"This marks the third successful divination," Chen Changsheng murmured, his eyes glowing with an ancient light. "The celestial omens are clear: a great fortune tied to eternal life awaits me within this Ancient Inheritance Secret Realm. It seems I have no choice but to attend."
Half a day later, Chen Changsheng emerged from his cave dwelling and walked toward the Secret Realm's entrance, blending seamlessly into the crowd, appearing utterly unremarkable.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
The sky above surged with divine radiance as numerous overlord-level factions streaked in from their respective strongholds, hovering in the void.
The Grand Dao Sect contingent was led by Elder Mu, with Ye Chen, Liu Xuan, and Luo Lingkong—the top true disciples—following closely behind.
Chen Changsheng secretly observed Ye Chen, using a profound secret art. He noted the immense Power of Destiny swirling around the young man.
Suddenly, Elder Mu frowned slightly. His divine sense swept across the area. "Who dares to probe a disciple of my Grand Dao Sect?" he muttered.
After a thorough search, Elder Mu sighed, having found nothing.
Chen Changsheng, having retreated his divine sense, turned his attention to the other major powers, such as the Heavenly Net Hall. He immediately spotted Luo Feng, the son of the Heavenly Net Hall’s Baizhou Branch Master. Dressed in black robes, fanning himself with a floating fan, Luo Feng cast a cold, undisguised look of killing intent toward the Grand Dao Sect’s direction.
Nearby, the disciples of the Heaven Blade Sect and the Supreme Profound Sect also wore icy expressions, their gazes occasionally flicking toward Ye Chen.
See? Chen Changsheng thought to himself. This is the consequence of being so ostentatious. Great fame often brings great peril! I wonder if Ye Chen can survive the storm he’s brewed?
He wasn't particularly invested in Ye Chen's fate. He was merely observing from a detached perspective, nothing more.
Just then, the Great Emperor of the Ancient Qin Family descended slowly, bringing Qin Xiao and his entourage.
Qin Xiao wore luxurious brocade robes and a jade slip from the Ancient Supreme Artifacts era hung from his waist. His gaze was cold and dismissive. Nangong Baixue leaned against him, her soft, fair face pressed against his shoulder, her curves pushing against him, making him feel immensely secure.
Qin Xiao’s eyes met Ye Chen’s, and a sneer twisted his lips.
Ye Chen also noticed Qin Xiao’s gaze.
Four eyes met, and killing intent solidified in the air.
After a moment of silence, Qin Xiao spoke with cold contempt. "Ye Chen, now that you've finally broken through to the Profound Venerate realm, killing you won't be considered bullying. Go ahead and wash your neck. I'll be waiting to personally claim your head inside the Secret Realm!"
The world fell silent.
All eyes turned to Ye Chen.
Ye Chen offered no response. Instead, he slowly closed his eyes, completely ignoring Qin Xiao.
The crowd was stunned. These two were truly the most arrogant prodigies in the Southern Wilds!
Seeing Ye Chen close his eyes, Qin Xiao’s sneer widened into a playful smile. "How interesting. I hope you maintain that arrogance when I decide your fate!"
Nangong Baixue reached up, gently stroking Qin Xiao's cheek. "My love," she cooed softly. "That waste Ye Chen is just bluffing. But please, be cautious. He may be weak, but he's utterly insidious and deceitful!"
Qin Xiao replied with supreme confidence. "It matters not. Against my absolute power, all of Ye Chen's struggles are futile."
He was currently at Profound Venerate Stage Four! To kill Luo Lingkong, who was a Profound Venerate Stage Three sword cultivator, he might need to exert himself. But to execute Ye Chen? He only needed a fraction of his strength. He had already cultivated the first volume of the Supreme Scripture, and though he had only grasped a sliver of its power, it boosted his combat strength severalfold.
He could crush a mere Ye Chen with a flick of his finger!
At that moment, Nangong Baixue stepped away from Qin Xiao's embrace, walking toward the Supreme Profound Sect contingent with a look of profound sorrow. Though the distance was short, she walked as if separated by an entire world.
She squeezed out two lines of tears and bowed to the Supreme Profound Sect disciples. "Senior Brothers, Senior Sisters. If only my frail body didn't require constant rest, I would march alongside you all into the Secret Realm to avenge our fallen comrades who were brutally murdered by Ye Chen!"
Instantly, the Supreme Profound Sect disciples were swept up in Nangong Baixue's raw emotion, their killing intent toward Ye Chen surging to the heavens.
A woman in a long dress gently helped Nangong Baixue stand. "Junior Sister Baixue, we understand your feelings. But you must not enter the Secret Realm. We will slay Ye Chen and avenge you and our deceased comrades!"
Nangong Baixue displayed an expression of profound helplessness, clenching her fists so tightly that her fingernails dug deep into her palms, drawing blood. Her body trembled, and her face was a mask of grief.
"I burn with the desire to slay that waste, Ye Chen, yet I am powerless to take his life myself!" she cried out, her voice icy with hatred. "How can I face the spirits of our fallen comrades if he continues to breathe?!"
As she spoke, Nangong Baixue's face turned pale, and her body seemed to suddenly lose all strength. She collapsed dramatically into the arms of the female disciple.
"Junior Sister Baixue has fainted!" the disciples cried out in alarm.
Not far away, Pill Saint Yunyang frowned slightly. He flicked his sleeve, and a gentle force lifted Nangong Baixue. He produced a healing elixir and fed it to her.
Moments later, Nangong Baixue awoke, looking confused. "Master, I..."
Pill Saint Yunyang spoke calmly. "Do not speak yet. Absorb the medicinal power. You must not exert yourself."
Nearby, Liu Xuan, clad in a long dress with radiant divine petals swirling beneath her feet, curled her lips into a slight smile. "What terrible acting," she scoffed.
The sound was soft, but it reached the ears of Qin Xiao and his allies.
In an instant, Qin Xiao’s face turned frigid, and his killing intent erupted. He glared at Liu Xuan, his expression ferocious. "What did you say?"
Liu Xuan smiled back, a picture of seductive charm. "My, my, such a devoted Young Master Qin. What's the matter? Is Nangong Baixue too sacred to be mocked?"
Qin Xiao clenched his fist, and the overwhelming pressure of his Profound Venerate Stage Four cultivation burst forth like a storm. He fixed his gaze on Liu Xuan. "Very well. Very well. I will remember you!"
Nangong Baixue flew from Pill Saint Yunyang's side to Qin Xiao's, her face still pale. She pointed a trembling finger at Liu Xuan. "You shameless fox! I see through your scheme! You want to seduce my husband and gain his attention, don't you?"
Saying this, Nangong Baixue kissed Qin Xiao on the cheek.
Liu Xuan simply laughed.
Ye Chen frowned, feeling a wave of nausea. He was about to step forward and crush Nangong Baixue, that wretched woman, when Luo Lingkong stopped him.
"Junior Brother Ye Chen, now is not the time," Luo Lingkong whispered.
Nangong Baixue's performance had successfully ignited the killing intent of the Supreme Profound Sect, the Ancient Qin Family, and the Heaven Blade Sect disciples toward Ye Chen. They stared at him, desperate to rush over and execute him on the spot.
The Heaven Blade Sect disciples drew their spirit swords. Dozens of blades rose high into the sky, shimmering with cold light and emitting a metallic clang.
Voom! Voom!
The killing intent was overwhelming!
Chen Changsheng shook his head at the sight. He knew that once Ye Chen entered the Secret Realm, he would face endless pursuit from these three factions. That Nangong Baixue, despite her clumsy acting, was skilled at manipulating emotions. She was not a simple character.
Chen Changsheng then looked at Liu Xuan, offering his assessment. It was Ye Chen's feud, and now Qin Xiao has dragged you into it. All curves, no brains. Assessment complete.
Among all the young prodigies present, not a single one met Chen Changsheng's standards.
"They're all too hot-headed," Chen Changsheng murmured. "Why do they insist on diving into other people's karma? Nangong Baixue's ridiculously over-the-top act actually swayed them. Alas... always wearing their hearts on their sleeves, always burning with passion, always failing to learn. They'll only end up hurting themselves!"
He was glad he had come. The behavior of these young disciples could all be recorded in his "Negative Case Studies" file.
This was a habit Chen Changsheng had cultivated over many years: observing others. From Qi Refining stage cultivators up to Great Emperors, all were his subjects. Over the years, he had summarized hundreds of iron rules for himself.
"First, never act on impulse!"
"Second, drop the savior complex, respect others' fate!"
"Third, always hide your strength!"
"Fourth..."
His list spanned tens of thousands of characters.
Chen Changsheng was here for his own longevity fortune. He had absolutely no intention of interfering in the feud between Ye Chen and the others; he was merely an observer.
Just then, Luo Feng, clad in black robes, stepped out from the Heavenly Net Hall contingent with a cold laugh. He looked toward Qin Xiao. "Brother Qin Xiao, why don't we join forces inside the Secret Realm? We can hunt down the Grand Dao Sect disciples together!"
Qin Xiao replied coolly, "No need. My targets are only Ye Chen and that woman!" He pointed at Liu Xuan, who had officially made it onto his kill list.
Luo Feng burst into laughter. "Excellent! Excellent! Then Ye Chen and the woman are yours, and the rest of the Grand Dao Sect disciples are ours! Hahahaha!"
Upon hearing this, the faces of Ye Chen and the others darkened.
This was outrageous! Luo Feng and Qin Xiao were openly deciding their lives in front of everyone! How utterly arrogant!
Ye Chen’s eyes flashed with killing intent. "You have a death wish!"
Luo Lingkong pointed his sword at Luo Feng. "You, a defeated foe of our Grand Dao Sect, dare to be so presumptuous again?!"
Fang Yan laughed wildly, the sound of his surging bloodline thundering through the air. His rough voice roared, "You're certainly arrogant! I hope you're still smiling when I smash your head with a single punch!"
In an instant, Ye Chen's group and the opposing factions were locked in a tense standoff.
The Great Emperors of the Yao Family, the Pill Fragrance Sect, and other overlord-level factions frowned. It seemed an unavoidable bloodbath was coming inside the Ancient Inheritance Secret Realm. The tension was already this high before entry; once inside, they would surely clash immediately! They secretly instructed their own prodigies to avoid these groups and stay out of the storm.
Meanwhile, on Ye Chen's side, the Peak Master of the Body Tempering Peak and the Peak Master of the Jade Flower Peak looked grimly at Elder Mu, transmitting their voices secretly. "Elder Mu, should we still let Ye Chen and the others enter the Secret Realm?"
Four major factions' younger generations now harbored killing intent toward them! These were all monstrous prodigies with terrifying combat strength!
Elder Mu looked at Ye Chen and the others, their fighting spirit soaring, showing no intention of backing down.
"The Great Era is upon us, and the Ultimate Path is about to open," Elder Mu said calmly. "This is the bloody baptism that Ye Chen and the others must endure. What true apex expert hasn't climbed over a mountain of corpses? Retreating now would only stain their Dao Heart. Let them proceed."
The Peak Masters frowned, still worried.
Elder Mu allowed a faint, knowing smile to touch his lips. "No one knows Ye Chen's true strength. This will be the Grand Dao Sect's gift to those factions!"
Before long, the appointed time to open the Secret Realm arrived.
Elder Mu and the other Great Emperors rose into the air, unleashing their full Emperor's Might. A terrifying pressure, like a surging ocean tide, spread across the heavens and the earth.
The Great Emperor of the Supreme Profound Sect shouted, "Fellow Daoists, prepare to strike together!"
As his voice fell, Elder Mu's sleeves billowed, and an incredibly terrifying power surged out. Brilliant Great Emperor Dao Patterns condensed like a river of stars.
The Great Emperors of all the overlord-level factions struck the Ancient Inheritance Secret Realm simultaneously!
Boom! Boom! Boom!
Thousands of Dao Patterns flashed and flowed, and dazzling divine radiance erupted. The location of the Secret Realm became as bright and blinding as a colossal sun.
"Qian, Kun, Zhen, Xun, Kan, Gen, Li, Dui!"
...