I established the Eternal Immortal Clan by taming beasts.

Lin Che had not expected that Yan Hongling and Liu Fang's intelligence would arrive on the same day.

After a moment's thought, he decided to see Yan Hongling first.

Since the other party chose to inform us in person rather than using a short message, it is evident that this intelligence is of extraordinary value.

After receiving Lin Che's permission, Yan Hongling acted swiftly and soon quietly arrived at the outskirts of the Shattered Star Lake clan territory.

She is no longer the same person she used to be.

He wore an inconspicuous gray coarse cloth dress, his face was disguised, his skin was dull, his eyebrows and eyes were ordinary, and even his figure and posture were changed.

Even if the members of the Red Fox Squad were to meet him in person, they would probably find it difficult to recognize that this was their captain.

This was the method of keeping it a secret that Lin Che and she agreed upon.

All intelligence delivered to the Lin family was personally relayed by her in disguise, severing the Red Fox Squad's overt connections with the Lin family to the greatest extent possible.

Dozens of miles above the sky, amidst the clouds, Liu Qingxue rode the Xuanbing Cangyu Falcon, its body entirely ice-blue.

Their sharp eyes had already taken in the ordinary figure in front of the clan's gate below.

From the moment the other party stepped into the Lin family's restricted area, she was ordered by Lin Che to secretly observe whether they were being followed.

After confirming that everything was normal, the Xuanbing Cangyu Falcon folded its wings and quietly landed nearby, exuding a chilling aura.

Liu Qingxue appeared and, without saying a word, gestured for Yan Hongling to "come with me," leading her to a small, secluded reception room equipped with soundproofing.

Inside, Lin Che was already seated comfortably, with a cup of tea beside him emitting wisps of steam.

Yan Hongling, dressed in disguise, stepped into the room.

Upon seeing Lin Che, he immediately suppressed all outward emotions, respectfully clasped his hands and bowed, deliberately lowering his voice: "Good morning, sir."

In five years, with the resources she gained from her own team's adventures, plus the rewards she earned from the Lin family, she was able to break through to the Qi Refining Perfection stage and successfully establish her foundation at the beginning of the year.

However, even after becoming a Foundation Establishment cultivator, she still maintained her initial respect when facing the unfathomable Lin Che.

Lin Che nodded slightly, his usual gentle smile on his face, and gestured with his right hand: "No need for formalities, sit down and let's talk. Tell me, what news have you brought this time?"

Despite Lin Che's words, Yan Hongling dared not be presumptuous and remained standing.

After a brief moment of organization, he cut straight to the point, his tone grave: "Reporting to Your Excellency, our Red Fox Squad has discovered an unexplored entrance to a secret realm in the cliff area south of the Silent Forest, near the edge of the Fulong Mountains!"

"South of the Silent Forest? Near the cliff?" Upon hearing this, Lin Che paused slightly, a hint of surprise flashing across his face.

He knew something about that area.

The southern end of Chuyang City's development zone ends at a silent forest, where a huge natural cliff rises at the edge of the forest.

That cliff marks the boundary of the 800-mile-long expansion zone designated by the Xuankui Sect.

Below the cliff lies a vast, unknown plain, and deeper still, it connects directly to the heart of the Fulong Mountains, a wild and untamed land teeming with monsters.

"Your team has quite the nerve," Lin Che said, putting down his teacup and looking at Yan Hongling.

His tone held a hint of inquiry: "You still dare to cross the silent forest and venture into such dangerous border areas?"

Faced with Lin Che's question, Yan Hongling answered without hesitation:

"I dare not hide it from you, sir. After I was fortunate enough to reach the Foundation Establishment stage, I felt that my strength had improved. So I thought of finding more stable and profitable ways for the team."

Just then, Chuyang City released a long-term, high-level quest.

Conduct a thorough investigation of the surrounding area, especially the region bordering the Fulong Mountains, to ascertain the detailed distribution, population fluctuations, and unusual movements of various demonic beast groups.

She paused, then continued, "As you know, the demonic beasts are the real and greatest potential threat to Chuyang City."

This pioneering area was originally fought over from the claws and teeth of monsters.

The city lord's mansion has deployed large-scale early warning and monitoring arrays in key areas bordering the Fulong Mountains on the west and south sides, and patrol guards are stationed there year-round.

However, the mountains are vast, and the habits of the monsters are unpredictable. Fixed defensive lines alone are far from sufficient. This is why a large number of independent cultivators familiar with the wilderness and willing to take risks are needed to infiltrate enemy territory and act as eyes and ears.

"Although this mission is high-risk, the rewards for merit are generous, and the team is allowed to act flexibly and independently define the exploration area."

Yan Hongling's eyes shone brightly: "Our Red Fox Squad accepted this mission for two reasons. First, to earn stable battle merits to exchange for resources. Second, we also want to use the name of an official mission to explore more distant areas and perhaps discover some unexpected opportunities."

The discovery of signs of a hidden realm was accidental during this reconnaissance mission deep into the southern cliff area.

……

Meanwhile, in the imposing City Lord's Mansion in the northern district of Chuyang City.

"You mean, in the southern part of the Silent Forest, near the cliffs of the Fulong Mountains, signs of what appears to be an unopened secret realm have been discovered?"

Upon hearing the urgent report from his subordinate, City Lord Yan Shuming stopped reviewing the documents he was working on and looked up with a surprised expression.

He knew full well the weight of the word "secret realm," far surpassing the ancient ruins that might have existed for countless years and had already been explored many times.

The formation of secret realms is often accompanied by special favorable timing, location, or earth-shattering events.

Most of them are fragments of small worlds that accidentally anchored to weak points in this world's space. Their interiors may be fraught with danger or full of blessings.

Once these secret realms are developed, they may even be used by some ancient sects as medicine gardens, animal parks, or trial grounds.

Even more extreme, the entire sect's gates might be built within a large secret realm.

For example, the powerful Nascent Soul faction "Water Cloud Immortal Pavilion" has its roots hidden deep within a vast secret realm.

Of course, there are also naturally formed hidden gems.

This is mostly due to the violent crustal changes caused by the birth of large spiritual veins, which distort local space and form relatively independent special areas.

Or perhaps it was formed from the battlefield remnants left behind by ancient powerful beings who fought to the death, their power shaking the void, and evolved over the years.

As for the cave worlds that cultivators actively create, only powerful beings at the Refinement of Emptiness or even the Dao Integration realm, with a profound understanding of the laws of space, can accomplish this.

Such personal worlds, if not completely destroyed after their fall and instead hidden or damaged in the void, may also become "secret realms" in the eyes of later cultivators.

Regardless of its origin, a newly discovered, unexplored secret realm has an extremely high probability of containing rare resources, ancient treasures, rare spiritual plants, or even inherited cultivation techniques!

This represents an immeasurable opportunity for any power.

Without the slightest hesitation, Yan Shuming immediately put down all his official duties, and in a flash, he rode his sword into the sky, speeding towards the south of the Silent Forest.

He wanted to confirm it with his own eyes.

Upon arriving near the scene, he quickly confirmed the authenticity of his subordinate's report, thanks to his powerful divine sense and knowledge at the Golden Core stage.

A distorted, blurry spatial fluctuation was faintly visible, like a reflection on the water's surface that had not yet fully solidified. The outline of the secret realm was slowly emerging, but the entrance was indeed not yet firmly open.

Based on its apparent speed and fluctuation intensity, Yan Shuming judged that it would probably still be quite some time before it was truly activated.

It can take anywhere from a few weeks to several months.

However, problems arose.

The news of the existence of a secret realm in this place cannot be kept secret for long!

According to reports from his subordinates, there were more than a dozen independent cultivators who initially discovered the anomaly. The news is probably spreading rapidly throughout the Chuyang City area like pebbles thrown into a lake.

It's estimated that before long, Burning Bone City, which isn't too far from Chuyang City, will definitely hear the news.

If Burning Bone City intervenes, Yan Shuming's plan to take over this secret realm by himself will be ruined.

"We must devise a countermeasure before the news spreads completely, at least to gain the upper hand!" Yan Shuming said solemnly, turning around on his sword and returning to the city lord's mansion at an even faster speed.

He needed to immediately summon his confidants to discuss how to take advantage of the terrain and time difference to maximize his own benefit.

……

The temporary reception room of the Lin family at Shattered Star Lake.

After listening to Yan Hongling's explanation, Lin Che nodded slightly: "I see. You were on an official reconnaissance mission, which is why you went deep into that area."

He tapped his fingers lightly on the table, quickly grasping the key point: "However, according to you, there are more than a dozen independent cultivators who participated in the reconnaissance of that area this time."

"Then, the news of the appearance of a secret realm here probably can't be kept secret for much longer, right?"

Yan Hongling nodded frankly, showing no surprise: "Our team was one of the first to arrive at that cliff area for a detailed survey, and we were also the first to notice the spatial anomaly and preliminarily confirm that it might be the entrance to the secret realm."

"But at the time, there were several other groups of monks who had also taken on the mission nearby."

"Even if they couldn't confirm it up close like we could, any cultivator with a little experience could still detect the unusual spatial fluctuations and spiritual energy disturbances."

The news has probably already been quietly circulating among some independent cultivators.

Before long, as more people go to verify, the news will spread like wildfire.

Even the officials of Chuyang City are likely already aware of this.

"Therefore," Yan Hongling took a deep breath, her gaze earnest and resolute as she looked at Lin Che, "I have come here with great trepidation to humbly request that, sir, you lead our Red Fox Squad to explore the secret realm once it truly opens?"

That is why she had to come in person, and why she was so eager.

When the secret realm opens, there will be no shortage of cultivators who will rush to it, and there may even be late-stage Foundation Establishment cultivators or even Golden Core cultivators involved.

Even if their small team manages to get in first, they will be outnumbered and face extremely high risks. They are unlikely to gain anything from it and may even encounter unforeseen circumstances.

Yan Hongling said firmly, "If we can get your protection and guidance, we will have a chance to explore the secret realm safely and get a share of the soup."

She paused, then added, "Of course, the findings will primarily belong to the adults; we only seek a few scraps and a relatively safe guarantee."

Having worked with you for many years, we have deep trust in your reputation and methods.

Such an opportunity, rather than risk fighting with tigers and wolves, is better met by relying on the support of a powerful figure.