Brother Parrot was currently sprawled on the ground in a rather pitiful state, lying beside a spirit beast pouch with a noticeable hole torn in it.
Jian Dan looked faintly annoyed—she hadn't disguised herself properly in time, since the pouch had been enough to restrain Brother Parrot, and she hadn't expected an escape.
But her expression remained unreadable. Before Parrot could react, she swiftly scooped him up, her fingers infused with spiritual energy to firmly grip his tiny claws.
Gently stroking his feathers from head to tail, she smiled sweetly.
"Parrot, what exactly did you see just now?"
Parrot shivered in her arms, then stammered, "P-Parrot saw nothing! Parrot just broke out of the pouch and feels dizzy…"
With that, he flopped over dramatically, pretending to faint.
"Oh my, such a poor little thing," Jian Dan murmured playfully. "Should I roast you well-done, or bring your whole corpse back intact?"
This time, Parrot's trembling was real—but he kept up the act.
Jian Dan wasn't so easily fooled. A thin thread of Verdant Flame leapt from her fingertip, forming a glowing ring of fire that encircled the parrot. The circle slowly began to tighten.
"WAIT! Don't burn Parrot! Parrot is useful! Parrot swears never to speak of today, or may Parrot never cultivate again and be reborn as a worm!"
Threatened by the exotic flame, Parrot finally broke. He fluttered frantically out of reach, swearing allegiance in a panic.
At that moment, the Heavenly Dao responded. Oath established.
Jian Dan exhaled quietly. She really didn't want to make an enemy of someone with such a powerful background—not unless she had to. It'd only bring trouble on herself.
"Why so scared? I was just messing with you." She smirked. "Don't you have that life-saving treasure your big brother gave you? You think I could actually hurt you?"
Parrot flopped onto his back, wings shaking as he pointed accusingly.
"Y-You…!"
"Me what?"
"I… forgot about them!"
Jian Dan burst into laughter. "Ah, such lack of experience. Good thing I'm a kind-hearted fairy, or else—"
"Hmph!" The parrot huffed, turning his back on her with his tail feathers raised high, sulking in her arms. "Big brother was right. Can't trust anyone else."
Just then, the entire island began to tremble—first a faint vibration, then a violent shudder as the earth cracked apart. The island began to collapse, rapidly sinking into the sea.
Jian Dan reacted swiftly, tossing her newly acquired airship into the sky. She stuffed parrot back into her sleeve and leapt aboard, steering the ship away from the collapsing landmass while keeping within a safe range to observe the scene.
The secluded island she'd chosen, remote and unassuming, sank below the waves at a speed visible to the naked eye. At the center of the sea, a massive whirlpool began to form. Faint violet light shimmered within its heart, glowing upward against the current, slowly spreading across the water's surface.
"Little Bamboo! Catch those purple sparks!"
Without hesitation, Jian Dan maneuvered the ship to the vortex's edge and cast the Thousand Cloud Net. The whirlpool's pull was fierce, dragging the net inward, but she poured in more spiritual energy and yanked it back.
Not daring to linger, Jian Dan channeled more spiritual energy, reeling in the net. Without even checking what she'd caught, she turned the ship around and flew away from the expanding vortex.
"How many tokens did we get?" Parrot peeked out.
Jian Dan shook out the net—three violet sparks tumbled into her palm. As she touched one, it solidified into a slender crystal plaque etched with the character "紫" (Purple).
"A secret realm token?"
"Yes," Parrot confirmed. "This is a Purple Rank Secret Realm—opens once every ten thousand years. With these, we can enter three days early."
"Oh?"
"This disturbance probably hasn't gone unnoticed. All the major sects and ancient cultivation clans likely have intelligence on this secret realm. Even within a Purple-grade realm, there are central zones and peripheral ones. The deeper the location, the better the fortune."
"Those with tokens get a three-day head start. That's enough to explore a lot."
"But unknown dangers come with it too. Who knows what's changed inside after ten thousand years?"
"You're right. But risk and reward go hand in hand. The last batch of cultivators—human, demon, or beast—who emerged alive from this realm all became great powers in their time."
"Soon, all the sect elites will descend to seize tokens and fight for opportunities."
"And us?"
"Best to enter as soon as it stabilizes. Within three days, waves of cultivators will arrive, and there will definitely be bloodshed."
"Those with tokens enter early. Those without must wait three days—and once the realm reaches its limit, no more will be allowed in."
Jian Dan nodded in understanding. She immediately began searching for a place to lie low and prepare. Once the Violet-grade secret realm stabilized, they would make their move.
"Fellow Daoist ahead—might you have already reaped something of value?"