Chapter 128: The Struggle for the Entrance

Zhou Qi did not follow the wave of cultivators rushing toward the entrance. At this moment, the faster one ran, the more they became a target for everyone else. Those who reached the front did not even have a moment to rejoice before being swallowed up by flying swords and magical techniques from behind, turning into nothing but dust.

After a short while, the most aggressive cultivators had all been wiped out. Not a single one succeeded in reaching the entrance, which finally cooled the fervor of the others, causing them to halt their advance.

Some Golden Core cultivators attempted to transform into streaks of light to dash into the entrance, only to be forced back into their true forms by the powerful suction of the gateway. They were immediately pummeled by a barrage of flying swords and spells, causing the light of the portal to ripple violently.

Eventually, no one dared to try again. As enticing as the secret realm was, it was useless if one were dead.

By now, they felt surrounded by enemies, expecting a knife in the back or a flying sword at any moment. The cultivators no longer focused on the portal but began eyeing those around them. If they could slaughter all the Foundation Establishment and novice Golden Core cultivators, the competition for the remaining spots would diminish significantly.

A chaotic melee erupted. Shui Bing was surrounded by disciples from the Xianxia Sect, slowly pushing toward the entrance while fighting off the crowd. The Xianxia disciples were all delicate young women, yet the other cultivators showed no mercy; they suffered the most attacks simply because they were the largest group.

Shortly after the fighting broke out, four or five Xianxia disciples were slain. High above, Su Yu, who was observing the battle, could hardly restrain herself from intervening, but she was held in check by Feng Yuzi and his two companions, leaving her unable to act.

Zhou Qi also found himself under attack. Seeing his cultivation at only the third level of Foundation Establishment, many treated him as an easy target.

"Die!" A cultivator unleashed a ceramic pot toward Zhou Qi. Although it was only a low-grade spiritual artifact, it was designed to drain human blood and vitality, making it a rare treasure among its kind.

Seeing it was only a low-grade artifact, Zhou Qi did not dodge. His own vitality was vigorous enough that he did not fear such draining effects. Secretly channeling the Divine Dragon Transformation, he punched the ceramic pot, shattering it into fragments.

The cultivator was stunned, having expected an easy kill only to run into a hard stone. The destruction of the artifact caused him to spit out a mouthful of blood, and he was immediately finished off by a streak of light from a passing flying sword.

Zhou Qi had already stowed Huang Qianqian away in the Medicine Immortal’s Sacred Mansion. Since she was a phoenix, he was unsure of the cultivation levels of those watching from the sky; if they discovered her true identity, it would only invite greater trouble, as the flesh and blood of a divine beast were considered peerless medicine to humans.

A massive fist barreled toward Zhou Qi—a blow from a Golden Core cultivator. Zhou Qi hurriedly used the Divine Movement Steps to dodge, refusing to trade blows directly. His goal was to enter the secret realm, and there was no reason to fight to the death with high-level cultivators.

The melee had lasted only a quarter of an hour, yet dozens had already perished. Zhou Qi had not launched a single offensive, focusing entirely on dodging within the chaotic battlefield and only blocking when absolutely necessary. He followed the flow of the battle, inching closer to the glowing portal.

The Xianxia Sect had lost five or six more members, leaving only a dozen or so, but they were now close to the portal. The entire battlefield was shifting toward it.

Not a single person had entered the secret realm yet. Zhou Qi observed carefully, trying to discern which cultivators were affiliated with those watching from above. He possessed the Bewildering Immortal Array and could toss it out to enter the secret realm at any time, but he was uncertain if this truncated version of the array could deceive the five experts overhead.

Their disciples were certainly intended to enter. Only once they were inside would the experts likely turn a blind eye to others. He could clearly feel their divine senses scanning the area below.

"Ha!" Seeing they were close to the portal, Shui Bing let out a sharp cry. The lotus flower beneath her feet expanded, enveloping her figure. It spun rapidly, knocking back surrounding cultivators—including her own sect sisters. The lotus reached the portal, trembling under the onslaught of attacks but remaining intact. Under its protection, Shui Bing successfully stepped into the portal and vanished.

Zhou Qi felt two of the divine senses above weaken slightly; they must have belonged to the two female experts of the Xianxia Sect.

Seeing someone succeed, the brawl became even more frantic. A cultivator brandished a massive blade, sending a humongous wave of energy erupting from the portal, forcing the others to scatter. By the time they regained their footing, that cultivator had already stepped inside.

Another entry drove the remaining cultivators into a frenzy. They unleashed their trump cards, the explosion of magic turning the ancient city into a scene of tragic beauty. Severed limbs flew, screams filled the air, and the roar of spells turned the battle into a bloody slaughter.

Soon, two more cultivators took advantage of the chaos to step into the portal. Another divine sense above dimmed.

Two divine senses remained at full strength. Zhou Qi observed quietly, continuously employing the Profound Thunder Evasion and Divine Movement Steps to drift among the Foundation Establishment cultivators, carefully avoiding the Golden Core experts.

There were about two hundred cultivators left fighting. Four had entered, meaning sixteen spots remained. *No rush,* Zhou Qi thought.

Three more Xianxia disciples fought their way out of the fray and into the entrance. Then, three more cultivators suddenly unleashed terrifying power and successfully breached the portal.

Ten had entered. Zhou Qi sensed that all the divine senses above had weakened; clearly, the experts felt their chosen disciples had all made it into the Saint’s Secret Realm and no longer needed to monitor the ground so closely.

Zhou Qi waited. Ten spots left. *Wait a little longer,* he thought. The Xianxia Sect hadn't gotten everyone in yet, and the disciples of the boorish-sounding expert were likely still outside as well.

Zhou Qi continued his observation. He hadn't killed anyone yet, keeping his focus entirely on the strength of the divine senses above and identifying which cultivators were backed by the experts.

While it seemed difficult to tell, it was actually quite simple. One could distinguish those with guidance from lone cultivators by their attire, the quality of their spiritual artifacts, and the breadth of their magical techniques. Lone cultivators not only lacked superior artifacts, but their cultivation methods and spells were often lopsided, focusing heavily on one aspect.

Zhou Qi had no intention of rushing forward himself. Among the remaining crowd were many Golden Core cultivators; no matter how fast his movement technique was, the moment he revealed himself at the entrance, he risked being obliterated by a torrent of spells and swords. To pass without cost, he had to rely on the Bewildering Immortal Array.

Five more cultivators entered. The intensity of the divine senses above had reached its lowest point. The entrance to the secret realm had been open for nearly a dozen hours.

Zhou Qi waited no longer. He activated the Bewildering Immortal Array. Thick fog instantly shrouded the area. Using the Divine Movement Steps, Zhou Qi moved like a beam of light and stepped into the portal.

"Hmm?" The moment the fog covered the area, it was sensed by the experts above. Seeing Zhou Qi step into the entrance, they did not stop him.

"A cunning little brat. That array is quite interesting," Feng Yuzi laughed.

"They couldn't have broken through it on their own. By the time the array dissipates, the entrance will likely be gone. To think this boy had such a fine array and didn't use it until now—he was clearly worried we might stop him. What a devious mind," Mingxia added with a smile.

"Enough. Four spots remain. Let's give the other cultivators a chance," Feng Yuzi sighed. He reached out, and the formation disk of the Bewildering Immortal Array appeared in his hand.

The remaining cultivators went completely mad, desperate to grasp that final sliver of hope. The battle became even more bloody and brutal.