Spirit Spring

Watching Ye Xinran and Jin Xiaoya step into the pressure zone, the remaining disciples filed in one after another.

"Huh? It actually feels a bit different—kind of comfortable, you know?" The moment she set foot in the pressure zone, Ye Xinran sensed the presence of the pressure. But to her, this pressure felt pleasant.

Jin Xiaoya, standing nearby, heard Ye Xinran's words and was momentarily stunned. Comfortable? Are we in the same place? Even if the pressure at the start wasn't as strong as deeper in, calling it comfortable was a stretch.

Both of them advanced quickly, soon reaching the middle section. In an instant, Jin Xiaoya felt the pressure suddenly spike by a large margin. "No wonder Lin Tianci and the other guy slowed down so much here." At this spot, the pressure increased in a sharp, discontinuous jump—even prodigies like them were forced to reduce their speed.

Just as Jin Xiaoya was about to ask Ye Xinran how she was faring, she froze. She saw Ye Xinran charging forward with almost no reduction in speed. ??? A fresh wave of question marks flooded Jin Xiaoya's mind. Are we really in the same place here, I ask? Seeing this, Jin Xiaoya also channeled her spiritual power and sped up. But she still couldn't keep up with Ye Xinran.

Ahead, Lin Tianci and Xuanyuan Hao had already stepped into the deepest zone. Facing another discontinuous spike in pressure, both of them went all out. Talent, activate! A burst of multicolored light shone from Lin Tianci's chest, while Xuanyuan Hao's entire aura surged, a blurry, chaos-like phantom appearing behind him.

Seeing Xuanyuan Hao's condition, Lin Tianci's pupils contracted slightly. "This is... the Chaos Saint Physique!" It was the first time he had learned of Xuanyuan Hao's physique. Still, it was only a mild shock. After all, his own Supreme Divine Bone was nothing to scoff at. And since he was ranked ahead of Xuanyuan Hao, it would be strange if his talent weren't superior. "Your Supreme Divine Bone isn't bad either." At that, Xuanyuan Hao also took note of Lin Tianci's condition.

Just as they were about to continue forward, a figure in a white dress shot past them in an instant, rushing toward Profound Heaven Lake at incredible speed. Lin Tianci: ??? Xuanyuan Hao: ???

"Is that... Sword Intent?" Xuanyuan Hao noticed an unusual fluctuation emanating from the white-dressed figure. It was Ye Xinran's Primordial Sword Intent. The moment she entered this final zone, she released a sliver of sword intent to resist the pressure, then dashed straight through.

"Such powerful sword intent—to have comprehended sword intent this strong at her age, incredible!" Lin Tianci was shaken inwardly. The two exchanged a glance. Both saw a trace of helplessness and bitter smiles on each other's faces. Their proud talents had been utterly outclassed. But soon, they adjusted their mindsets, their blood reignited with fighting spirit. We won't compete with her—we'll just compete with each other.

Behind them, watching Ye Xinran race all the way through, Jin Xiaoya stood frozen in place. What kind of talent is this?

At that moment, Ye Xinran had already cleared the zone and arrived at the edge of Profound Heaven Lake. "The spiritual energy here at Profound Heaven Lake is even denser than in other parts of the secret realm!" Ye Xinran took a deep breath, spread her arms, and spun around, letting out a sigh of admiration.

Then she sat cross-legged and began to cultivate.

Half an incense stick later.

Lin Tianci and Xuanyuan Hao also cleared the trial and arrived at the lakeshore. Seeing Ye Xinran cultivating, the two immediately followed suit. With such dense spiritual energy, cultivating here was exceptionally effective.

After another half an incense stick, Jin Xiaoya reached the lakeshore and, following the example of the other three, began to cultivate.

Within the pressure zone, disciples struggled forward one after another, but most couldn't pass through the final layer.

Soon, an hour passed.

Just as the four were immersed in cultivation, the Spirit Mist on the lake gradually dispersed, revealing a mirror-like surface.

The next moment, a whirlpool appeared on the lake, shimmering with a blue glow.

This commotion immediately caught the four's attention. Seeing the change on the lake, they stopped cultivating.

"Is this a passage?"

Looking at the blue-glowing whirlpool, Ye Xinran asked curiously.

"It should be."

Jin Xiaoya nodded, though she wasn't entirely sure either.

"I remember now!"

Xuanyuan Hao suddenly shouted in excitement.

This shout drew the gazes of the other three.

"It's actually real!"

Meeting their questioning looks, Xuanyuan Hao grew even more excited. "I've read some records about the Trial Secret Realm. They said there's another world beneath Profound Heaven Lake, with great fortune."

"Fortune? What kind?" Lin Tianci asked curiously.

"I don't know. The specifics weren't recorded, only that it's no ordinary thing."

Xuanyuan Hao shook his head.

"Why not go in and see?"

Without another word, Ye Xinran took the lead and jumped into the whirlpool.

Seeing this, Jin Xiaoya and the other two quickly followed.

In the void.

"This girl, she's got quite the nerve."

Watching Ye Xinran leap into the whirlpool without hesitation, Ye Chang'an smiled wryly and shook his head.

"Let's go. We'll enter too. That thing's about to wake up."

Inside Profound Heaven Lake.

This was a world of azure blue.

Every direction was covered with translucent Blue Crystals.

At the very center of the space, a Spirit Spring shrouded in Spirit Mist made the place look like a celestial realm.

"The spiritual energy density here is even higher than on the lake's surface."

Jin Xiaoya couldn't help but marvel.

"These crystals can be refined and absorbed!"

Ye Xinran's voice suddenly rang out.

The other three turned to look. She was already absorbing and refining a Blue Crystal. Everyone could feel the immense energy contained within the crystal.

With this discovery, the four seemed to realize something. Their gazes swept around.

This space had no shortage of Blue Crystals!

At this thought, aside from Ye Xinran, the other three were overjoyed. Ye Xinran was slightly calmer only because she had plenty of resources.

But she wouldn't mind having a few more.

"What's that spring?"

Ye Xinran walked toward the spring in the center and asked.

"It seems all the spiritual energy is leaking out from here."

Watching the Spirit Mist billowing up from the water's surface, Ye Xinran made a discovery.

Seeing this, she sat down directly and began cultivating, just like before beside Profound Heaven Lake.

Unlike before, this time she absorbed spiritual energy extremely fast.

Spiritual energy instantly surrounded Ye Xinran, swirling around her at a terrifying speed as it was drawn into her body.

Clearly, Ye Xinran hadn't been seriously absorbing spiritual energy earlier.

This scene left the three people nearby completely stunned.

"This speed... terrifying beyond words!"

Xuanyuan Hao couldn't help but say.

"Maybe we should just absorb these crystals instead. Cultivating by the spring is probably out of the question."

With that, Jin Xiaoya began refining and absorbing the crystals.

As for going over to the spring?

Getting even a wisp of spiritual energy from there would count as Ye Xinran's leftovers.

Seeing this, Lin Tianci and Xuanyuan Hao, knowing their limits, each headed toward the large piles of crystals.