; I'll give you two," Jin Haochen said. He took out two inconspicuous stones and placed them in You Yu’s hands. "What are you planning to do?"

The Image-Capture Stone hadn't been mentioned in the book, and Jin Haochen spoke so casually that You Yu assumed they weren't particularly rare.

Seeing her stow them away, Jin Haochen asked, "Nobody uses these things; what do you want with them?"

"To guard against a 'green tea' bitch," You Yu replied.

"Hmm?"

"When I was little, my father didn't completely disbelieve me, but after my sister framed me a few times, he stopped caring," You Yu explained. "From now on, whenever I meet her, I’ll use the Image-Capture Stones to record it. That way, she won't be able to scheme against me again, and I won't have to suffer in silence without any proof."

Jin Haochen asked curiously, "What is 'suffering in silence'?"

"It's like swallowing a bitter herb; you have the bitterness, but you can't voice it."

"Oh." Jin Haochen nodded. "Some people just love to act like innocent little flowers. Even when they’re the ones in the wrong, they make others feel like they’re the victims."

"You understand perfectly, Brother Jin."

Jin Haochen glanced at You Xueer. "That You Xueer is exactly that kind of person. You're right to do this. But those two aren't enough—I'll give you a few more."

"Brother Jin, how do you have so many?" You Yu asked, astonished. "Don't tell me you’ve used them often in the past?"

"How could that be? Is that the kind of person your Brother Jin is?" Jin Haochen retorted immediately. "These are just items that wouldn't sell at the Wangyue Pavilion. I packed them away once and forgot about them. Nobody buys them, so if you like them, I’ll collect more for you later."

"Alright, then thank you, Brother Jin." Hearing that they weren't in high demand, You Yu assumed they weren't expensive and accepted them graciously. She patted him on the shoulder and said earnestly, "Brother Jin, you really should use these when the time calls for it."

"What use would they be?"

"How could they not be useful? Last time you were being hunted, if you had recorded the footage before that person attacked you, wouldn't you have had evidence to point toward the people behind it?" You Yu said.

"I..." Jin Haochen paused. He truly hadn't thought of that before.

You Yu was right. If he had recorded that scene, even if it hadn't been enough to take those people down, it would have served as powerful evidence to implicate them later.

It was a pity he had been too busy fleeing at the time, and with his life hanging in the balance afterward, he hadn't even thought of it. The young lady was right; the Image-Capture Stone was a good thing, and he shouldn't let them gather dust in a corner any longer.

"Brother Jin, are these easy to find?" You Yu asked.

If they were easy to find, she wanted to keep hundreds in her spatial ring, just in case!

Jin Haochen instantly understood her intention and looked at her with a pang of sympathy. Poor girl—she must have been tricked so badly in the past that she was constantly thinking of ways to defend herself.

However—

"These Image-Capture Stones aren't easy to find. The ones in your hand represent a third of the entire Wangyue Pavilion's stock. Other merchant guilds likely have even fewer," Jin Haochen said honestly. "However, they can be reused; you just have to delete the previous recording."

So, it was a storage capacity issue—they could only hold one scene at a time. Still, having them was better than nothing.

"If you like them, I'll have my family track some more down later."

"Then thank you, Brother Jin."

You Yu tucked the stones away. By then, You Xueer had finished speaking with the person she was with and was running toward them.

Jin Haochen stepped forward instinctively, blocking You Yu. "Is there something you need?"

"Young Master Jin, I... I wanted to ask if my sister is also going to enter the Secret Realm."

"Of course she is." Jin Haochen thought it was a stupid question. Why else would she be here?

You Yu noticed Jin Haochen’s tone was somewhat impatient. Seeing him act like this, the chance of him falling for You Xueer seemed slim. *Brother, you're doing great!*

Jin Haochen's tone had been sharp, and You Xueer seemed startled. She shrank back, her expression turning teary and pitiful—a look that would evoke a sense of protectiveness in anyone who saw it.

*Tsk, the heroine lives up to her reputation.*Look at that charming face, that proud figure, and those effortless, coy expressions. How could a roadside wildflower like You Yu compare?

Oh, wait—she was still just a little sprout by the side of the road.

Although she had grown quite a bit over the last six months, compared to her peers, she was still tiny and thin, a little sprout. It really was true that comparing yourself to others only brought misery!

You Xueer looked pitifully delicate, but Jin Haochen was biased against her now; those alluring features were automatically filtered out by him, and he didn't even bat an eye.

Seeing this, You Xueer knew her usual tactics were useless. She tilted her head and looked at You Yu behind him. "Sister, regardless of what happened in the past, we are family. Here in the world of cultivation, we are each other's closest kin."

You Yu rolled her eyes at her.

Seeing that eye-roll, You Xueer almost choked on her next words. She paused, steadied her breathing, and continued, "Sister, none of us have been to this Secret Realm before. Why don't we go in together? That way, we can look out for one another."

"No need. I have Sixth Senior Brother and Brother Jin," You Yu refused.

Are you kidding? She was going in to snatch the female lead's opportunities. If they went together, how would she manage that? Given the female lead's aura of destiny, if they both discovered a treasure, You Yu would definitely lose out to the heroine's plot armor.

Therefore, she planned to head straight for where the treasures were hidden as soon as they entered and strike first!

Go with You Xueer? Don't even think about it!

Not only would she not go with her, but she had to stay as far away from her as possible once inside!

You Yu made up her mind. No matter what You Xueer said, she simply refused, playing the mute behind Jin Haochen’s back. Losing patience, she tugged on Jin Haochen’s clothes and prepared to leave. "Brother Jin, we don't know when the entrance will open. Let’s go back and rest up."

"Alright."

Jin Haochen responded and started walking, not even bothering with the formalities of saying goodbye to You Xueer.

You Yu, however, offered a final bit of advice: "Little Sister, the Secret Realm is dangerous. Make sure you stick close to your fellow disciples!"

Jin Haochen led You Yu away. You Xueer watched them go, her expression sour as she saw Jin Haochen’s cold demeanor from beginning to end.

"Junior Sister, what did you say to them? Did that You Yu bully you?" Li You walked over, and seeing her unhappy expression, he asked with concern.

You Xueer forced a smile. "Sister didn't bully me. I just wanted to invite her to enter the Secret Realm together, but she refused. I’m just worried about her encountering danger inside."

Li You widened his eyes. "She’s only at the 1st Layer of Qi Condensation! If it weren't for you being her sister, who would be willing to enter the Secret Realm with someone at the 1st Layer? And she refused?"

Was she brain-damaged?

You Xueer seemed even more heartbroken. She clutched her chest and made a show of trying to muster her energy, which only made Li You feel more protective.

"Junior Sister You, you both started cultivating at the same time. You are already at the 4th Layer of Qi Condensation, while she is only at the 1st. Her talent is far inferior to yours. To be blunt, you are the true disciple of a real master, and you have a single spirit root; your future is limitless. She is destined to never keep up with you. Don't let her hold you back!"

Tears welled up in You Xueer’s eyes. "But she is my sister!"

"She doesn't think of you as her sister."

You Xueer’s body stiffened. She seemed unwilling to accept this, opening her mouth, but nothing came out.

Seeing her like this, Li You sighed. "Junior Sister You, since you have embarked on the path of immortality, you must cut ties with the past when it is time to do so!"

"I know," You Xueer replied. Not wanting to discuss it further, she managed a weak smile. "Senior Brother Li, let’s head back."

Li You walked ahead. You Xueer paused and looked back, just in time to see Jin Haochen say something that made You Yu burst into happy laughter.

She bit her lip. That Young Master Jin was truly good to You Yu!

In the past, everyone revolved around her and treated her well, while You Yu was the one who was ignored and disliked. Why had things changed so much after coming to the cultivation world?

...

You Yu knew that You Xueer and the others were camping not far outside the courtyard, so she didn't want to go out.

"Brother Jin, how much do I owe you for those shadow-recording stones? I'll pay you!"

"It's just a few stones. You think your big brother needs your money?" Jin Haochen tapped her on the head, feigning anger.

"But you didn't take money for that longsword last time. How can I keep taking your things?" You Yu said, feeling embarrassed. "If you’re like this, I won't feel comfortable accepting the stones."

"Alright, alright. I'm not short on those few spirit stones. If you really want to pay me back, why don't you make your big brother something delicious to eat?"