Xu Xiaoxiao's Immortal Cultivation Life (Transmigration)

Chapter 188 The Secret Realm Closes Early

The moment they received the Sky-Mending Stone, Jiang Jingzhi, Xu Xiaoxiao, Lan Ji, and Mu Zhusheng were filled with joy and excitement. However, this brief joy did not last long. As the Sky-Mending Stone appeared, a powerful wave spread rapidly from them to the surrounding area.

In the sky, the dark clouds that had previously dissipated were now gathering again at an astonishing speed. The clouds churned violently, as if stirred by an invisible hand. Thick bolts of lightning flashed and leaped within the clouds, emitting deafening roars, as if announcing to everyone the protection of the treasure.

"Oh no, the lightning has appeared again!" Lan Ji's face turned deathly pale instantly, her voice filled with terror.

Jiang Jingzhi stared intently at the sky, his eyes revealing determination and resolve. He knew that this was the last line of defense for the Sky-Mending Stone.

"Don't panic, everyone! Let's think of a solution together!" Jiang Jingzhi shouted, his voice still clear and powerful amidst the roar of thunder. In an instant, he took out all the magical artifacts he could use for defense.

He raised the Star Stone high once more, and the light from the Star Stone echoed the light from the Sky-Mending Stone, forming a powerful defensive force.

Xu Xiaoxiao, Lan Ji, and Mu Zhusheng also cast their spells, their spiritual power continuously converging together and merging with Jiang Jingzhi's power to jointly resist the lightning that kept striking down from the sky.

Lightning bolts struck down relentlessly, each impact sending a powerful tremor through the crowd, as if the entire world itself was shaking under the force. Their bodies swayed precariously under the onslaught of the lightning, and their magical artifacts shattered one by one. But they gritted their teeth and, with unwavering willpower, refused to retreat an inch.

Each time their spiritual energy was about to run out, Mu Zhusheng would promptly give them pills to replenish it.

After a long and fierce battle, the lightning in the sky gradually dissipated, the dark clouds slowly dispersed, and the sunlight once again shone on the valley, bringing a touch of warmth and peace to this land that had endured so much suffering.

However, before they could fully savor their joy, the entire secret realm suddenly began to shake violently. Huge cracks appeared on the ground, and the surrounding space became distorted and unstable, as if it were about to collapse at any moment.

"Oh no, the secret realm is closing early!" someone shouted, their expression changing drastically.

Before anyone could react, a powerful suction force surged in from all directions, enveloping them tightly. The surrounding scenery spun rapidly before their eyes, and they felt as if they had been swept into a giant vortex, unable to control their own destiny.

Xu Xiaoxiao cried out in terror, her body falling backward uncontrollably. Just then, Jiang Jingzhi reacted quickly and reached out to grab her hand. However, the powerful suction was too strong, and the two of them were still quickly teleported away.

With a "bang," Xu Xiaoxiao slammed heavily into Jiang Jingzhi's chest. Due to the excessive impact, her chest ached slightly. She subconsciously reached out to rub the painful area, but instead touched a pair of well-defined abdominal muscles.

Xu Xiaoxiao instantly snapped back to reality. Her mind went blank, and a blush immediately spread across her face. Jiang Jingzhi's ears also turned pink involuntarily. He looked at Xu Xiaoxiao with a hint of embarrassment on his face.

Jiang Jingzhi coughed lightly a few times, trying to cover up his embarrassment, and said, "Xiaoxiao, if you want to touch it, we can get up first and then touch it."

Upon hearing this, Xu Xiaoxiao's face instantly burned red. She scrambled off Jiang Jingzhi, stammering, "No, Senior Brother, please let me explain, I just... I didn't mean to..."

Jiang Jingzhi found Xu Xiaoxiao's flustered appearance somewhat amusing. Did his junior sister have no feelings for him at all? But he pretended to be serious and said, "Alright, I know you didn't mean it. Let's take a look around first."

Only then did they realize that they were in the White Mist Forest they had come from, surrounded by thick fog with extremely low visibility, only able to vaguely see the outlines of trees not far away.

Lan Ji and Mu Zhusheng were also nearby. They were also somewhat at a loss due to this sudden turn of events. When they saw Jiang Jingzhi and Xu Xiaoxiao, they quickly came over.

"Senior brother, what's going on? How did we suddenly get exposed?" Mu Zhusheng asked with a puzzled look.

Jiang Jingzhi frowned, pondered for a moment, and then said, "It must be because we obtained the Heaven-Mending Stone, which triggered a special reaction in the secret realm, causing it to close prematurely and teleport us all out."

"So what should we do now?" Xu Xiaoxiao asked, having recovered from her earlier embarrassment and regained her usual liveliness.

"Let's leave here first. This White Mist Forest doesn't look simple either. Let's figure out a solution as we go," Jiang Jingzhi said.

The group nodded and followed Jiang Jingzhi, carefully making their way through the White Mist Forest. The fog was so thick that their vision was severely limited, and they had to be extra careful with every step, fearing that they might encounter some danger.

As she walked, Xu Xiaoxiao suddenly felt her legs give way and she fell forward. Jiang Jingzhi reacted quickly and reached out to catch her again.

"Be careful," Jiang Jingzhi said softly.

"Thank you, Senior Brother," Xu Xiaoxiao said, blushing. A strange feeling welled up inside her. She secretly glanced at Jiang Jingzhi and found his eyes full of concern, which made her feel happy.

In this misty forest filled with unknowns and dangers, their figures appeared exceptionally small. However, they did not back down because of the fear of the unknown; instead, they became even more determined to move forward.

Because they knew that only by leaving this forest could they find their way back and complete their mission to repair the barrier.

They searched through the forest for a long time before finally finding a path that looked like someone had walked on. Jiang Jingzhi frowned slightly and cautiously observed his surroundings, trying to find some clues.

"This path looks a bit strange, everyone stay close to me and don't fall behind," Jiang Jingzhi said in a low voice.

Everyone nodded and followed Jiang Jingzhi nervously. The trees on both sides of the path were exceptionally tall, their branches and leaves intertwined, almost completely blocking out the sky.

Sunlight filtered through the gaps in the branches and leaves, forming golden beams that added an eerie atmosphere to this mysterious forest.

As they walked, a strange sound suddenly came from ahead. The sound was deep and muffled, as if it were the breathing of some huge creature. The group immediately stopped and became wary.

Jiang Jingzhi gestured for everyone to be quiet, then cautiously walked forward, wanting to find out what was going on. When he got closer to the source of the sound, the scene in front of him made him gasp.

A gigantic monster lay sprawled on the open ground ahead. Its body was as large as a small mountain, covered in hard scales, each scale gleaming with a cold light. Its eyes were closed, as if it were asleep, but its heavy breathing sent chills down one's spine.

Jiang Jingzhi quickly retreated to the group and told them what he had seen.

"What should we do? This monster looks very powerful; we are no match for it at all," Xu Xiaoxiao said with some fear.

"Don't panic, let's think of a way," Lan Ji said, her brows furrowed as she fell into deep thought.

Mu Zhusheng stroked her chin and said with a solemn expression, "Although this magical beast looks very powerful, it is currently asleep. Perhaps we can find a way to bypass it."

Jiang Jingzhi nodded and said, "That's the only way. Everyone, try to walk quietly and don't make any noise so as not to wake it up."

The group cautiously circled the monster, each step filled with trepidation, afraid of disturbing the sleeping behemoth. Just as they were about to get around it, Lan Ji accidentally stepped on a dry branch.

With a sharp "snap," the crisp sound was particularly jarring in the silent forest. The beast's ears twitched, and it slowly opened its eyes, which flashed with a red light, filled with anger and vigilance.

"Oh no, run!" Jiang Jingzhi shouted, grabbed Xu Xiaoxiao's hand and ran forward. Everyone else didn't care about anything else and desperately fled through the forest.

The monster roared, stood up, and chased after them. It was incredibly fast, and every step it took shook the ground. The group felt the pressure behind them growing stronger, and their hearts were filled with despair.

Just then, Jiang Jingzhi suddenly spotted a cave ahead. Without thinking twice, he led everyone into the cave. The cave was pitch black, and they could only run forward by feeling.

The monster chased the beast to the cave entrance, but suddenly stopped. It circled the cave entrance a few times, seemingly wary of it. After a while, it roared a few times in frustration and then turned and left.

The group hid in the cave, not daring to breathe, until they were sure the monster had gone far away, at which point they breathed a sigh of relief.

"That was close, it almost caught up with us," Xu Xiaoxiao said, still shaken.

"Seeing that the monster didn't chase us in, it seems this cave is not simple. Let's find a place to rest first, and then see if we can find a way out," Jiang Jingzhi said.

They groped their way forward in the cave, discovering that it was a maze with many interconnected passages. They tried several directions but could not find the exit.

Just when they felt they were about to be trapped, Jiang Jingzhi suddenly noticed some strange symbols on the wall. He went over and carefully examined the symbols, trying to find some clues.

“These symbols seem to be some kind of ancient script. I’ve seen similar records in ancient books before,” Jiang Jingzhi said.

"Senior Brother, can you understand it?" Xu Xiaoxiao asked.

Jiang Jingzhi frowned, pondered for a moment, and then said, "I can only understand part of it. These symbols seem to be pointing in some direction."

Guided by the symbols, he led the group through the cave. After a difficult search, they finally found an exit hidden in a corner.

As Jiang Jingzhi and the others stepped out of the cave, the warm sunlight fell upon them, dispelling the lingering fear and fatigue in their hearts.

Looking out, the edge of the White Mist Forest was clearly visible. Not far away, the small town they had passed through on their way here was bustling with activity. The shouts of vendors and the noise of the crowd could be faintly heard, as if telling of the warmth and tranquility of human life, which was in stark contrast to the near-death experience they had just gone through.

"Finally back. It feels like I've just woken up from a nightmare," Mu Zhusheng breathed a sigh of relief, her face full of relief at surviving a disaster.

"Yes, but thankfully everything is over, and we even got the Sky-Mending Stone!" Xu Xiaoxiao's eyes sparkled with excitement, as if she had forgotten all the dangers she had just faced.

Jiang Jingzhi looked at the town in front of him, but he did not relax at all. He knew that although they had successfully obtained the Sky-Mending Stone, the task of repairing the barrier was still arduous. Moreover, before that, they needed to take good care of themselves and restore their spiritual power.

“Let’s go back to the courtyard the Demon King gave us first. Everyone needs to recuperate and replenish their spiritual energy. Repairing the barrier is no easy task,” Jiang Jingzhi said calmly.

Everyone nodded in agreement, and the four of them headed toward the town. As they entered, a lively scene greeted them. The stalls along the street were filled with a dazzling array of goods, and the vendors enthusiastically solicited customers. The crowds were bustling and full of life.

However, the four of them had no interest in appreciating the lively scene and hurried towards the courtyard.

As soon as she entered the courtyard, Xu Xiaoxiao slumped into a chair and let out a satisfied sigh: "Finally, I can get some rest."

Looking at the exhausted group, Jiang Jingzhi said, "Xiaoxiao, take Miss Lan back to your room to rest first. Zhusheng and I will go and prepare some pills to help everyone recover their spiritual power."

After saying that, he turned and went into his room to get busy.

Xu Xiaoxiao and Lan Ji also returned to their rooms. They sat cross-legged on the bed, closed their eyes, and began to circulate their spiritual energy to repair the injuries to their bodies.

Although Xu Xiaoxiao was also very tired, her curiosity prevented her from calming down immediately. She simply wandered around in her senior brother's room, looking at this and touching that, until her gaze fell on the Sky-Mending Stone on the table. The Sky-Mending Stone emitted a soft light, as if telling her about its mystery and power.

"So this is the Sky-Mending Stone. It looks so ordinary, I never expected it to have such great power," Xu Xiaoxiao said softly, her eyes full of curiosity.

Just then, Jiang Jingzhi walked in carrying a tray with several bottles of pills and some spiritual fruits on it.

"Xiaoxiao, eat some pills and spiritual fruits first to replenish your spiritual energy," Jiang Jingzhi said.

Xu Xiaoxiao quickly took the tray and placed it on the table. Then she picked up a bottle of pills, poured out one, and put it in her mouth. The pill melted instantly in her mouth, and a warm current spread throughout her body. She felt her spiritual power rapidly recovering.

"Senior Brother, this pill is really effective!" Xu Xiaoxiao said happily.

Jiang Jingzhi smiled slightly and said, "This is a specially made pill by Zhu Sheng, which is very helpful in restoring spiritual power. You should go back and rest well first. Once your spiritual power has recovered, we can discuss the matter of repairing the barrier together."

Over the next few days, the four of them focused on healing their injuries and restoring their spiritual power in the courtyard. In addition to cultivating, Jiang Jingzhi also studied some ancient books to find ways to repair the barrier.

While recovering her spiritual power, Xu Xiaoxiao pestered Jiang Jingzhi to teach her some new spells. Lan Ji and Mu Zhusheng were also busy, constantly consolidating their spiritual power to make full preparations for repairing the barrier.

Finally, after several days of recuperation, all four of them regained their peak spiritual power and their physical injuries were completely healed.