While Xue Jiye and Gao Dongya looked around for a secure spot where they could cultivate safely, outside the Mystic Realm, Long Yijun and the others were baffled by Yuan's disappearance.
"W-Where's Disciple Yuan? I thought each sect was supposed to be transported together?" Elder Shan mumbled in a dazed voice.
The other Sect Masters were also puzzled by this since they were also looking for Yuan, who was the number one threat to them at this moment.
"Where's the Young Master? I can't see him in the mirror at all!" Feng Yuxiang exclaimed after looking at every sect in the mirror.
Meanwhile, on Xiao Hua's face was a deep frown, looking quite worried, even a little bit angry.
BOOM!
Suddenly, Xiao Hua released her third level Spirit King cultivation base, scaring the living hell out of everybody there.
Then they watched as Xiao Hua retrieved a massive sword that was thrice her size before flying towards Senior Nie, looking very aggressive.
Senior Nie nearly had a heart attack when he saw Xiao Hua flying at him with a huge sword, and he also retrieved his own weapon to defend himself.
"What do you think you're doing, Fellow Daoist?! Are you trying to anger the heavens by causing a commotion in the Lower Heavens?!" Senior Nie asked her.
"What happened?"
"Who's the little girl?"
The voices coming from the crystal ball were filled with shock and puzzlement when they saw a little girl attack Senior Nie.
Xiao Hua stopped a few meters away from Senior Nie before pointing her massive sword at him and speaking in a serious voice, "What did you do to Brother Yuan?! If you lie, I will cut you down!"
"Yuan… Are you talking about that talented young man with the black mask? I had nothing to do with his disappearance, and I am as puzzled as you are! Furthermore, I only have the power to open and close the Mystic Realm, nothing else! Once they enter the Mystic Realm, I have no control!" Senior Nie said.
"Calm down and put your sword away before you anger the heavens!" Senior Nie then said.
"..."
Xiao Hua did not immediately put her sword away and stared at Senior Nie in silence.
A few moments later, Xiao Hua lowered the sword, handling the massive thing as though it was as light as a branch.
Senior Nie glanced at the sword in Xiao Hua's hands, and his heart skipped a beat when he realized its quality.
'Mythic-grade treasure?!' he cried inwardly.
Mythic-grade treasures were two grades above Divine-grade, and they are almost nonexistent even in the Spirit Heavens!
'This little girl is definitely from a place even higher than Spirit Heavens! I cannot offend her no matter what!'
Senior Nie cleared his throat before speaking, "I know you're worried about that young man's disappearance, but believe me when I say you don't have to. The Mystic Realm is not an evil place. In fact, it's the complete opposite, being a place where people can go inside and train, and nobody has ever died inside."
"As for why that young man was separated from his group, one can only assume that the Mystic Realm made a mistake and separated him by accident. But you don't have to worry since he'll most likely show up sooner or later."
After a moment of silence, Xiao Hua said, "If Brother Yuan doesn't return in one month, Xiao Hua will make you take responsibility."
Senior Nie swallowed nervously after hearing Xiao Hua's threatening words.
"Hey! Who do you think you're talking to?! That's Senior Nie from—"
"I understand." Senior Nie interrupted one of the voices coming from the crystal ball, and he continued, "I will take full responsibility if that young man doesn't return."
Xiao Hua nodded her head before returning to the Dragon Essence Temple's side and proceeded to act as nothing had happened, dumbfounding everyone there.
"Who was that little girl just now?" One of the voices from the crystal ball asked afterward.
"I don't know. However, she's a third-level Spirit King with a Mythic-grade treasure… I'm pretty confident that she came from a realm even above the Spirit Heavens." Senior Nie explained to them.
"What?! Above the Spirit Heavens?! What is such an individual doing at the Lower Heavens?!"
The voices expressed their shock and disbelief.
"I know. I almost couldn't believe it at first, but I don't know of a 'Xiao Hua' in the Spirit Heavens, and there's no way such an individual could be a nobody." Senior Nie sighed, and he continued, "As for that young man, I can only hope that he returns, or my life is in danger…"
The crystal balls remained silent. None of them would have imagined that such a situation could be possible— that a Spirit King's life could be in danger in the Lower Heavens where Spirit Lords are nonexistent, much less a Spirit King!
"You worry too much, Xiao Hua. The Young Master will be fine even if the heavens fall on him." Feng Yuxiang said to her after she returned.
Xiao Hua didn't say anything, only nodding her head, still with a slight frown on her face.
Meanwhile, inside the Mystic Realm, after opening his eyes, Yuan found himself surrounded by dried trees and leaves.
"Where am I? What happened to the other two?" Yuan raised his eyebrows with a puzzled look on his face.
"Disciple Xue? Disciple Gao? Are you two here?" Yuan shouted their names, but alas, there was no response, almost like he was the only one there.
After standing around for a few moments, Yuan suddenly turned to look in a certain direction, as he could hear a faint whisper coming from that direction.
"Come…"
"Here…"
"Who's there?!" Yuan called out to the voice.
However, the voice continued to beckon him.
"Come…"
"Come…"
"Here…"
Yuan swallowed nervously. Although the voice gave an eerie vibe, he couldn't feel any malice from it.
After pondering for a moment, Yuan decided to follow this voice.