The Journey Back

The road back to the Heaven Sundering Pavilion was long, stretching through untamed wilderness and forgotten ruins. With months having passed outside, the landscape had subtly shifted—trees were taller, new patches of spirit flora thrived, and the distant mountains carried an eerie stillness that wasn't there before.

Jiang Chen, Bai Muchen, and Xiao Dong moved swiftly, their bodies adjusting to the world outside the Temple of Heaven and Earth. Even with their vastly improved strength, none of them let their guard down. This world was unpredictable. And after their feats in the Temple, they were no longer unknown figures.

Bai Muchen rolled his shoulders as they trekked along an ancient path, his Titanblood Physique pulsing faintly beneath his skin. "Feels weird, doesn't it? To know that while we were fighting, the world outside moved on."

Xiao Dong smirked. "Yeah, but it also means we're stronger than anyone expects. Most of these so-called geniuses out here have been training for months. Meanwhile, we fought through impossible trials. I'd say we've got the advantage."

Jiang Chen didn't respond immediately, his gaze fixed on the horizon. His golden-amber eyes glowed slightly as he activated his Void Perception, scanning the path ahead. "Maybe. But that also means the world has had months to prepare for the Secret Realm. We're entering a battlefield where we're already behind."

Bai Muchen chuckled. "Behind? You sure? After everything we gained in the Temple, I feel like I could take on any Core Formation expert and win."

Jiang Chen smirked. "Confidence is good. Overconfidence is how you end up buried."

Xiao Dong snorted. "He's right. Let's not assume we're untouchable just yet. The Heaven Sundering Sect has a lot of monsters. And then there's the other sects…"

The atmosphere grew heavier at those words.

The Seven Grand Sects would all be sending their best into the Secret Realm. While Jiang Chen and his group had grown immensely, the competition was bound to be fierce. Powerful young lords, heirs to sects, rogue cultivators—this wasn't going to be a mere treasure hunt.

It was a war zone.

By nightfall, they had reached a secluded valley surrounded by towering cliffs. The sound of distant waterfalls echoed, mixing with the gentle rustling of leaves. Jiang Chen led them to a defensible spot near a natural rock formation before setting up a simple formation to conceal their presence.

As the campfire flickered, Xiao Dong leaned against a boulder, munching on a piece of dried beast meat. "So, boss, what's the plan once we get back?"

Jiang Chen sat cross-legged, absorbing strands of Chaos Qi from the surroundings. "First, we need to assess the situation at the Sect. Months are a long time. We don't know how much has changed."

Bai Muchen cracked his knuckles. "You think there's been any internal conflict?"

Jiang Chen's gaze darkened slightly. "Possibly. The closer we get to the Secret Realm, the more people will start showing their true colors. There will be alliances, betrayals, and bloodshed before the realm even opens."

Xiao Dong exhaled sharply. "And where does that leave us?"

Jiang Chen smirked. "It leaves us ahead of the game. While everyone else is still trying to figure out their next move, we've already formed our own faction. The Sovereign's Court isn't just for show. It's time to start recruiting."

A heavy silence fell between them.

Bai Muchen grinned. "I like the sound of that."

Xiao Dong stretched, yawning. "I just hope we don't attract too much attention before the realm opens."

Jiang Chen chuckled. "That's unavoidable. But we'll deal with it when the time comes."

By morning, they were on the move again.

As they traversed the valley, Jiang Chen felt something—an unnatural stillness in the air. He stopped abruptly, raising a hand.

Bai Muchen and Xiao Dong halted immediately, their instincts flaring.

"Something's wrong," Jiang Chen murmured.

The wind shifted.

Then—

BOOOOOOM!

A massive explosion erupted ahead, shaking the ground beneath them. Trees snapped like twigs, and a cloud of dust and debris shot into the sky.

Within seconds, figures emerged from the wreckage—two cultivators, bloodied and battered, sprinting toward them at full speed.

Chasing them—

A pack of Shadowfang Dire Wolves.

Each beast was over three meters tall, their sleek black fur shimmering with a dark, poisonous mist. Their eyes glowed red with hunger, and their fangs dripped with corrosive venom.

The moment the fleeing cultivators spotted Jiang Chen's group, desperation flashed in their eyes. "Help us! Please!"

Jiang Chen's gaze flickered. These two were outer disciples of the Heaven Sundering Pavilion.

He didn't hesitate.

"Bai Muchen, take the right. Xiao Dong, left. I'll handle the leader."

BOOOOOOM!

The three of them exploded forward.

Bai Muchen's Titanblood Physique activated, his body growing larger, muscles hardening like divine steel. He punched forward, sending one of the wolves flying with a brutal shockwave.

Xiao Dong's Abyssal War Monarch Physique pulsed as he twisted mid-air, delivering a roundhouse kick that shattered another beast's skull.

Jiang Chen's Chaos Qi surged as he stepped through the void, appearing directly above the Alpha Shadowfang.

"Heaven Sundering Chaos Palm."

BOOOOOOOOOOM!

The leader of the wolves barely had time to react before Jiang Chen's palm descended, shattering its entire body into a mist of black energy.

The battle ended almost instantly.

The remaining Shadowfang Dire Wolves, sensing their leader's death, whimpered before vanishing into the shadows.

Jiang Chen landed gracefully, turning to the two battered disciples. "Speak. What happened here?"

One of them coughed, still shaken. "We… we were sent on a scouting mission. But… something's wrong."

Jiang Chen narrowed his eyes. "Elaborate."

The disciple's voice trembled. "The Secret Realm… It's not opening the way we expected."

Jiang Chen's pupils contracted. "Explain."

The second disciple swallowed hard. "We overheard the Pavilion Elders talking. The realm… it's unstable. Something inside it is changing."

Silence.

Jiang Chen's mind raced. The Secret Realm had been anticipated for years. If something had disrupted its balance…

Xiao Dong muttered, "That can't be good."

Bai Muchen smirked. "Or it could be an opportunity."

Jiang Chen exhaled. "Either way, we need to return. Now."

Without another word, they set off once more, moving faster than before.

The Secret Realm was no longer just a battlefield.

It was an unknown variable.

And Jiang Chen had every intention of uncovering its secrets.