Chapter 62 Entering the Secret Realm
No words were exchanged between the two.
Yet the atmosphere crackling between them was exceptionally tense, like swords drawn on a hair-trigger!
The next moment.
"Since everyone has arrived!"
A voice echoed across the heavens and the earth.
Ying Xuanji’s figure flickered into view from mid-air, his overwhelming momentum causing everyone to widen their eyes and look upward.
Lu Changfeng slowly raised his head, gazing at the Sect Master suspended in the air.
"This is... the Divine Storehouse realm?!"
He frowned slightly, realization dawning in his heart.
Although Ying Xuanji had still not released his full cultivation aura at this moment, the subtle energy about him was markedly different from before.
Ordinary cultivators might not have been able to discern it, but Lu Changfeng saw it clearly.
"It seems the situation with the Holy Origin Sect has made the Sect Master somewhat anxious!"
"Otherwise, he wouldn't have broken through his cultivation in secret!"
Lu Changfeng thought to himself.
From the very beginning, he had known that Ying Xuanji's cultivation was at the half-step Divine Storehouse realm.
Breaking through to the Divine Storehouse realm this time was merely a matter of natural progression.
Just at that moment.
Hum—!
In mid-air, six brilliant auras surged upward.
And these six individuals were none other than the six peak masters of the Daoyan Sect!
They made no effort to conceal their cultivation whatsoever, rendering the entire expanse of heaven and earth dazzlingly bright, as if six extra suns had abruptly materialized out of thin air.
The potent auras emanating from the peak masters made the gathered cultivators dare not even draw a full breath; it felt as though an immense mountain had been pressed down upon each of their bodies.
"All of them... are Dao Palace realm cultivators!"
Those participating in the mystic realm grand competition from other sects widened their eyes, their gazes filled with deep reverence.
"Disciples participating in the mystic realm, take one step forward!"
Ying Xuanji said indifferently, waving his hand.
Hum—!
Instantly, all the cultivators present who intended to participate in the mystic realm grand competition stepped forward, moving onto the high platform at the center of the plaza.
Among these people, the disciples of the Heavenly Sword Peak were particularly striking.
Shen Jianxin took the lead, followed by about thirty Primordial Dan realm cultivators.
The sheer number of Primordial Dan realm cultivators far surpassed the combined total of Primordial Dan disciples from all the other sects.
As these disciples stood out,
Hum—!
The heaven and earth rumbled, and countless streaks of brilliant light manifested from mid-air, shooting rapidly toward where the disciples stood.
Lu Changfeng narrowed his eyes slightly and reached out to catch something before him.
A cool-textured jade token appeared in his palm.
Carved upon this jade token was the Daoyan Sect's Inverted Mountain, and even the pitch-black stone tablet was depicted with exquisite lifelike detail.
Just at that moment.
"Keep the Daoyan Mystic Realm tokens safe!"
"If you encounter a crisis of life and death, crush the jade token, and you will be able to escape from the mystic realm!"
Ying Xuanji’s voice echoed across the heavens and the earth.
The next moment.
Boom—!
As if the tokens were activated, towering pillars of black light shot straight up into the sky from each one.
Dark clouds gathered thickly in the sky, and boundless howling winds drove the clouds toward the center, forming a spinning vortex.
The entire sky emitted a roaring sound, and dust from the ground rose upward into the firmament.
Rolling spiritual energy gathered toward the plaza from all directions.
Dark clouds rolled in mid-air, seemingly concealing something that was stirring restlessly within.
The next moment.
Crack—!
Thunder rumbled.
The entire sky seemed to press downward with crushing weight.
A gateway formed of dark clouds abruptly appeared in mid-air, from which wisps of spiritual energy wantonly spilled out into the outside world.
Creeak—!
"The Daoyan Mystic Realm! Open!"
Seeing this sight, Ying Xuanji showed not the slightest hint of surprise.
With a wave of his hand, vast spiritual energy expanded into a powerful palm print, violently shoving against the gateway.
Rumble—!
Amidst the creaking groan of the massive gates, the Daoyan Mystic Realm revealed itself to everyone.
Faint, obscure auras emerged from the surface of the gateway, and the scenery within appeared veiled behind a layer of mist.
Only vague, indistinct colors could be seen flickering within the mystic realm.
"The mystic realm is fully open! Enter swiftly!"
Ying Xuanji proclaimed in a resonant voice:
"The gates of the mystic realm will remain open for only seven days!"
"During these seven days, you are to hunt fierce beasts!"
"Bring back as many inner cores as possible!"
"Do you understand?!"
"Yes!"
The crowd shouted in low, resounding unison, and without the slightest hesitation, they surged toward the gateway in mid-air.
Lu Changfeng followed behind the crowd.
Midway through their rapid flight toward the gateway, He Jiaojia and Zheng Yunxue exchanged glances with him, then merely nodded gently.
Lu Changfeng inclined his head in acknowledgment.
The next moment.
Pop—!
With a crisp sound, his figure vanished entirely into the massive gateway hanging in mid-air.
Hum—!
A dizzying sensation of the world spinning turned over within his heart.
Just as he was about to react, he felt his feet touch upon soft ground.
Lu Changfeng slowly opened his eyes.
Beside him, the jade token had appeared at some point, erecting a transparent defensive barrier around him.
As Lu Changfeng looked ahead, he discovered that he had arrived in an entirely unfamiliar environment.
Pitches of wild grass covered the surrounding ground completely.
A lingering fragrance of green grass drifted through the air.
Further ahead lay a boundless, ancient forest that blotted out the sky, where the cries of beasts echoed endlessly and the wind blew unceasingly.
"It seems I have arrived!"
Lu Changfeng nodded slightly, casually reaching out to retrieve the jade token floating beside him.
He took a deep breath, sending out a wisp of spiritual sense to sweep around him and survey his surroundings.
This was his first time entering the Daoyan Mystic Realm, so naturally, he exercised extreme caution.
Instead of rushing blindly into the forest, he first checked to see if there were any hidden dangers nearby.
After all, Lu Changfeng knew that the fierce beasts in this place were quite formidable!
"It appears there is indeed very little spiritual energy here!"
Frowning slightly, Lu Changfeng noticed the almost imperceptible level of spiritual energy in his surroundings and knitted his brows.
Trying to recover one's spiritual energy in this place by absorbing it from the surrounding environment was utterly impossible.
Furthermore, to win this trial, one had to hunt fierce beasts, and to maintain one's own cultivation level, one also had to hunt fierce beasts!
Therefore, the primary objective here was to track down fierce beasts!
"Let's begin!"
Sensing no immediate danger nearby, and noticing that no other disciples seemed to have materialized close to him, Lu Changfeng decided to start hunting fierce beasts right away to ensure he gathered enough beast cores.
Taking a deep breath, Lu Changfeng randomly chose a direction and sped forward.
As he penetrated deeper, the entire forest seemed to spring to life.
Countless fierce beasts dashed about through the woods, fleeing in all directions.
"Oh?!"
At that exact moment.
Lu Changfeng came to a halt on the branch of an ancient tree, his movements pausing as he frowned slightly.
He sensed a faint wave of spiritual energy ahead, though whether it came from a human or a fierce beast remained to be seen.
With an indifferent expression, Lu Changfeng concealed his aura and slowly crept toward the source of the fluctuating energy.
After a brief moment,
He flashed onto the canopy of a tall tree, using the dense foliage around him to shield his figure.
In the distance,
A thousand-legged beast was crouching over the carcass of a ten-zhang-long beast, feeding on it.
Crunch, crunch—!
The sounds of tearing flesh and crunching bones echoed through the surrounding air.