CHAPTER 542: CHAPTER 0534: FIRST ATTEMPT AT HELL

Outside the Secret Realm.

Xi Yun and Lie Xiong had already ceased fighting.

What was the point of fighting?

There was nothing worth contending over.

Everyone who needed to enter had already gone inside. For the two of them to battle outside now would just be a waste of effort. They could only wonder what the elders and disciples inside would ultimately find.

"Xi Yun, let me give you some advice. When encountering such a valuable opportunity, one must know how to share. If your Purple Immortal Pavilion wishes to establish itself firmly in the Immortal Realm, you can’t afford to be so small-minded," Lie Xiong said.

Xi Yun’s face remained cold.

She hadn’t expected a dignified Immortal King Realm expert to utter words this shameless.

She ignored him.

Instead, she quietly waited.

What was happening inside the Secret Realm, and what the disciples of Purple Immortal Pavilion had gained, were matters she desperately wanted to know.

After a long time.

Fluctuations occurred at the entrance to the Secret Realm.

Xi Yun and Lie Xiong focused intently on the scene—were they about to emerge?

A figure appeared.

Soon, a second figure followed.

The elders and disciples who had entered earlier began to return one after another.

"What happened inside?"

"What happened inside?"

The sect leaders of both factions hurriedly asked, eager to learn what gains were made within.

But the disciples who emerged looked worn out, and it seemed some were missing.

They understood immediately—things hadn’t gone well.

"Pavilion Master, the Sky Demon Sect behaved despicably. After entering the Secret Realm, they attacked us. A few of our people were lost, but the fighting temporarily ceased after that. We agreed to explore deeper together, leaving our gains to be determined by fate."

"But unexpectedly, after crossing a perilous path, and encountering an Immortal Tree, they attacked us again."

This elder spoke with immense fury.

His eyes burned coldly as he glared at the members of the Sky Demon Sect, as if he wished to tear them apart.

Another elder stepped forward and added, "Pavilion Master, this Secret Realm is indeed untouched by anyone before. It is filled with Immortal Treasures. We were originally poised to obtain many of them."

"But it’s all because of the Sky Demon Sect. During the battle over the Immortal Tree, the chaos attracted a Vital Dragon residing in the Secret Realm. Its immense strength drove us all out."

When they first laid eyes on the Vital Dragon.

They were certainly excited.

The rarity of Vital Dragons was astonishing.

But for some unknown reason.

The Vital Dragon proved incredibly powerful, seemingly drawing upon some extraordinary force within the Secret Realm. It suppressed even Immortal Monarchs to the point of no retaliation, forcing everyone to flee.

Lie Xiong had initially intended to reprimand the Purple Immortal Pavilion, but upon hearing there was a Vital Dragon in the Secret Realm, his expression turned to astonishment.

Vital Dragon!

It was a prized entity.

"Lie Xiong, do you have anything else to say now? The Secret Realm clearly belongs to the territory of the Purple Immortal Pavilion, yet you intruded, snatching treasures and creating conflict. Were you planning for no one to claim anything at all?" Xi Yun asked coldly.

If her power surpassed Lie Xiong’s.

She would have already subdued him.

Lie Xiong laughed, "Ha! What a ridiculous notion. A Secret Realm appears in your territory, so you think it belongs to you? Well, since we’re standing on your territory now, does that mean we’re yours too?"

Inside the Secret Realm.

Lin Fan observed the situation unfolding outside.

The bickering was truly loud.

If only it could attract a greater crowd of prodigies—how wonderful that would be.

Back when this group was vying for the Immortal Tree in the Secret Realm, he had been eagerly watching, hoping for a ferocious fight. The fiercer, the better.

But gradually.

He noticed their intensity waning, even to the point of stopping. After a moment’s thought, he decided to provoke the Vital Dragon’s appearance, ensuring a dramatic new development.

He wanted them to realize.

The Secret Realm contained more treasures than the Immortal Tree—there was also a Vital Dragon. Didn’t that excite them?

Fishing with a long line for a big catch.

These people were really short-sighted.

The situation was heating up nicely; patience was key, however.

Outside.

Xi Yun, entirely infuriated by Lie Xiong’s shameless words, unleashed a sealing Divine Skill. A radiant light descended, sealing the entrance to the Secret Realm.

"In that case, no one is going in," she declared.

Lie Xiong coldly laughed, "Do you think I fear you?"

The moment his words ended.

He unleashed his own Divine Skill, adding another seal layer to the already sealed entrance.

With their levels of power, either of their seals could be broken, but whoever moved first would alert the other.

"Let’s go," Lie Xiong announced.

Leading his disciples away, he turned back and said, "If the Sky Demon Sect can’t obtain the treasures, don’t think the Purple Immortal Pavilion will either. I look forward to seeing how capable you are."

Inside the Secret Realm.

Lin Fan marveled at the actions of the two leaders, finding them both intriguing and amusing.

Based on various scenarios.

He could almost predict what Sect Hierarch Lie Xiong planned next.

There was no way he would let the Purple Immortal Pavilion have peace.

Surely, he’d spread word across the Immortal Realm, drawing strong cultivators from all corners. Even if the Purple Immortal Pavilion felt frustrated, there was nothing they could do.

Could they fight against so many experts?

Lin Fan’s hypothesis was entirely reasonable—indeed, Lie Xiong had precisely that in mind. He didn’t return to the Sky Demon Sect but instead personally set out to spread the news of the Secret Realm within Purple Immortal Pavilion’s territory.

The Vital Dragon was a rarity.

Enough to attract countless cultivators.

At the Purple Immortal Pavilion.

"Pavilion Master, what should we do now?" a white-bearded elder asked.

The appearance of the Secret Realm in their territory should have been a fortuitous event for the Purple Immortal Pavilion—a chance to strengthen themselves. But they hadn’t counted on the Sky Demon Sect discovering it too. Given the current situation, no one could enter for the moment.

And this predicament was not favorable for the Purple Immortal Pavilion.

Xi Yun fully understood Lie Xiong’s likely course of action.

"Notify the sects and factions allied with our Purple Immortal Pavilion. Tell them about the Secret Realm and the Vital Dragon," she instructed.

Some elders hesitated, wanting to protest.

But suddenly.

They realized her intentions.

The Pavilion Master aimed to preemptively act because Lie Xiong would inevitably spread the news. If they waited for him to do so, the Purple Immortal Pavilion might find itself in a disadvantaged position, potentially unable to access the Secret Realm at all.

It would all end up benefiting others.

"Understood, Pavilion Master. I’ll see to it immediately."

Inside the Secret Realm.

Qin Yang impatiently asked, "Brother Lin, how are our gains so far?"

By this time, they had returned to the site of their previous battle. Many participants had died here, and, due to the appearance of the Vital Dragon, those present hadn’t even taken their fallen comrades’ bodies away—an indication of the dire circumstances.

How heartless indeed.

"I’ve already accumulated two hundred thousand mana," Lin Fan answered with a grin.

He felt that his mana accumulation speed was astonishing. The Chaos Secret Realm was truly extraordinary. Given enough time, he was confident he’d become the strongest cultivator.

"That’s almost too terrifying," Qin Yang exclaimed, his disbelief evident.

If such treasures became known to others, it would surely trigger a bloody battle, one rife with pursuit and slaughter—spanning to the ends of the world.

There was no doubt the consequences would be horrifying.

"This is just the beginning. We’ll wait here without rushing," Lin Fan calmly said.

He gazed at a nearby corpse, rummaging through its possessions for anything valuable. Whether it was elixirs or treasures—everything of worth was collected.

Leaving these items in the Secret Realm could function as bait for future adventurers, bringing them excitement and joy.

What a perfect arrangement.

"Sigh, dear souls, it’s not that I don’t want to bury your bodies, but your presence here helps create an aura of danger for this place. Forgive me for leaving you out in the open."

"But don’t worry, I’m quite acquainted with the folks in Hell. Later, I’ll send them a heads-up, hoping you can reincarnate into good lives."

Lin Fan muttered thoughtfully.

However, an idea suddenly struck him.

Hell?

Indeed.

He wondered what happens to fallen Immortal Realm cultivators—could they reincarnate back into the cultivation world?

If that were possible.

Would there be a chance for them to return to the cultivation realm?

Lin Fan, accompanied by Qin Yang, continued hiding and waited. Soon, he’d test this notion, despite the potential danger involved. He planned cautiously, aiming to send a fragment of his Divine Soul into Hell to investigate.

The Yellow Springs Hell Divine Skill was immensely powerful.

With its mastery, numerous mysterious abilities could unfold.

Throughout his cultivation journey thus far, Lin Fan hadn’t encountered a Divine Skill connected to the Yellow Springs Hell.

In this moment.

Lin Fan activated the Yellow Springs Hell Divine Skill. Suddenly, the surrounding temperature dropped dramatically, and a swirling black vortex appeared before him, its depths unknowable.

He had previously sent wandering souls into this vortex, transmitting Merit Golden Light alongside them.

There had been no interactions or feedback.

Focusing intently.

A sliver of Divine Soul slowly emerged from his forehead. Just one fragment—its potential loss wouldn’t pose a serious problem.

He directed the fragment into the vortex.

Immediately.

He felt an unfamiliar and eerie energy enveloping his Divine Soul—a freezing, somber sensation that was deeply unsettling.

The darkness of the tunnel stretched endlessly.

No light was visible.

Only the sound of the wind howling past his ears.

Before long.

He noticed a glimmer ahead. If he crossed its threshold, he might discover answers to his questions.

But suddenly.

A wave of danger surged forth.

From the tunnel’s end, two black silhouettes appeared, floating eerily. Their faces were obscured, seemingly composed of black mist.

They simply hovered in place.

Lin Fan attempted to communicate, sending vibrations from his Divine Soul. But just as he prepared to speak, the dark figures erupted with piercing shrieks, unleashing a devastating force of slaughter.

Damn it!

"Wait, let’s..."

He didn’t finish speaking.

A tremendous force swept over him.

The crushing energy obliterated his Divine Soul fragment instantly.

This power was overwhelming—seemingly imbued with a sort of law.

Inside the Secret Realm.

Lin Fan’s body trembled slightly, blood trickling from the corner of his mouth, though he remained unharmed.

"What a terrifying experience."

He pondered.

He had hoped to uncover some secrets but realized he had been overly ambitious.

A harsh rejection.

Despite having bestowed good things upon the forces of Hell, they turned on him mercilessly—it felt deeply ungrateful.

His current cultivation level remained at Daluo Golden Immortal.

If he could grow even stronger, perhaps reaching the Immortal Venerate Realm, he might finally succeed in delving deeper.

After all, the oppressive energy he had sensed clearly embodied unyielding law.

Given his current foundation.

He truly lacked the means to resist.

"Brother Lin, are you alright?" Qin Yang asked.

Lin Fan waved it off. "I’m fine."

He let the matter drop.

For now, his focus returned to the exploration of the Secret Realm.