A cascade of light erupted above the arena as the remaining participants vanished, one by one. A few elders watching from the highest pavilion narrowed their eyes.
"Looks like they've all entered safely," one murmured.
Another chuckled. "Some of the top clans knew this would be a secret realm trial. Their heirs are already carrying enough pills and talismans to last weeks."
High in the pavilion, an old man with a serene gaze whispered, "Let's see who survives."
---
When the light faded, the cultivators were gone from the arena—but the trial had only just begun.
The Secret Realm was a vast and ancient dimension, formed by an incomplete fragment of a divine inheritance site. Rich with spiritual qi and filled with unknown dangers, it pulsed with primordial life. Mountains floated in the sky, rivers ran backward, and ancient trees grew as tall as towers.
The terrain was ever-changing—lush forests, crystalline deserts, poisoned swamps, icy peaks, flame valleys, and places even stranger.
–––––
A faint glimmer rippled across a clearing surrounded by towering jade-green trees. With a pulse of light, Li Qingyun appeared, knees slightly bent, one hand on the hilt of his sword. His white robe fluttered slightly in the cool wind, and his expression was as still as water.The faint scent of spiritual herbs wafted through the air. In front of him, nestled among moss-covered stones, glowed a Silverleaf Fire Orchid—a rare flame-attributed herb.
The heavy spiritual qi pressing down on the land wasn't oppressive—it was invigorating. Richer, thicker, more alive than anything outside.
A perfect land to temper oneself—and perhaps, to take the first step toward a new path.
With a flick of thought, a translucent panel opened before his eyes.
---
[System Interface]
[Host:] Li Qingyun
[Realm:] Qi Gathering Realm (8th Stage)
[Physique:] Primal Chaos Vessel Physique
[Slots:]
Slot 1: Jade Body Tempering Scripture
Slot 2: Unoccupied
(Slot 3 Locked – Requires 100 Energy Points)
[Techniques:]
Jade Body Tempering Scripture – Perfect (Transcendent unlock at 100 points) — [Slotted]
Ninefold Essence Sutra – Perfect
Voidcleave Sword Manual – Perfect (Sword Intent: Budding Edge)
Phantom Step Art – Perfect
[Energy:] 23 points
---
He closed the screen, lips tightening slightly.
He charged some energy before coming in the secret realm. His resources are not infinite so he doesn't carelessly charge all of his spiritual objects into points.
"The elders were right. This place is saturated in opportunity—and danger."
"I need points. This realm might be dangerous—but it's also full of fuel."
With a glance at the rustling underbrush, his hand hovered over his sword.
Indeed, the Li Clan, one of the few with deep ties to the organizing sects, had received hints that the final round would occur in a secret realm. Quietly, they had spent weeks preparing Li Qingyun—specialized nourishing pills, talismans, and high-grade utility treasures filled his storage pouch.
He touched the green jade token around his neck—warm, pulsing faintly—and then the emergency talisman sealed at his waist. For him, this was not just survival—it was a trial of his conviction.
---
Remaining Participants (25):
1. Li Qingyun
2. Qin Wushuang
3. Mu Yihan
4. Xia Shuying
5. Feng Jue
6.Bai Yu
7. Luo Min
8. Han Zhen
9. Yu Qing
10. Sheng Lian
11. Ji Wuxin
12. Lu Qingzhi
13. Tang Hu
14. Yan Wei
15. Guo Tiancheng
16. Rong Yue
17. Lin Xiang
18. Zhao Ruyan
19. Wu Hong
20. Huo Zeming
21. Mei Xuan
22. Si Yulan
23. Cheng Yuan
24. Duan Li
25. Xie Fen
The secret realm was vast—its geography mimicking a wild continent. Mountains of green fire, valleys with floating rivers, and forests that whispered to themselves.
Each participant was teleported far from the others.
---
–Xia Shuying
Xia Shuying stood alone in a frozen expanse. Winds howled across jagged ice cliffs. She gazed up, her black hair whipping behind her, and narrowed her eyes.
In her hand, she gripped her thin sword. A sliver of sword qi shimmered faintly along its edge.
"Nothing for miles. But cold like this means the land is preserved… There may be ancient remnants buried here."
Her quiet voice was full of steel. She turned westward and began walking, each step careful but deliberate.
---
–Qin Wushuang
A deep canyon echoed with the sound of cracking lightning.
Qin Wushuang appeared standing on a narrow ledge, lightning arcs crawling along the stone around him. A look of awe flickered in his eyes before he smirked.
"Heavenly thunder essence… fortune favors the bold."
He sat down cross-legged without hesitation, pulling out a jade vial and swallowing its contents before beginning to absorb the ambient thunder qi around him.
---
–Mu Yihan
Knee-deep in a shimmering marsh, Mu Yihan remained still. The water glowed faintly, reflecting a dreamlike scene.
At her feet, she noticed moonlight lilies blooming—extremely rare herbs known to grow only in locations with balanced yin energy.
"This place is beautiful… but dangerous. I need to be careful. The qi here is too still."
She moved swiftly across the water, her silhouette blending with the mist.
---
–Feng Jue
Trees like crystal, leaves like silver.
Feng Jue materialized amidst towering mirror trees. His reflection stared back at him from every angle. He grinned as he recognized a floating spiritual fruit hovering nearby.
"Some people get lucky."
He leapt, wind swirling beneath his feet, and snatched the fruit in one smooth motion—then froze.
From the reflection, something moved behind him.
---
–Bai Yu
A desert of white sand and scattered bones greeted Bai Yu. The air was dry, scorching. Her brows furrowed.
"Nothing useful. And the air's unstable… a spirit storm might pass through."
She crouched low, brushing the sand aside—only to uncover a buried jade talisman.
"Or maybe this place isn't so empty after all."
---
–Luo Min
The moment Luo Min appeared, whispers tickled his ears. Tall, dark trees bent slightly toward him.
"Illusions?"
He quickly bit his tongue, the pain snapping him to focus. He cast a detection spell—and gasped. Rare Nightshade Spirit Fruit, nearly invisible to the naked eye, grew at the base of the whispering tree.
---
–Han Zhen
Amid rivers of magma and jagged obsidian peaks, Han Zhen stood unfazed.
"Extreme fire qi. I can refine my meridians here."
He summoned a protective barrier and began cultivating on a molten rock.
---
–Yu Qing
A peaceful blue pond stretched out, filled with lotus blossoms glowing with spiritual light.
Yu Qing, whose gentle aura harmonized with nature, sat calmly on a rock. He smiled faintly.
"A chance to cultivate. But… I doubt I'm alone here."
He extended his senses—and felt a ripple in the water.
––––
Other participants also teleported to random places.
Sheng Lian emerged near an abandoned ruin filled with cracked formations.
Ji Wuxin landed in a misty valley where time itself seemed slower.
Lu Qingzhi was dropped into a cave filled with metal veins—perfect for crafting.
Tang Hu found himself face-to-face with a spirit beast right on arrival.
Yan Wei landed in a barren land where nothing lived—but the earth trembled.
Guo Tiancheng found a shrine half-buried in sand, its aura eerie but enticing.
Rong Yue arrived beside a waterfall where light qi gathered—an ideal cultivation spot.
Lin Xiang materialized inside a cave—and the entrance collapsed behind her.
Zhao Ruyan appeared in a jungle filled with spiritual butterflies and poisonous fog.
Wu Hong stood atop a floating platform of stone drifting above the clouds.
Huo Zeming awoke beside the skeletal corpse of a past participant—an ominous sign.
Mei Xuan stood near a lake that reflected not her, but her enemies.
Si Yulan landed in a grove of swords, each buried blade humming faintly.
Cheng Yuan appeared on an icy slope with strange runes beneath the snow.
Duan Li found a sealed gate glowing with mysterious inscriptions.
Xie Fen stood within a storm, lightning dancing around his body—but not striking.
–––––
Back to Li Qingyun
As he moved deeper into the basin, he saw them—three glowing herbs, each with roots embedded in what looked like a crystal vein of spiritual stone.
But beside them… a soft growl echoed.
From the shadows of the trees, a hulking beast emerged. Four-legged, wolf-like, but with dark copper scales and a tail of thorns.
"A copper-scale thornwolf," Li Qingyun murmured. "Mid-Qi Gathering, vicious and fast."
Most would run—or use the talisman.
He didn't move.
He unsheathed his sword, and his breath steadied.
Then, with a flick, he vanished into a blur—Phantom Step—and emerged behind the beast. His sword surged with budding sword intent, a faint aura surrounding the edge like a newborn flame.
The wolf leapt, claws gleaming.
His sword moved like water.
Voidcleave.
The air cracked.
With a grunt and a low snarl, the wolf stumbled, a clean gash tearing through its hide. It spun—but the next strike came faster, sharper, impossible to see.
When the beast fell, blood steaming on the grass, Li Qingyun exhaled and wiped the blade clean.
"This realm is survival. And I intend to thrive."