Chapter 558: Third Senior Sister

The atmosphere was momentarily awkward.

When the first fragment appeared, Lu Yang and Meng Jingzhou initially planned to keep it. After all, it was a Secret Realm of the Soul Transformation stage, and there might be valuable items inside that even Soul Transformation cultivators wouldn't recognize.

The fragments were difficult to collect. Baigu of the White Snake Clan had searched for years without finding the other two. Lu Yang and Meng Jingzhou were prepared to spend another six months to a year in the Demon Realm, slowly gathering them. After that time, they would coincidentally be at the Nascent Soul stage, making it perfectly reasonable for them to enter a Secret Realm of the Soul Transformation stage.

To their surprise, less than a minute later, all the fragments were assembled.

"Baigu, Jin Xuan, so the other two fragments were in your possession!" The old lion roared in fury, his eyes blazing as his fur bristled.

"Old lion, you have the nerve to say that when you've hidden this fragment so deeply!" Jin Xuan, the Qiongqi Clan deacon, was equally enraged. He had searched for the other two fragments for over a hundred years, traveling all over the Demon Realm, almost exhausting himself, only to find the fragments were right on his doorstep.

Even through the spiritual projection, Lu Yang could sense the trio's murderous intent. Gathering all three fragments would unlock a Soul Transformation Secret Realm, which was more valuable than any clone, illegitimate child, or gifted junior. They absolutely could not hand them over!

Sensing each other's presence, the three fragments vibrated intensely, shot out, and swiftly converged on Lu Yang and Meng Jingzhou.

"This is bad!" The three old demon masters were greatly alarmed, astonished that the fragments were so miraculous, escaping their control and flying towards Lu Yang! They couldn't possibly give away an opportunity they had just acquired; such a good thing wouldn't happen in the Demon Realm!

"Don't panic. Even if those two get the key, it's useless if they don't know the Secret Realm's location!" Baigu sneered, wondering what good a key was without knowing the door's whereabouts. Even he didn't know the Secret Realm's location.

"The most important thing now is to quickly intercept these two and snatch the key back!" All three of them were powerful demons at the late Nascent Soul stage, so they refused to believe they couldn't defeat these two, who were also at the Nascent Soul stage!

"You're right," the other two demons agreed, realizing they had been too flustered moments before.

The three fragments collided above Lu Yang and Meng Jingzhou's heads, forming a white jade plate. White light surprisingly emerged from beneath their feet, matching the patterns on the jade plate!

Rumble—

The ground cracked, and a continuous roar echoed. The two quickly jumped aside.

"The Secret Realm is right beneath their feet!" Baigu's eyes widened, nearly bleeding from rage. "Quickly call any Soul Transformation cultivators you know! The three of us alone can't stop these two!"

Baigu shouted. Three against two was an easy win, but catching them would be difficult. Originally, he thought they had plenty of time and could eventually catch them with repeated attempts. But now that the Secret Realm was right before their eyes, there was no time for multiple captures. They needed to quickly invite Soul Transformation cultivators to act; the Soul Transformation cultivators would get the meat, and they could at least get the soup.

The three old demons immediately made a decision, dispelled their spiritual projections, and went to invite Soul Transformation cultivators they knew. Baigu and Jin Xuan had it easier; their clan's powerful backing was a Soul Transformation cultivator. The old lion needed to invite demons from other places.

"This is the key to open the Secret Realm?" Lu Yang pointed at the white jade plate hovering above his head, his expression peculiar.

"Judging by their reactions, yes," Meng Jingzhou replied, his expression equally vivid.

Suddenly, within an eight-hundred-li radius, a storm brewed. It was unclear who had leaked the news, or if a Soul Transformation cultivator, worried about being outmaneuvered by others, had called upon friends and fellow demons for help. The opening of the Secret Realm attracted countless Soul Transformation cultivators. Many Soul Transformation cultivators became interested when faced with a Secret Realm left by someone of their own cultivation level. Perhaps there were treasures inside that could help them advance their cultivation, and cultivation methods left by someone of the same level were also highly valuable.

Swoosh—swoosh—swoosh—

Mysterious figures, radiating astonishing aura, appeared one after another. They varied in form but were all Soul Transformation stage demons!

Lu Yang and Meng Jingzhou swallowed hard. If it were just one or two Soul Transformation cultivators, their lives wouldn't be in immediate danger; they could fight or flee if they couldn't win. But with a whole swarm of Soul Transformation cultivators, no amount of Golden Core stage genius would be effective.

"The white jade plate is in the hands of these two juniors?" A Qiongqi at the late Soul Transformation stage bared its fangs, coldly staring at Lu Yang and Meng Jingzhou.

"Replying to senior, it is indeed them!" Jin Xuan bowed his head, kneeling on the ground as he spoke.

A colossal white snake coiled in the sky, with two protrusions on its head, showing signs of transforming into a dragon! He was the White Snake Clan's Soul Transformation cultivator invited by Baigu. There were Celestial Wolves from ancient times capable of devouring the moon, and colossal apes that could carry mountains...

As each Soul Transformation cultivator appeared, Baigu, Jin Xuan, and the old lion were struck with terror. Any one of these individuals could easily overpower all three of them and even forcibly seize their territories. They dared not even utter a sound. Such was the power disparity of a full cultivation stage difference! Among the three demons, Jin Xuan was the strongest, possessing half-step Soul Transformation stage power, yet even he could only keep his head down and behave, not daring to make any noticeable moves.

The Golden Core patriarchs and Foundation Establishment old demons who had been unconscious gradually awoke. Seeing the array of Soul Transformation cultivators in the sky, they wished they could fall back into unconsciousness. Soul Transformation cultivators were rarely seen, like divine dragons, often disappearing for decades. How long had they been unconscious, what had happened, and why were there so many Soul Transformation cultivators now? Had this opportunity come at the cost of exhausting their lifespans?

"This is a bit tricky. We should have brought Old Ma if we'd known this would happen," Meng Jingzhou clicked his tongue. "Or maybe you could do a set of Senior Sister's Pictographic Fists?" They were supposed to be showing off in front of Golden Core stage demons, but how did they end up with so many Soul Transformation cultivators gathered? This script isn't right. What about the Nascent Soul stage transition? At least let them kill a few Nascent Soul cultivators first, and then have the Nascent Soul stage lead to the Soul Transformation stage; that would make more sense.

Lu Yang showed a troubled expression: "We haven't even seen Third Senior Sister yet. Wouldn't it be a bit inappropriate to summon Eldest Senior Sister now?" They were here to help Third Senior Sister with archaeology, not to sweep across the Demon Realm.

Just as Lu Yang and Meng Jingzhou didn't take these Soul Transformation cultivators seriously, the Soul Transformation cultivators also didn't take Lu Yang and Meng Jingzhou seriously. They were just two somewhat talented Golden Core stage juniors, not worth their attention.

"Let's kill these two juniors first, then discuss how to explore the Secret Realm."

"Agreed."

The Soul Transformation cultivators quickly reached a consensus, their auras surging with rampant killing intent.

Lu Yang sighed. There was no other choice; they were being forced to summon Eldest Senior Sister.

*Dong*—

Suddenly, a melodious zither played, its notes echoing through the sky. The soft *ding-dong* sounds, like a stream flowing over stones, inexplicably brought peace, calming agitated hearts.

"Did I give you permission to kill?"

As the zither music ended, a graceful figure in green appeared before Lu Yang, shielding him from all killing intent. The graceful figure, holding an ancient zither, had a languid posture and exquisite beauty. Her eyes were covered with a black cloth, adding a touch of mystery.

"It's her!"

"Damn it, how can it be her!"

"Isn't she being hunted by various clans? How dare she show her face?!"

The Soul Transformation cultivators' pupils constricted. A stir went through them, and their gazes at the figure in green were filled with panic and disbelief. An atmosphere of dread spread among them. This was a formidable individual that even Body Integration stage cultivators couldn't handle, let alone mere Soul Transformation cultivators like themselves!

"Run!"

The Soul Transformation cultivators didn't hesitate; they immediately fled.

As the zither strings were plucked, space vibrated, freezing everyone in mid-air. They couldn't move, not even a finger, and unconcealed terror showed in their eyes.

"Did I tell you to run?"

"Third Senior Sister?" Lu Yang asked tentatively, a hint of surprise in his voice. He had seen portraits of Third Senior Sister.

"It's me."

"Senior Sister, how did you get here? We were just talking about looking for you!" This was still several hundred *li* from the location Third Senior Sister had given them.

Third Senior Sister's tone was helpless. "Eldest Senior Sister sent me a message, saying that you two might not dutifully come to find me. If there was any major commotion these past few days, it was likely caused by you two, and she told me to come meet you, to prevent any accidents."

"How did you two manage to attract so many Soul Transformation cultivators?"

Lu Yang cautiously replied, "...Would you believe me if I said it was all a coincidence?"

"I would."

"You believe me?" Lu Yang was overjoyed, surprised that his Third Senior Sister, whom he had never met, trusted him so much.

"Yes, that's what I always tell Eldest Senior Sister when I cause trouble in the Demon Realm."