198: Chapter 198 Entering the Kunyuan Secret Realm!

It was noon when the heaven and earth underwent a strange transformation.

Deep within the Kunyuan Mountain Range, a pillar of light shot up into the sky.

The surrounding miasma churned violently like boiling water, retreating to both sides; in the void, winds and clouds surged, forming the center of a vortex that was forcibly torn open, creating a rift a hundred feet wide.

Inside the rift, ten thousand rays of rosy light shone, and an aura of ancient desolation rushed toward them.

"The Secret Realm has opened, enter!"

A Nascent Soul True Monarch shouted, and the sky full of Cultivators swarmed into the rift like locusts.

Daoist Yun Du patted Sun Yao on the shoulder.

"Go, and come back alive."

Sun Yao nodded heavily, and then thirty-five figures from White Cloud Temple and Qingguang Sect plunged into that unknown world.

Shi Jian lay on the bow of the boat, watching the rift slowly close, and yawned.

"Zixiao, how many of these little brats do you think will come back in one piece?"

Zixiao's voice rang out in his Sea of Consciousness: "It's hard to say. Wealth moves people's hearts, and divine objects like heaven and earth qi are enough to make father and son turn against each other."

"The most poisonous thing in the cultivation world has never been monsters or demons; it is the human heart!"

Hearing this, Shi Jian deeply agreed.

He closed his eyes, deciding not to think about it anymore. He didn't expect everyone to return in one piece; as long as half of them survived, that would be enough.

The world spun, and the winds and clouds shifted.

The pulling force of the spatial teleportation left the weaker Cultivators dizzy.

Sun Yao stepped onto solid ground and immediately drew her long sword. The qi of water and clouds swirled around her, protecting her body.

Her vision suddenly cleared, and what met her eyes was a vast, ancient forest.

The ancient trees reached into the sky, their lush branches and leaves forming a canopy that blocked out the sun. The air was filled with the stench of rotting leaves, and thin miasma obscured her vision.

"It seems everyone has been scattered..."

Sun Yao, full of experience, took out a compass. The positions of everyone appeared on it, and the distance between them was not far.

"Our luck is quite good this time; everyone is actually near this forest."

Over the next few hours, Sun Yao searched everywhere, meeting up with the people from White Cloud Temple one after another. Elder Rat and other Foundation Establishment Great Demons also arrived from all directions.

Seeing that both humans and beasts were gathered, Sun Yao breathed a sigh of relief.

Their luck was indeed quite good this time; not a single one was lost, and they had all assembled together. Their ability to withstand risks had increased significantly.

At this moment—

Bi Luo leaped onto an ancient tree, using the cover of the lush branches and leaves to gaze into the distance, seemingly confirming their location.

A moment later, Bi Luo returned to the ground.

"This place should be the southern edge of the Kunyuan Secret Realm, an area called the Giant Wood Forest. This place is still thousands of miles away from the core area of the Secret Realm."

"There are traces of a battle to the northwest. We can take a detour to avoid unnecessary conflict."

Seeing this, everyone acted according to the plan.

Inside the Secret Realm, there was murderous intent at every step; they had to guard not only against other Cultivators but also against the ancient Restrictions and local Vicious Beasts.

They had traveled no more than a hundred miles when the trees ahead suddenly snapped, and the ground was plowed into a trench several fathoms deep.

Three corpses lay scattered in a pool of blood.

Their clothing was disheveled, their wounds were charred black, and a domineering fire qi remained on the bodies...

Liu Qing stepped forward to investigate, his fingertips touching a smear of scorched earth.

After some observation, he gave his answer: "It should be the 'Purple Sun True Fire' of the Taiqing Sect. They are walking ahead of us."

"I reckon it's been about half an hour; they didn't leave long ago."

Sun Yao frowned. The Taiqing Sect acted overbearingly, and their Cultivation Technique was extremely fierce. Everywhere they passed was like a plague of locusts. If they ran into them, a fierce battle would be unavoidable.

"Speed up and cut through from the flank."

"The Taiqing Sect has a solid foundation; unless necessary, do not confront them head-on..."

Before her words finished, a sudden change occurred.

On the thick trunks of the surrounding ancient trees, dense runes appeared without warning, and green vines swept in from all directions like poisonous snakes leaving their holes.

This was not a natural Restriction, but a Formation set up by someone in advance!

"Enemy attack!"

Sun Chengzhu reacted the fastest. The sword box on his back rang out, and three Flying Swords burst through the air, turning into a meat grinder and cutting the incoming vines into shreds.

A few chuckles came from the forest.

Five figures leaped down from the treetops, blocking their path.

The person in the lead wore a green robe with a bamboo forest embroidered on the cuffs; they were Disciples of the Qingfeng Sect, one of the four Righteous Path Sects of the Liang Kingdom.

"Qingcang Kingdom Cultivators?"

"Hand over your Storage Pouches, and we will leave your corpses intact!"

The Sword Cultivator's expression was arrogant, his long sword flickering with a cold glint.

Sun Yao frowned slightly; these mere five people dared to intercept their group of thirty-five humans and beasts? Did they really think they were Golden Core Masters?

"A few people with muddled heads. Do it! Leave none alive!"

Sun Yao couldn't be bothered with small talk; every moment of delay added another variable.

Kuang Dou had long been unable to restrain himself. Using his four paws, he turned into a crimson meteor and charged out.

Opening his mouth, he spat out a column of lava fire. A wave of heat instantly rushed toward them. The Qingfeng Sect Disciple showed disdain, flicking his long sword to create a sword flower, intending to split the fire column.

But the moment the sword blade touched the lava, the man's expression changed drastically.

The temperature of this fire was ridiculously high, to the point where even his Magical Artifact showed signs of melting.

Before he could change his move, the two giant bears, Shi Mo and Shi Pan, had already crushed in from the left and right. Shi Mo possessed the Dark Gold Bloodline and was peerless in slaughter.

Shi Pan possessed the Earth-element Bloodline, and his defense was rare among his peers, with infinite strength!

Coupled with the fact that the Bear Clan was known for their defense, they withstood the Sword Qi of the two Sword Cultivators and charged right in front of the Cultivators.

Shi Mo's claws, wrapped in dark golden claw shadows, first broke his magical sword, and then Shi Jian rammed into him, directly causing one of them's chest bones to collapse and internal organs to shatter.

Behind him, Liu Qing waved his sleeves.

A colorless and odorless poisonous miasma quietly dispersed. The remaining four Qingfeng Sect Disciples only inhaled a little of the poisonous gas, and their spiritual power circulation immediately became sluggish.

Sun Chengzhu seized the opening and flew over while controlling his sword. He and his sword became one, the sword striking like a dragon.

The sword struck, and a head fell.

Blood sprayed into the sky, and the man was dead!

They were as arrogant just a moment ago as they were hasty in their deaths now. The five Qingfeng Sect Disciples didn't even have the chance to crush their distress jade talismans before becoming fertilizer for the flowers and plants here.

Bi Luo skillfully removed the five people's Storage Pouches and tossed them to Sun Yao.

The Green Ape Clan was well-versed in such murderous and looting activities; searching corpses for treasures and destroying the evidence was a one-stop service!

"These Liang Kingdom Sword Cultivators don't seem to have very good brains."

Sun Lin was still a bit puzzled at this moment. Even if they were some kind of Geniuses or Prodigies, seeing thirty-five Foundation Establishment Cultivator and Spirit Beasts, they didn't run away but dared to turn around and attack them.

This was simply courting death; how was this any different from an egg hitting a rock?

"They must be scouting the way."

"The main force should be nearby; they just wanted to stall us."

Sun Yao looked through the Storage Pouches; apart from a few outer-rim Spiritual Plants, there was nothing else.

"This place is not suitable for a long stay. The Taiqing Sect people are ahead, and the Qingfeng Sect is on the flank. Let's move quickly and pass through the gap between the two families."

"Do not alert the enemy; it is not the time to have friction with these Nascent Soul Sects."

The team set off again, acting more and more secretly.

Elder Rat and Bi Luo acted as scouts, and the journey was smooth, avoiding many dangerous Vicious Beasts and Cultivators from other Sects.

Walking and stopping along the way, it was calm and uneventful.