The spatial vortex of the Ancestral Secret Realm finally appeared before everyone’s eyes.
The Ancestral Secret Realm is an independent small world, and its space is particularly vast. Therefore, the Mu family suggested exploring in pairs to look out for each other while also exploring more areas and gaining greater benefits. After all, if there were too many people in a group, it would inevitably lead to uneven resource allocation.
Most of the cultivators exploring the Ancestral Secret Realm also formed pairs as prearranged, and there were also cultivators who entered alone. Jiang Huai and Mu Yao stepped into the vortex together. After a brief moment of dizziness, as the light and shadow receded, they found themselves in a vast, snow-covered mountain range.
Snow fell upon the mountains. Jiang Huai reached out his hand and felt the snowflakes landing on his palm, filling his heart with joy.
The Ancestral Secret Realm was divided into four major regions, each containing spiritual treasures of wind, thunder, fire, and water attributes. The perpetually snow-covered mountains at this moment belonged to the treasure land that nurtured water-attribute spiritual treasures, and the Ice Crystal Snow Soul Flower that Jiang Huai was looking for was within it.
In an instant, Jiang Huai grabbed Mu Yao’s hand and flew into the air. Flying with a sword was to confirm their current location. Upon reaching the sky, he looked down at the desolate mountains and snow-covered land. All around them seemed to be an endless sea, and there was a small island next to this island. Jiang Huai was sure that he and Mu Yao had been sent to Snow Wolf Island, which was marked on the map.
Snow Wolf Island was considered a less dangerous exploration area on the map. Cultivators who had entered the Ancestral Secret Realm before had sensed the aura of the Eighth Realm Spirit Snow Demonic Wolf King there. Wolf packs inhabited this island, and next to it was Snow Bear Island, which was in the same region.
Mu Yao had also seen the map earlier, so she softly inquired, “Is the Ice Crystal Snow Soul Flower you’re looking for in this area?”
“Yes.” Jiang Huai and Mu Yao landed. There was also a Snow Eagle Emperor patrolling the sky in this Ancestral Secret Realm, so it was not advisable to fly too high for too long, as it would be too conspicuous. At this moment, heavy snow fell all over the mountain, making the withered trees look like they were adorned with silver. The snow was a bit deep, but with their cultivation levels, they could easily walk on the snow without leaving a trace.
The wind and snow slightly blurred their vision, which was the only drawback. Fortunately, Jiang Huai did not ask for too much. The two began to search the desolate, snow-covered mountains in a carpet-like manner. He had already shown Mu Yao what the Ice Crystal Snow Soul Flower looked like. It was a sapphire-blue spirit flower with luxuriant branches and leaves, growing in extremely cold places, mostly on cliffs, making it very easy to identify.
Mu Yao did not have any particular spiritual items she was determined to find on this trip to the Ancestral Secret Realm, so she happily followed Jiang Huai, hiding their auras in the snow, carefully exploring. Occasionally, she would pick a beautiful spirit flower and put it into her Storage Ring.
The wind and snow were vast, but their pace was not particularly hurried. The Ancestral Secret Realm had a full seven days, enough for them to explore both Snow Wolf Island and the adjacent Snow Bear Island. If they couldn’t find the Ice Crystal Snow Soul Flower on either island, they could only consider themselves unlucky.
Jiang Huai also caught a hopping snow rabbit along the way. As he held it by its ears, Mu Yao happily reached out and touched its smooth fur, saying how cute it was. Jiang Huai nodded in agreement, “Snow rabbits live in this extremely cold environment, with rich oil. You don’t even need to add oil when roasting them.”
Mu Yao’s eyes immediately turned resentful, but then she thought of his cooking skills. After a few seconds, she turned her face away, “You kill it; I can’t bring myself to do it.”
Hmph, a hypocritical and gluttonous girl.
The Snow Forest Island was vast. The two of them used their divine souls to cover the surroundings, searching for spiritual treasures in the wind and snow. They searched for about three hours until their eyes were almost crossed, but they did not find the Ice Crystal Snow Soul Flower. They did not encounter any demonic beast attacks along the way. Seeing that the wind and snow were getting heavier and their divine souls were becoming a bit tired, Jiang Huai first selected a well-positioned cave at the foot of the mountain and enlarged it slightly with his sword, making it their resting place for the night.
In the cave, Jiang Huai started a bonfire. The rabbit had already been dealt with. Its meat was now cut into small skewers by his sword, threaded onto red wooden sticks, sprinkled with seasonings, and roasted until it sputtered with oil. Soon, the special aroma of oil and roasted meat filled the air. Mu Yao watched eagerly, occasionally asking, “Is it ready yet?”
“At this time, the texture will be tenderer, but also greasier. If you roast it longer, it will be crispier and more fragrant. Things like eating cannot be rushed,” Jiang Huai said leisurely as he handed her a skewer of roasted rabbit meat. Mu Yao took a bite and then eagerly looked at the ones in his hand. After waiting for a while, they were finally ready, and Jiang Huai gave half of them to her.
Perhaps she had already become familiar with Jiang Huai and knew his personality well, Mu Yao no longer cared about her image in front of him. She ate with her mouth full of oil, with some seasoning stuck to her lips, while Jiang Huai was already extracting juice from the sweet and sour spirit fruits they had picked earlier.
“I knew it was the right choice to enter the Secret Realm with you!” Mu Yao took the fruit juice Jiang Huai handed her, which had crushed ice in it. After taking a big gulp, she revealed a satisfied expression.
“After you’re full, you’ll work hard later, searching for my Ice Crystal Snow Soul Flower.”
“I know, I know, I’m already looking very carefully,” Mu Yao obediently agreed.
At this moment, their cave was located in the very center of Snow Wolf Island. Jiang Huai planned to divide it into east, west, north, and south directions and search each end. If they found nothing, they would go to the adjacent Snow Bear Island. Now that they had eaten and drunk their fill with Mu Yao, there were still a few hours before it got completely dark. He stood up and set off again with Mu Yao.
Mu Yao obediently followed him, holding his hand and skipping along. Her fair, slender hands were soft and delicate.
They walked for another hour. Along the way, Mu Yao chattered incessantly. This time, Jiang Huai did not find her annoying. After all, the journey was filled with nothing but endless wind and snow, which could be a bit boring. And the fastest way to shorten a journey… was to have a good friend who walked the entire way with you.
However, gradually, Jiang Huai sensed something was amiss.
“Have you noticed something?” Jiang Huai frowned slightly and said softly.
“What?” Mu Yao was startled, not understanding.
“We’ve been walking for so long, yet we haven’t sensed any demonic beast auras. According to the map, Snow Wolf Island should have Spirit Snow Wolves in various areas, shouldn’t it?”
“Maybe they’re all hibernating because it’s too cold?”
“…” Jiang Huai was speechless for a moment but could only suppress the doubts in his heart. Jiang Huai’s divine soul had been searching the surroundings all along, without any negligence. The two walked a considerable distance further, and finally, a wolf howl reached their ears.
After that single wolf howl, bursts of wolf howls came from all over Snow Forest Island, deafening and even capable of deterring divine souls. Mu Yao almost instantly covered her ears. Jiang Huai also hastily used the Overlord Art to block some of the sound, but soon, the howling became more chaotic and urgent.
The roars of wild beasts naturally carried their emotions. Jiang Huai instantly transformed into his fox tail and fox ears. When he transformed into a half-demon and his demon clan bloodline was activated, he suddenly realized… that the wolf howls seemed to convey only one meaning.
Kill!
Jiang Huai’s expression changed dramatically. He grabbed Mu Yao’s hand and said, “To the mountain top, let’s go.”
“What? Hey…”
Before Mu Yao could react, Jiang Huai gently pushed her. She flusteredly hugged his neck from behind. She heard Jiang Huai remind her, “Temporarily seal your spiritual energy and don’t use it.”
“Okay.”
Mu Yao answered nervously. Jiang Huai then rushed to the side of the snow mountain, his fingers easily digging into the hard rock wall. Relying on the physical strength of the Overlord Art, he began to climb rapidly. When they reached the chosen mountain top, and looked all around, they quickly discovered that many places on Snow Wolf Island were now experiencing spiritual energy fluctuations, the dazzling light of Human Clan Daoist magic, or soaring sword energy, while the howling sounds in their ears were incessant.
The two had walked for most of the day without seeing a single Spirit Snow Wolf. However, upon reaching the mountain top, they discovered that nearly a thousand extremely large Spirit Snow Wolves were now traversing the mountains, letting out howls. Mu Yao’s divine soul was sensitive. She instantly detected that the howling contained spiritual energy, seemingly a method of location.
No wonder Jiang Huai told her not to use her spiritual energy first. Jiang Huai gently twitched his fox ears for a while before he gradually understood and said softly, “These Spirit Snow Wolves have been gathering and lying dormant during the day. Tonight is their hunting time.”
“Hunting, hunting whom?”
“Us… no, to be precise, all the cultivators who entered the Secret Realm this time.”
“Why?” Mu Yao’s eyes widened.
“Because a thousand years ago, the cultivators who entered the Ancestral Secret Realm killed the offspring of the Spirit Snow Wolf King and took its wolf heart. Now, the Spirit Snow Wolf King senses that the Secret Realm has reopened, and Human Clan cultivators have entered this world again. This time… they are here for revenge.”
“How do you know?” Mu Yao was suddenly curious.
Jiang Huai gently twitched his fox ears. “After activating the Nine-tailed Fox Clan bloodline, I can barely understand their communication.”
“Then what do we do?” Mu Yao shrunk closer to Jiang Huai, clearly a little scared.
The lowest cultivation level of those snow wolves was the Seventh Realm, and at this moment, in their sight, there were nearly a thousand snow wolves. Just the howling alone made Mu Yao’s face pale, let alone the Spirit Snow Wolf King leading them. The Spirit Snow Wolf King a thousand years ago was an Eighth Realm Great Demon. No one knew its current cultivation level.
“Let’s watch for now. My demon clan scent can mask our smell, and Mirror Flower can also block some of their senses. It should be fine. Just stay close to me.”
Jiang Huai activated the Mirror Flower, hiding their auras first. Then, he imbued his eyes with spiritual energy, and his sight instantly extended far away. He said softly to Mu Yao beside him, “Look over there.”
In the wind and snow, the cultivators hidden on the entire Snow Wolf Island could now hear the howling sounds. Sensing the chaotic killing intent from the howls, a signal flare lit by a member of the Central Province royal family exploded in the air. The locations of the cultivators on Snow Wolf Island were now being gradually locked onto. If they remained in place and waited to be slaughtered by these thousands of snow wolves, they would only have a dead end.
“Should we go over?” Mu Yao asked softly.
“Let’s watch first… If they can’t hold on, I’ll make a move.”
