Chapter 81

Lin Xiao, without his cultivation, only felt that the realm was unusual. It was beautiful, and simply seemed a good place to live.

He did understand though, the more picturesque a place, likely greater the danger.

However, even when the sky fell on Ling Luo, Ling Luo remained standing. So Lin Xiao set aside any concerns about the strangeness of the realm, and just followed along behind Ling Luo, enjoying the lovely views on either side.

Lin Xiao hadn’t been to such a magnificent place in a long time. But besides the flowers and the grass, there was nothing to see.

What the hell was this place?

Furrowing his brow, Lin Xiao felt a strange sense of familiarity in his heart. This secret realm, he had heard of it before? But he couldn’t remember where.

Again, Lin Xiao put it out of his mind. He’d figure it out eventually, no pointing in wasting anymore of his brain cells right now.
Ling Luo kept on moving, but Lin Xiao finally stopped in front of a stone pillar, his legs tired and weak.

There was dense writing on the stone column, but Lin Xiao was a little too far away to read it. “Go and see the words on the pillar,” Ling Luo suddenly spoke.

Lin Xiao froze for a moment, saying nothing. Then he approached the column, carefully examining the carved characters.

Silently reading the words to himself, Lin Xiao realized the text was describing a cultivation practice.

Lin Xiao slid a doubtful look at Ling Luo.

Ling Luo thought there might a problem with this practice, so he wanted to try it out on Lin Xiao first? Just that Lin Xiao had no dantian, so even if that was Ling Luo’s idea, it wouldn’t work.

As Lin Xiao was hypothesizing, Ling Luo said: “This is a cultivation method, you’re going to try practicing it.”

Lin Xiao’s theory was right?!

“I have no dantian, remember? There’s no way for me to practice this cultivation.” Lin Xiao told Ling Luo.

Ling Luo replied: “Close your eyes and concentrate internally, I’ll solve the rest.”

Ling Luo said to do it, and Lin Xiao had no means of persuading Ling Luo otherwise. Sitting cross-legged on the ground, Lin Xiao closed his eyes. Even without his dantian, he could miraculously recall the words he’d read without effort.

A moment later, Lin Xiao felt Ling Luo’s hands on his shoulders. A stream of warm currents flowed into Lin Xiao’s four meridians and eight veins.

Slowly, Lin Xiao’s attention began to centralize.

His surroundings faded away. With Ling Luo’s skill assisting him, Lin Xiao unexpectedly entered a deep meditative state.

……

“How do you feel?” Ling Luo asked an open-eyed Lin Xiao after a long while.

Lin Xiao shook his head. “Except for my body feeling warmer, nothing else seems different.”

What did it mean?

Ling Luo appeared to be thinking deeply.

“Close your eyes and continue,” Ling Luo said.

Lin Xiao obeyed, and Ling Luo’s hands returned to Lin Xiao’s body, still silently passing power on.

Eventually, Lin Xiao started to glow with a soft, yellow light.

Seeing the light around Lin Xiao, Ling Luo was happy. He slowly took his hands off Lin Xiao, quietly watching him.

……

Lin Xiao knew nothing, he was fully immersed in the cultivation practice. He only felt very comfortable in the sunlight.

Lin Xiao’s body heat increased, as the faint golden glow around him gradually became dazzling.

Ling Luo, seeing the growing light, couldn’t help smiling deeper.

It meant that Lin Xiao’s practice was working. If Lin Xiao completed it, his dantian would be restored…

Ling Luo had found this secret realm, when searching for dan medicine.

He had been exploring for some time, looking for his parents and for a cure for Lin Xiao. He hadn’t expected to stumble upon such a useful place.

The practices carved into the stone pillar could facilitate dantians resurrecting. There was a strict requirement, there could be no trace of cultivation in the body of the practicer.

Only those who had lost their dantian could use this method. Moreover, if they successfully completed it, their regenerated dantian would accommodate much more cultivation than before.

Weren’t the practices tailor-made for Lin Xiao…?

When Ling Luo had first comprehended the writing of the stone pillar, he had eagerly wanted to bring Lin Xiao to try it. But, thinking about the mysteriousness of the realm, Ling Luo worried about something bad happening when Lin Xiao entered.

So Ling Luo spent about a month carefully observing in the realm. But in all that time, he encountered no danger.

All he experienced in the realm was the continual intoxication of a beautiful spring day.

Finally, Ling Luo figured it was safe to bring Lin Xiao there. If perils did occur, Ling Luo would adapt. He was willing to use his life to preserve Lin Xiao’s.

Ling Luo decided to go find Lin Xiao.

Even though there was still a lingering sense of uneasiness in his heart.

But watching Lin Xiao, Ling Luo thought he had maybe worried too much. Lin Xiao’s body was still radiating that glow, and it seemed he was about to succeed.

Sure enough, there was a ‘bobo’ sound , and the yellow light shattered like glass and faded into nothingness.

Lin Xiao slowly opened his eyes.

Ling Luo’s obviously joyful face right in front of him.

Lin Xiao stared blankly.

He could sense his dantian restored. It was faint, but still he could feel it. And he thought that perhaps the secret realm’s set of practices would allow him to cultivate even higher in the future.

“There is no problem with the method.” Lin Xiao told Ling Luo, still thinking that Ling Luo might have been using Lin Xiao as a test subject.

“Well.” Ling Luo just nodded, looking relaxed. If he had solved the problem of Lin Xiao’s dantian, Ling Luo could turn his full attention to finding his parents. “You think your dantian is recovering?”

“Hmm.”

“That’s good,” said Ling Luo. Unexpectedly, it was all going smoothly. But he couldn’t banish that nagging unease. Ling Luo got up, ready to take Lin Xiao out of the realm.

Lin Xiao blinked. Didn’t Ling Luo want to try the practice now that Lin Xiao had demonstrated its safety? Why was Ling Luo in a hurry to leave? It couldn’t be that Ling Luo wanted to force himself on Lin Xiao again?

It wasn’t like Ling Luo hadn’t done it before…

But just as Ling Luo turned around, a vigorous voice sounded loudly.

“You break into my territory, practice what I created privately, and now you want to leave so easily?” The voice was flat, but with an undercurrent of anger. Even Ling Luo, upon hearing it, felt a chill creep through his chest.

“Run!” Ling Luo grabbed Lin Xiao’s hand. Ling Luo didn’t doubt that the voice was the true owner of this secret realm. And Ling Luo’s cultivation was very strong, but that voice…Ling Luo knew he might not be able to defeat this master.

Lin Xiao passively let Ling Luo pull him along. Yet no matter how hard Ling Luo ran forward, the scenery remained exactly the same.
Clenching a fist, Ling Luo knew they might not be able to escape.

“I’m sorry. I didn’t know this realm had a master.” Ling Luo stopped running, and standing still, apologized to the unseen voice.
Lin Xiao finally understood the situation. The secret realm had a master, but Ling Luo hadn’t realized that when he brought Lin Xiao. And Ling Luo hadn’t known the master wouldn’t let them leave after Lin Xiao practiced one of the sets.

Not only was the master dissatisfied with Ling Luo and Lin Xiao for being there, but he was even more displeased with them practicing his secret methods.

What could Ling Luo and Lin Xiao do?

Lin Xiao grimaced. That the secret master was very powerful was clear. Even if Lin Xiao’s dantian had been restored, he still hadn’t actually cultivated with it at all. Would both he and Ling Luo be able to get out of here?

Did it matter if Lin Xiao made it out? Lin Xiao lowered his eyes. He still owed Ling Luo. If Lin Xiao died in this realm, his debt to Ling Luo was paid and the fate between them done.

At Ling Luo’s words, the master’s voice sneered dismissively. “You came into my realm, and there is only one way out. Death.” The words rang creepily cold. “However, I am in a good mood today. I can let one of you live. Just…with an condition.”