Chapter 23 - You can't beat me

“Younger sister?”

Upon hearing this response, Gu Liuyun was momentarily shocked, realizing that the girl in front of him held this identity. It explained why Zhao Jie was so afraid of her.  But if that was the case, why would this girl help him?

“Even though I’m his younger sister, it doesn’t mean we have a good relationship.”

Gu Liuyun noticed her expression and thought she might be a fan of Elder Tianluan. He chuckled and came up with an excuse, “My family’s elders have a history with Elder Tianluan, and becoming his disciple was a matter of luck.”

Do elders have a history?

By luck?

Nangong Qianqian, hearing this, rolled her eyes and didn’t fully believe it. But then, she remembered that Elder Tianluan had spent much time in the Nine Realms in the past, possibly owing favors to others, which might explain why he accepted younger disciples. In that case, it made sense.

Thinking this, she couldn’t help muttering, “It’s a stroke of luck…”

Gu Liuyun, hearing her mutter, smiled and asked, “Does Senior Sister Nangong also want to become a disciple of Elder Tianluan?”

Nangong Qianqian’s eyes lit up, and she eagerly approached him, asking, “Really?”@@novelbin@@

Okay, the fan girl is excited!

Gu Liuyun responded affirmatively, and Nangong Qianqian patted his shoulder in satisfaction.

“You do have some redeeming qualities. Follow me,” she said.

Seeing Nangong Qianqian head towards a teleportation array, Gu Liuyun asked, “Where are we going?”

“Since you’re tolerable, I’ll take you to broaden your horizons,” Nangong Qianqian replied with a smile.

…

“Aww!!!”

Several monstrous creatures with gaping mouths and chillingly sharp teeth pounced, causing the dust to billow. However, with a fierce cry, countless icicles fell from the sky, indiscriminately impaling these creatures and pinning them to the ground, bloodily.

“Senior Sister Nangong, your skills are remarkable, and this technique is exquisite,” Gu Liuyun complimented with a light clap.

“Don’t have time for that. How about lending a hand?” Nangong Qianqian shook her hair and rolled her eyes.

Gu Liuyun went to one of the lifeless monsters, tapped its tough scales, and shrugged helplessly.

“I’m just a novice in the Qi Refining stage. Even if I tried, I couldn’t break through these scales. Instead of interfering with Senior Sister, it’s better for me to cheer you on from the sidelines,” Gu Liuyun explained.

Nangong Qianqian’s expression froze upon hearing his words, realizing this was the case. Seeing her agreement, Gu Liuyun chuckled and glanced around at the surrounding barren desert.

“However, I never expected a secret realm to exist in the Daoist Palace. Senior Sister, you’ve truly broadened my horizons,” he continued.

Nangong Qianqian raised her eyebrow and said, “This secret realm is known only to core disciples. Given your cultivation level, it would have taken you quite a while to find it.”

Gu Liuyun nodded and asked, “So, Senior Sister Nangong brought me here just to show me this secret realm?”

Nangong Qianqian shook her head and gestured for them to continue. After walking for a while, navigating through mountains, and avoiding various monsters, they arrived at a valley. The valley was unusual, as the entire secret realm was desolate, but this valley was lush with vegetation and greenery. Nangong Qianqian stood at the valley’s entrance, picked up a stubborn stone, and threw it into the valley. The stone instantly disintegrated in a flash of thunder.

“See that?” Nangong Qianqian clapped her hands.

Gu Liuyun understood and said, “I see, but Senior Sister, do you want me to lift this restriction? That might be quite challenging.”

Nangong Qianqian rolled her eyes and said, “I don’t expect you to break it. I’m asking for your help.”

She then took two shuttle-shaped items from her storage ring and handed one to Gu Liuyun.

“A Forbidden Shuttle?” he asked.

Nangong Qianqian nodded and explained, “Not just any Forbidden Shuttle. I had a Mother-Child Forbidden Shuttle specially crafted for this. You see, this valley’s restriction is called the Yin-Yang Thunder Formation, and only by using this Mother-Child Forbidden Shuttle to attack the Yin and Yang nodes simultaneously can we disable it.”

Gu Liuyun realized the plan and asked, “So, you want me to help you with this?”

Nangong Qianqian confirmed, “Yes. You’ll go to the other side when I draw out the nodes. As I distract the nodes, you must activate the Mother-Child Forbidden Shuttle to break the restriction.”

Gu Liuyun nodded and then questioned, “But this doesn’t seem too complicated. Why did you specifically seek my help?”

Nangong Qianqian explained, “There’s a precious item in this valley. If I ask someone else for help, they would want to share it with me. However, this item is crucial to me, so I prefer not to involve others. But after seeing you, I realized you’re the perfect choice.”

Gu Liuyun looked puzzled and asked, “Why?”

Nangong Qianqian smiled and said, “Because your cultivation level is low, and the item is useless to you. Plus, even if you wanted to share it, you couldn’t defeat me.”