Mortrexo
patreon
Chapter 1296. Secret Realm's Esplanade. Blossom Dance Pavilion.
🕑 Added 2025-08-15 19:01:35 +0000 UTC“So… This is the place?”
Star Forge looked at Yasenia’s curious expression and nodded. “Yes. This is it. Is there something wrong?”
“More than something wrong…” Yasenia trailed her words before speaking. “There is nothing here.”
Before Yasenia and the others, a rocky esplanade extended beyond their eyesight. This place had some traces of sand, and the water moved through the rocky area’s holes, creating some geysers.
Star Forge snorted. “Were you expecting a hotel or something?”
“I was expecting a city, yes.” Yasenia commented. “Isn’t this a significant secret realm? Creating a city in the nearby area feels like a matter of course. We are in the middle of nowhere.”
“It's because it is a Secret Realm that attracts the attention of many that there can’t be a city here. If there were, those powerful sects would take control of the city and then create barriers. The Broken Star Continent understands that they are far from being the strongest. Therefore, in a few millennia, they might lose access to it through gradual prohibitions.”
Yasenia thought about it and accepted the explanation. “While you are right, it’s more a matter of laziness and not wanting to administer a city while juggling around top powers and themselves.”
“Would you do it?” Star Forge asked knowingly.
“I wouldn’t,” Yasenia answered easily. “While I am in favor of creating or joining powers to gain some backing, I do not want to get stuck in one place for too long. I need to keep moving forward and explore new places if I want to get stronger and encounter lucky opportunities.”
Star Forge sighed. “That’s a privilege, Yasenia. Not everyone has the chance to do that. Not because they can’t travel, but because their talent limits them.”
Yasenia didn’t argue against that. Talent was extremely important in cultivation. Nevertheless, there were heavenly treasures that could change one’s destiny and elevate talentless people to peerless geniuses.
No risk, no reward.
At the same time, wanting to live a comfortable life was something that Yasenia didn’t mock. She was actually somewhat envious of those people. If she could just lean back and live with her family while slowly cultivating, how happy would she be?
‘But I can’t. Too many threats to deal with after I return to the Sky Continent.’
Yasenia knew that once she returned, she would probably be caught up in another storm. That tower was suspicious; the Demon’s insistence was suspicious. The delay of help from the Divines was suspicious. Everything honestly felt too out of place.
‘When Jaxon and Isla faced off during the Secret Realm, they didn’t go at each other's throats right away. That in itself is strange. The fact that Isla, a newly born Divine, didn’t have an urge to prove herself in front of others and almost allied with Demons to deal with me is something that has been nagging at the back of my mind ever since.’
Yasenia shook her head, focusing on the matters in front of her. ‘Step forward slowly. Looking ahead is something that you can’t do if you lose sight of what’s right before you.’
Qingzhe approached and smiled. “Yasenia, weren’t you curious about the Astral Death Sect? Look over there.”
Yasenia blinked and turned in the direction Qingzhe pointed with her chin. Her spiritual sense expanded, and around 500 kilometers in that direction, she saw a group of nearly 800 people. There were around 80 Transcendence Realm cultivators, while the rest were peak-level mortal realm cultivators.
“Hm…” She scanned everyone with curious eyes, but she couldn’t feel anything strange from them. ‘If they had something to do with Tatyana, wouldn’t they use something to make me aware of it?’
Yasenia knew that Tatyana had a Soul Bead with her soul trace in it. Moreover, this bead was created with her young soul and evolved with her. Therefore, it was now an incredibly powerful treasure to locate and track her down.
‘If Mom arrives at my Heavenly Layer, that bead should show some kind of reaction. From what I know, the Blue Pearl World is not too far away from one of the cities that connects the Heavenly Layers.’
“Yasenia.”
“Hm? Yeah?”
Yasenia blinked twice and looked sideways at the golden-haired woman. Qingzhe chuckled. “Don’t show such an adorably dazed expression outside. You are making people fall in love with you.”
The dragoness teased, her eyebrow rising seductively. “Oh? Are you among those people~? If so, we can have some fun, little Zhe Zhe.”
Qingzhe snorted, her cheeks turning slightly red. Even after all these years, she was not completely accustomed to Yasenia’s teasing. After all, resisting the temptation from the soul-stealing beauty was a bit too hard!
Still, having grown some courage, Qingzhe looked up and took a step forward. “What if it is like that? Are you going to do something? If so, come and get me!”
Yasenia’s eyes were filled with laughter as she hugged the woman, stunning her, and then… she tickled her.
“Pft, hahahaha! Ya-Yasenia! Stop! Stop! Hahaha!”
The dragoness chuckled and stopped, keeping the woman between her arms. “Hm. Very cute laughter, and very cute red cheeks as well. I want to take a bite.”
Qingzhe surrendered and covered her embarrassed face with her hands. “My dignity as a senior… It is gone. It has been trampled through this humiliation.”
Yasenia wanted to laugh, but she was somewhat apprehensive. “Um. Qingzhe, are you okay? I am sorry if I overdid—”
“Ha!” Qingzhe separated her hands, a sly grin appearing on her slightly reddish face. “I got you!”
Yasenia showed surprise for a second before laughing. “You truly did. I thought you were actually mad.”
“I am!” Qingzhe flicked the dragon’s forehead. “What are you thinking when you do that in the open? One day, I am truly going to lose all the respect from others!”
Yasenia snorted coldly. “If that’s enough to lose their respect, you didn’t need it in the first place.”
Those words reached not only Qingzhe but the others as well. Star Forge hummed and smiled faintly. “That’s actually quite nice and refreshing to hear. It is true that reputation is very important. Nevertheless, I never thought about how much we actually care about it.”
Mo Yun commented. “I guess we get accustomed to searching for that reputation as we grow older. After all, we can’t use our strength for everything. Having that edge gives you chances at many opportunities that you wouldn’t have otherwise.”
Yasenia hummed. “I guess you are right. Still, the reputation for that won’t be based on how cold you are or how noble you look. The reputation tied to opportunity is always about talent, strength, and influence. Not how good you look…” The dragoness paused. “Unless you are a Dual Cultivator. Then, my arguments go down the drain.”
Star Forge didn’t completely agree. “Don’t you think that, for example, a Sect Master needs to maintain a high-above and untouchable reputation? If they don’t, there will always be elders who try to take over, thinking you are weak.”
“Correct. But I ask you back.” Yasenia smiled. “Does it mean anything to be a Sect Master based solely on displaying an attitude that’s not truly yours? A Sect Master must have strength above all others. And if they don’t, they must at least have the support of those who are the strongest in the sect, not through lies, but through charisma.”
Both sides made valid points, neither being completely correct. This was one of those gray areas, where determining what was white and what was black became too complicated.
Nevertheless, it was a fun conversation where others participated.
After a little while, they were interrupted by a group of people. “Hello, friends of the [Star Immortal Sect]. We are disciples of the [Blossom Dance Pavilion]. Do you have a moment to chat?”
Yasenia and the others looked over, and some of their disciples and elders showed hints of surprise. After all, the group in front of them was made up of extremely handsome and beautiful women.
Nevertheless, their surprise only lasted for a few moments before they recovered their bearing.
This surprised the people from the [Blossom Dance Pavilion]. They couldn’t understand how every other group looked at them while almost salivating, while the sect from a weak continent actually resisted their charm.
Nevertheless, as they looked on confusedly, they spotted Yasenia standing in the middle with the same outfit she had worn during her outing in the city. The purple cultivation dress with golden accents, coupled with her black, transparent veil and the beautiful hair updo, struck them like an arrow to the heart.
Yasenia’s golden slit eyes looked over, their impactful beauty throwing some of them into a daze. ‘No wonder they could resist. With someone like that woman around them constantly, other beauties are like mud.’
Star Forge coughed, gathering their attention. Internally, she was quite amused. ‘A Dual Cultivation sect being the ones charmed instead of the opposite. Quite ironic.’
“Friends from the Blossom Dance Pavilion, I wonder what you want to discuss with our little sect.”
The leading man controlled his urge to continue looking at Yasenia and smiled politely. “Actually, we were here to ask about what happened between one of your elders and our two disciples. However, I can imagine it just by looking at Fellow Daoist.”
Yasenia didn’t speak. Star Forge was the leader of their group, so without her speaking first, she would remain silent and respect the hierarchy.
Star Forge smiled back as well. “That’s understandable. Our Sect Elder was slightly heavy-handed. Nevertheless, you must understand that the number of people approaching her when she goes outside is basically endless. Therefore, she needs to have that kind of temper; otherwise, she will be drowned in love letters and admirers.”
The man leading waved his hand, showing a handsome smile. “I understand. Also, I know that it might come off as insensitive after we’ve come here for a similar reason. Still, I must ask for this beauty’s name.”
Star Forge looked over, signaling to Yasenia to deal with it as she saw fit. Yasenia took a step forward and bowed gently. The great curve was highlighted for just a second, accompanied by a gentle bounce. The weight they showed when Yasenia moved was enough to tell a thousand stories about their size.
After she straightened, Yasenia spoke indifferently, her eyes showing coldness. “I am sorry, I am not interested. Do not insist, please. I do not want to offend anyone by rejecting you over and over again.”
The man waved his hand. “Not at all. I wouldn’t dare.” He took a last look at Yasenia and turned toward Star Forge. “If we encounter each other inside, I hope we can help each other. Farewell.”
Star Forge answered politely. “Have a safe trip. Good luck on your treasure hunt.”
After they left, Star Forge snorted. “Having you in our group sure is tiring.”
The dragoness smirked. “This is the first of many, so prepare your heart.”
Star Forge rolled her eyes.
Comments
Andrew Miles
Well I wonder if Yasenia will try making contact with the Astral Death Sect in the secret realm? It's a place she is strong enough to go and explore by herself at the moment, so she should get the opportunity. As for the Blossom Dance Pavilion, I don't see them letting this go quite so easily. There will likely be another minor altercation between the them and the Star Immortal sect, the outcome of that will likely decide how things go. If Yasenia gets some kind of petty revenge thrown at her she is likely to escalate things.
