A large number of cultivators gathered before a large transparent wall. Some were meditating and sitting cross-legged, while others flew around with frowns on their faces, and the majority stood at a distance with their arms crossed. The large transparent wall was the only entrance found to a gargantuan crystal structure in the middle of the continental-sized island.
Beyond the crystal structure, it was easy to spot an endless garden that stretched far beyond their sight. Moreover, the crystal and transparent walls had properties to block the spiritual sense. So, the ability for cultivators to look far was limited.
“Any progress in deciphering the formation?”
A human woman who stood at a distance crossed her arms and asked the people roaming around the transparent wall.
One of the people flying around frowned and glared back. “If we keep getting interrupted, we will naturally be unable to decipher anything. Please stay silent.”
The woman snorted, her lips arched disdainfully. “You speak too confidently for someone who has failed to open the garden for several thousand years. I don’t even know why our sect keeps sending you when we will end up in failure either way.”
The middle-aged man showed anger for a second before waving his sleeve and focusing again on the complex formation protecting the garden.
While everyone was waiting and sighing, they noticed a new arrival. The person who arrived was enveloped in a dark mantle, showing her perfectly smooth and beautiful chin. Above it, her seductive, moist, and soft reddish lips were arched in a faint curve, while her white, glossy skin appeared so tender that water would come out if you squeezed it strongly.
Just the jaw, lips, and nose of the woman were enough to accelerate the hearts of all the people present. The human woman who spoke previously frowned and asked, confused. “Who are you?”
The woman hiding below the dark mantle looked over for a second before glancing towards the large crowd standing at a distance. “Did you ask the same of each of those people?”
The human woman’s eyebrows gently rose. “It seems that you are a rogue cultivator.”
The woman below the mantle didn’t show any emotions. Instead of answering, she moved silently towards the crowd. When she turned, everyone could see that the mantle behind her extended far beyond usual standards. Clearly, the woman had some sort of tail, even if it was hidden.
The human woman smiled faintly, her gaze full of interest. “Aren’t you curious as to why I was able to guess when you were hiding your appearance?”
The woman with the mantle answered faintly. “You probably are someone influential and my ignorance about your identity revealed it.”
“Ho~?” The human woman flew and landed right in front of the new arrival. It was only then that she noticed one fact. ‘She is tall.’
Standing in front of her, the human woman needed to raise her head to look into the dark void that hid most of her facial features. “Is there anything wrong?”
The pleasant and mellow voice carried a hint of distortion. Yet, that distortion didn’t make it unpleasant; it only gave it a layer of mysteriousness that piqued the human woman’s interest. “I am Feng Shaotian, part of the Azure Cloud Pavilion. My sect specializes in Formations, and I am the leader of the expedition tasked to break the formation.”
Feng Shaotian finally saw the tall woman lower her chin to look at her, and a strange satisfaction spread in her heart. ‘Hm… Her scent is truly delightful, like the aroma of a sweet flower bed. I am getting intoxicated just being near her.’
“Sorry for the offense, but I don’t have a name to share. Still, if Lady Feng isn’t disdainful of this little one, you can call me Katherine.”
“Katherine…” Feng Shaotian muttered, as if tasting how the name rolled on her tongue. “That’s a peculiar name. But I like it. Tell me, Katherine, why are you hiding your identity?”
Katherine’s lips arched faintly, tempting the viewer to kiss them. “If I could answer that question, I wouldn’t be hiding in the first place, don’t you think?”
Feng Shaotian chuckled. “That’s true, I guess. Would you like to sit over there and share a cup of tea?”
Katherine hummed, her head tilting as if confused at Feng Shaotian’s approachable attitude. Noticing it, the woman smiled. “You don’t need to be on guard. I was just curious and feel some kind of attraction toward you, Katherine. So, take it as me taking a fancy to you at first glance.”
Katherine seemed thoughtful for a second, and then her beautiful red lips parted, causing an itchy thirst in those looking at them. “I understand. I’ll be rude and accept Lady Feng’s hospitality.”
Feng Shaotian’s gaze moved from Katherine’s lips, and she smiled. “Over here, follow me.”
The tall woman and the shorter one moved together to the side, arriving at an open table with refreshments prepared. Using a wave of her hand, the woman wearing the dark mantle sat comfortably and moved the tail that was hidden below so that it didn’t bother her.
Feng Shaotian, looking at her actions, felt a strange itch in her heart. ‘I want to touch her hidden tail. I wonder, is it a furry one or a scaly one? Perhaps it is smooth and slick.’
She was someone who liked human beasts a lot; many of her friends were of other races, and most of them had tails, ears, and other beast parts that were pleasant to the eyes. Of course, the type she liked were those who mostly resembled humans but had those extra beast details.
‘I wonder if she will let me touch it if I ask…’ Feng Shaotian shook her head. ‘We’ve known each other for a short time, and some human beasts take touching their tails as something very personal.’
As she was thinking, she heard Katherine speaking lightly. “If I may ask, how long will your experts take to open the garden’s entrance?”
Feng Shaotian chuckled twice. “Direct to the point, are we?”
The woman took a teacup and gently brought it to her lips. After a gentle sip that moistened her already glossy lips, she chuckled. “I don’t know Lady Feng, so I decided to start the conversation with something easy to answer. Excuse me if I was rude.”
“Not at all, I like direct people.” Feng Shaotian answered generously. Then, she sighed. “My answer will probably upset you, Katherine.”
“Oh? May I ask why?”
“Of course.” The woman nodded. “It seems that you are rather new to this Secret Realm, but the Garden has never been opened before this year. The formation that is protecting the entrance is too complex and strong for our limited strength. If it were outside, opening it wouldn’t take longer than a few years, but here, it is too difficult.”
The woman paused and looked toward the entrance. Feng Shaotian didn’t follow her gaze and continued to look at the exceptionally attractive neck, chin, and lips that the mantle revealed. ‘Just a glance and I can tell that she is an incredible beauty. I hope she shows me her face later if we ever become friends.’
As she spoke, Katherine asked her. “If that’s the case… May I give it a try?”
Feng Shaotian and many others, eavesdropping on their conversation, all looked at her simultaneously.
“Hahaha!” The middle-aged man from before laughed and turned around, his eyes disdainful. “You are truly an egregious person. With me here, you still dare to say that you want to give it a try? Do you even know who I am?”
Katherine, who was looking at Feng Shaotian for permission, turned her head. The middle-aged man smiled. “If you know, then…”
“I don’t.”
Feng Shaotian blinked and looked at Katherine.
The middle-aged man made a strange sound. “Huh?”
The woman repeated. “I don’t know who you are, Lord. So, I am unaware as to why I received such disrespect. Could you please speak more comfortably and explain instead of pointing your nose to the sky? It is unbecoming.”
“Pft.” Feng Shaotian had to take the tea and place it on her lips; she almost burst into laughter.
The middle-aged man frowned and looked at Katherine with a hostile gaze. “Were you never taught how to respect your seniors?”
Katherine sighed, placing the cup on the table with a clink. “I have not spoken to you before, and I do not know who you are; therefore, I am unable to know if you are a senior or a junior. May I ask, senior, why are you acting so antagonistically? I just asked a question. And, if asking a question is enough to hurt your pride, you might want to check your Heart Demons.”
All the people who had initially taken the woman’s comment as a matter of disrespect became thoughtful and nodded. “That lady is right. She was just asking questions.”
“To be fair, Lord Feng was the rude one on this occasion.”
“I admire Lord Feng, but this time, he reacted too egregiously.”
Feng Shaotian spoke gently before the middle-aged man reached. “Uncle Feng, control your temper.” The woman’s sharp gaze turned to the side. “Let Lady Katherine at least try once. After she fails, you can lecture her as much as you want. However, judging people from their appearance is a big taboo. You, as my elder, should know this better than I do.”
After hearing the surrounding comments and Feng Shaotian’s words, the middle-aged man’s face turned red from embarrassment. However, he just waved his hand in a huff and spoke to Yasenia. “Since you are so great, go ahead. But, when you are ashamed and fail, you'd better kowtow and apologize for your disrespect!”
Feng Shaotian saw Katherine sigh and slowly stand. “I am still unsure of what disrespect I committed. So, I will humbly decline. Still, not to leave a bad feeling between us, I will admit that I was wrong in challenging a senior’s authority.”
Those words surprised Feng Shaotian. Even if they only exchanged a few words, she could sense that the woman she spoke to had a strong pride. For someone like that to apologize, it was not something they would do easily. ‘Is she intimidated by our background?’
While she pondered, she saw the woman approach the tall transparent wall and look at it thoughtfully. Then, while everyone was observing either curiously or disdainfully, the woman took a step back and punched.
BOOM!!
The shockwave from the punch startled everyone, causing most people to be pushed back by the aftershock. Feng Shaotian’s eyes widened as well. ‘Impossible! What is that strength!? A single punch can create an effect like that at our level!?’
The middle-aged man was also stunned, but soon, he was angry. “You! How dare you attack the formation and use such brutish methods!? Don’t you understand—”
Crack…
The very faint sound felt as loud as the thunderclap of a Heavenly Tribulation. Everyone froze in place, looking at the location where the woman punched.
“Hm… I guess I can do it.”
After her words, energy gathered, and then, they saw the woman punch again. The momentum of her punch this time was several times stronger.
BOOM!!!
CRRRAAACK!
A spiderweb spread upward, and soon after, the transparent barrier was shattered like fragile glass.
Feng Shaotian and the others were petrified. They only reacted after the woman started walking ahead and tried to enter the garden.
“W-Wait! Lady Katherine! Let me go with you!”
Feng Shaotian called out, and the woman stopped and looked back. Her seductive lips arched faintly. “Alright.”