Jiang Chen stood outside the Grand Hall, alongside Bai Muchen and Xiao Dong.
The three of them had barely finished their breakthroughs, their bodies still buzzing with newfound power. Yet, before they could even test their limits, they had been summoned.
By none other than the Old Man and the Grand Elders themselves.
Xiao Dong cracked his neck. "I swear, if they're dragging us here just to tell us to behave, I might just challenge the Old Man myself."
Bai Muchen smirked. "I'd pay to see that."
Jiang Chen exhaled, adjusting his robes. "No chance. If they called us, it's for something big."
Without another word, they stepped forward.
The massive stone doors of the Grand Hall groaned open, revealing a vast chamber filled with an overwhelming pressure.
At the end of the hall sat three figures.
In the center, reclining lazily on his throne, was The Old Man, Sect Master Wu Tianhai. His wild gray hair and beard made him look like an untamed beast, yet his sharp eyes betrayed an intelligence beyond measure.
To his right sat First Grand Elder Wu Tianhai, his expression composed yet filled with quiet dominance.
To his left sat Second Grand Elder Xue Fang, his keen gaze studying them with hidden expectations.
The room was silent for a long moment.
Then, the Old Man smirked.
"You brats sure caused a ruckus," the Old Man said, his voice filled with amusement. "Breaking records, destroying battle rankings, forcing us to hand out extra rewards. Do you even understand what you've done?"
Xiao Dong grinned. "Yeah. We won."
The Old Man burst into laughter. "HA! That's the right damn attitude!"
First Grand Elder Wu Tianhai, however, cut in. "Enough jokes. You three are strong. That's undeniable. But you're still not strong enough."
Bai Muchen raised an eyebrow. "I'm sensing an 'opportunity' coming."
The atmosphere within the Grand Hall was thick with tension. The flickering torches cast long shadows as Jiang Chen, Bai Muchen, and Xiao Dong stood before Sect Master Wu Tianhai and the two Grand Elders.
The Old Man leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees. His eyes, sharp like celestial blades, bore into them.
"You brats think you're strong now?" he said, his voice low and dangerous. "You think because you crushed a little sect tournament, you're ready for the real battlefield?"
Jiang Chen's expression remained calm, but he could feel the weight behind those words.
The Old Man smirked. "Let me tell you something. In one year's time, the Jiuhuang Secret Realm will open again. And that? That is the true proving ground for monsters."
The moment he spoke the name, the temperature in the hall seemed to drop.
Even Xiao Dong's grin faltered slightly, and Bai Muchen's expression became more serious.
Second Grand Elder Xue Fang sighed. "Old Man, don't scare them too much. But… yes, it is time they know."
The Old Man continued. "The Jiuhuang Secret Realm is not just some random hidden land—it is one of the greatest opportunities on the Astral Horizon Continent. It only opens once every century, and every time, it reshapes the power structure of the entire Southern Region of the continent."
Jiang Chen's brows furrowed slightly. "The entire Southern Region?"
Wu Tianhai nodded. "Every major power in the South will send their strongest geniuses to claim its treasures. That includes ancient sects, hidden clans, powerful kingdoms, and even rogue cultivator alliances."
He waved his hand, and a projection of a vast, mystical land appeared in the air.
The Jiuhuang Secret Realm—a realm of floating islands, endless ruins, divine mountains, and abyssal depths, pulsing with ancient energy.
"This realm is not ordinary," the Old Man said. "It is a fragment of an ancient battlefield, where supreme beings fought in the past. The opportunities inside are beyond comprehension—Nascent Soul-level spirit medicine, inheritance grounds of long-lost immortals, weapons crafted before the current era of cultivation. But the dangers?" His grin widened. "Let's just say half of those who enter… never return."
Xiao Dong whistled. "Now that's my kind of place."
Bai Muchen's gaze sharpened. "Who else will be there?"
The Old Man's eyes gleamed. "I was waiting for you to ask that."
He waved his hand again, and five figures appeared in the projection.
"These are just a few of the monsters you'll be facing. You brats have proven yourselves in this province, but these people? They aren't normal."
Ye Xinghai – The Divine Star Tyrant
Sect: Celestial Frost Palace
Physique: Astral Monarch Physique – Grants him unparalleled control over star energy, allowing him to summon celestial storms and condense starfire into his attacks.
Cultivation: Mid Core Formation – The undisputed number one genius of Celestial Frost Palace.
The projection of Ye Xinghai showed a tall, white-robed man standing beneath a sky filled with stars. His very presence seemed to bend the heavens themselves.
The Old Man's tone was dark. "This one? He's dangerous. The Astral Monarch Physique is ranked in the top fifty divine constitutions. He's rumored to have already touched upon the laws of the celestial bodies."
Jiang Chen's eyes narrowed. The laws of the celestial bodies?
Bai Muchen smirked. "Hah. I want to punch him already."
Feng Yuechan – The Saintess of Vermilion Flames
Sect: Phoenix Flame Valley
Bloodline: Ancient Vermilion Bird Bloodline – Grants supreme affinity with fire laws, divine regeneration, and the ability to control Phoenix Nirvana Flames—flames that can burn through space itself.
Cultivation: Mid Core Formation
A graceful woman with flowing crimson hair appeared, her very presence radiating the power of a divine phoenix.
Second Grand Elder Xue Fang sighed. "The Phoenix Flame Valley is a sect known for producing terrifying fire cultivators, but Feng Yuechan? She is beyond them all. The Vermilion Bird Bloodline means she is destined to wield flames that defy common sense."
Xiao Dong scratched his head. "Damn. She's hot."
Jiang Chen smirked. "In more ways than one."
Lei Qingshan – The Stormbringer
Sect: Thundering Sky Pavilion
Physique: Oceanic Thunder Warbody – A physique that grants immense control over both thunder and water laws, creating a perfect blend of destruction and adaptability.
Cultivation: Late Core Formation
A massive man with silver-blue hair and thunderous eyes appeared, standing atop a raging storm. His very presence shook the heavens with crackling lightning.
The Old Man exhaled. "This brute is a walking disaster. The Oceanic Thunder Warbody is ranked just below the Titanblood Physique. He controls lightning like it's his birthright."
Bai Muchen cracked his knuckles. "That one's mine."
Xuan Luoyin – The Lunar Enchantress
Sect: Serene Moon Hall
Bloodline: Ethereal Moon Saint Bloodline – Allows her to control lunar energy, granting illusions so powerful they affect reality itself.
Cultivation: Mid Core Formation
A mystical, silver-haired woman appeared, her presence bending the light around her, making her half-transparent.
First Grand Elder Wu Tianhai scowled. "This one is dangerous. Not just because of her cultivation, but because of her mind. She doesn't fight directly. She twists reality."
Jiang Chen frowned. "Illusions?"
The Old Man nodded. "More than that. Her illusions become real. If you're caught inside one, you might never wake up."
Xiao Dong grinned. "Sounds like fun."
Long Tianyi – The Dragon's Heir
Sect: Azure Dragon Sacred Land
Bloodline: Azure Dragon Emperor Bloodline – Grants supreme physical strength, dragon scales, and divine regeneration.
Cultivation: Late Core Formation
A young man in deep blue robes appeared, his arms crossed, his presence alone exuding crushing power.
Second Grand Elder Xue Fang's expression turned serious. "The Azure Dragon Sacred Land rarely sends its young geniuses out into the world. That they're sending Long Tianyi means one thing—they intend to dominate."
Jiang Chen's fingers twitched. "A dragon bloodline?"
The Old Man smirked. "And not just any dragon. An Emperor-tier bloodline."
Bai Muchen grinned. "Good. I needed a real challenge."
The Old Man leaned back. "Now you understand."
"The Jiuhuang Secret Realm is not just an opportunity—it is a battlefield where only the strongest survive."
"If you enter weak, you will die."
"If you enter strong, you might come out a god."
He smirked.
"So, are you ready to carve your names into legend?"
Jiang Chen, Bai Muchen, and Xiao Dong grinned in unison.
"Of course we are."
The Old man smiled, "You better be ready to go through hell this next year. Not only do you need yourselves to be ready, but the entire sect itself needs you three."
Then, Second Grand Elder Xue Fang leaned forward, his tone serious.
"There are three Forbidden Realms in the Azure Sky Province," he began. "Each of them is a land of extreme danger… but also unfathomable opportunity."
He waved his hand, and three ethereal projections appeared before them—each depicting a different realm.
The Abyssal Demon Graveyard
(Endless death. Relics of an ancient war. Madness awaits.)
Overview: A land of ruined battlefields, shattered weapons, and the lingering spirits of ancient warriors.
Danger Level: Monstrous. Not because of beasts—but because of the will of the dead. The spirits that haunt this place are said to possess cultivators, erode their minds, and drag them into endless war.
Opportunity: Legendary weapons and battle techniques are hidden within, waiting for those strong enough to claim them.
Xiao Dong whistled. "Sounds fun."
Second Grand Elder Xue Fang smirked. "If you think losing your mind in eternal combat is fun, then sure."
The Netherfrost Phantom Wastes
(A frozen realm where reality itself fractures. Illusions are death.)
Overview: An ice-covered wasteland filled with distorted time and space. Cultivators who enter find that their own perceptions betray them—reality twists, illusions become real, and those who linger too long forget who they are.
Danger Level: Extreme. Even some Golden Core cultivators struggle to leave unscathed.
Opportunity: Said to contain ancient Daoist inheritances, especially regarding mental fortitude and spatial laws.
Bai Muchen narrowed his eyes. "That one's tempting."
The Old Man smirked. "Tempting, sure. But unless you want to wake up one day and realize you've been trapped for a thousand years, think carefully."
The Temple of Heaven and Earth
(A test of strength, will, and endurance. Only the mad survive.)
Overview: A massive, multi-leveled structure containing 100 floors. Each floor is a world of its own, filled with different environments—burning magma fields, icebound wastelands, gravity wells that crush weaker cultivators. The further one goes, the stronger they become.
Danger Level: Unknown. No one has ever reached the final floors.
Opportunity: Every ten floors, cultivators receive treasures, techniques, or enlightenment opportunities. It is said that reaching the 50th floor guarantees a heaven-defying transformation.
Jiang Chen's eyes gleamed.
Bai Muchen cracked his knuckles.
Xiao Dong grinned like a lunatic.
The three of them looked at each other.
And in unison—
"The Temple of Heaven and Earth."
The Old Man burst into laughter. "HA! I knew you brats would pick that one!"
First Grand Elder Wu Tianhai shook his head. "Of course they did."
Second Grand Elder Xue Fang sighed. "Idiots, the lot of you."
Jiang Chen smirked. "No risk, no reward."
Bai Muchen grinned. "Besides, a hundred floors? That's a hundred chances to get stronger."
Xiao Dong cracked his knuckles. "I just want to fight everything in there."
The Old Man's grin sharpened.
"Good," he said. "Then prepare yourselves. In seven days, you leave for the Temple of Heaven and Earth."
His eyes gleamed with a deeper intent.
"And once you step inside… don't expect to return the same."