Secret Realm Upheaval, Each Displaying Their Divine Abilities

The crimson flying boat swayed like a small skiff that could capsize at any moment amid the violent energy currents and soaring Demonic Qi.

Luo Xuan, the senior brother leading the group, made a swift decision. He activated the flying boat artifact, causing crimson light to flare brightly and steady the vessel. At the same time, he shouted sternly, "The situation has changed! The secret realm entrance is unstable, and the Demon Race is attacking! Everyone, form formations to protect yourselves and wait for an opportunity!"

Though startled, the Interception Sect disciples aboard the flying boat did not panic. They had clearly weathered many storms. In an instant, streams of immortal light lit up as they formed a simple defensive formation, some attacking and others defending, warily watching their surroundings.

Xuanwei immediately pushed [Deep Immortal Seclusion] to its limit. At the same time, he decisively crushed an "Evasion Talisman" hidden in his sleeve (at the core of his immortal qi), ready to flee at any moment. His little body could not withstand the aftermath of a major battle.

"Junior Brother Xuanwei, stay close to us!" Bixiao's voice sounded beside him, carrying rare seriousness. The San Xiao sisters had already brought out their respective artifacts—Yunxiao held the Primal Chaos Golden Dipper, though it was an imitation, its aura still terrifying; Bixiao gripped the Golden Flood Dragon Scissors, which shone just as brilliantly; Qiongxiao had the Dragon Binding Rope circling around her. The auras of the three artifacts connected, forming a stable triangular zone that faintly sheltered Xuanwei within it.

Warmth rose in Xuanwei's heart, and he quickly said, "Thank you, Senior Sisters!"

"Hmph! Coward!" Lingxiao snorted disdainfully from nearby. Rather than forming a formation with the Interception Sect disciples, he stood alone, Jade Purity Immortal Light swirling around him. A cold, gleaming immortal sword hovered above his head as his sharp gaze swept across the chaotic sea, seemingly searching for something.

Just then, space at the source of the radiant glow was violently torn open like cloth! A huge vortex gateway of Chaos Color appeared, constantly twisting and spinning! Within the gateway, vague shadows of immortal mountains, pavilions, exotic flowers, and strange grasses could be seen. An ancient, incomparably pure aura far surpassing that of the outside world spread forth!

The Ancient Secret Realm had officially opened!

"Roar!" "Awoo!"

Almost at the exact moment the secret realm opened, countless sea demons of varying forms swarmed in from all directions like sharks scenting blood! There were giant turtles as massive as mountains, Yakshas wielding water lightning, merfolk whose songs bewitched others, and even stranger deep-sea creatures radiating vicious auras! Their target was clear: the secret realm entrance!

"Stop them! How can the opportunities of the secret realm be allowed to fall into the hands of the Demon Race?!" Luo Xuan shouted and attacked first! As a God of Fire Department, he opened his mouth and sprayed Samadhi True Fire, which transformed into a fire dragon and roared toward the demon horde!

The other Interception Sect disciples also displayed their divine abilities! Lightning Magic, sword light, artifacts, divine abilities... multicolored brilliance erupted and crashed violently into the surging demon tide!

In an instant, deafening explosions shook the sea and sky as energy ran rampant and raging waves churned!

The San Xiao sisters did not take the initiative to attack, instead holding their ground. The Primal Chaos Golden Dipper cast down beams of golden light, sweeping away demons that tried to approach; the Golden Flood Dragon Scissors transformed into two intersecting streaks of golden light, incomparably sharp, cutting nearby demon beasts in two; the Dragon Binding Rope moved like a nimble serpent, weaving about as it bound and captured several exceptionally swift demons. The three coordinated flawlessly, leaving no openings in their defense.

Protected in the middle, Xuanwei watched with his heart pounding and his eyes wide. This was what a true battle between immortals looked like! With his meager cultivation, he barely even qualified to watch.

While striving to maintain his seclusion state, he closely monitored the movements of the Chaos Bead. Within his sea of consciousness, the resonance of the Chaos Bead fragment grew increasingly clear, pointing directly toward the chaotic secret realm entrance!

Something inside is drawing it... Other fragments? Or something else? Xuanwei was itching with curiosity, yet he did not dare act rashly. The outside was too chaotic. Charging in would be no different from courting death.

Just as the battlefield fell into a deadlock, another sudden change occurred!

The secret realm entrance suddenly shook violently, and a dazzling azure light burst out like a fountain! This green radiance contained immensely pure and boundless Wood Element Vitality, even overwhelming the killing aura of the battlefield!

Within the green light, several seed phantoms flickered like stars, shooting in all directions alongside the erupting energy current!

"Innate Wood Element Source! And... Innate Spiritual Root Seeds?!" a knowledgeable disciple cried out in shock!

At once, everyone's eyes burned with desire! Whether Interception Sect disciples or demons, they temporarily stopped fighting and frantically lunged toward the scattered green points of light!

Those were seeds of Innate Spiritual Roots! If successfully cultivated, they would produce an endless supply of innate spiritual treasures, offering incalculable benefits to cultivation! Their value far exceeded that of ordinary artifacts!

"Take them!" Luo Xuan's eyes flashed. He abandoned his suppression of the demon horde, transformed into a streak of fire, and pounced toward the largest green point of light!

Lingxiao's gaze also sharpened. His Jade Purity Immortal Sword cleaved through the demons blocking his path as he shot toward another seed like lightning!

The scene instantly became even more chaotic! In their struggle for the Spiritual Root Seeds, the Interception Sect disciples who had just been fighting side by side now experienced brief competition and friction. The demons became even more frenzied, throwing themselves at the points of light without regard for anything else.

The San Xiao sisters exchanged glances.

Yunxiao said coolly, "Opportunities are ordained by heaven and cannot be forced. Protect yourselves first, then seize one or two if the chance arises."

Bixiao, however, looked eager to try. "Big Sister, that largest one has such powerful vitality!"

Qiongxiao looked toward Xuanwei and asked gently, "Junior Brother Xuanwei, you are sensitive to vitality. Can you sense which seed has the greatest potential?"

Xuanwei was fully focused on sensing the Chaos Bead's guidance and the auras of the seeds. Hearing this, he subconsciously pointed to a green point of light that was not the brightest, but whose flight path was somewhat strange and which contained a faint, unusual halo of Chaos Color. "That one... seems a little different."

He had pointed to it mainly because the Chaos Bead resonated with it the most strongly! It even surpassed its reaction to the secret realm entrance itself!

"Fine! I'll trust you this once!" Bixiao had the most impatient temperament. Upon hearing him, she immediately activated the Golden Flood Dragon Scissors. The two golden streaks moved like scissors, cleverly avoiding the scrambling crowd and demons as they precisely closed in on the seed Xuanwei had indicated!

However, just before the Golden Flood Dragon Scissors touched the seed—

A peerlessly sharp Jade Purity Sword Qi struck later yet arrived first, carrying cold killing intent. It did not slash at the seed, but directly targeted the source of the immortal light controlling Bixiao's Golden Flood Dragon Scissors! Lingxiao had actually interfered!

"Lingxiao! You're courting death!" Bixiao flew into a rage. The Golden Flood Dragon Scissors changed direction and crashed fiercely into the Jade Purity Sword Qi, producing a clang of metal!

Taking advantage of that gap, the unusual seed made a nimble turn and shot like lightning toward the unnoticed Xuanwei!

All of this happened in the blink of an eye!

Xuanwei had no time to react. He only felt an incomparably pure Wood Element Vitality, tinged with a trace of chaotic meaning, rushing toward him! The unusual seed struck directly into his immortal qi body without deviating in the slightest!

[Warning! Unknown Innate Spiritual Root Seed forcibly merging! Beginning analysis...]

[Analysis complete! Target: Unknown Innate Spiritual Root Seed (primarily Wood Element Source, containing a trace of Primordial Chaos Mother Qi; has undergone a beneficial mutation). Status: Rich in vitality, can be cultivated.]

[Chaos Bead resonance greatly increased! Confirmed that this seed has a deep connection to the Chaos Bead. Successful cultivation may have a positive effect on repairing the Chaos Bead!]

Xuanwei: "!!!"

What was this? A pie falling from the sky and getting stuffed straight into his mouth?!

Before he could rejoice, he felt several gazes filled with greed and killing intent lock onto him at once!

The first was Lingxiao! Having failed to seize the seed he wanted, and now seeing this "anomaly" effortlessly obtain one—what he considered sheer dumb luck—both old and new grudges surged into his heart. With a flick of his Jade Purity Immortal Sword, an even fiercer streak of sword light slashed directly toward Xuanwei! He shouted, "Hand over the seed!"

At the same time, several Mysterious Immortal-level great demons nearby, their senses exceptionally sharp, roared and pounced! Though their intelligence was limited, they instinctively sensed that the pure vitality of the seed fused into Xuanwei was an extraordinary tonic!

"You dare!" Yunxiao's face frosted over as the golden light of the Primal Chaos Golden Dipper blazed, sweeping toward Lingxiao's sword light! Bixiao and Qiongxiao attacked at the same time, the Golden Flood Dragon Scissors and Dragon Binding Rope intercepting the great demons!

However, Lingxiao's furious strike was immensely powerful. The golden light of the imitation Primal Chaos Golden Dipper was actually torn apart in part by the sword light, and the remaining sword qi still descended toward Xuanwei's head! Meanwhile, Bixiao and Qiongxiao were tightly entangled by several great demons and could not return to help in time!

At the critical moment, Xuanwei's pupils—the focal points of his consciousness—contracted sharply as his instinct to survive overwhelmed everything else!

Without hesitation, he crushed another "Evasion Talisman"!

At the same time, as if blessed by inspiration, he forcibly merged the Wood Element Vitality and chaotic meaning emitted by the unusual seed that had just fused into his body with his own immortal qi, Wutu Source, and the power of the Chaos Bead. He imitated the Dao Rhyme of "growth" and "eruption" from when he had previously nurtured Spiritual Plants, pouring it all into [Deep Immortal Seclusion]!

He wanted to disguise himself as a... Spiritual Plant that was growing wildly, with a chaotic aura! He would use it to disrupt the enemy's lock-on and perception!

Bzz!

The Evasion Talisman lit up!

Before everyone's astonished eyes, Xuanwei's immortal qi body suddenly erupted with intense light mixed with azure, yellow, and a trace of Chaos Color. His aura became exceedingly strange and disordered, like an uncontrollable spirit seed on the verge of exploding!

Lingxiao's remaining sword qi slashed into that chaotic light, only to vanish like a clay ox entering the sea. It was steadily worn away and diverted by the frantically growing vitality and chaotic Dao Rhyme!

The next instant, the spatial power of the Evasion Talisman erupted completely!

Whoosh!

Xuanwei's figure, along with that mass of chaotic light, vanished from the spot in an instant!

Lingxiao's sword light missed and struck the sea, sending up a thousand-foot wave. His face turned livid, ugly beyond compare.

Seeing this, the San Xiao sisters relaxed slightly, but the worry in their eyes did not fade. The Evasion Talisman's destination was random. Junior Brother Xuanwei's cultivation was weak, and he was seriously injured. Would he be safe?

Meanwhile, Xuanwei, who had been teleported away at random, felt the world spin. The force of twisted space nearly tore his immortal qi body apart.

He did not know how long passed. It seemed like only an instant, yet also like an eternity.

Thud!

He felt himself land on a... soft, springy "ground"? Around him hung a dense, almost unbreakable concentration of Wood Element Spiritual Qi, along with a faint strange fragrance that was both fishy and sweet.

He shook his dizzy "head," barely gathering his consciousness to inspect his surroundings.

At one look, his entire body—or rather, his qi—froze.

This seemed to be a massive nest woven from some kind of living vine that emitted a faint azure glow? Deep inside the nest, several giant jade-like eggs covered in mysterious patterns could vaguely be seen pulsing. Beyond the nest lay bottomless, dark, frigid seawater...

It seemed that he had been teleported into the lair of some powerful being?!

Moreover, the Chaos Bead's resonance with the unusual seed that had just fused into his body, as well as its perception of some existence deep within this nest, had become stronger than ever before!