Chapter 3: Another World

“Wake up, wake up.”

The constant calls roused Zhang Yujun. She was leaning against the cave wall, a campfire burning in front of her.

Flames danced; shadows on the rock wall swayed with them.

Forcing the Azure Abyss Token had drained her greatly; she needed time to recover.

Zhang Yujun woke and looked at Chen Zhao sitting opposite.

His face… seemed familiar?

“Senior Sister, you’re awake?”

Seeing her open her eyes, Chen Zhao passed over a water canteen.

Zhang Yujun took it but didn’t open it. She studied Chen Zhao for a few seconds.

“Wang Yujun, sixteen this year. Like you, a new disciple. So let’s skip the ‘Senior Sister’ title.”

“I’m Chen Zhao, twenty-one, Foundation Establishment. Sorry for dragging you into this. I never expected a Golden Core demon hiding in the trial grounds.” Chen Zhao said helplessly.

“The Chen Zhao who slew a Golden Core snake demon in Qi Refining?” Zhang Yujun asked.

“That was thanks to Senior Brother Li. If he hadn’t gravely wounded the snake, I wouldn’t have had the chance.” Chen Zhao wasn’t surprised she knew; the story had spread long ago.

The only difference was he hadn’t killed the snake but contracted it; something he wouldn’t reveal until he had enough strength.

“No matter the process, the result is you slew that snake demon.” Zhang Yujun stood and walked toward the cave entrance. “Where are we?”

“Spiritual energy here is extremely thin. We’re probably no longer in the Immortal Sect.” Chen Zhao followed.

Outside the cave stretched a primeval jungle, no sign of human habitation.

“This might be one of the Heavenly Universe Hundred Lands.” Wang Yujun took out her sect token; the connection to the sect was extremely weak, meaning immense distance.

The sect might not find them anytime soon.

“If so, we need to contact the locals.”

Every world in Heavenly Universe Hundred Lands differed vastly. Some were extremely dangerous. Without exploration, they might die without knowing how.

Zhang Yujun wasn’t arrogant because of her status. Every year, plenty of Ask Immortal Sect disciples died there.

“Senior Brother, you’re Foundation Establishment, but I have means to protect myself too. Better to act together for mutual support.” Zhang Yujun suggested.

“As Junior Sister says.” Chen Zhao agreed. This unfamiliar place; leaving her alone wouldn’t sit right.

He believed in repaying kindness. To save him, Junior Sister must have used a precious treasure.

If anything happened, he’d die before her.

Boom…

Suddenly, the ground trembled lightly.

Chen Zhao looked into the distance. A black-gray tide surged from beyond the forest toward them.

Countless withered corpses charged recklessly.

Trees were toppled and trampled into fragments in moments.

“So many living corpses here?” Chen Zhao was surprised but not overly worried.

Though numerous, they were individually weak; none even Qi Refining level. A few spells would handle them.

He was more concerned that acting rashly might draw local forces’ attention, losing the initiative.

“Living corpses mostly feed on qi. They’re gathering because of the spiritual energy we brought on arrival.” Wang Yujun saw through their purpose at a glance.

No one controlled them; just instinct.

By now, the spiritual energy Chen Zhao and Wang Yujun brought had mostly dissipated. Soon the corpses would return to aimless wandering.

“If that’s the case…” Chen Zhao opened his hand. Five bean-sized flames hovered above his palm; the temperature rose sharply.

“Five Tribulations Imprisoning Fire Array.”

Thunder cracked in the sky. The dark clouds suddenly turned red; faint crimson patterns appeared on the ground.

Ask Immortal Sect was the foremost dao sect under the stars. Unrestricted, a Foundation Establishment disciple could shatter a continent; Golden Core could tear worlds.

Though newly Foundation Establishment, Chen Zhao could easily handle these corpses.

“Senior Brother, wait…”

Wang Yujun’s calm eyes scanned below. She suddenly sensed a foreign presence and stopped him.

Chen Zhao closed his hand; the flames vanished.

Wang Yujun glanced at him again.

Chen Zhao’s spell control was masterful. With just this skill, his future couldn’t be poor.

Perhaps recruit him to Azure Abyss lineage, but his close ties to Senior Brother Li might complicate things.

Chen Zhao didn’t question Wang Yujun; he’d sensed the presence too.

Since Junior Sister spoke, he didn’t mind observing.

Whoosh! Whoosh!

A black shadow leaped across treetops several times, landing before the fire-lit cave.

Wang Yujun looked over.

A girl in a gray hood riding a gray wolf lifted it and looked up.

“So pretty…”

The girl’s first sight was Wang Yujun. Her presence was too strong: long black hair to the waist, aloof beautiful face, elegant yet unapproachable.

Even having visited the inner city once, she’d never seen anyone this beautiful.

Wang Yujun’s eyes turned cold at the words.

The girl shivered instinctively, realizing she might have said something wrong.

“Hello, are you locals?” Chen Zhao asked with a smile.

Chen Zhao wasn’t bad-looking, but next to Wang Yujun he seemed ordinary. Still, his smile was warm, giving a steady, reassuring feeling.

“Eh? Talking to me?” The girl quickly looked at Chen Zhao. “I’m Lily. I came to investigate the corpse tide riot!”

“Corpse tide; you mean those living corpses below?” Chen Zhao pointed afar. The corpses had already begun wandering aimlessly again.

“Yeah, but looks like they’re back to normal.” Lily scratched her head. In just minutes, the situation changed again.

“Living corpses lack reason. Riots are either instinct or someone manipulating them.” Chen Zhao analyzed.

Lily’s expression shifted; she’d thought of something.

Chen Zhao smiled faintly.

“Miss Lily, my junior sister and I have traveled far from home and ended up here. Could we stay with you for a while?” Chen Zhao gestured to himself and Wang Yujun.

“Traveling? In times like these?” Lily looked skeptical.

“Like Miss Lily’s gray wolf, I have some self-protection means. If you need help, I wouldn’t mind lending a hand.” Chen Zhao’s smile was gentle.

Lily patted the wolf’s head. From the moment she saw them, her wolf had been acting strange; an emotion she knew well: fear.

She didn’t believe a word Chen Zhao said, but she seemed to have no other choice.

“You have to promise not to harm any of us!” Lily thought for a while before speaking.

“Fine. I’ll keep my word.” Chen Zhao agreed immediately.

“Then… follow me.” Lily shook her head. At least he was willing to put on an act.

People like that were safe as long as you didn’t cross their bottom line.

There were others like him at the base anyway.

Lily turned the wolf’s head and descended the dirt slope outside the cave.

“Brother and sister?”

Behind, Wang Yujun glanced at Chen Zhao. Did he have to make up that relationship?

“Sorry, Junior Sister. This is a foreign realm; better to be cautious.” Chen Zhao smiled awkwardly.

Brother and sister wasn’t far off from senior brother and sister anyway?

Wang Yujun couldn’t be bothered to argue. This relationship couldn’t be casually claimed. The Azure Abyss Hall Lord was an upper realm great; Chen Zhao’s casual “brother-sister” claim would probably be sensed instantly.

The old man suddenly gaining a son.

Hope Chen Zhao could still laugh when he returned to the sect.

Chen Zhao didn’t ask why Wang Yujun stopped him; he’d sensed the presence too.

Since Junior Sister spoke, he didn’t mind watching developments.