"Isn't it true that the Xuantian Secret Realm only has a fifty percent survival rate? That's truly terrifying!"

"That's for sure, but those who come out alive are bound to receive great fortune. It's said that the youths who survived the last round now have cultivation levels no lower than the Spirit Severing Initial Stage!"

"Really? In just five years, they've managed to cultivate to the Spirit Severing Stage? That's simply incredible!"

"Indeed, you must realize that cultivators at the Spirit Severing Stage are considered capable of leaving the Sect behind. They could even establish a new sect elsewhere!"

"It's truly enticing! But unfortunately, there are far too few slots available to enter the Xuantian Secret Realm, only six, to be exact. If there were a few more, no matter how dangerous it is, I would strive to enter! After all, obtaining fortunes in this secret realm could save you decades of effort..."

"Yes, indeed... too few slots available..."

"..."

For a moment, the crowd was abuzz with discussions. Among them, there were several figures that Ding Fan found familiar, particularly the young cultivator from the Gaoyuan Sect who had competed with him, and the burly youth from the Qinghe Sect. The burly youth defeated by Ding Fan was named Leng Jian, the most outstanding disciple of the Qinghe Sect, and among all the outstanding youths of the thirty-six caves, Leng Jian was indeed a prominent existence.

There were quite a few eyes focused on Leng Jian at the moment, not as many as those on the youth in blue, but still among the most watched. However, unlike the youth in blue who exuded confidence and pride, Leng Jian's face was shrouded in gloom, his heart full of depression.

Leng Jian frequently glanced at the Qinghe Sect's Sect Master on the platform, who looked out of place among the many sect masters of the thirty-six caves, appearing very somber. This Sect Master was also Leng Jian's master, and Leng Jian couldn't help but feel angry and pained, knowing that his master wouldn't have ended up like this if it weren't for him.

However, the person Leng Jian ultimately blamed the most was Ding Fan. Had Ding Fan not defeated him, had Ding Fan not caused the Qinghe Sect to lose a year's worth of cultivation resources, his master wouldn't be in this pitiful state, looking so heartbroken. Leng Jian occasionally looked around, seemingly searching for Ding Fan's whereabouts.

But his eyes quickly showed a hint of resignation, knowing that Ding Fan, being the Lake Master's brother, would not appear on this square. Seeking revenge on someone like him was no easy task. After all, Ding Fan was the Lake Master's brother, whom even his own master had to respect and bow to.

Still, Leng Jian didn't completely give up his hatred for Ding Fan, especially when he saw his master looking so disheartened. Out of love for his master, he hated Ding Fan more. Having been raised by his master from a young age and growing under his master's meticulous guidance, Leng Jian had achieved remarkable accomplishments, even standing out among the exceptional youths of the thirty-six caves, all thanks to his master.

Leng Jian still vividly remembered his master's passion for the sect, his former cheerful smile often flashing in his mind. But now, seeing his master in such a state, how could his heart not ache!

"Ding Fan! Even if you are the Lake Master's brother, I will avenge my master. Someday, my strength will surpass yours. I hope you leave no chance for me to kill you!"

Leng Jian's eyes were filled with fierce intent as he angrily thought to himself.

The cultivators around Leng Jian couldn't help but feel an overwhelming and chilling killing intent, causing them to pause momentarily before subtly moving away from him. Though they didn't understand why Leng Jian exuded such intense hostility, they still distanced themselves.

Clearly, Leng Jian's strength was something the nearby cultivators couldn't contend with...

...

"The Lake Master and the Great Elder have arrived!"

Suddenly, someone in the crowd shouted, and everyone directed their gaze toward the platform, their hearts filled with excitement. It was their first time seeing the so-called Lake Master, the figure who presided over all of the thirty-six caves!

At that moment, Long Ren, Ding Fan, and the Great Elder entered the square together. On the platform, when people saw Long Ren and his companions approaching, they stood up respectfully. The disciples in the square also wore expressions of reverence, not daring to utter a word.

However, many were curious about the cultivator beside the Lake Master. Clearly, they were very intrigued by Ding Fan. His age was comparable to theirs, and in some cases, some were even older than Ding Fan.

The crowd was extremely curious about Ding Fan. Seeing so many cultivators in the square, even the Heart Sect was somewhat surprised. Ding Fan was aware that climbing up to this Giant Peak wasn't an easy feat. He hadn't expected so many young cultivators from the thirty-six caves to climb up here. With a simple glance, Ding Fan was surprised to find a few cultivators at the Nascent Soul Late Stage, and most of the remaining ones were Emergence Stage cultivators.

Ding Fan felt a trace of astonishment. Even in a Great Sect with deep foundations lasting centuries, few of their best disciples would reach the Nascent Soul Late Stage, and there wouldn't be so many Emergence Stage cultivators either. This left Ding Fan in shock.

The strength of the thirty-six caves indeed exceeded Ding Fan's expectations, though he could understand it. These thirty-six caves essentially represented thirty-six sects, inevitably including some Great Gate Sects. Not many forces in the Donglai Continent could compare with the thirty-six caves, and Ding Fan believed that in the entire Cultivation World, the strength of the thirty-six caves could rank among the top.

"Please, big brother."

At this moment, Long Ren was inviting his big brother Ding Fan to take a seat first. Ding Fan, without any hesitation, sat down right away.

Among the thirty-six sect masters, some had not recognized Ding Fan's identity. However, after hearing Long Ren call him big brother, they immediately understood that this was the big brother of the Lake Master. They couldn't help but admire in their hearts how brilliant the Lake Master's Facial Transformation Technique was!

Even these old figures at the Spirit Severing Stage were deceived. The Lake Master's big brother truly is extraordinary.

Upon realizing Ding Fan's identity, the faces of the thirty-six sect masters were filled with smiles directed at Ding Fan, obviously very grateful to him. If it weren't for Ding Fan breaking the Wild Wolf Gang's formation last time, they might not be sitting here today and would have long since joined King Yama.

As Big Brother Ding Fan took his seat, Long Ren also sat next to him, followed by the others behind all taking their seats. At this moment, a middle-aged sect master approached Long Ren and said:

"Lake Master, the disciples have all gathered. Shall we begin the selection competition?"

"Wait a moment. I have something to announce," Long Ren immediately waved his hand in denial.

The sect master immediately agreed and then respectfully stepped back. At this moment, Long Ren, feeling a slight sense of satisfaction, looked at the disciples in the square below and then stood up directly.

The thirty-six sect masters, seeing the Lake Master stand up, quickly followed suit, clearly understanding that the Lake Master was about to make an announcement.

"I am delighted to see such outstanding cultivators from the Thirty-Six Caves coming here. As the Lake Master, I welcome you all."

With a hint of a grateful smile in his eyes, Long Ren spoke to everyone.

Upon hearing the Lake Master's words, everyone suddenly felt a bit more relaxed. Originally, they thought the Lake Master would be a very stern person, but surprisingly, he was so approachable. Among them, some female disciples glimpsed an expression of admiration on their faces when they looked at Long Ren.

For these female cultivators, they never expected that the prestigious leader of the Thirty-Six Caves would be such a young man. It made them find it hard to believe that he was truly the Lake Master of the Thirty-Six Caves. However, observing the sect masters behind him showing such respectful manners forced them to believe it.

At the same time, they couldn't help but develop a slight admiration for the Lake Master since Long Ren was incredibly handsome and outstanding. It would indeed be strange if no female cultivators admired him! Ding Fan noticed the glimmers of affection from those female cultivators toward his brother Long Ren and felt a little helpless for his brother from the Heart Sect.

At this moment, Long Ren continued speaking to everyone, going over the rules for the selection competition. Although many were already aware, Long Ren reiterated them once more.

Ding Fan took this as an opportunity to refresh his understanding of the competition's rules, which, for him, posed no difficulty.

After briefly explaining the competition matters, Long Ren turned to the thirty-six sect masters and said:

"There is another matter I need to discuss with you all. My big brother will be participating in this selection competition as well. He has saved us in the past; thus, we must repay him. But to keep it fair for our disciples, he will participate just like any other participant. If he secures a position in the top six, he'll be allowed to enter the Xuantian Secret Realm. Does anyone have any objections?"

The thirty-six sect masters were momentarily taken aback by Long Ren's words, not expecting the Lake Master's big brother to take part in the selection competition. Though the opportunity to enter the secret realm was incredibly valuable to the Thirty-Six Caves, they understood Long Ren's reasoning. After all, the Lake Master's big brother had saved them all at the previous gathering; without his presence, none of them might have had the chance to be sitting here again.

Moreover, the Lake Master didn't simply give his big brother a spot; instead, he wanted him to participate in the selection competition. The sect masters saw it was a fair decision, acknowledging that although the young man was the Lake Master's big brother, they really didn't know what his true capabilities were.

All they knew was that he was quite adept at breaking formations, probably an expert in Array Refining. And even though this big brother, as referred by the Lake Master, seemed to be roughly the same age as the Lake Master himself, they knew that the Lake Master was unlike anyone else, a truly exceptional existence.

The young man's True Qi fluctuations didn't seem particularly strong, leading everyone to doubt whether this so-called big brother was indeed very formidable.

Allowing him to participate in the selection competition was one thing, but whether he could secure a position in the top six was uncertain. After all, the disciples under the thirty-six sect masters were all top talents, each with extraordinary strengths, and many were at the Nascent Soul Late Stage. For the big brother to achieve a top-six ranking would not be an easy feat.

Furthermore, this selection competition was of an extraordinary level of difficulty.

Therefore, they wholeheartedly agreed with Long Ren, acknowledging that since the Lake Master's big brother had indeed saved them all, letting him participate in the selection competition was only fair. However, whether he could enter the secret realm was another matter entirely!