Chapter 290: Chapter 290: Formidable Strength

The experts from the Profound Mystery Sect hesitated not because they feared the masters from the Thirteen Nations Alliance, but because of a continental decree: powerful factions were strictly forbidden from wantonly slaughtering weaker ones.

This was the primary reason the Thirteen Nations Alliance, despite its lack of strength, had managed to endure.

If these experts from the Profound Mystery Sect made a move, they could certainly suppress everyone present. However, if word of their actions reached the Dream Realm Plain, where their sect resided, and spread to the supreme Profound Domain...

...their Profound Mystery Sect would likely face severe punishment.

At this thought, the burly man immediately asked, "Elder Gale, what should we do now?"

If they were to act, they had to be prepared to either slaughter everyone present and leave no witnesses, or conceal their identities perfectly to prevent any news from getting out.

The leading elder’s eyes glinted as he frowned. "Since so many people are camped here instead of entering the Floating Light Secret Realm, the realm most likely has restrictions on entry time or the number of people. We must first find a way to determine whether the Floating Light Secret Realm is still accessible."

Many secret realms on the continent have restrictions once they open.

Some can only be entered within a specific time frame. Others have a cap on the number of entrants. Still others have age restrictions, admitting only the younger generation, while some bar entry to those who have reached a certain level of power.

Luan Hong hadn’t mentioned any of this when he passed on the information, which made them hesitate.

"That’s simple. We just need to test it. Leave it to me."

The burly man laughed heartily, slipped on a mask, and shot forward without a moment’s delay.

"Who goes there?"

The man had just rushed into the valley’s perimeter when the experts on guard spotted him.

"This is the site of the Thirteen Nations Alliance’s Floating Light Secret Realm. Sir, which of the Alliance’s kingdoms are you from?"

The man had appeared in an area guarded by a Tier Four Peak Celestial Martial Artist from the Fire Crow Kingdom, who immediately stood and barked,

"Heh heh, who I am isn’t important. But I do have a question for you." The burly man looked down on the surrounding group with a vicious grin. "Now that the Floating Light Secret Realm is open, can people still go inside?"

"Just who are you?" The Celestial Martial Artist from the Fire Crow Kingdom drew the longsword at his waist and sneered, "You’re just putting on an act. Watch me take you down."

As his voice fell, he slashed out with his sword.

The other Martial Artists from the Fire Crow Kingdom watched with smirks. ’Where did this fool come from, daring to posture in front of Commander Shen? He’s courting death.’ They were already anticipating the moment Commander Shen captured the man and tore off his mask.

The burly man shook his head, a vicious grin spreading across his face. "You brought this upon yourselves. Don’t blame me for what happens next."

His massive hand shot out, grabbing for the longsword Commander Shen had thrust forward.

’This guy dares to grab my sword with his bare hand? He’s got a death wish.’

Commander Shen sneered inwardly. He didn’t pull back his sword, instead driving it viciously toward the man’s palm. The next instant, his expression changed completely. He found that his longsword felt as if it had pierced a bog of solidified mud; it couldn’t advance an inch.

’How is this possible?’

Commander Shen was horrified. ’As a Tier Four Peak Celestial Martial Artist, I know the power of my full-strength strike! I’m afraid even a Tier Five Martial Sect expert wouldn’t dare to block it directly and would get their hand wounded. Yet this man is completely unscathed by my attack?’

A profound sense of crisis welled up in Commander Shen. With no time to hesitate, he twisted his right hand on the sword hilt, unleashing a burst of sharp Profound Power in an attempt to sever his opponent’s wrist.

But before he could execute the move, the masked, burly man flickered and appeared right in front of him. Commander Shen then felt his body being tossed into the air as if it were weightless.

Flying through the air with him was a Second Grade Soul Refiner who also hadn’t been qualified to enter the Floating Light Secret Realm.

The burly man had grabbed both of them and viciously hurled them into the seven-colored radiance emanating from the Floating Light Secret Realm. The iridescent light instantly enveloped them. Their eyes widened in terror as their bodies, bathed in the light, violently exploded and vanished into nothing.

"So it’s true, you can’t enter the secret realm anymore," the burly man from the Profound Mystery Sect muttered with a frown.

He had thrown two people—one a Martial Artist and the other a Soul Refiner—for the purpose of a comprehensive test.

The other Martial Artists and Soul Refiners from the Fire Crow Kingdom could only stare at the masked man, their faces a mixture of shock and fury. They were stunned but dared not advance.

Even Commander Shen, a Tier Four Peak expert, had been tossed into the rainbow light with ease. For them to go up there would be suicide. The man was undoubtedly an expert at the Martial Sect level or higher.

"Who is it?"

"Who dares cause trouble in the territory of our Thirteen Nations Alliance?"

The commotion immediately alerted the top experts from the major kingdoms, including masters like Chu Yunfei from the Liuyun Kingdom, who all shot out to the scene.

"Damn you! How dare you kill a disciple from my Fire Crow Kingdom! Die!"

Jiang Zheng, the top expert of the Fire Crow Kingdom, sensed the death of his kingdom’s master the moment he emerged and charged forward in a rage.

"Heh heh, I’ve stirred up the top experts of the Thirteen Nations Alliance. Time for me to go." The burly man let out a vicious laugh and, with a WHOOSH, turned and retreated rapidly.

"You’re not getting away!"

A massive flaming axe suddenly appeared in Jiang Zheng’s hands. He aimed it at the burly man and brought it down with ferocious might. A crimson, fiery aura instantly engulfed the man as terrifying Profound Power tore at his body.

The burly man snorted, swatting the giant axe with the back of his hand.

BOOM!

The imposing Jiang Zheng was sent flying backward, his feet gouging a trench dozens of meters long in the ground. He coughed, spraying a mouthful of blood.

The burly man, however, quickly vanished into the woods.

All the Martial Artists from the Fire Crow Kingdom were stunned, their faces filled with terror. They never imagined the masked man’s power would be so horrifying. Even their kingdom’s top expert, Jiang Zheng, couldn’t gain an upper hand against him.

Jiang Zheng roared, his face crimson with rage, and charged into the forest, but he found no trace of the man.

"Jiang Zheng, what happened?"

Just then, experts from the various kingdoms, led by the Celestial Gold Kingdom’s top master Qi Xian, arrived and asked in a grave tone.

Someone nearby immediately recounted the entire incident.

After listening, everyone’s expression turned grim.

They were all intelligent people, and their minds raced with possibilities.

"Everyone," Long Zhan of the Shizhen Kingdom said gravely, "given that the man asked such a question and deliberately threw Commander Shen into the rainbow light to test it, I fear he is not one of our Thirteen Nations Alliance."

Everyone nodded. Any expert from the Thirteen Nations Alliance would know the rules of the Floating Light Secret Realm and would never have asked such a question.

"Moreover, judging from the power he displayed, he is definitely a master at the Tier Five Martial Sect level."

"Could it be someone from the Shadow Killing Sect?"

someone couldn’t help but ask.

"It doesn’t seem likely. Members of the Shadow Killing Sect are stealthy, always masked, and almost all are assassins. That man’s style didn’t resemble an assassin’s at all."

"Could he be from outside the Thirteen Nations Alliance?"

Many people’s hearts sank at the thought. If it was an outsider, they could all be in grave danger.

"The Floating Light Secret Realm belongs to our Thirteen Nations Alliance. We won’t allow any other power to plunder it."

Determination hardened their expressions.

"Alright. For safety, starting now, the Martial Sect experts from our major kingdoms will patrol in shifts. We absolutely cannot let any outsiders in. If anyone is discovered, capture them immediately."

Qi Xian said coldly after a moment of contemplation, a chilling killing intent flashing in his eyes.

After leaving the valley, the burly man quickly rejoined his group.

"Elder Gale, the Floating Light Secret Realm is indeed inaccessible now."

Although he had been prepared for this outcome, seeing it confirmed that the Floating Light Secret Realm was now closed, the faces of the Profound Mystery Sect members showed their unwillingness to accept it.

"In that case, we’ll wait here. We’ll decide our next move after Luan Hong and the others come out," the lead elder said gravely.

He paid no mind to the defensive measures of the Thirteen Nations Alliance.

Inside the Floating Light Secret Realm, Ye Xuan was rapidly searching for various kinds of Spirit Medicine.

At the same time, Ye Xuan was also looking for powerful Profound Beasts suitable for his needs.

Currently, his Devouring Martial Soul had reached Three-Stars, but his Earth Martial Soul was only at Two-Stars, and his Life Martial Soul was at the most basic one star. Ye Xuan wanted to take this opportunity to raise the levels of his Earth and Life Martial Souls.

However, his Earth Martial Soul had required the Soul Crystal of a Tier Four Earth Dragon Profound Beast to break through to Two-Stars. This meant that to advance from Two-Stars to Three-Stars, he needed to absorb the soul of a Tier Five Earth Element Profound Beast.

Although the Floating Light Secret Realm teemed with Profound Beasts, finding one that met such strict requirements was extremely difficult.

As for his Life Martial Soul, Ye Xuan had an even bigger headache. Profound Beasts specializing in life-aspected abilities were exceedingly rare. He could only rely on luck.

「Ten days passed in the blink of an eye.」

Ye Xuan’s Storage Ring now held a great deal more Spirit Medicine.

With five Tier Four Demon Beasts helping him, Ye Xuan’s speed at gathering Spirit Medicine was faster than ten experts searching together.

During these ten days, Ye Xuan also constantly consolidated his cultivation, finally stabilizing his new Tier Four realm completely.

One day, just as Ye Xuan finished cultivating, a sudden RUMBLING sound reached him. He knew it was the sound of a massive Profound Beast or Demon Beast on a rampage.

Generally, Demon Beasts and Profound Beasts rarely ran like this. They only behaved this way when chasing prey or fleeing for their lives.

’I wonder if it’s the hunter or the hunted.’

As he was thinking, the rumbling grew closer. Soon, a human figure appeared in his line of sight.