Lin Clan.
Main Hall.
Lin Chengtian listened to an Elder's report and fell into deep thought.
His brows furrowed slightly, and shock and curiosity were difficult to conceal in his profound eyes.
"One word destroyed a Great Saint..."
"Yes, Clan Leader. Do you think that mysterious man could be in the Emperor Realm?"
The Elder speculated, his breathing growing somewhat rapid.
No Emperor Realm expert had appeared in this era. Now, an existence suspected to be in the Emperor Realm had suddenly emerged—enough to shake the entire Heavenly Desolation Continent.
"The Emperor Realm... can it achieve such a feat...?"
Lin Chengtian murmured, while the scene he had witnessed earlier surfaced in his mind.
Heavenly thunder roared, and the void seemed about to collapse beneath the rolling lightning. Yet Ye Chang'an's strike had flashed like a startled swan, blooming in an instant and cleaving apart the Lightning Tribulation.
It was not only Lin Chengtian who had witnessed that sight; the entire Eastern Domain had seen it.
Recalling that scene and the might he had felt at the time, Lin Chengtian only felt as insignificant as an ant.
Was that truly only the Emperor Realm?
But if not the Emperor Realm, then what was it?
Above the Emperor Realm?
At that thought, Lin Chengtian stopped dwelling on it.
He did not know what lay above the Emperor Realm, nor did he dare imagine it. Though curious, he knew his own limits.
"Clan Leader, should we ask that expert for help? Perhaps he can resolve the matter of the Ancestral Land."
As though he had suddenly recalled something, the Elder tentatively mentioned it.
At those words, a glint flashed through Lin Chengtian's eyes.
"Let me think about it. Besides, that person may not necessarily be willing to help."
Three days later, Heavenly Extremity Sacred Land.
Today was the day of the Secret Realm Trial. The newly recruited disciples of the sacred land were all waiting in Outer Sect Square.
Before long, several Elders appeared in the square.
A youth followed beside them.
Seeing the youth arrive, Lin Tianci, standing at the front of the crowd, looked somewhat puzzled.
"Xuanyuan Hao? What is he doing here?"
That was right. The one following the Elders was Xuanyuan Hao.
However, Xuanyuan Hao was currently sizing up the two girls beside Lin Tianci.
Ye Xinran and Jin Xiaoya.
His gaze lingered on Jin Xiaoya for a moment before moving away.
The one who truly piqued his curiosity was Ye Xinran.
The moment he looked at Ye Xinran, his heart jolted.
Twelve years old, and already in the Heavenly Spirit Realm!
She was far stronger than he had been at the age of twelve.
Just then, an Elder began to speak.
"Welcome, disciples, to Heavenly Extremity Sacred Land."
"The newcomers' Secret Realm Trial is a benefit granted by the sacred land to its new disciples."
"Not only can it temper you and improve your practical combat ability, but the secret realm also contains many resources. For you, it is undoubtedly a great opportunity."
"Without further ado, the secret realm has opened. Activate the Tokens in your hands, and you may enter."
As he spoke, the Elder waved his hand, and a purple Token appeared in the hand of every disciple.
Hearing the Elder's words, everyone activated their Tokens and vanished from where they stood.
Seeing this, Xuanyuan Hao also took out a Token and activated it, disappearing in an instant.
In the void.
"Hall Master, should we go in?"
Seeing Ye Xinran enter the secret realm, Shangguan Shi asked.
"Of course." Ye Chang'an nodded.
Then he raised his hand and sliced through the void, opening a spatial rift before the three of them.
"Let's go."
With that, Ye Chang'an took the lead into the rift, while Shangguan Shi and Yang Yi immediately followed.
Trial Secret Realm.
This was a small world.
Its environment was much like the outside world. The only difference was that the spiritual energy here was far denser.
For that very reason, more heavenly treasures were born within it, and the Demonic Beasts were also stronger.
Within a dense forest.
A young girl walked forward in little hops, looking around with curious eyes.
"So this is the secret realm? The spiritual energy is so dense."
Just as Ye Xinran was happily taking in the secret realm's surroundings, a tiger covered from head to toe in ice crystals suddenly appeared before her.
"Hm? A big tiger in the Heavenly Spirit Realm?"
Ye Xinran simply ignored the Ice Crystal Tiger's fierce glare.
Facing a Demonic Beast at the third level of the Heavenly Spirit Realm, Ye Xinran, who was only at the first level of the Heavenly Spirit Realm, did not panic in the slightest.
The Ice Crystal Tiger seemed rather dissatisfied with Ye Xinran's reaction. Yes, it felt looked down upon. If it did not get angry now, then when would it?
The Ice Crystal Tiger's aura surged as it prepared to charge at Ye Xinran.
Ye Xinran wore an innocent smile and swept her right hand, formed into a sword gesture. A streak of Sword Qi carrying Primordial Sword Intent slashed toward the Ice Crystal Tiger with peerless killing intent.
The next moment, the menacing Ice Crystal Tiger was cut into two halves.
It got angry in its anger, then angrily turned itself into two halves.
"It looked pretty formidable, didn't it? That's all?"
Looking at the Ice Crystal Tiger split in two, Ye Xinran was stunned as well.
To be honest, she had not expected her casual strike to instantly kill a Demonic Beast whose realm surpassed her own.
It was not that the Ice Crystal Tiger was too weak, but that her power was too strong. With Primordial Sword Intent attached, how terrifying could a single strike be? It was sharp to the extreme.
After glancing at the Ice Crystal Tiger on the ground, Ye Xinran continued onward.
Watching this scene from the void, Ye Chang'an and the other two were not surprised.
After all, in their eyes, this was perfectly reasonable.
They all knew that Ye Xinran was incredibly powerful.
"Hall Master, this trial is a little boring for the Young Temple Master. It seems the most worthwhile thing for the Young Temple Master on this trip is that thing in the lake."
"Yes. Once she obtains that thing, Xinran's realm will rise greatly."
Ye Chang'an nodded. He was greatly looking forward to it.
Three days later.
The central region of the secret realm.
From the outskirts of the secret realm to this place, Ye Xinran had been extremely relaxed. She had mostly admired the scenery while absorbing resources to cultivate. Whenever one or two Demonic Beasts appeared, she casually killed them in an instant.
In three days, she had already advanced by one minor realm.
Upon arriving in the central region of the secret realm, she saw a vast lake before her.
Yet most people kept far away from the lake, with only a small number standing closer.
Among them were Xuanyuan Chen and Lin Tianci.
"Xinran, you're here!"
Ye Xinran squeezed through the crowd. Just as she was about to ask what was going on, she heard an excited, crisp voice calling her name.
Following the voice, Ye Xinran saw Jin Xiaoya walking toward her.
"Sister Xiaoya, what's going on?"
"Xinran, there is an area outside that surrounds Profound Heaven Lake. Only by passing through that area can we enter Profound Heaven Lake. They say there is a true great opportunity within Profound Heaven Lake."
"A great opportunity?"
Hearing those words, Ye Xinran became interested.
"That's right. We don't know exactly what it is, but the area outside is filled with pressure, and the farther in you go, the stronger it becomes. I've been waiting for you. Let's hurry too—Lin Tianci and Xuanyuan Hao have already been inside for quite a while."
Ye Xinran looked ahead and saw Lin Tianci and Xuanyuan Hao struggling to move forward. Judging from their speed, the pressure did not seem simple.
"Interesting. Sister Xiaoya, let's try it too. I want to see just how strong this pressure can be."
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