Volume 1, Chapter 103 – Tianqiong Plain

Southern Region, Tianqiong Plains.

For countless years, this name had been passed down through generations of cultivators in the Southern Region of the Canglan Continent.

As far as the eye could see, it was a forbidden land in the truest sense.

A thousand miles of scorched earth, without a single blade of grass.

The ground was neither ordinary soil nor gravel, but something dark and dull, as though it had been seared over and over by raging fire and thunder.

The air was dry and scorching, yet threaded with traces of a strange Dao Resonance.

Spiritual energy was exceedingly scarce here, so thin as to be almost nonexistent. Yet a far older, more obscure fluctuation seemed to flow faintly through the fabric of space itself.

Legends of the Tianqiong Plains circulated widely throughout the Southern Region.

It was said that sixty thousand years ago, this place had looked nothing like it did now.

Back then, it had been a beautiful mountain range where spirit veins converged, blessed by the essence of heaven and earth.

Then, one day, everything changed forever.

A mighty Immortal Ascension cultivator named Venerable Tianqiong chose this place for secluded cultivation, intending to break through to the elusive realm of ascension.

No one knew exactly what had happened that day.

All they knew was that the sky over the entire Southern Region had been torn apart!

Endless heavenly tribulation lightning poured down like wrathful dragons bent on destroying the world, engulfing the entire mountain range!

The heavenly tribulation lasted for seven days and seven nights!

The terrifying lightning tribulation not only destroyed the mountains, but utterly incinerated and annihilated every spirit vein in the area!

When the tribulation clouds finally dispersed, Venerable Tianqiong had vanished without a trace, along with his cave abode and the entire mountain range.

All that remained was this boundless expanse of scorched earth, utterly devoid of life.

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Those who came later named it the Tianqiong Plains.

From then on, strange spatial fluctuations would appear deep within this lifeless wasteland once every hundred years.

A unique place formed from Venerable Tianqiong’s shattered Dao laws and the lingering power of his tribulation would open of its own accord:

The Laws Secret Realm.

The secret realm nurtured all manner of precious natural treasures and strange creatures born from the fusion of tribulation power and shattered Dao laws.

It might also contain fragments of that Immortal Ascension cultivator’s inheritance and insights.

As a result, every opening of the Laws Secret Realm was like a massive boulder thrown into the deep waters of the Southern Region.

Every sect, clan, and even certain reclusive Dao lineages would send their most outstanding young disciples to compete for opportunities and temper themselves.

It had long since become the grandest gathering of the Southern Region’s younger generation, as well as a stage upon which the various factions displayed their strength and secretly vied for supremacy.

And today was the day the Laws Secret Realm would open once again!

Deep within the Tianqiong Plains lay a relatively flat area with an unobstructed view.

At that moment, it was already bustling with activity, banners fluttering everywhere!

Factions large and small from across the Southern Region had arrived several days in advance.

Some hovered in the air aboard flying vessels. Others had erected temporary camps on the ground. Still others gathered in small groups, conversing in low voices while periodically glancing toward the entrance to the secret realm.

At a rough estimate, tens of thousands of cultivators had gathered there!

They were the most exceptional young talents of this generation in the Southern Region, the future hopes of their respective factions.

The air was thick with tension and anticipation, with fierce competition simmering beneath the surface.

“Look! That’s the Qingyun Vessel from Qingyun Sacred Land! How magnificent!”

“Over there! Those are the flying vessels of Lingxu Sacred Land and Tianyuan Sacred Land. Sacred lands truly live up to their reputation!”

“The Flowing Cloud Sword Sect has arrived too! Every one of them has sword qi soaring into the heavens. Their reputation is well deserved!”

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“That’s the Scarlet Flame Flying Chariot of Heavenly Fire Valley! I heard the valley master’s youngest son is personally leading their group this time. He possesses a Fire Spirit Body and is said to be a once-in-a-generation genius!”

“The immortal maidens from Wondrous Sound Pavilion are here… Wow, every one of them really is a peerless beauty…”

“Are those people from the Xuanming Sect? They actually came too? That bunch won’t be easy to deal with…”

“And there’s Beast Mountain and Ten Thousand Poisons Ridge… This secret realm is going to be lively.”

Conversations sprang up in every direction as people identified the distinctive flying artifacts, attire, and auras.

Qingyun Sacred Land, Lingxu Sacred Land, Tianyuan Sacred Land, Flowing Cloud Sword Sect, Heavenly Fire Valley, Wondrous Sound Pavilion, Xuanming Sect, Beast Mountain, Ten Thousand Poisons Ridge…

Nearly every top-tier faction in the Southern Region had arrived.

Their disciples naturally became the focus of the crowd’s attention.

Sacred Lord Chu Tianchen was personally overseeing the contingent aboard Qingyun Sacred Land’s flying vessel. Several elders and dozens of extraordinary young disciples stood beside him.

At their head were Gu Luoli’s “old acquaintances”: Mubai, the former Sacred Son, and Su Wan’er, the newly appointed Holy Maiden.

Lingxu Sacred Land’s contingent had likewise arrived aboard an opulent flying vessel. An elderly man in a Daoist robe patterned with the Eight Trigrams sat with his eyes closed, resting. He was none other than Sacred Lord Xuanyangzi.

Most of the disciples behind him had ethereal, unrestrained bearings and specialized in spells and formations.

The cultivators of Tianyuan Sacred Land were the most conspicuous. Most were tall and powerfully built, their surging vitality soaring into the heavens as they stood aboard a massive black vessel.

Supreme Elder Barbarian King was personally leading the group. He spoke quietly with several elders beside him, his gaze periodically sweeping over the other factions.

The disciples of the Flowing Cloud Sword Sect, meanwhile, wore fitted martial attire and carried longswords on their backs. Each resembled an unsheathed blade, sharp and imposing.

Their leader was First Senior Brother Ling Chen, a cultivator at the peak of Golden Core. He was said to have already comprehended the embryonic form of sword intent and was the leading figure among the Flowing Cloud Sword Sect’s current generation.

Most of the Heavenly Fire Valley disciples wore scarlet clothing and radiated scorching heat.

Their young valley master, Huo Wushuang, who possessed the so-called Scarlet Flame Spirit Body, resembled a miniature sun walking among mortals. His aura was domineering and flamboyant, and he had reached late-stage Golden Core.

The disciples of Wondrous Sound Pavilion were all female cultivators, each beautiful in appearance and distinctive in temperament. Some were cool and aloof, some seductive, and some lively.

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They specialized in the Dao of music and illusion arts. Though they appeared delicate, no one dared underestimate them.

A faint baleful aura shrouded the disciples of the Xuanming Sect. Their icy gazes struck fear into anyone who looked at them.

Most Beast Mountain disciples were accompanied by tamed spirit beasts. They fought as one with their beasts, making their combat strength impossible to gauge.

The cultivators of Ten Thousand Poisons Ridge gave off strange and sinister auras. Multicolored poisonous mist seemed to coil faintly around them, causing others to instinctively keep their distance.

In addition to these first-rate factions, numerous second-rate sects, ancient clans, and even solitary genius rogue cultivators had gathered there.

The entire Tianqiong Plains had become an arena in which the Southern Region’s younger generation would compete.

“Strange… The people from Yaochi Immortal Palace still haven’t arrived?”

Someone in the crowd suddenly voiced the question in a low murmur.

The surrounding area immediately fell silent. A moment later, even more discussion erupted.

“Yaochi Immortal Palace? You mean that new faction that appeared out of nowhere and subdued the demon kings of the Wanjue Mountain Range?”

“They’re coming too? I heard they only opened their gates and began recruiting disciples less than a year ago. How advanced could their disciples possibly be?”

“That’s not necessarily true! Don’t forget that Yaochi Immortal Palace took in a great many disciples during the spiritual aptitude testing in Qingyang City a year ago!”

“And there’s Gu Luoli, whose Dao injury was supposedly cured…”

“Gu Luoli? Wasn’t she the former Holy Maiden of Qingyun Sacred Land? She actually joined Yaochi Immortal Palace?”

“If she really has recovered… then this secret realm will be even more interesting!”

“Hmph. What kind of foundation could a newly established faction possibly have? Their disciples haven’t had enough time to cultivate. No matter how talented they are, entering the secret realm would be suicide.”

“Fellow Daoist, I’m afraid you’re mistaken. Don’t forget that they have someone capable of subduing Mahayana demon kings backing them! Who knows how many life-saving trump cards that person gave their disciples?”

Talk of Yaochi Immortal Palace quietly spread among the various factions.

Curiosity, doubt, apprehension, disdain… All manner of emotions mingled together.

Most did not expect the new faction to perform well in the secret realm. After all, the short time since its founding was an undeniable disadvantage.

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Yet a small number of shrewder individuals had a vague feeling that the mysterious Yaochi Immortal Palace might deliver some unexpected “surprises.”

Amid the chaotic discussions and restless waiting…

“Buzz…”

At the very center of the Tianqiong Plains, where the spatial fluctuations were most violent…

The spiritual energy of heaven and earth abruptly began surging wildly!

High in the sky, the clouds seemed to be stirred by an invisible hand. They slowly began to rotate, forming an enormous vortex!

From the heart of the vortex, an ancient and boundless aura slowly spread outward, seemingly imbued with shattered laws and Dao Resonance!

“The secret realm is about to open!”

No one knew who shouted, but the entire Tianqiong Plains instantly erupted into an uproar!

The leaders of every faction, whether elders heading their contingents or outstanding disciples leading their peers, all turned toward the center of the vortex.

The young disciples clenched their fists, their eyes blazing with fervor.

Opportunities! Inheritances! The chance to make their names known throughout the land!

Just then…

“Look over there!”

Another startled cry rang out, filled with incredulous shock.

Many people instinctively turned toward the voice.

On the eastern horizon of the Tianqiong Plains, a colossal vessel a hundred zhang long had appeared, radiating a soft silver-white glow.

It tore through the sky at a speed that appeared steady but was, in truth, as swift as lightning!

Natural cloud patterns flowed across its hull, while profound formation runes flickered faintly among them.