Chapter 127
**Trial of the First Layer of the Secret Realm: Kill.**
**Only the top fifty qualify to enter the next layer.**
The words on the sky were few, yet each carried a chilling intent to kill.
What they conveyed was remarkably succinct.
Hunt the exotic beasts, collect beast tokens.
Only those ranked in the top fifty would be eligible to continue exploring the next layer.
Everyone who read the words felt a tightening in their hearts.
It spoke of hunting exotic beasts, yet there was a limit on the number of participants.
What about those beyond the fifty?
Killing one exotic beast would yield only one beast token, but that might not be the case for others...
These layers of rules undoubtedly turned this place into a dark forest, where not only did one have to hunt exotic beasts, but also guard against the hearts of men.
Upon entering the secret realm, everyone was deliberately separated, preventing any chance of forming alliances.
*Whoosh—*
The sky shifted once more.
Names began to appear, but only for the top fifty.
Clearly, those whose names remained would gain the qualification to enter the next layer.
“Once you’re on that list, you’ll become a target for everyone.”
“Let’s get to work.”
Li Mo took out a small notebook from his pocket.
He wasn’t in a hurry to hunt for beast tokens; the opportunities in the secret realm were secondary to him. As long as he could enter the next layer in the end, that was enough.
Investment returns were what truly mattered.
That’s what Li Mo thought.
However, contrary to his expectations, he hadn’t walked far when—
The bones on the ground suddenly stirred without wind, assembling into a complete skeleton of an exotic beast, resembling a bear-like creature.
In its hollow eye sockets, a blood-red glow emerged, gazing at Li Mo with a thirst for life and flesh.
“The aura is about that of a Xuan Dan realm.”
“And without flesh, it’s even harder to deal with than an ordinary Xuan Dan. If there are many of them, they could threaten even the Guan Shen realm.”
Li Mo was calculating the strength of the skeletal bear.
*Boom—*
The ground trembled as it lunged at him.
Wherever it passed, it was like a tempest, crushing the blue stones beneath it to dust.
With a mighty paw, it struck down, accompanied by the sound of thunder, its momentum terrifying.
Yet, when it landed heavily, it failed to crush anything.
The little figure in its eyes had vanished without a trace.
“Hmph.”
“A mere Xuan Dan realm, taste my sword!”
The Chixiao sword was drawn, ringing with a sharp tremor, its light like a dragon soaring through the air, engulfed in flames, illuminating the darkness for dozens of meters.
Have you ever seen a sword technique descend from the heavens?
Li Mo’s swordsmanship was no less impressive now.
Though he lacked the innate talent for swordsmanship, he had been honing his skills between the Ice Block and Princess Jiang, absorbing their teachings.
It was like practicing problems every day.
In his past life, he was a problem-solver in a small town.
He could be called the strongest small-town swordsman!
*Swish—*
With the superior sword technique driven by the flames of karma, it unleashed a power that was beyond its own.
*Crackle—*
Dozens of sword lights crisscrossed.
The skeletal bear froze suddenly, then erupted in a dazzling explosion of flames.
Li Mo landed, holding the Chixiao sword, his expression unchanged, not even glancing back at the explosion.
He silently thought to himself:
“Wow, I’m so cool!”
It was...
Even more exhilarating than playing as the happy wind man, Li Bai, and showing off.
“I’m just a little boy who loves to show off.”
After mocking himself, Li Mo gripped his sword in his right hand and touched the hammer hidden beneath his clothes with his left, stepping into the darkness.
...
Meanwhile.
In front of a deep cave.
A girl surrounded by rosy light, her dark hair dancing lightly, had droplets of water vapor in the air crystallizing and gently falling.
The rosy light flowed outward, carried by her inner breath.
“The Blood Phoenix Spirit is indeed not in the first layer of the secret realm.”
“I must go to the next layer.”
Ying Bing opened her eyes, her serene gaze seemingly piercing through the void.
She raised the Tian Shuang sword, its jade-colored blade pointing into the cave.
The darkness within seemed impenetrable, filled with eerie howls.
*Rustle—*
Countless massive skeletal bats, at least dozens, hovered around. The weaker ones emitted fluctuations of the Inner Breath realm, while the strongest among them, a skeletal bat glowing faintly, was close to the Guan Shen realm.
These skeletal bats were once known as:
Night Ghosts.
In an instant, shadows danced before the cave.
But the next moment—
The dazzling rosy light surged forth.
...
At this time.
The rankings in the sky also changed.
A name quickly rose to the top.
**Top Rank: Ying Bing, Number of Beast Tokens Collected: 27.**
Gasps of astonishment echoed throughout the secret realm.
“How long has it been? She’s already hunted twenty-seven exotic beasts?”
“That speed, she must have gotten lucky, picking them up along the way, right?”
“Notice, she didn’t rise one by one; she shot straight to the top.”
“Does that mean she killed so many skeletal beasts in an instant?!”
---
**Chapter 126: Investment Rewards from the Remains - Bloodbath Battle Soul Talisman**
Deep within the Blood Phoenix Secret Realm.
A figure in blood-red clothing stared intently at the name at the very top of the sky.
“She has indeed come.”
The young man’s murky gaze flickered, a hint of excitement surfacing.
“After thousands of years... I’ve finally waited for someone like her...”
“Master Han.”
Yin Huaxuan, wrapped in a black robe, approached respectfully.
It was his first time meeting the mysterious and powerful Master Han, and he revealed such emotions.
Master Han held a high position in the Demon Cult.
So high that even he didn’t know the true name of the person.
Master Han’s methods could only be described as unfathomable.
In this Blood Phoenix Secret Realm, even a sixth realm Law Body martial artist could not disrupt its rules unless they used immense external force to destroy the realm directly.
Yet Master Han could allow him to enter and exit freely.
Moreover, Master Han appeared to be in his twenties, yet his vision and experience made Yin Huaxuan feel like a frog at the bottom of a well.
Yin Huaxuan also felt a sense of pressure, as if a thorn was lodged in his throat, whenever he stood before Master Han after entering the Blood Phoenix Secret Realm.
After a moment, the blood-clad youth’s expression returned to calm.
“How did the task I assigned you go?”
“There will surely be rivers of blood in this secret realm.”
“Hmm, you’ve done well. After decades in Qingyuan Sect, it’s commendable.”
The blood-clad youth seemed to be in a good mood.
“For the prosperity of the cult, I am willing to sacrifice everything…”
Yin Huaxuan dared not take credit.
The young man known as Master Han waved his hand, a smile that was neither a smile nor a frown on his face.
“You’ll receive your share of the benefits.”
“Yes.”
Yin Huaxuan bowed again.
Out of the corner of his eye, he caught sight of a faintly golden skeleton not far away, radiating a golden light mixed with blood-colored inscriptions. Its clothing had long rotted away, yet its bones remained clean and vibrant.
It was almost... lifelike.
And those blood-colored inscriptions seemed to be even brighter than the last time he saw them...
---
In the first layer of the Blood Phoenix Secret Realm.
In the withered and twisted forest, the sound of branches snapping underfoot echoed.
“Ying Bing is terrifying…”
Tie Qi withdrew his gaze from the sky, squinting at the goosebumps rising on his arms.
“I can’t shake the feeling that something’s off here.”
What he observed in the Guan Shen realm was the ambush tactics of the Gang Dou Sect, which made him exceptionally skilled in group battles and particularly sensitive to killing intent.
He felt as if some presence was lurking in the shadows, watching him.
Yet, looking around, there was no one in sight, not even a living creature...
“What’s going on?”
Tie Qi scratched his head.
No living creatures, yet he could smell the scent of blood.
He took a few steps forward and finally found the source of the blood smell.
A few torn pieces of clothing hung from the branches, while their owner had long since vanished.
“Strange.”
Just as Tie Qi was about to get closer, he noticed that the ancient trees in this withered forest had, at some point, split open their trunks to reveal gaping mouths.
The branches began to writhe wildly.
“Tree Demon?”
The thought had barely settled in his mind.
*Whoosh—*
A branch, with a piercing wind, lashed out like a living snake, slicing through the air.
*Crack!*
Tie Qi stumbled back, his blood surging.
He quickly circulated his inner breath, and the halberd in his hand became as impenetrable as water.
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