48 - The Divine Physician’s Overbearing Wife

Chapter 48 Yun Mi Xue surveyed the pit's surroundings, her brows tightly furrowed. If this were any ordinary secret realm, it would be manageable, but if a mystical realm left behind by demon cultivators is linked to the Fenghua Immortal Sect's leader, it would not bode well. The Fenghua Immortal Sect's position in the world of cultivation was already precarious. If it were rumored to be colluding with demon cultivators, the sect's future would become even more difficult. While Yun Mi Xue pondered the potential threat this secret realm posed to the Fenghua Immortal Sect, Yan Zhu Guang contemplated the plot of the original story. “Has the grudge between the Fenghua Immortal Sect and the demon cultivator factions been longstanding?” The system replied, “At least by the time the story begins, the Fenghua Immortal Sect and the Blood Droplet Demon Realm are on the brink of war.” Immortal cultivators and demon cultivators have always been at odds, but there's a difference between a simple dislike for each other and outright hatred. The Blood Droplet Demon Realm is a major force among demon cultivators. Thus, if the Fenghua Immortal Sect is opposed to it, this isn't merely a simplistic struggle between immortals and demons. “Was the origin of their feud ever mentioned in the plot?” The system shook its head: “No, it just mentions there's an old enmity, but it's rather vague.” Yan Zhu Guang attempted to sort out the storyline she was familiar with. The story, as the system called it—“a domineering love story set in the cultivation world”—begins in a minor sect in the cultivation realm, known as Yi Miao Sect, which Yan Zhu Guang originally joined. The protagonist, Shen Wan Qing, who lacked spiritual roots, accidentally traveled from the modern world to the Yi Miao Sect during its recruitment meeting. Due to the energy disturbance from her time travel, the jade mirror failed to detect her spiritual roots, allowing her to enter Yi Miao Sect by mistake. Lacking spiritual roots, she naturally couldn't practice the sect's techniques. But if her secret were revealed, she would be cast out from Yi Miao Sect. Without money or familiarity with the dangerous cultivation world, she wouldn't survive, so she carefully hid her lack of spiritual roots. However, as time passed, even those with the poorest spiritual roots could at least influence spiritual energy, yet Shen Wan Qing couldn't, drawing suspicion and doubt from many. Among the new recruits, Shen Wan Qing's abilities were the weakest, often leading to bullying and ridicule. Her heart was filled with bitterness—she tried to appear strong in public but secretly cried in private. She managed to conceal her secret for a while, but soon, the Yi Miao Sect's rookie tournament approached. This was effectively a final ultimatum for Shen Wan Qing. If exposed in the arena, not only would she be expelled from the sect, but her life might also be at risk. Thus, Shen Wan Qing decided to take a risk. She accidentally discovered that there was a spiritual herb on the back mountain of Yi Miao Sect that could grant ordinary humans pseudo-spiritual roots, allowing them to cultivate. The back mountain, home to fierce beasts, was hazardous even for trained cultivators, let alone an ordinary person. Shen Wan Qing risked her life only to despairingly find that the legendary herb was nowhere in sight. Realizing she had been deceived, it was already too late. At this critical juncture, Gu Chen, mourning his first love, retraced the footsteps of Yun Mi Xue and happened upon Shen Wan Qing, who had fallen off a cliff and was close to death. Somehow, he mistook her for Yun Mi Xue in her final moments, saving her, thus beginning their tumultuous journey together. Gu Chen tried to mold Shen Wan Qing into a second Yun Mi Xue, but Shen Wan Qing sensed his intentions. She endured hardships and animosity from the disciples of the Fenghua Immortal Sect for Gu Chen, only to be labeled a mere substitute. Devastated and fleeing, she was captured by opponents of Fenghua Immortal Sect, the Blood Droplet Demon Realm, plunging her into an even more desperate situation. This is the first instance where the story mentions the conflict between the Fenghua Immortal Sect and the Blood Droplet Demon Realm. Rumors had it that the Blood Lotus Demon Lord, the enigmatic master of the Blood Droplet Demon Realm, who always hid half his face behind a blood lotus mask, leaving only a high-bridged nose and smiling red lips visible, also shared a poignant romantic entanglement with Shen Wan Qing. According to the system, this Blood Lotus Demon Lord was the second male lead in the book. Yet, whether forgotten by the author or deliberately left vague, the origin of the enmity between the Fenghua Immortal Sect and the Blood Droplet Demon Realm was never explicitly addressed. Yan Zhu Guang pondered, “Do you have any record of the Blood Droplet Demon Realm’s insignia?” “Are you thinking of comparing the Blood Droplet Demon Realm's emblem with the symbol on this parchment?” the system replied. “They're different. The pattern on this parchment doesn't exist in my system database; it's definitely not the logo of the Blood Droplet Demon Realm.” “Show me anyway,” Yan Zhu Guang insisted, unwilling to waste time with the system. “Okay.” Obediently, the system displayed the emblem for Yan Zhu Guang to see. It had almost forgotten that with this host, it’s best not to act smart. Just execute straightforwardly whatever is possible. Yan Zhu Guang memorized the emblem, confirming the system’s claim—there was no resemblance between it and the symbol on the parchment. She did nothing more, and by this time, Yun Mi Xue had already sorted her thoughts. A look of concern swept across her face as she gazed at Yan Zhu Guang: “Demon realms are filled with treacherous techniques. A demon cultivator's secret realm must be incredibly dangerous. I may not be able to protect you, Zhu Guang. Are you certain you want to go?” Yan Zhu Guang smiled: “What do you think, Senior Sister?” “Certainly, you shouldn't underestimate me, Senior Sister.” Yun Mi Xue had anticipated her response, and with a resigned shake of her head, she said, “Alright then. But on this journey, Zhu Guang, you must stay close by my side and not wander off. Don't make me worry, alright?” Yan Zhu Guang thought for a moment: “If there's no array designed to separate people in the secret realm, I won't stray. If I do get lost, I'll definitely look for you, Senior Sister.” Yun Mi Xue frowned: “If we are separated, I’d rather you stay where you are and wait for me to find you.” Yan Zhu Guang took Yun Mi Xue's hand, leading the way: “Don't worry, Senior Sister. I won't do anything I’m not confident about.” The entrance to the secret realm wasn’t near the pit. Yet, Qiu Qiao and his group had wandered within for some time. Based on the direction they traveled, Yan Zhu Guang calculated a shortcut. Notably, she and Yun Mi Xue saved nearly two-thirds of the time Qiu Qiao had spent. As they neared the entrance, it was not as extravagant or mystical as other realms, surprisingly simple instead. Before them stood only a large stone door, not quite what Yan Zhu Guang had envisioned in her dream. This wasn't unexpected; Qiu Qiao must have romanticized the secret realm as a turning point in his heart. At the stone door’s center was an odd symbol, chaotic lines encircled in a pattern—seemingly disordered. Yan Zhu Guang produced the parchment to compare with the stone door's symbol. Yun Mi Xue remarked, “Indeed, they are identical.” Yan Zhu Guang nodded and stepped closer to the door. Yun Mi Xue, worried about inadvertent dangers, walked alongside her. Yan Zhu Guang flashed a smile at Yun Mi Xue and began examining the door. “Mystical energies seep from behind the door,” Yun Mi Xue noted. Probing with her spiritual sense, it was, unsurprisingly, blocked. Regrettably, Yun Mi Xue retracted her senses, trying to discern where the energies were leaking from. Yan Zhu Guang pointed to an inscription on the top of the door: “Look, Senior Sister.” "'To open this door, one must offer human blood,'” Yun Mi Xue read the inscription, her complexion troubled. If these words were to be followed, the beasts she had captured would be useless. “Qiu Qiao is compliant enough to do this if instructed?” “Hm?” Yun Mi Xue questioned. “I saw him do something similar in his vision,” Yan Zhu Guang explained. It became clear to Yun Mi Xue that this was how Yan Zhu Guang discovered the secret about the realm. "Truly reckless." Invading someone’s vision isn’t impossible, but it inevitably involves spiritual probing. Yun Mi Xue could only imagine the dangers Yan Zhu Guang faced while infiltrating Qiu Qiao’s mind space. Considering her current level of spiritual power, such invasions were perilous—just thinking about it left Yun Mi Xue alarmed. “Don’t worry, Senior Sister, because I’m perfectly fine now.” Yan Zhu Guang gave Yun Mi Xue's hand a squeeze and shifted the conversation: “Qiu Qiao was deceived. Those words are merely meant to confuse. Even if a true blood sacrifice were attempted, it wouldn’t open the realm.” Yun Mi Xue, understanding the tactic, played along: “How?” “I’ve discovered how to open this realm.” “Senior Sister, look.” Yan Zhu Guang flipped the parchment so the side with the marking faced the stone door. The light from the pearl shone through, projecting the pattern. Yan Zhu Guang made a gesture with her fingers, tracing the inverted pattern in the air using wood-based spiritual energy. The vibrant green energy formed a pattern in the air, fascinating Yun Mi Xue as it came together. Sweeping her palm open, Yan Zhu Guang pushed the completed pattern onto the stone door where it overlapped with the existing one, producing a new design. Even though the pattern was unknown, Yan Zhu Guang could tell this was a complete symbol. It no longer appeared chaotic but orderly. The moment the pattern emerged, Yun Mi Xue gasped, "The Blood Droplet Demon Realm?!" “Hmm?” Yan Zhu Guang was highly astonished. “!G?” The system, too, was notably shocked. The system's database surely can't be wrong; the Blood Droplet Demon Realm's insignia isn't like this at all. Yun Mi Xue, unaware of Yan Zhu Guang's thoughts, assumed Yan Zhu Guang was unfamiliar with the Blood Droplet Demon Realm. She explained, "The Blood Droplet Demon Realm is a powerful demon cultivator faction, playing a pivotal role among demon cultivators, comparable to the once-prosperous Fenghua Immortal Sect among immortal cultivators." This meant that the current status of the Fenghua Immortal Sect was now less influential compared to the Blood Droplet Demon Realm. Puzzled, she asked, "The Blood Droplet Demon Realm's influence is in the southern part of the cultivation world, far from Tianyu City, and it has been dormant for years, rarely appearing within the sphere of cultivation sects. How could this place have a secret realm set up by them?" Yan Zhu Guang considered Yun Mi Xue's stance: "Senior Sister, is there any relation between our Fenghua Immortal Sect and the Blood Droplet Demon Realm?" "None," Yun Mi Xue stated, "The Blood Droplet Demon Realm is a demon cultivator force; the Immortal Sect has no affiliations with them." "This doesn’t match the storyline," Yan Zhu Guang remarked to the system. "Uh... could it be that the enmity between the Fenghua Immortal Sect and the Blood Droplet Demon Realm arises after this point?" the system speculated, confused. "But what about that emblem? Is it truly the Blood Droplet Demon Realm's insignia?" Yan Zhu Guang trusted her senior sister implicitly. "Perhaps later, something changed within the Blood Droplet Demon Realm, leading them to alter their emblem." Whatever the case, the pressing matter was to open the secret realm. "Senior Sister," Yan Zhu Guang addressed Yun Mi Xue, "I need to make use of those beasts."