Chapter 5640: Potential Rival

The Nine Heavens Secret Domain was located inside the Seven Realms Galaxy. It didn’t take long for the group to arrive at their destination thanks to the ancient teleportation formation and the floating warship.

It was just that a formation around the floating warship had prevented Chu Feng and the others from perceiving what was happening outside. By the time the formation was dispelled, they were already in the midst of the famous Nine Heavens Secret Domain.

The Nine Heavens Secret Domain was located in a humongous mountain range, with peaks that pierced through the clouds.

𝕗𝗿𝕖𝐞𝐰𝗲𝕓𝐧𝕠𝕧𝗲𝐥.𝚌𝐨𝚖

The mountains were black in color; they were made out of an incredibly resilient material that resembled metal. The mountain range gave off an ancient aura that indicated that it was from the Ancient Era. There was not a single plant to be seen on the mountain range, but that only made the mountain range look even more majestic.

The mountain was majestic not because of how tall it was—all of the juniors present could easily sense the mountaintop with their willpower—but because it was incredibly resilient. It was so much that everyone present couldn’t help but feel just now insignificant and weak they were.

It felt like ants standing before an unbreakable cauldron. Despite being the elites amongst their peers, there was nothing they could do to shake the mountain.

There was a gate towering in front of Chu Feng and the others. It was only thirty meters in width, but it stood at a height of over ten thousand meters tall, almost like a sword. The gate was closed, but it looked like it could be easily opened.

The formation sealing off the gate was transparent, allowing the crowd to see what was inside. There were no grand palaces or guards on the other side of the gate; just two elders. The two elders sitting in mid-air on each side of the gate, meditating with closed eyes.

Elder Zhenfu bowed to the two elders inside the formation, but the two elders nodded without bothering to open their eyes. This indicated that the two elders were of high standing.

World spiritists used to be allowed to freely enter and leave this gate as they pleased in the past, but the Seven Realms Sacred Mansion stopped outsiders from entering the remnant around the same time they stopped sending expedition teams in.

The Seven Realms Sacred Mansion didn’t want other powers to obtain the fortuitous encounters inside ahead of them.

Outsiders couldn’t enter the Nine Heavens Secret Domain even if they wanted to, which was an irony since the juniors gathered here were forced to enter the remnant despite their reluctance.

All of the juniors showed bitter faces, as the majestic gate before them looked no different from the gates of hell.

Elder Zhenfu greeted the two elders before walking back. He looked at the depressed juniors and chuckled, saying, “You don’t need to be so depressed. Our Seven Realms Sacred Mansion held this entrance examination with the intent of nurturing outstanding talents. We don’t intend to send you to your doom. Take a good look at this.”

Elder Zhenfu flicked his wrist, and a formation surfaced. Scrolls flew forth from the formation and landed in the hands of each of the junior world spiritists present. The junior world spiritists unfurled the scrolls, and a sliver of hope appeared on their despaired faces.

Written in the scrolls was the way to clear the Nine Heavens Secret Domain. It was the method Jie Ranqing had come up with.

According to the scroll, the most dangerous path in the Nine Heavens Secret Domain had tens of millions ferocious beasts. That was also the reason Jie Ranqing’s group suffered so many casualties back then.

However, Jie Ranqing had already suppressed those ferocious beasts, so those who entered the Nine Heavens Secret Domain after her wouldn’t have to face the same threat when walking on the same path as her. This greatly increased the junior world spiritists’ chances of survival.

However, this didn’t mean that their safety was assured. There were also traps on the way, which the challengers would have to clear with their own strength.

Jie Ranqing also mentioned that she had found fruits in the path she took that enhanced one’s psyche. The best fruit of all was a purple fruit with patterns reminiscent of ferocious beasts. She didn’t know what the fruit was called, but it raised her psyche to the greatest degree.

On top of that, she found that her intelligence was immensely boosted in the split moment she consumed the fruit. If one could recapitulate everything they had learned in that instant, it could lay down a strong foundation for their future growth.

These fruits were the greatest benefit for the path she took.

“Elders, can we choose to take the route Lord Jie Ranqing took?” a junior asked.

“You have to take that route. That’s the only route you’ll benefit from,” Elder Zhenfu said.

“That’s great! It looks like we aren’t doomed, after all.”

“This is wonderful! Dad, mum, I can still meet you! Wu…”

Some of the juniors burst into tears.

“The fruits will temporarily leave a mark on you after you consume them. We’ll grade you based on how strong your mark is. You may start making preparations. Feel free to enter the Nine Heavens Secret Domain whenever you’re ready,” Elder Zhenfu said.

The juniors began chatting amongst themselves to form teams. They were much more motivated now upon learning that the Nine Heavens Secret Domain wasn’t as dangerous as they imagined it to be, and they were starting to take it as a real combat exam.

Some of them even began looking forward to enjoying the benefits of the psyche-enhancing fruits Jie Ranqing had mentioned.

All of a sudden, Chu Feng felt a strong, large hand pressing down on his shoulder. It was Xiao Yueyue.

“I was right, weren't I? The Seven Realms Sacred Mansion wouldn’t send us to our deaths for no reason. They only wanted us to scout the path, though this means that the information they provided to us is likely to be incomplete,” Xiao Yueyue said.

“Indeed.” Chu Feng had come to the same conclusion as well.

The information on the scroll was superficial. Anyone who had walked on the route could have made the same observations. This was peculiar, considering how Xiao Yueyue had mentioned that Jie Ranqing had spent years devising a solution to clear the route.

There was no way someone as talented as Jie Ranqing would have only come up with this much after having spent years on it. It was likely the solution she devised contained secrets about the Nine Heavens Secret Domain, which was why it was withheld from them.

Boom boom boom!

The ground quaked, as the formation over the towering gates unraveled. At the same time, the gates slowly creaked open.

“Young friends, I wish all of you a safe and fruitful journey. I hereby declare the commencement of our Seven Realms Sacred Mansion’s combat exam!” Elder Zhenfu announced.

Challengers of a remnant would usually rush ahead lest others beat them to the fortuitous encounters, but not a single person moved this time around. They dared not to be the first one to enter the Nine Heavens Secret Domain.

The Nine Heavens Secret Domain’s reputation was simply too terrible. They were afraid even though the Seven Realms Sacred Mansion had already pointed out a safer route for them.

Shoosh!

“Hm?” Chu Feng narrowed his eyes.

He noticed a person entering the Nine Heavens Secret Domain. That person wore a world spiritist robe that concealed their appearance and spirit power. They moved so fast that they had to be a rank six Half-God level cultivator or a Royal Dragon God-cloak World Spiritist.

“Is that woman my potential rival?”

Chu Feng subconsciously thought that the other party was a woman since the elder from the trials had told him that the person who cleared the trials first was a woman.