Chapter 27: Gathering

As the voice echoed, an elder emerged from the woods nearby. He appeared to be around fifty, with a tuft of goatee on his chin and wore clothes of a simple, ancient style, somewhat worn with age. His eyes brimmed with admiration, and his smile seemed sincere and heartfelt. Several young people accompanied him, their attire much newer and similar to that of the others present.

Secret Realm dwellers!

Almost instantly, everyone present made their first judgment about the newcomers. Though there were over a thousand who had entered, and not everyone had met each other, the aura of these people was distinctly different. Particularly, the elder's clothing was long out of fashion in the outside world.

Xiao Qi swallowed with difficulty, wishing he could slap himself. Why couldn't he keep his mouth shut? What was the point of showing off for no reason? Though these people appeared friendly, who could truly know their intentions? This was the Secret Realm, and they were the ones who had chosen to remain, refusing to leave. They need not abide by the rules or laws of the outside world. Even if they killed everyone here and strode away, no one outside could do anything about it.

They knew the terrain better, had more time at their disposal. Secret Realm dwellers could roam the safe zones freely, unconcerned about the passage of time. For outsiders, unless they wished to stay indefinitely, who wouldn't worry about being unable to leave?

The elder approached with a smile, gazing at the crowd, seemingly moved. "So many years have passed in a blink, and today's youth are truly delightful. Don’t worry, I mean you no harm. When I first came here, I was your age—a young man myself!"

His demeanor was so amicable that the group felt somewhat reassured, though the young people beside him showed far less warmth in their gaze. They scrutinized everyone, lingering particularly on the young and pretty women, especially Qian Qianxue and her companions. But perhaps out of respect for the elder, the young Secret Realm dwellers said nothing.

The elder looked at Xiao Qi and said, "There is indeed a vast underground palace here, but it is extremely dangerous. We have tried to enter several times, all ending in failure. I did not expect that among this batch of trial-takers, there would be an expert in this field."

He smiled, "You need not worry. The outside world paints Secret Realm dwellers as fearsome, born enemies, but in truth, I was once an outsider myself. I have family and friends out there, and my moral bottom line isn’t so low as to harm you young people."

"Of course, there are certainly treasures within the underground palace, without a doubt!" The elder’s tone deepened. "If fortune allows us to enter, I promise—whoever finds something, it belongs to them! If anyone tries to steal from another, I will stand by you!"

The young people exchanged uncertain glances, unsure how much truth there was in his words. No one dared believe completely.

"Let's do this. If we get inside, we will act separately. You may leave with any treasures you find; no one will stop you," the elder said kindly. "Don’t think too badly of Secret Realm dwellers. We are not demons, but human, just like you. Judging by appearances, everyone here is probably from Huaxia, right? We share the same ancestors. Just like those alien returnees to the mother planet—are they not human? There are good and bad among them, too."

Song Yue saw that the elder would not leave, so they had two choices: pretend they couldn’t enter the palace and leave, trusting the elder wouldn’t attack them outright as some previous Secret Realm dwellers had. Or believe the elder’s words and explore the underground palace together, letting the finder keep their discovery.

He wasn’t inclined to trust, but he was reluctant to abandon the palace. Especially as the Taixu Heaven-Pen Monument he carried kept urging him toward the entrance. If he missed this chance, he’d have to wait another sixty years.

He glanced at the frustrated Xiao Qi and asked quietly, "Are you confident we can get inside?"

Xiao Qi gave a bitter smile and shook his head, "Brother, I’m just a kid. How could I guarantee such a thing?"

Now he remembers he’s just a kid?

Song Yue shot him a look, then turned to the elder and saluted, "We naturally trust senior’s goodwill, but cannot guarantee entry into the underground palace."

The elder waved his hand, smiling, "No matter. We’ve waited decades; a little longer won’t matter. If you can sense something unusual here, you must have true ability. If, in the end, you still can’t get in, it is simply not our fate—no need to force it or be disappointed."

Having said so much, there was nothing more to say. They nodded and followed the elder toward the palace entrance.

With the elder present, Xiao Qi no longer needed to show off his expertise. The group climbed the mountain before them, crossed two more peaks, and finally arrived at a quiet lakeside surrounded by mountains. Some students from the Academy of Cultivation, lacking in stamina, were exhausted—almost panting like dogs to cool off. This intense trek through the mountains was too much for them; thankfully, they had arrived. One more peak, and some would have quit on the spot.

The young Secret Realm dwellers accompanying the elder watched with faint disdain, clearly looking down on these outsiders. Outsiders were weak indeed! After establishing a foundation, a cultivator’s physique improves greatly, their bodies rivaling martial masters. But how many can truly cross that threshold? These Secret Realm-born young cultivators had stamina comparable to warriors, easily able to trek through mountains without stopping.

They couldn’t understand why their master would bring this group to the palace entrance. They’d tried for decades without success—could these weak outsiders really open it?

When the elder finally led them through dense shrubs by the lakeshore to a certain spot, they discovered many people had already gathered there! Some faces were familiar—the ones who entered with them.

Among them were people from Eastern and Western factions on Earth, as well as some burly aliens. A quick glance showed dozens present!

Xiao Qi felt awkward. He had been smug, thinking only he could locate the most valuable underground palaces in the Secret Realm. First Song Yue had proven him wrong by leading a group of Academy students here, and now so many had found the palace entrance themselves!

No wonder the old man at home always said, "There’s always someone better out there." Xiao Qi was convinced. There were truly experts in this world, and he was not the only capable one.

The elder showed no surprise at the crowd. In truth, nearly all Secret Realm dwellers knew the exact locations of the hidden underground palaces in the Kunlun Secret Realm. Yet, through countless years, only three palaces had ever been opened! According to their information, there were over thirty such palaces in the Kunlun Secret Realm. In hundreds or thousands of years, less than a tenth had been opened.

Secret Realm dwellers certainly held more information. They knew many seemingly miraculous legends were not mere myth, but simply too ancient, too distant from later civilizations, making them hard for posterity to comprehend, ultimately relegating them to myth.

According to their knowledge, the Kunlun Secret Realm was the domain of the Daoist Patriarch, one of the Three Pure Ones—Primordial Lord of Heaven. It had been a brilliant world of cultivation! The scattered palaces were places of cultivation for the Patriarch’s disciples.

The three palaces that had been opened yielded countless priceless cultivation techniques and supreme artifacts.

But according to elder Secret Realm dwellers, those three palaces belonged not to the Patriarch’s direct disciples, but to cultivators of modest status at the time. Of course, even those of low status before the Patriarch were powers worthy of being called ancestors by later generations!

It was said the Kunlun Secret Realm contained a vast palace, once the frequent residence of the Patriarch himself—the true paradise all Secret Realm dwellers yearned for. By their deduction, it was the very palace before them.

That was why the elder immediately showed sincere appreciation when Xiao Qi identified the place as containing a palace or tomb. Anyone who could discern its uniqueness was welcomed by the gentle faction, represented by the elder, to explore together.

The longer one cultivates, the higher their realm, the clearer the understanding: true treasures go to those destined for them. Of course, understanding doesn’t always mean magnanimity—hence the many tragic killings for treasure in the cultivation world.

Song Yue’s group spotted several acquaintances by the lakeshore, including the red-haired man and the blonde woman whose teeth he had knocked out earlier. As they approached, those people glared menacingly, whispering among themselves and drawing many glances toward Song Yue’s group.

At this moment, the Taixu Heaven-Pen Monument on Song Yue’s body was no longer subtly hinting at him—it was agitated! If he didn’t suppress it with his mind, it seemed ready to fly out on its own, drawn to some place!

The outsiders gathered by the lake were all excited. They hadn’t expected to witness such a once-in-a-millennium event. The tombs of great cultivators often yielded top-tier artifacts and secret techniques, but the palaces of the Secret Realm were said to be the abodes of immortals—what treasures might emerge from within?

Some from cultivation families knew more: in thousands of years, only three palaces had ever been opened in the Kunlun Secret Realm. Those who participated soon succeeded in establishing their foundation! If another palace was opened this time, whether they could establish their foundation quickly or not, they would certainly be recorded in history.

If they could obtain top-tier cultivation methods and artifacts from the palace, how far could they be from stepping into the realm of terrestrial immortals?

Ancient texts record that in a distant age, cultivation was far easier. The terrestrial immortals revered today, the foundation-establishing cultivators who could travel a thousand miles in a day, were mere beginners in that brilliant era!

Some believe this, holding it as gospel; others scoff at the idea. But every cultivator alive today wishes to establish their foundation and become a true cultivator in their lifetime.

Once this palace is opened, the opportunity is right before their eyes. The temptation was so strong that even Song Yue, who could not cultivate, felt swept up by it—let alone others.

Especially the Academy’s novice cultivators: though silent, their faces betrayed their longing.

Just then, another person hurried over from a distance, calling out coldly, "Why are so many gathered here? What does this look like? Those unrelated, leave at once! This is not a place for you!"

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Two chapters today.

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