Reaching the Boundary Sealing Gate

Deep within the Secret Realm realm's inheritance hall, Ren Xiaoyao gently stroked a jade slip gleaming with a faint light, slowly storing it in his Storage Ring. The jade slip felt warm to the touch, containing fragments of the High Antiquity <Profound Suppression Demonic Array>. The array's patterns slowly unfolded in his mind's eye, obscure yet containing boundless power. The pale golden aura surrounding him receded like a tide, and the dust from the Secret Realm clinging to his clothes vanished silently in the light. After three days of exploration, he not only obtained this array's inheritance but also found a Golden Immortal -level ancient sword named "Sky-Splitting" in the Sword Mound deep within the hall—its blade was long and narrow like autumn water, its edge gleaming... It gleamed with a cold, azure light, swirling with a faint, Evil-Breaking aura. The hilt was carved with a lifelike image of a black tiger, its eyes wide open, as if about to roar at any moment. When held in hand, a powerful force of Evil-Breaking energy surged through the palm into the meridians, subtly resonating with the Emperor Power in the dantian. The Overlord Willow, meanwhile, perched beneath a thousand-year-old tree outside the palace. Its dark green branches cascaded like a waterfall, swaying freely like a serpent, taking in every rustle of grass within a hundred feet. After several days of nourishment from the Heaven and Earth True Dew and the Spiritual Qi of the Secret Realm, its strength had stabilized at the Late Heavenly Immortal realm. Beneath its charred, old trunk, newly grown tender branches gleamed with a lustrous emerald sheen, brimming with vitality and power.

"Master, the Space Cracks at the Secret Realm Entrance is fluctuating abnormally. There are cultivators lingering there, about twenty in total, with mixed cultivation levels." Overlord Willow's consciousness entered Ren Xiaoyao's mind like a whisper, carrying a hint of barely perceptible vigilance. Ren Xiaoyao's eyes suddenly narrowed, and his aura instantly concealed as he strode out of the palace. Sunlight filtered through the dense foliage outside the palace, casting dappled shadows on the ground. He leaped and landed lightly on Overlord Willow's thickest branch, which steadily supported his body without even swaying. "Let's go see which 'friends' are waiting for me." Overlord Willow suddenly lashed out, and he sped towards the Secret Realm Entrance like an arrow. The Rare Flowers and Exotic Herbs along the way rushed past, and the dense Spiritual Qi was torn apart, leaving a faint green trail behind him, like a shooting star streaking across the sky.

Upon arriving at the Secret Realm Entrance, Ren Xiaoyao concealed himself in the shadows, peering down through the dense foliage. Beside the closed Space Cracks, more than twenty cultivators were discussing in small groups, their cultivation levels ranging from the early to mid-stage Heavenly Immortal, exuding an aura of either greed or ferocity. Leading them was a middle-aged cultivator in a blood-red Daoist robe, tall and thin, with a hideous scar running from his left eye to his jaw, the skin at the scar's location twisted and blackened. This was none other than the infamous Blood Shadow Old Monster of the Southern Region. This man was bloodthirsty by nature, specializing in cultivating the "Blood Shadow Evil Technique" using the Essence Blood of cultivators. Hundreds, if not thousands, of cultivators had died at his hands, earning him a notorious reputation among cultivators in the Immortal Realm. "Hmph, that brat Ren Xiaoyao is definitely still hiding in the Secret Realm. We'll guard this place; he'll have to come out sooner or later!" The Blood Shadow Old Monster's sinister voice rang out, as he gripped a three-foot-long blood-red skull staff. Two eerie green ghost flames burned in the eye sockets of the skull at the top of the staff, emanating a thick, nauseating stench of blood. "Once we catch him, the million- Immortal Crystal bounty is ours, and fortuitous opportunity and treasures he obtains in the Secret Realm are ours too! At that time, my breakthrough to the Golden Immortal realm will be just around the corner!" The surrounding cultivators all revealed greedy smiles, chiming in with their own opinions, their eyes gleaming with a thirst for wealth and power, their killing intent undisguised.

Ren Xiaoyao stared at the group of cultivators who were willing to kill for the bounty, a cold glint in his eyes and a chilling smile playing on his lips. These people only cared about profit, utterly disregarding the concepts of "good" and "Good and Evil." Even if he wasn't a falsely accused traitor, they would still attack him for the treasure and the reward. He transmitted his voice to Overlord Willow: "Prepare to attack. Finish this quickly, leave no survivors, lest the news leak and cause more trouble." As soon as he finished speaking, he stomped hard on a branch, bending it downwards before it rebounded sharply, launching him like a cannonball. His Emperor Power instantly surged... At his peak, golden spiritual light enveloped him like flames. Gripping the Sky Splitting Sword, he leaped down like an arrow released from a bow. His Golden Figure slicing through the sky, hurtling towards the group of cultivators with a sharp whooshing sound. "Who!" Blood Shadow Old Monster reacted the fastest, turning his head sharply towards the source of the sound. A hint of surprise flashed in his turbid eyes. When he saw the ancient sword in the Golden Figure's hand and the familiar face, his surprise instantly turned into wild joy. He grinned, revealing his gleaming white teeth, his voice trembling slightly with excitement. "It's Ren Xiaoyao! He actually came out on his own! Capture him, and there will be a great reward! Whoever captures him, I will give him thirty Immortal Crystal!"

Upon seeing this, the two early-stage Heavenly Immortal cultivators, their eyes flashing with greed and recklessness, charged forward like sharks smelling blood. Spiritual Qi surged beneath their feet, forming two faint white streams of energy. They positioned themselves one in front of the other, creating a pincer attack. They poured Spiritual Qi into their longswords, causing the blades to glow with a blinding white light and their blade aura to surge a foot, unleashing two sharp Saber Qi over ten feet long. The Saber Qi, accompanied by a whistling sound, were like two invisible giant blades, slashing down at Ren Xiaoyao from the left and right, tearing the air apart with a hissing sound. With a sharp "whoosh," the Saber Qi's energy severed the weeds on the ground, as if cleaving him and the air in two. Ren Xiaoyao's eyes turned cold. His Emperor Power circulated rapidly through his meridians, emitting a resonant "humming" sound. The Sky Splitting Sword in his hand trembled slightly, its blade emitting a crisp buzzing sound. Its azure light surged more than three feet, as chilling and menacing as autumn water unsheathed. "Clang!" A deafening roar rang out as the Sky Splitting Sword precisely blocked the center of the two Saber Qi. The golden Emperor Power collided violently with the Saber Qi, instantly... The impact shattered the stone, sending fragments flying like fireworks, slamming into the ground and creating tiny craters, raising clouds of dust. Then, he slammed his toes against the ground, his figure blurring like a ghost, leaving a faint golden afterimage. Taking advantage of the moment when their old strength was exhausted and new strength had not yet been generated, he instantly appeared behind the two cultivators, as if by Teleport. His sword, like the scythe of Death God, swept across two beautiful yet deadly arcs with chilling killing intent—"Pfft! Pfft!" Two soft sounds rang out, and two heads flew into the air, blood gushing out like fountains. Blood sprayed out like a fountain, staining the surrounding ground and weeds red. Warm droplets even splattered onto the faces of cultivators nearby, bringing a hot, metallic sensation. This lightning-fast killing left the surrounding cultivators stunned, their greedy smiles freezing instantly, their eyes filled with disbelief and horror. They never imagined that Ren Xiaoyao, declared a "traitor" by the Immortal Alliance, would be so powerful. Facing the combined attack of two Heavenly Immortal cultivators, he had delivered a clean and swift kill, without the slightest hesitation.

"You're courting death! How dare you kill someone in front of me!" Seeing his subordinate instantly killed, the Blood Shadow Old Monster felt a pang of pain in his heart. He roared, a glint of ruthlessness and heartache flashing in his eyes. He swung his blood-red skull staff violently, the skull at the top of the staff opening its mouth wide, emitting a piercing shriek. Countless hair-thin blood-red threads shot out like venomous snakes emerging from their holes, densely coiling towards Ren Xiaoyao, forming a blood-red net. The threads contained intense corrosive power; wherever they passed, the air hissed, and the weeds on the ground withered and turned black instantly upon contact, emitting a burnt stench. Even the stones on the ground were corroded, leaving tiny pits. At the same time, Overlord Willow also launched a thunderous attack. Countless dark green willow branches, like venomous snakes that had lain dormant for a thousand years, burst forth from the ground... Emerging from the ground with a sharp whistling sound, it swept towards the remaining cultivators like a torrential rain. The barbs on the willow branches gleamed with a cold, eerie green light, their sharpness no less than that of a Golden Immortal Method, instantly binding the three unresponsive cultivators tightly. "Ah--! Help! My life force... my life force is draining away!" Piercing screams rose and fell. The cultivators bound by the willow branches had bulging veins, their faces rapidly turning deathly pale. Their life force drained away like a river being drained, their bodies visibly shriveling, their skin wrinkling like old tree bark, their Spiritual Qi rapidly dissipating. In moments, they became three emaciated corpses, their eyes still filled with endless fear and resentment. The corpses fell to the ground with a dull thud, stirring up a cloud of dust.

Ren Xiaoyao remained unmoved by the approaching crimson threads, his eyes devoid of any emotion, as if the attack were utterly insignificant. His wrist moved with lightning speed, wielding the Sky Splitting Sword with fluid grace, channeling all the golden Emperor Power from his dantian into the blade. The azure light of the sword intertwined with the golden Emperor Power, forming a dazzling blade of light, its surrounding air distorted. Then, he unleashed a powerful slash of golden Sword-Ray, tens of feet long, Sword-Ray roared forth like a Golden Giant Dragon, containing immense power to Evil-Breaking. Like a celestial being... He swept his sword out in a rage, the crimson threads melting instantly like snow under the blazing sun, leaving no trace behind, all severed and dissipating into specks of black mist. Then, he stomped his foot on the ground, creating a three-inch-deep crater with cracks spreading outwards. His figure vanished as if by Teleport, his speed greatly increased after breaking through to the Mid-stage Heavenly Immortal, leaving a series of afterimages. When he reappeared, he was already before the Blood Shadow Old Monster, his sword blade, carrying a chilling killing intent, aimed directly at his throat, the sword wind fierce and sharp. The blade pierced his very bones, scraping so hard it stung the Blood Shadow Old Monster Blood Shadow Old Monster's cheek, making his hair stand on end. His expression changed drastically; he was terrified, his whole body trembling. He hastily activated his Blood Shadow Evil Technique, causing his blood to boil rapidly, his skin turning a strange crimson, and a thick, blood-red shield appeared. The shield was covered in Twisted Runes, emanating a sinister, bloody aura, attempting to withstand this fatal blow. "Clang!" The Sky Splitting Sword, carrying immense force, slammed into the blood-red shield, producing a deafening roar. The golden Emperor Power collided with the evil shield, exploding... It emitted a blinding light, and the shockwave spread outwards, forcing the surrounding cultivators to take several steps back. The blood-red shield was instantly covered with spiderweb-like cracks, teetering on the verge of collapse like glass about to shatter. The Blood Shadow Old Monster felt a sharp pain in his chest, as if he had been struck by a giant hammer, his internal organs dislocated. He coughed up a mouthful of dark red blood, and his body flew backwards like a kite with a broken string, barely stopping after crashing into a tree as thick as a bucket. The tree trunk shook violently from the impact, leaves flew everywhere, and a deep dent was left on the bark, with cracks spreading.

Ren Xiaoyao gave the Blood Shadow Old Monster no chance to breathe, his figure flashing like a ghost as he relentlessly pursued him. His Sky Splitting Sword unleashed a barrage of strikes like a storm, the sword shadows flying, forming a dense Sword Net. Each strike contained immense Emperor Power, sealing off all of the Blood Shadow Old Monster's escape routes. The Blood Shadow Old Monster scrambled to avoid him, staggering like a drunkard. His blood-red Daoist robe was torn in several places by the fierce sword wind, revealing his withered, blackened skin. The scars on his face were twisted and deformed by extreme fear, appearing even more ferocious and terrifying. "You... how can you be so strong! Aren't you an early-stage Heavenly Immortal?! This is impossible! Absolutely impossible!" The Blood Shadow Old Monster's eyes were filled with extreme fear and despair, his voice hoarse and distorted with terror. He could clearly sense that the aura emanating from Ren Xiaoyao far surpassed that of an early-stage Heavenly Immortal, even several times stronger than his own peak Mid-stage Heavenly Immortal. This completely overturned his understanding of Ren Xiaoyao's strength, filling him with a sense of utter defeat and dissipating even his courage to resist. Ren Xiaoyao's eyes were icy cold, uttering no unnecessary words, like Death God reaper harvesting lives, simply watching him struggle futilely on the edge of death. Taking advantage of the Blood Shadow Old Monster's momentary stumble and loss of balance, Ren Xiaoyao seized this fleeting opportunity, his longsword plunging fiercely into the old monster's chest. Golden Emperor Power erupted within him like a volcanic eruption, shattering the Blood Shadow Old Monster's internal organs into a bloody pulp with a deafening boom. The Blood Shadow Old Monster's eyes widened, filled with resentment and disbelief. A large amount of dark red blood, mixed with fragments of shattered internal organs, gushed from his mouth. His body convulsed a few times before quickly losing its life force. The Nether-Green Ghost Fire burning in his eyes also extinguished, turning him into a cold corpse, lying motionless on the ground.

The remaining dozen or so cultivators, seeing their leader, the Blood Shadow Old Monster, killed, were terrified out of their wits. Gone was the slightest will to fight; they scattered and fled like startled rabbits, screaming and running in different directions, wishing they had more legs. They even threw their weapons to the ground. But how could Ren Xiaoyao and Overlord Willow give them a chance to escape? Overlord Willow's countless dark green willow branches spread out rapidly like a net, weaving into a huge green net in mid-air, completely covering the entire area. There wasn't a single gap. Any cultivator attempting to break free of the encirclement was instantly entangled by willow branches, the barbs piercing their bodies and frantically absorbing their life force and Spiritual Qi. The cultivators' screams grew weaker and weaker, eventually fading into deathly silence. In the blink of an eye, four more cultivators were drained of their life force, turning into desiccated corpses lying on the ground, emanating a dense Death Qi. Ren Xiaoyao, wielding the Sky Splitting Sword, darted swiftly across the battlefield, his movements as agile as a leopard. With each flash of his sword, cultivators fell beneath his blade. One cultivator attempted to sacrifice... One cultivator raised a bronze shield to defend himself, but the Sky Splitting Sword shattered it in a single blow, sending Bronze Fragments flying. His body was also sliced in two, blood and entrails spilling onto the ground. Another cultivator tried to kneel and beg for mercy, his face filled with pleading, crying out "Spare me!" But Ren Xiaoyao only delivered a cold, piercing blow to the heart; as the blade was pulled out, blood gushed forth. Screams and the thud of weapons mingled, forming a deathly symphony that echoed through the valley. In the short time it takes for an incense stick to burn, more than twenty cultivators... All the warriors were killed, leaving the ground littered with corpses and thick, sticky blood. Dark red blood flowed across the ground, forming small puddles, and the air was thick with a pungent, nauseating stench of blood. Ren Xiaoyao sheathed his Sky Splitting Sword, his brow furrowing slightly. His Soul Power spread out like invisible tentacles, covering an area of several miles around him. He clearly sensed three faint auras of cultivators rapidly receding, obviously startled by the fierce battle and too frightened to approach, fleeing in panic.

"Master, those escaped cultivators might tip us off. We can't stay here any longer; we must get to the Boundary Sealing Gate as soon as possible." The Overlord Willow's consciousness entered Ren Xiaoyao's mind, tinged with urgency. Ren Xiaoyao nodded, leaped onto a branch of the Overlord Willow, and patted the thick trunk. "Go! Full speed ahead to the Boundary Sealing Gate!" The Overlord Willow branch lashed out, and like an arrow released from a bow, it sped towards the Boundary Sealing Gate, its figure like a green lightning bolt, quickly disappearing into the distant horizon. During its flight, Ren Xiaoyao, one could see many cultivators rushing towards the Demon Meteor City. Some flew on swords, others rode spirit pets, their faces filled with excitement and greed. Clearly, they had heard of his presence in the Demon Meteor City's Secret Realm and wanted to get a share of the spoils. Ren Xiaoyao paid no attention to this, only urging Overlord Willow to speed up. He knew that the Void Demon Ancestor's conspiracy was about to succeed, and the crisis at the Boundary Sealing Gate was imminent. Every moment of delay increased the danger to the Immortal Realm. He had to reach the Boundary Sealing Gate as soon as possible to stop the invasion of the Demon Realm army.

After a day and a night of non-stop travel, a magnificent and imposing Stone Gate finally appeared on the horizon—the Boundary Sealing Gate separating the Immortal Realm and the Demon Realm. The Boundary Sealing Gate stood a thousand feet tall, like a colossal pillar supporting the heavens, constructed of an unknown black boulder. Its surface was covered with the marks of time, yet it remained indestructible. The Stone Gate was carved with intricate and profound Ancient Runes, which shimmered with a faint but resolute golden light, radiating an aura of majesty that suppressed heaven and earth and separated the two realms, inspiring awe. On either side of the Stone Gate stood two colossal stone statues, each a hundred feet tall. On the left was Xing Tian, wielding Giant Axe and glaring angrily; on the right was Xuan Mysterious Woman, clad in armor and holding a long sword. The statues were lifelike and imposing, as if they had guarded this gate since time immemorial, deterring all evil spirits from the Demon Realm.

At this time, the sealing gate was heavily guarded, and the atmosphere was extremely solemn. Even the wind seemed to have stopped flowing, and the air was filled with an oppressive atmosphere. Countless Immortal Alliance monks were stationed here. They were wearing silver-white standard battle armor. The battle armor was engraved with fine defensive runes. It shone with a faint silver light in the sun, reflecting an icy sheen. They were holding standard long swords that shone with cold light. The blades reflected their seriousness and tightness. Faces. The monks were neatly arranged on both sides of the stone gate, forming several tight lines of defense, like city walls made of steel. Their expressions were tense, their eyes were staring at the direction of the stone gate warily, and they even breathed deliberately softly, for fear of disturbing the monsters behind the door. A fine cold sweat oozed from the palms of each person's hands. Several core elders of the Immortal Alliance were also here. They stood on the high platform in front of the stone gate, with a powerful aura exuding around them, forming a wave. Invisible pressure, among them is Master Xuanyang of the Law Enforcement Hall. Master Xuanyang is wearing a silver-white law enforcement robe, with white beard and hair, and his face is covered with wrinkles left by the years. At this moment, his brows are furrowed into a deep "chuan" character, and his eyes are fixed on the runes on the stone door. The light of the runes is much dimmer than before, and some runes have even begun to fade and peel off, revealing the black stone surface below. It is obvious that the power of the devil is coming. The seal was constantly being eroded, and the seal was in danger. His face was full of solemnity, his hands were behind his back, and his fingers were tapping the palms unconsciously. He was anxious in his heart - the signs of the seal of the world sealing gate being loosened were becoming more and more obvious, and the smell of the invasion of the demon world was getting stronger. However, the leader of the Immortal Alliance, Master Lingxu, had not yet arrived, and he did not even respond to the messenger. This made him feel vaguely uneasy, and an ominous premonition spread in his heart.

Ren Xiaoyao leaped down from the branches of the Overlord Willow Overlord Willow several miles from the Boundary Sealing Gate, storing it within his sea of consciousness—he knew the Overlord Willow's ferocious beastly aura was too obvious; once exposed, it would only complicate the situation further. He then straightened his slightly disheveled clothes, gripped the Sky- Sky Splitting Sword, took a deep breath, and strode towards the Boundary Sealing Gate. He knew perfectly well that his current identity was that of "the Immortal Realm Realm's Number One Traitor," and his appearance at the Boundary Sealing Gate would inevitably cause a huge uproar, possibly even leading to an attack by the Immortal Alliance cultivators. But he didn't... There was no choice. The Boundary Sealing Gate concerned the safety of billions of beings in the Immortal Realm, and no matter how many obstacles lay ahead, he had to face it all. Sure enough, as soon as he approached within a hundred feet of the Boundary Sealing Gate, the Immortal Alliance cultivators in the distance spotted him and immediately exclaimed in surprise, "Who is that? It's Ren Xiaoyao! What is he doing here!" "It's the traitor Ren Xiaoyao! Quickly, notify the elders! Seize him!" Countless gazes filled with killing intent and vigilance instantly converged on Ren Xiaoyao, landing on him as if they were physical, making the air feel oppressive.

True Human Xuanyang on the high platform quickly spotted Ren Xiaoyao. A flicker of surprise crossed his eyes – he hadn't expected Ren Xiaoyao to be so audacious, daring to appear at the crucial Boundary Sealing Gate while being hunted by the entire Immortal Alliance. His surprise was quickly replaced by intense anger and killing intent, his aura instantly becoming sharp. He roared, "Ren Xiaoyao! You traitor of the Immortal Realm, colluding with the Demon Realm and harming your fellow disciples, dare to cause trouble at the Boundary Sealing Gate at this time! Do you really intend to open the Boundary Sealing Gate from within and without, allowing the Demon Realm army to invade the Immortal Realm and kill billions of lives?! Is your heart black?! Men, seize him! Dead or alive!" True Human Xuanyang's voice, imbued with profound Spiritual Qi, echoed like thunder above the Boundary Sealing Gate, causing the eardrums of the surrounding cultivators to buzz, even shaking the dust on the ground and trembling the air. Instantly, dozens of the Immortal Alliance... The warriors formed a neat attack formation, their long swords pointing diagonally at the ground, charging fiercely towards Ren Xiaoyao with synchronized steps. Their uniform, rhythmic thuds resembled the beating of war drums, the blades gleaming with a cold light, their killing intent palpable. The air thick with the smell of gunpowder; a great battle was imminent. Ren Xiaoyao gripped his Sky -Sky Splitting Sword tightly, his knuckles turning slightly white from the force, veins bulging on the back of his hand. A resolute glint flashed in his eyes. He did not retreat; instead, he faced the charging cultivators, each step steady and powerful, leaving shallow footprints. He knew a new battle was inevitable, and this time, he would not only prove his innocence and expose the Void Demon Ancestor's conspiracy, but also protect the Boundary Sealing Gate that held the fate of the Immortal Realm in its hands. Even if the entire Immortal Alliance surrounded him, even if he had to shed his last drop of blood, he would never retreat a single step!