Dao Sea Secret Realm

Xiang Tian felt helpless, realizing that no matter where he went, someone would always target him, without exception.

Was it due to his charm? Clearly not. It was simply because, in this world, it was too easy to encroach upon others' interests. With the slightest carelessness, one could become a target.

Looking up, the Dao Sea Spiritual Mountain in the sky became increasingly visible. Some figures were already flying towards it, likely to set up the venue.

Xiang Tian casually strolled through the streets, finding nothing that piqued his interest. Feeling bored, he returned to the inn.

At his door, he saw Qiu Changfeng with a troubled expression, seemingly waiting for him.

"What's wrong, Dean?"

Upon seeing Xiang Tian return, Qiu Changfeng pulled him into his room.

Qiu Changfeng looked serious. "We just went to the Dao Sea to take a look and found it different from usual. There's a sealed secret realm on the mountain that we can't open, and we don't know what's inside."

A secret realm?

Xiang Tian was also somewhat surprised. Wasn't the purpose of the Dao Sea gathering just for theoretical discussions and sparring? Why would such a thing suddenly appear?

"So, the format of this discussion might change, or even be canceled!"

Xiang Tian also realized the gravity of the situation and looked at Qiu Changfeng. "Dean, why do you say that?"

Qiu Changfeng's face was etched with worry. "That secret realm is currently sealed, but the seal is very loose and could break open at any moment. Furthermore, we don't even know why the secret realm appeared."

As soon as he finished speaking, a rapid bell sound suddenly echoed from beyond the heavens.

"Clang... clang... clang..."

The muffled sound struck the hearts of everyone present.

"Ah, the discussion is about to begin!"

"What's going on? Wasn't it supposed to be tomorrow noon?"

The city descended into chaos, with everyone flying towards the Dao Sea Spiritual Mountain.

Qiu Changfeng gave a wry smile. "See? As soon as they said it begins, it begins!"

He quickly gathered the disciples from their academy, and Qiu Changfeng led them towards the Dao Sea Spiritual Mountain.

The mountain was already crowded with people. Although the vegetation was lush, everyone knew in their hearts that it was all an illusion.

All eyes were gathered on the blue-glowing vortex halfway up the mountain.

This was the biggest change to the discussion.

And just moments ago, the secret realm, which had previously been sealed, suddenly had its restrictions lifted.

Qiu Changfeng told his disciples to stay put while he went ahead. Several renowned figures were already there, discussing matters.

Qiu Changfeng immediately spotted Shi Mu, the Jade Pool Golden Immortal, and cupped his fists in greeting. "Greetings, Senior Shi Mu."

Shi Mu nodded, a smile on his face, but he felt uneasy. He secretly glanced at Xiang Tian behind him.

The group was exchanging opinions about the vortex, which was clearly the entrance to the secret realm, but they couldn't come to any conclusion because no one knew what lay inside.

"Forget it, let me send a spirit beast in."

An old woman leaning on a cane spoke up. Her cane had several black cloth bags tied to it. She extended a finger and gently swayed it, and instantly a black light appeared, revealing a beast with the body of a tiger and the head of a lion.

With a command, the spirit beast leaped directly into the secret realm. However, just as it was about to disappear, an indescribable aura swept across the heavens and earth. The tiger-bodied, lion-headed beast was immediately flung back and vanished into the sky.

Everyone's expressions changed drastically. The power of this aura was simply beyond description.

But at that very moment, a phenomenon occurred. Several large characters appeared in the sky.

"Those below Ascension may enter the secret realm; within lies the true meaning of the Daoist lineage!"

These few short sentences stunned everyone, making them forget to breathe. They could only hear the thumping of their own hearts.

The true meaning of the Daoist lineage! That was one of the three great ancient sects, and their methods had long been lost in their world. Today, it was actually appearing on the Dao Sea Spiritual Mountain!

Even someone of Shi Mu's caliber was dumbfounded. They had never expected such a situation. The techniques and divine abilities of the Daoist lineage were famous for their profound mystery. Even they were deeply moved, wishing they could immediately abandon their cultivation and fall below Ascension to enter this secret realm.

Several old foxes had already begun to signal their juniors.

Instantly, one person rushed into the secret realm. This time, no accident occurred, and the person was completely absorbed into it.

Good heavens, seeing someone seize the opportunity, immediately others, with red eyes, chased after them.

"Ahhhh, charge!"

"The Dao Sea has shown its power! This is truly the work of a great Daoist figure!"

"This is an opportunity left for us by a Daoist predecessor! We will not fail their expectations, charge!"

More and more people surged into the secret realm. Xiang Tian saw Qiu Changfeng frantically signaling to him, so he spoke to the classmates who had come with him, "Let's go in too. The discussion is definitely not going to happen, and we can't let others snatch away this opportunity!"

With that, he rushed into the sky and entered the secret realm with the crowd.

Seeing that everyone below Ascension had entered the secret realm, those remaining at the Dao Sea, aside from some Ascended or True Immortals, were only those who had come purely to join the fun and watch the show, and those with low cultivation who lacked confidence in themselves.

Outside the secret realm, a few people smiled wryly. The discussion couldn't even be completed. What would they do with the prizes they had prepared earlier?

Qiu Changfeng's eyes darted around, and he proposed, "We gathered here under the guise of a discussion this time. Everyone traveled from afar, and now we have a secret realm opportunity, which is truly a cause for celebration. Why don't we add to the splendor and use these prepared items to reward the talented individuals who perform exceptionally in the secret realm? What do you all think?"

Several people nodded repeatedly upon hearing his words, finding them reasonable.

Given their status, would the people they brought be subpar? They were all brimming with absolute confidence, believing that any fortuitous encounters or rewards would inevitably fall into their hands.

"Alright, it's settled then. These things are of no use to us anyway, so it's better to use them to motivate the younger generation in their cultivation."

An old man seated on a spirit deer chuckled. He was, in fact, one of the five great Golden Immortals alongside Shi Mu, known as the Ancient Treasury Pill Immortal. His alchemy skills were considered unrivaled throughout the Nine Heavens!

What Qiu Changfeng needed was a segment of Longevity Wood that this very Immortal had brought.

This wood possessed the effect of prolonging life and was a supreme treasure of the immortal realm, but Qiu Changfeng wasn't interested in those aspects.

His cultivation method was somewhat peculiar, requiring the refinement of vast quantities of immortal herbs and exotic fruits. If he obtained this segment of Longevity Wood, his chances of breaking through to Golden Immortal would increase significantly!

Within the secret realm, Xiang Tian was teleported to the side of a lake. The lake's surface was calm and peaceful, and a gentle breeze brushing against his face felt ticklish.

The sunlight was just right, filtering through the gaps in the leaves to illuminate the ground, casting dappled shadows. Xiang Tian observed his surroundings; there was no one else nearby.

Everything here was eerily quiet, almost excessively so.

Xiang Tian dared not be careless and approached the lake.

The rippling water, though not crystal clear, was a striking sky blue, vividly reflecting the clouds drifting across the sky.

Xiang Tian's interest was piqued. The lake's beauty was exquisite, making everything seem dreamlike.

"Splash... splash..."

Suddenly, a faint sound broke the silence. Xiang Tian's sharp senses detected the sound of paddling. Instantly, he pushed off the ground, launching himself backward into the air.

At the same time, a white figure emerged. Its gaping maw, filled with blood, even bit into the very ground where Xiang Tian had been standing moments before!

This secret realm was indeed peculiar!