Dao Sea Secret Realm

Xiang Tian felt utterly helpless. No matter where he went, someone always had their eye on him—without exception.

Was it because of his charm? Obviously not. It was simply because, in this world, it was far too easy to touch upon others' interests. One careless step, and people would start plotting against you.

Looking up, Xiang Tian saw that the Dao Sea Spirit Mountain hanging in midair had become increasingly distinct. Already, figures were streaking through the air in that direction, likely to arrange the venue.

Xiang Tian wandered the streets at random, but nothing caught his interest. Finding it all dull and flavorless, he returned to the inn.

At the door to his room, Qiu Changfeng stood with a worried expression, seemingly waiting for him.

"What is it, Headmaster?"

When Qiu Changfeng saw Xiang Tian return, he pulled him into his own room.

Qiu Changfeng's face was grave. "We just went to take a look above the Dao Sea and discovered that something was different from usual. There is a sealed secret realm on the mountain. We cannot open it at present, nor do we know what lies within."

A secret realm?

Xiang Tian was surprised as well. Wasn't the Dao Sea only meant for exchanging views on the Dao and sparring? How had something like this suddenly appeared?

"So, the format of this Dao discussion may change. It may even be canceled!"

Xiang Tian realized the severity of the matter too. Looking at Qiu Changfeng, he asked, "Why do you say that, Headmaster?"

Qiu Changfeng wore a face full of worry. "That secret realm is currently sealed, but the seal is very loose. It could break open at any moment. Moreover, we still do not know why this secret realm appeared in the first place."

The moment he finished speaking, a burst of urgent bell tolls suddenly rang out from beyond the heavens.

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

The heavy sound struck against everyone's hearts.

"Ah, the Dao discussion is starting!"

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

The city erupted into chaos as everyone flew through the air toward the Dao Sea Spirit Mountain.

Qiu Changfeng gave a bitter smile. "See? The moment they say it starts, it starts!"

Quickly gathering the members of the academy, Qiu Changfeng led them rushing toward the Dao Sea Spirit Mountain.

The mountain was already packed shoulder to shoulder. Though the vegetation was lush, everyone knew perfectly well that it was all an illusion.

Everyone's gaze was fixed on the blue-glowing vortex halfway up the mountain.

This was the greatest unforeseen change in this Dao discussion.

Just moments ago, the secret realm that had originally been sealed had suddenly been released from its restrictions.

Qiu Changfeng told the others to wait here first, while he went ahead. Several people were discussing matters there, and every one of them was a figure renowned throughout the world.

At a glance, Qiu Changfeng spotted Jade Pool Golden Immortal Shi Mu. He cupped his hands in salute. "Greetings, Senior Shi Mu."

Shi Mu nodded with a smile on his face, yet he felt awkward no matter how he looked at it. He secretly glanced at Xiang Tian behind him.

The group began exchanging opinions over the vortex that was clearly the entrance to the secret realm.

After a long while, they still failed to reach any conclusion, because no one knew what the secret realm was like inside.

"Enough, enough. I'll send one of my spirit beasts in."

An old crone leaning on a walking stick spoke. Several black cloth bags were tied to her cane. She stretched out a finger and lightly shook one of them. Instantly, a streak of black light flashed forth, and a beast with the body of a tiger and the head of a lion appeared.

At her command, the spirit beast leaped straight into the secret realm. But just as it was about to vanish inside, an indescribable aura swept across heaven and earth. The tiger-bodied, lion-headed beast was flung away and disappeared beyond the horizon.

Everyone's expressions changed drastically. The sheer power of that aura was beyond description.

Yet at that very moment, an anomaly appeared. Several large characters emerged in the sky.

Those below Ascension may enter the secret realm. Within lies the true meaning of the Daoist lineage!

There were only a dozen or so words, yet everyone was left stunned, even forgetting how to breathe. All they could hear was the thump-thump of their own hearts within their chests.

The true meaning of the Daoist lineage! That was one of the three great ancient teachings. Its methods had long since been lost in their world, yet today it had manifested upon the Dao Sea Spirit Mountain!

Even people at Shi Mu's level were dumbfounded. They had never imagined such a situation. The Daoist lineage's arts and divine abilities were famed for being profound and unfathomable. Even they were deeply tempted, wishing they could disperse their cultivation on the spot, fall beneath Ascension, and enter this secret realm.

Several old foxes had already begun giving meaningful looks to their juniors.

In an instant, someone charged into the secret realm. This time, no accident occurred, and the person vanished into it.

Good heavens—seeing someone seize the lead, people immediately chased after him with red-rimmed eyes.

"Ahhh! Charge!"

"The Dao Sea has revealed its divine will! This truly is the handiwork of a great Daoist figure!"

"This is a fortunate opportunity left to us by a Daoist senior! We must not disappoint our predecessor's expectations—charge!"

More and more people surged into the secret realm. Xiang Tian saw Qiu Changfeng repeatedly signaling him with his eyes, so he spoke to the classmates who had come with him. "Let's go in too. The Dao discussion definitely can't be held now, and we can't let others get the opportunity first!"

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

Once everyone below Ascension had entered the secret realm, those remaining on the Dao Sea were, apart from Ascension cultivators and True Immortals, merely low-level people who had come entirely to watch the excitement and lacked confidence in themselves.

The few people outside the secret realm smiled bitterly. The Dao discussion could no longer be held, so what were they supposed to do with all the prizes they had prepared?

Qiu Changfeng's eyes shifted, and he proposed, "We gathered this time in the name of the Dao discussion. Everyone traveled thousands of miles, crossing mountains and rivers, and now we have encountered a secret realm opportunity. It is truly something worth celebrating. Why not add flowers to brocade and use these prepared items to reward the outstanding young talents within the secret realm? What do you all think?"

The others nodded repeatedly after hearing him, finding his words reasonable.

With people of their status, would those they had brought along be lacking? They all had absolute confidence. Whether it was opportunities or rewards, everything would return to their own side.

"Good, then it's settled. These things are useless if we keep them anyway. Better to use them to encourage the youngsters in their cultivation."

An old man seated on a spirit deer spoke with a hearty laugh. He was none other than Ancient Treasury Pill Immortal, one of the five great Golden Immortals alongside Shi Mu. His pill-refining arts could be called unrivaled in the present-day Nine Heavens!

The item Qiu Changfeng needed was precisely a segment of Longevity Wood that Ancient Treasury Pill Immortal had brought.

This wood could prolong one's life and preserve one's years, making it a supreme treasure of the immortal realm. Yet that was not what Qiu Changfeng had his eye on.

His cultivation method was somewhat special and required refining vast quantities of immortal herbs and strange fruits. If he obtained this segment of Longevity Wood, his chances of breaking through to Golden Immortal would increase by several degrees!

Within the secret realm, Xiang Tian was teleported beside a lake. The lake's surface was tranquil and peaceful, and the breeze brushing over his face left behind a faint ticklish sensation.

The sunlight was just right, shining through gaps in the branches and leaves onto the earth, casting mottled shadows. Xiang Tian looked around, but there was no one else nearby.

Everything here was quiet to an excessive degree.

Xiang Tian did not dare lower his guard as he approached the lakeside.

Ripples shimmered across the surface. The water was not clear enough to reveal the bottom, yet it was sky-blue, so clear that it reflected the drifting clouds overhead.

This truly piqued Xiang Tian's interest. The lake before him was beautiful beyond compare, as though everything were a dream.

"Splash... splash..."

A faint sound suddenly rang out. Xiang Tian immediately detected it—it was the sound of something paddling through water. He kicked off the ground and shot backward through the air.

At the same time, a white figure emerged, its gaping bloody maw biting down so fiercely that it even tore away the patch of ground where Xiang Tian had been standing!

This secret realm was indeed strange!