Chapter 73 – Insect Mountain, Serpent Ridge: This Entrance Format Really Needs to Change…

On the day of the competition, disciples from the Four Great Sects gathered in the main hall for a draw to determine the order of entry into the illusion realm.

Since the Azure Profound Sect was renowned for its artifact refiners, the right to draw lots for this round’s illusion realm fell to the sects’ four chief artifact refiners, in rotation based on their last match’s ranking.

Xu Xianxing and the other three chief artifact refiners went up to draw lots, while the crowd below was lively. After the previous flower viewing banquet, many people had made new acquaintances.

The quietest this time was the Returning Immortal Sect, as they were sandwiched between the Clear Thought Sect and the Crimson Sky Sect—making for an extremely tense atmosphere.

During the drawing, Lu Feishuang from the Crimson Sky Sect turned her head slightly, scanning the Returning Immortal Sect’s lineup for a certain figure.

Guan Huailin noticed and quietly reminded Lian Mu, “Once we enter the illusion realm, if we run into another sect’s chief team, find a way to withdraw immediately.”

But after speaking, he realized Lian Mu wasn’t listening at all—her head was down, clearly lost in thought.

Guan Huailin: “…”

After the lots were drawn, the order of entry was as follows: Crimson Sky Sect first, Azure Profound Sect second, Clear Thought Sect third, and Returning Immortal Sect last.

“Not our lucky day,” Bai Lique said calmly.

Xu Xianxing returned to his team. Wen Yun looked indifferent. “It’s fine. We have someone from Mist Ridge—already a huge advantage.”

Of all the teams sent by the Four Great Sects, only the Returning Immortal Sect’s lineup included someone from Mist Ridge. Those from Mist Ridge grew up in the deep southwestern mountains and had unique, effective methods for dealing with poisonous insects and miasmas. The hidden poison-gu and insect clan of the Ji family was rumored to have bodies immune to all toxins.

Not just Ji Mingyue, but also Wen Yun—though he grew up in White Tiger West, his father was a collateral member of the Ji family, meaning he carried their blood and could ignore all poisonous effects.

In a way, this match could be called the Returning Immortal Sect’s home field.

Even though they were last to enter, the chief team from the Returning Immortal Sect showed no sign of concern, which clearly annoyed the other sects.

“Ugh, just because they’ve got someone from Mist Ridge, they’re acting like they’re already going to take first place.” A Crimson Sky Sect artifact refiner muttered just loud enough for the Returning Immortal Sect to hear.

The Crimson Sky Sect’s chief team didn’t stop him—letting the sarcastic remarks stir up trouble.

Wen Yun recognized the speaker—it was the guy whose clothes they’d stripped off in the last illusion realm match.

“Anyone who doesn’t know better would think they’re trying to outdo Azure Profound Sect. At most, they’ll get third place,” the Crimson Sky refiner said, deliberately standing behind Lu Feishuang, openly provoking Wen Yun.

Wen Yun opened his mouth to reply. The Crimson Sky refiner was ready to go all in, gearing up for a full-on verbal battle.

The Crimson Sky refiner began: “What? Don’t tell me I’m wrong—”

Wen Yun interrupted bluntly, “You’ve got chili on your teeth.”

The refiner paused, instinctively shut his mouth, and turned red with embarrassment.

Xu Xianxing couldn’t hold back a laugh, which drew the attention of the other sects around them.

The people from Crimson Sky Sect all turned to glare at Wen Yun.

Wen Yun, used to these kinds of stares, said, “I was just being kind. Don’t like it? Fine. Let me rephrase—you don’t have chili on your teeth.”

It was clearly deliberate.

The Crimson Sky refiner, flushed with embarrassment under the stares of others, tried to retort—but Changsun Li dragged him back.

“Enough. Don’t argue with him,” said chief body cultivator Changsun Li coldly. “Wen Yun may not be good at much, but he’s got a poisonous tongue. What’s the point of bickering with a guy who got disowned?”

Wen Yun raised an eyebrow. “And who the hell are you? A defeated dog like you has no right to bark at me.”

Changsun Li sneered. “You think you’re still the prestigious Young Master Wen after leaving your clan? That was then. Now that you’ve joined the Returning Immortal Sect, it’s only a matter of time before you end up at the bottom.”

Body cultivators were known for their fiery tempers. Afraid they’d actually come to blows, Xu Xianxing quickly stepped in to pull Wen Yun back.

Wen Yun knew not to make too big a scene in front of everyone. He quietly returned to his team, and Changsun Li was also stopped by Lu Feishuang.

After the drawing came the wooden-core flower reveal.

Lian Mu, who had been looking down the whole time, finally subdued the restless Green Bean hidden in her sleeve. When she heard the elder on stage mention the flower, she was about to look up when someone nudged her elbow.

Ji Mingyue whispered, “That Alchemical Plant Compendium I gave you—did you finish reading it?”

Suppressing Green Bean’s fidgeting head, Lian Mu replied, “Almost. I’ve memorized all the important plants you marked.”

“Good. Once we’re in the illusion realm, help gather plants—the more the better.”

Ji Mingyue then noticed something squirming in Lian Mu’s sleeve. “You brought that too?”

“It sneaked onto me this morning when I wasn’t paying attention,” Lian Mu explained.

“You’re not allowed to bring live spiritual pets into the illusion realm. I’ll teach you a chant.”

Ji Mingyue tapped Green Bean’s black little head and murmured a spell. The squirming scorpion instantly calmed down and transformed into a silver scorpion bracelet.

“There. It’s half-puppet anyway. This spell only lasts ten days, but that’s enough.”

Lian Mu memorized the chant. She looked up to see the artifact elder tossing the wooden-core flower into a golden toad’s mouth. She didn’t even catch what the flower looked like.

The artifact elder, from the Crimson Sky Sect, had a stern expression. After tossing in the flower, he didn’t say a word of nonsense—just activated the Armillary Sphere to send each sect’s team into the illusion realm in order.

———

———

In the Azure Profound Sect’s side hall, a group of elders sat around a memory stone. From left to right: Returning Immortal Sect, Crimson Sky Sect, Azure Profound Sect, and Clear Thought Sect.

After the flower was released, the elders could all see its location via the stone.

“Hah, classic Cheng Ling. Why’d he plant the flower in a place like that?” laughed a Crimson Sky Sect alchemy elder.

All from the same sect, the Crimson Sky elders didn’t take it seriously—just chuckled.

Murong Yi sat nearby in silence: “…”

The Crimson Sky elders were known for their twisted sense of humor. In previous years, they often planted the flower in the most unexpected places. This time, their elder Cheng Ling had planted the wooden-core flower on someone’s grave.

The Crimson Sky Sect’s sword cultivator elder also laughed. “If two sects arrive there at once, it’ll turn into an all-out brawl.”

The flower’s location was in a graveyard on the southeast edge of Insect Mountain and Serpent Ridge. It used to belong to an ancient family, but after certain events, the area was abandoned and the graves were relocated. Technically, it was now an empty graveyard.

Watching sect disciples fight on a grave—only Crimson Sky Sect could come up with something like that.

The other sect elders remained silent, letting the Crimson Sky elders laugh to themselves.

The Crimson Sky team was the first to enter the illusion realm. They got lucky—the chief team was sent to an open clearing, and the other squads landed in safe zones too.

Teleportation in the illusion realm was random. Entry order and starting point were all down to luck. If luck was on your side and you entered early near the flower, the path would be smooth. If you were unlucky, entered later, and landed far away, it would be a much tougher journey.

“This time, it’s the Returning Immortal Sect entering last again. I recall that every time your sect draws the last entry, you always end up in the farthest spot,” the senior from the Clear Thought Sect commented, half-casually. “Hopefully, your sect’s luck is better this time.”

Xin Wanbai: “…”

The Azure Profound Sect’s first-seated team had already gone in. They landed in the northeast—neither too close nor too far from the Wooden Core Flower. Given their strength, barring any surprises, they would most likely maintain the upper hand.

Seeing that everything was going smoothly for the Azure Profound Sect, Shang Liu said lightly, “Luck is also a part of strength.”

The elders from the Returning Immortal Sect didn’t speak for a while: “…”

When it came to luck, the Returning Immortal Sect was one of the unluckiest among the four major sects—especially regarding illusion realm entrances. Things rarely went smoothly for them. Their starting positions were always off or far away, and their top team could never keep up with the others.

Murong Yi commented, “Honestly, I think the way we enter the illusion realm should be changed.”

“It’s all based on one’s own abilities,” the Crimson Sky Sect elder said. “It’s been this way for so many years, and the rest of us have no complaints. Why should the rules be changed just because the Returning Immortal Sect isn’t benefiting?”

Murong Yi: “…”

When it was time for the Returning Immortal Sect to enter, Xin Wanbai stared intently at the memory stone, hoping their first-seated team would get a good position.

A flash of white light lit up the stone—the Returning Immortal Sect’s first-seated team had entered the illusion realm. They were in the northwest.

Xin Wanbai closed her eyes briefly: “…”

The Crimson Sky Sect elder saw it and chuckled. “The Wooden Core Flower is in the southeast, and you landed in the northwest—that’s pretty precise, in its own way.”

Then came the second-seated teams. When three second-seated teams appeared simultaneously on three different memory stones, Xin Wanbai frowned. “Where’s Lian Mu?”

Among the three teams, Luo Qianxue and Qu Ruotian were both present, but Lian Mu’s team was missing its leader.

Her heart instantly tightened. In this Insect Mountain, Serpent Ridge illusion realm, being alone was definitely not good news.

Murong Yi also furrowed his brow and glanced toward a few other memory stones. Then, he suddenly froze.

“Lian Mu’s over here.”

Xin Wanbai turned to look, and the moment she did, she too was stunned.

Seeing that both sword cultivator elders from the Returning Immortal Sect were silent, the other sect elders looked over as well.

A moment later, they all fell into silence.

“…”

The Returning Immortal Sect’s second-seated sword cultivator really had entered alone. Her landing spot—right in the graveyard on the southeastern side.

Xin Wanbai took a deep breath, trying to contain her emotions. “That grave beside her… that should be where the Wooden Core Flower is planted, right?”

The smiles on the Crimson Sky Sect elders froze: “…”

The Clear Thought Sect elder’s expression darkened, and even Shang Liu’s face didn’t look too good: “…”

Murong Yi broke the silence again, speaking calmly, “I’ve said it before—this entry method needs to be changed.”

Xin Wanbai appeared calm on the surface. “And who says only the first-seated team can pick the flower?”

Meanwhile, the other elders from the Returning Immortal Sect couldn’t hide the smiles tugging at the corners of their mouths. “The first-seated team really does have bad luck, but in a team this large, you can’t rely solely on them. The other kids should get a chance to shine too.”

The elders from the other sects: “…”