The Heaven-Stepping Sect, at the Divine Ascension Platform.

Countless disciples had gathered around the perimeter, leaving a wide-open space in the center.

Lin Hao was now standing in that open space.

Without a word, he retrieved the corpse of the Winged Python from his storage spirit ring.

"What a massive Devil Beast!" a disciple exclaimed, sucking in a sharp breath.

"What kind of Devil Beast is this? It’s like a python, but not quite, and it has two wings," another disciple asked, puzzled.

They had never seen such a Devil Beast on land.

They looked toward Wu Taichu and Elder Gu, who were standing not far from Lin Hao.

They hoped to get an answer from them.

But Wu Taichu and Elder Gu both shook their heads. They had seen countless Devil Beasts, but never one like this.

"I think... I think I’ve seen it somewhere before?" a disciple said, a thoughtful look on his face.

Lin Hao couldn’t help but glance at the disciple. This Winged Python was native to the Tongming Sea; it wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say it was exclusive to that place. ’Someone’s actually seen it before?!’

Suddenly, the disciple slapped his forehead in a moment of realization. "I remember now! Doesn’t it look like one of the creatures on a Divine Stele here? Especially from my angle."

Lin Hao’s eyes twitched. He moved to where the disciple was standing and looked from his perspective.

The sight made Lin Hao’s expression change.

He had to admit, from this disciple’s point of view, it truly did resemble one of the ferocious beasts on a Divine Stele.

That ferocious beast was none other than the Blue-winged Sea Dragon Beast!

This discovery made Lin Hao’s heart tighten.

’Could this Winged Python I hunted be a cub of the Blue-winged Sea Dragon Beast?!’

’If that’s true, then I’m in big trouble!’

However, Lin Hao quickly shook his head.

The Blue-winged Sea Dragon Beast was one of the ten great ferocious beasts of antiquity, with only a wisp of its Divine Soul remaining. This Winged Python, on the other hand, had lived for several thousand years. It couldn’t possibly be a cub of the Blue-winged Sea Dragon Beast.

But the others didn’t think so.

Especially after what that disciple had just said, many others came to a sudden realization.

Then, they all stared at Lin Hao in utter shock.

After all, the carvings on the Divine Stele were all of ancient ferocious beasts. Could it be that Lin Hao had actually hunted the cub of one?

What astonishing combat power would that require?!

One look at their faces and Lin Hao knew they had misunderstood.

But he didn’t explain, instead saying with a smile, "I have a feeling there’s treasure inside this thing, so I asked you all to come and have a look."

With that, two short blades appeared in Lin Hao’s hands.

The two blades were identical, plain and unadorned.

But if anyone were to underestimate them, they would surely pay with their life.

Because these two short blades were Tier One Spiritual Artifacts.

They had originally been Elder Gu’s weapons, who had just given them to Lin Hao.

Even Lin Hao was somewhat surprised by the craftsmanship of these Tier One Spiritual Artifacts; they were truly extraordinary.

With one in each hand, Lin Hao channeled his body’s True Essence into the short blades, then made two quick downward slashes, one after the other.

The Winged Python’s corpse was instantly sliced open.

The Winged Python’s corpse was extremely tough, but Lin Hao had already familiarized himself with its anatomy. The combination of the Spiritual Artifacts and his special True Qi produced remarkable results.

A foul-smelling black slime oozed out.

Many Martial Artists covered their noses and mouths.

Even Lin Hao frowned.

But amidst the slime, he spotted several hard objects.

Just as he was about to take a closer look, someone next to him grabbed his arm and said, "Let me."

Countless disciples were dumbfounded, because this person was the Sect Leader.

’First Brother dissects the corpse, and the Sect Leader personally helps search for treasure. This treatment is just too good.’

Wu Taichu paid no mind to what they were thinking and began to search with his full concentration.

With the Sect Leader taking action, how could the others just stand by?

The disciples closest to the carcass quickly stepped forward, fighting back the urge to vomit as they began to search.

Before long, a dozen or so dark, slick objects had been tossed to the side.

Lin Hao rubbed his hands together, barely able to contain his excitement.

In the Tongming Sea, he had hunted countless Devil Beasts. The worst of them only had one item inside, while the better ones had three or four at most. To find over a dozen inside this Winged Python was a delightful surprise.

At that moment, disciples who had been prepared beforehand began to wash the objects with water.

Soon, the items’ true forms were revealed.

Now, everyone stared at the ground. You could hear a pin drop.

After a moment, a trembling voice spoke up. "That looks like the Red Cloud Cold Crystal Stone we’ve been seeing these past few days."

"And that one... it’s just a broken spearhead, but why does it make my heart pound?"

"What’s this stone? It’s blue, and so beautiful."

"There’s also a bead over there, it’s pitch-black."

...

The surrounding disciples chattered amongst themselves.

Lin Hao could no longer hear them. In his eyes, the value of these items was simply immeasurable.

Take the broken spearhead, for instance. It was definitely part of a top-tier Spiritual Artifact.

A Tier Nine Spiritual Artifact, the closest thing to Emperor’s Soldiers.

Even the Carefree Divine Monarch couldn’t forge a Tier Nine Spiritual Artifact.

And that blue stone—it had a name: Celestial Blue Crystal Stone.

The Celestial Blue Crystal Stone was a material required for refining Emperor’s Soldiers, just as precious as the Flowing Light Divine Stone.

As for the bead, Lin Hao was even more astonished.

Because it was clearly an ordinary wooden bead.

But that was precisely what made it extraordinary.

Because an ordinary wooden bead had somehow not dissolved inside the body of a Winged Python that had lived for thousands of years!

Looking at it, Lin Hao felt an extreme sense of pressure in his heart.

But there were others who were faring even worse than him.

Wu Taichu and Elder Gu had retreated far away, their faces pale and their foreheads beaded with sweat.

They were both staring at the wooden bead, their eyes filled with deep apprehension.

Among everyone present, their cultivation levels were the highest, and their Spiritual Sense was naturally the strongest. But the pressure they felt was also far greater than what others could compare to.

That ordinary-looking wooden bead simply lay quietly on the ground, yet it emanated an aura that could make even Soul Gathering Realm experts’ hearts tremble.

"These items are of immeasurable value. You should put them away," Wu Taichu finally said from a distance.

Lin Hao looked them over, but in the end, he only took the broken spearhead, the Celestial Blue Crystal Stone, and the wooden bead.

After placing them in his storage spirit ring, Lin Hao said with a smile, "I don’t need the rest. You all can handle them."

"That won’t do. The Red Cloud Cold Crystal Stones are incredibly precious, and that other one is even more valuable," Wu Taichu refused.

But Lin Hao shook his head, took out the broken spearhead again, and said, "This spearhead alone is worth more than all of them combined."

"This is..."

"It originally belonged to a Tier Nine Spiritual Artifact!" Lin Hao answered.

BOOM!

The moment he said this, everyone, including Wu Taichu and Elder Gu, was stunned.

A Tier Nine Spiritual Artifact! That was an unimaginable existence!

"First Brother, where did you hunt this Devil Beast?" a disciple with a respectable cultivation level asked Lin Hao.

The broken spearhead had stirred the desires of countless disciples.

The allure of an item from a Tier Nine Spiritual Artifact was simply too great.

Lin Hao smiled and said, "I’ll let the Sect Leader tell you."

Wu Taichu took a deep breath and began to speak.

"Do you all know what your First Brother has been doing these past few days?" Wu Taichu started with a question.

Everyone shook their heads.

"He went to find a training ground for you all!" He knew that after making the disciples search for Lin Hao for some twenty days, many of them surely held some resentment in their hearts, even if they didn’t voice it.

Sure enough, as soon as he said this, many disciples showed looks of shame.

Wu Taichu continued, "For the past twenty days, he has risked life and limb for you, and has found an ideal training ground!"

The spirits of the disciples were instantly lifted.

"A secret realm... Here in our sect, he found a secret realm!" Wu Taichu’s voice suddenly jumped an octave, trembling with excitement.

A secret realm!

Those three words held a magical power.

Because they represented endless possibilities!

Upon hearing this, every single person’s face lit up with excitement.

"This Devil Beast was hunted in that secret realm. I had originally intended to keep the realm a secret, but your First Brother selflessly insisted on opening it to everyone. As long as you are a Sect Disciple, you will have the chance to enter the secret realm to train!"

Wu Taichu was tirelessly building up Lin Hao’s prestige.

After a moment of silence, the scene erupted in thunderous applause.

"Long live First Brother!"

Someone shouted it first.

Then, more and more voices joined in.

That wasn’t all. They swarmed toward Lin Hao, intending to toss him into the air without another word.

As for the filth on the ground, they no longer cared.

But Lin Hao’s body was incredibly heavy; even with several people working together, they couldn’t budge him an inch.

In the end, not having the heart to disappoint them, Lin Hao secretly activated his Cultivation Technique and allowed them to lift him.

"Alright, alright, I will now make the arrangements for entering the secret realm." Wu Taichu watched with a smile from the side, only speaking up after they had had their fun.

At these words, everyone immediately fell silent, ready to listen attentively.

Lin Hao stood in the crowd, extremely bored, when suddenly his gaze froze.

On the ground, there was a piece of a sheepskin scroll.

It was still covered in some of the black slime.

’This must have also been inside the Winged Python’s stomach. It just wasn’t hard, so no one noticed it earlier,’ he thought.

Out of curiosity, Lin Hao picked it up.

One look, and Lin Hao was somewhat shocked.

This torn corner of the sheepskin scroll seemed to depict a piece of a map.

’To be swallowed by the Winged Python and remain intact for thousands of years... it must be an extraordinary item.’

After a moment’s thought, Lin Hao put it away.

Then, he too began to listen to Wu Taichu’s arrangements.

Throughout the speech, Lin Hao, like everyone else, nodded frequently.

Wu Taichu’s arrangements were very reasonable.

Based on Lin Hao’s recommendation, each batch of disciples entering the Tongming Sea would be limited to five hundred people.

After the first group of disciples was selected, a Hall Master led them away to prepare.

Then, after Wu Taichu offered a few words of encouragement, the remaining disciples also departed one after another.

Because the order of entry into the secret realm was determined by cultivation level.

Who wouldn’t want to enter the secret realm sooner?

One could almost imagine every single disciple of the Heaven-Stepping Sect starting to cultivate with renewed diligence.

"Master, where did the turtle egg go?" After the crowd had left, Lin Hao asked Wu Taichu.

Ever since he returned to the sect, not only was the turtle egg missing, but neither Lord Lingdi nor Xiaojiu had shown themselves either.

Just now, while looking at the Winged Python’s corpse, the thought of using it to make a snake soup had flashed through Lin Hao’s mind.

The corpse of a several-thousand-year-old Devil Beast, stewed into a soup with Spirit Grass, would be an incredible tonic.

And speaking of Spirit Grass, Lin Hao naturally thought of the turtle egg, which was why he asked.

As soon as he asked the question, a strange expression appeared on Wu Taichu’s face.

"Martial Grand-uncle, the divine turtle... it’s been sleeping for many days."

Wu Taichu’s odd expression didn’t change.

"Master, why that expression?" Lin Hao asked, confused.

"Don’t even mention it. Ever since it came to the sect, it’s caused nothing but chaos. To this day, Lord Lingdi still doesn’t dare to leave her courtyard."

Lin Hao recalled the scene when the turtle egg met Lord Lingdi and couldn’t help but chuckle. Then he asked, "So she’s met her match."

"More than her match. I don’t know what kind of Demon Technique that divine turtle used, but it’s made Xiaojiu completely obedient. Now Xiaojiu stands guard in front of Lord Lingdi’s courtyard every day, so Lord Lingdi can’t even step outside. Last time, I wanted to ask her to divine your whereabouts, but she thought I was sent by the divine turtle too."

A slight smile touched the corners of Lin Hao’s mouth.

Wu Taichu’s eyes glinted. ’Looks like the divine turtle is in for some bad luck,’ he thought.