Bai Tu’s heart skipped a beat, and for a long while, he couldn’t snap out of it.

What did he mean by that?

What did he mean by… “different from them”?

Yun Ye’s expression was unusually serious as his dark eyes filled with a depth of emotion that Bai Tu couldn’t quite understand that it was almost suffocating.

Bai Tu hesitated before speaking. “You… you mean…”

“What are you thinking?” Yun Ye suddenly chuckled lightly, shifting his gaze away. “My master has been kind to me. I admire him, I respect him, and I’m grateful to him. Naturally, it’s different from how others might like him in a shallow way.”

Bai Tu blinked in surprise and softly murmured. “Oh.”

So that’s what he meant.

It was just a false alarm.

Yun Ye didn’t look back at him, turning his attention forward again. “Let’s go, you little fool. If we keep wasting time, we won’t get out of this forest before nightfall.”

“No, stop calling me a little fool!”

“Alright, alright, let’s go.”

“….”

By the time Bai Tu and Yun Ye emerged from the forest, it was already getting dark. In the distance, the flickering of a fire could be seen. They followed the light, and soon arrived at a makeshift campsite.

The group gathered around the fire, their spirits visibly low. Some of them had injuries, as if they had been through a tough battle.

Bai Tu and Yun Ye approached the camp, and soon someone came over to greet them. It was the young boy with a baby face they had met when they first entered the secret realm.

The boy asked. “You… how did you end up here?”

Bai Tu explained. “We followed the firelight. The day is almost over—may we stay in your camp for the night?”

The boy hesitated for a moment, a conflicted expression crossing his face. “There are too many people here already, and we might not have enough tents. You two should—”

“What’s going on?” A voice came from behind him, and someone stepped forward—it was the young man, surnamed Yin, whom they had encountered earlier.

The boy with the baby face shrank back slightly and whispered. “Senior Brother Yin, they just arrived…”

The young man spoke lightly. “Since you’ve come, you may stay.”

Behind them, someone by the fire added. “Yes, I can make room in my tent. We can all squeeze in together.”

“Exactly, it’s dangerous outside at night. Here, at least we have each other’s backs,” one of them added.

Bai Tu and Yun Ye exchanged a glance, seeing the same concern reflected in each other’s eyes. Yun Ye gave him a subtle nod, and Bai Tu turned to the two people, saying. “Thank you both.”

The group settled around the fire to rest and began sharing their experiences from the past two days.

Most of the people here had been attacked by demonic beasts, but thanks to their cultivation, they had managed to escape. Those without any martial skills or cultivation had been eliminated a day earlier.

One person muttered angrily. “I’ve heard that the Tianyan Sect’s entry exam is tough, but I didn’t expect it to be this bad. At this rate, how many will make it out of the secret realm alive?”

“Maybe they made the trial harder on purpose, to pick out the best talents.”

“They don’t do things like that. Does Tianyan Sect even plan to recruit new disciples this year?”

“Enough talking.” The young man surnamed Yin, sitting next to Bai Tu, spoke impatiently. “Instead of wasting time arguing, we should rest properly and prepare for the next trial.”

His name was Yin Shaoyang. He had grown up in a small, inconspicuous sect and, like the boy with the baby face, was from the same master.

Both had some cultivation skills, and they had temporarily set up this camp, gathering all the surviving disciples within a hundred-mile radius to look out for one another.

Yin Shaoyang briefly arranged for a few people to take turns keeping watch, while the others returned to their tents to rest.

The boy with the baby face kept his head down the entire time, saying nothing. He only stood up and silently walked toward his own tent after everyone else had left.

Bai Tu watched his retreating figure thoughtfully, then followed him. “Jing Yan.”

The boy, hearing his name, stopped and turned around. “Is there something you need, Young Master Tu?”

Bai Tu asked. “Earlier, when we were teleported to that forest, everyone was killed by the tiger demon. Why were you the only ones to make it out unscathed?”

Jing Yan hesitated, his expression briefly faltering before he forced a smile. “I studied swordsmanship with my senior brother for a few years. It was just good luck.”

Bai Tu furrowed his brows slightly, but he didn’t say anything more.

“Hey, you’re here, Xiao Bai.” A voice suddenly called from behind as a familiar presence wrapped around his shoulders.

Bai Tu turned to see it was, unsurprisingly, Yun Ye.

Yun Ye grinned. “Let’s go, let’s go. It’s time to sleep. If you don’t come back soon, I’ll lock you outside.”

Without waiting for Bai Tu to respond, Yun Ye casually wrapped his arm around his shoulders and walked toward the tent.

Once inside the tent, Bai Tu pushed Yun Ye away. “Don’t touch me.”

Yun Ye raised an eyebrow, suddenly intrigued. “What’s wrong? We’re both men, what’s the problem? Could it be… you’re actually a female cultivator?”

Bai Tu snapped. “What makes you think I’m a female cultivator?”

“You’re right, you’re not.” Yun Ye replied, sitting on the only small bed in the tent, propping his chin up. “Or… could you be a shuang’er?”

In this world, there exists a special type of man, similar to ordinary men but capable of reproduction. These men are called shuang’er.

Bai Tu glared at him. “Of course, I’m not!”

“Alright, I was just teasing you.” Yun Ye said, lying back on the bed and tilting his head. “Come to sleep, little bunny.”

Bai Tu froze for a moment. “Did you just call me what?”

Yun Ye smiled. “Tu Bai, little bunny. What else would you be, if not a little bunny?”

Bai Tu: “…”

The firelight in the camp dimmed. Bai Tu lay on the bed but couldn’t fall asleep. He turned over, and sure enough, Yun Ye was still wide awake beside him.

Bai Tu asked. “Why aren’t you sleeping?”

Yun Ye rested his arms behind his head and replied lazily. “For the same reason as you.”

Bai Tu fell silent, and Yun Ye continued. “What are you pretending for? Aren’t you suspicious about that senior brother?”

“Indeed.” Bai Tu didn’t hide it anymore. “Gathering all the survivors in one place might not have been a problem at first, but given the current situation… it looks like it was planned from the beginning.”

Yun Ye mocked lightly. “They’re trying to catch them all in one sweep.”

Bai Tu didn’t respond, and Yun Ye added. “Don’t worry, I’ll take care of it.”

Saying that, Yun Ye reached over and poked Bai Tu’s forehead. “Stop thinking so much and go to sleep. If you’re in the same state as this morning again, I won’t carry you. Little sickly thing.”

…How many nicknames was he going to give him?

Bai Tu gritted his teeth in frustration, turning his back on Yun Ye and refusing to engage with him.

Bai Tu was indeed tired today, and it didn’t take long before he fell into a deep sleep. Soon after, a faint sound came from outside the tent.

Yun Ye opened his eyes, a slight smirk tugging at the corners of his mouth.

Finally, they arrived.

Within the camp, a few spotted white tigers approached the tents where everyone was resting.

The camp’s occupants were sound asleep. The white tigers quickly entered the tents, striking down the unsuspecting disciples in their sleep with a single blow, silently removing them from the realm.

One of the white tigers arrived at the tent where Bai Tu and Yun Ye were staying.

As it was about to lift the tent flap, a sword edge, cold and gleaming, shot out from within the tent and pierced the white tiger’s chest in an instant.

The tiger didn’t even have time to make a sound before the sword twisted, slashing its throat. In the blink of an eye, it collapsed silently, without uttering a single sound.

The tent flap lifted, and Yun Ye stepped out, his eyes glinting with a strange, almost demonic light. His voice was low and soft as he whispered. “Shh, keep it quiet. There’s a little rabbit sleeping inside.”

=^_^=

Author has something to say: Bai Tu: How many nicknames do I have?

Yun Ye: Little fool, little rabbit, sickly little thing, Bai Xiao Ruan, my wife…

Bai Tu: What’s that last one?!?