Desperate Straits and Tempering: Breaking the Array to Begin the Journey

Blood Fiend Secret Realm.

Next, Tang An and his six companions transformed all their grief and resentment into motivation.

The Initial Universe trial mission of the Soul Hall is not an isolated mission, but a series of interconnected missions.

From exterminating ferocious beasts deep within secret realms to exploring perilous ancient ruins, every step requires the six of them to work together with perfect coordination. The slightest mistake could lead to an irreversible life-or-death crisis.

The most dangerous time was when Tang An, while covering his companions' retreat, was struck by the horn of Blood-Veined Magic Rhino at the Peak Realm Lord Level, and half of his body was torn apart on the spot. In the end, only his upper body remained, dragging his broken body, and he barely survived the demon rhinoceros's pursuit thanks to the essence of the movement techniques he inherited from his father.

Fortunately, the key to becoming World Lord Rank powerhouse lies in the Singularity of the world within their body. As long as the Singularity remains intact, their physical body can be rapidly reshaped by the World Force.

On another occasion, Tang Yiyi and Tang Guo ventured deep into a region of chaotic laws to carry out a mission, where they were besieged by several Blood Slave controlled by the Soul Hall and forced into a desperate situation.

Just when they thought they were doomed, an elderly man with white hair and a youthful face, exuding an otherworldly aura, appeared on the battlefield without warning. The old man simply waved his hand, and the Blood Slave crumbled like paper, not even having time to scream.

"Your Law Comprehension is too sluggish. You must know that the principle of the laws lies in conforming to them rather than resisting them." The old man's voice was gentle. He casually gave a few pointers, which made Tang Yiyi and Tang Guo suddenly understand. Their understanding of the laws they cultivated improved significantly in an instant.

Before they left, the old man gifted them two protective jade pendants containing spatial defense laws, then let out a long sigh and his figure gradually disappeared into the void.

"What is your honorable name, senior? Why are you helping us?" Tang Guo hurriedly asked.

In the void, only the old man's weathered voice echoed, "I am also a member of the Soul Hall, but—"

I just wanted to save these old friends who had gone mad.

So there are good people in the Soul Hall after all! This means they'll have friends and won't be fighting alone!

Thinking of this, they became even more excited!

A thousand years have passed quietly amidst such hardships and desperate situations, adventures and trials.

Among the six, one of them disappeared for hundreds of years in search of an ancient secret realm, causing the others great concern. However, in the end, they all returned safely, bringing with them even stronger strength and unique insights.

And so, after struggling back from the brink of death time and time again, Tang An six companions even began to have a vague sense of destiny: fate was on their side!

But the torment inflicted by the Soul Hall never ceased.

What disgusted them most was that whenever they slacked off even slightly, the Soul Hall would use special means to forcibly project images of their children and grandchildren's lives into the void.

In the scene, children are either playing and laughing or diligently cultivating, while the sinister voice of the Soul Hall then rings out. "Your time is running out—if you don't step up your efforts soon, your beloved children and grandchildren will inherit your 'great' cause, step into this Blood Fiend Secret Realm, and continue their cycle of reincarnation."

This threat, like a whip, lashed at them constantly. The six had no choice but to grit their teeth and sprint forward with all their might once again.

Fortunately, with each fortuitous encounter and the tempering of life-and-death trials, their mission progressed more and more smoothly. On the ranking list of geniuses in the Blood Fiend Secret Realm, their ranking soared, gradually rising from obscurity to the top.

According to historical records circulating in the secret realm, most of the geniuses who have reached their current level have successfully broken through to the Immortal Realm, except for a few who perished unexpectedly.

This record further boosted the confidence of the six people.

However, there was one thing that always puzzled them: for the past thousand years, their father, Tang Ping, had been stationed at the rear, only handling logistical matters, and had never participated in any trial missions, yet his strength had been increasing rapidly at a visible speed.

Even the elders of the Soul Hall have privately mentioned that Tang Ping is the one among them most likely to break through to immortality, and once he does, he will most likely become a powerful immortal.

"This must be a secret of the Tang Family!" Tang An and the others speculated.

Thinking of this, their excitement grew even stronger. If they could also successfully break through to the Immortal realm and come into contact with the true foundation of the Tang Family, wouldn't their hope of overthrowing the Soul Hall increase even further?

Since Tang Ping was their elder, they weren't embarrassed at all, and so they asked Tang Ping for advice on cultivation problems even more frequently. Tang Ping didn't hold back either, and under his guidance, the six of them made faster progress in their cultivation, and their confidence grew even stronger.

Rush!

We must break through to immortality!

Soul Hall, wait for us to crush you completely with the iron fist of justice!

Another century has passed.

After overcoming countless hardships and near-death experiences, Tang An six companions finally passed the final stage of the trial mission chain, successfully passed the assessment, and obtained the precious spot to enter the Initial Universe.

It was still that eerie and sinister hall, and the Soul Hall Vice Hall Master, shrouded in black, remained hidden in the shadows.

"Hehehe~ What a pity!" A sinister laugh rang out, filled with undisguised disappointment. "I never expected that you six good-for-nothings would be so lucky, not a single one of you died! I was waiting to see you collapse in despair after losing your loved ones, how boring!"

"But it doesn't matter." The strange laughter suddenly turned mocking. "Once you enter the Initial Universe, you'll know that my Human Race has countless peerless geniuses!"

You can only watch helplessly as geniuses ascend to the God Kingdom and step into immortality, while you can only struggle and leap in the mud like ants. The gate to immortality is right before your eyes, yet you can never cross it.

That kind of despair, just thinking about it is exciting!

"Oh, by the way, a friendly reminder. In the Initial Universe, it's best not to provoke the authority of my Soul Hall. Otherwise, your precious children and grandchildren will have to bear the consequences for you."

Of course, even if you ask for help, it will be to no avail. Then you will understand just how dark the sky truly is for my Human Race!

Hehehe~"

Evil laughter echoed in the hall. With a casual wave of his hand, the deputy hall master enveloped Tang An and his companions, causing them to involuntarily travel through time and space, instantly returning them to their homes.

"Wait, the starship bound for the Initial Universe will come to pick you up in a few days." At the end of the voice, there was a faint, almost imperceptible, hint of disappointment.

Having landed firmly, Tang An six companions, after more than a thousand years of honing their skills, had already reached the Peak Realm Lord Level. They were only one step away from comprehending a lower-level law and touching the threshold of immortality.

With their current combat strength, they naturally and keenly sensed that hint of disappointment. The six of them exchanged glances, and each saw an irrepressible excitement in the other's eyes.

It seems they've won this time!

A great victory is built up from a series of small wins!

Blood Fiend Secret Realm.

Tang An and his six companions reunited with Tang Ping. Each of them wore a mixture of barely suppressed excitement, unease, and melancholy.

The reason for their excitement was obvious: this time, they were only one step away from the realm of "immortality." According to the rules of the Soul Hall, once they stepped into immortality, they would no longer be pawns to be manipulated, but would join the ranks of the pillars of the Soul Hall, truly breaking free from their shackles and regaining their freedom.

What terrifies them is that this is their last chance. If they fail to break through within the thousand-year time limit of the Initial Universe, it means utter failure. And the price of failure is to be endlessly tortured to death by the Soul Hall, and then their offspring will take their place, stepping into this endless cycle of fate!

What makes it even more painful for them is that their closest family members will still be held hostage on this trip to the Initial Universe. If they fail to break through, their loved ones will lose their usefulness and will ultimately be executed along with them.

This is the Soul Hall, cruel, ruthless, and cold-blooded to the extreme. In the eyes of those immortals, beings who have not achieved immortality are nothing more than playthings for their amusement.

Most importantly, even if they were to miraculously break through to immortality, would such a ruthless Soul Hall keep its promise?

Tang Ping looked around, then slowly raised his hand and waved it. The immense World Force instantly spread out, enveloping the surroundings into an independent space that isolated the inside from the outside.

"Children, don't panic. This might be our only chance to escape completely!"

Tang An asked curiously, "Dad, what does that mean?"

Tang Ping's lips curled into a smirk as he raised an eyebrow, saying, "Do you really think I've been taking advantage of the chaos all these thousands of years?"

Tang An and the other six were silent for a moment upon hearing this, then looked at their father with an expression that seemed to say, "Isn't that right?" After all, Tang Ping's behavior over the years had indeed shown no signs of "enduring hardship and biding his time."

"Ahem~" Tang Ping coughed lightly twice, changing the subject. "Don't worry about the details. Have you forgotten? Our Tang Family has a mysterious and powerful past, and our ancestors left us countless hidden legacies. Although I failed in my initial mission back then, you are not out of the game yet."

"According to the fragmentary records left by our ancestors, if you can successfully break through to the Immortal realm, you will unlock the Tang Family's greatest secret. Inside, there is not only a legendary top-tier inheritance, but also a mysterious Supreme Treasure that even the Lord of the Soul Hall covets!"

"Moreover, the Soul Hall isn't a monolithic entity." Tang Ping lowered his voice even further. "I've secretly contacted someone within the palace. If the three of you can break through to the Immortal Realm, I'll use several of your inheritances as bargaining chips to exchange for the lives and freedom of all your relatives."

"Don't forget, your mother regained her freedom in the same way."

"That's great!" The six of them breathed a sigh of relief in unison.

The next moment, Tang Ping flipped his hand, and an ancient token appeared in his palm. The token was engraved with intricate and strange patterns, with the exclusive mark of the Initial Universe in the center and a long string of special numbers below, surrounded by a faint, mysterious halo.

Tang Ping handed the token to everyone, "Look what this is?"

Tang An exclaimed in shock, "It's an access token to the Initial Universe! Dad, how did you get this? And—your token is golden!"

It should be noted that ordinary Initial Universe Tokens are mostly made of bronze or silver, while gold tokens are Supreme Treasure only geniuses favored by the higher-ups of the Soul Hall can possess.

Tang Ping raised his chin smugly, a smug smile creeping across his face, "There's nothing I can do, my talent is undeniable. Only after I came in did I realize that I also have the potential to become a cosmic powerhouse. An elder of the Soul Hall took a liking to me and specially bestowed this token upon me."

This time, we can leave together. As for the gold—it's simply because my aptitude is better than others.

"Dad's amazing!" Tang Guo cheered first. Tang Yiyi's little face was full of admiration. "Dad's the best!"

At this moment, the gloom that had shrouded everyone's hearts completely dissipated, and they truly grasped the key to freedom.

As for whether he can break through to immortality?

Hehe!

Over the years, they have gone through countless life-and-death battles, emerging victorious from desperate situations time and time again. Their own strength and past achievements have long since forged an indomitable confidence in them.

I can't do it?

Who else can do it?

No problem!

One year later.

The interstellar spaceship escaped the Dark Universe and came to a stable stop at the entrance to the Initial Universe.

As soon as Tang An and his six companions stepped out of the cabin, they sensed something was amiss.

Unlike others who had to wait in line to gather a thousand people, they were guided directly to the homing spaceship in the Initial Universe.

At this moment, the terrifying power of the Soul Hall was once again clearly imprinted in everyone's minds. Those who previously harbored thoughts of...

The idea of seeking powerful allies in the primordial universe was instantly extinguished by more than half.

They couldn't help but speculate that within this Initial Universe, there were probably many beings who were either spies or members of the Soul Hall.

After all, over countless ages, too many beings have been stuck at their bottlenecks, unable to break through, and the long wait has long since warped their minds. As long as these people are not guilty of heinous crimes, their races will probably turn a blind eye.

As long as they don't go too far, and can even use the Soul Hall's resources to cultivate some talents for their clan, it's still a good thing.

The discomfort caused by the shift in spacetime had not yet completely dissipated when Tang An and his group of six arrived at their destination. Before them lay the dreamland that countless Human Race geniuses had longed for: the Initial Universe.

Looking up, the Chaos energy surged and billowed in the sky, and the wisps of rules and secret patterns spread out like a galaxy, revealing themselves without any concealment between heaven and earth.

The magnificent and mysterious scene left the six of them momentarily stunned.

Then the guide came over and introduced the three great Supreme Treasure of the Initial Universe: the Chaos Monument, the Chaos Beast, and the stone chamber where powerful figures throughout history inscribed secret runes.

Then, he mentioned one by one the powerful beings in the city who lived in seclusion and cultivated asceticism.

During the introduction, the guide's gaze fell on Tang Yiyi and Tang Guo. Seeing their stunning beauty and lively spirit, a hint of approval flashed in his eyes. He added with a smile, "You two young ladies are so beautiful. If you encounter any difficulties in your cultivation or life in the future, you might as well consult the Anle King Mansion in the north of Chaos City."

Our King Anle has a particular fondness for nurturing young and beautiful Human Race girls.

"Take the current Primal Secret Region World Lord Rank genius, His Highness Long Jiangxue, for example. Back then, it was with the full support of King Anle that he was able to soar to great heights and distinguish himself!"

"King Anle!"

Tang An and the other six exclaimed in unison, their expressions changing drastically.

Upon seeing this, the guide was slightly surprised. "You know King Anle?"

Tang Ping and Tang An exchanged a quick glance, a hint of seriousness flashing in their eyes, before shaking their heads in unison. "We don't know them."

"Hehe, it doesn't matter whether you know him or not." The guide chuckled nonchalantly. "King Anle has a very good temper, especially towards beautiful girls like you. He's very gentle with you. But as for men—he's never been kind to them. If you encounter them, just avoid them."

After the guide left, Tang Ping said in a deep voice, "This King Anle is indeed incredibly powerful! He was able to set up an avatar in Chaos City. No wonder he was able to single-handedly control the Solar System back then, and even the direct descendants of the Five Great Powers dared not easily provoke him."

"However, we already suspected him of having some connection with the Soul Hall, so we absolutely cannot take the risk. Next, we should choose Chaos Monument that suits our own path and cultivate in peace. If we need to hunt Chaos Beast to replenish our True Spirit later, remember to always travel in a team and never act alone."

"Okay!" Tang An and the others replied.

Finally, everyone looked around hopefully.

The future, here we come!