Chapter Twelve: To Die Beneath the Peony Blossoms—Even in Death, Elegance Endures.

“Senior sister is right. As long as we refuse to admit it, even if he kneels and begs us, it’s useless,” Wen Yun said.

Qin Hao’s face showed hesitation. “If we do this, won’t Senior Brother Lin not want to return?”

“Isn’t that even better? Our Peach Blossom Sect may have few disciples, but we’ve never had a worthless one like him. He’s been a stain on the sect,” Ye Ling’er smiled.

“Indeed, we can’t go too far, or others might think our Peach Blossom Sect doesn’t cherish fellow disciples,” Su Xiangling murmured.

Qin Hao chuckled, “Right, right… Otherwise, if Senior Brother Lin can’t return, Master will blame us.”

Su Xiangling waved her hand, “You all should rest early. Get up early tomorrow.”

“Knock, knock, knock!!!”

The next morning, Lin Chen was awakened by a knock on the door.

He threw off the quilt and got up. Just as he opened the door, he heard the irritating voice of Fat Dun: “Daoist! It’s time to go. The secret realm will open in an hour.”

“Alright, wait a moment!” Lin Chen turned back, quickly washed up, and slowly said, “Let’s go.”

The two of them walked into the crowd, completely unnoticed. Others either had immortal treasures or flying swords.

But the two of them—one riding a donkey, the other panting as he ran beside it—stood out. Before long, Fat Dun was drenched in sweat.

“Daoist! Wait for me, don’t rush! There’s still an hour! I can’t make it,” Fat Dun collapsed onto the ground, gasping.

Lin Chen fell silent...

He had no choice but to get off the donkey to rest. Fat Dun looked at the donkey and pleaded, “Daoist, can I ride your donkey? I can pay. I’m just too tired.”

He even wiped the sweat off his forehead with a handkerchief embroidered with a lifelike peony—a woman’s item.

After wiping off the sweat, he smiled faintly, folded the handkerchief neatly, and tucked it back into his sleeve.

“Fellow Daoist, no need to be so formal,” Lin Chen smiled slightly. “You can ride it. No payment necessary.”

“Thank you! Daoist, I will surely repay your kindness in the future,” Fat Dun said politely, clumsily mounting the donkey.

Lin Chen got up and continued on. Once they swapped places, their speed increased considerably.

Soon, they arrived outside the secret realm, already packed with a sea of people.

Behind the realm stood a towering mountain that pierced the clouds, its peak shrouded in swirling mist, stretching beyond sight.

A stone gate was tightly closed without a seam. Lin Chen sensed many familiar energies within.

“Daoist Lin, we meet again,” Xie Mengmeng smiled brightly.

Lin Chen recognized her, but the man beside her had changed.

Puzzled, Lin Chen asked, “The secret realm’s entrance is so small; meeting is natural. Where is Xu Qing’an?”

“Uh, he went ahead. We’ll talk later,” Xie Mengmeng changed the subject, laughing.

Lin Chen seemed to understand her unspoken troubles and didn’t press further.

“Then I won’t disturb you two,” Lin Chen bowed respectfully.

After they left, Fat Dun quietly said, “Daoist, that woman sure plays fast and loose! A different one every two days.”

“Speak less, don’t gossip. Be careful what you say,” Lin Chen warned.

He suspected something was off about her—changing companions every two days and all so close was not something ordinary people could pull off.

But for Fat Dun, the less he knew, the safer he was.

Fat Dun instinctively patted his mouth, “Pfft, pfft, Daoist, you’re right. Look at my big mouth.”

At that moment, the stone gate to the secret realm slowly opened, radiating dazzling light. Beyond the gate, a foggy world stretched out, its scene invisible.

A surging crowd poured into the realm, wave after wave.

Lin Chen hesitated. With so many entering, how many would truly gain opportunity?

It was clearly a case of many wolves and little meat. But now that it had come to this, he had no reason to fear.

“Fellow Daoist, once inside, prioritize your safety. Be careful!” Lin Chen warned, stepping forward.

He spoke so because inside, everyone would be randomly teleported.

Originally, this secret realm was only open to those below the rank of minor grandmaster.

Yet, many grandmasters had come this time and entered without hesitation.

Lin Chen felt the secret realm might have been altered and discovered by the sect.

It was not surprising; the sect’s intelligence was sharper than that of scattered cultivators who knew little.

As white lights flashed and disappeared, Lin Chen was transported to a vast grassland—plain as far as the eye could see.

Suddenly, Xie Mengmeng’s familiar voice came: “Daoist Lin, what a coincidence! We meet again.”

Lin Chen warily asked, “You’re from the Hehuan Sect, aren’t you?”

“Oh my, Daoist Lin, what are you saying? Such a joke! What’s the Hehuan Sect?” Xie Mengmeng quickly denied.

She truly was from Hehuan Sect, but to others, that sect was considered demonic and wicked.

Being discovered would be detrimental to her. She slowly placed her hand on the sword hilt at her waist, ready to kill and silence Lin Chen if necessary.

“You might not be my match. Regardless of who you are, don’t attack me and you’re not an enemy,” Lin Chen said calmly.

Hearing this, Xie Mengmeng hesitated. She was a newly inducted disciple of Hehuan Sect.

She hadn’t come for treasures or rare materials but to use the cultivators here to improve her own cultivation.

She wasn’t confident she could kill Lin Chen. If she failed and the matter leaked out, everyone inside the secret realm could become her enemy.

“What do you want then?” Xie Mengmeng asked cautiously, eyes never leaving Lin Chen.

“I’m easy to talk to. Give me a manual and I won’t mention this matter again,” Lin Chen said.

After careful thought, Xie Mengmeng took out a manual called “Heavenly Star Sword Technique” from her storage pouch.

With reluctance, she said, “This is the only one I have. You can’t cultivate Hehuan Gong anyway.”

“Thank you! From here on, you choose your own path—follow me or act alone,” Lin Chen said indifferently.

He guessed Xie Mengmeng would choose to act alone, as her purpose was likely to cultivate Hehuan Gong.

With so many cultivators around, it was like a mountain of gold and silver to her.

“I’ll follow you then! Don’t worry, as long as no one offends me, I won’t harm them. But I warn you in advance, I won’t refuse any willing lecherous suitors,” Xie Mengmeng said, calmly discussing matters of men and women.

Even Lin Chen, who had never been close to a woman, felt a slight stirring in his heart but quickly dismissed it.

To risk one’s life for a moment of passion wasn’t worth it.

Some say, “To die beneath the peony blossoms is to remain charming even as a ghost.”