The Gate To The Secret Realm Is Finally Open!

The journey up the hill was uneventful, marked by an almost eerie silence between Shen Yuan and Xiang Xiaoli. Neither spoke much, though it wasn't out of animosity but rather a quiet understanding that words weren't necessary. The path was steep, but for cultivators like them, it was little more than a casual stroll.

When they reached the summit, Shen Yuan's gaze sharpened as he took in the scene before him. Ninety-nine others had already gathered, their postures rigid and their expressions wary. The tension in the air was palpable. These weren't ordinary cultivators; they were chosen warriors, each standing out as an elite of their respective regions.

Most of them tried to size Shen Yuan up, their gazes intense. He ignored them, though his own eyes scanned the crowd, analyzing their cultivation. The majority hovered around the Heaven Path Realm like him, while a handful exuded a far stronger presence—the Nirvana Realm.

However, none of this intrigued him as much as the sight beyond the hill.

A vast ocean stretched endlessly before them, shimmering like liquid silver under the dim sky. But it wasn't the beauty of the ocean that caught his attention; it was its unnatural stillness. The water rose high, nearly reaching the top of the hill, yet it didn't overflow. It was as though an invisible barrier held it in place, the boundary between the ocean and the hill so precise that not a single droplet spilled over.

Shen Yuan frowned, his thoughts racing. "What kind of formation or power could create something like this?" He tilted his head, trying to comprehend the phenomenon. This place… "It's unnatural."

As he pondered, a soft, melodious voice broke his concentration. "You seem curious about the ocean."

He turned to see a young woman approaching him. Her steps were light, almost like a dancer's, and her expression carried a calm confidence. Her features were delicate, her smile gentle, but there was something behind her eyes—a sharpness that made Shen Yuan wary.

"Are you one of the Chosen?" she asked, her voice as smooth as silk.

Shen Yuan raised an eyebrow. "Obviously," he replied, pulling out his token and flashing it briefly.

Her smile widened, but it didn't reach her eyes. "Impressive," she murmured, her gaze lingering on the token. "With someone like you here, it seems this competition will be even more interesting."

Shen Yuan said nothing, his expression unreadable.

The girl chuckled softly. "I have a proposal. What do you think about teaming up? The two of us working together could achieve great things. Who knows? We might even claim one of the divine treasures and split it evenly."

Shen Yuan stared at her, his gaze cold and piercing. For a moment, he said nothing, letting the silence hang heavily between them. Then, without warning, he laughed—a cold, sharp sound that echoed across the hilltop.

"Team up?" he said, his smirk widening into something almost sinister. "Split evenly? Are you stupid, or are you trying to trick me?"

The girl's smile faltered, though she quickly recovered.

"No one here is a friend or ally," Shen Yuan continued, his voice dripping with disdain. "Everyone is an enemy. And let me make one thing very clear, I don't like sharing. Not treasures, not glory, not anything."

The girl's expression darkened, her polite façade cracking for a moment. "Is that so?" she said softly, her tone icy.

Shen Yuan didn't bother to reply, turning his attention back to the ocean. The girl's eyes narrowed, and her fingers flicked ever so slightly, releasing a thin, nearly invisible poisonous needle aimed directly at his neck.

But before it could get anywhere near him, the faintest ripple of his aura froze the needle in mid-air. It hung there for a moment before disintegrating into dust.

The girl froze mid-step, her face paling. She quickly regained her composure and disappeared into the crowd, though her trembling hands betrayed her fear.

The minutes dragged on as the Chosens waited for the event to begin. Tension thickened in the air, each participant silently assessing the others. Some exchanged quiet words, forming alliances or simply trying to gauge their competition.

Shen Yuan, however, stood apart, leaning casually against a rock with his arms crossed. His eyes remained half-closed, though his senses were sharp, picking up every whisper, every subtle movement.

Xiang Xiaoli sat nearby, looking bored. "How long are they going to make us wait?" she muttered.

"Patience," Shen Yuan replied, smirking. "Good things take time. Just like how a good bird meat takes time to tenderize."

After nearly an incense stick of time, the atmosphere shifted. The air grew heavier, a suffocating pressure pressing down on everyone present. It felt like a mountain had descended upon them, leaving even the Nirvana Realm cultivators struggling to breathe.

Shen Yuan's eyes snapped open, his expression sharpening. "This pressure…"

His lips curled into a faint smile. "Elysian Realm," he murmured, excitement flickering in his gaze. "This is the same feeling I got from Gui Zuwang. Wonder, what the old monster is doing?"

High above, two figures materialized in the sky, their robes billowing in an unseen wind. One was clad in pure white, his presence serene yet commanding, while the other wore black, his aura cold and oppressive.

Gasps of awe and whispers spread through the crowd.

"The Twin Soul Sect Masters!" Everyone exclaimed.

Shen Yuan frowned, glancing at Xiang Xiaoli. "Why's everyone acting like they've seen gods?"

Xiang Xiaoli sighed, giving him a sidelong glance. "You really are clueless, aren't you?" she said. "Those two are Wu Daozhen, the Heavenly Serpent, and Xue Linghun, the Soul Reaper. They're the dual masters of the Twin Soul Sect, the most unique sect on this planet. One faction follows the righteous path, the other the demonic path, and yet they coexist. Both of them are in the Elysian Realm, and their strength is unmatched in this country."

Shen Yuan's smile widened. "A sect that harmonizes righteous and demonic paths… Now that's interesting."

The master in white, Wu Daozhen, stepped forward and spoke, his voice calm yet resonating with authority. "Welcome, Chosens. You all know why you're here, so let's not waste time on formalities."

The black-robed master, Xue Linghun, continued, his tone colder but equally commanding. "Retrieve even one of the two divine treasures, and you will have the right to choose one of us as your master. Fail, and you will die in vain."

The crowd erupted in excitement, their morale surging to a fever pitch. Shen Yuan remained quiet, his eyes glinting with curiosity and ambition.

The masters raised their hands, performing a series of intricate signs. The ocean began to rotate, its center forming a deep vortex that seemed to stretch endlessly into darkness. The Chosens, driven by greed and desperation, began leaping into the portal one after another.

As Shen Yuan prepared to jump, Xiang Xiaoli called out to him. "Hey, don't die, alright? I'd feel guilty, since I was the one who gave you that token."

He turned to her with a chuckle. "Worry about the others, not me," he said. "They're the ones who should be afraid."

With that, he leapt into the vortex, vanishing into the depths with a devilish grin on his face.