Just as Yaochi Immortal Palace entered a new cultivation craze due to the opening of the myriad manifestations pagoda, time was quietly passing in the outside world.
In the Southern Region's Three Great Sacred Lands, major Sects, and clans, undercurrents were already surging.
The 'Rules Secret Realm' has a strict requirement: only Cultivators with a bone age of no more than fifty years can enter.
Thus, this is not only a stage for the younger generation to make a name for themselves but also a way for various forces to test each other.
Within the Secret Realm, there are not only many Heaven And Earth Treasures but also many Cultivation Technique Legacies left behind by ancient Cultivators.
Every time the Secret Realm opens, it creates a batch of new Geniuses, but many Prodigies also fail and perish within.
The three giants—Qingyun Holy Land, Lingxu Holy Land, and Tianyuan Holy Land—go without saying.
Established first-rate Sects like Flowing Cloud Sword Sect, Heavenly Fire Valley, and Miaoyin Pavilion, as well as some ancient clans with deep Foundations, have also begun intensive preparations.
Qingyun Holy Land, Martial Arts Field.
Dozens of young Disciples are engaged in intense sparring; the lowest cultivation is at Peak Foundation Establishment, while the highest has already reached the Late Golden Core Stage.
They are the most outstanding elites of this generation in Qingyun Holy Land.
On the high platform, Holy Lord Chu Tianchen stood side by side with several core Elders, silently watching the battles.
"Mu Bai's 'Qingyun Sword Art' has already attained seven parts of its true essence. His Sword Qi is concentrated and doesn't dissipate, excelling in both offense and defense. Not bad."
An Elder stroked his beard and nodded slightly, his gaze falling on a cold-looking youth in the field with sharp swordsmanship.
"Su Waner's techniques have also become increasingly proficient—soft yet strong, endless and ever-growing. Her future is promising."
Another Elder looked at a slender woman in a blue dress who was controlling the water vapor filling the air.
Chu Tianchen's expression was calm as his gaze swept over the energetic Disciples in the field who were striving with all their might.
These were all the future hopes of Qingyun Holy Land.
However, another figure—Gu Luoli—involuntarily flashed through his mind.
A few years ago, she had also stood on this Martial Arts Field, radiating brilliance and making her peers almost unable to breathe.
At that time, her Double Pupils were just beginning to manifest, her cultivation progressed by leaps and bounds, and she was seen by everyone as the hope for the prosperity of Qingyun Holy Land.
"If she hadn't been injured, what would her demeanor be like now? She would probably be at the Late Golden Core Stage already, or perhaps even close to forming her Nascent Soul..."
Chu Tianchen sighed inwardly, which was then replaced by a hint of complex emotion.
Southern Region, Lingxu Holy Land.
Inside a celestial mountain pavilion, several figures with vast auras sat facing each other.
The one in the center was an old man wearing an Eight Trigrams Daoist robe and holding a horsetail whisk; his eyes seemed to have starlight flowing within them as they opened and closed.
He was the Holy Lord of Lingxu Holy Land, Xuan Yangzi, a great Cultivator at the Early Stage of Mahayana.
"Have you all heard the recent news from the outside world?"
Xuan Yangzi's voice was peaceful, yet it carried an inherent majesty.
Below him, a cold-faced middle-aged man with a long sword on his back snorted coldly:
"That Chu Tianchen is certainly able to lower himself; he can even endure the'slap in the face' of a former Saintess joining another's Sect."
"It seems this Yaochi Immortal Palace indeed makes him feel quite wary."
He was the Law Enforcement Elder of Lingxu Holy Land, Jian Chen Immortal Master, at the Peak of Fusion, known for his Dao of the sword and his upright character.
Another elegant woman in palace attire chuckled and added:
"The lessons of Feiyun Sect and Qingshan Sect are right before us. That Fushan Ape King didn't just shatter their mountain gates; he made many forces see the situation clearly."
"To be able to subdue the Three Great Demon Kings as Elders at the same time, the Palace Master's cultivation is likely not below those two Old Ancestors in the Forbidden Land."
She was the External Affairs Elder of the Holy Land, Yu Xuanzi, who was meticulous and good at socializing.
Another gray-clothed Elder in charge of intelligence spoke with a solemn expression:
"If this continues long-term, the landscape of the Southern Region will surely undergo changes."
Xuan Yangzi nodded slightly.
"The Secret Realm is about to open, which is the best time to observe the reality of this Sect. Within the Secret Realm, conflict is not forbidden; it is only about Opportunity."
"At that time, have those youngsters of ours pay more 'attention' to the Disciples of Yaochi Immortal Palace."
"If Chu Tianchen can endure, my Lingxu Holy Land also doesn't lack such patience. Before we figure out their true background, it's not advisable to act rashly."
"Yes!" everyone responded in unison.
Tianyuan Holy Land, the ancestral land of the Body Refining lineage.
Inside a rugged stone hall, a nine-foot-tall giant with knotted muscles was holding a Jade Slip, his thick brows furrowed.
He was one of the Grand Elders of Tianyuan Holy Land, Barbarian King, at the Late Stage of Mahayana, famous for breaking all laws with pure strength.
"Yaochi Immortal Palace? Is that the Sect where Fushan Ape King went to be an Elder?"
Barbarian King's voice was like a great bell, making the stone hall hum and vibrate.
"Heh, that old fellow—I had a fight with him in the Wan Jue Mountain Range back then. He had quite a bit of strength, just a bit too straightforward."
"I didn't expect that Palace Master could actually subdue him."
Below, a Cultivator who was also burly but looked slightly younger bowed and said:
"Grand Elder, should we have the youngsters below look after them in that Secret Realm?"
"Especially those taught by Fushan Ape King; they must also follow the path of strength. It's a good chance to compete."
Barbarian King stroked the stubble on his chin, a warlike glint flashing in his eyes:
"Compete? Sure! But don't use lethal moves, and especially don't be foolishly used by others."
"The people from Lingxu Holy Land and Qingyun Holy Land have many schemes; who knows what mischief they're plotting."
"Our Tianyuan Holy Land values being direct, but that doesn't mean we're brainless."
"Maybe... heh heh, there will be chances to deal with them in the future."
He was clearly more interested in the "Palace Master" who could subdue Fushan Ape King.
Besides the Three Great Sacred Lands, other first-rate Sects and clans were also making their own calculations.
Some were wary and instructed their Disciples to avoid them.
Others wanted to use the Opportunity of the Secret Realm to test the depth of this newly risen power.
An invisible undercurrent began to slowly gather in the Southern Region, centered around Yaochi Immortal Palace.
And at the center of all this, inside Yaochi Immortal Palace, they were immersed in fervent cultivation, completely unaware of the outside disturbances.
Yaochi Immortal Palace, in front of the myriad manifestations pagoda.
Today was the day the eighth batch of Disciples finished their cultivation inside the pagoda and came out.
The leading Elder was Golden Peak.
The pagoda gate shimmered with light, and over a dozen figures emerged one after another.
Compared to before, this eighth batch of Disciples had shed most of their "newbie" greenness.
Leading them was Wang Teng, who now held considerable prestige among the younger generation of Disciples.
His originally somewhat impatient temperament had settled a lot, and his steps carried a mountain-like steadiness.
"Thank you for your hard work, Elder Jin!"
Yun Yun nodded slightly to Golden Peak, who had led the group out.
Golden Peak returned the gesture with cupped hands, a smile on his face:
"Vice Palace Master, this batch of Disciples has done well. Their Foundation has been polished nicely, and a few even had a Breakthrough inside the pagoda."
His gaze swept over the dozen or so Disciples behind him, lingering for a moment especially on Wang Teng.
This kid, who had once almost had a mishap due to being too eager for success, had now undergone a complete transformation.
Sensing Elder Jin's gaze, Wang Teng straightened his back, his eyes flashing with the light of confidence.
The previous lesson had truly made him understand the meaning of cultivation.
"Very good."
Yun Yun's gaze swept warmly over everyone, and then she announced,
"Go back and rest first to consolidate what you have gained!"
"Next batch of Disciples: Yue Shan, Sun Qiao, Qian Mengmeng, Han Xue, Li Wen..."
"Accompanying Elder, Profound Elegance!"
As the ninth batch of Disciples entered the myriad manifestations pagoda under the leadership of Profound Elegance, a new round of cultivation began once again.
The overall strength of Yaochi Immortal Palace was steadily improving at a staggering speed.
The Disciples would privately exchange their cultivation experiences and spar to verify their progress, and their bonds as fellow Disciples grew deeper by the day.
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