The Secret Realm Awakens! The Continent Falls!

"Cult Leader, although the aura of that secret realm is sacred, I cannot shake the feeling that beneath that holy facade lies an incomparably pure force of death and evil."

A black-robed Evil Soul Master elder spoke in a low voice.

"What do you know?" Zhongli Wu sneered, fanatic light flashing in his eyes.

"When things reach an extreme, they reverse; light and darkness share the same origin! This is undoubtedly an inheritance left behind by a dark deity who controlled death and slaughter!

"If Mother and Uncle Long obtain it, then Shrek, the Body Sect—every last one of them will kneel beneath the feet of our Holy Spirit Cult!

"Pass down the order. Prepare the Blood Sacrifice Formation. The moment the secret realm opens, charge in at any cost!"

Although they did not know why the secret realm had suddenly closed again and barred them from entering, it was not a major problem.

Their Holy Spirit Cult held the advantage in numbers.

Every faction harbored its own schemes. The entire Ming Dou Mountains resembled a gigantic powder keg packed to the brim with explosives. All it needed was the tiniest spark to trigger a world-shattering blast.

At that moment, Xuan Zi had no time to concern himself with the covetous stares of the other factions.

There was only one thought in his mind: join up with Chen Hai!

"Senior Chen Hai! I am Xuan Zi of Shrek Academy, and I have come to lend you a hand!"

Xuan Zi bellowed. Soul Power surged throughout his body as he led the Shrek group forward in a streak of light, racing toward Chen Hai in midair.

Niu Tian and Tai Tan watched Xuan Zi's retreating figure coldly, making no move to stop him.

"Big Brother, that old fool is practically rushing to his death."

Tai Tan sneered, pulling Wang Dong behind him with one enormous hand.

"Chen Hai may be strong, but he has no idea what kind of monster that madman Qian Jue has become.

"If they gather together, they are only sending a few more lives to their deaths."

"Let them go. Our task is only to protect Dong'er and, if possible, find a chance to erase Qian Jue completely."

Niu Tian stared deeply at the secret realm below, his brow knitting tighter and tighter.

For some reason, the unease in his heart was growing stronger.

It felt as though an ancient demon lurking in the abyss had fixed its gaze firmly upon him.

In midair, Chen Hai also noticed Xuan Zi flying toward him.

"People from Shrek?" Chen Hai frowned slightly.

He bore no ill will toward Shrek Academy, but Tang San's divine decree and that cunning heretic Qian Jue filled his mind at the moment. He had no desire to create further complications.

Still, since the other side had taken the initiative to show goodwill, he could not simply turn them away.

Chen Hai slowly descended, preparing to respond to Xuan Zi.

However, when Xuan Zi was less than a hundred meters from Chen Hai, at the very instant everyone believed Shrek and the Sea God Clan were about to join forces—

"Thump—"

An incomparably heavy boom suddenly erupted from deep within everyone's hearts.

It sounded like a gigantic heart that had slumbered for tens of millions of years had suddenly begun to beat.

"Thump! Thump! Thump!"

The heartbeats grew denser and more deafening.

Accompanied by those strange heartbeats, the barrier surrounding the secret realm below, which had originally radiated a gentle, holy glow, suddenly twisted violently!

"What is happening?!"

"Is the secret realm opening?!"

A wave of shocked cries erupted from the crowd.

Countless soul masters widened their eyes and stared fixedly at the barrier, their gazes brimming with greed and madness.

But what awaited them was not a deity's blessing. It was the true end of the world.

"Crack—"

A crisp shattering sound rang out. The "Divine Disguise" that had cloaked the secret realm and deceived all the continent's experts shattered like fragile glass at that moment!

"Rumble—!!!"

An indescribably evil, destructive, and freezing aura burst madly from the shattered barrier like a volcano that had been suppressed for tens of millions of years!

It was darkness in its purest form, without a trace of impurity—only endless slaughter and despair.

"Th-this... what kind of aura is this?!"

Chen Hai's expression changed drastically in midair. The Sea God's Power he had always taken pride in began to tremble and melt violently before that terrifying dark aura, like lingering snow meeting blazing fire!

"Not good! Retreat!"

Chen Hai roared, trying to pull away and flee.

But it was already too late.

The dark aura that had erupted transformed in midair into a gigantic abyssal maw that blotted out the heavens.

In an instant, the sky went dark.

Not the darkness of clouds blocking out the sun, but absolute darkness that devoured even light, sound, and space itself!

The blazing sun that had hung high overhead seemed to be snuffed out in an instant by an invisible giant hand.

In one-tenth of a second, the entire Ming Dou Mountains plunged from daylight into eternal night.

"Ah—!!!"

"My eyes! I can't see anything!"

"Help! What the hell is this thing?!"

Piercing screams rose and fell throughout the darkness.

Tens of thousands of soul masters, whether lofty Titled Douluo or ordinary soul masters at the bottom, lost all of their senses at that moment.

They could not see one another, could not hear any sound, and even the Soul Power they released was devoured completely by the endless darkness the instant it left their bodies.

"Senior Chen Hai! Where are you?!"

Xuan Zi shouted in terror through the darkness, but even he could not hear the sound of his own voice.

He desperately urged the Soul Power within him, trying to manifest the Martial Soul Avatar of the Godly Taotie Bull to illuminate his surroundings.

But his proud Rank 98 Soul Power had become like stagnant water. No matter how he drove it, it could not leave his body even half an inch.

Panic spread through the darkness like a plague.

"Dong'er! Hold on to me!"

The instant darkness descended, Niu Tian and Tai Tan erupted with their full strength almost simultaneously.

A terrifying azure light and yellow light struggled to form a protective barrier less than three meters wide within the darkness, shielding Wang Dong tightly at its center.

"First Father, Second Father, what is happening? I'm so scared..."

Wang Dong clung tightly to Tai Tan's arm, her little face deathly pale as her entire body trembled uncontrollably.

"Don't be afraid. We're here."

Niu Tian stared fixedly at the boundless darkness rolling outside the barrier, veins bulging on his forehead.

He could feel the dark power frantically eroding their barrier. Even with their cultivation, they would not be able to hold on for long.

"Qian Jue... that madman actually dared to use all the continent's experts as sacrifices!"

Tai Tan ground his teeth and growled.

Meanwhile, among Shrek Academy's group—

Huo Yuhao stood alone in the darkness, surrounded by deathly silence.

He had lost contact with Bei Bei, Xu Sanshi, and the others. He could not even sense Xuan Zi's presence.

Just as he was about to fall into despair, a faint gray light suddenly flickered to life within his spiritual sea.

"Yuhao, remain calm."

Electrolux's aged, solemn voice rang out in Huo Yuhao's mind.

"Open your Spirit Eyes. Use the Necromancy I taught you to sense the true nature of this darkness."