On Luoxue Mountain.
"The year is up, the exit is about to open. Who do you think gained the most this time?"
Outside the secret realm, the muscular elder Jia Wenchang chuckled as he looked at the other three sect elders leading their groups.
As soon as he spoke, Song Qiuyue sneered, "I'm not sure who gained the most, but I can definitely guess who gained the least."
Jia Wenchang's eyes flickered. "Oh? Elder Song, why don't you enlighten us?"
At the same time, Qingfeng and Yun Zhongque turned their gazes toward Song Qiuyue, while only Yan Qingxuan remained seated cross-legged, her eyes closed as if in meditation.
"Humph, still pretending." Song Qiuyue gave Yan Qingxuan a mocking glance, then smirked. "Isn't it obvious? The Hehuan Sect even sent out an old relic already buried up to his forehead in dirt. That alone shows how weak their outer disciples are."
"With such a team, just being able to come out alive from the secret realm would already be impressive. Do you really expect them to have gained anything worth mentioning?"
Saying this, she looked at Yan Qingxuan with open ridicule. "If it were me, I'd be too embarrassed to even bring such a group here."
Hearing her sneers, Yan Qingxuan slowly opened her eyes.
Looking at Song Qiuyue, she said calmly, "You seem quite confident in your Xuanqing Palace disciples."
"Confidence is one thing, but at the very least they're far superior to your Hehuan Sect disciples," Song Qiuyue replied coldly.
Yan Qingxuan shook her head. "On the contrary, I believe my Hehuan disciples are more outstanding."
Song Qiuyue's eyes glinted. "Is that so? Since you're so confident in them, how about we make a wager?"
"A wager?"
Yan Qingxuan arched a brow.
"What's wrong? Afraid?" Song Qiuyue sneered.
"So you've been preparing for this." Yan Qingxuan gave her a long look, then smiled faintly. "Since you want to gamble, very well, let's gamble. How do you want to bet?"
Song Qiuyue's eyes lit up at her agreement. "We'll bet on which sect's disciples come out with greater harvests. Whoever's disciples bring back more, wins."
"If you lose, you'll hand over your Xuanming Flame Ring to me."
At her words, before Yan Qingxuan could react, the eyelids of Jia Wenchang, Qingfeng, and Yun Zhongque all twitched.
The Xuanming Flame Ring!
That was the very treasure that had once made Yan Qingxuan famous in the northern regions!
It was likely also the most powerful magic artifact she possessed.
And Song Qiuyue dared to open with such a demand? That was a massive stake.
Compared to the three onlookers, Yan Qingxuan herself seemed far calmer.
Hearing the proposed wager, she only sneered coldly. "You want to bet for my Xuanming Flame Ring? Fine. But what will you stake against it?"
"I'll wager my Zixiao Jade Palace!"
Song Qiuyue waved her hand, and a flash of violet light appeared—a palm-sized, exquisite miniature palace manifested before her.
The moment Jia Wenchang, Qingfeng, and Yun Zhongque saw it, a flicker of greed passed through their hearts.
The Zixiao Jade Palace was a precious palace-type magic treasure.
It could defend, attack, serve as a residence, and even as a flying vessel. It was a highly versatile artifact, one of the finest among its grade.
"Not enough."
But Yan Qingxuan only shook her head calmly.
Yet none of the three elders looked surprised.
The Zixiao Jade Palace was indeed precious—but the Xuanming Flame Ring surpassed it.
It too was both offensive and defensive, but its power in both aspects outstripped the Jade Palace.
Moreover, it could also serve as a flying treasure, and its speed exceeded that of the Jade Palace.
The only thing it lacked was a livable interior. In every other respect, it completely suppressed the Zixiao Jade Palace, making it far more valuable.
At Yan Qingxuan's dismissal, Song Qiuyue hesitated a moment, then produced a jade slip. "This is a high-grade spiritual tool blueprint I obtained by chance, called the Dragon Chant Ancient Bell. I'll add it in."
"Still not enough." Yan Qingxuan shook her head again.
"Then what if I add this incomplete Tier-2 ancient pill formula?" Song Qiuyue produced another jade slip, aged and cracked, filled with traces of time.
"Though incomplete, ancient pill formulas are treasured for the medicinal theories within, holding immense research value for alchemists. This one is sixty percent complete—you should know its worth."
"Very well."
Yan Qingxuan nodded.
"In that case, it's settled. If you win, the Zixiao Jade Palace, the Dragon Chant blueprint, and the ancient pill formula are all yours. If I win, the Xuanming Flame Ring is mine."
Song Qiuyue quickly added, as if afraid Yan Qingxuan would reconsider, "Elders Jia and Qingfeng, would you bear witness?"
Both men, envy gleaming in their eyes, nodded.
They themselves didn't think highly of the Hehuan Sect disciples. In their view, Song Qiuyue's victory was all but certain.
And the prize— the Xuanming Flame Ring—was a treasure capable of boosting one's combat strength instantly!
They were filled with regret. Why hadn't they thought to suggest such a bet first?
Yan Qingxuan, of course, saw through Song Qiuyue's intent.
The others all underestimated Wang Jianqiang—but she suspected he just might be the key to raising the Hehuan Sect disciples' limits.
She smiled carelessly. "Then it's settled."
An hour later.
The sky above Luoxue Mountain suddenly rippled.
Yan Qingxuan and the others looked up sharply.
"The exit is opening." Song Qiuyue shot a glance at Yan Qingxuan, her lips curling into a cold sneer.
Jia Wenchang, Qingfeng, and Yun Zhongque all gazed upward as well.
Under their eyes, the distortion grew until a deep spatial passage slowly took shape.
"They're coming out?"
As the exit fully formed, all five elders fixed their eyes upon it.
One minute.
Five minutes.
Ten minutes.
…
Half an hour passed.
"What's going on? Why hasn't anyone come out?" Qingfeng frowned. "Normally, disciples are transported out as soon as the exit forms."
Yun Zhongque pondered. "Could something have delayed them before reaching the entrance?"
"Impossible. A handful being delayed is one thing, but all of them? Do you believe that yourself?" Song Qiuyue sneered.
"Could something have gone wrong?" Jia Wenchang frowned.
"The exit remains open for two hours. Let's wait a bit longer."
Yan Qingxuan's brows furrowed slightly as she stared at the portal.
Another half hour passed.
Suddenly, the spatial gate rippled—and a disheveled figure stumbled out.
Ye Lingyun!
The five elders all shifted their expressions.
"Ye Lingyun, what happened inside the secret realm?"
"The exit has been open for so long—why are you the only one to come out?"
Song Qiuyue, Jia Wenchang, and Qingfeng all fixed him with sharp gazes.
Ye Lingyun glanced at Yan Qingxuan and Yun Zhongque.
Yan Qingxuan remained silent, frowning. Yun Zhongque spoke, "Tell us."
Taking a deep breath, Ye Lingyun began recounting what had happened inside.
From Mu Lingxi stirring up the hatred of Xuanqing Palace and Zhengyang Sect disciples, to the two sects joining forces to besiege the Hehuan Sect—then later, the three major forces hunting them down in the canyon.
He narrated everything in detail.
But his story was laced with lies, nine truths for every falsehood, painting himself as a heroic figure.
He claimed that during the joint pursuit, he had risked his life multiple times to save his fellow disciples at critical moments.
And that after shattering a massive barrier with his secret trump card, though he could have escaped immediately, he chose instead to stay behind and share life and death with his trapped comrades.
Only after all his fellow disciples perished did he, heavy with grief, finally break through and escape—emerging alone from the secret realm.