Thunder Punishment Cliff! Long Aotian, I'm here!
Xiao Han's mind raced.
This trip is definitely a matter of life and death. We can't be without elixirs and lightning-resistant treasures.
The Thunderclap Tyrant Body given by the system is awesome, but we still have to wait until we withstand the divine lightning tempering before we can really use it.
Those old guys guard the forbidden area like an iron barrel; trying to sneak in? No way!
But what's there to be cowardly about!
Fortune favors the bold; without madness, there is no success!
Xiao Han suddenly pushed open the door of the training room, and in a flash, he disappeared into the thick night without making a sound, heading straight for the forbidden area behind the Imperial Capital Academy.
The night was so dark that you couldn't see your hand in front of your face; not even a single star showed its face.
The back mountain of the Imperial Capital Academy, with its endless hills, is usually a desolate, godforsaken place, but now it appears even more eerie.
Thunder Punishment Cliff is the most sinister mountain in this area.
From a distance, the mountain peak looked like a black pillar piercing the sky, its top always shrouded in a dark cloud, from which flashes of lightning occasionally appeared, and the rumbling thunder made people feel uneasy.
Xiao Han pushed the movement technique of "A Step to the Ends of the Earth, Yet Far Apart" to its limit, and the shadow power of the Eternal Night Monarch enveloped him completely.
He darted through the woods like a ghostly figure.
The university guards were completely oblivious, like they were blind and deaf.
He also bypassed all the hidden restrictions.
The closer one gets to Thunder Punishment Cliff, the stronger the restless energy of lightning in the air becomes, making it hard to breathe.
Before we knew it, two hours had passed.
Xiao Han finally reached the bottom of Thunder Punishment Cliff.
He was almost ambushed several times, but thanks to his quick wit and his ghostly footwork, he narrowly escaped.
Xiao Han looked up and exclaimed, "Good heavens!"
The dark cliffs rise straight up, their tops completely obscured, with only rolling black clouds visible. Their imposing presence seems to devour everything, sending chills down one's spine.
"System, tell me honestly, is this godforsaken place even fit for a human?" Xiao Han grinned, his skin stinging like it was being pricked by needles, all because of the chaotic lightning particles in the air.
[Ding! Host, rest assured, this system never cheats anyone (unless I can't resist). Thunder Punishment Cliff is a place where heaven and earth's thunder converges, and it does have miraculous effects on those who cultivate thunder-attribute techniques or have special physiques. Of course, for ordinary people, this is the perfect crematorium, a one-stop service to satisfy you, and your ashes will be scattered cleanly!]
Xiao Han: "..."
He decided to stop wasting his breath on this unreliable system.
Taking a deep breath, Xiao Han began to climb up the steep mountain wall.
He didn't know whether what awaited him at the cliff top was a transformative opportunity or an abyss of no return.
But he knew it was his only option at the moment.
Driven by that slim chance of victory, he went without hesitation!
As night deepened, Xiao Han did not climb Thunder Punishment Cliff as expected. At the foot of the mountain, the system's cheeky voice sounded again:
"Host, given the extremely high mortality rate at Thunder Punishment Cliff, and out of humanitarian concern (mainly because I'm afraid no one will provide me with entertainment if you die), I've specially found a less risky but equally rewarding place for you. Are you touched?"
Xiao Han remained expressionless, but a chill ran through him. The system had unexpectedly changed its mind.
[New Quest Guide: The entrance to the abandoned No. 7 Small Secret Realm behind the Imperial Capital Academy. Objective: The [Dark Night Star Soul Crystal] in the lair of the secret realm's core guardian beast, the [Netherworld Demon Spider] (Martial Master Realm Ninth Level).]
[Bonus Quest: Stand before the [Netherworld Demon Spider], hands on hips, and shout at the top of your lungs: "Hey! You fiend, quickly hand over your treasure, and I'll spare your life!" for ten seconds.]
[Task Rewards: One [Chaos Realm-Breaking Pill] (helps the host forcibly break through the current bottleneck, greatly increasing cultivation level, no side effects, a system-exclusive collector's edition!), [Dragon Soul Intimidation Immunity] (temporary, greatly weakens the mental suppression effect of dragon might, extremely effective against Long Aotian!).]
"Chaos Realm-Breaking Pill? Dragon Soul Intimidation Immunity?" Xiao Han's eyes lit up. This reward was like a godsend! Especially the latter, which was highly targeted. As for that shameful slogan... what does shame matter when it comes to strength?
He quickly turned around and, following the system's guidance, arrived at an extremely secluded mountain hollow. Pushing aside the vines, a dilapidated stone door emitting faint spatial fluctuations was revealed—the entrance to Secret Realm No. 7.
"This secret realm is said to have been abandoned long ago, its energy depleted. I never expected to find such an opportunity here." Xiao Han muttered to himself, circulating the "Shadow Void Scripture," his figure quietly merging into the distorted light and shadow behind the stone gate.
Within the secret realm, darkness reigned. The air was thick with violent and chaotic energy, a stench of decay and sulfur mingling together, nauseating the senses. The ground was cracked, scorched earth, and distant mountains rose and fell, devoid of life, save for the occasional glimpse of a menacing black shadow, a testament to the danger of this place.
Xiao Han pushed the Eternal Night King Martial Soul to its limit, his figure stealthily moving in the shadows. His A Step to the Ends of the Earth footwork made him as elusive as a ghost, and soon Xiao Han arrived inside.
Hiss!
Suddenly, a stench wafted from the piles of rocks on both sides! It was six enormous [Bone-Corroding Poison Lizards ], each with the strength of a fourth or fifth level Martial Master Realm. Their emerald green vertical pupils flashed with cruel light, and foul-smelling venom dripped from their gaping maws.
"Good timing!" Xiao Han was not surprised but delighted, as it was a perfect opportunity to test his strength.
Instead of retreating, he advanced, Chaos Green Lotus Martial Soul instantly appeared, scattering azure light and spreading purification power, dispelling some of the poisonous miasma in the air.
"Green Lotus Sword Song, Lotus in Motion!"
Several streaks of azure sword energy shot out, accurately piercing through the three heads of the three-headed lizard.
At the same time, his left fist was already extended, "Annihilation Divine Fist"!
The power of shadow, imbued with the Destruction Intent, blasted half of another poisonous lizard's body into a bloody mess with a single punch!
The entire process was swift and incredibly fast.
"Shadow Avatar!"
Xiao Han said in a low voice.
A figure identical to him materialized from the shadows, also unleashing the Azure Green Lotus Sword Qi, instantly binding the remaining two poisonous lizards tightly.
Xiao Han's true form was like a real shadow, swiftly circling behind them and unleashing a series of Annihilation Divine Fist without any fancy moves!
"Bang! Bang!"
With two muffled thuds, the last poisonous lizard was finally dealt with.
In just a dozen breaths, Xiao Han's chest rose and fell slightly, but his fighting spirit grew even stronger.
This godforsaken place is indeed teeming with much more ferocious beasts.
Without pausing, he continued his trek deeper into the secret realm.
The further they went, the stronger the beasts they encountered became, including several formidable creatures at the seventh or eighth level of the Martial Master Realm.
Xiao Han unleashed all his trump cards: the sharp purification and unparalleled killing power of the Green Lotus Sword Song, the fierce and domineering power of the Annihilation Divine Fist, the eerie restraint of the Shadow Avatar, and the unpredictable movements of the A Step to the Ends of the Earth Footwork, all of which he utilized to their fullest potential.
The fierce fighting continued, inevitably adding several deep, bone-revealing wounds to his body. Blood soaked his clothes, and the air was filled with the stench of blood and sulfur, adding to the tragic atmosphere.
But he always managed to defuse the crises one by one with his rich combat experience and ruthless determination.
After traveling for an unknown amount of time, the terrain suddenly opened up ahead.
A massive circular valley appeared at the edge of the field of vision.
Xiao Han's heart skipped a beat. An extremely powerful aura emanated from the depths of the valley, accompanied by dark energy fluctuations that were almost solidified.
In the center of the valley, an enormous spider web covered the entrance to the deep cave.
At the entrance of the cave, a giant spider, as large as a small hill, lay quietly, its eight scarlet compound eyes flashing with a chilling light in the dim light.
Netherworld Demon Spider!
The oppressive aura emanating from it was far greater than any of the strange beasts they had encountered before, making it almost impossible for Xiao Han to breathe.