Secret Realm

The leader was a young man in a golden brocade robe, with sharp eyebrows and starry eyes, his aura as deep as an abyss. He was at the peak of Foundation Establishment Layer Ten! Behind him followed ten Inner Sect disciples, each with a remarkable aura, the lowest being Foundation Establishment Layer Six.

"First Peak, Chu Jingtian," Zhou Ming said gravely. "He is the Sect Master's personal disciple and the undisputed number one among the younger generation of the Nine Peaks. It's said he's already halfway to the Golden Core stage and will likely enter seclusion to form his core after this competition."

The disciples from the First Peak walked directly to the front of the plaza, occupying the best positions. They carried themselves with arrogance, ignoring the disciples from other peaks.

Next, the Second Peak arrived.

The leader was a woman in white, with a cool and beautiful appearance, a long sword on her back, and an aura that had also reached Foundation Establishment Layer Ten.

She was the daughter of the Second Peak Master, Su Xue.

"Senior Sister Su Xue is a genius in swordsmanship, rumored to have already grasped the nascent form of sword intent," Zhou De continued his introduction. "She and Chu Jingtian have always been strong contenders for first place."

The Third Peak and Fourth Peak arrived almost simultaneously.

The leader of the Third Peak was a dark-clothed young man with a sinister expression, at Foundation Establishment Layer Nine. He was Lu Yun, the third senior brother whom Lin Qing'er had mentioned before.

His gaze swept over the Fifth Peak's group, pausing particularly on Lin Qing'er, a flicker of coldness in his eyes.

The leader of the Fourth Peak was a gentle and refined young man resembling a scholar, at Foundation Establishment Layer Nine. He held a folding fan and had a kind smile.

But Qin Yuan could sense the sharpness hidden beneath that smile, a sharpness no less than anyone else's.

The last to arrive was the Seventh Peak.

As the Seventh Peak disciples entered the plaza, Qin Yuan's eyes narrowed slightly.

The leader was a bald, burly man, as sturdy as an iron tower, with a face full of coarse flesh and a seemingly simple and honest smile. However, the cold glint in his eyes sent a shiver down one's spine.

"Seventh Peak's personal disciple, Xiong Li," Zhou Ming whispered. "Peak of Foundation Establishment Layer Ten, known for his strength. It's said he once shattered the skull of a third-tier demonic beast with a single punch."

Xiong Li's gaze swept across the entire venue, finally landing on Qin Yuan. The smile on his face deepened, but there was no warmth in his eyes.

Qin Yuan could clearly feel the killing intent hidden beneath that smile.

The task given to him by the Seventh Peak elder was likely to "resolve" him within this secret realm.

"Qin Yuan?" Xiong Li suddenly spoke, his voice as loud as a bell. "I heard you crippled Liu Feng with one punch? Interesting."

He sized Qin Yuan up, a flicker of confusion in his eyes—he couldn't discern Qin Yuan's cultivation! But then he thought, he must be using some treasure or secret technique to conceal his aura. He was only Foundation Establishment Layer Six three days ago; even with a breakthrough, he couldn't possibly reach the peak of Layer Ten.

"Senior Brother Xiong is too kind," Qin Yuan said indifferently.

"Not too kind," Xiong Li grinned. "I hope to encounter you in the secret realm, and we can have a good 'spar'."

He emphasized the word "spar," making the meaning obvious to anyone.

From the Third Peak's side, Lu Yun also spoke coldly, "Qin Yuan, you poached a disciple from my Third Peak. We'll have to settle this score too."

He was referring to Lin Qing'er.

Lin Qing'er stood within the Fifth Peak's group, head bowed, not daring to look at Lu Yun.

Liu Han stood in the Third Peak's group, watching Qin Yuan and Lin Qing'er, and sighed softly.

She knew that from the moment Lin Qing'er chose to leave the Third Peak, the two sides had been on opposing paths.

The people from other peaks watched this scene unfold, whispering amongst themselves.

"The Third Peak and the Seventh Peak are both targeting the Fifth Peak. This is trouble for the Fifth Peak now."

"That Qin Yuan is powerful, but he's just one person. Xiong Li and Lu Yun are both experts at Foundation Establishment Layer Nine and Ten. The Fifth Peak is likely in grave danger this time."

"I heard Qin Yuan was only Foundation Establishment Layer Six three days ago. Even with a breakthrough, he'd be lucky to reach Layer Eight. How could he be a match for Xiong Li and the others?"

"What a shame. The Fifth Peak finally produced a genius, and they're likely to fall in this competition."

Amidst the murmurs, the elder presiding over the competition walked onto the high platform and announced loudly, "Time is up! Disciples from all peaks, prepare to enter the Xuan Yuan Small Realm!"

He scanned the crowd and continued, "The rules are likely known to all: death in the secret realm means elimination, and the final ranking will be based on the number of eliminations and resources acquired. Now, board the Flying Boats!"

Nine enormous Flying Boats hovered in the sky above the plaza, each bearing the emblem of a peak.

Qin Yuan led the Fifth Peak disciples onto their designated Flying Boat.

The Flying Boat wasn't large, but it was enough to accommodate over a dozen people. The hull was inscribed with the mountain pattern of the Fifth Peak, and the prow was adorned with a statue of a soaring Vermilion Bird.

"Depart!"

With the elder's command, the nine Flying Boats ascended simultaneously, transforming into nine streaks of light, flying towards the depths of the Xuan Yuan Sect's back mountain.

On the Flying Boat, Zhou De explained to Qin Yuan, "The Xuan Yuan Small Realm was originally a natural secret realm. A thousand years ago, it was controlled by a powerful figure in the sect and transformed into a training ground. The space inside is vast, with mountains and water, demonic beasts, and various heavenly materials and earthly treasures placed by the sect."

"Our targets are the 'Hundred Herbs Garden' and the 'Spirit Beast Valley' in the core area," Zhao Tiezhu interjected. "There are spiritual herbs everywhere, and many rare demonic beasts. If we can secure them, we'll definitely be in the top three."

Qin Yuan nodded. "Then let's head to the core area."

The Flying Boat flew for about half an hour before landing in a mountain valley.

The valley was surrounded by mountains, with a flat grassland in the center. The elders of the Nine Peaks were already waiting there. They formed a circle, and in the center of the circle, space seemed to warp slightly, revealing a glimpse of another world—the entrance to the Xuan Yuan Small Realm.

"Disciples of all peaks, prepare to enter!" the presiding elder announced loudly.

The nine elders acted in unison, injecting nine torrents of powerful spiritual energy into the distorted space in the center. The spatial fluctuations intensified, gradually stabilizing into a light portal three zhang high.

"Enter!"

Disciples from each peak stepped into the gates of light one after another.

Qin Yuan, leading the group from Fifth Peak, took a step forward.

The moment they passed through the gate of light, Qin Yuan felt as if he had passed through a curtain of water, and the scenery before his eyes changed instantly.

They appeared at the edge of a dense forest. Ancient trees towered into the sky, vines intertwined, and the air was filled with rich Spiritual Energy, at least three times more concentrated than outside.

"This is the outskirts of the 'Misty Forest'," Zhou Ming said, looking around and quickly determining their location. "After passing through this forest and crossing two mountains, we'll reach the core area."

Qin Yuan nodded and released his divine sense.

Within a thousand-zhang radius, everything was within his perception. There were quite a few low-level demonic beasts in the forest, mostly first and second-tier, with the occasional aura of a third-tier beast. Further away, he could "see" disciples from other peaks appearing in various parts of the forest one after another, not far from each other.

"It seems we're randomly dispersed after entering," Qin Yuan said. "But the distances aren't far; we'll be able to regroup soon."

As expected, as soon as he finished speaking, footsteps could be heard nearby.

A five-person team from Third Peak emerged from the woods. Seeing the group from Fifth Peak, they paused for a moment before adopting a defensive stance.