Ganwu Secret Realm

A month later.

Virtual Universe, Ganwu Continent.

Ripples spread through space, and Tang Ping and Luo Xiaoyu slowly appeared. As soon as the couple landed, Luo Xiaoyu, usually as cold as frost, felt her fingertips tighten slightly, a rare solemnity flashing through her eyes.

How could she not be nervous?

The Black Dragon Empire, that colossal power with an Immortal God at its helm, was merely one of the thousands of medium-sized Universe Countries under the Ganwu Universe Kingdom.

And this boundless supercontinent before them was the central hub of the Ganwu Universe Kingdom's thirteen thousand star regions and over a hundred million galaxies. Their destination today was an even more coveted sacred ground, one countless geniuses dreamed of reaching: the Ganwu Secret Realm.

To enter it meant setting foot on the true path to the pinnacle of the universe.

The continent stretched as far as the eye could see, spanning several light-years. Floating cities dotted its expanse like stars, while streaks of light raced across the heavens, forming a dreamlike scene where technology and laws intertwined.

Anyone they happened to meet in the streets might be a legendary World Master.

"You must be the people Babata mentioned, right?" a clear female voice called out.

The space beside them warped slightly, and a green-haired, green-eyed woman appeared out of thin air. Her skin was like green jade, her figure tall and straight, and she radiated the aura of a Universe Level powerhouse. She was Feng Lun, an old acquaintance of Luo Feng's.

She smiled warmly. "I'm Feng Lun, a friend of Luo Feng's. You don't need to stand on ceremony."

Tang Ping and Luo Xiaoyu hurriedly cupped their hands in greeting. "Greetings, Lady Feng Lun. We're deeply grateful for your help."

To prevent their identities from being exposed, Tang Ping had temporarily changed his registered residence to Storm Star Three in the BX10081 Star System, and they were keeping their marriage secret.

For now, they could only call each other "friends."

Feng Lun waved her hand, unconcerned. "If Luo Feng recommended you, then you're one of us. And don't mention helping you. If you really can pass the trial, as Babata said, I'll get a reward too."

Then her expression turned serious. "But let me make this clear: if you dare lie to the big shots in the Ganwu Secret Realm, that's a serious crime. At best, you'll be expelled; at worst, you'll be wiped out."

"I wouldn't dare lie." Tang Ping gave his assurance, his gaze firm.

"I doubt you would." Feng Lun chuckled, then summoned a Smart Sprite to apply for temporary access for them.

She turned and started walking. "Come on. I'll take you to challenge the Star Rank Trial Tower."

As they walked, she explained, "If you make the top ten thousand at the Star Rank stage, you can become an outer student of the Ganwu Secret Realm. The top thousand become third-tier students, the top hundred second-tier, and the top ten first-tier. If you take first place, you'll be a special-tier student and receive the greatest share of the Secret Realm's resources."

"Even if you don't make it into the heart of the Secret Realm and rank outside the top thousand, you can still train at the Ganwu Dojo on the outskirts. World Masters and Immortal Level powerhouses teach there in person, and the resources are excellent."

As she finished speaking, the three of them vanished in a flash and were transported to their destination.

The Ganwu Trial Tower, the proving ground for Star Rank geniuses.

The plaza in front of the tower was packed with people.

Hundreds of thousands of Star Rank geniuses challenged the tower day after day, hoping to climb higher on the rankings and earn better treatment. The leaderboard shifted constantly, the competition fierce.

The moment Feng Lun appeared, the surrounding area fell silent.

"Lady Feng Lun!"

"Greetings, Your Highness Feng Lun!"

The many Star Rank geniuses bowed to her, their eyes filled with awe.

In a corner, an old man quietly explained to a newcomer, "You don't even know Lady Feng Lun? More than a hundred years ago, in the Universe Peak Genius Battle, she ranked forty-third in the first star region of our Ganwu Universe Kingdom! Now she's a Universe Level royal of the Ganwu Secret Realm, and also an instructor for the One-Leaf Ganwu Practitioners. She teaches in person!"

"I heard that any Universe Level fighter who stays in the Ganwu Secret Realm ranks at least in the top thousand of the Ganwu Dojo! Someone like that would probably beat us... one to nine!"

"One to nine?" someone scoffed.

"He means she could take on nine thousand of us alone!" another person said with a bitter smile.

The crowd fell silent, watching Feng Lun's retreating figure with admiration.

Feng Lun's expression was calm, her steps steady. The crowd parted automatically to make way for her. Though her face remained impassive, a trace of smugness quietly rose in her heart.

Seeing this, Tang Ping offered a timely compliment. "Lady Feng Lun, your reputation precedes you. Senior Babata mentioned you long ago and said that with your help, we'd avoid many detours in the Secret Realm."

Feng Lun's lips curled slightly as she glanced at him. "Enough flattery. Whether you get in depends on your real ability."

As soon as she finished speaking, Luo Xiaoyu stepped forward, her gaze sharp as a blade. "I'll go first."

Before anyone could respond, she was already standing with her spear in hand, coldness spreading around her as her frostlike presence seemed to blanket the world in snow. The next moment, she vanished in a flash and was transported into the tower.

A short while later.

Boom!

The Twelfth Floor of the Trial Tower lit up!

"Fast! Too fast! She's on the twelfth floor! That's a hundred ninth-rank Star Rank fighters attacking together! How is she holding on? Could she... have mastered a rare Domain at Star Rank?"

"Fourteenth floor! Oh my god, the fourteenth floor!"

"She's out! She's out!"

The light flickered, and Luo Xiaoyu emerged, swaying unsteadily, almost stumbling. Tang Ping hurried over to support her, his eyes full of worry.

He had just watched the live stream she shared with him through the Virtual Universe. On the fourteenth floor, she had faced three hundred ninth-rank Star Rank fighters. With a single thrust, she had broken through their formation and barely passed.

"I'm fine..." Luo Xiaoyu panted, but still forced herself to look up. "You... do your best."

Tang Ping nodded firmly, then strode toward the Trial Tower.

He entered the tower, and light rose again.

At first, the tower remained quiet.

"Huh? What's with this guy? He's been stuck on the twelfth floor? Did he get scared stiff?"

"Haha, maybe he hasn't even grasped a Domain and barged in just to embarrass himself."

The murmuring grew louder.

But a little while later...

"Wait! The thirteenth floor lit up! He passed!"

"The fourteenth floor... he passed that too? Another genius?"

"Fifteenth floor?! No way!"

"He's on the sixteenth floor! Who is this guy? Why is he taking so long at every stage? Is he... honing his combat skills?"

The skepticism gradually turned to astonishment.

"Twenty-first floor! He's on the twenty-first! That's as far as Lady Feng Lun got on her first challenge!"

"My god... is he really only Star Rank?"

The crowd erupted.

Feng Lun had already stopped walking. Arms crossed, she stared at the Trial Tower's progress display, her brows furrowing as she fell into thought.

"Twenty-fifth floor..."

She murmured, "The strongest Star Rank genius in the Secret Realm has only reached the twenty-fifth floor, and that person has already begun to comprehend the Law of Earth... But Tang Ping... the information says he hasn't comprehended any laws at all, and has only reached the peak of Domain mastery. How is he doing this?"

Did he get lucky?

Unfortunately, her clearance didn't let her watch the details of the challenge. Still, recruiting the number-one Star Rank genius would be a huge win for her.

Hehe~

Wait.

"He's on the twenty-seventh floor! How is that possible?" Feng Lun's mouth slowly fell open.

She was shocked!