She Dominates the Immortal Realm with Her HP Bar-Chapter 95

"◎Is this even human language?◎"

The Guiyuan Sect's recruitment ceremony was held once every ten years. This year's ceremony had concluded just two or three months prior.

At first, the newly admitted inner and outer sect disciples were a bundle of nerves, their hearts filled with both trepidation and hope. During those initial days in the sect, they tread carefully, adhering strictly to the rules, terrified of making a single misstep that might violate sect regulations and cost them their hard-won opportunity.

But now, having grown accustomed to sect life and its customs, their courage had begun to flourish.

Even when encountering unfamiliar senior disciples on the paths, they dared to ask their acquaintances just who these esteemed figures were.

Take this moment, for instance.

A newly admitted outer sect disciple, clutching a small wooden box in his arms, had been assigned a simple errand alongside a more experienced senior brother.

Yet, as they traversed a narrow mountain trail, they happened upon a pair of young figures—a boy and a girl—walking hand in hand, their closeness and ease with one another unmistakably the bond of childhood companions.

The girl on the right was strikingly beautiful, her delicate features exuding an air of purity. Dressed in a red skirt and white robes, her presence was like the gentle sway of apricot blossoms or the delicate grace of plum blossoms dusted with snow.

Her large, luminous eyes sparkled as if someone had scattered fragments of moonlight into their depths.

Amid the late autumn breeze, she resembled an ever-blooming painting.

If the girl’s charm could be described as "dynamic," then the boy beside her embodied "serenity."

Cloaked in a black robe embroidered with intricate silver patterns along the hem, he exuded an air of quiet intensity. Sensing the new disciple’s gaze, he turned slightly, his expression calm yet unnervingly penetrating.

The boy’s features were exquisitely refined, as though meticulously painted by the heavens themselves.

A man this beautiful might risk appearing effeminate, but this boy carried no such impression.

The reason lay in his eyes—sharp, arresting, and utterly unforgettable.

His eyelids were thin, his gaze slightly upturned, with long, dark lashes that tapered into a razor-sharp line at the outer corners, reminiscent of an unsheathed blade.

And then there was the color of his eyes—unnervingly stark in their contrast, black as polished obsidian, deep and inscrutable, carrying an unspoken sharpness.

Though he stood motionless, there was something about him—like a whirlpool—that made prolonged eye contact feel perilous, as if one might be pulled into those fathomless depths.

The new disciple barely managed a glance before hurriedly lowering his head.

The boy’s demeanor wasn’t overtly intimidating, yet for some reason, meeting his gaze felt impossible.

A moment later, the boy shifted slightly, and a cool, composed voice reached their ears.

"You may go ahead."

The new disciple looked up in surprise, only to be yanked back by his senior brother’s urgent grip on his sleeve.

Muttering a hasty "thank you," they hurried past the pair.

Only after putting some distance between them did the new disciple dare to whisper,

"Senior Brother Liu… those two must be inner sect disciples, right?"

Unlike the uniform blue or green robes of outer sect disciples, inner sect members enjoyed greater freedom in attire.

The pair’s refined clothing and ethereal bearing made them seem like immortals—likely the prized disciples of some esteemed inner sect elder.

Senior Brother Liu hesitated, as though reluctant to answer.

Pressed further, he finally muttered,

"Those two… are Senior Sister Yan Luoyue and Senior Brother Wu Manshuang from ‘That Peak.’ If you’re curious, attend a few lectures on artifact forging and formations at the study hall—you’ll probably run into them there."

Despite being younger, as inner sect disciples, they still outranked the newcomers in seniority.

The new disciple’s excitement was tinged with disappointment. "Inner sect disciples sit in the front rows during lectures. I doubt I’ll ever get to speak with them."

Senior Brother Liu replied flatly, "Oh, you’ll have no trouble speaking with them. Because they’re the ones teaching the lectures."

"…Oh."

A brief silence followed before curiosity got the better of him again.

"Senior Brother Liu, what do you mean by ‘That Peak’? I don’t understand."

Senior Brother Liu regarded his junior with the fond exasperation one might reserve for a particularly slow child.

Vaguely, he explained, "That Peak keeps changing its name, so we just call it that."

Now that he thought about it, the peak’s latest name was something like… the Dala Bengba Bandebeibiduobibiru Peak?

Ridiculous! What kind of name was that?

Clearly, the rest of the world agreed.

The new disciple’s brow furrowed in confusion.

"How could a peak end up with a name like that?"

Even something like the "Om Mani Padme Hum Peak" would’ve been easier to pronounce!

Senior Brother Liu deadpanned, "I heard Senior Sister Yan Luoyue was the one who named it."

The new disciple’s eyes instantly sparkled with admiration. "To have the authority to rename a peak at will… the peak master must be an incredibly kind and indulgent mentor!"

With that, he resolved to aim for inner sect admission in the next sect competition—preferably under that very peak’s banner!

Senior Brother Liu said nothing.

Instead, his foot caught on the damp, slippery path, and he nearly face-planted into the mountainside.

"Senior Brother Liu, be careful!"

"I’m fine," he wheezed, clutching his chest. "But you, junior… you…"

"Huh?"

"Never mind. It’s good to have dreams," Senior Brother Liu said, his voice thick with unspoken suffering.

"But the peak master didn’t rename it for the reason you think. We’re all pretty sure it’s because he and Senior Sister Yan Luoyue are… let’s say, kindred spirits."

"?"

A giant question mark hovered over the new disciple’s naive face.

Senior Brother Liu, his eyes brimming with the wisdom of hard-earned experience, chose not to elaborate.

The mountain path stretched on, and idle chatter filled the silence.

The new disciple ventured another question. "That Senior Sister Yan Luoyue seemed really sweet and gentle. She must have a great personality, right?"

"Senior Sister Yan… her temper is fine. She just has a habit of emptying your coin purse with things like limited-edition gaming consoles, blind box figurines, and holiday-exclusive hero skins."

"…What?"

The rustic disciple gaped. "What are those?"

Senior Brother Liu gave him a condescending glance before smoothly producing a miniature gaming console from his sleeve.

With practiced ease, he navigated the buttons, clearing a round of "Super Disciple Ma Li’ao" in under the time it took to drink a cup of tea.

"See? This is a single-player console with twenty built-in games, including the wildly popular ‘Glory of the Cosmos.’"

That tiny square box, along with the dazzling array of gameplay it showcased, left the new disciple utterly dumbfounded.

"Could all these be...?"

"Yes, they were all game modes designed and refined under Senior Sister Yan Luoyue's direction."

"Even 'that one' from 'that peak' invested in it and personally promoted it... Rumor has it that selling these gaming devices has now become a pillar industry for 'that peak'."

Stumbling slightly over the last unfamiliar term, Senior Brother Liu carefully recalled and confirmed he hadn't misspoken.

After listening to Senior Brother Liu's comprehensive and meticulous introduction—covering every model of gaming device—the new disciple stared wide-eyed in astonishment.

Just hearing these terms alone seemed to carry the delightful chime of spirit stones clinking into a pouch.

And when Senior Brother Liu quoted the prices, the mystical fragrance of wealth bloomed even more vividly.

The new disciple blurted out in awe, "As expected, the Guiyuan Sect truly lives up to its reputation as one of the four great sects. The public order here must be impeccable."

"If this were the barren, lawless mountains where I came from, a wealthy cultivator like Senior Sister Yan Luoyue would’ve long been ambushed by jealous profit-seekers."

Hearing this, Senior Brother Liu, who had been walking steadily, suddenly slipped.

In an instant, he face-planted onto the mountain path, struggling to get up.

"..."

"Senior Brother Liu? Senior Brother Liu, are you alright?"

Flustered, the new disciple hurriedly helped him up.

Senior Brother Liu's face was twisted in pain as he lightly thumped his chest—not because of the fall, but because...

"You're killing me! How can you say something like that?!"

Groaning, he clutched his head and muttered, "Ambushing Senior Sister Yan Luoyue... How did you even come up with that?"

"...Ah? Is Senior Sister Yan Luoyue exceptionally powerful in cultivation?"

"No, it's not about her cultivation level—she's just... special. Very, very special. Last year’s sect competition, she made Senior Brother Du from the Sword Peak cry in frustration..."

The new disciple: "???"

What kind of nonsense was this?

Sword cultivators were known for their unshakable resolve—how could one of them be reduced to tears by a delicate and clever girl like Senior Sister Yan Luoyue?

At this question, Senior Brother Liu's gaze grew distant, as if his soul had drifted far, far away.

In a dreamy tone, he said, "Just remember this: Senior Sister Yan Luoyue is famously known in our sect for forcing a draw—and the only reason it’s a draw instead of her winning is because she single-handedly changed the sect’s duel rules."

If not for the rule that "if a match isn’t decided within an hour, both sides are declared equal," Senior Brother Liu was certain this young girl could’ve kept winning until the end of time.

"!!!"

Indeed, a major sect like this was filled with hidden talents. Even such an adorable and charming girl possessed extraordinary skills.

The new disciple shuddered, his reverence for the heroes of the world deepening.

"If Senior Sister Yan Luoyue is so formidable, what about that Senior Brother Wu Manshuang by her side?"

The moment the new disciple mentioned Wu Manshuang, Senior Brother Liu perked up instantly.

Forgetting even to dust off the mud on his knees, he emphasized in a grave tone:

"Senior Brother Wu is a force to be reckoned with! In his first month after joining the sect, he dismantled the Sword Peak’s sword formations—with his bare hands!"

"Hiss—"

Sword cultivators were the strongest, poorest, and most unruly group in the cultivation world.

Given that the Guiyuan Sect was once the foremost sword sect, its sword cultivators were the elite among elites.

For a moment, the new disciple’s very soul trembled in awe. "What? Senior Brother Wu dared to provoke the Sword Peak?"

"Not just dared—after dismantling one sword formation, he went on to dismantle three or four more!"

"And that’s not all. During a cultivation exchange years ago, Senior Brother Kang Bashui from the Talisman Peak didn’t even dare to face him in a duel—he just surrendered the moment he stepped onto the stage."

The new disciple was stunned. "Senior Brother Wu looks so young—how is his cultivation so terrifying?"

"You’ll understand once you see him in action!"

Senior Brother Liu’s storytelling grew animated, his hands and feet gesturing wildly at the climax.

"Any disciple who caused trouble in the Lecture Hall—if Senior Brother Wu gave them a single cold glance—would instantly freeze up, stiff as a rock."

Horrified, the new disciple touched his own face to check if his skin had turned to stone.

"Earlier, when I locked eyes with Senior Brother Wu, I really felt my whole body go numb!"

"That was probably just your imagination. Senior Brother Wu is usually very mild-tempered and polite to us outer disciples. He doesn’t just discipline people for no reason."

Senior Brother Liu patted his shoulder reassuringly.

But then, his tone abruptly darkened. "However, if Senior Brother Wu decides to teach you a lesson, he has a hundred—no, a thousand—ways to do it!"

"Like last time, an inner disciple who disrespected Senior Sister Yan Luoyue in public. Senior Brother Wu merely shook his hand, and the guy immediately collapsed, drunk and humiliated. The next day, he was so ashamed he didn’t leave his room for a whole month."

The new disciple nodded vigorously, committing these vivid cautionary tales to memory.

Only one thing puzzled him—

"Wait, why was that guy provoking Senior Sister Yan Luoyue?"

Senior Brother Liu had been waiting for this question!

As a senior, he crossed his arms and spoke with grave emphasis: "This is the most crucial part—remember it well!"

"—If you offend Senior Brother Wu, he might let it slide, but Senior Sister Yan Luoyue will remember you. From then on, every 'Moonlight Frost' series product you buy will cost you double..."

"—But offending Senior Sister Yan Luoyue is even worse. As you’ve seen, Senior Brother Wu may seem cold, but he’s actually kind-hearted."

"However, if you disrespect Senior Sister Yan Luoyue, he’ll make you drunk, bald, ugly... or even turn you into a glowing rainbow beacon and hang you from the tallest tree in the sect for everyone to see at night!"

This breathtaking repertoire of disciplinary methods left the new disciple’s jaw hanging open.

Never in his life had he felt so acutely like a small, ignorant bumpkin.

"This... truly, the cultivation methods of a major sect in a big city are beyond imagination!"

"No, Junior Brother, I think you’ve misunderstood."

Senior Brother Liu sighed wearily. "Generally speaking, only 'that peak' is this... unique."

......

Unbeknownst to these two outer disciples, despite being hundreds of feet apart, their entire conversation had drifted straight into the ears of the young man and woman descending the mountain.

Since advancing to the Golden Core stage, their spiritual senses had expanded, making their perception a hundred times sharper than before.

Now that both Yan Luoyue and Wu Manshuang had reached mid-stage Golden Core, conversations like this—unless deliberately whispered—would naturally worm their way into their hearing.

Yan Luoyue raised an eyebrow and lightly poked Wu Manshuang. "They’re gossiping about you."

Wu Manshuang remained unperturbed. "And about you too."

They exchanged a glance, recalling the conversation they’d just overheard, and burst into laughter.

Yan Luoyue asked with great interest, "Oh, I had no idea. Manshuang, when did you ever turn someone into a rainbow neon light and hang them from the tallest tree?"

Wu Manshuang thought for a moment. "It was quite a while ago... right after the grand competition ended, when you were in seclusion."

That inner disciple had lost to Yan Luoyue and was unwilling to accept defeat.

So, right in front of Wu Manshuang, he spouted nonsense.

He said that little girl Yan Luoyue—just from her name alone—was like a fallen moon, dim and lifeless, destined for misfortune and a bleak ending in the latter half of her life.

A little snake like Wu Manshuang couldn’t stand hearing such words.

Recalling the scene, Wu Manshuang tucked his hands into his sleeves and said unhurriedly,

"So I asked him, 'Since you don’t like light, would you like to become light?'"

—And then, that inner disciple became light.

He ​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‍became a shimmering, color-shifting neon rainbow.

Wu Manshuang nodded sincerely. "I think he likes light now."

The deadpan tone and expression carried a hint of hidden mischief.

Yan Luoyue paused for a second before finally collapsing onto Wu Manshuang’s shoulder, laughing so hard she could barely breathe.

Since the end of the Sword Dao Conference and the departure of the Hansong Sect delegation, nearly four years had passed, during which Yan Luoyue and Wu Manshuang had only traveled far once.

That time, Yan Luoyue had followed the location given by Song Qingchi to search for that "vermilion-red, tiny as a red bean" heavenly flame.

But she returned empty-handed.

Yan Luoyue was a little disappointed, though it wasn’t entirely unexpected.

After all, more than ten years had passed since that little flame had jumped out to defend justice.

Even a speck of pollen undergoing Brownian motion wouldn’t have stayed in the same place all this time.

Who knew where that flame had wandered off to? Best to leave it to fate.

Aside from that one trip, Yan Luoyue and Wu Manshuang had been confined to the peak by Ji Qinghong.

Every day, they meditated, cultivated, and refined their skills, occasionally being force-fed top-grade elixirs and rare spiritual treasures by Ji Qinghong.

With their innate talent and comprehension far surpassing ordinary people, their cultivation soared like a rocket under such intensive nourishment.

And so, within the peaceful haven of the Guiyuan Sect, the two spent nearly four years.

They also avoided the bloody turmoil stirred up by the Hongtong Palace to maintain its dominance in the cultivation world.

Not long ago, the suspicions of the Hongtong Palace colluding with demons were finally settled.

In the end, there was no direct evidence proving the Hongtong Palace had secretly allied with demonic forces.

But there was plenty of uncovered evidence showing that the Hongtong Palace’s control over its territories was severely lacking.

Thus, for the long-term stability of the cultivation world and for the sake of love and peace in the mortal realm,

Led by the Guiyuan Sect, twelve major sects jointly established twenty-six demon-slaying outposts within Hongtong Palace’s territory.

Aside from ordinary civilians, smaller sects under the Hongtong Palace’s jurisdiction could also seek help from these outposts.

—The true purpose of these outposts was an open secret.

If those smaller sects were willing, their requests for aid wouldn’t be limited to sealing or slaying demons—they might also include defection, mutual benefit, or even mediation of disputes... among other things.

In other words, under the leadership of the Guiyuan Sect, the Fan Yin Temple, and the Snow Domain, the sects of the northeast and northwest had joined forces to firmly drive a wedge into the increasingly dominant Hongtong Palace.

The Hongtong Palace reluctantly accepted this outcome.

And Yan Luoyue and Wu Manshuang were finally allowed to take on missions and travel far again.

...

Coincidentally, the location of Yan Luoyue’s first mission after descending the mountain was near her ancestral home in the Yunning Great Marsh.

When she received the small, exquisitely carved mission token, her gaze lingered on the words "Yunning Great Marsh," and for a moment, her eyes grew distant.

From the time she left home at five to participate in the Thousand Refinements Conference, to later becoming Ji Qinghong’s disciple and directly joining the Guiyuan Sect,

Six years had passed in the blink of an eye.

Yan Luoyue was about to turn eleven.

Now, at last, she could return home under the pretext of a mission.

Her heart swelled with both joy and a touch of apprehension—the closer she got to home, the more nervous she felt.

Over these six years, she had maintained steady communication with Yan Yu, Yan Gan, and Sang Ji via paper cranes.

But letters could never compare to meeting face to face.

Right now, Yan Luoyue was especially curious: Did Sister Yu still like to pin up her hair with pearl hairpins? Had the layout of their home changed? Were her two brothers still in their youthful forms? How much taller had they grown?

—And what about the red plum tree outside her window? Had it burst into full, fiery bloom?

Home—such a warm and beautiful word.

It brought to mind familiar beds, soft quilts, the aroma of home-cooked meals, and the slant of sunlight that used to fall across her desk every day.

Her thoughts drifting, Yan Luoyue’s footsteps grew lighter.

...

As a disciple sent by the Guiyuan Sect to handle the situation, Yan Luoyue was greeted by representatives of the Yunning Great Marsh the moment she stepped off the flying vessel.

As Yan Luoyue and Wu Manshuang descended the ramp, the middle-aged woman at the forefront—also a Luoshu Sect elder—couldn’t help but show a flicker of surprise.

—It was simply because these two envoys from the Guiyuan Sect looked far too young.

As a late-stage Golden Core cultivator, the woman could easily discern Yan Luoyue and Wu Manshuang’s cultivation levels.

The previous cultivator assigned to deal with the forbidden land incident had been a mid-stage Nascent Soul expert—the Luoshu Sect’s own sect leader.

And yet, the result had been...

Thinking of how her sect leader now lay severely injured and bedridden, the woman’s eyes dimmed for a moment.

Because of this, seeing the Guiyuan Sect send such young envoys—whose cultivation was even below hers—she couldn’t help but feel a sliver of doubt.

But that thought lasted only a fleeting instant.

—For cultivators of their age to reach mid-stage Golden Core was astonishing.

Even accounting for the fact that demonic beings often began cultivation earlier than humans, their achievements were still once-in-a-millennium prodigious.

Therefore, these two undoubtedly possessed both extraordinary talent and formidable backing.

In other words, these Guiyuan Sect disciples might very well be carrying heaven-grade treasures bestowed upon them by some Dao Lord.

At once, the woman strode forward, offering them a warm smile.

"You two must be the envoys from the Guiyuan Sect. Truly exceptional in bearing and cultivation—youthful brilliance at its finest."

"You flatter us," Yan Luoyue replied courteously. "We’re undeserving of such praise."

Beside the middle-aged woman stood a young man and woman.

The moment Yan Luoyue’s gaze met the beautiful woman’s, both of them smiled.

—Well, this was certainly a familiar face.

The elder introduced, "Envoy, this is Zhen Zhuo’er, City Lord of Ruyi City..."

"Aunt Zhong, there's no need for introductions." Zhen Zhuo'er smiled brightly, her eyes curving like crescent moons. "This envoy from the Guiyuan Sect is none other than the little turtle girl who grew up in our Yunning Great Marsh!"

The playful pun was delivered with such vividness that Yan Luoyue couldn't help but touch the tip of her nose in amusement.

She returned the greeting, "It's been a while. I hope City Lord Zhen has been well?"

When Yan Luoyue left Yunning Great Marsh, Zhen Zhuo'er had only been the acting city lord of Ruyi City.

Now, judging by the middle-aged woman's implications, Zhen Zhuo'er had consolidated her authority over the city and was its rightful ruler.

Zhen Zhuo'er chuckled, her gaze briefly lingering on Wu Manshuang—particularly on his black cloak.

This cloak… seemed identical to the one worn by Master Yan Bixin.

Could this young man be…

As if confirming her suspicions, Yan Luoyue cheerfully linked arms with Wu Manshuang and introduced him. "This is Master Yan Bixin's junior brother."

Zhen Zhuo'er quickly pieced together their relationships in her mind:

Since Master Yan Bixin was Yan Luoyue's senior brother, then his junior brother must naturally be…

"So, this envoy in black is also your junior brother, Miss Yan?"

"Of course."

The group continued chatting and laughing, maintaining a lighthearted and friendly atmosphere as they walked further inside.

Through their conversation, Yan Luoyue finally learned the full story behind this mission.

She had known before that deep within the turtle clan's back mountain lay a forbidden area.

Not only were outsiders barred from entering, but even elite members of the turtle clan required special permission to step foot inside.

Back then, Yan Luoyue had been just a child, with neither the reason nor the standing to pry into the clan's secrets.

Later, after leaving Yunning Great Marsh, she had forgotten all about it.

Only now did she discover what truly lay within that "forbidden area."

—It was a demonic seal, crafted by the joint efforts of the Yunning Great Marsh's demon clans.

Upon hearing this, Yan Luoyue's expression twisted for a moment.

How to put it?

In modern terms, the sheer absurdity of this revelation was akin to saying, "This is a homemade nuclear bomb, painstakingly assembled by the collective efforts of our ten neighboring villages."

Yan Luoyue: "…"

To be honest, at that moment, the hairs on her back stood straight up.

Damn it, had she really grown up right next to a nuclear warhead all this time?!

How could something this huge never have been mentioned to her before?!

The middle-aged woman then went on to explain the origins of this forbidden area.

—Many of the demon ancestors of Yunning Great Marsh had migrated here during the Demon Subjugation War to aid the human race.

At that time, the demonic invasion had spread across the cultivation world, with battles erupting everywhere.

The demon clans banded together and, through immense sacrifice, barely managed to push the demons back underground.

However, the human battlefronts were also fiercely contested, leaving no spare reinforcements.

The demons couldn’t rely on human experts to craft the seal for them.

But timing was critical—if they missed this chance, no one knew how long it would take before they could repel the demons again.

So, the demons of Yunning Great Marsh gathered all their talisman masters, formation experts, and artifact forgers.

With remote guidance from their human allies via communication stones—plus a healthy dose of imagination, creativity, and the demon clans' signature "brute force solves everything" approach—they somehow managed to seal the breach.

After the war, when human experts inspected the seal, they found flaws.

But it made no sense to blast open a passage that had already been blocked.

So, the humans added another layer of sealing over the demons' original work.

—However, since the demonic energy had already been suppressed, the lack of specific sealing energy made this second layer less stable than standard demonic seals.

Thus, the demons convened once more, collectively retreated another thirty miles, and then applied a third homemade seal.

"Nowadays, when people speak of Yunning Great Marsh, they assume our ancestors chose this place for its fertile lands and abundant resources."

"Later, other demon clans heard of it and settled here as well, making Yunning Great Marsh seem more and more like demon territory."

The middle-aged woman shook her head gently. "But if you trace back three thousand years… from above, you would have seen eighty-nine demon clans encircling the seal in a perfect ring."

The first generation of demons who stayed behind didn’t choose to leave their homelands and settle permanently in the human realm for Yunning Great Marsh's rich spiritual energy or scenic beauty.

They built their homes around the barrier they had created, determined to uphold the responsibility they had taken upon themselves.

That way, if the seal ever showed signs of weakening, they—or their descendants—could serve as the first warning to the world.

By now, Yan Luoyue understood.

"So, our turtle clan was one of those who migrated here?"

The middle-aged woman nodded slowly.

"Though demonic breaches are common, they usually emerge from the Pingning Mountain Range. But this time… our cuckoo clan noticed signs of instability in the seal we guard."

The forbidden area housed a makeshift seal.

No one dared treat it like an official demonic seal, where they’d open a gate annually to let people inside.

After all, everyone feared that once opened, it might never close again.

So, only after reports of the seal weakening did the clans convene, debate for a day, and finally open a tiny gap for scouts to enter.

"Our sect leader ventured inside… only to be grievously wounded in the first encounter."

Here, the middle-aged woman shuddered slightly.

"According to him… the moment he stepped in, demons covered the ground like a carpet, leaving no space to even stand!"

For generations, cultivators from all over had habitually gone to the Pingning Mountain Range to clear out demons.

Yet who could have guessed that less than a hundred miles from the mountain range, within demon territory, an even larger demonic force had silently gathered?

The Luoshu Sect’s leader, a mid-stage Nascent Soul cultivator, had been critically wounded in a single strike.

As the middle-aged woman put it, he had only survived because he wore protective armor and dodged the brunt of the attack.

"…"

This description… why did it sound so familiar to Yan Luoyue?

She murmured, "The demon that attacked your sect leader—was it a murky, enormous, spherical creature?"

The middle-aged woman nodded emphatically. "Exactly!"

—Well, mystery solved. It was a Giant Rolling Demon.

Years ago, Yan Luoyue had once been struck by a Giant Rolling Demon, losing 950,000 health points in a single hit.

If the Luoshu Sect leader had faced one of the same caliber…

Well, he was lucky to be alive.

Now fully informed, Yan Luoyue nodded solemnly.

"I understand. Please lead me to the crack in the seal."

The middle-aged woman agreed and guided the two to the seal’s entrance.

Just before opening it, she hesitated.

"Allow me to ask boldly—how many Celestial-tier artifacts have the two envoys brought with you this time?"

Yan Luoyue patted her chest proudly. "None at all!"

"What?!!!"

The middle-aged woman's face instantly paled. "This... please don't joke with us, Envoy."

Yan Luoyue said earnestly, "Truly, we didn’t bring a single one. At the time, my master just pushed the door open, tossed a token into mine and Wu Manshuang’s arms, told us we could handle the mission, and then threw us out."

The middle-aged woman: "..."

She said nothing.

But every eyebrow and wrinkle on her face seemed to scream: What kind of bullshit master is this?!

Sending two mid-stage Golden Core youths to handle such a mission—wasn’t this practically delivering them to their deaths?

Reading the woman’s complicated expression, Yan Luoyue stood on her tiptoes and patted her shoulder reassuringly.

"Elder, there’s no need to worry. Since my master sent us, there must be a reason for it."

"Please rest assured and just open the seal for us."

"..."

After a long silence, the middle-aged woman finally chose a different approach, tactfully advising,

"Envoy... perhaps you should go home and visit your family first..."

If this envoy really stepped into the seal, wouldn’t every glance at her family be one fewer?

Yan Luoyue, who understood the implication: "...You’re too kind, but really, there’s no need."

After much persuasion, the woman finally relented, opening the seal with a pained expression.

"If you insist, then please be careful—gasp!"

Before she could finish, the woman sucked in a sharp breath!

The demonic creatures inside the forbidden seal were as densely packed as water overflowing a cup—the moment the lid was loosened, they threatened to spill out.

And in a cruel twist of fate, the very instant the seal cracked open, a concentrated beam of white light surged toward the gap!

The attack came from a massive, grotesque, spherical demon—exactly as the sect leader had described.

"..."

For a moment, the woman’s mind went blank.

Even though the beam was still several zhang away, its overwhelming energy already carried the stench of death.

Instinctively, she stepped forward.

She intended to use her own body to block the gap.

...Perhaps she would be torn to shreds the moment she made contact.

But such a devastating attack could not be allowed to escape the seal!

In that split second, there was no time for hesitation.

Just as she lunged forward, a gloved hand seized her wrist and yanked her back forcefully.

"You need to trust Luoyue."

That single tug ruined her chance to seal the breach.

Helplessly, the woman watched as the lively young envoy threw herself into the gap, her figure vanishing into the blinding light!

"NO—!!!"

The next moment, the light erupted like a raging flood, threatening to burst free... except... huh? Why wasn’t it breaking through?

Not only did it fail to escape, but the radiance even began to dim?

The woman’s eyes widened slowly. Against the fading glow, a petite silhouette gradually reappeared.

In truth, Yan Luoyue had never moved an inch.

It was just that the light had been so intense, it made her seem to disappear entirely.

Now that the attack had been neutralized, it looked as though she had stepped back into the world.

Tears of relief welled in the woman’s eyes. "Envoy... you’re unharmed?!"

Their sect leader had taken a hit just like that—and had been bedridden, coughing blood, ever since!

That beam of light was every bit as powerful.

Yet this envoy was only at the Golden Core stage... how...?

"Well, actually, there is a tiny issue."

Yan Luoyue tilted her head thoughtfully before answering with pinpoint accuracy:

"Let’s say... about 0.0105% of an issue."

This spherical demon was stronger than the one she’d faced before.

Even with her enhanced defenses at the Golden Core stage, it had managed to shave off... well, a measly 1,050,000 points of her health.

"...What?"

The woman’s face twisted in utter confusion.

Even in her joy at Yan Luoyue’s survival, she couldn’t help but think—

Envoy... do you even hear yourself right now?