Suddenly, three glowing orbs emerged from the dust of the destroyed map fragments.
The three bright spots fused and formed the ghostly image of a palace. It flickered and entered the earth, vanishing from sight.
“This is?” Chen Fan was shocked. He hadn't expected such an extraordinary event to follow the destruction of the map fragments.
But the surprises weren't over yet.
The ground suddenly shook violently, as if caught in an earthquake.
Loud rumbles echoed as dark, gully-like fissures spread across the earth, snaking through the ground like giant serpents.
Moments later, a golden light beam burst forth from the fissures, shooting up into the sky.
This beam was incredibly bright and wide, tearing through the clouds and stretching into the horizon. It was a terrifying yet dazzling sight.
Woo, woo, woo, woo, woo, woo...
The air was filled with the sound of howling winds as the energy in the Stormy Plains spiraled out of control. Powerful gusts and the Cataclysmic Dragon Gale wreaked havoc.
The golden pillar could be seen even from a hundred thousand miles away. All the experts in the Wuning Empire became alert, catching sight of the pillar tearing through the sky.
“Did I activate some mechanism for the hidden treasures?” Chen Fan was stunned.
He never expected the secret to be hidden within the map.
The pieces of the map he'd found were the key to unveiling the treasure, which he had unlocked by sheer luck.
Immediately, Chen Fan flew toward the light beam; before long, he stood close to it.
A mysterious, unfathomable energy fluctuation that could kill all existence emanated from above the beam. Cautiously, Chen Fan kept his distance, observing from about thirty steps away.
“Where’s the entrance to the treasure land?”
Chen Fan found no entry point despite his efforts, which puzzled him.
He then got closer to the beam, circling it several times in search of an entrance, but found nothing. He felt a bit dejected now.
Chen Fan looked at the pillar and narrowed his eyes slightly. “Could this light pillar be the entrance?”
He didn't act rashly. Picking up a stone, he tossed it toward the beam.
However, an invisible force turned the rock into dust as soon as it was a meter from the pillar. Chen Fan’s hair stood on end.
Next, he took out a precious knife from his storage ring. This Grade-1 treasure was harder than a rock. He threw it toward the pillar of light.
Yet, like the stone before it, the blade turned to dust upon contact with the light.
“This... this pillar of light is so terrifying. Certain death! Is it not the entrance?” Chen Fan’s expression turned grim, anxious.
Despite the treasure being within arm's reach, finding a way to it seemed impossible.
It felt like standing before a vast treasure trove, separated by an insurmountable barrier. The riches were visible yet unreachable.
However, this golden pillar of light was much more terrifying than a simple barrier. It could turn even a Grade-1 knife into powder. Although Chen Fan was confident in his physique’s toughness, he didn’t dare to risk himself recklessly.
“What should I do? The commotion earlier likely caught the attention of half the Wuning Empire's experts. Once they come, I won’t even enjoy a sip of the soup after having done all the work.”
Chen Fan anxiously scratched his head and ears, wrestling with his problem.
Unable to find an entrance and unwilling to endanger himself, he sat in the lotus position a short distance from the light pillar.
Even if he couldn't savor the feast, exploring the source would at least be good enough. Otherwise, his efforts would all be in vain.
Soon, a speck of red light emerged on the eastern horizon.
The red light grew larger, tinting the surrounding air in its color. If one looked long and hard into the red light, they would see a human silhouette within, hurtling toward Chen Fan faster than the speed of sound.
The red light arrived at the Stormy Plains in the blink of an eye. It didn’t slow down for the Cataclysmic Dragon Gales and charged across, directly annihilating the gales.
As the red light streaked over, the human silhouette within was revealed. It was an elder in gray robes.
“Could it be the Nebulous Divine Palace?” the elder wondered aloud. Standing in mid-air, he seemed lost in thought as he looked at the golden pillar.
“No, it’s not that. It’s actually the Nebulous Mysterious Realm!” the elder corrected himself, muttering. He cast a glance at Chen Fan and inquired, “Young fellow, did you open this Nebulous Mysterious Realm?”
Chen Fan shook his head and said, “Reporting to Senior, I happened to be training near the Stormy Plains and saw a strange phenomenon in this direction. So, I came here to investigate. I didn’t open it.”
“Oh? Is that right?” the elder responded nonchalantly, withholding further comments.
“Senior, you mentioned something about the Nebulous Mysterious Realm. What does that mean?” Chen Fan asked.
The gray-robed elder said, “Nothing. It’s a good place.”
Seeing the elder reluctance to elaborate, Chen Fan didn’t ask any further.
The gray-robed elder was about to make a move to investigate the pillar of light when he suddenly raised his head and looked to the northeast.
The white clouds split apart on the horizon, revealing a hurtling figure toward them. An invisible blade qi sliced through anything in its path, including the intangible air.
A middle-aged man with a fair complexion and no facial hair, dressed in clothes whiter than snow, flew over. High up in the sky, blade qi, with a very domineering and fierce aura, swept around him.
The gray-robed elder’s gaze became slightly grim when he saw this white-clothed middle-aged man and said, “Xue Wuren, you’re here fast. “
The white-clothed middle-aged man, Xue Wuren, smiled indifferently and said, “You compliment my speed, but I’m not faster than your Blood Echeveria Sect. Reverend Zuoqiu, have you found out anything yet?”
Reverend Zuoqiu nodded and said, “Based on my initial assessment, this appears to be the Nebulous Mysterious Realm—the ancient trial ground created by the Nebulous Divine Palace for its disciples."
“Oh!” Xue Wuren raised his eyebrows.
During ancient times, the Nebulous Divine Palace was a top-tier sect of the Tianwu Continent, having countless experts in its ranks. However, the blood calamity that affected the entire continent annihilated them, making them just another chapter in history.
“So, it’s the Nebulous Mysterious Realm. It’s a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for the disciples.”
Suddenly, the temperature plummeted, and snowflakes cascaded down without warning, some falling on Chen Fan. Immediately, a chill capable of freezing everything enveloped him.
A graceful figure emerged from the distant snowfall—an elegant, mature woman exuding a bone-chilling aura.
“You’re here, Fairy Ice Snow. It seems your Nine Heavens of Ice and Snow Cultivation Technique has reached major mastery.”
Blade intent spread around Xue Wuren, unaffected by all laws. His blade qi annihilated the drifting snowflakes before they could get within thirty feet of him.
“Hoho, my Nine Heavens of Ice and Snow Cultivation Technique can’t compare to your God Slaying Blade Art, Xue Wuren.” Fairy Ice Snow laughed lightly.