Chapter 64: Yang Fei

Suspended just a few feet above the ground, floating in eerie stillness, was a jagged crack in the very fabric of space. It shimmered with a strange green hue, a slow pulse radiating from its depths as if the rift itself were breathing—alive, ancient, and unknowable. The edges of the crack writhed like tendrils of mist, blurring reality around it. It felt both real and not, as though one step could send him into a dream—or a nightmare.

A Cultivator ahead of him—a young man in sky-blue robes—stepped forward and vanished into the crack without hesitation. One second he was there, and the next, he was gone, devoured by the strange void.

Xiao Wei stared, heart pounding.

"A crack in space?"Xiao Wei whispered in awe.

Shadow Ming's voice echoed in his mind, calm and composed.

"Don't be surprised, kid. That's the entrance to the Mortal Grade Secret Realm, judging by the color. All Secret Realm entrances look like this—spatial cracks formed by the unstable boundary between our world and the pocket realm. The color varies depending on the grade of the Secret Realm.'

Xiao Wei couldn't tear his eyes away, as it was his first time seeing a crack in space.

Just as Xiao Wei steadied his breathing and prepared to step into the shimmering green crack in space that marked the entrance to the Mortal Grade Secret Realm, a sudden commotion swept through the gathered crowd.

A ripple of excited murmuring passed through the Cultivators. Heads turned. Fingers pointed upward. Even the Martial Grandmaster experts who had been quietly maintaining a perimeter around the Secret Realm entrance looked skyward in alarm.

Xiao Wei halted in his steps and followed their gaze. High above, a figure descended from the heavens, his long white robes fluttering in the wind. A white-bearded old man floated gracefully down from the sky, his hands clasped behind his back, exuding an aura that seemed vast and boundless, like the ocean. Two figures followed behind him—one boy and one girl, both no older than eighteen.

The entire crowd watched in silence as the trio landed just inside the circle surrounding the Secret Realm. The ground trembled faintly under the pressure of the old man's Cultivation base, though no visible energy was released. It was a silent but unmistakable declaration of power.

"Who is that old man?"someone whispered.

"I don't recognize him"another man muttered, narrowing his eyes.

Then another voice chimed in, confident and hushed, but loud enough to carry.

"I don't know about the old man, but I recognize the young ones. That boy is Chen Xiao. He's from the Chen Clan of Chen City, in Chen State. His father is the Lord of Chen State, equal in power and prestige to the Lord of our Fu State."

Gasps spread through the crowd. Xiao Wei's brows lifted slightly.

"Wait, didn't Chen Xiao join Mystic Mountain last year?"someone else added.

"Yes, he became a disciple of Mystic Mountain, because sect only accept geniuses from the major states."the informant nodded, clearly relishing the attention.

A different voice quickly followed up.

"And what about the girl? Who is she?"

"That's Mo Chen, she hails from the Mo Clan of Mo City, in Mo State. She's a Tier 2 Alchemist, and that's just at her current age. With her talent, she could become a Tier 5 Alchemist before the age of thirty."the man replied.

The crowd was stunned into silence. A boy from a state family, already a disciple of a Mystic Mountain. A girl from another major state, already an accomplished alchemist. And then there was the old man, his presence alone was enough to silence dozens of Martial Grandmasters with a single look.

A soft chuckle escaped the old man's lips. He had heard every word spoken about them, and he made no effort to hide his amusement. His eyes gleamed with intelligence and experience, scanning the Cultivators gathered around the Secret Realm like a hawk observing mice.

"You're all quite well-informed"the old man said, his voice calm yet commanding, as if each syllable carried the weight of decades of Cultivation.

Chen Xiao and Mo Chen stood behind him in silence. Chen Xiao wore a faint smirk, his posture relaxed but confident. He was dressed in deep blue robes embroidered with silver clouds—the insignia of Mystic Mountain. Mo Chen, on the other hand, was also dressed with a dark blue female robes embroidered with silver clouds—the insignia of Mystic Mountain but she was radiating the quiet arrogance of a prodigy who didn't see anyone here as a peer.

Xiao Wei narrowed his eyes slightly but said nothing. He was just surprised that people from Mystic Mountain come here in a Mortal Grade Secret Realm. This Secret Realm is meant for low-level Cultivators like him. With their status, they must be after high grade Secret Realm.

Xiao Wei remained silent, watching the trio carefully.

The old man walked calmly towords the Secret Realm entrance but no one dared stop him. Even the Martial Grandmasters stood aside respectfully.

Mo Chen and Chen Xiao followed him respectfully.

The old man looked at the spatial crack glowing with green hue and gave a small nod.

As the crowd's murmurs gradually faded, a figure stepped forward from among the gathered onlookers. He was a young man in his twenties, his expression respectful but tinged with curiosity. With a deep bow, he addressed the elder who standing near the Secret Realm entrance.

"Senior, may I ask your esteemed name?"he asked in a steady voice.

The old man, with a long, snow-white beard and eyes that shimmered with a deep, ancient calm, offered a gentle smile. He seemed to radiate both wisdom and warmth, the kind that made those around him instinctively lower their heads.

"I doubt any of you youngsters would remember me. Just call me Old Yang."Old Yang said with a chuckle, the lines around his eyes deepening.

Just as silence began to settle again, a clear, confident voice rang out from the crowd—a voice many recognized instantly.

"Senior Yang, congratulations on taking such outstanding disciples."

The crowd shifted, parting instinctively as Shi Feng emerged. Clad in sleek black robes, he exuded a quiet strength. He walked forward with practiced grace and bowed low.

Old Yang's face lit up.

"Little Feng, so you're here too"Old Yang said warmly, a hint of nostalgia flickering in his eyes.

Beside him, two young men—Chen Xiao and Mo Chen—bowed in unison.

"Greetings, Senior Brother Feng."

Shi Feng nodded to both, his demeanor calm.

"My younger brother just entered the Secret Realm, Senior Yang"Shi Feng explained.

Chen Xiao tilted his head slightly.

"Will Shi Man also be joining Mystic Mountain?"Chen Xiao asked.

"He will join the Mystic Mountain next month"Shi Feng replied, his voice firm with confidence in his brother's future.

Old Yang's smile deepened.

"Good. Very good. There's time to talk later—go on, enter first. Opportunities don't wait."Old Yang said.

Chen Xiao and Mo Chen both gave a final bow and turned toward the swirling green vortex ahead of them. The glowing crack in space—the entrance to the Mortal Grade Secret Realm—shimmered like ripples across the surface of a jade lake. The two youths stepped through and vanished from view, swallowed by the mystical portal.

After that Shi Feng and Old Yang went to one of the corner. There Shi Feng reached into his Storage Ring and drew out an object that gleamed with a deep, emerald light. It was a magnificent longbow, its body crafted from high grade materials. Every curve of the weapon pulsed with a quiet, latent power.

It was the famed Green Emerald Bow, a Tier 5 treasure, Shi Feng recovered from the depths of Tiger Mountain few months ago.

Holding it reverently, Shi Feng presented the bow with both hands.

"A few months ago, Senior Yang, I finally recovered the Green Emerald Bow"Shi Feng said.

Old Yang's eyes glinted with subtle emotion as he took the bow, the weight of memory perhaps more than the artifact itself.

Not far away, Xiao Wei eyes were fixed on the them, watching silently.

"Shadow Ming… that old man. He's with your descendant. They seem very close."Xiao Wei muttered to himself in a low voice.

Instantly, Shadow Ming's voice echoed in his mind, low and solemn.

'That old man… is called Yang Fei. He and I were sworn brothers… long ago. After I died, it seems he kept his promise… and looked after my clan.'

Xiao Wei's eyes narrowed as he studied Old Yang, his robes drifting with an unnatural stillness. He was no ordinary Cultivator.

"What realm do you think Old Yang has reached now?"Xiao Wei asked in a low voice, his gaze sharp.

Shadow Ming didn't answer right away. When he did, his voice was serious and happy.

'At least he is a peak Martial King Realm Cultivator. Or maybe… he has already broken through to Martial Ancestor Realm, that would explain how he can fly like that, carrying others with him as if it's nothing. That's not something a Martial King could manage without strain.'