Nine Nether Dragon Emperor

The secret realm he had transcribed in his painting scroll was called the Fire Lotus Secret Realm! This was a creation his grandfather had spent a hundred years of painstaking effort to forge. He had previously transcribed it once while in Chi Yang. However, because it consumed too much Element Force, he hadn’t done it since.

After that, he had specifically studied this secret realm. He had concluded that it was prepared for cultivators on the cusp of entering the Holy Realm. His grandfather had transcribed and manifested it many times before. After continuous refinement, this secret realm was given its name. The Fire Lotus Secret Realm signified that the Fire Lotus was the most valuable treasure within! According to his grandfather’s records, one had to be a top-tier cultivator at the peak of the Holy Realm to obtain the Fire Lotus.

He had only boldly transcribed and manifested this secret realm to show off in front of Cheng Dabao. Yet this was the scene that greeted him.

I’m not even a cultivator yet. For the Fire Lotus to appear like this... it’s a death sentence!

Wang Ao was terrified. He wanted to run, but his legs wouldn’t move. At that exact moment, he was stunned to see the Fire Lotus vanish from the surface of the painting scroll!

What... what’s going on?! Could someone have gotten it?!

As soon as this thought crossed his mind, he immediately thought of Ning Xuan. No way! He’s not even a cultivator yet, how could he possibly have managed that?!

Wang Ao was panicking. Just then, BOOM! An endless blaze seemed about to burst forth from the painting scroll. Wang Ao jumped in fright. This time, he finally reacted, rolling up the scroll at once! By doing so, anything inside the secret realm lost its chance of escape!

I have to get the others out quickly. The secret realm is starting to lose control!

Wang Ao made an immediate decision. Although it meant he would have to return everything he had just received, at least he could save their lives. 「Within the secret realm.」

The big suckers, who had all reaped rewards shortly after entering, were now on high alert. The trembling earth, the abruptly rising temperature, and the terrifying, soul-shaking roars made them both excited and nervous. Just as they were unsure whether to advance or retreat, they suddenly heard Wang Ao’s voice.

"Everyone, a violent disturbance has erupted deep within the secret realm! It is incredibly dangerous! I advise you all to return the way you came, quickly, or you will risk your lives!"

As they all frowned, Wang Ao paused and then continued, "Of course, I’ll return everything you gave me earlier!"

If he hadn’t said that, things might have been fine. But as soon as he spoke, someone immediately responded.

"No need! Since we gave it to you, there’s no reason to take it back!"

"A secret realm holds opportunities, but naturally, it also holds dangers. If I truly perish here, it’s because my skills were inferior!"

"Haha, I’m the type who loves to charge headfirst into a challenge!"

"..."

One after another, they spoke up. Without exception, all of them rejected Wang Ao’s proposal. They had figured it out, feeling that Wang Ao was regretting the deal.

There must be some incredible treasure in this secret realm! Heh heh! Too late for regrets now!

Those who had been considering retreat were now pressing forward with renewed determination.

「Outside.」

Hearing the responses, Wang Ao was dumbfounded. Were these people not afraid of death? He then remembered Ning Xuan and realized he needed to contact him. He immediately began to send a telepathic message, "Brother Ning, can you hear me?"

There was no response, even after he called out several times.

Wang Ao cried out in shock, "Damn it, he couldn’t have died, could he?!"

Just then, he heard Ning Xuan’s curt reply, "You’re the one who’s died!"

Wang Ao breathed a sigh of relief and quickly asked, "What’s going on? Did you take the Fire Lotus?"

"You knew it existed and you didn’t tell me! Wang Ao, you’ve got some nerve!"

Hearing Ning Xuan’s reply, Wang Ao was dumbstruck. As if on cue, another violent tremor came from the painting scroll. He immediately pleaded, "Brother, I’m begging you, please put it back! If you don’t, I’m going to lose this secret realm!"

"There’s a fire dragon chasing me. Since you painted the realm, you must have a way to make it return to its place, right? Hurry up! As soon as it’s back where it belongs, this will all be over."

Hearing Ning Xuan’s words, Wang Ao was so frustrated he was on the verge of tears.

This guy has no honor! So in the end, this is all my fault? And after taking the Fire Lotus, he has the gall to ask me to clean up his mess... Ugh, forget it. I can’t even be bothered to lecture him!

But still.

"I can’t!" Wang Ao refused harshly at first, but out of consideration for Cheng Dabao, his tone immediately softened. "The secret realm may be born from the painting scroll, but it is actually a projection of reality! We only possess the ability to transcribe it, nothing more."

"You mean everything in the secret realm has a real-world original?"

"’Real-world original?’ That’s a very precise description. So don’t do anything rash. That fire dragon chasing you has less than a tenth of the strength of its real-world original."

Wang Ao had thought this would be enough to make Ning Xuan back down. He was sorely mistaken.

"Does that mean the energy in this Fire Lotus is also less than a tenth of its original’s?" Ning Xuan’s voice was filled with delight.

At that moment, Wang Ao felt his world collapsing. If I had known this so-called brother of his was so pig-headed, I never would have pulled out my ultimate trump card!

"Hello? Why aren’t you talking?"

"Little Ao, you’re not actually trying to suppress that fire dragon for me, are you?"

"Don’t! I think I can handle it! A man can’t chicken out!"

"..."

Listening to the incessant muttering in his ear, Wang Ao simply shut off his Six Senses. He was afraid that if this continued, he wouldn’t be able to stop himself from transcribing an ancient beast into the realm to swallow this guy whole.

「Inside the secret realm.」

After hearing Wang Ao, Ning Xuan completely ignored the fact that other people had entered. After all, compared to the fire dragon’s real-world original, they were nothing. Even he was just a small fry.

The Fire Lotus is a real treasure. If a version with less than a tenth of its power has energy as boundless as an ocean, then once I find the original, wouldn’t the energy it contained be astronomical?!

Ning Xuan grew excited and decided to face the fire dragon. It was the Fire Lotus’s guardian beast, after all. If he couldn’t even handle this, he’d be completely screwed when he faced the original!

The only reason he had dared to speak with Wang Ao was that the fire dragon, having lost the scent of the Fire Lotus, had left the area.

With a thought, Ning Xuan found a high vantage point to survey his surroundings. He immediately spotted the fire dragon’s location. There, an unlucky soul was incinerated by a blast of the dragon’s fiery breath, turning instantly to ash without even managing to scream.

A thought flashed through Ning Xuan’s mind, and he disappeared from his spot in a flash.

The next moment, behind a huge boulder, a man had just turned his head when Ning Xuan clamped a hand over his mouth.

"You’re in danger," Ning Xuan’s telepathic voice echoed in the man’s ear. "I can get you out of here!"

The man was baffled. Is this guy crazy?