"Kid, let teach you a lesson. Never lower your guard around stronger cultivators, especially those whose intentions and background are unknown," the little girl said coldly, gazing down at Chen Xuan with indifference and disdain.
"Of course, you won’t get the chance to apply this lesson. Today, you shall beco the sacrifice that announces my return to this world."
As her words fell, the golden sword’s body grew blood-red.
A terrifying pressure burst forth from its blade, causing every hair on Chen Xuan’s body to stand on end. Even the surrounding space seed to freeze, sealing him in place.
The situation felt eerily similar to when he had faced Mu Xuanyin’s phantom. In both instances, he had been completely unable to offer any resistance.
He could only watch helplessly as the sword drew closer, ready to harvest his life.
Yet, just as the sword seed destined to cleave him in two, it suddenly halted midair.
The little girl grinned before bursting into laughter, clutching her stomach and rolling on the ground.
"Hahaha! Did you see the look on your face? Too funny! Really too funny!"
"Alright. That’s enough! Since you’ve already inherited my Master’s legacy, it’s ti for us to part ways. Today, I, Honglan, can finally return to the real world."
With that, Honglan ignored Chen Xuan’s dark expression and directed the sword away.
She cheered happily as her body began dissolving into starlight, looking ready to rge with her real body.
But in the very next mont, the smile on her face vanished.
Now, it was her turn to be shocked.
Her body stiffened in place.
A terrifying pressure suddenly erupted, spreading throughout the room and across the entire Secret Realm.
A phantom erged from Chen Xuan’s body. With white hair and an indifferent expression, she silently surveyed her surroundings.
Her gaze was detached and aloof, as though it could peer through both past and future.
She calmly raised her hand.
The golden sword shot toward her palm.
It trembled violently, as if trying to escape, yet remained forcibly pinned in place.
Cracks started to spread across its surface.
Just as it seed it would shatter completely, the phantom finally released it. It dissolved into light before rging back into Chen Xuan’s body.
The overwhelming pressure vanished as abruptly as it had appeared.
If it were not for the fractured space and the violently trembling Secret Realm, one might have believed it had all been an illusion.
Even Chen Xuan was stunned. He had recognized the phantom as Mu Xuanyin.
Yet, he had no idea she had left behind such a safeguard on his body.
Still, he quickly accepted it.
’It makes sense. Although that old hag is devious, even for just her reputation, she wouldn’t let die so easily. Just as I left traces of my power on my disciples, it’s only natural she would do the sa.’
Clearly, Honglan’s little "joke" had triggered this layer of hidden protection, causing it to activate.
Although Mu Xuanyin hadn’t completely shattered the sword, the cracks covering its surface made it obvious—Honglan had suffered greatly.
Chen Xuan smiled faintly, feeling she deserved it for trying to tease him.
But the next instant, he couldn’t help but frown.
"No! Aaaaah! How could this happen?!"
Honglan burst into tears. She collapsed onto the ground as streams of tears rolled down her cheeks.
"Why? Why? Why?! Is Heaven punishing ?" she cried, her voice growing louder the further she went back.
At first, Chen Xuan assud it was because of the damage she had just suffered.
But before he could try to comfort her, her next words completely changed his mind.
"No! Who was that woman?! How could she forcibly bind to this guy?! Am I destined to be taken advantage of by this pervert?!"
Chen Xuan’s face instantly darkened. But upon recalling her words, he realized sothing.
He quickly examined his current state. Or rather, the connections between himself and the magic weapons he possessed.
Soon, his eyes lit up.
He finally understood why she had broken down.
’Did Master forcefully imprint my Spiritual Energy onto her? Have I suddenly beco this girl’s owner?’
No wonder Honglan had broken into despair!
Chen Xuan might have comforted her under normal circumstances.
But rembering how she had tried to tease him monts earlier, he couldn’t help but break into a smile.
Sure enough, the Heavens favored the kind-hearted and punished the wicked!
If she hadn’t insisted on teasing him for no reason, none of this would have happened.
Chen Xuan felt a surge of excitent.
Though he couldn’t determine the exact grade of Honglan’s real body, her earlier display made her value apparent.
Moreover, her bizarre state of being a conscious, human-like weapon spirit filled him with curiosity.
He had countless questions he wanted answered.
However, before he could voice them aloud, Honglan suddenly shot to her feet.
The tears on her face vanished, replaced by an unusually solemn expression.
"The Secret Realm is collapsing!" she announced, her pupils shrinking.
The mont her words fell, the floor, walls, and even space itself began trembling violently before shattering piece by piece.
"It was you! My Master’s Secret Realm could have lasted for thousands of years longer! It was that woman who cased this!" Honglan gritted her teeth, though she didn’t stop moving.
Her humanoid form fused back into the sword as the weapon erupted with power, enveloping Chen Xuan and dragging him away.
Chen Xuan originally allowed Honglan to carry him. But before they could run far, he rembered sothing.
"No! Wait!" he shouted and tried to break free.
"Don’t worry. I already collected everything valuable! How can you still care about treasures at a ti like this? If we don’t escape now, we’ll both perish!" Honglan snapped, clearly convinced that he was greedy for the Secret Realm’s wealth.
Chen Xuan realized she had misunderstood.
"No," he said, shaking his head, "I an... My companion is still here! Bring her with us!"
His words startled Honglan. Everything that had happened had made her completely forget about the other two challengers.
With her personality, she wouldn’t have cared even if she had rembered.
But thinking this was her new owner’s "order", she could only grumble inwardly.
In the next instant, her sword body through the space on the side. A spatial rift opened in place, and a blue-haired woman shot out from within.
She landed directly in Chen Xuan’s chest, her hands instinctively wrapping around his neck and her legs around his abdon.
Before he or Tang Yuechen could react to this sudden turn of events, Honglan’s voice rang out again.
"Hold onto her tightly! If she falls off, it will be your fault!" she scread at him before accelerating even further.
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