My best friend asked me if I was still doing system tasks.

After Ruan Chayan and Luo Hanying discussed their destinations, she turned to Jin Si and asked, "Xiao Xue and I are going out for a while and don't know when we'll be back. Do you want to come with me or stay here?"

"I'll wait for you to come back here."

Jin Si found this kind of life boring. "Anyway, those brats haven't given me a kind look since they found out who I am, so I'd rather not go out and bother them."

He glanced at the spirit beast pouch at Ruan Chayan's waist and became somewhat interested: "You can leave the peppercorns with me to keep me company, since you don't need them to help you with anything anyway."

Ruan Chayan felt that Jin Si's personality was somewhat wicked. She didn't know how he would torment the poor little guy if she left Huajiao behind, but it would be a good thing to let them get to know each other.

Hesitantly, she called out "Sichuan pepper" and instructed Jin Si to take good care of it.

Jin Si readily agreed, but with a mere flick of his finger, Hua Jiao's resistant movement was frozen in place.

Sichuan peppercorns screamed: {No! No! I don't want to! Ahhh! I don't want to!}

No matter how much Huajiao clamored, Ruan Chayan only gave an apologetic smile and left with Luo Hanying without looking back.

As soon as the two took off on their swords, Ruan Chayan slapped her forehead and said, "Oh dear, what a forgetful thing! I was so focused on the system the whole way that I forgot to tell you."

Luo Hanying flew a few steps closer to Ruan Chayan and asked, "What do you mean?"

Ruan Chayan activated a silence array plate in her hand, and the two began exchanging information in mid-air.

Ruan Chayan said with a heavy heart, "We all know that Shiren Sect is the number one sect in Nanyue Divine Continent. In the month you stayed in the secret realm, disciples from three or four sects risked their lives to come to the sect leader for help."

Because of my high cultivation level and the presence of Jin Si, a ticking time bomb, Sect Leader Hua and Sect Leader Li also asked me to attend the meeting with the elders.

It is said that an unknown force suddenly emerged in Nan Yue Shen Zhou. The larger sects were alright, but the smaller sects vanished overnight.

I heard that there was a traitor and spy within their ranks, who caught everyone off guard with a coordinated attack from the inside.

Ruan Chayan looked at Luo Hanying, whose brows were furrowed, and continued, "Renming Peak, Nizong Peak, Yuling Peak, and Luanjin Pavilion have all dispatched an elder and selected disciples at the mid-Foundation Establishment stage or above within their sects to form four teams of forty people each to go and provide assistance."

Sect Leader Hua also dispatched cultivators from the Discipline Hall to investigate the matter. There are no results yet, but a pill cauldron similar to the one in the Invitation Fragrance Secret Realm was found within the vanished sect.

Because the matter had escalated so much, when the cultivators contacted their relatives and friends, they discovered that as early as a year ago, some independent cultivators and small families had mysteriously disappeared. In their new locations were incomplete array formations, seemingly similar to those in the Invitation Incense Secret Realm.

Luo Hanying stared in shock, her mouth agape: "That's terrifying?! So it was Zhou something-Xiang's group who did it? If not them, then they must be their accomplices!"

And that female demon! Is she connected to the Canghai Realm?

Holy crap! This entire cultivation world can't even handle a few people?!

Ruan Chayan shook her head; none of the speculations had any supporting evidence.

"Don't mention it, there's something else. Gu Xiaonan and the others have gone missing in the demon realm."

Ruan Chayan's expression was solemn. "Sect Leader Hua told me not to leave the sect for the time being. He said that if any further situations arise, Jin Si and I might need to help."

"Huh?!" Luo Hanying's eyes widened in shock. "I remember hearing before that Gu Xiaonan was the senior sister sent by the Discipline Hall to investigate the massacre of the Kaitianmen Clan, right? Why would she go to the territory of the demon race?"

"Who knows?" Ruan Chayan was also puzzled. "Logically speaking, if we were looking for the two of us, we've never been to the Yue Shen Mountain Range."

I suspect they might have uncovered some crucial clue, which is why the accident happened.

Why do I have this feeling that my peace has been shattered?

Luo Hanying murmured, "It feels like just two days ago we were exploring the secret realm, it was so novel and exciting, life was so colorful."

After hearing what you've said, it feels like I've suddenly woken up from a dream.

Ruan Chayan patted Luo Hanying's head: "Don't think about it too much for now. Anyway, these things have nothing to do with us. What's most important for us now is to find out the details of the mission."

Cheng Ji should still be in the sect at Luan Jin Ge. You can go and ask him about things.

"Oh, and there's Tong Zhixian. I just heard about him. He's the son of Elder Tong and Elder Ji; he should know quite a bit."

Luo Hanying nodded to indicate that she understood.

“Then I’ll go to Moonheart Bridge and ask Wen Chenrui. He’s staying at Yuling Peak to teach the junior disciples. I’ll go to Moonheart Bridge to hear the latest news.”

If anything happens, contact them directly through your mind.

After giving her instructions, Ruan Chayan put away the array plate and left with Luo Hanying.

When Ruan Chayan arrived at the Moon Heart Bridge, before she even got close to where the cultivators were having their classes, she saw two people arguing while holding their spirit beasts. There was also a familiar-looking female cultivator trying to mediate, but the two of them wouldn't listen to her at all.

Ruan Chayan scanned the area with her divine sense, took a few steps closer, and asked in a low voice, "What's going on? Why aren't you in class? Why are you arguing here?"

The female cultivator said helplessly, "They are their two spirit beasts. The Black Feather Phosphorus Stork and the Golden Dawn Horned Frog are natural enemies."

As you know, we usually put our spirit beasts next to our legs during class.

Their spirit beasts were naturally lively, and they bumped into each other while running around. The Black Feathered Phosphorous Stork wanted to eat the Golden Dawn Horned Frog, and the rest is history.

Ruan Chayan hissed, thinking to herself that it was fortunate that Huajiao liked to lie in the spirit beast pouch to eat, otherwise if she encountered its natural enemy while carrying it with her, things would be difficult to handle.

"Are you Ruan Chayan?"

The female cultivator looked Ruan Chayan up and down several times, recognized her identity, and said with a smile, "You probably don't remember me. My name is Bai Jing. I was there when you were arguing with Senior Sister Nan during your class at Yuexin Bridge."

My Daoist partner, Kong Jiu, spoke with you.

Ruan Chayan vaguely remembered it and sighed, "That was a long time ago."

By the way, I often hear you mention Junior Uncle Ji Daoyun. Could you tell me about him? I've never seen him in the sect before.

When Ruan Chayan chatted with the disciples of Shiren Sect, she often heard them talking about missing their junior uncle.

She was genuinely curious about what kind of person could receive so much praise and affection.

The two disciples stopped arguing and turned to each other in unison, saying, "You don't even know our Junior Uncle?"

The two of them took turns explaining things to her.

The universally acknowledged junior master of the Shiren Sect is named Ji Daoyun. He is the only direct disciple of Qi Huixian, the Jade Dust Daoist of Bu Rong Mountain. At only 296 years old, he already possesses the cultivation of the early stage of the Nascent Soul Realm, making him an outstanding figure among his peers.