"You!"
The man’s expression changed.
Chen Xuan appeared before him in an instant. He stomped on the man’s body, grabbed his mouth with both hands, and with a RIP, tore it open on the spot. Blood flowed freely as the man screamed in agony.
Chen Xuan had no intention of coddling these losers he’d already beaten!
’You all swarmed me, trying to defeat me! To make me kneel!’
’You didn’t want to talk about your ties to the Martial Alliance then.’
’Now that I’ve beaten you, you want to talk connections?’
’To hell with your connections!’
’Go get your mom!’
"If you don’t kneel now, do you really want me to knock him out, strip him naked, and string him up?"
Chen Xuan glared at the crowd.
Everyone was on the verge of a mental breakdown.
Under Chen Xuan’s pressure, they didn’t dare hesitate for even a moment.
Soon, someone took the initiative and knelt.
After the first person knelt, the rest followed one after another. Like dominoes, the dense crowd dropped to their knees before Chen Xuan, their faces pale with utter despair.
"Slap!"
Chen Xuan’s voice was cold.
"..."
Everyone wore bitter expressions, looking at one another.
Then, a series of resounding SLAP SLAP SLAPS began to ring out.
The scene within the secret realm was shocking beyond compare.
Chai Yuan and his two siblings watched, their hearts pounding with excitement. It was incredibly satisfying.
Never before had their Celestial Treasure Mountain experienced such a gratifying moment.
Suddenly, Chen Xuan sensed something and glanced toward a corner.
Dong Jianxue, dressed in a white skirt, immediately began to tremble with fear. She quickly shrank back and cried out, "I didn’t attack you... and I didn’t say anything..."
[A group of Grotto Heaven geniuses have been detected experiencing a mental breakdown. Retribution points +250,000!]
A line of text appeared.
Chen Xuan couldn’t be bothered with Dong Jianxue and turned his attention back to the panel.
Retribution Points: 616,700!
’With the help of this so-called Dragon Vein’s Spiritual Qi, I can definitely reach the Inner Realm Fifth Layer this time.’
He thought to himself.
Awesome!
Chen Xuan looked up at the floating platforms, and with a leap, he shot toward the one in the very back.
Chai Yuan and his siblings quickly followed.
「A short while later.」
Chen Xuan landed in the deepest area and looked ahead.
In the very front of the secret realm, a massive valley floor had appeared.
Inside the valley, Spiritual Qi surged, vast and powerful, like a great spring. It constantly emitted puffs of milky-white vapor. This vapor grew thicker and heavier, eventually condensing into viscous droplets that gathered together, exuding an indescribably fragrant aroma.
"That is the Dragon Vein Spring."
Chai Yuan explained, "It looks like we’ll have to wait a while longer. We can go down once that white liquid accumulates to a certain level."
Chen Xuan gave a slight nod.
This white liquid was undoubtedly the essence of the Dragon Vein’s Spiritual Qi.
Right now, there was very little of this essence.
At this rate, he would have to wait at least another half hour.
But it didn’t matter; he would just wait here.
’I’m not in a hurry anyway.’
’I can just absorb some of this Dragon Vein Spiritual Qi to nourish my body in the meantime.’
Just as Chen Xuan and the others were sitting there, waiting quietly...
Another figure burst through the entrance to the secret realm.
It was a burly man who looked to be in his late thirties, carrying a black-sheathed blade. He had a wild aura, a sharp gaze, and emanated a powerful presence.
But the moment he entered, his expression turned to shock, and he sucked in a cold breath.
Everywhere he looked, figures were kneeling, their faces bitter and their heads bowed in dejection, completely motionless.
Without exception, it was everyone who had entered before him.
The blade-wielding man had originally thought he was late.
He had been planning to go on a killing spree after entering to seize a spot at the front.
But now he realized...
’What the fuck is this situation?!’
"You all!"
The burly man was dumbfounded. "What happened?"
’Running into Ruan Qi and the others outside was one thing...’
’But why is everyone in here kneeling too?’
"Yan Guichen?"
Someone looked up in surprise, but their eyes quickly darted about, a hint of malice appearing in them.
’So many of us are kneeling here.’
’There’s no reason Yan Guichen shouldn’t kneel with us, right?’
Yan Guichen was a famously powerful expert in the world of Grotto Heavens.
At thirty-nine, he had already glimpsed the threshold of the Inner Realm.
He could step across it whenever he chose.
In terms of combat power, he had even fought against true Inner Realm masters and had once defeated some who were old and whose vitality had waned.
If he used the Dragon Vein’s Spiritual Qi this time, he would definitely be able to break through for real.
But!
If the crowd could shatter his dao heart, then he would never be able to break through.
"Yan Guichen, isn’t that blade of yours said to be able to cut through anything? Chen Xuan is in there. If you’ve got the guts, go fight him. See if your blade can cut through his defense. We already tried. We couldn’t beat him."
someone sneered.
’This is how you have to deal with Yan Guichen.’
’You have to use the Provocation Skill.’
’This Yan Guichen is the famous "Iron Weights"—the stronger you are, the more he wants to test his mettle against you.’
"Chen Xuan?"
Yan Guichen’s expression shifted slightly.
But he quickly became calmer than ever, looking at the crowd with a cold smile.
"Are you trying to set me up?"
’Do you really think I’m an idiot?’
’I may be a Martial Madman, it’s true!’
’But I’m not a moron!’
’So many of you were beaten to your knees. What damn good would it do if I went up there?’
"Could it be that you’re scared?"
Someone said in a strange tone, "The great ’Iron Weights’ Yan Guichen, who fears neither heaven nor earth—are you telling me you’re afraid of Chen Xuan?"
"That’s right. I am scared."
Yan Guichen admitted it directly. He looked at the person and said, "Are you saying you’re not?"
"I..."
The man was about to say he wasn’t afraid, but he snapped his mouth shut, a look of terror on his face.
He was terrified that Chen Xuan would hear him and rip his mouth open.
After all, in his eyes, Chen Xuan was freakishly terrifying...
He seethed with anger internally.