Mountain Venerable and Sea Immortal

"Liaobei? We've never heard of it." Chen Dagang stared with his big, round eyes, gripped his fishing axe tightly, and stood directly in front of Lin Yan, his face full of vigilance.

"Haha, you frogs in a well, how could you know the general trend of the world! We cultivators from Liaobei are fierce and brave, traversing thousands of miles of the north. Who doesn't know us, who doesn't know us..." The cultivator opposite laughed loudly, his arrogance and disdain in his tone were undisguised.

Lin Yan's gaze suddenly darkened, and the vague, eerie feeling he had when he first entered the secret realm instantly surged into his heart.

He had been paying attention to his surroundings the whole time. The space around the secret realm was stable, and there was no residual spiritual energy from remotely flying boats. But just moments before, one flying boat after another appeared out of thin air from the distorted ripples in the void without any warning. This was no ordinary method.

This place is adjacent to Laoshan Mountain, located in a remote sea area with turbulent winds and waves. Even ordinary cultivators would take several days to travel here using their magical artifacts, and mortals would need ten days or even a month to reach it by boat. These people have gathered here from Wumen, Liaobei, and other places. Could it be that they have been lying in wait for a year or two, just waiting for this secret realm to open?

"Something's not right." Yun Xi frowned slightly, her cool gaze sweeping over the suddenly appearing unfamiliar cultivators. She spoke softly, "How did they travel thousands of miles to get here?"

Lin Yan nodded slightly, his eyes full of doubt. He had never heard of such a strange inter-domain method before and couldn't fathom its mystery at all.

Dan Wan stepped forward slowly, her clear eyes filled with a hint of solemnity. Her gaze fell on the faint golden spatial light that had not yet dissipated beneath the feet of the cultivators, and she slowly spoke: "We come from an ancient inter-domain spatial gate. Only top sects with a thousand-year-old heritage and profound foundation, or powerful aristocratic families, can control such a stable spatial passage."

Su Lingyue couldn't help but murmur in surprise, "Wumen, Liaobei, and Laoshan are hundreds or even thousands of miles apart. How could they know exactly when the secret realm would open and arrive so quickly?"

Dan Wan sighed softly and slowly explained the reason: "In ancient times, spatial gates were originally set up for people to travel to various secret realms and opportunities. The opening time and exact location of each secret realm are recorded in the ancient scrolls of the major sects, corresponding one by one with the gate nodes. The Wu Sect and Liaobei Sect have a long history and naturally calculated the opening day of this secret realm long ago, using the gate to teleport directly here and seize the opportunity. Such opportunities and passages have always been the exclusive domain of top forces, so you naturally have no way of knowing about them."

Before he could finish speaking, the burly man from Liaobei was already furious. Being talked about in public by a group of unknown "country bumpkins" made him feel utterly humiliated. He immediately roared, his murderous aura surging, and he swung his fine iron broadsword horizontally, the fierce wind aimed directly at Lin Yan's face.

"How dare you!"

Chen Dagang glared angrily and was about to swing his axe to meet the attack, but Lin Yan gently pressed down on his shoulder.

Lin Yan remained motionless, like a mountain. Just as the blade was about to strike, he slightly shifted his feet, his body swaying gently like a wave, narrowly avoiding the attack. A surge of spiritual energy quietly gathered at his fingertips, and with lightning speed, he struck the burly man's vital acupoint on his wrist.

"ah--!"

The burly man felt his spiritual energy suddenly shatter in his arm, and excruciating pain shot through his heart. The large sword he was gripping crashed to the rocks with a loud bang. Lin Yan then pushed him away with a seemingly ordinary palm strike, but the force contained the accumulated power of the ocean tide. The burly man was struck as if by a heavy blow, his body flying backward and crashing heavily to the ground. He coughed up blood and could no longer get up.

Lin Yan turned his back, flipped his hand, and a few crystal fragments appeared in his palm. The pure sea energy within the crystal fragments dispersed like smoke and clouds, slowly merging into his body.

The burly man from northern Liaoning stared in horror, roaring and struggling, but could only lie paralyzed on the ground watching helplessly, his heart burning with resentment, yet utterly powerless to do anything about it.

Upon seeing this, the Wu Clan cultivators' expressions shifted dramatically. Their initial contempt turned into solemnity, and they subconsciously took several steps back, no longer daring to provoke them.

Dan Wan gazed at Lin Yan's upright figure, her eyes filled with admiration and solemnity. She stepped forward, holding a jade token carved with the ancient seal script characters "Wu Men," and handed it to Lin Yan: "If it weren't for your intervention, young master, we would have been harassed by these people. This is the Wu Men Pass. With this pass, you can freely enter and exit the cities of Wu Men, and you can also use the associated spatial gates. If you ever travel to Jiangnan in the future, this will ensure a smooth journey."

"Lin Yan. Consider this a return gift." Lin Yan pondered for a moment, then took a crystal fragment from his right palm with his left hand and handed it to Dan Wan, his tone calm, "Here."

Afterwards, Lin Yan distributed the remaining crystal fragments to Shen Qinghan, Yi Azhu, Qingyao, and the others.

Dan Wan took the crystal fragments and felt their warmth and rich spiritual energy. She was overjoyed and her phoenix eyes sparkled as she thanked them repeatedly.

The three parties temporarily ceased hostilities—after all, this place was on the edge of the core of the secret realm, and the longer they lingered, the more opportunities they would miss. Lin Yan and his group were unwilling to get entangled with these outside forces any longer, so they immediately turned around and sped towards the depths of the secret realm.

Within the secret realm, the spiritual energy grew increasingly dense, with clouds and mist swirling around, ancient trees reaching for the sky, and rare herbs and flowers blooming everywhere. Spiritual light could be seen shimmering all around, truly a blessed land.

The Sea Spirit Crystal Essence that Lin Yan obtained earlier was transformed from the innate spiritual essence of this secret realm, and was no ordinary natural treasure. It only recognized those with a water-elemental spirit body who were destined to be there. There were no beasts to guard it, no formations to trap it, and even if others found it, they would not be able to take it. Therefore, the previous section of the road seemed to be without any danger.

Before long, the group discovered a patch of Qi-Gathering Grass and Spirit-Gathering Flowers in a crevice in the cliff. Su Lingyue was already skilled in alchemy and pharmacology, and she was overjoyed to see this. Although these spiritual herbs were not extremely rare, they were enough to refine several batches of high-quality pills. If she could successfully refine them, her cultivation would undoubtedly advance further.

In the heart of the secret realm, spiritual herbs and magical artifacts are always taken by anyone who sees them, but danger is also lurking there. A slight mistake can lead to losing both your life and your wealth.

Such an opportunity was rare, and Lin Yan and his companions did not hesitate, immediately preparing to bend down and pick the fruit. But at that moment, the ground shook violently, and several Flame Scale Beasts burst from the earth, their claws burning with raging flames, and ferociously pounced towards the group.

"As expected! There's no such thing as a free lunch!"

Chen Dagang swung his fishing axe and was the first to step forward, roaring as he charged at the demonic beasts. The others reacted swiftly, each employing their own techniques to engage in a fierce battle. Within the time it takes to burn half an incense stick, spiritual energy surged and sword light clashed within the secret realm. After a hard-fought battle, they finally managed to slay all the Flame Scale Beasts. Covered in dust and looking somewhat disheveled, they then bent down to gather spiritual herbs with peace of mind.

Continuing deeper into the secret realm, beside a frigid pool, a long sword was sealed within a thick layer of ice—the Water Cloud Sword. A mysterious ice serpent coiled within the pool, its chilling aura piercing to the bone. Upon seeing the group approach, it launched a fierce attack. Yunxi swiftly dodged, channeling her sword intent to engage the serpent in a fierce battle, narrowly escaping death, ultimately slaying the venomous snake with her exquisite swordsmanship. Afterward, Yunxi activated the "Immortal Sword Mantra," and the Water Cloud Sword broke free from the ice, humming as it was drawn from its sheath, becoming one with her will. Following the blood oath, Yunxi's swordsmanship power surged dramatically, and her cultivation level also improved significantly.

From the other side of the rubble, a stone-armored bear suddenly roared and charged out. Its hide was thick and its strength immense, its stone armor indestructible. Chen Dagang swung his axe, battling the bear for dozens of rounds. His blood surged, veins bulged on his forehead, and he finally managed to drive the giant bear away. Afterwards, he found a pair of black iron fish-patterned bracers in the bear's den. Wearing them greatly increased his strength, significantly enhanced his physical defense, and made him even more ferocious.

Lin Yan stepped alone into an ancient, dilapidated array. The moment his foot touched the ground, the array patterns lit up abruptly, unleashing countless phantom sword energies, their killing intent chilling. He focused his mind, using his divine sense to resist the sword energy's intrusion, while simultaneously channeling his Azure Sea Spiritual Power to break the seal. In a narrow escape, he finally found a half-rotten ancient water-based cultivation technique fragment and several spatial crystal fragments at the array's core. This fragment resonated strongly with the Azure Sea Emperor's Technique within him. With the power of the fragment, his cultivation steadily climbed from the late Foundation Establishment stage, his aura becoming increasingly profound and enduring.

However, the immense pressure from the depths of the secret realm still lingered and grew increasingly heavy, causing the surrounding air to distort slightly, indicating that even greater opportunities and dangers lay ahead.

Passing through jagged rocks and stepping over icy pools, before the chill had even dissipated, a vast expanse of dazzling spiritual light suddenly exploded in the void ahead, blinding and mesmerizing.

An ancient altar, its entire surface engraved with ancient water patterns, floats in mid-air, its stone patterns shimmering with a distant spiritual light, exuding an aura of antiquity and vastness. On the altar, treasures gather, and wondrous phenomena unfold: at the center, a Sea Spirit Core floats silently, its azure light surging like the tides, a pure and powerful water-elemental energy emanating from it, refreshing and invigorating; around the core, three water-elemental magical artifacts surround it: a sharp longsword, a heavy giant axe, and a razor-sharp short dagger, each blade gleaming with a chilling spiritual light, radiating an overwhelming spiritual energy; in a corner of the altar, several ancient jade boxes are neatly arranged, faintly emanating the fragrance of herbs, the pure scent of spiritual plants, and the ancient aura of jade slips. High-grade elixirs, rare spiritual herbs, and fragmented ancient cultivation manuals are all contained within, the auras of various treasures intertwined and swirling, so dense as to be almost tangible.

Just then, a biting, eerie wind suddenly swept up from the depths of the secret realm. The wind, accompanied by sharp, piercing sounds, violent shouts, and mournful howls, all assaulted the area, instantly shattering the tranquility.

The next moment, hundreds of cultivators dressed in various colors flew over with fierce spiritual power. Cultivators and disciples from Wumen, Liaobei, Beiman, Heluo, Jindi, Tianjin and other places instantly surrounded the altar, each with greedy eyes and a predatory look.

Several figures clad in black robes and with eerie, ghostly markings on their faces slowly emerged from the shadows of the scattered rocks. A deathly aura swirled around them, and a chilling, ghostly energy surged within them; these were the renowned cultivators of Beimang. Their eyes, as sinister as venomous snakes, were fixed on the Sea Spirit Core at the center of the altar. Greedy, ferocious smiles curled their lips, their killing intent palpable, already unable to suppress their desire to seize it.

"Take it down!"

The cultivators from Beimang took the lead, their bodies surging with chilling ghostly energy. Several cultivators simultaneously unleashed the Ghost Cry Banner, and as the banners waved, the wailing and howling of ghosts and wolves became ear-piercing and unpleasant, heading straight for the Sea Spirit Core in the center of the altar.

With all the most precious treasures appearing, there is no room for maneuver, and a chaotic battle is inevitable.

The disciples of Heluo stood firmly on the ground, their spiritual energy connected to the earth's veins. Several crystalline earth vein stones rose from the ground, quickly forming a thick defensive shield to block the approaching ghostly energy. At the same time, several disciples darted out, heading straight for the jade box in the corner of the altar. The Jin cultivators raised their hands, golden light flashing, and a series of golden stone restrictions instantly formed, sealing off all escape routes around the altar, attempting to monopolize all the treasures. The Jin cultivators, relying on their swift movements, darted out like ghosts, their target being the three water-based magic weapons around the spirit core. The Wu Clan disciples quickly summoned their personal alchemy furnaces. The furnaces hovered in the air, their lids opened, and raging alchemical fire erupted, forming a wall of fire to block the approaching cultivators. The Liaobei Xuanjia Sect cultivators, clad in heavy Xuan armor, their armor shimmering with spiritual light, charged forward, forcefully breaking through the obstruction of several cultivators, heading towards the altar.

The roar of magical artifacts reverberated throughout the entire secret realm. Crimson fire magic, blue water magic, golden metal magic, and green wood magic crisscrossed, dazzling yet deadly. Shockwaves of spiritual energy swept in all directions, shattering rocks and churning icy pools wherever they passed, causing the entire secret realm to tremble slightly. The cultivators present used various methods, some attacking head-on, some defending, and some ambushing, fighting relentlessly, their eyes fixed on the supreme treasure, striving with all their might to possess it.

Amidst the chaotic battle, Yunxi wielded the Water Cloud Sword, its blade flashing and chilling the surroundings. Water-attribute spiritual energy condensed into sharp blades, steadily blocking the combined attack of several foreign cultivators. Chen Dagang gripped his fishing axe, his moves expansive and powerful, hacking and slashing with howling winds as he forcefully carved a path to the altar with his sturdy physique. Su Lingyue moved nimbly, like a butterfly flitting through the battlefield, constantly throwing out the spiritual herbs she cultivated. These herbs used their unique medicinal properties to disrupt the enemy cultivators, while she released gentle spiritual energy to heal her wounded companions, steadily stabilizing her own forces.

Lin Yan fought alongside the others, breaking through all obstacles and charging straight to the center of the altar. The moment his fingertips touched the Sea Spirit Core, the "Azure Sea Emperor Technique" within his body suddenly erupted, creating a strong ancient resonance with the Sea Spirit Core. The water-elemental scroll floating beside the core unfolded on its own, transforming into a stream of light and merging into his sea of ​​consciousness.

Taking advantage of the crowd's momentary daze at the sudden burst of brilliant spiritual light, Lin Yan swiftly flipped his wrist, collecting the most crucial ancient magical artifacts and high-grade elixir jade boxes surrounding the spiritual core into his storage ring. A massive amount of pure water-elemental spiritual energy surged into his body through the spiritual core, causing his cultivation to skyrocket, directly breaking through to the peak of the Foundation Establishment stage. A complete water-elemental inheritance was also completely imprinted in his sea of ​​consciousness. A tidal wave of spiritual light erupted around him, forming an invisible defensive barrier that repelled the first few cultivators who rushed towards him, their blood churning, unable to approach any further.

The Sea Spirit Core was completely activated, and the entire secret realm began to violently tremble. The ground cracked, the void twisted, and rubble flew everywhere. Clearly, the entrance to the secret realm was about to close, and it was no longer possible to stay.

Lin Yan made a quick decision and shouted to Yun Xi, Chen Dagang, Su Lingyue and the others: "Run! The secret realm is about to collapse!" Upon hearing this, everyone immediately stopped their attack and quickly retreated with the various treasures they had obtained.