After about half an hour, basically all forces had arrived, and the Abyss Secret Realm also showed signs of opening.
The so-called Abyss Secret Realm was located beside a deep abyss. During the times when the secret realm remained closed, many people had explored the abyss without finding anything abnormal.
The Abyss Secret Realm seemed to exist in another space; while closed, it was merely an ordinary abyss, and only upon opening would a teleportation gate manifest above it.
The fifty disciples of the Tianyuan Sect were divided into four teams in total. Lin Shimeng led one team, Yao Kaidong led another, Meng Chengren, the Senior Brother of the Immortal Beast Peak, led a third, while Qin Xiao and Yun Man formed a separate two-person party.
In terms of numbers, Lin Shimeng's team naturally had the most, keeping all eighteen Main Peak members together. Next came the Immortal Sword Peak and Immortal Cloud Peak led by Yao Kaidong alongside the Immortal Artifact Peak, totaling fifteen people.
The team led by Meng Chengren consisted of members from the Immortal Beast Peak, Immortal Medicine Peak, and Immortal Spring Peak, forming a group of fifteen across those three peaks.
The other factions were much the same, with larger groups dividing into smaller squads and smaller groups uniting into cohesive teams.
"Get ready, the secret realm is about to open."
Seeing vortices begin to churn above the abyss, Wen Yuanying raised her voice to warn everyone.
Everyone watched with bated breath as the vortices continuously expanded, stopping only when the entrance widened enough to allow a hundred people to pass through simultaneously.
The Chunyang Sect and the Immortal Dao Merchant Association entered as the first batch, followed closely by the Xuanyin Sect and the Tianyuan Sect.
After being plundered for so many years, the first layer held almost nothing of value, making the order of entry largely irrelevant. Moreover, finding treasures depended far more on personal fortune.
"Remember, internal fighting is strictly forbidden within the secret realm. Every year, quite a few disciples are lost inside, and I hope all of you return alive."
When their turn arrived, Wen Yuanying delivered her parting instructions.
With that, all the Tianyuan Sect disciples executed Sword Flight and surged toward the vortex.
Naturally, Qin Xiao hitched a ride on Yun Man's flying sword. While his physical strength was sufficient for him to leap across directly, doing so would be entirely unnecessary and far too embarrassing.
Upon crossing into the secret realm, the surrounding environment shifted instantly. Even the sky hung with a dull, ashen hue, casting dim light over an endless, barren plain devoid of even a single tree.
None of the other groups were in sight; only the Tianyuan Sect disciples who had entered alongside them were present. Those who arrived through later transmissions clearly landed elsewhere, suggesting the landing points were randomized.
"Junior Brother Qin, since this is your first time here and you are unfamiliar with the terrain, you should join our team."
Lin Shimeng offered another well-intentioned invitation.
"There's no need. Since it's my first time, we'll just wander around and treat it like a sightseeing trip to broaden our horizons."
Qin Xiao refused once more.
"Hmph, ungrateful. The Holy Maiden kindly invites you, yet you put on airs."
Before Lin Shimeng could reply, the Junior Brother standing behind her failed to contain his irritation.
"Disciple, let's go."
Ignoring the cultivator entirely, Qin Xiao called out to Yun Man and signaled for them to depart first.
"Yes, Master."
Without another word, Yun Man summoned her flying sword, and the pair soared away.
Lin Shimeng grew practically furious, but she had to maintain her composure and preserve her image as the Holy Maiden in front of her disciples.
"Let's move out as well. We're heading straight for the third layer, and if we get the chance, we'll check out the fourth."
Seeing that Qin Xiao had already vanished, Lin Shimeng dropped the matter and set her own plans in motion.
Noticing Lin Shimeng's departure, Yao Kaidong led his group in pursuit along the direction Qin Xiao had taken.
Yet how could they possibly hope to catch up to Yun Man, who possessed the speed of a Nascent Soul stage cultivator? After chasing for quite some time without catching a glimpse of Qin Xiao's shadow, Yao Kaidong gave up.
"Forget it, we'll let that bastard off for now. We're heading to the third layer."
Unble to catch them, Yao Kaidong chose to cut his losses and focus on searching the third layer for Fated Chances. Since the secret realm remained open for a full month, he would surely cross paths with Qin Xiao eventually.
Qin Xiao's claim about casually wandering the first layer was obviously a diversion. Anyone who actually wasted time strolling around the first layer of a secret realm would have to be a fool; besides, there was nothing worth seeing there anyway. He had merely said it for Yao Kaidong's benefit so the other man would waste time searching the lower layer.
Although it was Qin Xiao's first time entering, the sect had visited countless times, equipping every disciple with a rudimentary map. Relying on Yun Man's Nascent Soul speed, Qin Xiao intended to race ahead and force his way directly into the fourth layer.
Yet upon reaching the entrance to the second layer, they found over a dozen disciples guarding the passage.
A considerable crowd had been blocked outside, barred from entering.
"Isn't your Xuanyin Sect going a bit too far? This secret realm doesn't belong to your sect alone."
"Exactly! Do you really intend to make enemies of everyone here?"
"Step aside and let us through immediately, or once we leave this place, I will broadcast everything you've done to the entire cultivation world!"
The blocked cultivators began shouting in indignation against the Xuanyin Sect.
"Are you all blind, or just selectively placing the blame? Is this decision made by my sect alone?"
A Xuanyin Sect disciple finally snapped and cursed aloud.
This was hardly an independent decree by the Xuanyin Sect. Among the eighteen guards blocking the path, only six belonged to the Xuanyin Sect, alongside six from the Chunyang Sect and six from the Immortal Dao Merchant Association. Yet the crowd directed all their vitriol solely at the Xuanyin Sect, which naturally infuriated them.
The situation traced back to their initial entry. As the first three groups to arrive, they happened to land not far from the second-layer passage.
The three factions arrived almost simultaneously and nearly came to blows. Eventually, the representatives from the Immortal Dao Merchant Association proposed that their three factions enter first, with each group contributing five or six guards to block the rest so they could secure the initiative.
With no better alternatives, the Chunyang Sect and Xuanyin Sect accepted the proposal, largely because the Immortal Dao Merchant Association had deployed a true expert: Ling Wushuang, the eldest young master of the Ling Family.
Ling Wushuang's strength completely outclassed his peers. At forty-five years old, his cultivation had already reached the late Nascent Soul stage, standing at the half-step Nascent Soul peak. Since the leaders dispatched by the Chunyang and Xuanyin sects were only at the mid Nascent Soul stage, they stood no chance against Ling Wushuang and had no choice but to comply.
That led to the current impasse. While the earliest arrivals initially kept quiet and waited obediently, the growing crowd soon began hurling insults.
Because the Immortal Dao Merchant Association and the Chunyang Sect belonged to the top tier while the Xuanyin Sect was considered slightly weaker, the crowd singled out the Xuanyin Sect for abuse, leaving their disciples unwilling to take the blame quietly.
"Everyone, please calm down. Give us one single hour, and we will open the passage."
Sensing the situation slipping toward chaos, a disciple of the Immortal Dao Merchant Association finally spoke up.
Hearing that the passage would open in an hour, the murmuring crowd fell relatively silent.
Since the guards stated as much, waiting was their only option. When one's fists were smaller than the opponent's, obedience was the sensible course.
"Disciple, what is your current cultivation display?"
Qin Xiao had no intention of waiting around for an hour.
"Peak Golden Core."
Having established a tacit understanding with Qin Xiao, Yun Man knew precisely what he intended the moment he asked.
"Are you going to step aside yourselves, or do we need to make you?"
Qin Xiao addressed the guards directly.
"The Tianyuan Sect?"
Every participant in the secret realm wore standardized sect attire to make identification easier amidst the large crowds.
"You can only blame your Tianyuan Sect for arriving late. Had you come a bit earlier, perhaps you would have earned the qualification to enter ahead of time. For now, your sect can wait with the rest."
The speaker belonged to the Immortal Dao Merchant Association and was their sole late Golden Core cultivator.
"So you're forcing us to resort to violence?"
Seeing that the guards refused to yield, Qin Xiao decided a beating was in order.
"Master, wait."
Yun Man hurriedly called out to stop him.
"Disciple, it's not that I refuse to spare Ling Ruoxue's face, but these people are simply pushing things too far."
Believing Yun Man wished to avoid unnecessary friction with the Immortal Dao Merchant Association, Qin Xiao offered an explanation, wanting her to know he wasn't simply looking for trouble.
"Master, that isn't what your disciple meant. Have you forgotten? We hold a Supreme Membership Card."
Yun Man reminded him directly.
"Does that actually work?"
Qin Xiao asked, looking somewhat skeptical.
"Why not try it and see?"
With that, Yun Man reached into her Storage Bag and retrieved the Supreme Membership Card gifted by Ling Ruoxue.
"Does the Immortal Dao Merchant Association recognize this?"
Displaying the card in her hand, Yun Man posed the question to the guards from the merchant association.
"What? A Supreme Membership Card?!"
The leader recognized it instantly. As members of the Immortal Dao Merchant Association, how could they possibly fail to recognize their highest credential?
"Since you are distinguished guests of our association, you may pass."
Though clearly reluctant, the merchant association disciple acknowledged the token and cleared the path for Qin Xiao.
With the Immortal Dao Merchant Association giving clearance, the Chunyang and Xuanyin factions raised no further objections, knowing the opposing party possessed both greater backing and superior strength.
Left behind, the remaining cultivators could only watch in stunned silence as Qin Xiao strode casually into the second layer, acutely aware that none of them possessed a card of that caliber.