Chapter 88: The Heart of the Immortal Ascension Secret Realm

Ji Yao’s sudden appearance in the central region of the secret realm stunned both those watching the breach in the central barrier and the third-tier beasts guarding the surroundings. The momentary shock passed, and the fastest to react let out a thunderous roar, sending the surrounding beasts into a frenzy.

The sound of turning and stomping feet made Ji Yao’s heart skip a beat. Excellent! Eight beasts on the ground, and one bird in the air. Little Seedling, you’re ruthless! Do you think she hasn’t died fast enough?

Instinct kicked in before thought, and as she stepped out with her Astonishing Swan Steps, Ji Yao slapped nine Diamond Talismans onto herself, gripped her sword in one hand, and clenched several talismans in the other.

Ahead, a gray fox-like monster did not attack directly, but sprayed a sweet, pale mist toward Ji Yao. She hadn’t expected this; though she quickly held her breath, a little still slipped into her lungs. Her mind grew hazy, her step faltered for a moment, and three attacks struck her back in rapid succession.

The glow on her body flashed six times, six Diamond Talismans burned to ash, and Ji Yao staggered forward from the force, nearly crashing into the gray fox’s raised claws.

She bit her tongue hard, the pain clearing her mind, and with a powerful kick, she spun to the side. Her Snowdust Sword brimmed with spiritual energy, and she swung it fiercely.

A wretched howl rang out, blood sprayed, and the gray fox’s raised paw was severed by Ji Yao’s sword, the severed limb flying toward her.

Though Ji Yao spun away, she couldn’t avoid falling to the ground. As she landed, she rolled several times across the earth, and the fox’s severed paw dropped precisely where she had just rolled past.

A fireball from behind exploded onto that spot, shattering the paw and blasting a charred, circular pit into the ground.

Ji Yao was caught in the aftermath, sent flying along with turf and earth, crashing into a nearby tree. She slid down the trunk, the impact shaking loose leaves that rained down, covering her, and another Diamond Talisman on her body flickered and went out.

At this moment, Ji Yao had not suffered serious injuries, but the mist she inhaled could no longer be suppressed. Pain could no longer stimulate her nerves, and the mist began to take effect again.

Her mind grew heavier, her senses clouded, and her hands lost the strength to act. Half-awake, half-asleep, she saw the flying beast overhead swoop toward her, launching a swift blade of wind.

If she didn’t escape into the spatial pocket now, she’d be done for!

As the thought formed, a pull came from beneath her, followed by the familiar spinning sensation and the earthy tang in her nose. The last two Diamond Talismans fulfilled their purpose, and Ji Yao finally lost consciousness.

Just before she fainted, she could vaguely think—

Little Seedling, truly, I must thank you! You remembered to save me at last, didn’t play me to death.

A fresh, woody aroma filled her nose, and Ji Yao finally woke. She recalled the final scene, so she didn’t need to open her eyes to know where she was.

“Little Seedling!” Ji Yao, who had been lying stiffly, suddenly sat upright at her shout, as if rising from the dead.

Indeed, like a patient startled awake in the throes of illness, she shouted angrily at the wood spirit.

The little seedling perched on the stump trembled in fright, yet stubbornly spoke up.

“Can you not call me Little Seedling?” The childish voice carried a hint of grievance.

Ha! She had nearly lost her life—where else was she to find grievance?

Ji Yao sighed inwardly, finally restraining her anger. Even without this wood spirit, she’d have to face these dangers eventually—it was only a matter of time.

Unable to blame a child still in its infancy, in the fae world, this was but a child just learning to speak.

She couldn’t help but find it amusing. Ji Yao decided to tease it. “Then what should I call you? Little Wood? Little Search? Or simply Little Wood Spirit?”

She could manage the first two names, but the last was impossible. If people found out she had a wood spirit, they’d already covet it. If they learned it was a divine wood spirit, it would be disastrous.

Unexpectedly, the little seedling’s idea was the opposite. “I don’t like the first two names. For the last one—can you drop the ‘little’?”

Ji Yao gazed at the wood spirit, her expression complicated.

Did it truly not understand, or was it pretending? Was it eager for its identity to be revealed, or did it think one’s race should be used as a name?

Although only one divine wood could exist in the world, with no imitators, times had changed. Even other plant spirits dared not flaunt their identities.

To go about with a name advertising one’s race—divine wood or not, that was too risky!

Ji Yao suddenly felt the burden on her shoulders grow heavier. The road ahead was long indeed!

“How about this—before you get a name, promise me a few things. Don’t show your true form without my permission. Don’t reveal your identity to others without my approval. And lastly, don’t act recklessly.”

The wood spirit immediately understood Ji Yao disagreed with the last name, and after a long pause, hesitated to answer.

Ji Yao was helpless—she truly didn’t know how to teach children!

“Is there any other problem?” she asked.

The wood spirit spoke up, “I can agree to the first two, but for the last one—if something like just happened occurs, shouldn’t I act?”

Recalling the events just now, Ji Yao couldn’t help but feel a pang of frustration at the culprit behind that situation.

“Yes, unless I lose consciousness or awareness first. Otherwise, if I don’t call for you, don’t act. I have my own ways to stay alive.”

The seedling finally agreed obediently. “Then what name should I have?”

“Qianxun. From now on, you’ll be called Qianxun,” Ji Yao said, her tone commemorative, without explaining the meaning.

For once, the little seedling didn’t object, but happily accepted the name.

Ji Yao had her reasons for this name, hoping that in this turbulent world of Mi Cang, every time she called it, she would be reminded to keep her original heart.

With half a month left before the secret realm closed, Ji Yao began steadily advancing toward its center.

Her second emergence from Qianxun’s space was much better than the first—at least she was no longer surrounded by third-tier beasts.

Though there were still various other monsters, none exceeded second tier, and Ji Yao was no longer the novice she had been at the start, able to handle them with ease.

In truth, Ji Yao’s appearance in the central region had its advantages—she’d at least observed the barrier’s breach.

If her guess was correct, the special teams from each sect had already tested it once or twice, perhaps more.

Otherwise, with the intelligence of third-tier beasts, they wouldn’t have left nine on guard there. Clearly, someone had tried to approach the gap.

After all, the true purpose of each sect’s special team was this—they had converged on the center from the moment they entered the secret realm.

The real test of the secret realm was about to begin.