Chapter 122: The Scarlet Territory (1)

  Bang!

  Before the tension could escalate, everyone’s attention was drawn to someone new who had appeared overhead. It was an old man. He had a slim build, a clean-shaven face, and long hair reaching down to his back. The sound seemed to have come from him tearing through the air as he arrived.

  "I am... the Alchemy Peak Master. I won't be introducing myself, as you will never have the chance to see me again in the future," he paused.

  "Qin Jian from Sword Peak greets the Alchemy Peak Master." Qin Jian, along with many other elders from the Verdant Sky Hall, cupped their hands and bowed in the Alchemy Peak Master's direction.

  For a moment, only the elders’ introductory voices echoed throughout Docking Mountain.

  The Alchemy Peak Master looked satisfied. He waved his hand, and the formations that had been set up long ago began to light up and flicker—like something ancient was about to awaken from slumber.

  The portal to the Secret Realm, which was already large, immediately grew to a massive size—so vast it seemed it could devour the entire mountain. Xu Mo looked on and concluded it must be the work of the formation—using it to forcibly stretch the portal's entrance. He realized then that he had underestimated the power of formations and the people who pursued formation creation as a path.

  Xu Mo felt a strange pull beneath his feet, something trying to drag him toward the earth. The force was almost negligible, something he could ignore—but only because he was on high alert. Everyone else experienced a similar sensation.

  "No matter how many times I see it... I still can't grasp what it feels like to have the power to open up the void." Qin Jian, who was standing close to Xu Mo, Long Bai, Xue Lingxi, and the Saintess, muttered under his breath. But they heard him clearly—and heard the envy he held toward the realm the Alchemy Peak Master controlled.

  "Show off," Long Bai commented. His remark was clearly directed at Qin Jian. Although Xu Mo and the others didn't immediately understand why Long Bai said that, they soon recalled how Qin Jian had introduced himself—Vice Sword Peak Master. His status and strength were just below the Peak Master’s.

  The portal, which had been green like imperial jade, now began emitting rays of scarlet light from within.

  This novel is published on a different platform. Support the original author by finding the official source.

  "What happens inside, remains inside," the Alchemy Peak Master said in a calm voice. Yet, his words reached every ear. Xu Mo looked around and noticed that many people understood exactly what the Peak Master meant.

  "Umm..." Xu Mo pursed his lips, unsure who to ask. Then he noticed that both the Saintess and Xue Lingxi were people he had some history with. But the memory of the impression he’d left on Jin Meiyu the last time they met stopped him in his tracks.

  (A/N: Chapter 65 reference used above.)

  "Miss Xue..." Xu Mo tried to speak in a low voice, but perhaps due to nervousness—knowing the identities of the two women—his voice was louder than intended. Long Bai and Qin Jian heard him. Thankfully, only the elite disciples and his teammates were within earshot.

  "Do you know what the Alchemy Peak Master meant just now?"

  Xue Lingxi was momentarily caught off guard when Xu Mo suddenly used formal speech. But assuming it was because they were surrounded by many eyes, she chose to match his tone, not wanting to appear too close to him. It made sense—Xu Mo was now officially the True Successor. Every move he made would attract attention like ants to sugar.

  "He meant that whatever happens inside the Secret Realm doesn't matter—as long as you dispose of all evidence pointing back to you. Meaning, even sect disciples could betray one another. And as long as they completely kill their targets and any witnesses, they’ll be able to exit the Secret Realm without anyone ever finding out," Xue Lingxi explained patiently. She had experienced too many betrayals to trust anyone anymore.

  Xu Mo nodded in understanding.

  "Then..." Before he could say anything further, Xu Mo felt a foreign gaze directed at him. He glanced around and saw that everyone was looking his way. He then raised his eyes to the sky—where a single finger hovered in the air.

  The Alchemy Peak Master.

  "The Scarlet Territory is now OPEN!!"

  The Peak Master’s words had barely faded when countless disciples began rushing toward the portal of the Secret Realm.

  "Remember to hold hands or grab onto each other’s clothes or sleeves when entering—or you’ll all be transported to different locations within the Scarlet Territory!" Long Bai called out urgently behind the surging wave of disciples, as the portal turned a deep, blood red.

  "The portal will remain open for one month. If you don’t return before then, you’ll be trapped inside—and may even die before the next time the Secret Realm opens."

  Long Bai gave this warning to Xu Mo and the remaining disciples. Xu Mo’s heart began to race again. It was an old problem—whenever something unknown approached, he would lose control over his nerves.

  "Let’s go too."

  The Saintess gave a crisp command to her teammates and, with a single step, leapt into the air toward the Scarlet Portal—like a giant beast’s mouth awaiting its next meal (sect disciples).

  "Elder, I’ll go too. My team is waiting for me," Xue Lingxi said. She wasn’t the captain of her team and, at least in front of the sect elders, had to follow the visible chain of command.

  "Xu Mo, don’t be nervous. And remember—don’t take any risks that could cost you your life or the lives of your teammates. As the team captain, it’s your duty to make sure the teammates who have placed their trust in you, is not lost."

  Long Bai’s rough, strong hand landed on his shoulder, steadying him and helping him regain his composure.

  I have a Free Members Chat room on Patreon. Which You can Join and have a fun discussion.