Ch 60: The Cannon Fodder Won’t Play Along Anymore [QT]

At this moment, there were already many cultivators gathered at the entrance of the secret realm. Mu Xing noticed that the party from the Yudao Immortal Sect he had encountered yesterday was also among them.

They had clearly noticed him as well.

Other than the white-robed young master, who looked at Mu Xing with a mix of disappointment and frustration at seeing him not only with Meng Ge but also with the Xu siblings, the rest showed little reaction.

After all, it had only been a chance encounter. Since Mu Xing had treated them so indifferently, they saw no need to force a friendly face onto him.

But Mu Xing’s gaze was fixed on another group: they wore pure white robes without a trace of any other color, their faces hidden beneath white hoods. The only thing visible was their hands at their sides, covered in strange golden runes.

When he looked their way, Xu Jiao pursed her lips: “What, even the Heaven’s Secrets Pavilion sent people this time?”

Hearing the faint dejection in her tone, Mu Xing asked: “Why? Is there something wrong with the Heaven’s Secrets Pavilion?”

Xu Ce answered in her place: “Not wrong, exactly. It’s just that the Heaven’s Secrets Pavilion specializes in divination and prophecy. When it comes to seeking fortune and avoiding disaster, none of us can compare.”

In other words: wherever treasures are to be found, the Heaven’s Secrets Pavilion knows first. Wherever danger lurks, they also know first.

So what’s the point of playing?

Sure enough, Mu Xing swept his gaze around and saw that many others looked displeased upon noticing the Pavilion’s cultivators.

Meng Ge said coldly: “Inside a secret realm, strength decides everything. If the Heaven’s Secrets Pavilion were truly so all-knowing, they would have unified both the righteous and demonic paths long ago. Why would they still be hiding away in the snowy mountains?”

Mu Xing instantly liked Senior Brother Meng a little more.

At some point, he had pulled out a folding fan. Its ribs were black jade, and its surface was painted with a delicate and flirtatious beauty.

No need to doubt—it was, of course, something Yue Fubai had stuffed into his disciple’s hands.

Tapping the fan against his palm, Mu Xing readily agreed with Meng Ge: “Senior Brother Meng is right. What’s there to be afraid of?”

“And besides,” he added with full confidence, “my luck’s never been bad.”

Xu Ce laughed heartily: “Then when we enter the secret realm later, we’ll be relying on Brother Meng and Brother Mu.”

Just as he finished speaking, his expression shifted, solemn: “The secret realm is about to open.”

From all directions, spiritual power surged toward the site. In the void, a radiant, shimmering “gate” slowly began to take shape.

Everyone raised their heads to watch. Once the light gate fully emerged, many could no longer hold back and rushed straight in.

The Xu siblings and Mu Xing all turned to Meng Ge.

Meng Ge gave a slight nod: “Let’s go too.”

With that, the four of them rose into the air and flew into the light gate.

Mu Xing did not notice that the tightly wrapped disciples of the Heaven’s Secrets Pavilion, along with a few scattered cultivators, only followed after he had gone in.

To Mu Xing, the feeling of entering the secret realm was very much like being pulled into one of those dream spheres: a moment of dizziness, a sense of weightlessness—then everything changed.

He found himself in a vast forest stretching beyond sight.

His first reaction was to check the signal talisman Meng Ge had given him. No response.

It seemed this secret realm had no intention of letting outsiders work together.

Still, at least his spiritual power worked, and his storage ring could be opened.

Mu Xing looked around, then looked up, but found nothing of note.

So he simply followed the path under his feet, strolling along unhurriedly.

After about fifteen minutes, he suddenly stopped, leapt lightly to a nearby tree, and concealed himself amid the thick foliage.

No sooner had he settled there than a white-robed figure appeared around the bend, hurrying toward the very spot he had just been standing.

Behind him was a huge white ape, and behind that ape, a group of slightly smaller monkeys.

Mu Xing raised an eyebrow: an acquaintance.

It was the very young master of the Yudao Immortal Sect he had briefly clashed with before.

Well now, had he gone and stirred up a white ape’s nest?

The white-robed youth clearly didn’t notice Mu Xing crouched in the tree. His steps were incredibly fast, and he sped past. But when the white ape reached Mu Xing’s tree, it suddenly stopped.

It looked up in puzzlement, sniffing the air with surprising sensitivity.

Mu Xing: ?

The next moment, the white ape lifted its head sharply, its dark eyes locking directly onto Mu Xing through the dense foliage.

A bad premonition rose in Mu Xing’s heart as he saw the ape abandon its chase of the youth without hesitation, leaping upward in a blur to seize the very branch where he was perched.

Mu Xing had no choice but to jump down, and the ape landed right behind him.

The rest of the apes quickly caught up, surrounding him in a noisy circle, some edging closer with curious aggression.

If Mu Xing wasn’t mistaken, the leader’s gaze actually held a strangely human-like affection and friendliness. He had just opened his mouth to speak when—suddenly—something white fell from the sky.

In the next instant, a violent flash of fire burst forth.

Startled, the monkeys scattered in shrieks, and someone grabbed Mu Xing by the wrist, dragging him away at full speed without looking back.

Mu Xing was utterly bewildered. Meanwhile, the white apes, terrified by what was not particularly deadly but extremely insulting—the blast of a weak explosion talisman—were completely enraged.

Shrieking furiously, eyes blazing with hostility, the entire troop charged at the two of them.

—And ahead, there was no path left. The pair was now surrounded by a troop of very unfriendly apes.

The white-robed young master let go of Mu Xing’s hand. Looking at the fierce troop of apes, he couldn’t help but say: “Y-you’re at the Golden Core stage, right? You should be able to deal with these white apes, shouldn’t you?”

But Mu Xing asked him instead: “Why did you suddenly come back just now?”

The young master glared at him: “At a time like this, you’re asking useless questions? Do you think I wanted to save you? Wrong. It’s just that you got surrounded by these apes because of me. I don’t want to owe you a karmic debt, that’s all!”

Mu Xing finally smiled, slowly tapping the folding fan in his hand: “Who said I was going to deal with them?”

Young master: ?

He stared, dumbfounded, as Mu Xing, fanning himself, casually walked toward the leading white ape without a trace of caution.

The ape, whose expression had been savage a moment ago, gradually calmed as Mu Xing drew closer. Its extended claws retracted, and it even rubbed its face against Mu Xing’s arm!

Its posture could only be described as utterly fawning.

“You—what did you do to them?” the young master exclaimed in shock. But because he had spoken, the ape’s attention returned to him, and he earned a vicious glare.

Mu Xing asked: “What did you do to provoke them?”

The young master said, aggrieved: “The moment I entered the secret realm, I landed right in this ape troop. With so many demon beasts, of course I was scared. And when I got scared, I pulled out an Explosive Talisman…”

And then he’d been chased by the furious apes for over a hundred miles.

Mu Xing: “……”

Good grief. Using Explosive Talismans twice in a row—it was no wonder the apes were so furious.

He looked at the troop of white apes, then asked the young master: “What’s your name?”

The young master snorted: “Finally thought to ask my name? I’m Ying Shu.”

Ying?

Mu Xing’s brow creased ever so slightly: “I’ve heard the sect master of the Yudao Immortal Sect bears that surname.”

The white-robed young master said proudly: “The sect master is my father.”

Mu Xing widened his eyes slightly at him.

Ying Shu said haughtily: “What, now that you know who I am, are you regretting ignoring me before? Too late—I won’t accept you trying to cozy up now!”

Mu Xing ignored him, instead thinking about his dreams.

In the dream, the sect master of the Yudao Immortal Sect and his wife had not had a second child.

And for cultivators of their level, conceiving offspring was extremely difficult. Judging by Ying Shu’s age, he wasn’t much younger than himself.

Two children in three years? Easier to dream of it than make it happen.

So, had something changed again?

Seeing Mu Xing silent with head lowered, Ying Shu thought his words had frightened him. After some hesitation, he added: “Hey! I actually don’t blame you too much. As long as you treat me better, I’ll let bygones be bygones!”

Mu Xing came back to himself, looked at him, and drawled: “This isn’t about whether you and I let bygones be bygones. Look at these white apes—do they look like they’re ready to let bygones be bygones with you?”

“Ah!”

Mu Xing grinned as he watched Ying Shu run in circles, chased by the angry apes.

After enjoying the spectacle for a bit, Mu Xing finally called out: “Brother White Ape!”

The leading ape actually stopped at his shout, turned, and looked at him.

Mu Xing thought, as expected: clearly, these apes had long since developed intelligence.

Smiling, he said: “This silly kid didn’t mean harm, he’s just a bit mischievous. It’s enough if you teach him a little lesson.”

Then he asked Ying Shu: “Don’t you have anything tasty, or some treasures in your storage ring? Hurry and take some out as compensation.”

Ying Shu, his clothes and hair in complete disarray, looking utterly bedraggled, cried out in despair: “Who keeps that kind of stuff in a storage ring!”

Mu Xing blinked: “Really?”

He lowered his head, rummaged in his storage ring, and pulled out a large pile of candied fruits and snacks. He popped one into his mouth and handed the rest to the white apes.

Mu Xing smiled: “Here, eat up. Don’t bother with that fool.”

The apes happily abandoned Ying Shu and crowded together, snatching up the food.

Ying Shu stared, dumbstruck, and muttered: “There are actually people who keep useless junk like that in a storage ring…”

Mu Xing tossed another piece of dried fruit into his mouth and disagreed: “What do you mean useless? Eating these makes me happy. Happiness is such a precious emotion—how can you call it useless?”

Ying Shu immediately retorted: “Mere indulgence of the palate only hinders cultivation!”

Mu Xing chuckled once, not bothering to argue.

He waved to the apes and started strolling forward again.

“Where are you going?” Ying Shu called after him.

Mu Xing said casually: “Just walking wherever the road leads.”

Ying Shu thought about it, then followed behind.

After a while, Mu Xing stopped, turned his head, and asked: “Why are you following me?”

Ying Shu lifted his chin: “There’s only one road here. Who said I was following you?”

“Fine.” Mu Xing didn’t bother to argue and kept walking.

The sky gradually darkened.

Trailing behind, Ying Shu grumbled: “This secret realm even has nightfall? We’ve been walking forever—no end in sight, and not a single person around. What kind of lousy place is this!”

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