"Tsk, I wondered how so many people found out about this 'Secret Realm.' As expected, it was the Primer Clan playing their little games!"
As the Jia Ma coalition crested the final ridge, a middle-aged man stepped forward from the opposing camp. His face was a mask of arrogance, his eyes gleaming with a predatory light. This was the current strongest expert of the Luo Yan Empire—the Sect Leader of the Jin Yan (Golden Geese) Sect, Yan Luotian.
Unlike the version of Yan Luotian who appears at the start of the original story as a Two-Star Dou Zong, the current Yan Luotian is still a Nine-Star Dou Huang, matching the cultivation of Yun Shan.
The reason Yan Luotian eventually pulls ahead in the original timeline isn't due to superior talent. It's a matter of resources. The Jin Yan Sect possesses a Mid-Level Earth Tier Qi Method, while the current Yun Lan Sect's highest inheritance is merely High-Level Xuan Tier. That gap in energy quality is what eventually traps Yun Shan at the peak of the Dou Huang realm for decades, twisting his mind until he betrays his own pride to the Soul Hall.
But for now, Yun Shan is at his zenith—proud, sharp, and unyielding. He stepped forward, his aura erupting like a dormant volcano to shield the Jia Ma group from Yan Luotian's pressure.
"Yan Luotian," Yun Shan spat, his voice cold. "You still haven't lost that penchant for petty tricks. So what if Luo Yan has a slight edge in numbers? Do you truly wish to start a total war before we even see the gates of the realm?"
The two masters traded barbs, their history of border skirmishes evident in every word. Yan Luotian mocked the "broken inheritance" of the Yun Lan Sect, while Yun Shan countered by calling the Luo Yan Empire shameless thieves for trying to seize a discovery made by the Primers.
As the sun reached its midpoint, the bickering died down. All eyes turned to the valley below.
A massive, ancient array was visible, but its glow was erratic, flickering like a candle in a gale. It was a dying ward, exhausted by time and the recent assault by the Rank 7 beast.
Xiao Lin stood before the Xiao Clan contingent, his expression grim. "Listen well. Once that seal breaks, the Dou Huangs and the Dou Wangs—including myself—will charge for the central core. Your job is to sweep the outer pavilions. This is your opportunity to grow, but it is also a trial of blood. If you fall here, you die. There is no pity in the path of the strong. Now, prepare yourselves!"
"YES!" the ten Da Dou Shis and the Elder roared in unison.
A half-hour later, a sound like shattering glass—CRACK-POP—echoed through the mountains. The ancient ward vanished.
"CHARGE!"
The Race to the Center
The valley exploded into a blur of motion. The Dou Huangs were the first to move, leaving sonic booms in their wake.
Yan Luotian was the fastest. The Jin Yan Sect's movement techniques were legendary; he streaked across the sky like a golden comet, aiming straight for the central palace. Yun Shan followed close behind, a streak of cyan wind trailing him.
The realm revealed itself to be a massive, ruined sect from a forgotten era. Crumbled walls and vine-covered pagodas littered the landscape, but the "intact" buildings were the targets. The primary treasures were undoubtedly housed in the Central Sovereign Hall.
Xiao Lin maintained his "One-Star Dou Wang" facade, trailing behind the Dou Huangs. He let them draw the initial fire, his Heavenly State Soul mapping the traps and auras ahead.
Luo Yan had brought five Dou Huangs to Jia Ma's four. That extra high-level combatant was their "ace in the hole," a decisive factor that made them confident they could bully their neighbors.
Xiao Lin veered off onto a side path that led toward the central complex. Behind him, he sensed a heavy, oppressive aura closing in.
It was a Five-Star Dou Wang from the Luo Yan Empire.
To the pursuer, Xiao Lin was a "fat sheep"—a mere One-Star Dou Wang from a new family, likely carrying a wealth of auction treasures. The Five-Star Dou Wang had chosen this path specifically to hunt him down and loot his corpse before the real fighting in the center began.
Xiao Lin glanced back, a faint, chilling smile touching his lips beneath his mask.
A Five-Star Dou Wang follows me? Xiao Lin thought, his killing intent flickering like starlight. Good. I was worried I wouldn't have a chance to warm up. I'll use your blood to announce my arrival at this feast.
The Luo Yan Dou Wang accelerated, a cruel grin on his face, unaware that he wasn't chasing a "newbie King," but a Seven-Star Dou Huang who had already marked him for death.
Whish! Whish! Whish!
The sound of breaking air echoed through the valley. From the lowly Da Dou Shis to the apex Dou Huangs, the moment the seal shattered, a tide of humanity surged into the ancient ruins.
The hierarchy of power was immediately visible in their speed. The Dou Huangs were a blur, vanishing into the distance before the echoes of the explosion had even faded. Behind them, the Dou Wangs unfurled their Dou Qi Wings, soaring through the sky. Those on foot—the Dou Lings and Da Dou Shis—could only watch the "fliers" with envy, as legs could never match the swiftness of wings.
Xiao Lin, maintaining his public persona as a One-Star Dou Wang, kept a steady pace. He wasn't in a rush to catch the first echelon.
The center of an ancient sect won't be unguarded, Xiao Lin thought, his eyes tracking the streaks of light in the sky. Let the Dou Huangs trigger the ancient defensive mechanisms. I'll do some 'housekeeping' on the perimeter first.
However, Xiao Lin's "slow" pace and his apparent status as a "newbie King" had drawn the wrong kind of attention. A Five-Star Dou Wang from the Luo Yan Empire had locked onto him.
Yan Bohong was a veteran of the Luo Yan Royal Family. Having held his rank for thirty years, he was a cold-blooded pragmatist who harbored a deep, ancestral hatred for the Jia Ma Empire. To him, the secret realm wasn't just a place for resources; it was a hunting ground to cull the talent of his rivals.
When he saw Xiao Lin—a man clearly under thirty who had already reached the Dou Wang realm—his killing intent flared. A genius like this will be a disaster for Luo Yan in twenty years. Better to bury him here.
As other cultivators saw two Kings choosing the same side path, they scrambled to clear the area. No one was foolish enough to get caught in the crossfire of two titans.
"Even the heavens want you dead," Yan Bohong hissed, his green Dou Qi wings flapping violently as he closed the distance.
Xiao Lin sensed the acceleration. A mocking curve touched his lips beneath his mask. "Someone is tired of living? Fine. I'll provide the funeral service."
Xiao Lin intentionally slowed down near a well-preserved stone pavilion. As he landed, a blur of green light flashed, and Yan Bohong intercepted him, blocking his path.
"You've been tracking me for a while," Xiao Lin said, his voice casual as he dusted off his robes. "Why bother? We could both be looking for treasure."
"Heh," Yan Bohong sneered, his aura flaring to pressure the "weaker" man. "You knew I was following and didn't run to your allies? Are you brave, or just an idiot? Do you truly believe a One-Star novice can stand against a Five-Star veteran?"
Despite his bravado, Yan Bohong felt a flicker of unease. Xiao Lin was too calm. He checked the surroundings with his spiritual sense—no traps, no reinforcements. He forced the unease down. The gap is four stars. I am invincible here.
"So, you're not here for the loot?" Xiao Lin asked, noticing the predatory gleam in the older man's eyes.
"The resources? My Ancestor will take the best of those," Yan Bohong said, his voice dripping with malice. "I am here for something better: the heads of the Jia Ma elite. You are the first prize of the day."
Xiao Lin sighed. "I see. I've run into a fanatic. There's no talking to your kind, is there?"
"Die! Flying Swallow Slash!"
Yan Bohong didn't waste another breath. He unleashed a High-Level Black Tier technique. A massive, crescent-shaped blade of green energy tore through the air, aimed directly at Xiao Lin's waist with the intent to bisect him.
Then, the world seemed to slow down.
Xiao Lin didn't draw a weapon. He didn't even flare his wings. He simply reached out his right hand and grabbed the air.
Crunch.
A giant hand made of concentrated, starlight-flecked Dou Qi manifested and caught the lethal energy blade in its palm, crushing it into sparkling dust. This wasn't even a technique—it was pure, brute-force control of energy.
Yan Bohong's jaw dropped. "H-How? You... you aren't a One-Star!"
The veteran realized too late that he had stepped into a trap laid by a god. The unease he felt earlier wasn't a fluke; it was his survival instinct screaming. Without hesitation, he turned and beat his wings, attempting to flee at maximum speed.
"Since you came to visit," Xiao Lin's voice drifted through the air, cold and indifferent, "it would be rude to let you leave so soon. God-Slaying Finger!"
Xiao Lin pointed a single finger at the fleeing silhouette. A beam of brilliant, blinding starlight shot forth, piercing through the sky like a needle.
Yan Bohong glanced back just in time to see the light. He didn't even have time to scream. The beam passed through his heart and his Dou Qi core, vaporizing his essence instantly.
Yan Bohong, Five-Star Dou Wang: Slain.
Xiao Lin lowered his hand, his expression unchanged. He walked toward the well-preserved building behind him, stepping over the scorched patch of earth where the "vulture" had stood.
"First blood," he murmured. "Now, let's see what's inside."