As time passed, the setting sun sank beyond the mountaintops.
The space around the Secret Realm entrance gradually stabilized.
The spiritual energy vortex at the entrance slowly calmed.
At this sight, all Human Race cultivators and demon beasts that had gained intelligence fixed their eyes tightly on the opening of the Secret Realm.
There were countless opportunities within the Secret Realm, especially one like this without an owner.
This was a once-in-a-thousand-years chance to change one's fate. No one would let it slip away.
Just as everyone thought the entrance was about to open—
A pillar of light shot into the heavens.
Spiritual energy surged like a raging tide.
Ten thousand zhang of rosy light descended from the sky, followed by the manifestation of ancient runes.
A hollow, profound voice devoid of all emotion rang beside every living being's ears:
"Secret Realm open. Limited to fifty thousand entrants. Human Race members with bone ages below forty, and Demon Race members below one hundred years old, may enter the Secret Realm!"
The voice was like a great bell and a grand drum, echoing in every creature's mind, beyond all doubt.
The moment those words fell, they stirred up a tremendous uproar.
The two Nascent Soul figures in the air remained expressionless.
Every Secret Realm had entry requirements. Besides, they had already confirmed that this was an Inheritance Secret Realm, so they had long since given up any hope of entering.
"Fuck this under-forty rule! I don't believe it!"
A Foundation Establishment Peak cultivator with an aged face, standing closest to the Secret Realm entrance, immediately began cursing.
His body shot toward the entrance.
He was already over two hundred and twenty years old. If he missed this chance, death awaited him!
So he had to enter this Secret Realm!
Hua Shisan and the Chongyuan Black Flood Dragon high in the sky remained completely unmoved by his actions.
When the old man reached the Secret Realm, his body was instantly severed at the waist by a streak of sword light the moment his head touched the entrance.
He crashed heavily into the mountain forest.
At this sight, the cultivators who did not meet the requirements felt their hearts turn to ashes.
One after another, they hung their heads in dejection.
Some chose to leave, while others slipped into the forest to wait.
As for what they intended to do, everyone knew perfectly well.
The others who met the requirements still could not enter, because more than a thousand qualified disciples from the Nine Splendor Sword Sect had to enter first.
Then came the people of the East Sea Dragon Court. Everyone else had to stand aside.
Though furious, no one dared speak out.
"Alas, Great Elder, it seems this Secret Realm is not fated for the two of us."
Zhang Hongqing looked wistful. He had originally hoped to find an opportunity of his own inside, but now it seemed everything had gone down the drain.
Truly, the affairs of the world were ever-changing; one's intestines wrapped around another's.
It was not just him. Of the Zhang Family members who had come this time, only thirty-one met the requirements.
And most of them were merely at the Qi Refining Middle Stage or had only just entered Late Qi Refining.
But that was also the common level of cultivation among those entering the Secret Realm.
After all, cultivators with Triple Spirit Roots or Two Spiritual Roots were only a minority.
The overwhelming majority had Five-element Spiritual Roots or Four Spiritual Roots.
The difference was not great.
It could be said that within the Secret Realm, as long as he did not use Spirit Talismans, Zhang Xuanbing could sweep through ninety-nine percent of them!
"If it is not in one's fate, it cannot be forced."
He then looked at the Zhang Family members who met the requirements. "Remember what I told you yesterday. Do not go where you should not go! Understand?"
"Understood!" everyone answered in unison.
"Good. This old man will wait for your triumphant return! Once the Nine Splendor Sword Sect's people have entered, head in immediately. If anyone blocks you, kill them outright!
Show no mercy!"
"Yes, Great Elder!"
Yesterday, the Great Elder had given them quite a few Second-Grade Spirit Talismans. If they could not even get through the door, they might as well find a block of tofu and smash their heads into it.
That was the advantage those Rogue Cultivators could never compare to.
When one went out into the world, one needed to have backing!
Sure enough, after the people of the Nine Splendor Sword Sect entered, thousands of streams of multicolored light rushed toward the Secret Realm entrance. As expected, the vast majority were disciples of Golden Core forces.
Next came Foundation Establishment forces, Qi Refining forces, and Rogue Cultivators.
Screams, cries of slaughter, and the clang of weapons rang out without end.
Within minutes, corpses lay everywhere outside the Secret Realm entrance, blood flowing into rivers as though it were a fiery purgatory on earth.
This time, tens of thousands of cultivators and demon beasts had already died merely fighting for the right to enter the Secret Realm.
Meanwhile, Zhang Xuanchen had already stepped through the Secret Realm entrance.
After a brief wave of dizziness, he appeared in an unfamiliar environment.
The instant he landed, he immediately hid behind a moss-covered boulder.
His sharp gaze swept across his surroundings.
He was currently in the middle of a jungle.
Ancient trees towered into the sky, vines tangled together, weeds grew thickly, and the light was dim and unclear. There was no path at all.
If he wanted to move forward, he could only carve out a path himself.
After sensing no danger, Zhang Xuanchen let out a breath of relief.
He took a deep breath of the strange floral scent mixed with the smell of rotting leaves.
"Damn, the spiritual energy here is dozens of times denser than outside. It is nearly as dense as a First-grade Mid-tier Spirit Vein, but this place is far too quiet."
Zhang Xuanchen muttered inwardly. Rather than lowering his guard, he suppressed his aura to the utmost limit.
With a flip, he leaped onto a massive tree.
After using the sun in the sky to determine his direction, he headed east.
He had to reach that Demon Cave as quickly as possible and seize the opportunity within.
If someone beat him to it, he would not even have a place to cry.
"Ah! My leg! Damn it! You beast, let go of me!"
A miserable wail caught Zhang Xuanchen's attention.
Suppressing his aura, he made several leaps and arrived at the source of the sound.
Looking over, he saw a female cultivator dressed in the robes of the Bihai Immortal Sect being bound by a vine that gleamed with metallic luster.
The immense force made the female cultivator's face flush red, while her bones crackled under the crushing pressure.
At this sight, Zhang Xuanchen's lips curled slightly. He had no intention of stepping forward to save her.
The disciples of the Bihai Immortal Sect had long since found them displeasing. If she died, then she died.
Besides, what had wrapped around her was a first-stage peak Gold-devouring Python.
It was no easy opponent. Saving her would simply be a waste of time.
Just as he was about to leave, his gaze swept aside, and he suddenly spotted a lingzhi growing on a stone wall a hundred meters away from the Gold-devouring Python, radiating a golden halo.
"A First-grade Top-tier Golden Crystal Lingzhi! A fine treasure that can continuously strengthen the body!
Since I have seen it, I cannot let it go!"
Having made up his mind, Zhang Xuanchen glanced at the female cultivator struggling bitterly with a defensive Spirit Talisman and silently prayed.
You had better hold on.
This bro was fast.
In just a few breaths, he arrived before the Golden Crystal Lingzhi.
The moment he landed, a smaller Gold-devouring Python that had been hiding in the shadows suddenly attacked Zhang Xuanchen.
"Damn, that is some nerve! A First Stage Mid-phase beast actually dares bite me? You are courting death!"
Sensing the demon beast's aura, Zhang Xuanchen cursed inwardly.
His longsword left its sheath, and a streak of sword light flashed out, instantly cutting the Gold-devouring Python in two.
The thick smell of blood immediately drew the attention of the other Gold-devouring Python.
When it saw its child being slain, it roared, and its eyes instantly turned red.
It released the female cultivator, whose bones had been crushed and who was barely clinging to life, then charged at Zhang Xuanchen.
"Fuck!"
"Your son threw himself onto my sword! Do you have any sense of reason?!"
Before you continue