The violent sensation of spatial teleportation ebbed like a retreating tide, and the multicolored glow before her eyes slowly faded.
Xie Zhaolin landed firmly, both feet steady on the ground. A surge of rich, almost tangible spiritual energy rushed toward her. She immediately circulated her technique to stabilize her body, and her sharp gaze swept around the surroundings, alert for any possible threat.
But the sight that entered her eyes made her pupils shrink, and her heart sank in an instant. She was in an ancient forest. Towering trees reached into the sky, dense branches blocking out the sun. What set off every alarm in her heart wasn't the unfamiliar environment. It was the person standing in front of her.
Not even three zhang away, a figure sat casually on a smooth black boulder, resting her chin on one hand with a relaxed smile on her lips, watching her with amusement.
Who else could it be but Elder Chou?
She was here too, and judging from the scene, she'd even arrived earlier, as if she'd been waiting on purpose.
Elder Chou fixed her gaze on Xie Zhaolin, her voice light and knowing. "Elder Mo? What a coincidence."
That single sentence made Xie Zhaolin's heart plummet.
Damn it.
How could she forget this?
The ridiculous rule of the Tianxu Secret Realm: to encourage cooperation among disciples of the same sect, those entering from the same faction had a high chance of being teleported to the same area.
She'd assumed Elder Chou would avoid her, or that she could alter the landing point somehow. She never expected this…
She forced the cold, sullen demeanor of Elder Mo onto her face. A stiff, humorless twist of her lips appeared as she rasped, "Elder Chou."
Her voice carried no emotion at all, but the rejection was obvious.
Elder Chou seemed entirely oblivious to the rejection, or simply didn't care. She walked forward unhurriedly, looking around the eerie surroundings with interest, then chuckled. "This secret realm's scenery is quite unique. Looks like we're lucky, being placed in the same spot. Elder Mo, we'll need to watch out for each other next."
Xie Zhaolin sneered inwardly. "Watch out for each other? More like plotting against each other."
She had no interest in engaging with this woman. She gave her a cold glance, then began carefully inspecting the environment.
Elder Chou acted like she hadn't noticed her silence, or perhaps she simply ignored it. She followed behind Xie Zhaolin at a leisurely pace, speaking every few steps.
"Elder Mo, what kind of treasures do you think a forest this lush and filled with so much spiritual energy might produce?
I've heard Elder Mo travels widely and knows far more than most. Have you ever seen a secret realm like this before?
When the Sect Master said take good care before we left, what do you think the real meaning was? That we should work together, or rely on our own abilities?
That commotion at the entrance just now, sounded like disciples of the Hehuan Sect were ambushed. I wonder who'd dare do something like that… Elder Mo, did you see anything?"
Her voice was gentle and pleasant, her tone calm, like she was simply making small talk. Yet every question held an implication.
Xie Zhaolin's face was dark the entire time. She stayed completely silent, treating the voice like an annoying fly buzzing in her ear. Most of her focus was on scanning the surroundings, while watching Elder Chou sharply from the corner of her eye.
She sped up, Elder Chou followed. She deliberately changed direction, Elder Chou followed without complaint. She stopped abruptly, Elder Chou stopped as well, still smiling at her.
This woman's persistence and shamelessness were truly terrifying.
Irritation burned hotter in Xie Zhaolin's chest. Stuck to by this piece of sticky candy like a parasite, she couldn't use many of her usual methods. Searching for opportunities or responding to danger would be completely constrained.
There was no doubt about it. This woman was doing this on purpose. To disgust her, to disrupt her focus, to stop her from searching for treasures.
Xie Zhaolin had considered striking first. With her current strength, she wasn't without a chance. But she forced the thought down. It was too quiet. Far too quiet.
With spiritual energy this dense, the forest should've been crawling with beasts and spiritual plants. Yet since stepping into the area, aside from rotting leaves underfoot and the canopy overhead, they hadn't seen a single beast, not even a low-ranked one, nor a single spiritual plant.
Either something terrifying existed here that drove all life away, or they'd stepped into the territory of a powerful beast or a natural formation without realizing it. In an environment like this, fighting a cultivator of equal strength, causing violent waves of spiritual power and the scent of blood… who knew what they'd attract?
If that happened, it wouldn't be her killing Elder Chou. Both of them would become snacks for whatever unknown threat lurked here.
Xie Zhaolin drew a deep breath and forced down the roiling anger and killing intent. The priority now wasn't dealing with Elder Chou. It was staying alive and getting out of this cursed place.
Elder Chou was still walking behind her unhurriedly, but she no longer spoke. She'd sensed the abnormality in the environment and had become cautious as well.
The two moved swiftly through the silent ancient forest.
The air grew heavier. The only sound was the crunching of dried branches beneath their feet.
Every nerve in Xie Zhaolin's body was stretched to its limit. She could feel an invisible pair of eyes watching them from somewhere in the shadows.
The unknown threat weighed heavier on her heart than Elder Chou's persistence.
Just as she focused all her attention on scouting ahead…
A low hum burst out from deep underground without warning!
The ground shook violently, trees swaying wildly. A terrifying aura surged from all directions, instantly enveloping both of them.
Xie Zhaolin and Elder Chou's expressions changed drastically.
The worst had happened.
"Not good!" Elder Chou's lazy smile vanished, replaced by grim seriousness.
A flip of her hand produced a brilliant formation plate that radiated a soft yet resilient light, forming a shield around her.
Xie Zhaolin reacted just as quickly. The instant the hum rang out, a flash of dark purple light erupted from her wrist. The Jingxiao Ribbon shot out like a living serpent, wrapping around her in a spiraling curtain of dark purple light.
For the moment, all grudges and schemes vanished. Facing something unknown and far beyond their ability to handle, survival was the only priority.
But whatever was beneath the ground moved even faster. The earth surged upward beneath the area they had just escaped, then exploded violently. Mud and stone blasted into the sky like a storm. A colossal monster burst out from the depths.