I
Lin Sheng's figure streaked across the forest like a crimson shadow.
His Eight Step Cicada movement technique had already been pushed close to its limit. Every step covered dozens of meters as Gangqi erupted beneath his feet, leaving shallow craters across the ancient earth.
The outer region had become increasingly chaotic.
Along the way, he witnessed battle after battle.
Some cultivators fought Rank-1 yao beasts over spirit herbs.
Others fought each other.
Not every conflict was caused by greed.
Some were simply the result of old grudges that happened to meet inside the secret realm.
A flying insect swarm suddenly burst from a giant hollow tree, chasing several terrified Qi Refining cultivators.
Farther away, a Foundation Establishment cultivator was exchanging blows with a giant ape whose fists continuously shattered boulders.
The sounds of explosions echoed without end.
Lin Sheng merely glanced in their direction before continuing forward.
His objective had never been the outer region.
If he stopped to interfere every time he encountered danger, he would never reach the true opportunities.
Naturally...
If someone from the Lin Family encountered life-threatening danger within his immediate reach, he wouldn't stand idly by.
But everything depended upon distance.
He couldn't save everyone.
Nor was that his responsibility.
His speed increased once more.
Several hours later...
The surrounding scenery gradually changed.
The ancient forest became noticeably quieter.
The Spiritual Qi within the air grew increasingly dense.
Then—
Lin Sheng crossed an invisible boundary.
The moment he stepped through, his expression changed slightly.
The surrounding Spiritual Qi erupted.
It wasn't simply denser.
It was purer.
Richer.
Every breath he inhaled caused fresh Spiritual Qi to flow naturally into his meridians before being refined by his circulating Gangqi.
Even his physique felt noticeably lighter.
"Amazing..."
Lin Sheng couldn't help murmuring.
If a mortal lived permanently within such an environment...
Without cultivating at all...
Their body would naturally absorb traces of Spiritual Qi over decades.
Although they would never become cultivators, merely residing here would likely allow them to live well beyond a hundred years.
No wonder ancient sects always chose locations where Spiritual Veins gathered.
The difference between such places and the outside world was like comparing heaven and earth.
At the same moment—
His Perception Field expanded.
Several unfamiliar auras immediately entered his range.
Not far behind...
Foundation Establishment cultivators were entering the inner region one after another.
Lin Sheng wasn't surprised.
Anyone capable of surviving until now and possessing sufficient confidence naturally understood that the outer region could no longer satisfy them.
The true opportunities lay here.
The Chip quickly began identifying familiar signatures.
---
[Known Aura Detected]
Wu Yuanhua
Estimated Cultivation: Foundation Establishment Mid stage
---
Another notification appeared.
---
[Known Aura Detected]
Lin Yan
Estimated Cultivation: Foundation Establishment Peak
---
Lin Sheng raised an eyebrow.
His elder sister had arrived.
Even from the fluctuations of her aura, he could tell she had become stronger than when they last met.
Not only Lin Yan.
Several other Lin Family disciples had also entered the inner region.
The distances between everyone, however, were considerable.
Clearly, the spatial transfer upon entering this area had scattered everyone once again.
"That makes things interesting..."
He withdrew his perception before continuing deeper.
Soon...
The forest suddenly disappeared.
Before him stretched endless ruins.
Broken stone pillars.
Collapsed palaces.
Half-buried staircases.
Countless ancient buildings reduced to rubble.
Despite the destruction, one could still vaguely imagine the former glory of this place.
Several cultivators had already arrived before him.
One elderly Foundation Establishment cultivator slowly examined the surroundings before speaking.
"Powerful cultivators capable of opening secret realms rarely create them merely to leave behind inheritances."
His words immediately attracted everyone's attention.
"There are many records stating that ancient sects and great cultivation clans transformed small worlds into sanctuaries."
"A refuge."
"A final retreat."
"In times of war..."
"They could move their disciples into such secret realms to preserve their legacy."
His eyes slowly swept across the endless ruins.
"If my guess is correct..."
"This place wasn't simply someone's inheritance."
"It was once an ancient sect."
Silence spread throughout the crowd.
Everyone looked around once more.
Medicinal gardens.
Weapon pavilions.
Scripture halls.
Alchemy palaces.
Spirit beast valleys.
If this had truly been an ancient sect...
Then opportunities would exist everywhere.
Greed immediately appeared within countless eyes.
Without waiting further, several impatient cultivators shot forward like streaks of light toward the massive ruined mountain gate standing in the distance.
Unfortunately...
The moment they approached—
A brilliant barrier suddenly appeared.
A dazzling beam of white light descended from above.
The foremost cultivators didn't even have time to scream.
Their bodies instantly disintegrated into countless particles.
Not blood.
Not flesh.
Simply...
Gone.
The entire area became deathly silent.
The cultivators behind immediately stopped.
Several people turned pale before frantically retreating hundreds of meters.
Cold sweat covered their backs.
One step slower...
And they would have shared the same fate.
A middle-aged array master stared at the barrier before inhaling sharply.
"That..."
"That is at least a Rank-4 grand formation."
The moment those words left his mouth, everyone's expressions stiffened.
Rank-4.
Such a formation could easily annihilate everyone present countless times over.
The excitement from moments earlier instantly vanished.
However, after studying the formation for several breaths, the array master frowned.
"No..."
"Something isn't right."
"The formation has existed for far too long."
"Its spiritual fluctuations are unstable."
He pointed toward several damaged formation nodes scattered throughout the ruins.
"The grand formation itself may once have been Rank-4."
"But after countless years..."
"I estimate its current power is only slightly above Peak Rank-2."
The hopeless atmosphere immediately changed.
Hope returned to many people's eyes.
If that assessment was true...
Then perhaps...
With hundreds of Foundation Establishment cultivators joining forces...
Breaking through the weakened guardian formation might actually be possible.
Around the ruins, cultivators began looking at one another.
No one spoke first.
But everyone understood the same thing.
If they wanted the treasures hidden within the ancient sect...
They would first have to break the gate.
Naturally, no one stepped forward.
Moments earlier, several Foundation Establishment cultivators had been reduced to nothing more than drifting spiritual dust. The terrifying scene remained vivid in everyone's minds.
Although the realization had rekindled their hope, hope alone wasn't enough to overcome fear.
Who would volunteer to test a formation that had just annihilated multiple Foundation Establishment cultivators?
Silence descended once again.
The crowd exchanged glances, yet every cultivator remained rooted to the spot.
No one wished to become the first sacrificial lamb.
Several minutes passed.
Finally—
A young man slowly stepped forward.
His movements were calm and unhurried.
He wore azure robes embroidered with an exquisitely crafted dragon winding around clouds. The dragon's scales shimmered faintly beneath the light of the formation, giving the impression that it was alive.
Unlike many of the arrogant geniuses present, his expression carried a gentle smile.
Merely standing there seemed to calm the tense atmosphere.
He clasped his hands politely.
"If everyone is willing..."
"I may be able to create a temporary opening within the formation."
His calm voice immediately shocked the surrounding cultivators.
"What?"
"You can open it?"
"Impossible!"
Even the Rank-2 array master stared at him with widened eyes.
Before anyone could continue questioning him, the young man smiled faintly.
"My name is Qin Fenxing."
The moment those words were spoken, two completely different reactions appeared among the crowd.
Some cultivators looked confused.
Others immediately inhaled sharply.
"The Qin Family?"
"Could he really be..."
One Foundation Establishment cultivator quickly stepped forward.
"Fellow Daoist... are you perhaps from the Qin Family of Geng Feather Province?"
Qin Fenxing nodded politely.
"I am."
The confirmation immediately caused an uproar.
Dragon Yuan Province wasn't the only province ruled by a Rank-4 Golden Core power.
To the northeast lay Geng Feather Province.
Its ruler—
The Qin Family.
Like the Lin Family, the Qin Family possessed a Golden Core Ancestor and had dominated their province for centuries.
The two families rarely interfered in one another's affairs, yet both remained recognized as major powers throughout the surrounding region.
Many people immediately became curious.
Why would a direct disciple of the Qin Family travel thousands of kilometers simply to enter a secret realm belonging to another province?
No one understood.
Naturally...
No one dared ask directly.
Another cultivator stepped forward respectfully.
"Young Master Qin..."
"You mentioned creating an opening..."
"Could it be..."
Qin Fenxing smiled.
"I have some understanding of formations."
Some understanding?
Several people almost laughed.
The Rank-2 array master carefully examined him before suddenly asking,
"May I ask... what is Fellow Daoist's attainment in the Dao of Formations?"
Qin Fenxing answered without the slightest arrogance.
"Peak Rank-2."
Silence.
Absolute silence.
Then—
The entire crowd erupted.
"Peak Rank-2?"
"Impossible!"
"He's only in the Late Foundation Establishment Realm!"
"So young?"
Even Lin Sheng couldn't help glancing toward the young man once more.
Peak Rank-2 Formation Master...
That title alone carried astonishing weight.
Among the Hundred Paths, formations had always been acknowledged as one of the four great auxiliary Daos.
Alchemy.
Artifact Refinement.
Formations.
Talismans.
These four professions stood at the very peak of all cultivation arts.
Countless cultivators dreamed of mastering one of them.
Very few succeeded.
The reason was simple.
Unlike cultivation talent, which could largely be determined through spiritual roots...
Talent in the Hundred Paths possessed no direct method of testing.
Especially the Dao of Formations.
To become an array master required extraordinary comprehension.
Not battle talent.
Not spiritual roots.
Not physique.
Comprehension.
Unfortunately...
Comprehension revealed itself only through years of study.
Many cultivators devoted several years—
Sometimes even decades—
Attempting to walk the path of formations.
Only to eventually discover that they possessed no talent whatsoever.
By then...
Those years had already been wasted.
Along with enormous quantities of cultivation resources.
Spirit stones.
Formation materials.
Ancient manuals.
All consumed without result.