Chapter Fourteen: The Secret Realm, Broken Sword Canyon

The C-class secret realm, Broken Sword Canyon, possesses a vast interior space. In terms of sheer area, it is at least ten times the size of the Poison Moon Forest. The canyon is primarily composed of four sections: the Sword Shadow Passage, the Canyon Labyrinth, the Fire Spirit Forge, and the Great Sword Plateau. The objective of Mi Chen’s commission, the Molten Element Crystal, can only be found in the Fire Spirit Forge.

After Mi Chen and Qi Xiaoyun passed through the main gate, they found themselves in a canyon passage resembling an ancient battlefield. Broken swords and shattered spears were thrust into the ground; gray fog curled through the air, and the occasional sinister wind caused tattered flags to flap with a mournful sound.

"Is this the Sword Shadow Passage?" Qi Xiaoyun asked.

Mi Chen shook his head. "This is at best just the outer perimeter. What lies ahead is the real thing."

The two continued forward until a colossal sword of heaven-piercing height appeared before them. The massive blade was broken and embedded in the earth; it was so immense that it blocked out the sky, leaving the canyon floor in perpetual darkness. As they passed through the ruins of a fortress, the magic in the air shifted abruptly. Qi Xiaoyun’s expression soured, as the change in magical energy made her feel deeply uncomfortable. Mi Chen, however, was already accustomed to it.

"We’re here," he said calmly. "Stay close to me from now on."

Qi Xiaoyun nodded. Just as they reached a fork in the path, Mi Chen suddenly stopped.

"What’s wrong?" Qi Xiaoyun asked.

"Enemies."

Mi Chen drew his Blood-Thirst Blade. The thorns of the blade pierced his palm, greedily sucking his blood. Mi Chen, long accustomed to the agony, allowed the blade to drink until it was satisfied. The crimson edge shimmered with a chilling, malevolent light. Qi Xiaoyun had not expected the weapon in Mi Chen’s hand to be so ferocious.

"I’ll leave the rear to you," Mi Chen said, placing absolute trust in her.

"Leave it to me!" Qi Xiaoyun drew the twin blades at her waist. She specialized in dual-blade techniques, excelling in sharp, agile, high-speed combinations. As she channeled her magic, the magical circuits in her right palm emitted a pale purple glow. Mi Chen noticed with surprise that Qi Xiaoyun’s presence had vanished. It wasn't a physical disappearance, but rather, from the perspective of magical energy, her existence had become impossible to detect, even though she stood right in front of him.

*No wonder,* Mi Chen thought. *This ability is perfect for reconnaissance.*

At that moment, the monsters appeared. Seven [Bone-Hunting Hounds] burst forth from the gray mist. Although they were only early-stage Level 1, they relied on their numbers. Furthermore, hound-type monsters were adept at teamwork; in terms of threat, they were no less dangerous than a peak-level Level 1 monster. The seven hounds surrounded Mi Chen and Qi Xiaoyun, forming a siege formation and waiting for the alpha’s command to tear the humans before them to shreds.

As this was her first time encountering so many monsters, Qi Xiaoyun felt a flicker of fear, yet she did not show the slightest sign of cowardice. Burning within her purple eyes was a fierce fighting spirit. Through his Magic Eye, Mi Chen judged that Qi Xiaoyun’s magic power had just barely crossed 110; relying solely on her sword skills, she could handle at most two hounds.

A bold battle plan formed in his mind, and he whispered it to her. Qi Xiaoyun was startled, not expecting Mi Chen to entrust her with such a key task. However, Mi Chen had complete faith in his senior sister. Whether in terms of talent for magic or for the blade, Qi Xiaoyun was far superior to him. Moreover, at only fourteen years old, her future was limitless.

"Awoo!!!" The alpha hound in the distance let out a howl. Under the influence of that roar, all the hounds’ eyes turned blood-red as they entered a berserk state. The six hounds transformed into streaks of lightning, charging forward at incredible speeds.

"Now!" Mi Chen and Qi Xiaoyun acted decisively.

Mi Chen, whose magic power reached 493, slew an incoming hound with a single strike. [Magic Power +0]. The gap in strength was too great; it seemed he could no longer increase his magic this way. He followed up with another strike, a "Serpent-Style Wind Blade," killing a hound that was attacking Qi Xiaoyun from the flank. [Magic Power +0].

"Now is the time!" Qi Xiaoyun dodged a hound’s pounce and leaped several meters away. Taking advantage of the gap, Mi Chen unleashed another Serpent-Style Wind Blade, instantly cleaving another hound in two. [Magic Power +0].

There were three hounds and one alpha left. Qi Xiaoyun sprinted toward the alpha, her presence so suppressed that the hounds didn't react until it was too late. By the time they noticed her, Mi Chen had already arrived. The Level 1 hounds were no match for him; even with the alpha’s enhancement, they fell to his blade one by one. Under normal circumstances, Mi Chen wouldn't have bothered with this, but his goal was to provide Qi Xiaoyun with training.

With the obstacles cleared, Qi Xiaoyun broke through and charged straight at the alpha standing on high ground. The alpha realized too late that it was the one being hunted. It tried to flee, but Qi Xiaoyun gave it no chance. She cut off its retreat with one blade, and when it tried to counterattack with its claws, she blocked it with the other.

The two separated. The alpha let out a roar, its magic surging. Its body expanded rapidly, reaching the size of a pony, its muscles bulging and its fur shimmering with an ominous dark light. Suddenly, the alpha lunged, its speed beyond imagination. Qi Xiaoyun flickered, sliding to the side like a phantom, easily evading the lethal blow while her twin blades flashed like lightning, leaving silver trails in the air. The alpha was struck, sustaining several deep wounds.

These were not fatal, however. Instead, the pain sent the beast into a frenzy; it leaped and snapped incessantly. Qi Xiaoyun remained light as a swallow, her eyes flashing with cold light. She dodged every attack at impossible angles. As the alpha’s assault grew more ferocious, Qi Xiaoyun’s movements began to slow.

Mi Chen did not intervene. He realized that Qi Xiaoyun was observing the alpha’s attack patterns, searching for a chance to kill it in one strike. Finally, the alpha unleashed a full-power pounce, its violent magic surging like a sharp blade. Qi Xiaoyun did not dodge; her right arm was struck, and blood began to flow. But she did not change her stance due to the pain; compared to her past training, this was nothing.

Just as the alpha prepared to launch a second assault to end her life, Qi Xiaoyun suddenly locked eyes with it. Although a Level 1 monster lacks intelligence, it possesses a primal fear of death. A flying blade suddenly appeared from nowhere; the alpha reacted instantly, narrowly avoiding the lethal projectile.

In that split second of evasion, the alpha realized the blade was merely a feint. Qi Xiaoyun erupted into motion, a black whirlwind closing the distance instantly. She swung both blades simultaneously, precisely severing the hound’s throat. Blood gushed forth like a fountain, and the alpha’s massive body collapsed to the ground, dead.

"A beautiful strike!" Mi Chen praised.

Qi Xiaoyun panted, smiling triumphantly. "Well, of course." She took out a hemostatic agent from her pocket and injected it into her right arm; the bleeding stopped almost immediately. She took a few healing pills, leaving the rest to slow recovery. In the secret realm, simple flesh wounds could be managed with medicine, but severe injuries—broken limbs or damaged organs—required a specialist healer.

Neither Mi Chen nor Qi Xiaoyun were healing hunters. Mi Chen was better off, possessing the "Blood-Qi Recovery" skill, but it only worked on himself. *If only I could acquire a healing skill,* he thought. The "Plunder Magic Eye" could theoretically grant any skill, provided the monster was at least as strong as he was. However, the skill obtained was random, based on what the monster had used.

Qi Xiaoyun pried a gray-black fang from the alpha hound. It seemed the beast had dropped a material—a stroke of good luck. She was delighted; the fang would sell for at least 12,000 credits. Watching her skilled movements as she harvested the material, Mi Chen asked about her abilities. Her magic circuit was of the "Manipulation" type, with the ability [Colorless], which allowed her to hide her magical fluctuations and erase the presence of objects.

As she had shown in battle, she could hide her flying blades to launch surprise attacks. Used for reconnaissance or assassination, this ability was terrifying. She could even suppress her magic to appear as a normal person—which explained why Mi Chen hadn't noticed anything unusual at the martial arts hall. It wasn't until he saw her wearing a mask that the familiar magical signature and aura revealed her identity as Nightblade.

With the monsters cleared, they pressed deeper. To reach the Molten Element Crystal, they had to traverse the Sword Shadow Passage and find the large freight elevator in the Canyon Labyrinth that led underground. Half an hour later, they finally cleared the passage. Since it was the outermost area, the monsters were weak, none exceeding Level 1. Qi Xiaoyun handled them all with ease, her progress rapid and her magic power surging with every battle. Mi Chen couldn't help but sigh; it was no wonder that early awakeners held such great potential. At fourteen or fifteen, the body’s adaptability to magic was at its peak. It was no surprise that almost all top-tier hunters achieved fame in their youth.