Published at 6th of March 2026 6:23 am

Chapter 5216: Did Not Expect

This chapter is updated by JustRead.pl

Editor: Misty Cloud Translations

Yue’er watched as a fissure appeared in the mountains ahead. The crack seemed like a door within an illusion, its interior shrouded in mystery.

A member of one clan spoke up, "We’ll take our leave then." As soon as the words left his mouth, twenty figures led the way toward the fissure, their forms vanishing into the illusory void.

With one clan entering, the others seemed afraid of being left behind. They too led their families into the fissure.

Shen Shiqi nodded to Yun Qi, glanced at Xiao Junyan, smiled, and followed the others inside.

"Everyone, follow me," Xiao Junyan commanded, leading his group toward the fissure.

After their group entered, the fissure gently closed, returning to its original state. The Patriarchs exchanged glances, exchanged a perfunctory bow, and then each departed.

Entering through this point meant that when they wished to leave the secret realm, they need only shatter their teleportation jade tokens to return directly to their clans. Thus, they had no need to wait here and could return to their clans immediately.

What those who entered the secret realm hadn’t anticipated was that the moment they stepped inside, their original party vanished. They found themselves utterly alone.

After entering, Xiao Junyan instinctively looked for Yun Qi. But she wasn’t there. Not only had she disappeared, but everyone else who had followed behind him was gone too. The surroundings weren’t a forest or anything like that. Instead, it was a vast, white expanse, as if nothing existed at all.

His brow furrowed slightly, his expression darkening. He had been careless. He hadn’t anticipated being separated upon entering. Now, he had no idea where Yun Qi had gone.

Thinking this, he took out his communication jade to ask her where she was. Unexpectedly, the jade transmission seemed to be cut off, showing no sign of response.

He exhaled deeply, suppressing his irritation. Pressing his lips together, he stepped forward.

Meanwhile, Yue’er gazed at the peach blossom grove before her, slightly startled. "An illusion?" The scene before her mirrored her memories of Peach Blossom Ridge. Now, she stood amidst the blossoms, surrounded by a sea of pink.

She lightly tapped her foot, drew in a breath, and leapt up, gliding through the blossoms. After circling once, a sly smile appeared on her lips: "I thought it was something else! Turns out it’s just a soul-confusing array of this level."

Standing amidst the blossoms, she drew the Divine-Slaying Whip from her spatial pouch and gripped it firmly. A surge of spirit energy coursed through the whip as she commanded with a sharp cry: "Break!"

The whip shot out, cutting through the air with a sharp whistle. It struck the ground with a heavy thud, powerful spirit energy surging from its tip. With a whoosh, visible air currents rippled outward. Petals scattered from the ground and trees, gradually transforming into specks of luminous light before vanishing into the air.

Before her eyes unfolded a verdant forest. A damp, musty scent mingled with the odor of decaying leaves filled the air. Dense, lush trees blocked the sunlight, casting the forest in an eerie, shadowy atmosphere.

Even a cultivator could sense the biting chill permeating the air here, making one’s pores bristle as the cold seeped into the flesh.

A palpable sense of danger hung over the forest like a vast net, causing Yue’er to wipe the smile from her face and narrow her eyes cautiously.

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