Before the colossal altar of the kingdom, thousands had gathered. The very air trembled with anticipation and dread. Sect disciples, royal heirs, and wandering cultivators all stood shoulder to shoulder, staring at the ancient structure looming in the distance.

Excitement, awe, fear, and bloodlust mixed together, filling the atmosphere like an invisible storm. Some cultivators tightened their grips on their weapons, veins bulging with nervous tension. Others steadied their breathing, preparing their hearts to step into the unknown. Most had already sworn allegiance to the great sects or the four royal families, eager to seek opportunities for glory.

Yet one group stood apart from the chaos.

The disciples of the Sanatan Flame Sect exuded an entirely different aura. Their expressions were calm, their posture relaxed, their confidence unwavering. Not a single flicker of fear tainted their gazes. They stood as if the Secret Realm itself was beneath their feet.

At the forefront of their ranks, Shaurya stretched his neck lazily, releasing a casual sigh as if bored by the spectacle. His indifference drew sharp glances from other sect members nearby.

From beside Shaurya, Lin Shu, standing, narrowed her eyes at him. A warm smile played on her lips, equal parts challenge and curiosity.

And then, the world changed.

The skies above darkened without warning, the blue heavens swallowed by roiling black clouds. A bone-deep rumble spread across the land, and the earth itself trembled like a living beast waking from slumber. Jagged cracks tore through the altar's surface, glowing faintly with energy that had been sealed for millennia.

The very ground beneath their feet shuddered violently as the gate began to stir.

A thunderous hum shook the heavens. Suddenly, a blinding violet light erupted from the altar, surging skyward with a roar, piercing through the clouds. The skies shifted to violet as if dyed in eternal twilight.

Gasps echoed across the gathering. Some cultivators gazed in awe, struck silent by the grandeur. Others stumbled backward, fear widening their eyes. A few hardened warriors clenched their jaws, struggling to withstand the overwhelming aura pressing upon them.

Zhou Xian, young lord of the Blood Saber Sect, stood unmoved. His sharp eyes widened only slightly, a faint smile curving across his lips.

> "So this is it… the An Ning Secret Realm."

His voice carried a thrill of hunger. Raising his hand toward the violet skies, his aura flared. Behind him, the disciples of the Blood Saber Sect roared in unison, their war cries shaking the atmosphere.

On another side, Meng Liyu stiffened. Her gaze flicked sideways to Shaurya, who stood as calm as ever, unaffected by the majesty or terror before them. Her fist clenched tightly.

> No matter what… I will make him mine.

The violet pillar of energy twisted violently, then collapsed inward, transforming into a swirling circular gate suspended above the altar. The ancient stone groaned as the path revealed itself at last.

Liu Xiang of the Jade Phoenix Sect roared, his voice cutting through the noise.

> "It's open! Let's go!"

Without hesitation, the Jade Phoenix Sect surged forward, their formation precise, their faces alight with determination.

From the opposite side, Zia Han raised his hand, his command sharp and absolute.

> "Move!"

The disciples of the Howling Abyss Sect rushed forward like wolves unleashed, their killing intent spilling into the air.

One after another, sects and royal families surged toward the gate, gathering their disciples and elders, brandishing their entry keys—ancient artifacts shimmering with stored energy. Each group activated their keys, light bursting forth to envelope their members before carrying them into the portal.

At the center of it all, Shaurya stepped forward lazily, hands still buried in his pockets. His movements were unhurried, but his presence dominated the moment. The disciples of the Sanatan Flame Sect looked to him with fiery anticipation.

Shaurya pulled out the key, its golden surface glowing with ancient runes. Turning to his sect, his lips curved into a calm yet domineering smile.

> "Alright… let's dominate."

A thunderous roar erupted from his disciples in reply. Their voices shook the skies themselves.

The key in Shaurya's hand released a blinding golden light that enveloped his sect. Their bodies shimmered with radiant energy before being pulled into the swirling portal.

The world turned golden.

---

The Descent

When Shaurya opened his eyes again, he was shocked. He was no longer standing on solid ground—he was falling.

His body plummeted through endless violet skies. Around him, countless disciples from every sect screamed as they too fell helplessly. The protective lights from their keys had vanished, leaving them exposed to the descent.

Shaurya spread his spiritual energy instinctively, trying to fly—but nothing happened. His eyes widened in disbelief.

> "What the hell? I can't… I can't fly?"

A cold voice resounded within his mind.

System:

> "This is the specialty of the An Ning Secret Realm. No flight is permitted within these skies."

Shaurya's eyes widened as he finally comprehended the bizarre world around him.

The heavens glowed with an eerie violet hue. Scattered across the skies were colossal chunks of floating ground—fragments of landmass suspended in the void, slowly rotating as though some unseen force controlled them.

All around, disciples screamed, trying to grab hold of the floating islands.

Beside him, Lin Shu's terrified face twisted in horror. Her eyes darted everywhere, searching desperately for something to hold onto.

Shaurya glanced at her, his calmness unbroken. Without hesitation, he stretched his hand toward her.

But before their hands could meet, a massive chunk of floating ground drifted between them, snatching her away from his reach.

> "Lin Shu!"

His voice tore through the violet skies.

Lin Shu landed upon the fragment of land, clutching it in shock. Around her, other disciples scrambled wildly, some slipping, others desperately grabbing hold.

From the air, the Single Mingle Gang disciples screamed, their voices filled with terror as they tried to reach the fragments—only for the floating grounds to shift positions cruelly, moving just out of reach.

Farther away, Elder Liya and Elder Wan clasped each other's hands. Elder Liya's eyes widened in panic, while Elder Wan remained grim and steady, his gaze sharp despite the chaos.

Disciples like Sheng Lu, Lu Fang, Muo Qian, Su Quan, Xiao Lian, Jun Hua, Shen Hang, Xu Ran, and countless others fell, their faces pale with terror as the realm revealed its merciless nature.

From the opposite side, the Blood Saber Sect fell as well. Zhou Xian's voice thundered through the skies.

> "Everyone stay focused!"

His command cut through their fear like a blade, forcing his disciples into order even in freefall.

Other sects—Howling Abyss Sect, Moonlight Pavilion, and the four royal families—struggled the same, their elites scattering as they searched desperately for a way to survive.

Among the chaos, two figures stood apart.

The Brothers of Destruction—Wang Tian and Luo Chen—descended calmly, utterly unbothered. Wang Tian's arms were crossed as he fell, his head tilted toward the ground. Luo Chen sat cross-legged midair, arms crossed in defiance of gravity.

Luo Chen:

> "You know… if we fall from here, our bones will shatter."

Wang Tian smirked, his voice amused.

> "Let's see. Whoever's bones shatter the most… loses."

Luo Chen's lips curved into a grin.

> "Okay. Fine."

Their gazes locked. Smirks widened.

In an instant, Wang Tian's fist surged with purple energy, while Luo Chen's burned with blue light.

With twin roars, they slammed their fists together.

BOOM!

A deafening sonic boom tore through the skies, blasting both of them backward. Their bodies spun through the air before colliding violently with separate floating grounds. With unyielding strength, they latched onto the fragments, their smirks intact.

Disciples nearby gawked in awe, then scrambled to mimic them—releasing bursts of spiritual energy, colliding with others, and using the force to hurl themselves toward floating grounds. Many succeeded. Many more missed and continued screaming into the abyss.

Shaurya, however, closed his eyes. Hands still in his pockets, he exhaled softly.

When he opened them again, they gleamed with golden light. His right hand rose, glowing brilliantly as golden spiritual energy surged forth, shaping into an enormous hand of pure radiance.

The hand shot out, grabbing a massive fragment of floating land, and pulled him toward it. Shaurya landed smoothly, golden light rippling beneath his feet.

From his body, threads of golden spiritual energy shot outward like countless strings of fate. They lashed out through the air, wrapping around his falling disciples one by one, pulling them from their descent and placing them safely onto the floating ground.

Gasps erupted from his sect. Their eyes lit up in gratitude as they all bowed deeply toward him.

Shaurya simply smiled, raising his thumb casually.

Then, raising his hand again, this time cloaked in violet energy, he snapped his fingers.

A pulse of unimaginable gravitational pressure erupted outward, covering every floating ground where his disciples stood. The floating lands groaned before descending, pulled toward the earth like meteors under his command.

Shaurya's laughter rang through the skies.

> "You messed with the wrong guy!"

The fragments descended rapidly. As they neared the earth, Shaurya's voice thundered again:

> "Jump, all of you!"

He snapped his fingers once more. The gravitational force vanished instantly, releasing the fragments back into the violet skies. His disciples leapt in unison, landing safely on the solid ground below.

One by one, they rose, exhilarated and safe. Their eyes burned with renewed confidence.

Lin Shu rushed toward him, her face pale with lingering fear. She threw her arms around him, trembling.

> "I am glad… that everyone is fine. I was scared to death."

Shaurya's calm smile returned as he wrapped one arm around her, patting her back gently.

> "I am here. Don't worry."

Then he turned, facing his gathered disciples, his gaze sharp.

> "You all heard me clearly. This place… is more dangerous than we thought. Stay alert."

In unison, they shouted with fiery determination:

> "Yes, Master!"

Their voices boomed like war drums, fear replaced by thrill and excitement.

Together, the Sanatan Flame Sect began marching into the depths of the Secret Realm, weapons in hand, hearts burning with anticipation.

All around, other sects and families landed through their own desperate means—many injured, some already broken. But no one turned back.

The An Ning Secret Realm had opened its jaws, and now the true hunt was about to begin.

The Sanatan Flame Sect pressed onward, their confidence renewed after surviving the terrifying descent. Shaurya's calm presence had already steadied their hearts, but the deeper they ventured into the realm, the stranger the world became.

The violet sky rippled like water, as though unseen hands stirred the heavens. The ground beneath them was not earth as they knew it—ancient runes glowed faintly across the soil, pulsing with a rhythm like a heartbeat. Every few steps, the air thickened, heavy with spiritual pressure, as though the realm itself was testing their resolve.

Lin Shu tightened her grip on Shaurya's sleeve, whispering,

> "This place… it feels alive."

Before Shaurya could reply, a thunderous crack split the silence.

A fissure tore through the landscape ahead, and from it surged a howl unlike anything mortal—deep, guttural, echoing as though it came from the bones of the realm itself. The ground trembled violently, knocking disciples off balance. Elder Wan steadied Elder Liya as she gasped in horror.

From within the fissure, a colossal shadow rose. Red eyes snapped open in the darkness, glowing like burning coals. The air grew suffocating, carrying the stench of blood and ash.

The monstrous figure stepped forward, its outline clearer now—a beast the size of a mountain, scales shimmering like obsidian, jagged horns piercing the violet sky. Each step it took sent shockwaves rippling across the fractured land, knocking weaker disciples to their knees.

Lin Shu's face surprised.

> "W-What… is that?"

The creature opened its maw, revealing rows of teeth like jagged swords. A roar erupted, shaking the floating islands themselves.

Shaurya stood still, his hands sliding casually into his pockets. His golden eyes reflected the monstrous shadow as he whispered under his breath—calm, but sharp enough to cut through the chaos:

"The fun is begins to quickly."

The beast's red gaze fixed on Shaurya, and in the next instant—its massive claw came crashing down, blotting out the violet sky above him.

To Be Continued....

If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know < report chapter > so we can fix it as soon as possible.