Chapter 87: The Hidden Realm in the Mountain

The “back mountain” that the village chief spoke of was actually a barren hill behind the village, nestled against the mountain range. Since there weren’t any valuable trees there—only weeds and scattered stones—few villagers ever bothered climbing it. The mountain wasn’t large either; compared to Mount Kui, where the Qingyang Sect resided, it was much smaller.

The steward and the village chief had both mentioned that after the last group of heavenly masters vanished, the villagers had organized search parties, scouring the area to no avail. As Yun Jiao’s group ascended, they still saw traces of those past searches—flattened grass, half-worn paths. Following the trail, the three soon reached the summit without much effort. But there wasn’t a single suspicious mark in sight.

“Girl,” the old man said, frowning as he glanced around. “Could it be that the demon already fled?”

“Not necessarily.” Yun Jiao’s eyes scanned the surroundings. From their height, the village below looked like a small chessboard. She paused, mentally estimating their climbing time, then suddenly turned to him. “Old man, did you bring any Barrier-Breaking Talismans?”

“Barrier-Breaking?” he blinked. “Why would I carry that useless thing?”

Barrier-Breaking Talismans were meant to dispel illusions—basic, low-grade charms even weaker than exorcism talismans. Only minor spirits or weak ghosts relied on illusions to trick people; anyone with firm willpower could resist them. Still, if the girl was asking, she probably had a reason. He rubbed his chin. “I don’t have that, but I do have a Sound-Burst Talisman. Would that work?”

“Good enough. Give me one.” Yun Jiao held out her hand.

He handed her the talisman, curious. “What did you find?”

“I’m not sure yet,” she replied, activating it as she spoke. “Let’s test it first.”

She flicked her wrist, igniting the talisman. Instantly, a thunderous bell tone exploded across the mountaintop—BOOM!—rolling out like an invisible shockwave. The sound waves rippled outward, bending the air. Grass and stones shook loose, tumbling downhill. The wave spread down the slope, but suddenly—halfway down—it stopped.

The space there shimmered, warping like ripples on water. A translucent dome shimmered briefly into view, covering the middle section of the mountain.

“Wha—what the heck is that?” the old man gawked. Within seconds, the shimmer faded again, as though it had never existed.

Yun Jiao’s brow furrowed. She had only suspected something was wrong because their climb had been too easy for the mountain’s height and distance. She hadn’t expected to uncover something like that. But what was that transparent dome?

She turned toward the man who’d been silent the entire time, looking as relaxed as if he were on vacation.

“Grandmaster…” she called.

Night Abyss (Ye Yuan) finally turned his head and said two calm words: “A secret realm.”

“Secret realm?” Yun Jiao’s mind raced, flipping through everything she’d studied. A moment later, her eyes widened. “A demon-clan secret realm!”

He nodded.

Before he could elaborate, Bai Yu jumped in, eyes wide. “Wait, what secret realm? Why have I never heard of that before? Girl, you—”

Two simultaneous looks of disdain silenced him instantly. He shut his mouth, muttering to himself about being bullied for having a bad memory.

“A secret realm,” Yun Jiao explained patiently, “is a separate space created by a demon’s own spiritual power—completely isolated from the mortal world. Without the creator’s permission, no one can enter or even sense it.” She gave Bai Yu a look that said read a book sometime.

That meant the demon had sealed part of this mountain within its own private dimension. That was why the climb had felt so short—the top third of the mountain didn’t exist in the same plane anymore.

“Then those missing children and heavenly masters are probably trapped inside the secret realm?” the old man said, eyes brightening.

“Most likely.” Yun Jiao nodded, though something about it nagged at her. Forming a secret realm consumed an enormous amount of demonic energy. Why would the creature go to such lengths—and right next to a populated village?

“Then what are we waiting for? Let’s go in and save them!” the old man declared, already heading down toward where the shimmer had appeared. Yun Jiao and Bai Yu followed, stopping at the base of the invisible barrier.

“Girl, how do we get in?” the old man asked, scratching his head. “If we step forward, we’ll probably just be bounced somewhere else—maybe all the way to the mountain’s base.” That would explain why the villagers never found anything. “Should we force our way through?”

Yun Jiao thought for a moment before answering. “This barrier is made of demonic energy. Demons fear heavenly thunder the most. Why don’t you try summoning lightning?”

“Good idea!” the old man drew his peach-wood sword, forming hand seals and chanting a long spell. The sky darkened in response. Moments later, a bolt of blinding white lightning split the clouds and struck before them.

A loud crack echoed through the air, followed by a streak of blue light as something invisible shattered. Though the scenery around them remained unchanged, they could feel it—something had broken.

“It… it worked?!” The old man gaped in disbelief. “That actually worked? Just one strike?”

Yun Jiao was just as surprised. Demon realms were supposed to be nearly indestructible—how had this one fallen apart so easily?

As the barrier dissolved, wisps of pale blue energy began leaking out, curling through the air.

“Careful—demonic aura! Put your talismans on!” the old man barked. He hurriedly slapped a protection talisman onto himself, then another onto Yun Jiao. When he turned to place the third on their Grandmaster, he froze.

The swirling demonic miasma didn’t even come within three feet of Night Abyss—it simply parted around him, scattering like frightened mist. It was as if the aura feared him.

Right… the Grandmaster didn’t need one. The old man silently pocketed the extra talisman.

Meanwhile, Yun Jiao pulled out the communication charm the steward had given her earlier—the one meant to contact the missing heavenly masters. The moment the barrier broke, it flickered to life, glowing faintly red.

“It’s lit!” the old man exclaimed. “That means those masters really are inside! Can you reach them?”

“No.” Yun Jiao shook her head. “The demonic aura’s too dense—the signal’s too weak.”

“Then let’s go find them!” he said, stepping forward—

“Wait!” Yun Jiao grabbed his sleeve.

“What now? Weren’t they trapped in there?”

“You just said it yourself—it’s a demon’s realm,” she replied dryly. “What do you think else might be in there besides them?”

He blinked. “…”

And right on cue—

ROAR!

A deep, furious growl rumbled from within the shattered barrier. The air thickened, the demonic energy surging tenfold. Overhead, the once-clear sky turned pitch-dark.

The old man stiffened. “…I suddenly don’t feel like going in anymore.”

(End of Chapter)