My Martial Dao Has No Bottlenecks

Chen Xuanfeng and the others were blocked as well. The powerful impact even caused several Elders with slightly weaker Cultivation to stumble.

"A rule-based restriction."

Elder Huang withdrew his palm, floating in the air. "This Secret Realm only permits entry to those below the Breaking Mortality Realm."

Chen Xuanfeng’s brow furrowed. He exchanged a look with the other top experts, and they all saw the gravity and helplessness in each other’s eyes.

Their earlier attempt had told them that the barrier was connected to the very source of the Secret Realm. If they tried to force their way in using the power of the Breaking Mortality Realm, they might succeed, but it would most likely cause the entrance to collapse. It could even trigger the destruction of the Secret Realm’s internal structure. The cost would be far too great.

After a brief silence, Chen Xuanfeng and the others conferred for a moment. Then, they turned to face the dense crowd of Martial Artists from every faction gathered outside the valley, his voice carrying clearly to every person’s ears.

"The entrance to the Secret Realm is now open. By the restriction of its rules, no one at or above the Breaking Mortality Realm may enter."

"By the Main Courtyard’s decree, any Martial Artist of the Four Islands Alliance—whether you hail from a Sect, a family, or are a Loose Cultivator—may enter to seek your fortune. What you find will be yours to keep, but you alone are responsible for your own life or death."

His gaze swept over the area where the Main Courtyard Disciples were gathered, his tone turning severe. "However, the Secret Realm is fraught with peril, and what is even more taboo is turning on one another!"

"Disciples of the Main Courtyard, hear my order! Once inside the Secret Realm, you are to watch each other’s backs and provide mutual aid. Maliciously ambushing or harming fellow disciples is strictly forbidden. Any who violate this rule will be expelled from the Main Courtyard and hunted down by the entire Alliance!"

At these words, the Main Courtyard Disciples soberly acknowledged the order.

The other factions also chimed in, issuing similar warnings to their own people.

"We don’t know how long the entrance will remain stable. Those who wish to enter the Secret Realm, move out now!"

The moment Chen Xuanfeng finished speaking, the Martial Artists from all sides, who had long been unable to restrain themselves, surged forward like a tidal wave, scrambling to be the first to charge into the Xingxuan entrance.

"Let’s do our best to regroup once we’re inside!" Ye Zhiqiu said quickly to Liang Cheng.

Lu Zheng and Leng Feng nodded as well.

Just then, a message sent via Secret Transmission entered Liang Cheng’s mind.

"Liang, after you enter the Secret Realm, head to the center. See if there’s a tomb. If there is, make a rubbing of the tombstone for me."

Liang Cheng turned his head to look up at Elder Huang, who gave him a slight nod.

Without further hesitation, Liang Cheng and his three companions took to the air, following the stream of people and plunging directly into the entrance of the Secret Realm.

The moment his body sank into the Xingxuan, Liang Cheng felt a powerful yet gentle energy wrap around him. Light and shadows twisted and warped before his eyes.

After a brief bout of weightlessness and vertigo, his feet touched solid ground. Liang Cheng steadied himself and warily scanned his surroundings.

Ye Zhiqiu and the others were nowhere to be seen.

He now found himself in an unfamiliar mountain forest. Ancient trees towered overhead, their leaves and branches so thick they blotted out the sky. The air was saturated with an incredibly dense Spiritual Qi. A single deep breath sent a cooling sensation through his lungs and instantly refreshed his mind.

’Just as I thought. The Spiritual Qi density here is on par with the Main Courtyard’s Profound Spirit Secret Realm.’

Liang Cheng carefully assessed his surroundings and thought, ’The efficiency of Cultivation here must be incredibly high. Advancing by leaps and bounds would be no empty boast.’

However, he immediately suppressed the urge to begin his Cultivation then and there. With the Secret Realm open, opportunity and danger went hand in hand. The most critical task at the moment was to assess the situation.

He glanced at his Communication Token, only to find it completely sealed. It seemed he had lost contact with everyone.

In the next moment, he moved, silently flitting to the top of a giant tree to survey the landscape.

The forest was a continuous expanse. In the distance, he could faintly make out the undulations of a mountain range. Far beyond that, a rosy glow seemed to flicker, too indistinct to be seen clearly.

There was no sign of anyone else as far as the eye could see. It seemed that entry into the Secret Realm truly did scatter everyone randomly.

’First, I’ll scout the surroundings and make sure it’s safe. Then I’ll decide what to do next.’

Liang Cheng descended from the treetop, picked a direction, and suppressed his aura completely, moving through the forest like a phantom.

His Mixed Element Gang Body flowed naturally, and his Protective Gang Qi was contained but ready to be unleashed. His ears twitched, carefully picking up every subtle sound on the wind.

Liang Cheng moved silently through the dense woods with his aura concealed. The life force in this Secret Realm was astonishingly potent; ancient trees were entwined with thick vines, and he even spotted several types of Spirit Grass that were rare in the outside world.

The Spiritual Qi permeating the air was both pure and vigorous. With every breath, the True Essence inside his body churned with activity.

After traveling for about half an hour, Liang Cheng suddenly stopped in his tracks.

In the center of a forest clearing up ahead, a peculiar little plant with azure, crystalline leaves grew quietly. A bead of spiritual light, like a dewdrop, was condensed at the tip of each leaf, emitting a crisp and refreshing aroma.

’Ice Heart Grass? Judging by the fluctuations of Spiritual Qi, it must be quite old.’

Liang Cheng recognized the Spirit Grass. It could help one focus their mind and calm their spirit, and its effects were even greater when refined into an Elixir.

His gaze then shifted to the area beside the Spirit Grass. A Demon Beast lay there, prostrate and feigning sleep with its eyes closed. It resembled a giant lizard, but its body was covered in Dark Gold scales and a single horn grew from its head.

Its aura had reached the level of Tier Four Peak. This Ice Heart Grass was clearly the treasure it was guarding.

Liang Cheng’s expression was calm as he stepped out from the trees.

The Dark Gold Horned Lizard was instantly on alert. Its lantern-sized, slitted pupils snapped open and locked onto Liang Cheng. A threatening growl rumbled in its throat as its thick tail thrashed uneasily against the ground.

Without a word, Liang Cheng shot forward, fast as lightning!

"ROAR—!"

The Horned Lizard was instantly infuriated. Despite its massive size, its body was exceptionally agile. It lunged, its cavernous maw snapping straight for Liang Cheng’s head, loosing a foul-smelling gust of wind.

At the same time, a faint Dark Gold light began to circulate around its Unicorn Horn. Liang Cheng didn’t dodge or evade. A Dark Gold Protective Gang Shield instantly appeared around him!

"CLANG!!!"

The Horned Lizard’s fangs clamped down hard on the Gang Shield, producing a loud clang of metal on metal. However, the attack only sent violent ripples across the shield’s surface; it failed to break through.

On the contrary, the backlash from the Gang Shield made the beast’s head reel.

In that same instant, Liang Cheng’s left hand shot out like a lightning-fast iron pincer, locking precisely onto the creature’s lower jaw. His vast True Essence erupted, and he forcibly slammed the massive beast’s head—dozens of feet in length—down into the ground!

At the same time, the Zhenxian Saber was already in his right hand. The blade flashed like cold moonlight as it swept horizontally, striking the weak point at the base of the creature’s Reverse Scale on its neck!

[Mountain-Breaking·Broken Mountain]

"SLICE—!"

The blade sliced through flesh and bone. The Horned Lizard’s shriek was cut short as its massive head separated from its body. Scalding, Dark Gold blood gushed forth like a fountain.

The huge, headless corpse crashed to the ground. It twitched a few times and then fell still.

The entire exchange, from start to finish, had taken less than three breaths.

Liang Cheng flicked the blood from his blade and sheathed his saber.

The light from his Mixed Element Gang Body slowly faded. An attack from a Tier Four Fierce Beast could no longer even force him back half a step.

He walked over to the Demon Beast’s corpse. A Short Sword appeared from his sleeve, and he expertly sliced open its skull to retrieve a fist-sized Demon Core.

’Excellent quality.’

Liang Cheng weighed it in his hand, then stored it away with a satisfied nod. Absorbing the energy within this Demon Core would be equivalent to several days of painstaking Cultivation.

Next, he walked over to the Ice Heart Grass. He carefully excavated the entire Spirit Grass, including the soil around its roots, and secured it within a Jade Box.

A three-hundred-year-old Ice Heart Grass was incredibly valuable. It would be an excellent choice either for his own use or for exchanging for Contribution Points back at the Main Courtyard.

After clearing the area, Liang Cheng continued on his way, his thoughts turning to Elder Huang’s Secret Transmission.

’Secret Realm Center, a tomb, a tombstone...’

’How did Elder Huang know for sure that there was a tomb here?’

’And given how specifically Elder Huang instructed me, this business must be incredibly important.’

He looked up to get his bearings. Based on the terrain he had observed from the treetop earlier, he made a rough estimate of the central region’s location. Then, his figure once again vanished into the Vast Ancient Forest.