One of my fairy-like friends

Chapter Forty-Seven: The Secret Realm

After leaving the tavern, Mingyan wanted to leave Nanming City, but he soon discovered that someone was following him, which made him alert.

When he last came to Nanming City, a woman with a strange appearance followed him for a long time. Could he be being targeted by someone again this time?

He found a few corners, turned around and took a moment to observe. He discovered that there were several cultivators, all of whom were more powerful than him. He couldn't tell their exact cultivation levels. Moreover, Ming Yan noticed that they didn't seem to be deliberately hiding their intentions and were speeding up to get closer. "Fellow Daoist, please wait."

Mingyan stopped in his tracks. They were still on the street; surely no one would dare to do anything funny in public? He frowned slightly. "What do you want with me?"

"We noticed that you seem quite interested in the secret realms near Nanming City, so we thought we'd like to team up with you."

There were three men in total. One was dressed in blue, tall and handsome, while the other two were dressed in purple. The man in blue seemed to be the leader and smiled as he spoke to Ming Yan.

Team up with me? Ming Yan's mind raced. He couldn't sense the cultivation levels of these people. They were either ordinary people or their cultivation levels were higher than his. Since they showed interest in the secret realm near Nanming City, they were definitely not ordinary people. In that case, their cultivation levels would only be higher than his. Naturally, they could tell that he was only at the Taixi realm. Why would they want to team up with him, a Taixi realm cultivator?

Mingyan's mind raced, and he quickly realized that the other party had probably discovered that he was a disciple of the Wind Spirit Moon Shadow Holy Land, so he wanted to team up with him in order to reduce the number of enemies.

Ming Yan's eyes flickered slightly. He had no idea about these people's backgrounds. Although they might not be in any danger because they recognized him as a disciple of the Wind Spirit Moon Shadow Holy Land, if these three were in cahoots, he would probably suffer a great loss when they made their gains and shared the spoils. Moreover, if they discovered some incredible treasure, they might do something out of greed.

Teaming up was indeed a good idea, but he couldn't team up with someone whose background he didn't know, so Mingyan politely declined.

The man in blue looked regretful. "Since you don't want to team up with us, then forget it. But we can still be friends. We can be more considerate of each other and there's no need to fight to the death."

The other party seemed quite wary of him, which made Ming Yan's heart stir. He thought that his identity as a disciple of the Wind Spirit Moon Shadow Holy Land was quite useful.

Little did they know, the other party was the same people who had previously thought that Ming Yan was hiding his true cultivation level. They believed that Ming Yan's true strength was probably around that of Yang Ling, and since he was also a special disciple of Feng Ling Yue Ying, they had no intention of being his enemy.

Mingyan nodded. "Of course, opportunities also depend on fate; there's no need to force them."

Seeing that Ming Yan had no intention of cooperating, the man in blue and the two men in purple quickly left. Ming Yan also did not stay in Nanming City for long and soon left.

Although his senior sister told him that their master liked the quiet half-moon, she didn't tell him why this flower liked to grow there. Mingyan needed to find out about the flower himself, but for now, completing the trial that his master had given him was the most important thing.

The trial his master gave him was very vague, without any clear requirements on what constituted success or failure. It was probably meant to let him do as he pleased. In that case, in Mingyan's mind, the best goal to achieve was naturally to obtain the secret treasure that might exist in that secret realm.

After leaving Nanming City, Mingyan immediately headed towards the location of the secret realm.

That area was called Cloud-Hidden Forest, a bamboo forest. The distance of several hundred miles was not far for Mingyan, and he arrived there in no time.

The closer they got to that secret realm, the more they discovered that there were more and more cultivators around them, all of whom had designs on the secret treasure.

Places like this hold little appeal for powerful cultivators from the Xuanji or Renying realms; they're perfect for training juniors. Therefore, most of the cultivators who come here aren't very old, many are the same age as Ming Yan, or only a little older. However, it's safe to say that Ming Yan is probably the one with the lowest cultivation level among them.

The bamboo forest here is incredibly dense, the bamboo stalks are exceptionally thick, and even in autumn, the leaves remain lush and vibrant. The spiritual energy here is also quite rich. If it weren't for this news about the secret realm, this place could actually be a suitable retirement home...

Mingyan approached and circled around for a while, then noticed that many cultivators seemed to be heading in a certain direction, so he followed the main group.

Before long, the cultivators led Mingyan to a relatively open area. The surrounding bamboo forest had been completely cut down, making the place exceptionally spacious, with only the roots of the bamboo remaining, emitting a faint fragrance.

In the center of the scene, dozens of people were gathered around a tombstone, all with their hands clasped together. Mysterious laws shimmered around them, and the shimmering laws above the tombstone could be seen gradually dissolving.

Upon seeing this, Mingyan realized that this secret place was actually someone's tomb...

Being a cultivator isn't necessarily a good thing. One might be glamorous in life, but after death, their tomb, like a tourist attraction, will be visited by countless people. If luck is against them, a battle among cultivators might break out in the grave, and they might even smash the coffin... Ming Yan's lips twitched. If he were to die, it would be best to follow the village custom and scatter his ashes in the forest, rather than bury him...

Despite his words, Mingyan would not miss the opportunity here. This was the first trial Yue Wuxia had given him, and Mingyan hoped that he could satisfy his master, Yue Wuxia.

Several people in Mingyan's group tried to approach, but someone coldly stopped them, "Unauthorized personnel are prohibited from approaching. A bunch of trash who haven't even been to Yinling, get lost."

Mingyan frowned. Oh no, could it be that only the Yinling Mausoleum could grant entry? He'd probably have to find another way...

Some people objected, saying, "Why can't we enter before reaching Yinling? This place was discovered by everyone. Opportunities are treasures of heaven and earth, and anyone can possess them. Do you intend to monopolize them?"

"If you're not convinced, you can stand up. I'll crush your head and see if you'll still be unconvinced then." The speaker was a boy of about fifteen years old, with a feminine face and an arrogant expression.

The person in the crowd dared not speak again. Ming Yan frowned and touched the token at his waist. If he couldn't approach openly, he would probably have to find another way. He wasn't familiar with this place and shouldn't go to such lengths to get in. Otherwise, by the time he got in, everything inside might have been looted.

After thinking for a moment, Mingyan looked around the arena. Besides the dozens of cultivators who were breaking the restrictions, there were many people whose cultivation levels were unclear, but whose clothes and appearances were quite expensive. They must be people of high status.

Previously, when Mingyan was in Nanming City, he noticed that many people did not recognize his waist tag, but these people definitely did. After thinking about it, Mingyan stepped out of the crowd and walked forward.

Upon seeing this, the unruly youth realized that Ming Yan was only at the Taixi Realm. He was about to make sarcastic remarks when he noticed the token at Ming Yan's waist. He immediately shut his mouth, turned his gaze elsewhere, and said nothing more. Ming Yan saw this and realized that these people knew their stuff.

The cultivator who had previously asked why it was forbidden to enter the Yinling Mausoleum was a cultivator at the Zhaohai Realm. When he noticed that Ming Yan, a cultivator at the Taixi Realm, had walked over directly, and the young man remained silent, he became anxious and asked again from the crowd, "Why did you allow this Taixi Realm cultivator to approach?"

“You can come up to me and question me.” The young man coldly scanned the crowd. “Don’t hide in the crowd. Stand in front of me, and I will tell you why.”

“If you are a disciple of the Holy Land, you may also step forward,” another richly dressed young man beside the boy said with a light laugh.

"What? Holy Land disciples? Holy Land disciples have arrived?"

These words immediately caused quite a stir in the crowd, and many people turned their attention to Ming Yan, observing him.

Soon, someone raised a question: "Why is this disciple of the Holy Land only at the Taixi Realm?"

"Shooting you shouldn't be a problem," the young man said coldly.

"..." Ming Yan had just approached when he heard the boy say this. He secretly rolled his eyes. This person's words were like needles pricking him, but at least he was speaking up for him.

The other elegantly dressed young man smiled at Ming Yan and said, "Fellow Daoist, you can come with us later. Once we enter the secret realm, you can explore it on your own."

Mingyan nodded, knowing that this group had accepted his identity, which would save him from having to find another way to enter the secret realm to steal... cough cough, to seek opportunities.

"That young master seems to be a genius from Wanxu Cave Heaven who has already reached the initial stage of Yangling!" At this moment, someone recognized the young master's identity and exclaimed in surprise from the crowd.

"A beginner-level Yangling cultivator...? This is probably a highly regarded genius even within the Holy Land..."

Yangling beginner level? Ming Yan's eyes flickered slightly. His competitors were not to be underestimated, and he needed to be extra careful.

"That young man seems to be a genius from a blessed land, probably from Tongyun Blessed Land. I heard his cultivation has already reached the full level of Yinling!"

"The others are probably also geniuses of considerable status..."

"It seems that blessed lands are quite interested in this place... even holy lands have sent people here... this opportunity is probably not small."

Mingyan observed his surroundings. There were quite a few people, but those in the center, apart from the cultivators who were breaking the restrictions, were all very young, around the same age as him. Only the cultivator at the initial stage of Yangling looked about two or three years older than him and should already be an adult.

Seeing Ming Yan observing him, the young master smiled slightly, "Judging from your waist tag, you must be a disciple of the Wind Spirit Moon Shadow Holy Land, right? May I ask what your true cultivation level is?"

"True cultivation level?" Ming Yan's heart skipped a beat upon hearing this, and he instantly understood. The young master must have noticed the special nature of his waist token and assumed that he was the disciple of an elder of the Wind Spirit Moon Shadow Holy Land, thus realizing that his cultivation level wasn't as low as it appeared...

Mingyan smiled and said, "As you all see, I am just a cultivator at the Taixi Realm."

Mingyan spoke the truth, but since the other party already had suspicions, telling the truth would only make them feel that he was still hiding something.

Sure enough, upon hearing this, the young master's handsome face showed a hint of regret. "Since you are unwilling to reveal it, I will not ask any further."

Chapter Forty-Eight: Entering the Secret Realm

"I heard that the Holy Lord of the Wind Spirit Moon Shadow Holy Land recently accepted a fifteen or sixteen-year-old Taixi Realm cultivator as a closed-door disciple..." The boy who had previously spoken disdainfully of the other cultivators who had not reached the Yinling Realm looked at Ming Yan with lightning-fast eyes. "The rumors are definitely not accurate. That person is definitely more than just a Taixi Realm cultivator... Otherwise, someone of the Holy Land's level would definitely not look down on him... let alone make an exception to accept him as a disciple."

Upon hearing this, the young man's expression became subtle. "Fellow Daoist...you wouldn't happen to be...?"

The other geniuses around him, who hadn't shown much interest before, were now watching Ming Yan with interest, each with their own thoughts.

Mingyan closed his eyes, neither admitting nor denying.

Seeing this, the young man smiled slightly, "Regardless of whether you are the lucky chosen one or not, once we enter the secret realm, it will be a fair competition, and everyone will have their own opportunities. I believe you agree with that, right?"

Mingyan opened his eyes and nodded. This was tantamount to telling Mingyan that when it came to competing for resources later, they wouldn't care much about Mingyan's status. It was a way of giving him a heads-up in advance. He guessed that his master didn't want him to rely on his status as her disciple to complete this trial. Yue Wuxia had also said that strength was more important than status. In this world of cultivation, might makes right.

The young man nodded and smiled. Seeing that Ming Yan didn't seem to like talking much, he didn't take the initiative to speak to him again.

As the restrictions slowly dissolved, more and more people approached the area. However, as long as they did not reach the Yinling Realm, they would be driven away by the young man, and no one dared to challenge his strength.

He was about the same age as Ming Yan, but he was already at the full level of Yinling Realm. Even the Yutai Blessed Land back then didn't have such a genius. Although there were cultivators at the Yinling Realm, they were only at the initial stage and were already adults. They were far inferior to this young man at the full level of Yinling Realm.

After that, more people arrived one after another. Some of them walked over directly without being stopped by the young man, which suggests that their strength had reached the Yinling Realm. Moreover, Mingyan noticed that some of the people who arrived later looked at their waist tokens with solemn expressions, as if they had noticed the special features of the waist tokens.

Mingyan pondered how to snatch resources from this group of cultivators, all of whom were more powerful than him, in order to satisfy his master...

Perhaps we can take advantage of their misunderstanding of my cultivation level. Since they are unsure of my cultivation level, there are many things we can do. However, I can't pretend too much, or I might give myself away.

Mingyan was deep in thought, and after what seemed like an eternity, he noticed a commotion around him.

He turned his head to look at the scene and found that the laws flashing on the tombstone were almost completely dissolved. If this restriction was really left by the Xuanji Realm or the Renying Realm, why was it so weak? How could these cultivators' strength dissolve it?

"How truly wondrous," Ming Yan thought, his eyes flashing slightly. "How exactly was this place discovered?" he inquired.

“A major earthquake struck this area recently, and this place appeared after the earthquake. The restrictions on it were largely damaged by the earthquake; otherwise, with our strength, we probably wouldn’t have been able to get in.” The young master smiled and explained when Ming Yan spoke up. “According to the information I’ve received, this place should be the tomb of a half-step Human Ying realm cultivator who has completed the Xuanji realm, or a Human Ying realm cultivator. Moreover, it is very likely that the tomb belonged to a rogue cultivator who did not belong to any of the major holy lands or aristocratic families. It is highly probable that a genius born in a golden age without Great Emperors perished here.”

A golden age without the Great Emperor... Ming Yan suddenly remembered that when Shi Jie Yue Qingying was telling the background of Feng Ling Yueying, she had talked about the two founders of Feng Ling Yueying, the Moon Shadow Empress and the Wind Spirit Human King.

She once said that once someone in the world attains the Dao and becomes an Emperor, the Great Dao will suppress the other cultivators on its own. This is uncontrollable, and even the Emperor himself cannot control it. The fact that Empress Moonshadow gave up her second life and chose to pass away with King Wind Spirit shows that the two had a deep affection for each other. Didn't they want to spend 20,000 years together? But the Great Dao is so cruel. Only one Emperor can exist in the world at the same time. Once one person becomes an Emperor, the other is destined not to become an Emperor, and even the Emperor himself is powerless to change that.

This suppression of the Great Dao will also have a great impact on other cultivators. For example, now only those holy lands and aristocratic families with profound foundations can cultivate a Saint Lord of the Human Realm. It is basically impossible for rogue cultivators to cultivate to such a level on their own. However, in the golden age without Great Emperors, there were rogue cultivators who cultivated to the Human Realm.

Yue Wuxia told Mingyan that if she hadn't died prematurely, she was destined to become the Human King, but she didn't know if she would be suppressed by the Great Dao.

"The restriction is about to be lifted, fellow Daoist. We can prepare to go in now." The young master said with a smile as he watched the flickering laws on the tombstone being completely swallowed up.

As the laws on the tombstone disappeared, the ground began to slowly shake. Behind the tombstone, a staircase that allowed several people to descend at the same time slowly appeared, revealing a dark and deep tunnel that led to an unknown destination.

The sharp-tongued youth was the first to rush into the tunnel, followed by the young master, and Mingyan, without hesitation, also quickly entered the tunnel.

The Wind Spirit Scripture records some special movement techniques. After Ming Yan practiced them, his movement speed was much faster than before. Coupled with his strong physical qualities, he was not much slower than the young master for a time. When the young master saw Ming Yan catch up quickly, he became even more certain that Ming Yan was hiding his cultivation level and was quite wary of him.

Other bystanders also wanted to enter, but were stopped by those who had broken the barrier. "You are forbidden to approach. With your cultivation level, going in would be suicide."

"Why do you say that? This secret realm isn't your private property. Why won't you let us in?" someone retorted. He was a cultivator at the Sea Illumination Realm and had been stopped outside by the young man before. Now that the young man had entered the secret realm, he had the idea of ​​barging in.

The person who broke the seal looked at him coldly and slowly withdrew their hand. "Do as you please. Don't come looking for us when you die."

As a result, most of the onlookers rushed in, while only a few people, seeing that those who broke the barrier were standing aside and seemed to have no intention of entering, restrained themselves.

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The tunnel was filled with fluorescent grass on both sides, illuminating the dark tunnel and making it feel damp and cold. Mingyan followed the young master forward, but later found that the young master's speed was getting slower and slower, and Mingyan even overtook him, which made him feel a little strange.

"There are laws within this tunnel that can suppress a cultivator's cultivation level?" The young man's expression was solemn, and his voice carried a hint of surprise.

Suppressing cultivation? Upon hearing this, Ming Yan sensed it but found no suppression, which puzzled him even more.

Before long, Mingyan and the young master caught up with the boy who had entered the tunnel first. As the two approached, the boy asked, "Can you feel the laws within this tunnel influencing us?"

“I felt it…” The young man nodded. “You felt it too?”

"Hmph... I don't know what law caused my strength to drop a bit, but it's not a big deal," the young man said with a cold snort.

"It's dropped a bit?" The young master pondered for a moment upon hearing this, then smiled slightly. "It hasn't affected me much... Fellow Daoist, you've been affected too, haven't you?"

Mingyan nodded. "That's right."

In fact, Mingyan was not affected. Although he did not know what had happened to the two, he believed that it was a good thing that their strength had been affected.