Inside a vast chamber, an icy chill permeated the air. Gu Tian walked in alongside Huang Qingfu, heading straight for a heavily secured private room. Without hesitation, Huang Qingfu swiftly entered a passcode, unlocking the door and leading Gu Tian inside.
As soon as Gu Tian stepped through, five massive golden dimensional gates and two white ones came into view. Each radiated an overwhelming surge of energy, filling the room with an imposing presence.
Huang Qingfu extended a spatial ring toward Gu Tian and spoke in a respectful tone.
"Young Master Gu, this spatial ring will allow you to exit the Secret Realms instantly should you encounter any danger. Once you've finished your exploration, you can press the call button on the left to summon our staff. Also, our chamber will be hosting an auction later today. If you are interested, the event will begin in twelve hours."
Gu Tian gave a brief nod and waved Huang Qingfu away. Without further questions, the old man departed immediately making no effort to stay behind and oversee Gu Tian's safety.
Huang Qingfu left without hesitation, for in matters like these, knowing too much could mean instant death. He still had a chance to reach the Emperor-tier, and for that reason, he chose not to pry into things that did not concern him.
Now alone, Gu Tian wasted no time. He stepped into the first golden gate.
The moment he entered, the surroundings transformed into an endless desert. The scorching sun blazed overhead, casting shimmering heatwaves across the landscape. But Gu Tian remained unaffected, erecting a protective energy barrier around himself. He surveyed the vast expanse before issuing a command.
"Hunt down every living creature in this realm. Leave nothing behind. Bring them all back to me do not consume them yet."
As soon as the order was given, his beasts sprang into action.
Xiao Bai, the Blood Dragon, expanded its size and soared into the sky at breakneck speed.
Grim, the Cursed Skeleton Knight, brandished its sword before summoning thousands of undead from beneath the desert sands.
Death, the Spectral King, streaked westward like a wraith, moving with terrifying swiftness.
Meanwhile, Xiu, the Slime King, grew in size and began devouring everything in its path even swallowing the desert sand itself.
At the same time, Gu Tian took out the spatial ring that Huang Qingfu had given him and meticulously scanned it for surveillance devices or hidden cameras. He knew better than to place blind trust in the Seven-Colored Peacock Chamber of Commerce, regardless of their prestige.
…
…
BOOM!
A deafening explosion shook the entire realm.
The shockwave rippled outward, triggering a minor earthquake, followed by the distant agonized screams of beasts their cries of terror abruptly silenced, then replaced by sporadic echoes of struggle.
It took only moments before all four of Gu Tian's beasts returned, carrying the mangled corpses of countless Gold-tier beasts, piling them into a mountain of flesh and bones before their master.
Still focused on modifying the spatial ring, Gu Tian didn't even glance at the pile as he spoke.
"Xiao Bai, drain every drop of blood from them."
Xiao Bai let out a low growl before spreading its wings, activating the ancient runes engraved upon its body. A deep crimson glow emanated from its mouth as a colossal tide of blood surged out of the fallen beasts, collecting into a dense, shimmering mass.
"Death, consume their souls."
The Spectral King moved without a word, releasing a violet energy field that enveloped the corpses. A chilling force swept across the battlefield as the spirits of every slain beast were drawn into its being.
"Xiu, devour their flesh. Leave only the bones."
The Slime King quivered slightly before engulfing the corpses in an instant. It paid no heed to flavor or texture everything it absorbed would be completely broken down and assimilated into its form.
"Grim, animate the remaining bones into undead, then consume them."
Having awaited its turn, Grim let out a pleased laugh. Its scarlet eyes burned intensely as it cast an ancient necromantic spell.
CRACK. CRACK. CRACK.
The scattered bones trembled before reassembling into skeletal warriors. They rose one by one, forming an undead legion, only to be devoured by Grim moments later.
The four beasts worked flawlessly, executing their assigned tasks with deadly precision. Once the Secret Realm was completely cleared, Gu Tian ordered Grim to send out the undead army to collect all valuable treasures and resources scattered throughout the land.
Then, without hesitation, he and his beasts moved toward the next dimensional gate.
Gu Tian stepped into the second golden gate without hesitation.
Inside this Secret Realm, the landscape transformed into a vast expanse of lush valleys and dense forests. Overhead, the sky glowed with a deep purple hue, as though shrouded in some form of spiritual energy. The beasts here were noticeably stronger than those in the first gate, though still within an expected range.
"Kill them all." Gu Tian commanded in an indifferent tone.
Xiao Bai soared into the sky, unleashing a massive shockwave of power, while Death released a spectral storm, sweeping through from the flanks. Grim summoned its undead army, surrounding every possible escape route, while Xiu devoured any beast within its reach—ensuring not a single one survived.
Within mere moments, this Secret Realm was completely wiped clean.
The third golden gate.
The fourth golden gate.
The fifth golden gate.
Gu Tian and his beasts mercilessly slaughtered every creature in each Secret Realm. Not a single living being remained in any of the realms he passed through. Once the extermination was complete, he ordered Grim to gather all treasures, rare materials, and resources.
After clearing all five golden gates, his beasts had continuously absorbed power from the slain creatures. As a result, all of them except Xiu, the Slime King had successfully advanced to Platinum-tier.
Gu Tian observed the results, nodding in satisfaction. Without wasting time, he moved on to the next dimensional gate.
Stepping into the first Platinum gate, Gu Tian suddenly felt the ground beneath him vanish.
In an instant, he plummeted from a great height, the world around him blurring as he fell. Looking down, he saw nothing but an endless sea of clouds. Before he could crash, he summoned Xiao Bai, immediately mounting it and stabilizing his flight.
Once in control, Gu Tian began scanning the surrounding airborne landscape.
What lay before him was a floating archipelago islands suspended in midair, teeming with Platinum-tier beasts. The entire area was enveloped in dense, swirling clouds and violent energy storms.
As Gu Tian navigated through the sky, an intense heatwave suddenly surged toward him.
BOOM!
Xiao Bai instinctively conjured a blood barrier, blocking the attack just in time. The searing wave of energy collided with the shield, triggering a midair explosion. But the assault didn't stop more heatwaves came one after another, continuously launching toward him.
Gu Tian furrowed his brows before summoning Grim, Death, and Xiu. Without hesitation, he hurled them down toward the floating islands, sending them to handle whatever lay below.
Then, shifting his gaze upward, he focused on the thick clouds they had just passed through.
Within the dense black storm clouds, countless glowing eyes peered out at him.
The barrage of heatwaves showed no signs of stopping.
With a casual wave of his hand, Gu Tian unleashed a gust of wind, dispersing the dense clouds revealing what had been lurking within.
Emerging from the dispersing mist were massive, yellow-feathered birds with eerie appearances. Their scarlet eyes gleamed menacingly, and their feathers burned like living flames. However, their faces were covered in horrifying scars, resembling demonic masks twisted in agony.
[Name: Demon-Faced Bird]
[Power Level: Platinum – High]
[Species: Avian]
[Element: Fire, Wind]
[Special Abilities: Heatwave Burst (A), Infernal Demon Claws (A), Explosive Flame Wings (A), Supernatural Strength (A)]
[Potential: Platinum – Peak]
[Evolution Pathways: 9999+]
[Assessment Compared to Platinum-tier Beasts: A]
Gu Tian glanced at their status window and murmured, "Quite the numbers..."