In Fengming Valley, the atmosphere was so tense it could be wrung out like water.

Disciples from various sects stood in distinct groups, their eyes fixed intently on the white jade stone gate slowly rising in the center of the valley. The gate was covered in ancient runes, emitting a heart-palpitating pressure.

"The entrance to the core of the Secret Realm!" someone shouted excitedly.

"Look! There is a Restriction on the gate!" another person exclaimed.

Fang Hao stood in the Azure Cloud Sect’s group, squinting as he examined the stone gate. He activated his Clear Spring Spirit Eyes and could clearly see the light of the Formation flowing across the gate—it was so complex it made one’s scalp tingle.

"This Restriction... is not simple," he muttered to himself.

Liang Ling said softly, "It is an ancient Formation, extremely difficult to break."

Lin Wan leaned over and whispered, "Junior Brother Ning, can you break it?"

Fang Hao shook his head, "I’ll have to try to find out."

At this moment, an old man in red robes from the Chiyang Sect stepped forward and said arrogantly, "A mere ancient Formation, watch the Chiyang Sect break it!"

He formed seals with both hands, and a fire Talisman flew out, striking directly at the stone gate!

"Boom!" Fire splashed everywhere, but the stone gate didn’t budge. Instead, it rebounded a wave of fire, scaring the old man into dodging in a sorry state.

The crowd laughed, "Is that all the Chiyang Sect is capable of?"

"Embarrassing!"

Then, a black-robed Cultivator from the Xuan Ming Cult stepped forward and sneered, "Move aside! Watch my Xuan Ming secret Formation-breaking technique!"

He offered up a black banner, and amidst the sounds of ghosts wailing and wolves howling, several streams of black Qi shot out. The black Qi coiled around the stone gate, but it was like a clay ox entering the sea—completely useless.

"Useless!" Bao Zhijian sneered and strode forward, "Move aside! Let me do it!"

He unleashed his full power as a Late Foundation Establishment Stage Cultivator and slashed out with his sword! The sword light was like a rainbow, with an astonishing Aura!

"Clang!" The sound of metal hitting stone was deafening! Yet the stone gate remained intact; instead, the recoil caused the webbing between Bao Zhijian’s thumb and index finger to split, and he staggered back several steps.

"How is this possible!" Bao Zhijian’s face turned livid.

Next, experts from various sects took turns, using lightning techniques, ice arts, poison techniques... all sorts of attacks were directed at the stone gate, but all returned without success. The stone gate was like a stingy iron rooster, not yielding a single hair.

Fang Hao observed carefully and discovered that after each attack, the runes on the stone gate would light up a bit more, seemingly absorbing the energy of the attacks.

"This Formation... is it absorbing attacks to strengthen itself?" he thought thoughtfully.

Liang Ling also saw the clue, "Forced attacks won’t work; they will only make the Restriction stronger."

Lin Wan said anxiously, "Then what should we do? We can’t just stand here and watch!"

At this moment, an old voice sounded, "Everyone, I have a word."

Everyone looked over; it was a white-haired Formation Master from the neutral sect, the Tianji Pavilion.

"This is the ’Myriad Phenomena Returning to Origin Formation’. Forced attacks are useless and will only cause harm. We must use skill to overcome force, find its Formation Eye, and use a Formation to break the Formation."

Bao Zhijian said impatiently, "Speak plainly!"

The Old Formation Master was not annoyed and said calmly, "It means finding the weakness of the Formation and using specific methods to break it."

Everyone looked at each other. They understood the principle, but who knew where the weakness was?

Fang Hao’s heart stirred, and he quietly activated the Ethereal Art. His spatial perception expanded, carefully probing the stone gate.

Suddenly, he sensed a subtle spatial fluctuation in the lower left corner of the stone gate!

"There..." Fang Hao narrowed his eyes, "there is a hidden Formation Eye!"

But he didn’t make it known. The nail that sticks out gets hammered down; he would observe the situation first.

Sure enough, soon a few other Formation Masters also discovered the anomaly and tried to break it one after another.

A female Formation Master played a jade zither, and sound waves rushed directly at the Formation Eye. The stone gate vibrated once, then returned to calm.

A fat Cultivator scattered copper coins to set up a Formation, golden light flickering, but still couldn’t break it.

"Let me try!" Bao Zhijian stepped forward again, attacking the Formation Eye with all his might.

"Boom!" A greater rebounding force struck, and Bao Zhijian was sent flying, vomiting blood!

"Idiot!" The Old Formation Master shook his head, "I already said you can’t use forced attacks!"

Fang Hao observed for a long time and had an idea. This Formation Eye needed a specific frequency of spiritual power fluctuation to be activated.

He quietly said to Liang Ling, "Senior Sister, I need to try."

Liang Ling nodded, "Be careful."

Fang Hao walked forward, immediately attracting a crowd’s gaze.

"A kid from the Azure Cloud Sect? A Foundation Establishment Early Stage daring to embarrass himself?"

"Overestimating himself!"

Bao Zhijian sneered even more, "Fang Hao, get lost! Don’t embarrass yourself!"

Fang Hao ignored them, holding his breath and focusing, slowly pressing both hands onto the stone gate.

He activated the Ethereal Art, slowly injecting seven types of spiritual power, carefully sensing the Formation’s response. Just like picking a lock, he slowly searched for that correct "frequency".

Time passed minute by minute, and the stone gate had no reaction.

Someone became impatient, "Can you do it or not? If not, change people!"

"Playing tricks!"

Bao Zhijian mocked even more, "Trash is trash!"

Fang Hao turned a deaf ear, his entire focus immersed in breaking the Formation. Fine sweat seeped from his forehead; this was harder than he had imagined.

Suddenly, he sensed a resonance! Now is the time!

"Open!" Fang Hao gave a low shout, and his spiritual power frequency adjusted instantly!

"Hum—" The stone gate emitted a soft hum, and the Formation Eye in the lower left corner lit up with a soft white light!

"Did he succeed?!" the crowd exclaimed.

But soon the white light dimmed, and the stone gate returned to its original state.

"Tsk! A wasted joy!"

"And I thought he was so amazing!"

Fang Hao was not discouraged; instead, he revealed a smile. He had found the method!

He tried again, this time more skillfully. The seven types of spiritual power cycled, rising and falling like a musical melody.

"Hum... hum..." The stone gate continued to hum softly, and the Formation Eye grew brighter and brighter!

Suddenly, a second Formation Eye lit up in the upper right corner! Then the third, the fourth...

In the blink of an eye, all eight Formation Eyes were activated! The stone gate vibrated violently, and the runes flowed like a galaxy!

"It’s opening!" the crowd rejoiced.

But just at this moment, an unexpected change occurred! The eight Formation Eyes suddenly shot out chains of light, weaving into a complex pattern in the air!

"There is a second layer of Restriction!" the Old Formation Master exclaimed.

The chains of light formed a three-dimensional Formation diagram, slowly rotating, immensely profound.

"This is... the Zhou Tian Star Dou Formation!" The Old Formation Master’s face was solemn, "It’s even harder to break!"

The crowd was dumbfounded. They had finally broken the first layer, and now another one came?

Bao Zhijian said angrily, "Are you playing with us!"

Fang Hao’s eyes lit up. This Star Dou Formation secretly corresponded to the Profound Truth of the Ethereal Art!

He stepped forward again, fully activating the Ethereal Art, sensing the spatial nodes of the Star Dou Formation.

"What is he doing?" someone asked in confusion.

"Putting on an act!"

Fang Hao pressed both hands virtually onto the Formation diagram, and his spiritual power probed in like silk. This time he was even more careful, as if walking on thin ice.

Time passed, and the Formation diagram had no reaction. Even Liang Ling frowned slightly.

Suddenly, Fang Hao had a flash of inspiration and combined the Ethereal Art with the Myriad Manifestations Heaven Swallowing Art! He injected the seven types of spiritual power in a specific sequence!

"Hum—" The Star Dou Formation suddenly shone brightly! All the chains of light danced as if they had come to life!

"It’s opening! It’s opening!" the crowd was extremely excited.

But the next moment, the chains of light suddenly contracted, turning into a ball of light that swallowed Fang Hao!

"Senior Brother Ning!" Lin Wan screamed.

Liang Ling’s face also changed.

Inside the ball of light, Fang Hao felt the world spinning, and countless pieces of information flooded into his mind!

"This is... a Formation Legacy?!" He was both surprised and happy.

Outside, the crowd saw the light ball flickering, but didn’t know what was happening.

Bao Zhijian sneered, "Asking for it! Serves him right!"

But soon, the light ball dissipated, and Fang Hao stood in place safe and sound, with an extra jade tablet in his hand.

The stone gate made a rumbling sound and slowly opened a crack!

"Success!" The crowd was ecstatic, scrambling and pushing to rush toward the stone gate!

But the stone gate only opened a crack about a foot wide and then stopped; inside, rays of light filled the air, making it unclear to see.

"Why did it only open this much?" someone complained.

"Squeeze in, we can get in."

Bao Zhijian took the lead, "Get lost. Let me go in first."

But just as he approached the stone gate, he was bounced back by the rosy light! Others who tried were the same!

"There’s still a Restriction?!" The crowd was dumbfounded.

The Old Formation Master observed for a moment and pondered, "It seems a specific token is needed to enter..."

Everyone’s eyes turned in unison to look at the jade tablet in Fang Hao’s hand.

Fang Hao silently put away the jade tablet, looking innocent.

The core of the Secret Realm was right before their eyes, yet they were stuck at this final step. Everyone’s heart was in their throat.