After his conversation with Shadow Ming, Xiao Wei steadied his breath and began walking toward the glowing green crack that served as the entrance to the Mortal Grade Secret Realm. His steps were firm, unwavering despite the pressure from hundreds of eyes watching him.
The group of Martial Grandmasters surrounding the area fell into hushed murmurs when they saw him.
"Look at that, another Martial Apprentice walking toward death"one of them sneered, his voice laced with condescension.
Several others burst into laughter.
"He must think it's some sort of training ground. These kids really don't know the difference between courage and stupidity."
Even among so many powerful figures, Xiao Wei didn't let his expression change. His mind was calm, his heartbeat steady. These were not people he needed to impress or fear. Their opinions meant nothing to him.
Among the crowd, Shi Feng noticed Xiao Wei moving forward. His gaze sharpened slightly.
"That kid... he was in Tiger Mountain"Shi Feng muttered to himself.
He didn't say more, but his eyes remained on Xiao Wei, curious and contemplative.
Meanwhile, something unexpected happened.
The Green Emerald Bow that Old Yang held in his hand trembled ever so slightly. The vibrations were so faint that most would have missed it. But Old Yang, a veteran Cultivator whose senses had been honed through centuries, felt it immediately. His brows furrowed.
"Strange... Why did the bow tremble when that boy walked by?"Old Yang whispered to himself in low voice.
He stared at Xiao Wei's back, watching as the youth continued his approach to the Secret Realm entrance without a trace of fear or hesitation. There was no aura of great Cultivation, no signs of an impressive bloodline. Just a young boy in plain robes and calm eyes. And yet, the bow reacted to him.
Xiao Wei ignored the mocking laughter and judgmental glares. He closed his eyes for a brief moment as he reached the crack. The swirling energy pulsed softly, humming with otherworldly power. With a deep breath, Xiao Wei stepped forward and vanished into the crack.
---
The world turned for a moment.
When Xiao Wei opened his eyes, he found himself in a completely different place.
Lush greenery stretched in every direction. Towering trees stood like ancient sentinels, their emerald leaves dancing gently with the breeze. A crystal-clear river flowed beside him, its soft gurgling sound creating a tranquil atmosphere. Birds chirped in the distance, and the air smelled clean and vibrant.
This was the interior of the Mortal Grade Secret Realm.
"So this is what a Secret Realm looks like..."Xiao Wei muttered to himself, taking in the beauty and serenity of the environment.
However, his moment of wonder was quickly overtaken by a practical concern.
"How do I get out of here?"Xiao Wei asked aloud, more to himself than to anyone.
Shadow Ming's voice echoed in his mind, calm and knowing.
'Don't worry, kid. There are a few ways to leave a Secret Realm. One of them is if someone from outside forcibly opens it but that's impossible because there is no one that strong in the whole Mo Empire. But the two most direct methods are either destroying the Secret Realm itself... or claiming it.'
Xiao Wei blinked.
"Destroy it? Claim it? How can I do that?"Xiao Wei asked, still contemplating Shadow Ming's words.
Shadow Ming's voice echoed in his mind with a tone of patience.
'Every Secret Realm has a Core. It is the heart of the Secret Realm realm itself. If you destroy that Core, the Secret Realm will collapse and vanish. But if you manage to subdue it, you become the owner of the Secret Realm. However, remember this—it is a hundred times more difficult to subdue the Core than to destroy it.'
Xiao Wei furrowed his brows.
"If no one can find the Core, then how does a person leave this Secret Realm?"Xiao Wei asked.
Shadow Ming's voice answered again, calm and confident.
'Do not worry. The entrance to every Mortal Grade Secret Realm disappears after one month of its apperance. When that happens, everyone still inside will be automatically expelled from the realm. That's the natural mechanism of these Secret Realms.'
"Alright, I understand."Xiao Wei took a deep breath, feeling the weight of the knowledge settle within him.
He turned to the river and made a decision. He began walking in the opposite direction of the river's flow. He was well aware that the Secret Realm could close at any moment, for many days had already passed since its mysterious appearance.
As he walked through near the river of the lush forest, Xiao Wei's sharp eyes scanned the underbrush. He discovered several valuable herbs. Tier 1 herbs like Spirit Grass and Azure Leaf were abundant. He even stumbled upon a few Tier 2 herbs like Three Petal Lotus and White Jade Ginseng. Carefully plucking and storing them in his Storage Ring, he noted their conditions and placement. If he sell this herbs to an Alchemist they would fetch a good price but he deny that option because he would personally use them in refining pills.
By the time the sky darkened and the stars emerged, Xiao Wei was already high in the trees, resting securely among the branches. He leaned against the thick trunk of an ancient tree and closed his eyes, allowing sleep to take him.
The next morning, Xiao Wei resumed his journey. He followed the river upstream, the opposite of its flow, steadily advancing through the thick forest. The forest was vast, and the deeper he went, the more vibrant and untouched it seemed. Flowers bloomed with ethereal colors, and vines shimmered faintly in the light.
Though he had not encountered another person or a single monster in the last few days, he remained cautious. Shadow Ming had mentioned that Secret Realms could be unpredictable.
Hunger struck occasionally, but the river provided fish. Using his sharpened senses and agile movements, Xiao Wei would catch slippery fish from the water, biting into them raw to sustain his strength. The taste was bitter and cold, but it was enough to keep his body moving.
Two days passed like this. Though he discovered more Tier 1 and Tier 2 herbs scattered throughout the forest, he still found no monsters, no humans, and no clues to the Core.
Then, on the afternoon of the forth day, the sound of crashing water reached his ears.
He quickened his pace.
Pushing through the thick underbrush, Xiao Wei finally arrived at a clearing. Before him stood a majestic waterfall, cascading down a tall cliff into a wide crystal-clear pool below. Mist filled the air, and a faint rainbow shimmered across the surface.
Xiao Wei's eyes lit up.
"Finally reached here"Xiao Wei murmured, his voice barely rising above the constant roar of the waterfall.
Without hesitation, he bent down to pick up a rock roughly the size of his fist. Its surface was smooth and wet, cool to the touch. He weighed it in his palm for a moment, his eyes fixed on the cascade of water ahead—thundering down from the cliff above like a silver curtain, mist curling at its base.
With a sudden motion, he pulled his arm back and hurled the rock toward the waterfall.
The stone flew in a wide arc and disappeared through the rushing veil of water without resistance, vanishing into whatever lay beyond. No splash. No thud.
Xiao Wei narrowed his eyes, the hint of a smile tugging at his lips.
"Just as I thought"Xiao Wei whispered.
As the mist from the roaring waterfall swirled around him, Xiao Wei stood on the slick rocks and gazed into the cascading veil of water. Just moments ago, he had tested the area by tossing a fist-sized stone through the waterfall. The rock hadn't splashed against solid stone or rebounded—it had vanished into the opening behind the waterfall, proving what he had hoped all along.
Suddenly, Shadow Ming voice echoed sharply in his mind, tinged with surprise.
'What? There's a cave behind the waterfall? How did you know that?'
Shadow Ming's voice rang out with disbelief.
Xiao Wei smirked slightly and crossed his arms.
"I didn't know for sure, I just make a guess. Otherwise, why do you think I've been moving against the flow of the river for the past few days?"Xiao Wei said under his breath, eyes still fixed on the falling curtain of water.
There was a pause in his mind before Shadow Ming grumbled again.
'Brat, your luck is dangerously good. If your guess had been wrong, you would've wasted several days wandering like a fool.'
Xiao Wei chuckled and stepped forward, pushing past the waterfall. The water splashed onto his shoulders, briefly drenching his clothes before he emerged into the cool shadow of a natural cavern. Inside, the air was damp but fresh, with the faint scent of moss and wet stone. Drops of water fell from the ceiling above, echoing softly in the wide chamber.