Having reviewed the information provided by the Heavenly Mystery Tower, Jiang Li now had a very comprehensive understanding of the Mysterious Secret Realm. Although at first, he had only wanted to know where the Mysterious Secret Realm was located.
The person who established the Mysterious Secret Realm was known by the title of Great Dream Lay Scholar, an Integration Stage cultivator who had died from exhaustion eight hundred years ago while undergoing his heavenly tribulation.
Perhaps he had sensed in the unseen that he would not survive this calamity, so before facing the tribulation, he left behind the Mysterious Secret Realm. His intention was to leave something for future generations, to grant some opportunities to the youths of the Foundation Establishment Stage, and thus form a good karmic bond.
The Mysterious Secret Realm opened once every ten years, and the trial was different each time. Sometimes it tested comprehension, sometimes combat strength, and sometimes one's resistance to money and beautiful women. Even the Heavenly Mystery Tower could not find a pattern.
What was certain was that the Mysterious Secret Realm had a total of two layers, and the final rewards differed based on the excellence of one's performance. For example, five hundred years ago, the trial in the Mysterious Secret Realm was related to combat strength. Each person was given a token and could snatch tokens from others.
Whoever obtained the most tokens would be the first place winner. The Mysterious Secret Realm was located on the southern border of the Great Zhou Imperial Dynasty. Each time it opened, it would attract sects from several nearby prefectures to come.
It was hard to say if these sects even had a Spirit Transformation Stage cultivator, so how could they refuse a mystic realm left behind by a great power who was nearly at the Tribulation Transcendence Stage? ... Jiang Li changed his appearance and arrived near the Mysterious Secret Realm.
By this time, many sects had already brought their core disciples here, just waiting for the mystic realm to open. Although Jiang Li's cultivation was above the Foundation Establishment Stage, not meeting the standard to enter the mystic realm, his cultivation level also surpassed that of the Great Dream Lay Scholar.
The opening of the Mysterious Secret Realm was a small grand event for the southern part of Great Zhou. At that time, all the well-known sects from several prefectures in the south of Great Zhou would come to participate and showcase their outstanding disciples. Jiang Li glanced around but couldn't recognize a single sect's name.
The actual situation was quite similar to what the system had described. Most of those present were at the Late Foundation Establishment Stage, with only a few scattered ones at the Mid Foundation Establishment Stage. Naturally, the sects with Late Foundation Establishment disciples would point and make comments about the sects with Mid Foundation Establishment disciples.
Jiang Li did not cause any trouble, disguising himself as a Late Foundation Establishment cultivator. He was completely inconspicuous in a crowd of Late Foundation Establishment cultivators. He could have, of course, directly revealed his identity: "I'm done pretending, I am the Human Emperor.
Give me some face and let me enter the mystic realm to take first place." Jiang Li truly did not value faith, but he still had his pride.
For a dignified Mahayana Stage expert to barge into an Integration Stage mystic realm to snatch opportunities from a bunch of little Foundation Establishment kids, if word of this got out, those few friends of his would laugh their heads off.
"Hey brother, did your sect not send anyone either?"
An overly familiar fellow approached Jiang Li.
"What a coincidence, my sect didn't send anyone over either."
Most people had their own elders present to back them up and prevent the younger generation from being bullied, but there were always exceptions, such as the person next to Jiang Li. He said his name was Qin Luan, the Eldest Senior Brother and final disciple of the Wind Calming Temple.
His master was currently wandering the world and had not returned for over ten years. As the disciple, he was happy to be idle and enjoyed cultivating by himself.
"Can't be helped. In my sect, I'm the one with the highest seniority, so no one came with me."
What Jiang Li said wasn't false. His sect was the Human Emperor Palace, and as the head of the Human Emperor Palace, he naturally had the highest seniority. But in Qin Luan's eyes, Jiang Li's words were no different from saying that all the elders in his sect were dead, leaving only him behind.
He had thought his Wind Calming Temple, with only two people, was already the most miserable sect. He never expected there to be a sect even more miserable than his own. A sense of pity immediately rose in his heart.
"Brother Kong Li, don't you worry. Seeing as we're in the same boat, once we're in the Mysterious Secret Realm, I'll look out for you!"
Qin Luan said, patting his chest. Jiang Li did not use the fake name "Zhang Li." Instead, he gave himself a new surname, calling himself "Kong Li."
Now, whenever he heard the name Zhang Li, he was reminded of the Dao Sect Master's smug look, making him grit his teeth in anger.
"I hope there are no unscrupulous people this time."
Qin Luan was someone who couldn't keep his mouth still. Seeing that Jiang Li didn't talk much, he just kept talking by himself.
"Brother Kong, did you know? Last time, there was a guy who deliberately suppressed his cultivation and only broke through to the Golden Core Stage after entering the mystic realm, taking the top spot. That kind of person is too unscrupulous. If I met someone like that, I'd definitely give him a couple of kicks while he's breaking through, to teach him a lesson for cheating."
Jiang Li felt that he probably wasn't looking for a companion, but rather an audience. The space above their heads suddenly darkened. An incomparably huge eagle landed nearby, its eyes sharp, as if containing sword qi.
"An eagle with a trace of Golden Eagle bloodline. Which family has arrived?"
Qin Luan exclaimed, diligently performing his duty as a commentator. Two people walked down from the eagle's back. Both carried long swords on their backs, wore spotless white robes, and stared straight ahead, completely ignoring the shouting crowd.
"They are from the Emotion Severing Sect. The people of this sect have no emotions. They trust no one, only the sword in their hands," Qin Luan identified the two at a glance.
"That's the Seven Kills Dao Child and his elder."
A hint of gravity appeared between Qin Luan's brows.
"He's a tough opponent. I've fought him before. Out of ten matches, I only won eight."
Jiang Li was slightly surprised.
"To actually use Seven Kills as a title, what relationship does he have with the Seven Kills Stele of the Immortal Realm?"
He should have heard of such a person, so why had he never heard of him before?
"No, he just calls himself Seven Kills because he thinks the title sounds cool."
"..."
"Huh? Where are these flower petals coming from?"
Qin Luan looked up and saw two women in pink gauze skirts floating down gracefully. The pink flower petals vanished along with their descent. The younger woman was lively and cute, with a very likable personality, while the slightly older one had a cold expression, making her admirers not dare to approach.
"It's people from the Falling Cherry Blossoms Sect!" someone shouted out their origin for Qin Luan.
"It's Song Ying and her master."
A hint of gravity appeared between Qin Luan's brows once more.
"She's a tough opponent. I've fought her before. Out of ten matches, I only won six times."
As soon as Song Ying landed, she looked around. Seeing the grave-faced Qin Luan, she bounced over to greet him.
"Hee hee, Qin Luan, we meet again. I won't lose to you this time."
After speaking, she even shook her small, tender fist. But Qin Luan paid her no mind, instead reminding Jiang Li. Qin Luan's expression grew even more serious.
"You must be careful of Song Ying. She knows she can't beat me, so she tries to use her beauty to disrupt my Dao Heart. She is very scheming!"
Jiang Li thought to himself, even a blind man like me can see that she has feelings for you. Didn't you see how her master looks like she wants to draw her sword and hack you, you blockhead, to death?
"Is it possible that she actually likes you?"
Jiang Li couldn't help but ask.
"Absolutely impossible," Qin Luan said decisively.
"Once I asked her, 'Do you like me?' She said, 'Who would like an idiot like you!'"
Jiang Li nodded lightly. It seemed Song Ying really didn't like Qin Luan.
"You must be careful of these two. They will be your biggest rivals."
This time, Jiang Li did not nod. In his eyes, the biggest rival this time was someone else entirely. He focused his gaze on an inconspicuous disciple.
A Late Foundation Establishment Stage body, but inside was a Spirit Transformation soul.
Possession.
(End of this chapter)