C57 Heading to the Fire Cloud Secret Realm

The disciples of the Kunlun Secret Realm streamed out through the portal, one by one...

Before long, the entire Small Chiliocosm lay deserted.

Once everyone had departed, Lan Linglong and Azure approached Qin Buyi.

Lan Linglong's gaze lingered on Qin Buyi, her beautiful eyes reflecting a subtle change in him.

His cultivation level appeared to have soared, and more than that, he seemed to be in perfect harmony with the Kunlun Secret Realm itself.

A look of astonishment flickered in Lan Linglong's eyes. As the most formidable of the Lan family's younger generation, she was privy to certain secrets.

She was somewhat familiar with the lore of becoming the master of a Secret Realm, and from what she remembered, even the quickest ascension to mastery would take years.

Yet, Qin Buyi had seemingly achieved this in the mere time it took to sip a cup of tea.

Lan Linglong couldn't contain her amazement. In just these few days, Qin Buyi had continually shattered her expectations.

Now, she wouldn't be surprised if Qin Buyi advanced to the Combination Stage in the next instant—it would seem entirely plausible.

Azure alighted on Qin Buyi's shoulder, and with a gentle grasp, Qin Buyi brought the creature before his eyes, asking with a smile:

"This will be our new home from now on. Do you like it?"

Azure cocked its head, surveying the surroundings, then took to the skies with a graceful flight. After circling the entire realm, it landed back, expressing with satisfaction, "I love our new home."

Qin Buyi chuckled at Azure's endearing behavior.

He had once inquired about the pet space, and Azure had described it as a dark, lifeless void—no wonder it had been reluctant to stay there.

Now, with the Small Chiliocosm, they had a domain far superior to the confines of a pet space, even if it didn't quite compare to a planet like Blue Star just yet.

Azure flitted about the Small Chiliocosm, eagerly exploring every corner of its new home.

Since hatching, Azure had always been by Qin Buyi's side, their lives a nomadic journey with no fixed abode. Now, they had found a place to call their own.

Azure spent most of its time on Qin Buyi's body, transformed into a tattoo that lay dormant on his skin. It only awoke when Qin Buyi summoned it, otherwise it slept out of sheer boredom.

Now with a new home, Azure could finally escape the tedium and revel in its newfound freedom, a thought that brought it immense joy.

The mention of 'home' stirred a touch of melancholy in Qin Buyi. Since his parents were taken by the Kunlun Secret Realm, the concept of home had become alien to him. From the time he dropped out of college to become an assassin, until now, the idea of home had grown distant. But with the Small Chiliocosm, Qin Buyi had at last found a sanctuary.

Soaring after the Azure Dragon in the sky, Qin Buyi's laughter echoed throughout the Small Chiliocosm.

Lan Linglong watched the playful chase above with a longing gaze. She had always been solitary, her exceptional talents distancing her from her peers. Surrounded by attentive elders and peers who kept their distance, she lacked even a single friend to confide in. Witnessing the bond between Qin Buyi and Azure, she couldn't help but feel envious.

Eventually, Qin Buyi and Azure paused their frolic. "On to the next stop, the Fire Cloud Secret Realm," he announced to both Azure and Lan Linglong.

With his Divine Consciousness enveloping them, they instantly transported to Kunlun Mountain.

Lan Linglong, concern etched on her face, asked Qin Buyi, "Shouldn't we rest for a bit?"

Qin Buyi shook his head. "There'll be time to rest after the tasks are complete."

His reluctance to rest wasn't out of preference; the mission had a three-day deadline. Without prompt action, failure loomed, leaving Qin Buyi with no room for tears.

As Qin Buyi and his companions set out for the Fire Cloud Secret Realm, unbeknownst to them, someone had already reached it first.

Lang Ye was the newcomer. After navigating the rigorous scrutiny of the Fire Cloud Secret Realm's disciples, he successfully gained entry. Inside the Fire Cloud Secret Realm, Lang Ye breathed a sigh of relief.

"Phew—I just hope I don't run into that demonic man again."

Trailing the realm's disciples, Lang Ye encountered the elder responsible for inducting new members. The elder barely glanced at Lang Ye before asking indifferently, "Where do you hail from?"

With a sycophantic grin, Lang Ye approached and produced a letter from his chest, a storage ring pressed beneath it. "Please review this, Elder," he said with deference.

The elder accepted the letter, his expression unchanged as he felt the storage ring. Yet, his divine consciousness delved into the ring, finding the spirit stones meticulously arranged inside. Looking up, he offered Lang Ye a warm smile. "No issues with your identity. You are now a disciple of the Fire Cloud Secret Realm."

He handed Lang Ye a token signifying his new status and the sect's attire, signaling that he could depart. "Thank you, Elder. I shall take my leave," Lang Ye said, accepting the items with a smile.

Once Lang Ye had left, the elder didn't spare a second glance at the letter, which he nonchalantly tossed aside. It was completely blank—not a single word written on it.

As Lang Ye strolled through the Fire Cloud Secret Realm, he hummed to himself, "Money can make the devil turn the millstone; money can accomplish anything in this world. Heh, I'm now one of the Fire Cloud Secret Realm's own."

Unbeknownst to Lang Ye, Huo Qianyun, the master of the Fire Cloud Secret Realm, was fretting to the point of going gray. He had just received alarming news: Qin Buyi had taken control of the Kunlun Secret Realm, scattering its disciples, and was now heading straight for him.

Huo Qianyun paced back and forth, as anxious as an ant on a hot pan.

"If it weren't for my own greed, falling for that old coot Kunxu's deception, I wouldn't be facing such a formidable foe," he lamented, filled with regret. Yet, he failed to acknowledge one crucial detail: even without Kunxu's influence, he had never intended to spare Qin Buyi.

Hong Wanrou shared Huo Qianyun's unease. She had clung to a faint hope that Qin Buyi wouldn't come seeking retribution. But Qin Buyi's decisive actions had thoroughly dashed her hopes. The news that he had acquired the Kunlun Secret Realm and was en route to the Fire Cloud Secret Realm lay before her on the table. Despite wracking her brain, Hong Wanrou couldn't devise a strategy to turn their enmity into amity with Qin Buyi.

While Hong Wanrou and Huo Qianyun were mired in their troubles, the Lan family was in high spirits.

Lan Wenhai, the fourth son, admitted to Lan Wenhao with genuine respect, "Third Brother, you've won me over completely. Your judgment was spot on."

Beside them, Lan Tianhe couldn't help but tease with a grin, "I seem to recall someone who was vehemently against Third Brother's decision at the time."

After a dramatic sigh, he quipped, "Ah, people these days, how quickly they change their tune."

Lan Wenhai, his face flushed with embarrassment, scratched his head and conceded, "Seventh Brother, stop making fun of me. I owe Third Brother an apology." With that, he bowed deeply to Lan Wenhao.

"Third Brother, I'm sorry for any disrespect before. Please forgive me."

Lan Wenhao quickly lifted Lan Wenhai to his feet, reassuring him, "We're all family here, and you were looking out for the Lan family's best interests. There's nothing to forgive."

The brothers exchanged knowing looks and burst into laughter.

Once the laughter subsided, Lan Tianhe remarked to Lan Wenhao, "Thinking about Qin Buyi giving Huo Qianyun a taste of his own medicine is truly satisfying."

Lan Wenhao shared the sentiment, recalling how Huo Qianyun had once given the Lan family a hard time when they were leaving the Fire Cloud Secret Realm.

Huo Qianyun was in a bind, and Lan Wenhao was itching to witness it firsthand. In that moment, Lan Tianhe pressed on, "Third Brother, we, the Lan family, have gone out of our way to assist Qin Buyi, and we stand as his sole supporter."

"As a result, our family has withdrawn from the Fire Cloud Secret Realm. Now that he's secured the Kunlun Secret Realm, perhaps it's time we have a discussion with him..."

After a long pause, Lan Wenhao replied thoughtfully, "I need to give this some consideration."

"Third Brother, I'm not after the entire Kunlun Secret Realm for ourselves. The Lan family isn't that greedy or voracious."

"I'm merely contemplating whether we could carve out a section of the Kunlun Secret Realm for our Lan family's youth to cultivate. The spiritual energy is far too sparse in the outside world."

"Besides, the secret realm needs caretakers. Without attention, the spiritual herbs and beasts will perish quickly."

"Qin Buyi surely doesn't have the time for such menial tasks. If he provides a space for our Lan family's youth to train, we can manage the spiritual herbs and beasts for him."

Lan Wenhao nodded in response to Lan Tianhe's proposal, "I'll bring this up with him. And if he disagrees, we mustn't let it cause any strife between him and our family."

"As long as he keeps a cordial rapport with our Lan family, we can still rise swiftly on Blue Star, secret realm or not."

"Keep this in mind—unless our family faces a life-or-death situation, we shouldn't turn to Qin Buyi for help."

"The worth of this favor will only grow as his cultivation level rises. It's imperative we don't squander it on trivialities."

Lan Tianhe had more to add, but the thought of Qin Buyi's formidable combat prowess and his elevated status gave him pause. Indeed, Qin Buyi's stance now would directly influence the Lan family's potential ascent in the days to come.

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