49 - The Divine Physician’s Overbearing Wife

**Chapter 49: Opening the Portal** Yun Mi Xue had captured several beasts, all of which were only at the Foundation Establishment phase. The white silk band she used to bind them had absorbed the piercing cold, leaving the beasts frozen and limp, unable to struggle anymore. With a swift tug and flick of her silk ribbon, Yun Mi Xue delivered the beasts right in front of Yan Zhu Guang. Yan Zhu Guang waved her hand, making incisions on each beast to extract fresh blood, which she then used to paint on the stone door. Her drawing wasn't complex; she merely completed the missing parts of an existing pattern, making the emblem of the Blood Demon Domain distinct and complete. Curiously, once the pattern was completed, the blood-drawn lines were absorbed by the stone door with a 'crack', causing it to fracture and slowly widen. A dense demonic aura seeped through the door's crevice, rushing towards the two standing outside. Yun Mi Xue swiftly stepped forward, shielding Yan Zhu Guang. With a flick of her snowy sleeve, a flurry of tiny ice shards exploded, blocking all the demonic aura. Then, with a graceful hand gesture, Yun Mi Xue released a surge of spiritual power, transforming the shards into white mist. The rampant demonic energy was fiercely buffeted by an explosion of icy spiritual power, dispersing in all directions. The air around the two was instantly purified. Demonic aura is notoriously insidious; if accidentally absorbed, it clings persistently, much like maggots on a festering wound, impossible to shake off. It can severely impede cultivation and, in severe cases, trigger inner demons, stalling progress or even ruining one's path entirely. Yun Mi Xue, already at the Nascent Soul level, was surrounded by spiritual energy and had no fear of ordinary demonic aura. However, Yan Zhu Guang, still at Foundation Establishment, had weak resistance against it, putting her at risk of contamination. This lingering concern from Yun Mi Xue arose after realizing the secret realm was associated with demonic cultivators. Even with her Nascent Soul prowess, she worried she might not protect Yan Zhu Guang from the pervasive demonic aura. To not add to her senior sister’s concerns, Yan Zhu Guang remained still behind Yun Mi Xue, knowing she had the means to fend off the aura, allowing Yun Mi Xue to disperse it all herself. Remarkably, once the demonic aura gushed out, it completely vanished, replaced by a pristine and tranquil energy wafting from the stone door. The atmosphere was invigorating, refreshing one's entire being with a single breath. “What is this...” As the stone door fully opened, a brilliant white light flooded the chamber, completely transforming the previously dark and eerie underground cavern where Yun Mi Xue and Yan Zhu Guang stood. The menacing shadows were now revealed as mere pillars connecting the ceiling to the floor. The underground space had even sprouted various plants, adding vibrant life to the once grim environment. Most captivating, however, was the view beyond the stone door. Behind it lay a vast green jade wall, its luminescence illuminating the entire secret realm, and the refreshing aura flowed from it. “It seems this is the true entrance to the secret realm.” Yan Zhu Guang examined the peculiar jade wall. On the jade wall, faint images resembling a map were visible. Every detail, from landscapes to plants, down to the leaf veins, was clearly depicted. “It appears the Blood Demon Domain discovered this secret realm and sealed it, potentially for some agenda, hence the stone door.” Yan Zhu Guang nodded. “That might be the case.” The dense demonic aura was deliberately engineered to create the illusion of a demonic cultivator's secret realm, deterring many truth cultivators. For the most part, cultivators are wary of such realms. Even someone like Qiu Qiao did not dare to venture inside after discovering it, much less without proper assurance, which he sought through Su Qian Er’s map before attempting another exploration of the realm. Yun Mi Xue looked at the map Yan Zhu Guang held. “The map only contains one diagram and nothing else. Could it be that it was merely sketched after discovering the stone door, just a commonplace page?” Earlier, both Yan Zhu Guang and Yun Mi Xue had examined the map, which seemed unextraordinary. It bore a lone diagram and, besides its unusual durability, showed nothing peculiar. The method to open the realm wasn't specified on the map; Yan Zhu Guang had deduced it herself. “That’s possible.” Yet, Yan Zhu Guang felt it wasn't that simple. She turned to Yun Mi Xue. “Let’s put this aside for now, senior sister. Shall we enter the realm to explore?” Yun Mi Xue nodded. “That sounds wise.” Yan Zhu Guang collected some fresh beast blood and stored it in a system backpack, which froze time within. Anything she placed inside remained unchanged, ensuring the blood stayed fresh. Once prepared, Yan Zhu Guang, in Yun Mi Xue’s presence, tossed a small green sprout onto the beast corpses. The wounds on the beasts from blood extraction visibly turned black, and in a blink, the beasts vanished, leaving behind only the sprout swaying in the air. This was Yun Mi Xue’s first time witnessing the eerie devouring ability of the peculiar sprout, consuming everything, flesh and bone, wholly. Yan Zhu Guang smiled at Yun Mi Xue. “You won’t think I’m cruel, will you?” Shaking her head, Yun Mi Xue replied, “No senseless killing, no torture—how could that be cruel?” In the cultivation world, vanishing bodies due to spells were commonplace; Yan Zhu Guang’s actions merely carried a stronger visual impact. The white silk that had restrained the beasts dissolved into flurries of snow as Yun Mi Xue gestured, “Let's move.” They cautiously stepped through the stone door, and it slammed shut with a 'boom' behind them. Yan Zhu Guang turned back to see the same mark from outside present within. To exit this realm, they’d have to redraw the pattern again. Those blood reserves would indeed come in handy. Moving into the space between the stone door and jade wall, they noticed nothing out of the ordinary. “It seems the jade wall is our only lead.” Yun Mi Xue attempted to extend her spiritual sense towards the jade wall but found herself blocked. Tentatively, she reached out, touching the jade wall under Yan Zhu Guang’s watchful gaze. The seemingly solid surface rippled like water at her touch, distorting the images projected upon it. Quickly retracting her hand, the jade wall reverted to its original state. “The realm lies within the jade wall.” It was as if exploring another dimension through that surface, perhaps containing an entire world. Yan Zhu Guang placed the map against the jade wall to observe any reactions. Surprisingly, the map adhered to the wall as if glued, resistant to pulling away. Gradually, the jade wall absorbed the map. With furrowed brows, Yan Zhu Guang watched the map slowly submerge. As it vanished, the once old bronze hue of the paper faded, transforming into the wall’s icy green. The design on the map also vanished, replaced by intricate scenes growing and clarifying, mirroring the jade wall’s imagery but condensed onto the now green fabric. Or perhaps, those images had always been on the map, only now revealing their true form. “It appears we’ve uncovered the map’s genuine nature,” Yun Mi Xue remarked. Yan Zhu Guang reached forward and retrieved the transformed fabric from the jade wall. “Even senior sister couldn’t discern the trickery placed on this map?” Spreading the fabric, she observed more detailed depictions than the wall’s, resembling a map with sporadic red markings whose meanings were unclear. “If this map was crafted by a Dividing Spirit stage cultivator, it would elude even me,” Yun Mi Xue theorized. “You’re suggesting... the previous sect leader might have meddled with this map?” “That’s merely speculation,” Yun Mi Xue replied thoughtfully. It was indeed possible. The previous sect leader was a Dividing Spirit cultivator; disguises crafted by someone of that level would understandably be invisible to a Nascent Soul expert like Yun Mi Xue. “In that case, not only did this sect leader-handled map end up in the hands of a Su cultivator, but it also reached Su Qian Er. Is there a connection between the sect leader and Miss Su?” Yun Mi Xue pondered for a moment, offering no response. Yan Zhu Guang remained silent, too. Su Qian Er was regarded as a dangerous figure; if the sect leader had ties to her, it could predict future interactions with Windflower Immortal Sect. If so, and Yun Mi Xue, as the sect's senior sister, would have to engage with her, that was something Yan Zhu Guang would rather not see. After transforming the map into a silk fabric, the two did not linger in the small space any longer. To avoid getting separated inadvertently, they tightly held each other's hands. Exchanging a glance, they stepped into the jade wall simultaneously. The moment they entered the jade wall, it felt as though a soft veil swept across them, lightly brushing their skin. In the next instant, they experienced a sensation of weightlessness, as if they were falling. Their palms remained clasped, and a firm yet gentle force pulled Yan Zhu Guang into a cold embrace. The rush of the descending wind was so intense that her eyes were forced shut. Yet, enveloped in this embrace, all discomfort faded away. When Yan Zhu Guang opened her eyes, all she could see was pure whiteness, accompanied by a few strands of black hair fluttering in the air. In response, she wrapped her arms around the slender waist holding her, trying to gauge the situation and determine from what height they were falling. However, they seemed to be descending from such a height that Yan Zhu Guang couldn't sense anything around them. She attempted to extend her spiritual sense but found it restricted within the secret realm, rendering her unable to release it. This secret realm imposed too many constraints. "Host!" The system's voice suddenly cut through. "There's a teleportation array below. If you fall into it, both you and the senior sister will be separated!" Yan Zhu Guang frowned, unable to speak while plummeting, and her spiritual sense was confined, preventing her from conveying this to her senior sister. Separation seemed inevitable. At that moment, warmth spread through her ears as Yun Mi Xue whispered close, "There's a teleportation array ahead; I can't avoid it. If we are separated, do not fear. Wait for me to find you." Yan Zhu Guang nodded in her embrace, knowing Yun Mi Xue could sense her affirmation. In the next moment, it felt as if they collided with something mystical. Yan Zhu Guang only had time to tuck the silk map into Yun Mi Xue's collar before the embrace vanished. And then, the world spun out of control once more.