Chapter 99 Deep Space - The Secret Realm

Did she actually dare to send his photo directly with her phone? 

Zhong Qing, with a fresh and pure face, looked exceptionally beautiful. But as she strode over, she decisively slapped her brother to the ground. 

Wang Xuan was surprised; Xiao Zhong looked sweet and youthful, yet her strength was astonishing. 

Then Zhong Qing turned her gaze towards him, her eyes fierce, as if demanding an explanation. 

Wang Xuan was puzzled—what did this have to do with him? He didn't want to get involved in their sibling conflict and started to head towards Aoliesha's memorial service. 

An elder from the Zhong family, who practiced the Snake-Crane Eight Scattering Hands, appeared and sighed, "This young man is quite remarkable. His words left me trembling. I've practiced The Old Technique my whole life, focusing only on the texts without deeply contemplating their origins. Today, I've had a sudden realization, yet I feel a sense of loss." 

He stood there for a long time, gazing at the horizon, feeling empty. 

"Is he really that powerful?" Zhong Qing was moved. 

Zhong Cheng stood up and said, "Of course he is! My excitement just now wasn't all an act. You know, what he said is quite similar to something I stumbled upon in a notebook in the library. The person who left that notebook was a terrestrial immortal! So, sister, I've thrown out some bait: the unparalleled secret scrolls, the golden bamboo slips, and you—slowly reel him in. Since you're so powerful, you can use your skills to make him fall for you..." 

"Are you comparing me to bamboo slips and old papers? Are you tired of living?" Hearing this, Xiao Zhong slapped Zhong Cheng again, sending him back to the ground. 

She strode over him and scolded, "I think you've lost your way. What era are we in? Still lost in the legends of the immortals? If they were strong enough, they wouldn't have perished! Once I gather the terrestrial immortal herb, I'll live longer than them. Our Zhong family will never abandon the mysterious realm, and we will treat it with utmost importance, but we won't be bound by techniques. We will transcend and master everything! Look at yourself! You've been cultivating for over a decade, yet your achievements don't even match mine from just a few years. One hand is enough to teach you a lesson!" 

Zhong Cheng felt like crying. He thought he was impressive, yet he could never win against his sister. 

"If you dare to send my photo again, I'll send you to a base on a desolate planet for two years!" Zhong Qing warned sternly, adding, "It's full of cold-blooded male mercenaries, many of whom are experts in The Old Technique. Since you like it so much, go and communicate and study with them!" 

Zhong Cheng's eyes widened in shock, but he didn't dare to speak. 

---

The funeral home was vast and solemn, with large pine trees and cypress shielding the buildings, creating an even quieter atmosphere. 

Many people attended Aoliesha's farewell ceremony, including some wealthy magnates, even more than those who came for Old Chen's passing, with a higher level of decorum. 

This was mainly because Aoliesha had extended life for several esteemed elders, creating significant "good karma." 

Wang Xuan stood tall, his posture reflecting the essence gained from practicing The Old Technique, his eyes shining brightly. 

Immediately, someone recognized him, their expression turning hostile. He had gained a fearsome reputation, especially among those in the New Technique realm—he was a notorious figure! 

Most famously, he had kicked the grandmaster Xia Qing to death on the Pamir Plateau. 

In a quiet garden within the funeral home, several middle-aged men were conversing and mentioned the mysterious land. 

"That piece of the Secret Realm is incredibly mysterious; even the edge areas are worth a fortune. They've even unearthed rare minerals for refining the 'Longevity Liquid' in considerable amounts, yet accidents keep occurring, causing great unease." 

Recently, the magnates of the New Star had become restless, eager to enter this strange land but encountering various terrifying troubles. 

Especially, a super battleship had crashed, cutting off all communication with the outside world, with important figures unaccounted for and in urgent need of rescue. 

"It's similar to the previously discovered 'blessed land,' rich in 'X substance.' Over time, it causes various precision instruments to malfunction." 

Despite upgrading their battleship protection systems multiple times, the X substance's terrifying penetrating power was difficult to defend against. 

"That area isn't friendly to those who follow the New Technique path; the X substance even erodes the 'God Factor.' Staying too long leads to terrible bodily mutations." 

Though immensely dangerous, everyone rushed in, using all means to explore, having discovered some extraordinary treasures. 

"The Zhong family unexpectedly eliminated the X substance's interference two days ago, capturing an astonishing and mysterious image that drove the usually calm old man Zhong Yong nearly mad, wishing he could dive into the Secret Realm himself to see what was there." 

Two masters from the New Technique realm arrived and strongly requested help from the middle-aged men to send Qingmu in exchange for life. 

The middle-aged men remained silent; some among them had made efforts but faced strong resistance, pushing back sharply. 

Moreover, the relevant departments from the old soil had already announced that Aoliesha died in an air accident. 

Some matters couldn't be taken too seriously; since the old soil displayed an extremely tough stance, getting involved would lead to a complete fallout. 

With no interests to gain, they didn't need to offend people over the deceased Aoliesha; otherwise, various uncontrollable consequences could arise. 

The few men maintained calm expressions, comforting the two masters from the New Technique realm, telling them to send Aoliesha off first; some matters didn't need to be rushed and could be dealt with slowly. 

The two masters from the New Technique realm sighed, understanding that their relationship was built on mutual benefits. 

Without significant interests, it would be difficult to persuade such individuals. Although the magnates were very powerful, they wouldn't offend people unnecessarily, only putting on a facade and not actually getting involved. 

Master Zhou Wei from the New Technique realm spoke calmly: "Although that piece of the Secret Realm is not friendly to the God Factor, some individuals in the New Technique realm have already refined their bodies to an astonishing level. Even without using the God Factor, they can step in there and even delve deeper!" 

Another master, Sun Chuan, bluntly stated that Chen Yongjie, the only grandmaster in The Old Technique realm, would die within days, after which the New Technique would have no masters left and would fall completely.

Several middle-aged men nodded; it was indeed true that Chen Yongjie was going to die, and asking him to lead an exploration into the secret soil was simply impossible. 

Zhou Wei remarked, "The Old Technique is like a candle flickering in the wind. When disturbed, it may flare up brightly for a moment, but that only means it will soon be extinguished completely." 

He continued, "For instance, that young man who has recently emerged is like a candle flickering in the wind. He is merely a quasi-master, and his foundation is unstable. If he dares to step into that secret soil, his light will be snuffed out quickly." 

Sun Chuan nodded in agreement, "In the short term, he won't be able to step into the master realm because The Old Technique is notoriously slow to show results!" 

The middle-aged men confirmed to the two masters of the New Technique realm that as long as they could bring certain extraordinary items out of the Secret Realm, they would negotiate profit distribution favorably. 

At the same time, they hinted that as long as the New Technique individuals didn't go too far in their actions, they could offer support. 

Zhou Wei and Sun Chuan were somewhat satisfied and turned to leave. 

---

Some people blocked Wang Xuan's way, not allowing him to enter. Their expressions were icy; if they encountered him in the wild, they would definitely have called a master to deal with him harshly! 

Wang Xuan spoke calmly, "As a newcomer just stepping onto the path of cultivation, I'm here to bid farewell to the first person of the New Technique realm, out of sincerity. There's no need for further interpretation." 

"You are not welcome here!" someone from the New Technique realm said coldly. 

At that moment, many attendees turned to look, showing expressions of surprise. This was the powerful young man who had killed quasi-masters on a rainy night? He was really only in his early twenties! 

Wu Yin was also present and opened her mouth to try to dissuade him; causing a scene here wouldn't benefit Little Wang at all. 

Zhong Cheng glanced at his sister but didn't dare to voice any opinions. 

Wang Xuan remained composed, "At the same time, I also represent some people from The Old Technique realm to present a wreath and show my respect. There's no need to target me; our sights should be set further. There's nothing that cannot be revealed." 

His calmness made the people from the New Technique realm uncomfortable; if they acted overly aggressive, they would likely become a laughingstock. 

"Please come in." Sun Chuan, a master from The Old Technique realm, spoke as he and Zhou Wei returned from the quiet garden. 

Wang Xuan stepped inside, and many eyes were on him. 

In an instant, Sun Chuan's eyes sparkled with intensity as he fixed his gaze ahead. Outsiders couldn't sense anything, but Wang Xuan immediately realized that the master from the New Technique realm was making a move against him! 

This was a form of mental suppression aimed at forcing Wang Xuan to kneel, preventing him from raising his head in the memorial hall—an aggressive and covert tactic meant to humiliate him. 

Wang Xuan's eyes turned cold. Did they really think a master's high realm would work on him at the mental level? They were overestimating themselves; he had already developed part of his mental realm. Let's see who would kneel to whom!