What's wrong with a snake that just wants to cultivate and transform?

Perhaps because the pain had dissipated, Xu Nian slept incredibly soundly, enjoying a dream filled with a soft, body-conforming large pillow that adjusted to her liking for utmost comfort. If possible, she wished to sleep like this forever, never waking up.

Xu Nian enjoyed this dreamy feeling only while she was half-asleep. Now, back with Ji Yuebai, they had an urgent mission to escape from a dangerous place. It was like a maze filled with weird plants and extraordinary demons.

On the day of the exhibition match, the self-destruction of the Immortalization demonic cultivator at Fanyin Pavilion was nearly as devastating as a nuclear explosion. It was likely that the Nascent Soul Elders who were closest and under collective control had little chance of survival. Among them was Elder Qiu, whom Xu Nian particularly disliked. She wasn’t concerned about the Elder’s well-being, but regretted missing the chance to snatch his storage bag containing the Youth Preserving Pill and those of over twenty other Nascent Soul Elders. She could only imagine the treasures they held.

Xu Nian realized that making it through that frightening experience was purely due to luck. At the time, there was no chance to loot any storage bags. Now, these thoughts were just unrealistic daydreams.

Xu Nian’s thoughts then turned to Mu Yanyu. She wondered how she had fared in that sudden crisis and if she had managed to survive. Xu Nian had instructed her to run during her fight with the assassin targeting Tian Yuan Sect cultivators. Being a mere Qi-Training stage cultivator, Mu Yanyu could have easily gone unnoticed in the chaos, especially since the assassins, few in number, focused on eliminating high-level cultivators within a limited time and probably didn’t bother with her.

The infiltrators in Tian Yuan Sect had been dealt with by Xu Nian. If Mu Yanyu was smart, she might have escaped the place… And as for Xue Ling, Xu Nian could only pray for her in her heart. Xue Ling seemed to have a powerful background, casually giving away flying magical artifacts, and might have many life-saving treasures to help her out of danger.

Xu Nian hoped they were all safe.

Reflecting on the well-being of others and her and Ji Yuebai’s still uncertain situation, Xu Nian sighed deeply in her heart, realizing she could no longer avoid reality. She had to bravely face whatever came next.

Mentally prepared, Xu Nian abruptly opened her eyes, only to be caught off guard by the scene before her.

Under the luxurious quilt, Ji Yuebai, resembling a snow-draped, ethereal beauty, was sprawled in a relaxed pose. Her thin nightgown was open, showcasing her impeccable, porcelain-like skin. The gown’s wide collar was parted to reveal her slender, well-defined shoulders. As Xu Nian’s gaze moved downward, she could almost see everything below that neckline, with the light pink summits temptingly close, almost within her reach. Suddenly, Xu Nian was shocked to realize it was her own bold hands that had carelessly lowered the garment from Yuebai’s shoulders.

Xu Nian was even more surprised to see light red marks on Ji Yuebai’s soft neck, which looked like they were made by soft bites and kisses. It was obvious that she was the one who had caused them.

Xu Nian became very worried. She didn’t remember ever biting someone in her sleep before. Carefully, she took her hand off Yuebai’s body and tried to fix the messy collar, hoping to hide any signs of what she had done.

Just as she was anxiously hoping not to be discovered, she heard a hoarse yet cool voice from above: “Ah Nian, are you awake?”

Her voice, different from usual, carried a hint of tenderness and ambiguity, making Xu Nian perceive it not as a simple morning greeting but more like affectionate pillow talk.

Xu Nian’s hand, holding the edge of Ji Yuebai’s clothes, trembled. She quickly pulled it up, pretending to tidy it neatly while adopting a gentle and caring demeanor: “You must be careful not to catch a cold when you get up. Yuebai, you should dress properly.”

But Ji Yuebai took Xu Nian’s wrist and gently tucked it back under the quilt, considerately saying: “If that’s the case, wouldn’t Ah Nian be even more prone to catching cold?”

Following Yuebai’s gaze, Xu Nian looked down and discovered that she herself was completely undressed under the quilt, her lower body shamelessly pressed against Yuebai, tightly intertwined.

Xu Nian felt her ears grow hot, realizing that her thoughts had lost their former innocence. The sight before her now made her cheeks flush and her imagination wander. She had to acknowledge that her heart was filled with improper thoughts about Yuebai. Her once pure mind was now muddled with inappropriate daydreams, growing more vivid each day.

Nestled back under the quilt by Yuebai, Xu Nian weakly asked, “Yuebai, when did you wake up?”

After uttering these words, Xu Nian immediately regretted it . Wasn’t she indirectly reminding Ji Yuebai of the crime she had committed?

She watched as Yuebai’s elegant fingers unconsciously moved towards the red marks on her neck, her heart racing with anticipation.

Ji Yuebai, seeing Xu Nian cocooned in the blanket like a quail couldn’t help but picture her as a little green snake, probably coiled up into a ball.  This thought softened her heart, a smile unwittingly gracing her lips. Her voice softened to reassure Xu Nian, “I just woke up too.”

It had been ages since Ji Yuebai and Xu Nian last shared a bed. Accustomed to rising early, Ji Yuebai had simply observed Xu Nian clinging to her in her slumber. In her heart, she felt a deep sense of peace and contentment, savoring these quiet moments. She found herself wishing for time to slow down, to extend these precious instants just a bit longer.

Hearing Yuebai’s response, Xu Nian’s heart settled. She contemplated discussing with Yuebai the thoughts that had crossed her mind. Just as she was about to suggest they leave this place and return to Fanyin Pavilion, Yuebai shook her head in resignation.

Xu Nian paused, puzzled: “Even for you, Yuebai, it’s not possible?”

Ji Yuebai gently stroked Xu Nian’s hair, sighing, “This is the Eastern Sea Secret Realm. After the great battle a hundred years ago, many demonic cultivators who were defeated retreated here, each claiming their own territory. To pass through, one would need at least the cultivation level of the Immortalization stage.”

Upon hearing the words “Eastern Sea Secret Realm,” Xu Nian understood. The Seven Passages Exquisite Lock she had bought at the auction, made of the same material as the black box, originated from here. The auctioneer had elaborately built up the lock’s prestigious background, emphasizing the realm’s dangerous nature. It was a haven for high-level demon beasts on par with Immortalization stage cultivators, strange illusionary attacks, and deadly environments filled with poison and strange plants, turning it into a breeding ground for even more powerful and aggressive demon beasts.

Without a few Immortalization stage cultivators leading the way, it would be nearly impossible to leave the Eastern Sea Secret Realm unharmed.

But these dangers primarily applied to human cultivators. After the great battle a hundred years ago, the animosity of the demon race towards humans reached its peak. While previously they might have attacked based on mood, now any sight of a human cultivator warranted an attack.

For demon beasts like Xu Nian, the situation was different. As long as she avoided the territories of higher-ranking demon beasts and didn’t fall within their food chain, she was unlikely to face unprovoked attacks from other demons.

Suddenly, Xu Nian remembered something. She pulled out a black jade ring from her storage bag and handed it to Ji Yuebai, explaining its origin: “A disciple gave this to me. It can make a person’s aura mimic that of a demon beast. Yuebai, see if it might be useful.”

Ji Yuebai took the ring and used an identification talisman to examine it, followed by a check with her spiritual energy. She concluded, “It’s useful, but this ring can only effectively work on demon beasts with the strength of the Nascent Soul stage. If we encounter a fifteenth-rank or higher demon beast, comparable to the Immortalization Stage, there’s a high chance of exposure.”

Xu Nian felt somewhat disappointed: “That’s a pity, then.”

But then she heard Ji Yuebai add, “However, with my current cultivation level and some additional methods, we might be able to deceive those high-level demon beasts.”

Xu Nian looked closely at Ji Yuebai for a while, suddenly realizing that Ji Yuebai had reached the early Nascent Soul stage without her knowing, which surprised her greatly.  Then again, she remembered Yuebai was already at the late Golden Core phase during the disciples’ competition. It seemed natural for her to have advanced to the Nascent Soul phase by now. Perhaps her injuries had healed during this process. Xu Nian’s mind quickly filled the gaps on this reasoning.

It seemed to her that Ji Yuebai’s advancement was as easy as eating or drinking, while she, despite her diligent cultivation, was just a mere ninth-rank demon snake.

“Comparing myself to her is just depressing,” Xu Nian thought, feeling a pang of envy.

Nevertheless, having Yuebai, who was becoming more powerful by the day, by her side was a good thing.

Xu Nian grasped Ji Yuebai’s hand: “Does that mean we can start preparing to leave this secret realm?”

However, Ji Yuebai didn’t immediately agree as Xu Nian had expected. Her cool, black eyes looked solemnly at Xu Nian: “No, there’s something else very important we need to address first.”

“Did your hallucinations start after entering the Eastern Sea Secret Realm?”

Hallucinations? What hallucinations?

Xu Nian, puzzled, responded, “What hallucination? I don’t remem…” She stopped mid-sentence as realization dawned upon her.

Indeed, when she first saw Ji Yuebai, she was gravely injured, her Daoist robe soaked in dark red with blood, revealing deep wounds that exposed bone. Xu Nian vividly remembered cleaning those wounds, the cold sweat on Yuebai’s forehead, and her fingers gripping the bedsheet… Everything seemed so real.

But after the ‘punishment’, she realized Yuebai wasn’t injured at all. The images in her memory suddenly changed, and her mind quickly accepted this new reality without sensing any inconsistency.

The robe, once stained with blood, mysteriously turned spotlessly white, and the deep, bone-revealing wounds disappeared, leaving behind flawless, unblemished skin.

Realizing this, Xu Nian felt a chill down her spine. It was as if she had been thrown into a world woven from illusions, blurring the line between what was real and what was not.

She clung tightly to Ji Yuebai’s arm, as if trying to merge into her: “Then… The you right now, is it real?”

Seeing fear taint those usually optimistic eyes, Ji Yuebai’s heart tightened.

“It’s real.”

Her fingers gently caressed Xu Nian’s arched back, her voice tender yet firm: “Don’t worry, if you truly fall into a hallucination and can’t recognize me, I will definitely pull you out. I promise you that.”