I Outworked the Entire Cultivation World

Jiang Yuebai furrowed her brow in thought. Compared to the Xiong Family, she was more apprehensive of Shen Mingjing. Moh Baichun’s words still echoed in her ears; she couldn’t discern much, but Moh Baichun’s judgment of people usually bore some accuracy.

"Fellow Daoist Wangshu, you must be wondering why this place looks different from the entrance scene, right? The Kunxi Secret Realm has two sides: Yin and Yang. This is actually the Yin side. Only the Kunxi Divine Palace on the Fourth Layer is the true core area of this Secret Realm."

"There’s something crucial for me inside the Kunxi Divine Palace. I collaborated with the Xiong Family because someone from their family once entered the outer area of the Kunxi Divine Palace, which is also the Fourth Layer."

"Is your goal the Fifth Layer?" Jiang Yuebai asked.

Shen Mingjing did not deny it. "Yes, as long as I reach the Fourth Layer, I am absolutely confident I can enter the Fifth Layer."

"Is this the condition you discussed with the Xiong Family? They take you to the Fourth Layer, and you take them to the Fifth Layer?"

Shen Mingjing smiled and nodded. Talking to someone intelligent was indeed easier, with no need for beating around the bush.

"Then why are you climbing the wall now?" Jiang Yuebai remained wary.

Shen Mingjing did not deny it, speaking frankly, "To be honest, I am acutely aware of my own abilities. Going further down, the success rate of leaving the Yin side is not high. No matter who I encounter here, I would come out to seize the chance for companionship."

"But I count myself lucky to have met you, Fellow Daoist Wangshu. Do you remember that day in the Heavenly Spear Realm you promised that if we ever met again, you would repay the favor?"

Jiang Yuebai chuckled lightly, "Luring the enemy with profit, appearing weak to deceive, then leveraging a favor owed — you have studied your strategies well."

"A last resort, please do not blame me, Daoist friend."

Shen Mingjing glanced at the Taihe Umbrella in Jiang Yuebai’s hand.

"This umbrella, Daoist friend — it looks unfinished, missing a spirit perhaps? Since you’ve entered here, you must be seeking an Innate Water Spirit. If you’re willing to assist me, when the time is right, I’ll present you with the best Water Spirit in the Kunxi Divine Palace as a token of gratitude."

Jiang Yuebai put away the Taihe Umbrella, frowning as she considered the pros and cons.

Better to keep him in the open rather than lurking in the shadows doing who-knows-what. She could allocate a Divine Thought to monitor him. If his strength was not overstated in the Heavenly Spear Realm, defeating him wouldn’t be difficult.

"Do you keep your word?" Jiang Yuebai looked up at him.

Meeting her gaze, Shen Mingjing’s expression was earnest, "I never make promises I can’t keep. If I say it, I’ll never break it!"

"Alright, we’ll travel together for now."

Upon hearing this, Shen Mingjing secretly breathed a sigh of relief. Had it not been for the Fire Qilin being unable to accompany him here, and his unfortunate teleportation to this side, he wouldn’t need to exert this effort.

Nevertheless, he hadn’t lied. Compared to the Xiong Family’s short-sighted fools blinded by profit, he was more willing to collaborate with Jiang Yuebai. Anyway, he had already gathered substantial intelligence from the Xiong Family.

During the battle in the Heavenly Spear Realm, the Demon Clan blamed his ruthlessness for the destruction of their kin, but only this person before him understood that the cost he paid was entirely worthwhile.

This understanding and insight alone made Shen Mingjing hold Jiang Yuebai in some regard.

Behind Jiang Yuebai, Yann Hongyu was staring intently at Shen Mingjing, her cheeks slightly flushed with infatuation.

Feeling this, Jiang Yuebai sighed in exasperation and withdrew her back into the Lotus Platform Cave Heaven, leaving only the Soul Capturing Ghost outside to continue reducing the pressure by eliminating Low-Level Wandering Souls.

Meanwhile, the Jixiang Family below remained unaware of whether Shen Mingjing had noticed them. Jiang Yuebai left them untouched, for no matter what, the resource collection couldn’t stop.

Jiang Yuebai walked up to Shen Mingjing, "First, tell me about the Yin side."

Shen Mingjing looked around and said, "Just like the human world and the Underworld, the Yang side is the normal side of the Secret Realm, brimming with vitality with its green mountains and clear waters. The Yin side, however, is barren, rife with Yin Ghosts. Whether you’re on the Yin side or the Yang side, this is still the First Layer of the Kunxi Secret Realm."

"It’s just that the souls of deceased cultivators have fallen into the Yin side. Additionally, the souls of slain Water Clan monsters from the Yang side gather here, making the current Yin side more perilous than the Yang side, with even the possibility of encountering a Ghost King of the Divinity Transformation Stage."

"It’s been years since any cultivator walked out of the Yin side alive, turning this place into a hidden locale few know about, with sparse intelligence from the outside world."

Shen Mingjing glanced east, where an extraordinarily steep peak rose straight into the sky, connecting with the heavens.

"Leaving is actually simple — to reach the summit of that mountain — but you must also know that the higher you ascend, the more the Law of this place suppresses you, unless you find this."

Shen Mingjing took out a Glazed Token from his sleeve, resembling a clear spring with a golden-red carp swimming inside.

"An Immortal Palace token? Where did you get it?"

Shen Mingjing tossed the token directly to Jiang Yuebai. "I was lucky to find a piece. We need at least six such tokens to resist the Law’s suppression atop the mountain."

Holding the token, Jiang Yuebai felt her body lighten. At the same time, she was speechless. How could she have traversed so far without encountering even one token?

And yet, this self-proclaimed weakling Shen Mingjing was so fortunate?

Was it that the Heavenly Dao was unjust, or had Jixiang been secretly eating?

"Wait a moment!"

Jiang Yuebai secretly communicated with Jixiang, instructing it to check the storage bag. Sure enough, it found two identical tokens stored by Yuanbao and the Sixth.

Jixiang proceeded to dole out a scolding to Yuanbao and the Sixth.

Jiang Yuebai felt a sense of balance restored in her heart.

"Time is short; we’ll talk as we walk. Now tell me, what’s the Xiong Family’s secret?"

Jiang Yuebai wasn’t about to suffer a loss; she wasn’t going to let this topic slide.

Shen Mingjing glanced at the Soul Capturing Ghost trailing behind them, quickly catching up to Jiang Yuebai and speaking in secret.

"The Xiong Family has a Divinity Transformation Cultivator who suppressed their cultivation to mix in."

"What?!"

Jiang Yuebai turned back in shock, and Shen Mingjing glanced skyward. Jiang Yuebai quickly switched to speaking telepathically.

"Has the Xiong Family gone mad? Aren’t they afraid of being discovered by Immortal Monarch Chongmin?"

Shen Mingjing signaled Jiang Yuebai to keep moving, communicating quietly as they walked, "First, Immortal Monarch Chongmin’s attention isn’t constantly on this side. Compared to the Nascent Soul Cultivators, he’s more concerned with the performance of the Divinity Transformation Cultivators in his Illusion Array, for that area offers him greater enlightenment. As for the Nascent Soul Cultivators..."

Shen Mingjing paused, then continued, "Moreover, as long as they aren’t exposed before reaching the Fifth Layer, there shouldn’t be any problems. Once inside the Fifth Layer, even Immortal Monarch’s Divine Thought can’t accurately perceive the situation within."

Jiang Yuebai nodded slightly, "How do you know this?"

A crucial matter like this wasn’t something the Xiong Family would disclose to an outsider like Shen Mingjing.

Shen Mingjing rubbed his brow, "It’s a guess. Besides, Daoist friend, don’t think about exposing this; trust me, it won’t be very useful."

Jiang Yuebai frowned, contemplating whether it was too risky to follow Shen Mingjing into the Fifth Layer.

However, a Divinity Transformation Cultivator with suppressed cultivation...

Suddenly, a different idea popped into Jiang Yuebai’s mind. Risk was also an opportunity.

If she could succeed, she could preemptively eliminate the risk and resolve her current bottleneck.

To implement this plan, she needed Zhuge Ziyin’s assistance.

Jiang Yuebai remained impassive, temporarily setting aside this thought and observing the situation.

Silently, Shen Mingjing followed Jiang Yuebai as they hastened toward the east.

After more than an hour of walking, they encountered two more Nascent Soul Cultivators battling a group of Evil Ghosts led by a Ghost General.