Chapter 134: The Secret Realm

Traveling as a pair was indeed far more convenient than being alone; Xie Yingying no longer had to remain constantly vigilant, and their pace quickened significantly.

However, as she walked, Xie Yingying remarked, "Bai Qirui, have you noticed that we seem to have walked this path before?"

Everything before them felt so familiar.

A grave look flashed in Bai Qirui's eyes, revealing that he had arrived at the same conclusion. His gaze swept the surroundings until it landed on a peach tree. He reached out and slowly traced a fresh arrow mark he had just carved into the trunk.

He stroked the spot with a dark look in his eyes. "We have indeed been here before."

"This is..." Xie Yingying’s eyes widened in surprise, her words trailing off. "Could it be a ghost-trap?"

She remembered the elderly in her village saying that if one encountered a ghost-trap, it meant they were possessed by spirits and unable to escape. She cursed inwardly—what rotten luck! How could all these misfortunes pile up in a single day?

"What do we do now?" Xie Yingying asked, her expression growing tense. "Are we going to be trapped here forever?" She had a home to return to; she couldn't afford to be stuck in this godforsaken place.

"No!" Bai Qirui stated decisively. He cast a glance around them and pressed his lips together. "This ghost-trap is not as terrifying as the legends suggest. As long as we find the correct orientation, it can be broken with ease."

"Orientation!" Xie Yingying looked around. The peach forest stretched out in every direction, every tree identical to the last. How was she supposed to distinguish direction? She truly wondered what the ancestors who created this secret realm were thinking. Had they never considered the plight of those with no sense of direction?

She couldn't help but let out a heavy sigh. "If only there were a compass."

"A compass? What is that? I have never heard of such a thing," Bai Qirui said, looking at her with curiosity.

Xie Yingying was momentarily speechless, not knowing how to explain such a modern concept to him. She merely curled her lips into a smile and said, "It is just a little gadget from where I come from, used to point out the direction. It is very convenient."

"Oh? Is it truly such a useful item?" Bai Qirui appeared genuinely interested. He pursed his lips and added, "I hope to have the chance to see one in the future."

Xie Yingying offered a professional, fake smile, thinking to herself: *You will never see one.*

"If there is no compass, let us try a geomantic plate," Bai Qirui said, suddenly producing a pitch-black iron disc from his robes. He held it in his palm and channeled his spiritual power into it, causing the needle to spin wildly.

Xie Yingying exclaimed in surprise, recognizing it as the ancient equivalent of a compass. "So you had this all along! Why didn't you take it out sooner? Quickly, which way should we go?"

Bai Qirui channeled his energy and said to her, "Follow closely behind me."

Xie Yingying nodded decisively. Following the directions of the plate, the pair managed to find their way out in less than half an hour.

Xie Yingying felt a surge of admiration. "Bai Qirui, you are truly amazing."

"A trivial matter, not worth mentioning," Bai Qirui replied with a calm, indifferent smile, as if the ordeal had been nothing. "Come, let us continue on our way."

With Bai Qirui leading the path, they moved quickly. Suddenly, he stopped, scanning the surroundings with a guarded expression. Curious, Xie Yingying asked, "Is something wrong?"

Bai Qirui frowned tightly. "There is a formation ahead!"

Xie Yingying projected her spiritual energy forward, but felt nothing. "Are you mistaken? There is not a trace of a formation here!"

"The formation here is incredibly exquisite and very ancient, which is why most people fail to notice it. But once you step inside, you will never come out. Fortunately, I can sense the fluctuations in space," Bai Qirui said, his brow furrowed in deep thought. Because of his unique identity, he was sensitive to spatial disturbances.

Seeing him speak with such conviction, Xie Yingying felt a lingering fear, grateful that they hadn't blundered into it.

"Let us search for the entrance and find a way to break it," Bai Qirui instructed.

Xie Yingying nodded. They scouted the area for a while, but ultimately found nothing. Bai Qirui was baffled; he could clearly feel the anomaly, yet he had no idea how to breach it.

Looking at the area, Xie Yingying suddenly recalled that in fantasy novels, spatial fluctuations were often associated with hidden minor realms rather than mere formations. She shared this hypothesis with Bai Qirui. "Could the spatial fluctuation be caused by a hidden minor realm?"

Bai Qirui shook his head without hesitation. "Such opportunities are rare and hard to come by!"

Xie Yingying persisted, "It is not impossible. Besides this, is there any other explanation?"

Bai Qirui was momentarily stumped. With a sigh, he relented, "Very well, let us check again."

The two circled the area, using their spiritual power to conduct a thorough search. Finally, they focused their attention on a cliff face not far away. When Xie Yingying projected her energy toward the stone wall, it was reflected back at her. Her eyes brightened, and she exchanged a look with Bai Qirui.

A spark of excitement ignited in both their eyes. They knew that if a secret realm existed here, it would surely contain treasures. Xie Yingying touched the stone wall; it felt no different from ordinary rock, but upon closer inspection, she sensed a faint, gentle warmth. Suddenly, she felt a pulling force trying to draw her inside.

Xie Yingying immediately pulled her hand back, her voice trembling with excitement. "Bai Qirui, there really is a secret realm! Could the Snow Chant Sword be hidden inside?"

"It is highly possible." Bai Qirui stroked his chin, a flicker of anticipation and excitement rising within him. He hadn't expected Xie Yingying to be so lucky as to actually discover a secret realm. It had been effortless.

"Then what are we waiting for?" Xie Yingying’s smile was uncontrollable. "Let's find a way in."

"We shall channel our energy together to break the seal," Bai Qirui said, his gaze fixed intently on the stone wall.

Xie Yingying nodded slightly. They immediately began to channel their power into the wall. However, at that very moment, the entire Peach Blossom Spring began to tremble, and a violent roar echoed through the air.

Xie Yingying furrowed her brows in confusion. "What is that sound?"

Bai Qirui had no answer. Suddenly, the ground began to shake, and the earth and stone started to collapse. A terrible premonition gripped Xie Yingying.

The rumbling sound grew closer. Looking out, she saw a vast, endless tide of savage beasts charging toward them, kicking up a massive cloud of dust in their wake. The number of them was so great that she could not see the end.