Secret Realm Opens

Jun Wudi no longer paid attention to Yao Buting and the other person. He summoned a giant spear.

"Fellow Daoists, this is a low-grade Earth Tier Magic Treasure left by our sect's ancestor. As long as there's enough Spiritual Energy, it can unleash a powerful attack."

"The seal on this stone tablet is extremely weak now. With everyone's combined strength, we can break it. Everyone, channel your Spiritual Energy directly into the spear and prepare to enter the Secret Realm."

Jun Wudi formed hand seals and pointed the spear at the stone tablet.

Sensing the powerful Spiritual Energy fluctuations, the stone tablet spontaneously activated a verdant green barrier to protect the pit. It exuded a chilling aura, flickering intermittently.

"This is the barrier guarding the entrance. We can only enter after breaking it. Furthermore, the barrier regenerates every two hours. Everyone, give it your all!" As he spoke, Jun Wudi began channeling Spiritual Energy into the spear.

"Attack!"

Behind him, Yao Buting, Zi Long, and others quickly urged their sect disciples to follow suit by channeling their Spiritual Energy.

"Brothers, hurry up! The treasures of heaven and earth are right before our eyes!"

The remaining cultivators followed suit, injecting their Spiritual Energy.

For a time, the sky was filled with various kinds of Spiritual Energy, with beams of light in their respective elemental colors continuously surging into the spear.

Behind Jun Wudi, Lu Chen and the other two were only in the Qi Gathering Realm. They were unable to release their Spiritual Energy outside their bodies.

"When will we be able to release Spiritual Energy externally? I've been at Grand Perfection in Qi Gathering for a year, but the Spiritual Energy in my body still hasn't transformed into Spirit Liquid," Young Master Jun said enviously, looking at the colorful beams of Spiritual Energy in the sky.

After Lu Chen received the memories of Feng Tiancheng, he had long understood the meaning of external Spiritual Energy release.

On the continent, cultivation began in the Qi Gathering Realm with the absorption of Qi into the body for practice. The first step was to continuously absorb Spiritual Energy into the body. Once the Spiritual Energy filled the Celestial Pool, it would be compressed and purified. Repeating this process would transform the Spiritual Energy into Spirit Liquid. The formation of a single drop of Spirit Liquid signified entry into the Breath Regulation Realm.

Upon entering the Breath Regulation Realm, one could use more spells, and Spiritual Energy could be released externally, allowing for aerial flight and the manipulation of objects from a distance. This was the foundation for all attacks.

In the Breath Regulation Realm, one cultivated Spirit Liquid within the body. Once the Spirit Liquid filled the Celestial Pool, it would be further compressed, solidified, and purified. When the first Spirit Liquid particle formed, it signified entry into the Qi Descending Realm. This was the realm most beings on the continent could reach. Only those with exceptionally high cultivation Talent could continue to cultivate further.

When there were enough Spiritual Energy particles, they could be condensed together to form a Dantian. This was known as Core Condensation, also called the Core Condensation Realm. At this stage, one could essentially establish their own sect.

Further cultivation often relied on opportunities. Only those with sufficient destiny could possibly continue upward, break through the three Dantians and three Gates, and ascend to become an immortal.

Ten years for Qi Gathering, a hundred years for Breath Regulation, a thousand years for Qi Descending, ten thousand years for Core Condensation – this was the best description of the path of cultivation.

Lu Chen pondered these thoughts. Although he was only in the Qi Gathering Realm, due to the Azure Emperor Divine Tree and the Twin Fish Pendant, the Spiritual Energy in his body had already begun to transform into Spirit Liquid. However, he felt no sense of breakthrough whatsoever.

Ding!

A light sound echoed through the sky. The spear had become crystal clear, and its tip exuded an aura of world-shattering power.

Jun Wudi observed the spear's state, leaped up, grabbed it, and roared towards the sky.

"Heavenly Dao Control!"

"Break!"

Streams of red lightning descended from the sky, striking the barrier directly.

Crack... Crack...

Slowly, cracks began to appear on the barrier, but it did not shatter.

Crack... Crack...

"Don't stop! Continue channeling Spiritual Energy!" Jun Wudi's voice echoed from the sky.

Zi Long, witnessing the attack, felt a surge of fear. They had heard that Jun Wudi was from the Jun family of Fengtian Prefecture in the central part of the continent, but had come to this place after suffering severe injuries.

The Jun family controlled the armies of the continent. On this cultivation continent without royalty, noble families that controlled the military held the highest authority.

"Alas, if only I had known he was from there, I wouldn't have threatened him earlier," Zi Long whispered.

"What are you afraid of? This old man doesn't believe it. If he were truly someone important, he wouldn't have stayed here for years being threatened by us," Yao Buting said disdainfully to Zi Long.

"Why are the lightning bolts red? They're so powerful," Lu Chen said to Young Master Jun. "I remember yours weren't this color when you released them."

"The first move of the Heavenly Dao Control Art is called Heavenly Thunder Control, which is what you're seeing now. I've only just reached the first level."

"The deeper one cultivates, the darker the color of the lightning they can control. Blue, purple, red, black – the darker the color, the stronger the power."

"Uncle was originally the first in our family to cultivate red lightning before the age of thirty. But because of that incident, he ended up here. Alas..."

"That incident?" Lu Chen looked at Young Master Jun, who seemed hesitant to speak.

"It's not because his body was... Ah, never mind, never mind." Young Master Jun realized he had said too much and quickly changed his tune.

Just as Lu Chen was about to press for more information, a sudden change occurred in the sky.

"Look quickly, that spot is about to break!" Nantian Yijian pointed and shouted.

Everyone quickly looked in that direction. The stone tablet here was somewhat distant and had become dilapidated due to the long passage of time. A small crack had already begun to form.

Jun Wudi saw the crack and intensified his attack.

"Fellow Daoists, put in a little more effort! Aim your strongest attacks at the opening. Success or failure depends on this step."

Everyone summoned their Magic Treasures and unleashed their most powerful attacks. Swords, sabers, fireballs, lightning bolts, and talismans flew into the sky, all rushing towards the cracked opening.

Boom... Boom...

With loud explosions, the barrier in front of the stone tablet shattered. Cracks spread like a spiderweb, converging towards the top.

"Riiip."

The barrier completely disappeared, and a passage leading directly to the Secret Realm appeared over a nearby pit.

"Fellow Daoists, the passage will only exist for thirty minutes. From now on, it's survival of the fittest and seizing opportunities."

"Let's go!" With that, Jun Wudi waved to Fengtian Prefecture, signaling everyone to follow him in.

"Little Lu, let's go."

"Once we enter this Secret Realm, everyone will be scattered, and it's full of Demonic Beasts. We must gather together as quickly as possible. Our target this time is the center of the Secret Realm." Saying this, the three of them followed the Fengtian Prefecture group into the Secret Realm.

Yao Buting and Zi Long also led their respective sect members in pursuit, as they still needed to enter and snatch the ultimate Treasure.

After the people from the three major sects entered, the surrounding crowd began to rush in, as the opening time was only thirty minutes.

Without the restraint of the three major sects, these cultivators' true natures began to show, and they all drew their weapons.

They directly struck down those weaker than them with a single slash, and when they saw someone stronger, they took the opportunity in the chaos to launch a sneak attack from behind. The scene became extremely chaotic.

Lu Chen stood at the entrance of a valley. There were no other cultivators around.

The place he was in looked like a spiritual vein, with the valley filled with Spiritual Energy and the mountain peaks on both sides covered in lush vegetation. Lu Chen could faintly hear dragon roars.

Lu Chen walked into the valley. Ever since he entered, he could feel the mysterious calling sound becoming stronger and closer.

"Strange, why is the Twin Fish Pendant in my body so active, and the Spiritual Energy is circulating faster and faster?" Lu Chen felt the Spiritual Energy in his body becoming more and more active.

"Come quickly, come to me."

"Come quickly..."

A magnetic voice echoed in Lu Chen's ears, but it was intermittent. He could tell that this voice was almost identical to the previous one.

"Who's calling me?" Lu Chen looked up and asked.

"Walk forward, come in."

"I'll be waiting for you inside, come quickly..."

"There's not much time left..."

As Lu Chen followed the calling sound and entered a winding, narrow valley, a wall of energy appeared behind him, blocking his path.

Sensing the aura of the energy wall, Lu Chen didn't look back. He knew that the person calling him would definitely not attack him prematurely.

He walked further into the valley. At first, it was just a gentle breeze, but with every turn, the wind speed increased by a level.

As he neared the center of the valley, Lu Chen felt like his body was about to be blown apart. He had to use the Azure Emperor Divine Tree to wrap around the stones on both sides and move forward with great difficulty.

Lu Chen rounded the last bend and saw a circular plaza.

By this time, the wind was like knives, leaving small cuts on Lu Chen's body. Blood splattered on the ground, and a small flower slowly bloomed from the blood.

"Come quickly, come quickly, don't be afraid... the wind won't hurt you."

The voice was still calling Lu Chen, sounding a bit anxious, as if it had been waiting for a long time.

The wind was too strong, carrying branches and stones with a piercing pain as it struck Lu Chen's body.

Lu Chen could only use the Azure Emperor Divine Tree to condense a shield in front of him and push forward against the wind.

Along the way, Lu Chen would take two steps forward and be blown back one step by the wind. He finally reached the circular plaza, but there was not a trace of wind blowing on the plaza.

Looking at the calm plaza, Lu Chen didn't dare to charge in rashly. He could only find a concave cave to hide in.

Lu Chen observed the aura on the plaza.

Other than a giant sword, there was nothing else on the plaza. Just as Lu Chen was about to search for the source of the voice, a stone fell from the mountain.

As soon as the stone entered the plaza's area, it was instantly ground to dust and disappeared.

Lu Chen didn't see anything touch the stone, not even a trace of air movement.

Lu Chen looked at this calm area and thought of a type of terrain mentioned in the memories of Feng Tiancheng – the Eye of the Storm, the Dragon Rising Ground.

The outer area of the Eye of the Storm was filled with hurricanes, but its center was incredibly calm.

It was filled with a very dense wind element, so much so that the wind had condensed into substance. Although there was no whistling sound, anything that entered would be ground away.

Lu Chen was very puzzled as to why the giant sword was in the center of the Eye of the Storm and not being ground away. Just then, the giant sword in the plaza moved.

"Roar... Roar..."

A dragon's roar came from the center. The surrounding hurricane became even more violent, and the giant sword began to fly. A transparent dragon silhouette made of wind appeared around the giant sword, circling above and below.

Lu Chen looked at this transparent dragon, with deer antlers, shrimp eyes, dog nose, and ox mouth. He could only make out a general shape.

At this moment, the giant sword was embedded between the two horns of the giant dragon, with the tip reaching its nose.

"Roar..."

The giant dragon lowered its head and looked at Lu Chen in the depression, roaring. Its imposing aura spread everywhere, tearing the space apart with a whistling sound.

Looking at the giant dragon's head before him, Lu Chen could feel an immense pressure instantly upon him.

"It's really a dragon, a dragon's rising aura. This giant dragon's aura is even stronger than Uncle Jun's. It probably has the strength of the Core Condensation Realm or above."