Wait a minute, where is my master?

Night had fallen.

In Qingmu City, at the entrance to the Secret Realm.

Here, the bustling noise of the daytime had ceased, leaving only two Cultivators originally tasked with guarding this place.

"Brother, do you think this Secret Realm will suddenly open again?"

One Cultivator stood to the left of the azure light screen, curiously waving his hand through it a few times before turning to his companion to ask.

"How would I know? We're just lucky we weren't punished, brother. Let's just obediently follow Lord Nan and Mr. Lan's orders and keep watch here."

The other Cultivator stood with his eyes closed, seemingly resting.

During the day.

The City Lord of the city and Lan Junyan, the lead scholar of Qingmu Academy, had both arrived at this place.

On Qingyun's instruction, they had calmed the Cultivators who hurried here, persuaded them to return, and assured that there would be no issues with Qingmu Secret Realm.

It would open as usual.

Everyone should come back on the first day of September.

Upon hearing this from the person in charge of the Secret Realm, the Cultivators who had come to investigate suppressed their curiosity and dispersed.

After all, the Qingmu Secret Realm wasn't going to sprout legs and run away; most of them had come merely out of curiosity. Now that the host wouldn't disclose the reason for the opening, having no spectacle to witness, they could only disperse.

However, the team leaders from the Four Great Immortal Sects, like Qingmu Academy, lingered a while longer in an attempt to probe why the Qingmu Secret Realm had suddenly opened.

The Four Great Immortal Sects each have their unique Secret Realm which traditionally opens at fixed times and cannot be entered at will.

Naturally, they became curious upon seeing the Secret Realm open ahead of schedule in Qingmu City.

Unfortunately, regarding their teacher, Qingyun certainly wouldn't say much.

Of course, the main reason was that he did not fully understand what had happened either. Not to mention him, even the Old Dean himself was still puzzled at that moment.

Finding that their counterparts were tight-lipped and that they could get no information, the team leaders from the Four Great Immortal Sects eventually left in disappointment.

After persuading all the Cultivators to leave, Qingyun and two others instructed the guards to keep quiet and not to tell anyone that they had seen the Young Taoist and the Scholar with a pale face afterward.

Then they left as if floating away.

"Brother, who do you think that Young Taoist and the Scholar with a pale face are? The Dean even asked us to keep it a secret for him."

The Cultivator standing to the left of the light screen patted the azure light screen, noting it truly had closed, and then continued to ask.

"I don't know about the scholar, but that Young Taoist seems to be the one who had a confrontation with Mr. Lan a while ago. Enough talk, let's just focus on our duty."

The Cultivator with his eyes closed seemed not too eager to talk at the moment.

"Oh, understood, Brother."

A moment later.

"Brother!"

"What now?"

The Cultivator with closed eyes did not open them, his tone growing impatient; he couldn't understand why his companion was so talkative tonight.

"The Young Taoist and the Scholar with a pale face are back! And this time they brought two women with them!"

The Cultivator standing on the left of the light screen raised his arm, his face showing panic and his expression astonished as he pointed toward the direction of the corridor.

"Let them come, hmm!? What did you say!"

The Cultivator with closed eyes was initially dismissive, but upon realizing what was said, he suddenly opened his eyes and looked towards the doorway.

Jin Xu and the Old Dean had just entered with two women.

"The two of you, nice to see you again."

The scholar-looking Old Dean greeted them with a smile, amicably bidding them hello.

...

Qingmu City, Wutong Building.

In the room of Zhu Yangzi, leader of the Blazing Sun Sword Sect.

"Remember, all of you, when the Qingmu Secret Realm opens on the first day of September, the first challenge within the realm must be of class A."

Zhu Yangzi was sitting at the table, several core disciples of the Blazing Sun Sword Sect standing before him.

Among them were the young sword cultivator with fiery red eyebrows and Ouyang Sheng, the leading disciple of the first peak, as well as other disciples who were the best of their respective peaks.

Zhao Dabao was also mingled among the crowd at this time.

After hearing Zhu Yangzi's words, the disciples all verbally agreed. Only the sword cultivator with the fiery red eyebrows opened his mouth to ask.

"Master, I have heard cultivators in the city say that the first layer's challenge of the Qingmu Secret Realm is very special.

No matter which class one chooses, as long as it is completed, the 'Immortal' rule protection is granted in the end. Why must you insist that we choose class A? That is a thousand times harder than the simplest class D challenge.

With that time, we could have killed several more Wood Spirit Beasts."

Clearly, these core disciples had all done some homework before participating in the Qingmu Secret Realm.

However, though the red-eyebrowed sword cultivator did his homework, it was evidently not much.

Zhu Yangzi did not speak but turned his gaze toward the first peak's disciple. Ouyang Sheng understood tacitly and began to explain.

"Brother Ma, you must not be deceived by those loose cultivators in the city.

Although all four challenge levels grant the 'Immortal' rule protection once passed, the rules are static, but the overseers behind them are alive.

I've heard from my grandfather that each level's challenge in the Qingmu Secret Realm is overseen by a Ten-thousand-year-old Treasure Medicine that has developed spiritual intelligence. And the Treasure Medicine of the first level is said to be an extremely kind Nine Death Soul Flower.

This flower has a unique temper; although it is deadly poisonous, it has a heart of benevolence.

It is said that if cultivators choose and complete the highest difficulty challenge,

this flower will secretly protect you within the first level of the realm."

After Ouyang Sheng finished, Zhu Yangzi nodded in approval and uttered a word of praise.

The red-eyebrowed cultivator pondered over the theory he had heard and touched his nose thoughtfully.

After a moment, he frowned and said, "Ouyang… Junior Brother Ouyang, if every cultivator entering the realm chooses the class A challenge to complete, then wouldn't we lose the Nine Death Soul Flower's care?"

"Junior Master, if everyone chooses class A, although we won't receive care from the Ten-thousand-year-old Treasure Medicine, at the very least, we won't be targeted. Think about it, if a hundred cultivators go in and ninety-nine choose class A and only one chooses class B. How conspicuous would that be..."

Zhao Dabao, standing next to the red-eyebrowed cultivator, spoke softly, his tone may have been casual, but he clearly explained the crucial relationships within.

"Hiss~ That seems to be the case."

Junior Master inhaled sharply, patting Fatty Zhao's shoulder heavily.

As a result, Zhao Dabao also sharply inhaled from the pain.

"Dabao is right about this, remember to definitely choose class A; do not be deterred by fearing trouble and mess things up. The class A challenge of the first level might take more time, but it isn't difficult, especially since all of you are core disciples of our Blazing Sun Sword Sect. The spiritual medicines in the first level shouldn't be your targets anyway."

Zhu Yangzi affirmed Fatty Zhao's reasoning, then went on to discuss the next three levels of the Qingmu Secret Realm that needed attention and the taboos within the secret realm.

This is the benefit of being backed by a Great Immortal Sect; the accumulation of knowledge and experiences from generation to generation allows the sect's disciples to avoid many detours.

After the time it takes to brew a pot of tea.

Zhu Yangzi had finished explaining the precautions and reminded everyone about the cultivation resources reward involving the Eternal Lotus before dismissing everyone.

He lay down in his clothes and closed his eyes to cultivate his mind and spirit.

In this moment of silence.

"Buzz!"

The silhouette of Che Liang Wood suddenly reappeared above the entirety of Qingmu City.

The Qingmu Secret Realm had opened again!

But this time, the silhouette vanished without a trace in less than a moment.

The night over Qingmu City returned to calm.