Secret Realm

He took a step forward.

"Vmm!"

The void trembled. The sea of clouds surrounding the entire Heavenly Secrets Pavilion sank sharply beneath his step!

Countless palaces and towers shook violently, as if they might collapse at any moment.

"Speak."

Xuanyuan's voice remained calm, yet carried an order that brooked no refusal.

Heavenly Secrets Old Man trembled even harder, cold sweat soaking his luxurious Star Dao Robe. His eyes were a tangle of struggle, fear, hesitation... all kinds of emotions intertwined wildly.

On one side was the Eternal Taboo, whose touch meant certain death.

On the other, he would die at once if he said nothing.

It was an unsolvable dead end!

"What? Gone mute?"

Xuanyuan's voice turned cold. "Or do you think this rickety old building is tougher than your life?"

In the end, his instinct to survive overcame his fear of the taboo.

Heavenly Secrets Old Man bit the tip of his tongue hard. The pain restored a sliver of clarity. He drew a deep breath, as if summoning every ounce of strength he had, and said in a trembling voice, "This secret... cannot be spoken... cannot be uttered..."

"Oh?"

Xuanyuan raised an eyebrow. "So you've chosen the latter."

As he spoke, he slowly lifted a hand. In his palm, a wisp of black energy—so subtle it was barely perceptible, and deeper than the void itself—began to condense.

At the sight of that wisp of energy, Heavenly Secrets Old Man was terrified out of his wits!

He could feel that once it was unleashed, not just the Heavenly Secrets Pavilion, but the world within a million li would likely be erased in an instant, without leaving behind a trace!

"No! Fellow Daoist, please show mercy!"

Heavenly Secrets Old Man let out a shrill howl, no longer caring about his