RUMBLE...

The moment Luo Feng stepped forward, the entire hall violently trembled as if a minor earthquake had occurred. The rumbling reverberated from every direction.

The jade stone, which had formerly emanated a dim grey glow, suddenly grew luminous, bathing the entire hall in dazzling light.

Luo Feng's brow furrowed slightly. He stood in place, observing the changes. The Tiger Soul Saber silently slipped into his hand.

HUM!

The air trembled slightly, then the space in the middle of the hall warped, revealing a humanoid shadow.

The shadow, armed with a long saber, stood erect and motionless.

Upon closer inspection, the shadow's physique was somewhat similar to Luo Feng's. Even the dark shadow of its saber matched the contours of the Tiger Soul Saber, as if it were merely Luo Feng's own shadow.

"What is this?" Luo Feng wondered, looking at the shadow, clueless about the situation.

Although the shadow resembles me, it's not a real person. I can feel a strong fluctuation of Yuan Qi. It seems to be an illusion constructed by Yuan Qi.

WHOOSH!

The moment Luo Feng's gaze fell upon the shadow, it flashed, appearing before him and swinging the dark saber down over his head.

BOOM! BOOM!

The saber cleaved the air, creating sonic booms. The intense Saber Qi tore through the air, its keen edge seemingly unstoppable.

So strong! Luo Feng thought.

Even when the saber's light was still a foot away, he felt immense pressure bearing down on him.

The shadow's attack speed and power were astonishing, far surpassing Young Master Hanshan, Li Hanshan, and nearly reaching the strength of a Heavenly Court Realm cultivator.

Luo Feng did not hesitate in the face of the shadow's assault. If I haven't guessed wrong, this is the first test to enter the Secret Realm. I have to defeat this opponent to be eligible to move forward.

ROAR!

A faint tiger's roar echoed in the hall. Luo Feng's eyes mirrored the ferocity of a tiger. He stepped back, and the Tiger Soul Saber slashed out reflexively.

BOOM!

The dark shadow of the saber and the Tiger Soul Saber collided violently, creating a deafening clang of metal. Both combatants retreated several steps.

"Sky Collapse Earth Splitting!" Luo Feng roared.

Stomping fiercely on the ground, Luo Feng halted his retreat. His fist, radiating an overbearing aura, formed a spherical shockwave that pounded towards the shadow.

The shadow, in turn, suddenly hid its own Tiger Soul Saber behind its back and threw a punch. A large crack appeared in mid-air, fiercely tearing at everything in its path.

Luo Feng's eyebrows shot up when he saw the shadow also execute Sky Collapse Earth Splitting. It's also using Sky Collapse Earth Splitting! Its Cultivation seems to be the same as mine. Could it be that the first test of this Secret Realm is to defeat oneself? Interesting!

The chance to fight himself was rare, and it piqued Luo Feng's interest. He pushed his Yuan Qi to its limit, vanished in a flash, and charged towards the shadow once more.

BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!

The two adversaries met head-on. In the blink of an eye, they had exchanged dozens of moves, the intense shockwaves from their clash causing the entire hall to hum and tremble.

Luo Feng grew more excited with each exchange. Previously, I was unsure about my own strength, but through this fight, I've been able to make an accurate evaluation. My strength is very close to the Heavenly Court Realm. If I include Grand Momentum, I might not even lose to Duanmu Xiong! It's important to remember that I'm still only at the peak of the Hell Realm. Though I'm just half a step away from the Heavenly Court Realm, the power gap between these two realms is as vast as the difference between heaven and earth!

Once a Martial Artist steps into the Heavenly Court Realm, their Yuan Qi surges into the Baihui Point at the crown of their head, connecting the Heavenly Court and Hell to form the Grand Circulation. This results in a qualitative leap in strength.

BOOM!

Luo Feng and the shadow clashed fiercely once more. The shadow then retreated to the center of the hall and gave Luo Feng a fist-and-palm salute. Its form distorted and then vanished without a trace. Accompanied by a rumbling sound, the large doors at the end of the hall began to gradually open.

Looks like I passed, Luo Feng thought, exhaling a breath he didn't realize he'd been holding. The opponent's Yuan Qi wasn't endless. During our fight, I could feel its attacks getting weaker with each exchange. I wonder what's behind this gate...

The first test had been unexpectedly challenging, which only heightened Luo Feng's interest in the Secret Realm. He gazed at the opening doors and, without further hesitation, stepped forward.

「Meanwhile」

Everyone else who had entered the Secret Realm was facing a similar trial.

"What is this thing? How does it know my Platinum Eagle Claw? And its strength is the same as mine!" one exclaimed.

"Damn it! This thing has the same strength as me, even its Martial Arts are identical! How am I supposed to defeat it?" another cursed.

"Its power is overwhelming! Am I really this formidable?" someone else wondered aloud, bewildered.

Some were evenly matched with their shadow counterparts. Others, after a brief moment of panic, managed to gain the upper hand and suppress their opponents. However, a few were caught off guard by their shadows and cried out in alarm, overwhelmed.

「Red Flame Desert. Near the massive light screen.」

As the light screen vibrated, three figures were ejected from it, crashing heavily to the ground.

"Li Chang!"

"Bailu! You're out already? Where's your elder brother?"

"What happened to the others?"

The leaders of the various factions waiting nearby immediately surrounded the three youths upon seeing them, bombarding them with questions.

The trio still seemed dazed. A moment passed before they managed to scramble up from the sand. They stared at the crowd in surprise before their faces flushed with shame.

"Family Head, it seems we didn't pass the Secret Realm's test," one said dejectedly.

"Principal, I also failed," another admitted.

"That dark figure was too strong. It knocked me out before I could even react," the third lamented.

Having recovered from their initial shock, the three hung their heads, admitting their defeat.

The surrounding Martial Artists watched in bewilderment.

These three were all late-stage or peak Hell Realm practitioners. While not considered top-tier geniuses, reaching such a level before the age of eighteen was still commendable. Yet, they had been defeated and ejected so quickly!

This incident further impressed upon the crowd the perilous nature of this Secret Realm.

Of course, while some were worried, others were pleased, especially the families of the three Martial Artists who were at the ninth stage of the Heavenly Court Realm; smiles adorned their faces.

Past experience told them that the more dangerous a Secret Realm, the more enticing the treasures hidden within.

This Secret Realm is posing such a challenge right from the start! It suggests a significant treasure might be discovered! they thought excitedly.

「Back with Luo Feng」

Unaware of the situation outside, Luo Feng, having defeated the shadow, immediately entered the large doors.

Upon leaving the main hall, he found himself in a stone passage. The surrounding walls were a faint greyish-black. The dim light, combined with the wailing sounds of wind rushing through, created an eerie atmosphere reminiscent of someone crying, enough to send shivers down one's spine.

With Grand Momentum active within him, Luo Feng's mind remained as tranquil as still water as he entered the stone passage.

Initially, Luo Feng thought there was only one passage, but after walking a few steps, he realized this was not the case.

The passage was a complex maze, with paths branching off in all directions, making it difficult to discern the correct way. Fortunately, Luo Feng's Soul Power was strong, and his memory was exceptional. The routes he took were clearly imprinted in his mind, preventing him from getting lost.

In such a complex and dim environment, losing one's way could easily trap someone in an endless loop, making escape impossible.

I wonder how Ruolan and the others are doing, Luo Feng mused. He wasn't worried about Bing Ruolan and the other two passing the first trial. Their potential was considerable, and challenging themselves should not be a problem for them. Still, I'd better find the exit quickly.

Luo Feng shook his head, clearing his thoughts, and continued his journey.

Along the way, Luo Feng found numerous skeletons scattered within the passage. The bones were already beginning to decay, suggesting that many years, perhaps centuries, had passed.

These bones likely belong to Martial Artists who were trapped here a long time ago, Luo Feng speculated.

Next to one skeleton, Luo Feng found a storage ring. He picked it up, intending to see what was inside, but as soon as he touched it, the ring shattered into several pieces with a soft CRACK. It was no longer functional.

Even a storage ring has corroded to this extent. It seems this place has existed for at least a thousand years, Luo Feng thought, his brow furrowing. He tightened his grip on the Tiger Soul Saber, carefully observing his surroundings.

As he progressed, he noticed the passage gradually sloping downwards, meaning he was heading underground. This mysterious place, existing for millennia, could harbor unknown dangers.

Discarding the fragments of the storage ring, Luo Feng reflected with a sigh, Time truly flies. Even a Spiritual Artifact cannot withstand its corrosive passage. A human life, spanning a mere hundred years, is but a flicker. It's no wonder so many people desperately pursue Martial Arts, strengthening themselves in hopes of defying their mortal fate.

In a world where cultivation was possible, lifespan wasn't fixed. It increased as one's Cultivation progressed; as one's physical body and spirit strengthened, so too did one's longevity.

This increase wasn't particularly noticeable in the Meridian Wheel Realm. However, upon becoming a Spiritual Rotation Realm Martial Artist, one's lifespan would increase significantly.

A Spiritual Rotation Realm Martial Artist could generally live for two to three hundred years. As for the True Yuan Realm beyond that, cultivators could supposedly live for over a thousand years, truly defying fate. However, Luo Feng did not yet fully understand this realm.

Even if pursuing Martial Arts couldn't extend my lifespan, I would never want to live an ordinary life, Luo Feng resolved.

The world of Martial Artists has only just revealed the tip of the iceberg to me. The True Martial Continent has five great regions, and the places I've been are but a tiny fraction. There are still so many magnificent places to explore. Since I've come to this world, I naturally want to live a grand and spectacular life, leaving no regrets!

Unconsciously, Luo Feng arrived at another fork in the path. Just as he was about to choose a passage and continue forward, a cold glint of light suddenly flashed from the shadows.

SWISH!

A young Swordsman, hidden in the shadows, saw Luo Feng approach and lunged like a fierce tiger pouncing on a rabbit, thrusting his sword directly at Luo Feng's throat!

"Die!" the Swordsman snarled.

Luo Feng's senses were exceptionally sharp. The instant his opponent moved, he was already aware. The Tiger Soul Saber lashed out, accompanied by the sound of wind and thunder.

"Don't kill me!"

The young Martial Artist had intended a sneak attack but was stunned by Luo Feng's overwhelming power. Even before the saber light reached him, the oppressive force made it difficult for him to breathe. He instantly understood he was no match for this person and shrieked for mercy in terror.

SPLATTER!

Luo Feng paid no heed to his plea. A flash of dark saber light, and the young Martial Artist, unable to retreat in time, was sliced in two. His severed body crashed heavily against the stone wall.

"Since you drew your sword against me, you should have been prepared to die," Luo Feng stated coldly, without a second glance at the corpse on the ground. He turned, preparing to enter the passage to his left.

CRACKLE! CRUNCH!

Just then, the stone wall, stained red with the young Swordsman's blood, began to crack and crumble. The blood was absorbed into the stone as if by a sponge.

Luo Feng halted, his sharp gaze fixed on the wall.

He sensed an extremely malevolent aura, as if something was about to burst forth!

CRACK!

The stone wall shattered, and a Blood Shadow shot out, lunging at Luo Feng with its mouth wide open.

By the faint light filtering from the stone wall itself, Luo Feng saw it clearly. The Blood Shadow was a desiccated, monkey-like monster. Its mouth was filled with razor-sharp teeth, its body covered in long red fur, and its eyes blazed with a bloodthirsty light!

If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know < report chapter > so we can fix it as soon as possible.