417 A Gathering in the Illusion Realm

Qin Huai descended from the bronze wall, meeting the agitated Fang Huo.

“Brother Zhou, did you find the key?” Fang Huo asked.

Qin Huai simply shook his head in response.

“We haven’t found it either… We suspect that the key might not be in this level-one array, but perhaps in another,” Fang Huo explained. “Since the key is supposedly fated, there shouldn’t be a set threshold…” He gave a bitter smile and added, “Gou Jie even daringly speculated that the key might not even be in the bronze realm.”

Qin Huai was taken aback at this idea. While reluctant to believe it, he had to admit that Gou Jie’s theory had some merit.

“Seems like we really aren’t destined for the emperor of Qingzhou’s key.” Qin Huai sighed, shifting the conversation, “But just because someone’s fated to it doesn’t necessarily mean they’ll really end up with it, right…”

Fang Huo chuckled. “You’ve hit the nail on the head, Brother Zhou.”

Buzz…

Suddenly, the world started spinning around them. Fang Huo quickly yelled, “Brother Zhou, you take the lead!” His voice abruptly cut off as the world collapsed into darkness.

“What do they want me to do…” Qin Huai sighed, quietly waiting for the world to regain clarity. As he surveyed the barren landscape, a booming roar echoed in his ears.

“Everyone, pay attention! We’ve found a way out of the bronze realm! Gather at the center! Ignore this and you’ll regret it for life!”

Listening to these loud and clear messages, Qin Huai mused, “So this is Xiang Mingfeng’s strategy… It’s quite straightforward.”

Though crude, he had to admit that the strategy was appealing for those who didn’t know the truth or had only a few clues. The approach was simple, yet effective.

Qin Huai dashed toward the center of the illusion realm, repeating the message as he moved.

…

Meanwhile, on the other side, Yang Tianhan was listening to the echoing roars in the forest, a smile playing on his lips.

“Brother Zhou, Brother Zhou, I owe this to you.” He chuckled, quickening his pace towards the center of the illusion realm. He pulled off the green bronze pendant around his neck, holding it tightly in his hand. As he walked, flowers seemed to sprout and vanish under his feet.

…

Elsewhere, within the thick forest, Hua Yanli was nervously looking around.

“No, I didn’t. That rascal is finally gone!” he yelled out, raising his arms. He felt a surge of relief, as if on the verge of tears. “My path to glory in the bronze realm begins now!” Though he didn’t say the words out loud, his determination was palpable.

Suddenly, from behind a distant tree, an elegant young man with an iron fan emerged.

“Brother Yun!”

“Brother Hua!”

They greeted each other enthusiastically, shaking hands. “Let’s start by getting out of this level-five array!”

“Agreed!”

Then, a loud roar filled with potent energy reverberated in their ears. They looked at each other and, without any need for further discussion, they were of the same mind.

“Let’s go!”

…

In the center of the illusion realm, rookies and veterans from Qingzhou started to gather. Some stood proudly in the center, while others remained cautiously on the outskirts.

Everyone was there with a single purpose – to seize the grand opportunity within the bronze realm and make it out. The crowd kept swelling until the area was jam-packed.

Qin Huai arrived late, taking a position on the periphery of the throng. Surveying the scene, he noted more experts than he had anticipated. The area was swarming with people, around four to five thousand.

“There are a lot of people,” he murmured, his brows furrowing slightly. Despite the known existence of prodigies with full patterns in the past hundred years, this number seemed excessive, given the frequent deadly encounters within the bronze realm.

Suddenly, a raspy voice sounded by his ear, “Brother Zhou.” He turned to see the newcomer.

“What a huge crowd!” Fang Huo exclaimed. “We didn’t have nearly this many at the last gathering.”

“Oh?” Qin Huai quirked an eyebrow. “Perhaps we’ve eliminated too many old lunatics, and these folks have taken their places?”

“That’s a possibility,” Fang Huo agreed. “But more likely, our simple method this time worked and lured all these people over.”

“That’s true,” Qin Huai agreed, nodding.

As they were talking, a figure swiftly made his way to the top of the hill. Instantly, all eyes turned towards him. Xiang Mingfeng, despite donning a beast robe, showed no signs of savagery. He appeared calm and dignified, emitting an aura of trustworthiness.

“I am Xiang Mingfeng from Wuji Mountain!” he greeted everyone with a booming voice, his eyes sweeping over the assembled crowd. “We’ve met before.”

“Enough with the chit chat, get to the point!” someone from the crowd interrupted Xiang Mingfeng.

“Exactly. This is the bronze realm, not your Wuji Mountain… Our time is valuable,” another voice, sharp and cold, chimed in, likely bearing a grudge against Wuji Mountain. “Just spill the so-called true method to leave the bronze realm.”

The crowd echoed this sentiment, throwing the scene into an instant uproar.

“Alright, since no one wants to listen to small talk, I’ll be straightforward,” Xiang Mingfeng said. “The true rule of the illusion realm isn’t to kill everyone with a single person’s might, but to kill the last person alive.”

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