But…
Song Wanníng's brow furrowed tighter and tighter. Though the face was similar, this Mu Zixu was clearly much younger. His eyes were full of vitality, unlike the near-elderly appearance she had seen at the remains of the Medicine King Sect in the lower realm.
Was this a coincidence?
Or…
Her heart raced faster and faster.
Mu Zixu was walking straight toward them.
"Sister, he's coming. What do we do?"
Mu Zixu was an immortal. No matter how strong her master was, they were no match. And Mu Zixu had always ordered the disciples of the Medicine King Sect to chase Song Wanníng. The hatred he bore for her was evident. If he discovered her, her master would surely face grave danger.
"Stay calm."
Song Wanníng's expression was serene. Since there was no way to hide, she might as well stand openly. She walked casually along the roadside stalls, pretending to browse. She stole glances at Mu Zixu with the corner of her eyes, careful not to be obvious, catching only glimpses.
At this moment, a bold speculation was forming in her mind. She wanted to test it.
He was getting closer.
Mu Zixu walked while smiling, speaking to Wang Yang, his gaze sweeping over nearby shops and passersby.
Then, he noticed a black silhouette.
She stood there, wind teasing her flowing hair, drifting gracefully.
Like a painting of a beauty.
Mu Zixu glanced briefly and quickly looked away. He had no interest in beauties, especially not a cultivator who had not entered the immortal ranks. If it were not for that face, he would not have noticed her at all.
Wang Yang, however, looked over with a gentle gaze, without a hint of malice. By coincidence, his eyes met Song Wanníng's. Looking into those calm eyes tinged with fearlessness, Wang Yang smiled unexpectedly.
Startled, Song Wanníng raised a hand and saluted.
Soon, Mu Zixu and Wang Yang turned and entered an inn.
The stone on her chest finally fell. Song Wanníng relaxed, moving on to the next stall. She still dared not lower her guard, playing her part fully.
"Sister, Mu Zixu really didn't recognize you?"
Xiao Jin asked in the sea of consciousness, astonished. Her master had exposed the Medicine King Sect's tablets, and Mu Zixu was so vindictive. How could he ignore Song Wanníng?
It puzzled him.
The other little companions knew less about Mu Zixu, but they were aware of the Medicine King Sect's pursuit and naturally knew how despicable he was.
"Sister, we will work hard. That Mu Zixu dared target you. Sooner or later, we will kill him!"
Usually quiet, Yi'er spoke decisively. Her concern was her Sister. She could not stand seeing her wronged.
"Right! Sister Yi'er is correct! Sister, we must not let him go!"
Long Ling also pouted, her small face puckered with anger.
A flash of cold light passed through Song Wanníng's eyes. Mu Zixu had to die.
Yet…
"I suspect we are not truly in the Immortal Realm. No, more accurately, we have arrived in the Immortal Realm, but it is the Immortal Realm inside a time-space fragment…"
This was Song Wanníng's guess.
Mu Zixu looked much younger and did not even recognize her.
Combined with her earlier capture of the time-space fragment, this made the idea plausible. When she had accidentally entered the spatial tunnel, the time-space fragment she captured could have been part of the Immortal Realm—or even another Great Thousand Realm.
"What? Sister means we are inside a time-space fragment?"
Time remained a mystery even now. Even Long Ling understood only partially. The rules of time that cultivators could observe were only a tiny fraction. Perhaps they had truly entered a fragment of the Immortal Realm, encountering a Mu Zixu who did not recognize Song Wanníng.
"No wonder… no wonder Mu Zixu didn't recognize you…"
Xiao Jin muttered, finally understanding. Everything suddenly made sense.
"That's good. Sister, you are much safer now!"
The little companions all exhaled, excitement lighting up their faces.
"Sister, since we are here, we might as well explore. Who knows when we might break the time-space fragment and return to the Spirit Realm or the Underworld!"
With their master's Luck, there must be something extraordinary here, perhaps even the key to her cultivation advancement.
"Yes, I think so too. For now, we need to gather information," Song Wanníng said. She decided to take advantage of the situation to learn about the Immortal Realm in advance. It would prevent her from being completely lost when she eventually ascended.
She spent her time lingering at various stalls, discreetly listening for news.
Soon, she learned that the city was crowded and heard many cultivation ranks mentioned.
Terms like "Dixian (Earth Immortal)," "Jinxian (Golden Immortal)," and "Daluo Jinxian (Great Luo Golden Immortal)" surfaced.
She could not fully determine the exact hierarchy yet, but from the tone, the Daluo Jinxian must be extraordinarily powerful.
The reason so many gathered here was due to a recent anomaly in the Wuyang Sea. Though brief, it had alarmed many immortals, all curious if a rare treasure had appeared. Unfortunately, a sea barrier had blocked access, so immortals temporarily stayed in nearby cities. Once the barrier disappeared, they would venture to the Wuyang Sea.
The Wuyang Sea…
Song Wanníng's eyes glimmered with interest at the anomaly. After wandering the city and collecting bits of information, she left. The inns were full, and lacking immortal stones, she had no choice but to camp in the outskirts.
Choosing a secluded spot, she was about to rest when she spotted a beast. Its cultivation was low. Her eyes flickered, and she approached to finish it.
"Today, let's see how a beast raised on immortal energy tastes differently."
She skillfully skinned and bled it, seasoned and roasted the meat until a strong aroma filled the air, then took a small bite.
Immediately, a strange energy entered her mouth and surged into her body.
"Mm…"
Song Wanníng groaned softly. The beast's level was low, and the contained immortal energy minimal, yet her meridians throbbed painfully.
Fortunately, she could endure it.
Such strong immortal energy, yet she could not absorb it directly. Song Wanníng felt regret. Then she noticed something surprising. The immortal energy, once inside her, flowed obediently into her dantian, finally merging into her circular disk.
The various energies gathered in the disk fused strangely but harmoniously.
The immortal energy, however, was clearly far more dominant. Upon entering, the yin, spiritual, and demonic energies yielded a place respectfully.
===
I will use the Chinese name for stage name above Mahayana/ the "Immortal" stage.
地仙 (Dìxiān), 金仙 (Jīnxiān), 大罗金仙 (Dàluó Jīnxiān)