The disciples, including Xuan Ping, entered the secret realm successfully, but were all teleported to different locations within the realm.
Xu xin's concerns grew as she realized they were all scattered and separated. Feeling particularly anxious for Xuan ping's safety, She and Chu zu started searching for him, knowing he lacked adequate protection against formidable opponents and beasts. Despite possessing high-grade bodily artifacts, they believed it would only provide a reprieve from certain death.
"I don't know how brother Xuan is doing now since we've been separated," Xu xin got more worried as she had not set her eyes on him for the past eight hours they've been in the secret realm.
Xu xin who was lost in thought, was brought back by a voice.
A beautiful lady all alone in this secret realm, if it isn't the young lady of the White lotus sect, who else could it have been?… Young lady Xu, A gentle lady from the White Lotus Sect, have made remarkable progress as you have advanced from the Foundation Establishment Realm to the Core Formation Realm.
"Junior brother, won't you congratulate miss Xu?" Said Zhang to his brother.
He bows respectfully… "Junior congratulates senior sister for successful breakthrough into the core formation realm, with your talent it won't be long before you become a supreme being".
Xu xin grinned a bit at the flattering. Thank you, brother Zhang, your talent isn't bad either.
"I'm flattered," said Zhang.
Seeing lady Xu in this situation is a blessing, how about we act together, so we can protect each other in this secret realm, while we share any loot that is found equally?
"I'm sorry, brother Zhang".
I would have loved to explore with you, but I am responsible for my junior brother's safety, and he had been alone since we entered the secret realm.
Therefore, I'll reject because I still have to look for him, so brother Zhang, I wish you a fruitful encounter.
Xu xin bows politely and took her leave.
"Same here, lady Xu [he bowed]".
. . . . .
As Xuan Ping regained consciousness, he found himself drawn into a hall adorned with countless depictions of exotic beasts, each connected by a series of dots on the walls. Intrigued by the images, he ran his palm over them, moving from one to the next with wonder. Without realizing it, he activated a button that transported him to another part of the hall.
Bump!
A loud thud echoed through the room as he landed on his buttocks.
Xuan ping stood up and began looking around, he was once again amazed by the sight of money, treasures, artifacts, cultivation manuals and techniques of high grades. Despite that, he remained unmoved since he didn't have a need for them but couldn't just pass them by because he owes a lot to his sect.
He brought out the dimensional space ring given to him by Xu xin, so he stored everything inside without leaving any aside and kept it inside his pants, afraid of it being stolen, so he continued to search.
After an hour of looking around, Xuan ping found nothing else, but the exist out of the hall.
As soon as he left, he frowned, later discovering that the place he was transferred to was isolated away inside the secret realm.
Then his mood became lit all of a sudden, at least he did not get to meet with an annoying bastard.
"It is time to look for Senior sister xu,"
He thought as he looked towards the horizon only to be captivated by the sight of so many disciples heading towards the south, immediately Xuan ping knew something rare might have been discovered, so he became curious.
*****†*****
INNER PART OF THE SECRET REALM
"Why is everyone heading towards south?" Xuan ping became more curious, so he stopped a disciple and asked.
Brother, please, why is everyone heading towards that direction? He asked politely.
"It seems you don't know," The young man said politely after looking at him thoroughly.
"Anyway, a secret palace was discovered in the inner part of the realm, which could probably be an inheritance of a powerful cultivator, so I will advise you to head there too".
"Haha," Xuan ping laughed as he scratched his hair a bit.
"Anyway, I just wanted to know what was going on first before I head there, and I don't think I have the capability to go alone, so I will just wait for my senior sister then we can head there together".
"Why don't you tag along, so it won't be only me," The young man suggested?
"Hmm, ok, that will be good, so how should I address this brother?".
"My name is Xiao feng, but you can call me Xiao". A grin was shown on the young man's face as he mentioned the name Xiao xiao.
"Ok, I will be in your care brother Xiao Xiao and by the way, my name is Xuan ping".
"Ok, Let get going, brother Xuan".
…
The entrance to the secret tomb was restricted, preventing the disciples from different sects from entering despite their gathering at the location.
"Everybody, there is a restriction on this gate," said a disciple. "So I suggest we join hands together to break the seal on the gate… What do you all think?" The young disciple asked.
"If we cooperate to break the seal, how would we divide the treasures found inside?" asked another disciple.
"No problem, we'll all have what we each find inside without any misunderstanding," replied the young man
"No issue, we all agree," they replied, yelling out.
Boom! Boom!!
Attack from different directions hit the restriction placed on the gate. Afterward, the restriction began to crack due to the bombardment of various attacks.
"The restriction is about to break!". The man shouted.
Everyone began to rejoice.
"Boom!"
The sound of the restrictions being broken was heard.
"Xuan ping, the seal has broken, let move".
Yes, brother Xiao.
"I don't know how Xuan ping is doing now?" Xu xin still worried. Let hope he is inside this secret palace.
★★★★
"Uh, this place is creepy, let's be careful, so we don't trigger any traps".
"Ok, brother Xiao, it seems like you've been to places like this before".
"Yeah, it just that this place looks more dangerous than the ones I've been to, so we have to be more vigilant".
"Brother Xuan, spread your QI, so you'll be able to sense anything".
"Um, I can't do that," Xuan ping replied almost immediately.
Why can't you do that, all you have to do is… Before he could complete his sentence, Xuan ping interrupted.
"I'm sorry I kept the truth from your brother Xiao, the thing is I cannot cultivate, I haven't been able to absorb QI around me into my body since everyone around me started cultivation. That is why my sect gave me one slot to find opportunities which may enable me to cultivate".
"Oh, no wonder I couldn't sense any QI fluctuation, even your cultivation level? I thought it was hidden, so you were not even able to cultivate… Now it is all making sense, anyway, when I get back to my sect I will consult my master about it and find out what you can do to start cultivating".
"Thank you, brother Xiao, may I ask which sect you belong to"?
This young master belongs to the Pure Jade sect.
Does that mean…? Xiao Feng interrupted, "yes, I'm the youngest master of the Pure Jade sect," Xiao Feng said with pride.
"It's an honor to meet you, young master Xiao".
"Haha, there is no need for formalities since we are friends, you can just call me brother Xiao.
Now that I think about it, why don't we become sworn brothers said Xiao feng
Xuan began to think, at least if I can't cultivate I should have at least a reliable backer
"That is a great idea," he uttered.
(Both went on their knees)
"I, Xiao Feng and, I Xuan Ping pledge to the heavens as from today henceforth we shall share live and death with nothing hindering us, helping each other and If we go back on our words we shall be strucked to death by lightning."
"Hahaha… good (they both laughed)".
"I am 16, and you, brother Xuan?" Xiao feng asked quickly to know.
"I am 15, so I will have to call you senior brother from now," said Xuan ping as he burst into laughter.
"Hahaha, junior brother, you are funny".
The two newly sworn brothers began to occupy themselves with gist as they moved deep into the palace.
"So, how strong are you, brother Xiao Feng?" Asked Xuan ping out of curiosity because he couldn't even detect anything.
Xiao Feng looked at him and told him, "my master did not allow him to cultivate any of the sect techniques for a reason I am yet to know. But I'm sure I can withstand a core formation realm master attack with my bare body," he said, looking at Xuan ping and laughed.
"With your bare body?" Xuan ping exclaimed looking at Xiao's body, he was well-built, though.
My master made me cultivate my body to the extreme and QI accumulation.
In other words, I possess the amount of QI a nascent soul realm master possesses if not close to an immortal ascension realm master, It has just been concealed by my master.
Xuan ping began to think about what Xiao feng's master was up to.
"What have you been doing all these years since you could not cultivate?" Xiao feng asked barely out of curiosity.
Hearing the question, Xuan ping felt reluctant to answer, since he had not told anyone about it.
"You are the first person to know anyway seems more like yours, QI accumulation excluded, he laughed. He opened up his cloth, and since I spend all my time studying".
Xiao Xiao exclaimed… "Wow! Such a fantastic body," he knows Xuan ping's body has gone through a lot of transformation with the look of it, he doubts sword would even be able to penetrate.
"Come to think of it," Xuan ping realized as he put his cloth back on. We haven't come across anybody since, it seems we have ventured too far, why don't we go back.
"There is no need to go back" Said Xiao feng. "Since we have come this far, we might even come across an opportunity which might be of help to you".
"Hmm, okay," Xuan responded.
(As they went deeper)
"Why is it so dark in here, and it seems nobody has discovered this place, let go?" said Xiao feng as if rushing.
As they were walking, Xuan ping took a wrong step which resulted in triggering a mechanism, then he fell into another dimension in the secret palace and immediately the dimension was shut off more like one man entry.
Brother Xuan! Brother Xuan!!
Xiao feng shouted at the top of his voice as he couldn't find the entrance but still did not get any response, so he immediately ran to find help.
Inside the dimension
Xuan ping's back began to pain him vigorously due to the impact from the fall.
"Brother Xiao," he shouted, "help me this place is so dark I'm scared".
"It seems I've fallen so deep," he looked around only to see a table lit up the room, so bright that it could make a man go blind, slowly he opened his eyes and went closer to the tablet.
On getting closer, he saw an inscription written on it, and he was able to decode it successfully all thanks to hard study, immediately a writing began to appear.
He began to read.
My name is emperor Ye Bai Yi, the strongest known supreme being as an emperor in whole history. If you happen to come across, then definitely fate hasn't forsaken me.
I left my secret cultivation manuals (Heaven's defying law alongside the Heaven's secret movement) but before you take them, you must make two solemn promises.
Firstly, you revenge my death by killing my brother, Ye cang'er.
Secondly, find the second supreme being, and you must never reveal this to anybody.
Finally, I found a heavenly technique, he began to rejoice.
"Does that mean I will be able to cultivate in my life? This is a heavenly divine technique," he shouted, filled with joy.
But, it was still not certain if he would be able to cultivate this heavenly technique, and the second promise really puts me in a tight position.
"How'd I know if I'll be able to cultivate it if I can't let anybody or even the sect master know about its existence?".
"Anyway, let grab it first and think about it later," he said, smiling deep from his heart.
"Haha, hahaha," he laughed once again at the thought of him being able to cultivate.