Chapter 39 : Chapter 39
Chapter 39. The Appearance of a Foreign Domain
Just as dawn was breaking, the horns sounded throughout the camps of the ten legions. The order to remain stationed spread through the camps like a tide.
Twenty legion commanders and deputy commanders rode back and forth between the barracks, delivering the orders while patiently calming the nobles whose anxiety and confusion were practically written across their faces.
The old Prince, clad in silver armor, walked straight toward the tents of the Third Princess Jessy and the Fourth Prince William. His beard and hair fluttered slightly in the morning wind.
Inside the tent, the candle had not yet burned out. William was studying a map of the Northern Frontier with intense concentration, while Jessy was polishing a short sword inlaid with sapphires.
“Your Highnesses,” the old Prince said directly, “His Majesty has ordered the entire army to remain where they are. We are not to advance further into the Northern Frontier.”
William suddenly raised his head, his brows knitting together.
“Remain stationed?”
“Did something happen with the Secret Realm?”
The old Prince nodded heavily, lowering his voice.
“Last night, a Domain-level energy fluctuation emerged from within the Secret Realm in the Northern Frontier. According to speculation, a Domain-level Foreign Race powerhouse may have broken free.”
“His Majesty gathered us late in the night and specifically instructed us to stabilize morale and remain still for now.”
William pressed his finger heavily onto the map at the point marked “Secret Realm Entrance,” remaining silent for a long moment.
Domain-level…
That meant even the royal Ancestors might not be able to suppress it. Charging forward now would be no different from courting death.
Jessy suddenly stopped polishing her sword. The cold reflection of the blade gleamed in her eyes.
“Has Ancestor Fenlilan not arrived yet?”
The old Prince abruptly looked up, surprise flashing in his eyes.
Fenlilan was the true pillar of the royal family, a hidden Ancestor whose name was rarely known. He had not expected the Third Princess to mention him.
After a brief pause, he simply shook his head without explaining.
The tent fell silent. Outside, the wind swept sand and dust through the air, carrying the biting chill unique to the Northern Frontier.
At the Secret Realm entrance, the air seemed frozen.
The sealing formation that had held for days had finally reached its limit.
Fine cracks spread across it like a spider’s web, extending outward from the core of the formation. A crisp cracking sound echoed repeatedly, like glass being crushed beside one’s ear.
The next second, with a deafening boom, the entire formation shattered.
The fragments turned into countless specks of spiritual light and scattered into the cold wind.
The moment the formation broke, a bone-chilling roar erupted from deep within the Secret Realm.
Immediately afterward, waves of black crawlers surged out like a tide.
Their bodies were covered in armored shells, and their many legs scraped against the frozen ground with a piercing screech. Their crimson compound eyes locked onto the living people outside the exit.
“Attack!”
The old woman at the front shouted sharply. Her withered hand rose, and a streak of pale golden Dou Qi swept forward, instantly shredding the first dozen crawlers into pieces.
The surrounding Legendary Combatants immediately attacked as well. Sword Qi, magic, and Dou Qi interwove into an impenetrable barrier.
Every strike cut down hundreds of crawlers, yet more continued to pour forward endlessly, trampling the corpses of their own kind.
Not a single crawler managed to cross the five-meter boundary, but seeing the seemingly endless tide of monsters, everyone’s expression became as grim as iron.
“This cannot continue…”
One Legendary Mage gasped for breath. Even the light at the tip of his staff had dimmed somewhat.
“There are too many of them!”
The old woman said nothing. She simply stared fixedly at the Gate of Light.
She knew these crawlers were merely the opening act.
Sure enough, when the tide of monsters briefly slowed, a deep voice suddenly echoed from within the Secret Realm, like an ancient incantation.
The crawlers instantly halted their charge as if receiving a command. They retreated to the edge of the Gate of Light and lowered their bodies as though in worship.
Every Legendary Combatant immediately tensed, gripping their weapons tightly.
Second after second passed.
Darkness churned inside the Gate of Light, as if some enormous existence were awakening within.
Suddenly, a figure slowly emerged from the Gate of Light.
It was a humanoid creature. Its body was covered with dark purple scales, and its arms ended in sharp claws. Curved horns grew from its head, and its crimson pupils swept across everyone present with undisguised brutality.
“Haha… finally out.”
It spoke, its voice like two stones grinding against each other, carrying a terrifying pressure.
Its gaze landed on the Legendary Combatants before it. It licked its lips, revealing rows of pale fangs.
“Food has delivered itself. Just enough to fill my stomach.”
Before the words even finished, its figure vanished from where it stood.
“Be careful!” the old woman shouted, Dou Qi instantly enveloping her body.
But it was already too late.
A Legendary Knight closest to the Gate of Light did not even see the creature move before a tremendous force struck him.
The Domain-level Foreign Race had already appeared beside him. Its mouth opened wide as it bit directly toward his neck.
SPLASH—
Blood sprayed into the air.
The Legendary Knight could not even scream before half his body was bitten apart. The cracking of bones sounded horribly loud in the silence.
What remained of his body collapsed lifelessly to the ground.
The speed and power of a Domain-level being were far beyond what ordinary Legends could resist.
The old woman’s eyes widened with fury. She slammed her staff against the ground.
“Form a formation! Stop it!”
Yet the creature merely sneered in disdain. Its figure flickered again as it lunged toward its next target.
In an instant, the entrance of the Secret Realm became a bloody slaughterhouse.
The cold wind carried the scent of blood across the battlefield. A shadow of despair settled over every Legendary Combatant.
Without Ancestor Fenlilan, they simply could not stop this beast that had broken free.
“Even if we die, we must hold it back!”
The old woman roared hoarsely, her voice trembling with fury and determination.
She suddenly pulled a pitch-black bottle from her robes. Strange runes were carved across its surface.
“Quick. Drink the Reversal Forbidden Potion.”
The remaining four royal Legends instantly turned pale.
That potion was a forbidden technique that burned one’s life force to briefly break through a realm. After drinking it, one could gain power comparable to the Domain level—but it guaranteed death within three days.
Yet as another Legendary Mage had half his body torn apart by the creature’s bite, his burning blood splashing across the frozen ground, they no longer hesitated.
“Let’s do it.”
One of them gritted his teeth, pulled out the same potion, removed the stopper, and drank it in one gulp.
The star-like liquid rushed down his throat and instantly turned into a blazing torrent that surged through his entire body. His bones cracked loudly as his aura skyrocketed, truly touching the edge of the Domain.
The others followed suit. In an instant, four figures radiated overwhelming energy.
“You people—immediately return and report to His Majesty!”
The old woman turned toward several Legendary Combatants from other families who had just arrived, shouting sharply.
“This battle is no longer something you can interfere with. Leave now!”
Before the words finished, she had already charged forward. Her withered palm struck out with golden Dou Qi, aiming directly at the creature’s face.
The other three followed closely behind, sword Qi and magic weaving into a net that forced the creature to retreat half a step.
The collision of Domain-level energy created a violent storm. The frozen ground cracked apart layer by layer.
The Legends who had just arrived were thrown backward by the shockwaves and could not approach at all.
The Legendary Combatant from the Lane Family glanced at the battle and clenched his teeth.
Staying here would only cause trouble.
He cupped his hands toward the old woman in respect, then turned into a streak of light and sped away.
The others suppressed their fear and retreated as well.
At the entrance to the Secret Realm, golden Dou Qi clashed against dark purple scales with a harsh metallic screech.
The old woman glanced once toward the Royal Family Secret Realm before intensifying her attack.
However, the gap between a true Domain and a pseudo-domain was like an insurmountable chasm.
The Foreign Race Domain powerhouse’s eyes burned with increasing ferocity. It roared and swung its bone-spiked limbs, easily neutralizing the old woman’s attacks while severely injuring the other three elders.
PUCHI—
With a dull sound, the creature’s tail spike shot out like a poisoned arrow, piercing straight through the old woman’s heart.
Blood gushed along the spike, staining her clothes red.
Her movements froze.
She lowered her head and looked at the spike piercing her chest. A flash of unwillingness appeared in her eyes. Fixing her gaze on the Foreign Race Domain powerhouse, she gathered the last of her Dou Qi and struck its chest with a final palm.
The other three elders immediately followed, unleashing their attacks upon the creature.
“ROAR—!”
The Foreign Race Domain powerhouse let out a shrill scream.
Yet its tail spike did not slow. In a single sweep, it pierced through the three elders who had tried to ambush it.
Looking down at the large hole in its chest and the wounds across its body, it snorted coldly.
Then it turned and quickly retreated back into the Secret Realm.