Chapter 95: The Secret Realm of the Snowy Plains

“These past few years, you seem to have made little progress. Has your Sect Master of the Celestial Profound Sect died?” Zhao Guangyuan gazed at the terrifying sword light cut down by Jianru, a hint of disdain flashing in his eyes. He chuckled lightly, raised his hand, and pointed with a single finger.

A thunderous explosion rang out. The terrifying sword light shattered instantly under Zhao Guangyuan’s effortless finger.

“Body-Condensed Core!” Jianru stared at the man before her, her pupils contracting sharply, her heart filled with shock. Just as she was about to strike again, the distant flying vessel drew near.

“Junior Sister Jianru!” A deep, resonant male voice echoed as the flying vessel descended slowly. A man stepped off, followed by dozens of disciples dressed in azure robes.

Looking closely, the man wore a blue robe. His brows were like swords, his eyes like stars, imparting an impression of steadfastness. Yet his expression carried a trace of weariness, as if he had reached middle age.

“Senior Brother Wang Yun.” Upon seeing him, Jianru put away her Tiangang Sword and bowed with cupped fists. The man shook his head gently, his lips moving in silent communication, then he turned to Zhao Guangyuan and spoke coolly, “Let us open the secret realm first. The reckoning can wait until afterwards.”

“How amusing, you two sects. I’ll let you have it your way.” Zhao Guangyuan sneered and, after a brief reply, drew a pure white token from his storage pouch. Spiritual power surged around him! The token, as if stimulated, shot a brilliant white light toward the center of Azure Lake.

Jianru and Wang Yun did likewise, each producing a pure white token from their pouches. As spiritual power surged, the tokens radiated intense white light, shooting toward the heart of the lake.

“Brother Lin, the man at the front among the disciples of the Profound Yin Sect is from the Fang clan of the Eastern Domain, called Fang Zhan. Behind the man from the Celestial Luo Sect stands Yin Tiannan of the Yin clan. Both are formidable opponents. You must be careful when you enter the secret realm,” Ji Tianya spoke to Lin Hao as the three leaders cast their spells.

Lin Hao looked over. Behind Zhao Guangyuan, a jade-faced youth in fine attire stood quietly, exuding an aura of innate nobility. Even among the crowd, he stood out like a crane among chickens.

In the Celestial Luo Sect's group, another youth in white brocade was strikingly beautiful—though a man, he surpassed any woman in beauty. Most remarkable were his eyes, deep as a pool of water undisturbed for a millennium, unfathomable.

Both had a host of followers at their side. As Lin Hao and Ji Tianya observed them, they too scrutinized Lin Hao and Ji Tianya. When Fang Zhan noticed Fang Ling beside Lin Hao, a subtle gleam flashed in his eyes, his lips curling unconsciously.

“Brother Ji, why do you not, like those two, leverage the power behind you to intervene in this secret realm?” Lin Hao, noticing Fang Zhan’s gaze, raised his brow but ignored it. He turned to Ji Tianya at his side, pondering aloud.

“My Ji family is renowned for formations. We value the web of causality in the world. I came here entirely of my own will and cannot accrue unnecessary karmic ties. Besides, as long as one enters the secret realm, what does it matter how they do so?” Ji Tianya mused for a moment, then laughed softly.

Lin Hao nodded and said no more. At that moment, the three leaders’ aura surged, and their white tokens shot up into the sky above the vast Azure Lake! Strange energies spread, and the lake’s water took on a pale white hue.

At the instant when blue and white mingled, the eerie Azure Lake manifested a bizarre spatial power. As the spatial force spread, the three white tokens emitted beams of light that shot toward the disciples of the three sects, transforming into a giant portal.

“Disciples of the Profound Yin Sect, enter with your identity tokens!” As the massive light gate formed, Zhao Guangyuan shouted. The disciples in black behind him rose and stepped into the gate.

“Disciples of the Celestial Luo Sect, enter with your identity tokens!” Wang Yun likewise pointed to the portal and called to the disciples.

“Go in.” Jianru, watching the Profound Yin Sect disciples enter, swept her gaze across the crowd and instructed calmly. The disciples bowed slightly and walked toward the portal.

As the portal radiated transmission power, it gave a mysterious sensation. Lin Hao nodded to Fang Ling at his side and walked straight in.

With a single step, Lin Hao felt the world spin, accompanied by a tremor in his soul, and he blacked out instantly. The other disciples experienced the same: the moment they entered the portal, a shock hit their souls, and each fell unconscious like Lin Hao.

Once all had entered, the portal dissolved into endless white light, spreading across the lake, projecting a world of extraordinary celestial beauty.

Meanwhile, Jianru, Wang Yun, Zhao Guangyuan, and the others sat cross-legged, waiting quietly. Only Zhong Ming’s eyes betrayed a hint of anticipation.

At that moment, ripples stirred above Azure Lake, and a middle-aged man stepped out from the void, gazing at the scene reflected below. As his gaze fell on Jianru, a subtle glint flashed in his eyes.

Soon, two more ripples appeared beside him, and two inscrutable men stepped out. The three exchanged glances, wordless, seemingly united by tacit understanding, each sitting cross-legged in the void to observe…

…

“Tsk…”

On a boundless snowfield, a white-clad figure suddenly sat up, pressing his dizzy forehead and looking around. It was Lin Hao.

“Is this… the secret realm?” Lin Hao stared at the endless whiteness, suspicion flickering in his eyes. He sensed that not only was the spiritual energy here thin and the horizon limitless, but there was also no trace of life—not even a blade of grass, let alone rare treasures.

“We must have been scattered to different places when passing through the portal…” Lin Hao, finding himself alone, pondered aloud.

“Fortunately…” Feeling the Heaven’s Execution still within him, Lin Hao rose, considered for a moment, and chose a direction to walk.

Time passed slowly as Lin Hao advanced through the unchanging landscape, as if the secret realm were an endless snowfield. Apart from the long trail of footprints behind him, nothing else existed.

In this endless snowfield, a sense of loneliness gradually grew within him… He walked on, unsure how much time had passed—perhaps hours, perhaps months. Lin Hao’s heart became numb. From his initial hope of finding an exit, he now wandered aimlessly, lost in the boundless snow, his spirit on the verge of collapse.

At that moment, the crimson jade pendant at his core suddenly released a cool sensation, flowing through his body and abruptly clearing his mind. He stopped walking.

“There’s no time here… no life, no change…” Lin Hao gazed at the endless snow, his eyes thoughtful as he murmured, “This place is strange—it first empties the heart, then gradually erases consciousness… I must not move on.”

Resolved, Lin Hao surveyed his surroundings, sat down cross-legged, and began to meditate. As if he’d abandoned time and forgotten everything, his consciousness gradually slipped into slumber…

He did not know that as his awareness faded, a blizzard began to fall, soon burying him completely—as if he had never existed.

“This youth’s temperament is impressive. The snowfield illusion troubled us for days, and he overcame it in just half an hour.” Far above Azure Lake, a middle-aged man watched Lin Hao in a mountain forest below and praised him.

“He is decent, but still far inferior to my young master,” remarked the black-robed man beside him, his aura eerie. His gaze fell upon Ji Tianya, who stood quietly in his black daoist robe.

“Elder Fang speaks true. That such a barren land could produce a young genius is rare. Still, I wonder how he’ll fare against my Yin clan’s youth.” An aged voice sounded. The speaker lay lazily in the void, his gaze fixed on Yin Tiannan, whose eyes were unfathomably deep.

The three said no more, each watching below, lost in thought.

“The snowfield must be an illusion—a trial of life and death…” Lin Hao now stood in a mountain valley, immersed in abundant spiritual energy. He eyed a mystical blue mushroom crackling with electricity, pondering, “The energy here is rich, but not enough for a breakthrough. I wonder if this thing is edible…”

After a moment's thought, Lin Hao carefully picked the blue mushrooms, storing them in a pouch. He looked around, chose a direction, and moved on.

Meanwhile, far from where Lin Hao was, beside a riverbank, a woman in red lay unconscious. Soon, she opened her eyes, glanced around, and discovered a bizarre blood-red river behind her. Feeling the unsettling energy emanating from the river, her brows furrowed; after some deliberation, she cautiously explored the opposite bank…

The secret realm was vast. After wandering fruitlessly for some time, Lin Hao sought a high vantage point and looked out over the terrain. Apart from endless forests, he saw in the distance a pitch-black mountain, flashes of lightning roaring like thunder—truly a mountain of storms! At its base lay a wide clearing, filled with flickering electricity, the crackle instilling great awe.

“That place should allow me to cultivate the Thunder Armor technique…” Lin Hao eyed the distant mountain, his gaze contemplative. He shifted his form and set out.

Although the spiritual energy was abundant, he remained wary. After about an hour, he came upon a small pond, faint lightning flickering within. Beside it grew a wondrous fruit tree bearing a dozen or so fruits, each emitting a pale glow and radiating boundless spiritual energy.

“This is extraordinary! The pond must be influenced by the Thunder Mountain…” Lin Hao’s eyes brightened as he studied the glowing cluster. After scoping out the area for danger, he stepped toward the fruit tree.

He tried to draw spiritual energy to pick the fruit, but it dissipated the moment it touched them—impossible to harvest with spiritual power! So, Lin Hao ceased wasting energy, leapt up, plucked all the fruits, and stored them carefully. He mused, “This should be enough for a breakthrough…”

But suddenly, disaster struck!

Thunder rumbled fiercely! The pond burst with lightning as its waters exploded upward. A massive, savage black serpent, wreathed in electricity, shot out to attack Lin Hao!

“Above the Peak of Qi Condensation!” Lin Hao stared at the serpent, its aura overwhelming him. Though not as strong as a Foundation Cultivator, its pressure made him struggle to withstand it. Though it took time to describe, events unfolded in the blink of an eye.

“Enter demonhood!” Feeling the serpent’s oppressive force, Lin Hao’s eyes blazed with madness. He stepped forward, drawing vast spiritual energy into his body. With a second step, a strange power surged forth, and his aura exploded, clashing with the serpent!

The giant serpent, sensing the unusual method, unleashed intense electricity, roaring as it collided with him!

Thunder echoed as lightning spread, accompanied by a deafening blast. The serpent paused, then attacked again! Lin Hao endured the pain of lightning surging through him, retreated several steps, and as his Heaven’s Execution blade formed, he slashed at the serpent!

A wet tearing sound echoed. The serpent was split in two by Heaven’s Execution, its blood staining Lin Hao’s white robe red!

“It seems even sharper now… Could it be that certain special monsters enhance Heaven’s Execution's edge…” Lin Hao watched as his sword absorbed the serpent’s blood, his eyes thoughtful. He collected the serpent’s demon core, recalled Heaven’s Execution, and continued on.

Unbeknownst to him, shortly after he left, a jade-faced youth radiating a powerful aura stepped out, gazed at the shriveled serpent, and murmured with a strange expression, “That one fights well, but he’s not worthy of her…”