Northern Region, Xuantian Sect.
In the elegant pavilion, Su Wanqing held a teacup, her fingertips turning slightly white. Sitting opposite her was a young man in fine clothes, with a hint of arrogance in his eyes—Zhao Feng, the son of the sect's Grand Elder.
“Last time we asked the Li family to take action, they still failed.” Su Wanqing’s voice carried a hint of coldness. “Xiao Chen not only didn’t die, but he also broke through to the Nascent Soul stage and killed Xiao Meng. Now he’s making waves in Tianfeng City.”
Zhao Feng scoffed, toying with the jade pendant in his hand: "A piece of trash from a fallen family, he just broke through by luck. What's there to be afraid of? I told you before, we could just send someone with a higher cultivation level to kill him."
“He’s not simple.” Su Wanqing shook her head, a hint of apprehension flashing in her eyes. “To escape from the Xiao family elders and to advance from Golden Core to Nascent Soul in such a short time, he must have some powerful backing. I heard he seems to have joined some unknown sect…”
"An unknown sect?" Zhao Feng said disdainfully, "How could they be stronger than our Xuantian Sect? Wanqing, you're being too cautious."
He leaned closer, his tone enticing: "Isn't the Dragon Locking Secret Realm in the Southern Region opening in three days? That good-for-nothing will definitely go to join the fun. Don't worry, I've already taken care of the people from 'Shadow Pavilion,' so we can go together and see just how weak those bumpkins from the Southern Region really are."
"Shadow Pavilion?" A hint of surprise flashed in Su Wanqing's eyes.
Shadow Pavilion is the most mysterious assassination organization in the Southern Region. Its members are spread throughout various regions. As long as the reward is sufficient, they dare to take on any job, from sect elders to ordinary people. They never fail in their attacks and are extremely ruthless.
“That’s right,” Zhao Feng said smugly. “I paid them ten times the usual reward to ‘take care of’ Xiao Chen in the secret realm. The Shadow Pavilion’s assassins are skilled at stealth. They can operate in a place like the secret realm without anyone noticing. Even if he has powerful backers, they won’t be able to trace it back to us.”
Su Wanqing steadied her hand holding the teacup, a cold smile curving her lips: "Thank you for your trouble, Senior Brother Zhao."
Only when Xiao Chen is dead will no one know what happened back then, and only then can she stay in the Xuan Tian Sect with complete peace of mind and climb the ranks step by step.
...
The next morning, at the Qingyun Sect.
Xiao Chen carried a rusty iron spear on his back, and Jiang Li had a rusty iron sword hanging at her waist. The two stood at the gate of the courtyard.
"Take this key that Master gave you." Jiang Li looked at Xiao Chen and handed him an ancient bronze token—this was the key to enter the Dragon Locking Secret Realm, which was said to have been "picked up casually from some old antique's treasure vault yesterday" by Lin Zhou.
Xiao Chen took the token and carefully put it away: "Don't worry."
Lin Zhou's voice came from the rocking chair: "Go early and come back early, don't dawdle. Oh, and remember to pick up a nice stone for me."
"Disciples obey!" the two replied in unison, then turned and used their movement techniques to speed towards the southern border.
...
The entrance to the Dragon Locking Realm is located in a desolate valley.
Outside the valley, crowds were already thronging.
The independent cultivators gathered in small groups, discussing amongst themselves:
"Have you heard? This time, the Dragon Locking Secret Realm has even alarmed the forces in the Northern Region. It's said that the Xuan Tian Sect will send people here!"
"Xuantian Sect? That's a top-tier power in the Northern Region. What are they doing in the Southern Region's secret realm?"
"Who knows? Maybe it's for the ancient heritage in the secret realm. After all, it's a place that once imprisoned ancient powerhouses; there might be some heaven-defying treasures there."
"Sigh, we're just here to try our luck. If we really encounter a genius from a powerful force, it's better to stay far away and not get trampled on like an ant."
Among the crowd, some familiar figures could be seen occasionally—the Blazing Valley of the Southern Region, the Wanbao Pavilion, and even the Xiao family of Tianfeng City had sent a few disciples, but when they saw Xiao Chen, their eyes darted away, and they dared not approach him to speak.
Xiao Chen and Jiang Li found a corner to stand in and waited quietly.
"There are quite a few people," Xiao Chen said in a low voice, his gaze sweeping across the crowd as he assessed the strength of each faction.
Jiang Li nodded, her gaze falling on the flying boats that were approaching one after another in the distance—those were the vehicles of the top forces in the Southern Region, each one extraordinary in its own way, with the insignia on the flying boats highlighting their respective identities.
Just then, an extremely flamboyant flying boat streaked across the sky. Its hull was carved with mysterious dragon patterns and exuded a faint aura of power, clearly a level above the other flying boats.
The airship came to a stop, the cabin door opened, and a group of cultivators dressed in uniform stepped out. The leader was Zhao Feng, and not far behind him, Su Wanqing was looking down, her expression unreadable.
"They're from the Xuantian Sect!"
"They've come! Judging by their size, they're serious!"
A commotion arose in the crowd.
When Xiao Chen saw Zhao Feng and Su Wanqing, his pupils contracted slightly, and then a cold smile appeared on his lips.
The top forces of the Northern Region have actually come to the secret realm of the Southern Region?
Do I even need to think about it?
What other reason could there be besides coming for him?
Xiao Chen gripped the rusty iron gun on his back, sneering inwardly: Su Wanqing, you really can't wait to kill me, huh?
That's fine.
Perhaps some of the debts from back then can be settled here in this hidden realm.
He felt a gaze upon him, and looking up, he met Su Wanqing's raised eyes. A flicker of panic crossed her eyes, which she quickly concealed by lowering her head.
"It seems this secret realm won't be too boring." Jiang Li's voice rang out from the side. She had also noticed the people from the Xuan Tian Sect and Xiao Chen's unusual behavior.
Xiao Chen took a deep breath, suppressing his surging emotions, and said to Jiang Li, "Junior Sister, be careful when you go in. The people from Xuantian Sect... I'm afraid they don't have good intentions."
"Hmm," Jiang Li replied calmly, but her eyes sharpened slightly.
No matter who it is, anyone who dares to mess with the people of her Qingyun Sect will have to pay the price.
Four people from the Xuantian Sect arrived, all at the peak of the Nascent Soul stage, and each possessed a faint but palpable killing intent. Behind them were three more people dressed in black, whose auras could not be detected at all, as if they did not exist. It was likely that they possessed special treasures that concealed all their auras, making it impossible for anyone to detect their presence.
The leader said, "Let's see just how bad these natives from the Southern Region really are. I always hear people talking about Southern Region cuisine."
Because of its remote location, the Southern Region is generally less developed than other regions. Therefore, people from the Southern Region or those who leave the Southern Region are usually looked down upon and ridiculed.
As more and more people gathered in the valley, flying boats from various factions surrounded the entrance to the secret realm like stars around the moon, and the atmosphere grew increasingly tense.
Everyone is waiting, waiting for the moment when the Dragon Locking Realm opens.
The hidden dangers had already begun to spread with the arrival of various forces.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com