The main storyline of “Xiao Bai Cultivating Immortality” is naturally about Long Aotian’s various adventures, face-slapping moments, and the opportunities he gains, as he levels up and ultimately ascends. 

It’s not just him; every person who steps into the cultivation world has the ultimate goal of ascension. The difference is that for others, it’s just a pipe dream, a role as a cannon fodder character. Even the predecessors who seem particularly impressive in the grand scheme of things end up dying halfway through, leaving only the big male lead to succeed.

Lin Ji himself is also a fallen villain character, otherwise, he would really like to know what the scenery looks like after ascension. This time, no matter how Lu Xiaobai develops, he must climb to the peak and experience the taste of victory that comes from being at the top, where the cold is unbearable.

The meaning of starting over is to correct mistakes and make up for regrets, right? Lin Ji’s obsession in his past life was to wonder how far he could go on the immortal path with his own qualifications and abilities if those accidents hadn’t happened. Could he ascend?

This time, he successfully lurked beside the protagonist Long Aotian, and he was willing to go to any lengths to seize the other’s opportunities.

“Hey, get up,” Lin Ji said, shrugging slightly, his impatience evident.

Lu Xiaobai didn’t reach for the summons, and Lin Ji knew he was being lazy and dozing off again. 

In the past three years, Lu Xiaobai’s speed of absorbing spiritual power remained slow. No matter how abundant the spiritual energy was within the peak, the amount he absorbed daily was still minimal, and even less was converted into his own spiritual power. His realm hadn’t progressed an inch, and his cultivation was only slightly higher than before.

But he seemed unhurried, perhaps because he felt that being anxious wouldn’t help, so he practiced naturally, never forcing himself to the point of neglecting sleep and food.

Lu Xiaobai, still in a daze, caught the summons. Even though he could understand it with just a glance, he insisted on asking, “What happened?”

Lin Ji replied, “The Sect Leader has issued a command for all disciples to gather in front of the Zhengyang Hall at Lingxiu Peak.”

“Oh? Then let’s hurry,” Lu Xiaobai said, quickly getting up and wanting to return to his cave to use the teleportation array. But Lin Ji grabbed his arm and pulled him onto the sword, and in no time, they flew to their destination.

The two merged into the crowd, moving along with the flow. 

Lu Xiaobai looked around, “I haven’t seen such a crowded scene in a long time.” 

Although Peifeng Sect only had a few thousand disciples, gathering them all together was still quite a sight. 

The sect rarely issued summons, as each disciple had their own pace of cultivation. Some were in seclusion, some were out training, and some were on the verge of a breakthrough… 

Once a summons was issued for everyone, it meant that a significant event was about to happen. 

In front of the Zhengyang Hall, the Sect Leader sat in the central position, with the leaders and elders of each peak seated in secondary positions, while the other stewards stood nearby. 

The usual martial arts arena was filled with people. At the very front stood the direct disciples, followed by the inner disciples, and then the ordinary disciples, with the numbers increasing in an orderly fashion. 

The Sect Leader scanned the spirited young talents around him, stroking his beard and nodding continuously, as if he could see the hope of the sect for the next few decades. 

The Sect Leader spoke, his deep voice wrapped in thick spiritual energy, reaching every disciple’s ears: “A day ago, the immortal sects from various states discovered an anomaly in the skies over the territory of Xuanzhou, where the spiritual energy surged and gathered in a certain area. It seems that a secret realm is about to open.” 

As soon as these words were spoken, everyone displayed a variety of expressions. Some were filled with ambition, while others wore bitter smiles of disappointment. 

The so-called secret realm was a place set up by generations of powerful beings since the founding of the cultivation world thousands of years ago, meant to encourage the younger generation to improve their cultivation and grow in realm. 

Every state has secret realms, but they don’t appear easily; it all depends on luck. 

Whenever they do appear, it’s the best opportunity for each sect to train their disciples, and an excellent chance for cultivators from the nine states to gain various opportunities and rise to fame. 

Lin Ji caught a glimpse of Lu Xiaobai from the corner of his eye, seeing him listening intently, still wearing a smile, his expression unchanged. 

Lin Ji wondered: Could it be that Lu Xiaobai, at this age, could remain calm and unperturbed in the face of events? 

Clearly, his qualifications were so poor that he should be just as eager and worried as everyone else, longing yet fearful. 

Lin Ji quietly clenched his fists and withdrew his gaze. 

He remembered that it was this secret realm trial that allowed Long Aotian to shine, and it was the first time he had lost to the other. 

In his previous life, he hadn’t even crossed paths with Lu Xiaobai in the secret realm, nor had he heard of this character. It was only when he emerged from the secret realm that he learned he had been robbed, laying the foundation for being the second-best for ten thousand years. 

At that time, no one knew how Lu Xiaobai, as a low-level cultivator with sparse spiritual power, managed to be the first to exit the secret realm. Lin Ji had spent a lot of time speculating on various possibilities, but unfortunately, he never had the chance to verify them. 

Lin Ji took a deep breath to adjust his mindset. After reading the story, he wanted to complain; these opportunities were truly like the author throwing upgrade packages to the protagonist: a secret realm that opens once every few decades, ruins that can only be discovered once every hundred years, all appearing in recent years—did no one find that strange? 

However, regarding Xuanzhou… Lin Ji lowered his gaze. The Yunshang Immortal Sect was the largest sect in the Xuanzhou territory, occupying the most land. This time, they would definitely be the hosts. 

He wasn’t very keen on stepping back into familiar territory, but when there was no way to avoid it, he wouldn’t shrink back either. 

Lin Ji’s expression turned resolute and fearless after a moment of silence, unaware that Lu Xiaobai glanced at him, the smile at the corner of his mouth becoming more genuine. 

This gathering of the entire sect was not only to inform them of the opening of the secret realm but also to select candidates for the trial. 

The secret realm couldn’t accommodate everyone; each sect would select a hundred or so, which was already quite a lot. 

Even if the disciples usually got along well, when it came to resource allocation, they were all competitors. If they didn’t give way to each other, they would have to fight it out, and the upcoming elimination rounds were bound to be more brutal and intense than the annual sect competitions. 

The Yunshang Immortal Sect didn’t have such worries; resources and opportunities had long been monopolized in their internal struggles. Disciples who hadn’t reached the Foundation Establishment stage wouldn’t even have a chance to participate in the competition. 

However, Peifeng Sect allowed disciples of all cultivation levels to have a chance to be selected for the secret realm trial, though the proportions varied. Whether they could level up depended on their performance and luck in the secret realm. 

However, this rule didn’t apply to direct disciples. 

Due to considerations for sect management, they had to give some benefits to the elders to encourage them to work harder. Therefore, the direct disciples of the elders could go without needing to participate in the competition. 

In the following days, the atmosphere in Peifeng Sect was intense, while Luoxia Peak remained peaceful and serene. 

Lin Ji was busy preparing for the secret realm trial, not paying attention to anything else, while Lu Xiaobai began to come and go early and late, busy with who knows what. 

Aside from their fixed meetings during meals with their master, whenever Lin Ji encountered Lu Xiaobai, he would still greet him warmly, while Lin Ji responded with a cold, secretive gaze, plotting to ensure he would win against Lu Xiaobai this time and not lose without understanding why. 

A few days later, Lin Ji knocked on the door of the library: “Master, your disciple has come in response to your summons.” 

Meng Wanqiu rubbed his forehead and put down the book, saying, “Come in quickly!” 

“Here, sit down.” 

Lin Ji respectfully sat across from Meng Wanqiu and asked, “Master, do you want me to look after Lu Xiaobai in the secret realm again?” 

Clearly, Lu Xiaobai was the senior brother, and he was the junior brother, but Lin Ji had grown accustomed to hearing that he should look after Lu Xiaobai. 

“Well,” Meng Wanqiu raised his cup and took a sip of tea, “I still hope you can support each other. However, Xiao Bai has been in the Qi Refining stage for three years, while you have already reached the peak of Foundation Establishment. You are much stronger than him; he won’t have the chance to look after you.” 

With that one sentence, Lin Ji’s occasional complaints vanished, and his mood instantly brightened: “Master, forgive me for speaking frankly. The secret realm trial is particularly important for any cultivator. I must prioritize myself; I can’t split my focus to look after others unless… Lu Xiaobai faces a life-and-death crisis, then I might lend him a hand.” 

He spoke honestly, knowing that his master wouldn’t force him to do otherwise. If it weren’t for facing his master, he wouldn’t even say he would help. 

Meng Wanqiu, as expected, showed no displeasure, his expression becoming even gentler: “I understand, and I agree that one should prioritize oneself first, and only help others if there’s extra strength.” 

“However, I did call you this time specifically for Xiao Bai.” 

Meng Wanqiu took out a scroll of the Marrow Cleansing technique, which he had spent a lot of effort researching over the years to complete the pill formula, hoping to attempt refining the second stage Marrow Cleansing Pill. 

“Inside the secret realm, the environment will definitely be different from the outside world, and there may be some rare spiritual herbs growing there. I’ve already reminded Xiao Bai, and I want you to keep an eye out as well.” 

Asking who should look after whom was more of a teasing remark; to truly require that was asking too much. However, it was still reasonable to ask Lin Ji to check for the spiritual herbs needed to refine the Marrow Cleansing Pill in the secret realm. 

As he spoke, Meng Wanqiu used a red brush to outline the rare spiritual herbs, explaining their external characteristics and possible growing environments, which Lin Ji memorized carefully. 

After a moment, Lin Ji thought for a while and voiced a long-held question: “Isn’t there any other way to change Lu Xiaobai’s qualifications?” 

Meng Wanqiu sighed, then suddenly changed the subject: “It’s not that there isn’t.” 

He stood up and precisely pulled out a set of scrolls from the thousands of books on the shelf, opening them: “Look.” 

“It is said that there are merfolk in the North Sea, and their tears condense into pearls, which are the purest and most pristine things in the world. The mermaid pearls not only carry the merfolk’s lifelong cultivation but can also eliminate the impurities in a mortal’s body, forging a cultivator’s immortal body.” 

“If one could obtain a mermaid pearl, even the worst qualifications could be reversed.” 

“However, you also know that the Nine States have the East Sea and the South Sea, which anyone can visit. But the West Sea and the North Sea only exist in ancient texts and legends, and cannot be sought by human effort. Especially the North Sea, which is said to be a connection between the upper realm and the mortal world, much like the legendary Penglai Island, a paradise.” 

“Even in the historical records of the cultivation world, there are very few people who have been to such paradises, and their authenticity is unverifiable, so how could one find a mermaid pearl?” 

“…” 

Many ancient texts are only kept and treasured by highly respected predecessors of the immortal sects, while others would love to keep them like precious treasures. Unlike Meng Wanqiu, who casually displayed them and patiently explained to his disciple, most disciples wouldn’t have such detailed knowledge. 

But as he spoke, he noticed something was off; his little disciple’s body had become stiff during his explanation. 

Meng Wanqiu looked up and saw Lin Ji seemingly listening, but upon closer inspection, he had already lost his soul. 

There was no content in his eyes, his face expressionless, but his complexion was abnormally pale. 

“Is that so?” 

After a long time, Lin Ji said softly. 

That was truly… wonderful. 

It turned out that in his previous life, he only knew part of the story, not the whole. 

Lin Ji suddenly stood up, choked up, and said, “Master, if there’s nothing else, I’ll take my leave.” 

After saying that, for the first time, he rudely turned to leave, fearing that if he lingered a moment longer, he would burst out laughing. 

He wandered in a daze until he saw Lu Xiaobai, snapping back to reality. 

He rarely waited for the other to call him first and quickly walked up, saying, “You’re back?” 

Lu Xiaobai was a bit taken aback, thinking Lin Ji had suddenly become warm towards him. But when he looked over, he found Lin Ji’s expression somewhat deranged and twisted, like someone drunk and acting foolishly. 

Lin Ji leaned close to Lu Xiaobai’s ear, a smile curling at the corners of his mouth: “I heard something from Master. It’s said that the mermaid pearl from the North Sea can turn your useless spiritual root qualifications into treasures.” 

Lin Ji had only learned before his death in his previous life that the mermaid pearl had somehow fallen into Lu Xiaobai’s hands, but he hadn’t expected that the treasure his family had kept would have such a significant impact on Lu Xiaobai’s cultivation! 

If he had known in his previous life, Lin Ji would have crawled over to fight Long Aotian to the death. 

But now, Lin Ji’s smile deepened: “If you get the chance, don’t forget to look for the mermaid pearl.” 

Unfortunately, there would be no chance; the first thing he did upon being reborn was to destroy the mermaid pearl. 

From now on, you can only take it slow and steady in your cultivation. 

Lin Ji, upon hearing this, was initially stunned, then felt a wave of sarcasm and resentment, but now he was filled with joy, patting Lu Xiaobai on the shoulder: “I believe in you; senior brother’s luck is naturally the best.” 

After saying that, he couldn’t help but burst into laughter as he left, completely disregarding how others might see him as acting mad. 

After three years of being together day and night, he almost forgot the hatred he once had for the protagonist. Just now, while discussing spiritual herbs with his master, he actually had the genuine thought of helping Lu Xiaobai. 

Fortunately, the words “mermaid pearl” snapped him back to reality. 

“…” 

Lu Xiaobai turned to look at Lin Ji’s departing figure, and after a moment, he smiled bitterly: “Between you and me, it really is…” 

An enmity hard to record. 

After intense competition, the elimination rounds of the secret realm trial were nearing their end, and soon the list of participants would be made public. 

The next day, Lin Ji and Lu Xiaobai were called over by Meng Wanqiu to select a magical artifact from the spiritual artifact library to add a layer of protection for the secret realm trial. 

When they met, neither mentioned that strange conversation from the other day, nor did they chat as casually as usual. They each picked their magical artifacts and came out. 

Once Lin Ji calmed down, he only blamed himself for not keeping his cool and acting like a secretive brother, feeling no guilt in taking pleasure in Lu Xiaobai’s misfortune. 

At that moment, an outer sect disciple they interacted with frequently rushed over, “Senior Brother Lu, Senior Brother Lin!” 

Lu Xiaobai asked, “What’s wrong?” 

“Ah, you should go persuade Luo Xiang. She… didn’t get selected.” 

Lin Ji was taken aback, while Lu Xiaobai had already taken off. 

The two followed the outer sect disciple to a secluded area in the woods, where Luo Xiang was venting her emotions by chopping at tree branches with her sword, leaving the poor tree riddled with wounds. 

Lin Ji always thought that Luo Xiang’s clothing style was very… eye-catching, with colors either green or pink. 

Sometimes the green was refreshing and the pink was charming, but more often than not, her outfits were too bright and saturated. Every time he wrote about her appearance, it was always “a sight to behold”—it was impossible not to notice! 

Lin Ji suspected that the original author had never seen a woman, being a man who never went out, either lacking normal aesthetics or having no idea how women should dress beautifully… The more he tried to describe it, the worse the actual effect became. 

At this moment, the bright Luo Xiang turned around when someone called her, with a few tears still hanging at the corners of her eyes, making her pretty face look even more pitiful. 

“Senior Brother Lin. Xiao Bai.” 

Luo Xiang forced a greeting, her initial excitement having faded, leaving only sadness. 

She put away her sword and sat under the tree, sobbing and trying to compose herself. 

Lu Xiaobai took out a handkerchief from his sleeve, thought for a moment, and simply handed it to her, softly asking, “What’s wrong?” 

That was also what others wanted to ask. After years of interaction, they all knew that Luo Xiang wasn’t a rude and unreasonable person. If she lost due to lack of skill, she would be disappointed but would only return to her cave to cry secretly, never losing her composure in public. 

Luo Xiang took the handkerchief and wiped her face haphazardly, looking at him: “Xiao Bai, I was set up!” 

When the sect’s summons was issued, she happened to be outside carrying out a task assigned by her master and wasn’t at Peifeng Sect. 

Someone had secretly destroyed the summons given to her by the sect, and it was only when her master came to find her that she learned about the significant event of the secret realm opening. 

She rushed back immediately, but the preliminary tests had already been completed, and there were no rules allowing her to join midway, causing her to miss this opportunity entirely. 

“If I had been eliminated due to my cultivation level not being up to par, I would accept my defeat. But now, I can’t make sense of this at all; I refuse to accept it!” 

Luo Xiang’s eyes were red with unwillingness as she looked at Lu Xiaobai, and there was a hint of something unknown in her gaze. 

Lin Ji, standing nearby, sensed the subtle emotions from Luo Xiang and felt a bit of admiration. 

He hadn’t seen Luo Xiang in his previous life, but her name was well-known. Lu Xiaobai later became famous, and people were eager to dig up stories about his romantic affairs, which would inevitably mention this woman—though he had read in the story that the name Luo Xiang was a taboo for Lu Xiaobai, and he never allowed anyone to mention it. Unfortunately, he couldn’t control the mouths of gossipers, and many would gossip behind his back without mentioning it in front of him. 

Lin Ji had always viewed Luo Xiang as Long Aotian’s childhood sweetheart, forgetting that she was first and foremost her own person, not anyone’s appendage. 

Seeing her now, he realized she was a true beauty with substance. 

Luo Xiang quietly complained, “You’re all my good friends; why didn’t anyone send me a message…” 

Anyone would feel upset in this situation. Lin Ji put himself in her shoes and thought he would have exploded by now: “Have you found out who it was?” 

At the very least, they needed to find the person who stabbed her in the back. Lin Ji was quite good at venting his anger for his junior sister. 

“Right, who was it?” Other male and female cultivators who came to comfort her also chimed in, all looking indignant: “We will definitely seek justice for you!” 

Luo Xiang finally calmed down and shook her head; she hadn’t had the mood to investigate before. 

“Junior Sister.” 

Lu Xiaobai suddenly called out. 

Lin Ji looked at Lu Xiaobai: he had been silent since earlier, and when Luo Xiang complained about no one notifying her, Lin Ji noticed his eyes flickered for a moment. 

Now, Lu Xiaobai raised his head decisively and said, “Don’t be discouraged; there’s still a chance.” 

Everyone was taken aback, and Luo Xiang quickly asked, “What chance?” 

Lu Xiaobai’s eyes sparkled like stars: “The leader of Zhu Jian Peak once forged a heavy sword, but it’s inconvenient to carry. Every time he goes out, he selects a sword attendant.” 

“If you can be chosen as the sword attendant, you will definitely be able to enter the secret realm.” 

To be honest, giving someone a sword was a trivial matter. The leader of Zhu Jian Peak could have easily assigned it to one person, but he changed it every time, not just for show, but to give disciples a chance to train. 

Being chosen as the sword attendant was equivalent to receiving personal guidance from the leader. By then, if they went, having one more person in the secret realm wouldn’t harm the sect. 

Luo Xiang was stunned for a moment before bursting into tears of joy: “But will the leader really choose a sword attendant?” 

All the spiritual swords for Peifeng Sect disciples were provided by Zhu Jian Peak. The leader himself probably didn’t even know how many spiritual swords he had forged in his lifetime, and he had kept many outstanding swords for himself, changing them each time he went out. 

Lu Xiaobai said firmly, “You go back and prepare; leave it to me. Trust me.” 

Luo Xiang reignited her hope, “Okay! No matter the outcome, since there’s still a chance, I will do my best.” 

She put away her sword and was about to leave, but paused, turning back to show her smile again: “As for the person who set me up, I’ll handle it myself. I won’t let that person off.” 

Everyone exchanged glances, and after Luo Xiang left, they gathered around. 

“But didn’t the leader clearly say he wouldn’t take the heavy sword this time?” 

“How can you casually say things without confirmation? Giving hope only to have it dashed would be even crueler to Junior Sister Luo Xiang!” 

Lin Ji was also shocked, looking at Lu Xiaobai in surprise, “What do you plan to do?” 

Lu Xiaobai raised his perfectly curved smile, looking back at Lin Ji: “There’s nothing in this world that can’t be changed, especially just the words of an elder.” 

“Wait for my good news.” 

After saying that, Lu Xiaobai turned and left. 

Everyone was dumbfounded: “…” 

It seemed like they were seeing Lu Xiaobai show his spirited and confident side for the first time. 

Lin Ji clenched his fists, unable to hide his excitement. 

This was the Lu Xiaobai he had been waiting for; he was finally no longer pretending, and this was the lifelong enemy he had encountered in his previous life.