Chapter 84: The Voidless Secret Realm

“Master, did you call for me?”
Gu Weiyu entered the Residence of Leisure and bowed to Lady Yuling.
Lady Yuling’s gaze fell upon her disciple. This girl had grown taller and her figure had filled out compared to when she first arrived at Misty Peak. Her countenance had become more refined and charming.
“Hongyi, you’ve been at Misty Peak for half a year now. Have you ever thought about going out for a while?” Lady Yuling asked.
Go out for a while?!
No—she had absolutely no desire to leave the Myriad Sword Sect! Outside, Chu Xingyun still watched her like a hawk!
“Master, your disciple is solely focused on cultivation and alchemy, and has no other intentions,” Gu Weiyu hurriedly shook her head in refusal.
“You silly girl, why do you refuse so quickly?” Lady Yuling knew there must be concerns in her heart and spoke again:
“I’ve heard that in a few months, the Voidless Secret Realm will open, so I wanted to ask what you think.
Hongyi, this is a grand event in our Voidless Realm. Who knows how many disciples in the Qi Condensation stage will enter.
For you, it’s a rare opportunity!”
So many people? That must be chaotic, and surely unsafe.
If Chu Xingyun managed to catch her by chance, wouldn’t that be dangerous?
Gu Weiyu was about to shake her head again in refusal, when Lady Yuling’s tone suddenly grew solemn:
“Hongyi, cultivation is a path against the heavens. If you cower and confine yourself to a small corner, how can you speak of ascending the immortal way?
Whether you participate is your own decision. I’ve said all I can. Go back and think it over carefully!”
With that, Lady Yuling said no more and waved Gu Weiyu away.
“Yes, your disciple will take her leave.” Gu Weiyu returned to her Emerald Bamboo Courtyard, her heart weighed down.
Her master’s words echoed in her mind, striking her heart like a heavy fist, awakening her from the haze that had clouded her thoughts.
When had her mindset toward cultivation begun to change?
She was no longer as fearless as before, always hesitating and worrying.
She couldn’t help but ask herself: if she never formed her foundation, would she forever remain within the Myriad Sword Sect, shrinking back from the world?
Her former “fearlessness” seemed lost in Qin Prefecture. Since leaving, she had become like a startled bird, never daring to stand out.
No—was this still the Gu Weiyu she knew?
Had she forgotten that she was no longer alone?

She was a disciple of the Myriad Sword Sect, blessed with a master at the Core Formation stage. Even in the Voidless Secret Realm, there would surely be elders from the sect to protect her!
With such support, what was there to fear?
Gu Weiyu felt her thoughts clear, the shadow lingering in her heart gradually dispersing. Soon, she realized:
Her bottleneck seemed to be loosening! If not now, when should she break through?
Gu Weiyu sat cross-legged upon her meditation cushion, immersed in the surging river of spiritual energy within her meridians.
She guided the flow of energy, launching a bold attack upon the barrier of the ninth layer.
In that moment, it was as if a trapped beast within her heart was breaking free. A mysterious force welled up inside her, and her spiritual power grew ever more turbulent.
Boom—
The barrier of the ninth layer collapsed. Gu Weiyu felt her spiritual awareness expand, the entire world within her mind growing broader.
Previously, her divine sense could only envelop about five hundred miles around the summit of Misty Peak.
Now, with her breakthrough, her senses extended to nearly five hundred and fifty miles!
Gu Weiyu slowly opened her eyes. She had finally stepped into the ranks of the upper stages of Qi Condensation.
A faint layer of grime coated her skin from the breakthrough. She cast a spell to cleanse herself, then calmed her mind to stabilize her cultivation.

———

“Master, I’ve thought it through!”
Early the next morning, Gu Weiyu returned to the Residence of Leisure, her gaze resolute as she looked at Lady Yuling:
“Master, you’re right. I’ve been at the Myriad Sword Sect for half a year and have never ventured out to see the world. Now that such a rare opportunity lies before me, I truly shouldn’t let it slip by.”
Lady Yuling gazed at her disciple. After just one night, Hongyi had broken through to the ninth layer of Qi Condensation. Clearly, she had truly come to understand.
“It’s good you’ve thought it through. The Voidless Secret Realm opens only once every thirty years—the opportunities within are beyond your imagination.
Back in the day, I even held back my cultivation to avoid reaching Foundation Formation, just so I could enter…”
Lady Yuling spoke with relief, reminiscing about that past era, her voice drifting as she continued.
Gu Weiyu listened attentively, her mind drifting into the world her master described:
So, that place was so wondrous. No wonder her master hoped she could enter.
If she could seize an opportunity within, wouldn’t her strength advance further?
“Well, there are still several months yet. Prepare yourself well, and when the time comes, I’ll personally escort you into the Voidless Secret Realm!”

Lady Yuling smiled warmly at Gu Weiyu.
“Thank you, Master!” Gu Weiyu knew her master was worried about her, wishing to reassure her heart.
Back in Emerald Bamboo Courtyard, Gu Weiyu recalled her master’s words and found herself unable to settle into cultivation.
She took out the wooden sword her ancestor had gifted her, stepped into the courtyard, and practiced the Lightning Sword technique.
Half a year had passed, and through persistent practice, she rarely shocked herself with her own lightning anymore.
She repeated the seemingly monotonous sword movements, lightning occasionally sparking from the tip with a crackling burst, making it quite extraordinary to behold.
After a round of vigorous sword practice, Gu Weiyu finally found her mind at peace.
“I’ve broken through to the ninth layer of Qi Condensation, so I can finally cultivate the spell—Twin Thunder Strike!”
Gu Weiyu’s heart stirred at the thought of the Twin Thunder Strike from the Eight Desolate Mountain and Sea Manual.
But having only just broken through, she still needed a few days to stabilize her cultivation before attempting Twin Thunder Strike.
“Practitioner Junior Sister?” After lunch, Wangu’s voice came from outside the courtyard.
Gu Weiyu was sitting in the bamboo grove cultivating, but she rose at the sound and saw Wangu and three others standing outside.
“Brother Wangu, Brother Xu, Sister Liu, Brother Lin, please come in!” Gu Weiyu greeted them cheerfully.
The group entered the bamboo house. Wangu sprawled casually onto a rattan chair, picked up a spirit fruit from the small bamboo table, and bit into it with a crunch:
“Practitioner Junior Sister, why do you stay cooped up in your courtyard all day like Brother Xu? Why not go out for a bit?”
“Practitioner Junior Sister, have you broken through again?” Liu Ruyan noticed Gu Weiyu was now at the ninth layer of Qi Condensation, having caught up to her.
“Yes, just yesterday.” Gu Weiyu gestured to the spirit fruits and snacks on the table. “Help yourselves. I’ll make some spirit tea. Sit and chat as you wish.”
“So sweet!” Lin Haoran found a seat and picked up a spirit fruit to eat.
“You lot…” Liu Ruyan’s forehead twitched in exasperation—their nerves were certainly thick!
She felt a pressure:
Gu Weiyu was a year younger, rumored to possess outstanding talent in alchemy, and now her cultivation was just as impressive…