Silence. The entire Tianchan Mountain was so silent that not even the chirping of crows or sparrows could be heard; even the sound of a falling needle was audible.

Everyone stood in place as if turned to stone, looking at Shi Xuan in the sky, who held a long sword, with eyes filled with awe.

"Wendao Prodigy, the Po-Slaying Sword truly lives up to its reputation!"

In the crowd, an old man could not help but exclaim.

His shout pulled everyone back from their shock to reality.

The Four Elders of Tianchan looked at Elder Hu, who had already fallen, and hurriedly said respectfully, "We respectfully invite Fellow Daoist to enter the secret realm."

"Mm."

After Shi Xuan responded, he made a grasping motion with his large hand toward Elder Hu's corpse, storing it in his storage ring, before slowly walking toward the crowd.

"Master, was that Elder Hu not too weak?"

Upon seeing his master return, Liang Yi could not wait to speak.

Although his voice was not loud, in this extremely quiet environment, it was still heard clearly by many people.

The expressions of the Four Elders of Tianchan were particularly unsightly at this moment, yet no one was willing to stand up for Elder Hu; setting aside the fact that they could not defeat the Po-Slaying Sword before them.

Even if they could defeat him by attacking together, they were unwilling to fight until both sides were injured, only to let others reap the benefits in the end.

Shi Xuan said indifferently, "Say less of this nonsense; let us go in."

"Yes."

Liang Yi asked with an excited look on his face, "Master, do you need me to scout the path ahead?"

"You kid really treat this secret realm as your own family's back garden; if you do not wish to die, follow me."

After Shi Xuan finished speaking, he stepped into the light gate first, and the crowd followed closely behind him.

After seeing the vicious man leave, the Four Elders of Tianchan turned their gazes onto the others.

The old scholar spoke, "Everyone, you have all seen the strength of that Po-Slaying Sword. Now we will not stop you from entering, but you must consider clearly whether or not you can withstand that sword."

Upon saying this, he exchanged a glance with the three elders beside him, then flew into the light gate.

The onlooker cultivators present all revealed conflicted expressions on their faces.

Finally, a tall cultivator shouted loudly, "I just do not believe my luck is so bad that I will definitely encounter that Po-Slaying Sword."

As his words fell, he leaped up and flew into the light gate.

With the first person, there was immediately a second, and a third.

In a short while, dozens of people scrambled to fly into the light gate.

Some cultivators even fought violently to snatch positions.

Approximately a moment later, a loud voice came from within the light gate.

"Eighty-one trial participants have all entered; the Star Gate is closing."

The cultivators outside, upon hearing this, reacted by flying toward the light gate; surprisingly, that light gate vanished in the blink of an eye.

Inside the secret realm.

As soon as Shi Xuan entered, an incomparably pitch-black cave came into view; before he could use his divine sense to probe his surroundings, an ancient and hoarse voice transmitted by his ear.

"The Emperor Shadow Secret Realm trial officially begins; anyone may cultivate within this secret realm for eighty-one days.

When the time arrives, one may choose to leave on one's own, or choose to remain within the secret realm to wait for the next opening of the secret realm."

"Emperor Shadow Secret Realm?"

Old Ghost Fu murmured, "Could it be that there is a Great Emperor's inheritance in this secret realm?"

The people around, upon hearing these words, all revealed excited expressions on their faces, while simultaneously maintaining a certain distance from Shi Xuan and his disciple.

This subtle change by everyone naturally did not escape Shi Xuan's eyes; he said without any concern, "The Great Emperor's inheritance belongs to those who are fated; you may search for it yourselves."

Everyone looked at Shi Xuan with expressions of utter confusion, and at this moment, they very much wanted to ask a question: Are you truly not tempted in the slightest?

Shi Xuan paid no heed to the crowd, but continued moving forward along the winding small path before his eyes.

Liang Yi followed closely behind; seeing this, the rest of the crowd did not know why, but subconsciously followed behind the master and disciple pair.

After Shi Xuan and his disciple walked several hundred steps, they suddenly heard the sound of weapons clashing coming from ahead.

The two immediately stopped their steps, and the three forces following behind them also halted, revealing puzzled expressions on their faces.

Could it be that there are other people within this secret realm?

"Master, there is firelight ahead."

Liang Yi said in a low voice.

"Let's go take a look."

Holding a precious sword in one hand and the sword jade in the other, Shi Xuan would not fear no matter what kind of enemy it was.

As the group drew closer to the firelight, a spacious stone chamber came into their view.

Inside this stone chamber, there were soul cultivators, demon cultivators, corpse cultivators, and human cultivators.

Some were in meditation, while others were sparring with those beside them.

It was a scene of harmony, where they appeared to be discussing cultivation.

Shou Laogui suddenly spoke up, "Big Brother, look quickly, that is Master."

As soon as these words were spoken, even Shi Xuan curiously used his divine sense to look in the direction Shou Laogui pointed, seeing an old man with graying hair and beard and a withered face sitting in meditation.

Fu Laogui said, "It is indeed Master, but how did he appear here? Unseen for a thousand years, I didn't expect he has become stronger again."

Shou Laogui said, "Big Brother, regardless of what Master is doing here, if we go over to inquire, won't we know the secret of this secret realm?"

"Makes sense."

Fu Laogui spoke, looking at Shi Xuan with a fawning face, and said respectfully, "Allow this old man to go over and inquire."

"Let's go together."

Shi Xuan also wanted to figure out the secrets within this secret realm as soon as possible.

The arrival of the crowd did not break the atmosphere within the stone chamber; they passed through the crowd and quickly arrived beside that old man.

Fu Laogui stepped forward and said respectfully, "Master, your disciple Fu'er greets you."

That old man seemed as if he had not heard Fu Laogui's words; his eyelids did not even move.

"Your disciple bows to Master."

Fu Laogui performed another salute; seeing that Master was still unmoved, he hastily signaled his three brothers with a glance.

The four performed the salute again, "Your disciples greet Master."

The old man still had no reaction; Fu Laogui could not endure it any longer, so he raised his volume: "Master, your disciple has come to find you!"

This roar finally startled the old man awake; he slowly opened his eyes, looking somewhat unhappily at the person before him, and quickly asked in confusion, "You are Fu'er?"

"Correct, Master, I am Fu'er." Fu Laogui said respectfully.

The old man asked, "How have you grown so old?"

"Master, it has been a thousand years since we last met."

Fu Laogui said with a look of helplessness.

"A thousand years have already passed?"

After muttering this sentence, the old man smiled and said, "Fu'er, you have come just at the right time. This place is a treasure land for cultivation; perhaps we, master and disciple, can comprehend the true meaning of the Great Dao here."

Everyone except Shi Xuan, upon hearing these words, widened their eyes to the limit.

The unhappiness on Fu Laogui's face also vanished instantly, and he asked with wide eyes, "Master, are your words true?"

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