Chapter 76: An Unexpected Target

As expected, the young woman carefully supported the wounded rogue cultivator, gently inquiring after his well-being as she produced a pill bottle. She poured out the last remaining emerald-green pill and placed it in her palm.

“We have only a few pills left. Senior Brother’s wounds are just superficial—he doesn’t need this. But you, Brother Qi, have suffered internal injuries; healing is urgent. Yan’er still has one Rejuvenation Pill left. Take it quickly and recover, lest we encounter some unexpected danger and I and Senior Brother cannot cope.”

With these words, she pressed the pill into the young man's mouth, tears brimming in her eyes as she bit her lip and cast a seemingly casual glance at the two disciples of the minor sect who were already seated cross-legged nearby, meditating.

None of the five present realized that their every move was being watched. At that moment, Ji Yao, feeling weary, had activated the recording function of her spatial pool and returned to her bamboo hut to meditate and rest. She did not expect that the next morning, she would receive an unexpected piece of news, pointing her directly toward one of her goals for the secret realm—though that is a story for later.

For now, among the two sect disciples, the female was less injured and had not shut her eyes to concentrate on channeling spiritual energy like her companion. She merely adjusted her breathing.

Thus, the woman who called herself Yan’er spoke clearly enough for her to hear, and that glance was duly noted.

The female disciple glanced at Senior Brother Ding, who was focused on healing, and pretended not to hear, pressing her lips together and maintaining silence.

The older rogue cultivator, who was applying medicine to his wounds nearby, seemed to have found an opening and spoke up.

“Fellow Daoist, the three of us helped you subdue those spiders and the peak-tier second rank Spider King. Now that we're wounded, we won’t demand pills from you, but shouldn’t you share half the Spirit Ascension Grass with us?”

The sect woman moved her lips as if she wished to argue, but ultimately said nothing.

The grass had been gathered by Senior Brother Ding; she had merely happened to be present and agreed to help only after he promised her a share. In truth, she did not know how much Spirit Ascension Grass there was. If she misspoke or agreed to the three’s demands, she feared that her own share would slip away, so she opted to feign ignorance and let them talk as they wished.

Seeing her remain silent, the young rogue cultivator called Brother Qi began to frown.

Yan’er, keenly aware of his expression, saw that her words and Senior Brother's had had an effect and decided to stoke the fire further. She turned her teary gaze to the older male cultivator.

“Fellow Daoist, are you looking down on rogue cultivators like us? I know you’re sect disciples, but from a third-rate sect—hardly any better than we are. Whether you give us a share or not, surely you won’t refuse to even speak to us?”

The sect’s female disciple could no longer hold back and finally spoke. “The grass isn’t on me. Everything must wait until Senior Brother Ding finishes his meditation and decides.”

---

“Who’s to say you’re not just stalling?” the older rogue cultivator grumbled.

“Senior Brother, don’t be like this. Let’s wait for Daoist Ding to recover before discussing further.”

Though she spoke thus, Yan’er’s gaze never left the pair. Her tearful face gave the impression of having suffered some grave injustice.

The sect woman maintained her composure, enduring all manner of sarcasm and pointed looks with downcast lashes, sitting cross-legged like a meditating monk, silent and unmoving.

An hour later, Senior Brother Ding by her side slowly finished his cultivation, opened his eyes, and glanced at those present. He first addressed the woman beside him.

“Sister Jiang, thank you for standing guard just now.”

Jiang’s expression finally changed, unable to hide her joy. “I’m glad you’re well, Senior Brother!”

Then, Ding rose and surveyed the three others, finally fixing his gaze on the man at peak Qi Refinement.

“I am Ding. May I ask your name, Fellow Daoist?”

The young rogue cultivator who had so far maintained an aloof demeanor now stood slowly, but his words were anything but calm.

“Daoist Ding, my surname is Qi. Regarding the Spirit Ascension Grass just now—how do you intend to divide it?”

Ding paused, then laughed ruefully. “Daoist Qi, your words are strange. The Spirit Ascension Grass that Sister Jiang and I gathered shall naturally be divided between us. No need for your concern.”

With that, he gestured, casting a glance at Jiang, who sat beside him.

Jiang, who had been joyful moments before, was immediately subdued by his actions. It was clear the grass belonged to him alone, yet he implicated her as well. This gave the impression that even if the three received none of the grass, she would surely have some. For the remainder of the secret realm’s duration, should she find herself alone, she would become a clear target for the three rogue cultivators.

Thus, she would have no choice but to stick closely to Senior Brother Ding.

Ding had calculated well. Even if she no longer hoped for those few stalks of Spirit Ascension Grass and withdrew, it would already be too late. Whether the three believed her or not, she herself doubted it.

Now, she could only bind herself to Ding and walk this path to the end.

---

Senior Brother Ding had a master, and carried fine magical tools bestowed by his teacher. Even if outmatched, he had no fear of these rogue cultivators and could protect himself. But Jiang had nothing of the sort. With this realization, she grew even quieter, tacitly accepting Ding’s words, feeling bitterness spread from her mouth to her heart, yet unable to let the three notice, swallowing her resentment in silence.

The older rogue cultivator would not accept this and erupted first.

“Daoist Ding, are you planning to cheat us? Never mind how much my senior and I helped you—just look at Daoist Qi’s peak Qi Refinement cultivation. If not for his final blow killing the Spider King, you would have been dragged off by the Blackrock Spider King and drained of your essence.”

“Old Ma!” Qi barked sharply, but did nothing to stop Ma from continuing. If anything, his tone encouraged him.

Ding sneered, glancing at them coldly, and no longer bothered with politeness.

“Daoist Ma, your words are quite damning! My junior and I merely gathered Spirit Ascension Grass. Who was it that angered the Spider King, tried to steal its egg thinking it a treasure? Surely you know.”

At this, Ma fell silent, and even Qi’s expression grew uneasy. Yan’er, standing beside Qi, realized she could not retreat now, or the Spirit Ascension Grass would truly slip away.

“Daoist Ding, we simply hadn’t seen a Blackrock Spider King before. The egg looked like a brown fruit, nothing like a normal spider egg. Guarded so tightly by the Spider King, we assumed it was some spirit plant fruit. Who would have thought it was an egg?”

“Fruit?” Ding scoffed, turning directly to Qi. “Tell me, Daoist Qi, did you manage to pick up that ‘fruit’?”

No! Most frustrating of all, they couldn’t lift the spider egg that looked like a fruit. Though it appeared light, it weighed thousands—perhaps even ten thousand—pounds.

Stranger still, unless the egg was physically lifted, it could not be stored in a spatial pouch.

After several failed attempts, precious time was lost, and when the Spider King returned, it found them there, resulting in the five being surrounded by thousands of spiders and nearly losing their lives.

Upon reconsidering the Blackrock Spiders’ nature and the egg’s weight, it was hard not to believe it was indeed the Spider King’s egg. Having failed to obtain it, they could finally let go.