"Secret Realm Rules: Five Heaven Qi Tokens, five Earth Qi Tokens—only those who possess both may enter."
"Secret Realm Rules: Outside the realm, guardian spiritual pressure equals twenty-five times the intensity of a hundred wisps of spiritual energy."
…These were the rules Lu Fan crafted when constructing the Hidden Realm of Wolong Ridge, spending ten points of soul strength in the process. He also instructed Lü Mu to spread word of the first rule: Without the Heaven and Earth Qi Tokens, one cannot step into the realm.
So then—what do these four intend?
Atop the jade tower on Heartlake Isle, Lu Fan toyed with a chess piece, his expression indifferent. On the Spirit Pressure Chessboard, lines of spiritual energy outlined the shape of Wolong Ridge's mountainous terrain. Five li beyond the barrier, four figures advanced slowly.
"Xiang Shaoyun… truly a man of unyielding temperament," Lu Fan muttered, the corner of his lips twitching.
He took a sip of green plum wine and placed a black stone.
In that instant, the heavens and earth seemed to shift. Spiritual pressure stored within the barrier erupted violently.
"I, Lu Fan, am generous in temper—so I grant you a chance to challenge the rules..."
"But if you fail—then you die."
He murmured thoughtfully, then raised his wine cup.
"Xiao Ni, pour me another."
…
Beyond Wolong Ridge, the four approached like vessels navigating a storm, calm in bearing, unfazed by the oppressive pressure around them.
Mo Shougui, a handsome young noble, bore a gaze that seemed to speak. His lips were red, his teeth white, his demeanor arrestingly refined. Eyes narrowing at Xiang Shaoyun's back, he observed intently.
Aside from the various schools and grandmasters, only Xiang Shaoyun and Li Sansi could command Mo Shougui's attention.
He knew Xiang well—the Mo Clan had long supported the Xiang lineage. He and Xiang had grown up together.
Before age ten, Mo Shougui had lived in Xiang's shadow. But past that age, unwilling to remain second, he left for the Western Commandery. There, he studied under countless masters, learning from every school until his name rivaled Xiang's.
As he stared, the massive cocoon-like "Divine Shell" ahead suddenly trembled, faint streams of azure energy bursting from within.
"What is that?" Mo Shougui inhaled sharply. Despite all his travels and learnings, he had never witnessed such a phenomenon.
Could this truly be the Immortal Fate the Tianji School prophesied?
Nearby, Li Sansi raised a brow, white robes billowing, surprise and curiosity dancing in his eyes.
As for Xiang Shaoyun, he radiated unrestrained joy.
Spiritual energy—it truly was!
One strand, two, three... at a glance, there were at least a thousand wisps!
If he could absorb them all, he would surely shatter the shackles restraining his strength.
Scholar Kong Nanfeng, bearing his book-laden pack, wiped sweat from his brow, his eyes sharp.
"His Majesty and my teacher spoke true—such arcane wonders truly exist in this world. Heaven and Earth Qi… it could reshape the balance of all under heaven."
Motivated, the four quickened their pace.
None of them carried the Heaven or Earth Qi Tokens; truthfully, each harbored intentions of competing against the others.
Xiang Shaoyun took a step forward, finally entering within one li of the pressure barrier.
Mo Shougui and Kong Nanfeng followed, enduring the mounting pressure.
Only Li Sansi remained on horseback—rather, bullback. He continued forward astride his azure ox, unmoved even by the burden of the realm.
Then, a crisp click resounded through the air, as if a chess piece had been placed.
A ripple of invisible energy surged outward from within the spiritual pressure barrier.
Boom!
Xiang Shaoyun's towering frame was struck directly, his eyes blazing, a roar erupting from his throat. His body crackled with sound, internal forces surging like a wild river, making him seem a divine warlord.
He leaned forward, his eyes bloodshot, but still standing.
"Immortal might…?"
"No one shall bar me from my destiny!"
He growled, beast-like.
A prodigy—hammering a Grandmaster at six, breaking into the Fifth Resonance at ten, and standing unrivaled by fifteen.
His path was one of endless pursuit and martial transcendence.
With each of Lu Fan's distant moves, the pressure of the barrier escalated.
Twenty-five times the force of a hundred wisps of spiritual energy—comparable to five black stones stacked in power.
No mortal could endure such might.
Boom, boom, boom!
Xiang Shaoyun's feet sank into the earth, which cracked beneath him. Yet he held firm, refusing to be flung or flattened.
Elsewhere, Mo Shougui also faced the onslaught.
His sword at his waist leapt to the sky and struck the ground, trying to anchor him—but even so, the pressure bent its blade to the verge of snapping.
He had not expected such terror to erupt so suddenly.
Sweat drenched his brow as he raised his head toward the cocoon of energy.
Suddenly—he saw it.
Faintly, pressed against the surface of the "Divine Shell," a figure could be seen, peering out with wide, unblinking eyes.
There was someone inside the immortal relic?
Mo Shougui's heart clenched.
Then, another burst of spiritual pressure struck.
Splurt!
Blood spurted from his mouth as he collapsed, prostrating entirely.
With his face pressed against the earth, he roared:
"Give me—the Earth Qi Token!"
He was afraid.
Before divine wrath, before the irresistible force of godlike might—he chose surrender.
Swish!
A black token whistled through the air, tossed by a Mo Clan expert. It landed beside him.
Grasping the Earth Qi Token—
Boom!
The pressure vanished, like a chain unshackled.
A sense of boundless freedom overtook him—like a fish leaping in the vast sea, or a bird soaring through endless sky.
Clutching the token tightly, Mo Shougui turned toward the Divine Shell, his eyes burning ever brighter.
On the other side, Li Sansi was in dire straits.
His ox had collapsed at the first touch of pressure, throwing him violently to the ground.
The crushing force threatened to tear apart his organs.
He drew his wooden sword, letting his blood surge—but it wasn't enough.
So he too surrendered—howling toward the outside world, abandoning all pretense of grace or poise.
For if he did not, he would be crushed alive.
Five li away, a Daoist nun descended like a drifting petal.
Hearing Li Sansi's desperate cry, she expressionlessly tossed a white jade token—Heaven Qi Token.
The onlookers were stunned.
She was none other than Li Sansi's younger sister—the second seat of the Daoist Sect, Li Sansui.
Though she preferred her Daoist title: Mochou.
Scholar Kong Nanfeng had already pleaded for help—sooner, even, than the others.
The moment the pressure erupted, he had cried out, and Mo Tianyu had answered, tossing him a Heaven Qi Token.
With tokens in hand, the three no longer felt the crushing force—but their hearts were a storm.
This immortal relic… unlike the fabricated tales of the Yin-Yang School, held true substance.
Just now, in that moment, they had felt death approaching.
Now—
Only Xiang Shaoyun remained alone, bearing the full brunt.
All eyes watched, breathless, as he trembled before the Divine Shell, feet buried deep into the earth.
The warriors of Western Liang looked on, faces fervent.
This was their Overlord. Their undefeated king.
…
Northern Luo, Heartlake Isle.
"How amusing," Lu Fan chuckled in his tower. "Even back at the Daoist Platform, he insisted on enduring. Very well—let's see how long you can last."
Another sip of green plum wine.
Another black stone placed.
As he moved, clouds above the tower churned, and waves rippled across Heartlake's waters.
…
Wolong Ridge. Before the barrier.
Splurt!
Xiang Shaoyun's pupils dilated. Blood streamed from his mouth and nose. The mountain-like pressure sought to crush him utterly.
His spine began to bend.
His knees trembled, shaking violently.
Bang!
He could endure no longer.
With a roar, his knees smashed into the ground, splitting the earth.
In that moment, the world fell into silence—as though time itself had stopped.
Five li away, not a single sound.
All were stunned.
The Tyrant—had kneeled.
A slender figure appeared amidst the crowd, her gauzy robes fluttering, face filled with grief and worry.
"Shaoyun!"
Luo Mingsang cried, hurling the Heaven Qi Token with a surge of blood energy.
Xiang Shaoyun lowered his head.
Then suddenly—he raised his hand to catch it…