Chapter 1118: Illusory Sea Ancient Realm

Yun Che immediately stood up and asked, "Where is it? Which star realm?"

"North of the Blackflame Realm, there are three star realms forming a tripod-like distribution. The area encompassed by these three star realms is a vast sea. At the center of this sea lies an island called 'Illusory Sea Island.' The sensation of the Emperor Immortal Grass comes from an ancient secret realm on Illusory Sea Island!"

"The Emperor Immortal Grass cannot be nurtured in the current chaotic environment. It only appears very occasionally in ancient secret realms, and always in those of upper or middle star realms. Its appearance in a lower star realm this time is exceedingly rare."

"A lower star realm?" Yun Che was taken aback.

"Exactly. This should be good news, but Illusory Sea Island is extremely troublesome. It's not an ownerless island, nor does it belong to a single star realm. Instead, it is jointly owned by the dominant sects of the three neighboring star realms. The secret realm on the island, the 'Ancient Illusory Sea Realm,' can only be opened when the dominant sects from all three star realms are present."

Knowing that Yun Che knew next to nothing about the various star realms, she described it in relatively more detail: "The 'Ancient Illusory Sea Realm,' jointly owned by the three star realms, is a rather famous secret realm. Most secret realms in lower star realms are experiencing depleted supporting energy and are gradually nearing collapse. However, although the 'Ancient Illusory Sea Realm' is small, its internal power and laws seem quite strong. Its aura shows no signs of decay; in fact, each time it opens, many opportunities can be found. Consequently, all three star realms cherish the 'Ancient Illusory Sea Realm' as a treasure. Yet, they never over-explore it, opening it only once every fifty years, mostly to allow their high-level disciples to train and seek opportunities. We never expected that this opening would detect an extremely high-level aura."

"A divine object like the Emperor Immortal Grass is incredibly rare even in upper star realms, let alone appearing in a lower one. After confirming it was the aura of the Emperor Immortal Grass, the Realm Kings of the three star realms would surely rush to Illusory Sea Island personally upon receiving the news. They might even be gathered at the 'Ancient Illusory Sea Realm' already."

Ji Ruyan paused, then said cautiously, "The biggest problem lies here. No matter which Realm King ultimately obtains the Emperor Immortal Grass, Father fears it would be impossible to purchase, even with vast amounts of profound stones – after all, a realm's ruler wouldn't care for profound stones. But exchanging it for another divine object of equal caliber is simply out of the question. Therefore, the outcome is likely to be more pessimistic. Young Master, please..."

"Where is Illusory Sea Island?" Yun Che suddenly asked with emphasis. "Is there a dimensional profound array that goes near there?"

Ji Ruyan instantly understood his intention and said urgently, "Young Master, you must not entertain such thoughts. Illusory Sea Island is jointly owned by those three star realms, and outsiders are never allowed to set foot on it. Now that this has happened, no one will be permitted to approach, and news will certainly be completely blocked."

"Is there or isn't there?" Yun Che emphasized.

"There is, indeed... The Blackflame Realm isn't actually far from Illusory Sea Island; otherwise, we wouldn't have received the news so quickly."

"I'm returning to Blackflame City immediately!"

Three hours later, Yun Che returned to Blackflame City, where Ji Ruyan was waiting for him.

"We just received intelligence that the Great Realm Kings of the three star realms associated with Illusory Sea Island have personally arrived at the 'Ancient Illusory Sea Realm.' Following the source of the Emperor Immortal Grass's aura, they discovered a sealed profound array deep underground that had never been found before. Beneath this sealed profound array, there appears to be a massive underground palace."

"So, the Emperor Immortal Grass should be inside that underground palace?" Yun Che asked, his brow furrowed.

"That seems to be the case. However, although that sealed profound array has existed for an extremely long time, its remaining power is still formidable. Even with the combined strength of the three Realm Kings and all the powerful cultivators present, it cannot be broken in a short time. If too much time passes and word spreads, and people from middle or upper star realms learn of the Emperor Immortal Grass's existence, then even on their own territory, they would lose any hope of acquiring it. Therefore, the three dominant sects, left with no other choice, have rapidly disseminated the news, widely inviting various sects and powerful cultivators from the three star realms to collectively break the array. The condition is an exceptional allowance for a certain number of their disciples to explore the 'Ancient Illusory Sea Realm' alongside the disciples of the three dominant sects – excluding the newly discovered underground palace, of course."

After relaying the important intelligence she had just received, Ji Ruyan secretly sighed, her gaze complex. "Young Master, your temperament is unyielding; I know I cannot dissuade you from a decision once it's made. Their extensive invitation for powerful cultivators to break the underground palace's seal presents an excellent opportunity for you to infiltrate the secret realm. However... the strength of those three dominant sects far surpasses that of the Soul Sect. After the underground palace's seal is broken, the Emperor Immortal Grass will undoubtedly be personally claimed by the three Realm Kings. If the situation proves impossible, I only ask that you do not act rashly or put yourself in danger. Perhaps once you return safely, Father will already have good news."

Ji Ruyan's concern and worry were genuine, tinged with a subtle self-reproach for her helplessness. Yun Che smiled. "Although hope is slim and the danger immense, I won't be content unless I go myself. But don't worry, while I very much want the Emperor Immortal Grass, I'm not so foolish as to throw my life away for nothing. If I find no opportunity at all, I will, of course, return obediently."

Ji Ruyan's expression relaxed slightly. "The dimensional profound array is ready. It can teleport you to Wanghai Realm, one of the three star realms. From Wanghai Realm, travel north across twenty thousand li of sea, and you will reach Illusory Sea Island. At your speed, you should arrive in about a day."

"I will transmit the location of Illusory Sea Island and information about the three star realms to you via a spiritual imprint. Once you reach Illusory Sea Island, you will have to rely entirely on yourself."

A day later, Illusory Sea Island.

Illusory Sea Island was much smaller than anticipated, barely a hundred li across. Situated in the vast sea, the air was thick with moisture and a salty tang, and the deafening roar of crashing waves could be heard constantly.

Upon entering Illusory Sea Island, Yun Che quickly concealed himself.

There were not many people on the island, and their profound strength was not high, mostly in the Divine Origin Realm. Yun Che slowly advanced, observing his surroundings, until he stopped near the island's center. Before him, a massive spatial vortex continuously swirled, like the roaring maw of a demon, threatening to drag anything that approached into an endless abyss.

That was... the entrance to the "Ancient Illusory Sea Realm"!

Without much thought, Yun Che moved closer. Around the entrance to the Ancient Illusory Sea Realm, about a dozen people stood guard. From their rather relaxed movements and expressions, their watch seemed almost superfluous... because today, countless top-tier experts from the three neighboring star realms were entering the Ancient Illusory Sea Realm; they hardly needed guarding. Their sole purpose in remaining there was probably to prevent idlers from approaching.

Before leaving the Blackflame Realm, Ji Ruyan had repeatedly told him that the Great Realm Kings of the three neighboring star realms had all entered the Ancient Illusory Sea Realm. To break the underground palace seal as soon as possible, they had semi-invited and semi-forced a large number of Divine Spirit Realm experts from their respective star realms to assist.

At this moment, the Ancient Illusory Sea Realm was a chaotic dance of sharks.

His intrusion into the Ancient Illusory Sea Realm, filled with three Divine Kings and numerous Divine Spirit experts, was akin to a small fish attempting to steal food from a school of sharks.

"Since I've already come, there's no reason to retreat." Maintaining his concealed state, Yun Che quickly approached the spatial vortex, his gaze fixed on his left hand... Directly contending with the three star realms was naturally impossible. His forceful arrival here wasn't merely impulsive fervor; he relied on the Sky Poison Pearl.

The Sky Poison Pearl!

The Sky Poison Pearl's guidance would allow him to quickly pinpoint the Emperor Immortal Grass's location. However, against the countless experts from the three star realms, this reliance of his was incredibly weak.

Being drawn into the spatial vortex would inevitably dispel his concealed state. To be safe, as Yun Che approached, he silently released a small-scale Red Butterfly Domain, plunging all the disciples guarding the ancient realm's entrance into a blank state of mind. By the time they recovered from their momentary daze, Yun Che's fleeting figure had already vanished into the spatial vortex.

Entering the spatial rift, Yun Che found himself inside the Ancient Illusory Sea Realm. The scent of the air and the aura of laws had changed quite noticeably, but before Yun Che could observe his surroundings, his hearing was already overwhelmed by the continuous sounds of storms and thunder.

Less than a hundred li ahead, an incredibly strong profound light continuously flickered, accompanied by bursts of tremendous noise. The airflow rushing from that direction was also incredibly violent.

Yun Che's brow twitched. Without a second thought, he quickly approached that direction. Soon, the source of the profound light and an increasing number of figures appeared in his sight.

The ground was riddled with countless cracks, and at their center lay a sealed profound array about ten zhang across, emitting a faint but ancient, heavy profound light, like bedrock. Above the profound array floated over a hundred figures. Their profound energy releases merged into a terrifying and unparalleled torrent of profound energy, impacting the sealed profound array below.

If any profound practitioner from a lower star realm were to arrive here, regardless of their background, they would be utterly stunned... because all of these hundred-plus profound practitioners, who were concentrating their power to assault the profound array, had cultivation levels no lower than the Divine Spirit Realm!

In lower star realms, a Divine King is a god-like existence. More than half of lower star realms have only one Divine King, and a significant portion have no Divine Kings at all, with the Divine Spirit Realm being the highest cultivation. Only a small fraction of lower star realms possess two or more Divine Kings.

Therefore, in a lower star realm, a Divine Spirit Realm cultivator is essentially an invincible, supreme existence below a Divine King.

And here, there were over a hundred of them!!

Yun Che's gaze pierced through the profound light barrier, looking towards the center... At the heart of the hundred-plus Divine Spirit experts, three figures stood side by side. The profound energy emanating from these three individuals was almost comparable to the combined power of the hundred surrounding Divine Spirit experts. Their terrifying aura, moreover, overshadowed all the Divine Spirit experts, pressing down like three towering, unseen mountains, causing one to hold their breath in fear.

Undoubtedly, these three were the Realm Kings of the three star realms that jointly owned the Ancient Illusory Sea Realm.

Based on the information Ji Ruyan had given him, Yun Che quickly matched their identities.

The imposing, thunderous middle-aged man on the left should be Han Kuan, the Great Realm King of Wanghai Realm and also the Sect Master of the Overturning Sea Divine Sect, the dominant sect of Wanghai Realm!

The person on the right wore luxurious golden robes. His face was noble but also held a dangerously sinister aura — he was the Great Realm King of Nanhai Wuji Realm, also the sovereign of the dominant nation of Nanhai Wuji Realm, known as "Emperor Nan Lie."

The man in the middle, however, was exceptionally elegant. Even when releasing his profound energy at full power, his aura remained calm as water, completely devoid of intimidating pressure. This person was Mu Baimei, the Great Realm King of Canglong Realm and the Island Master of Muyang Island, the dominant sect of Canglong Realm!

He was also the one with the strongest profound energy among the three.

With three Divine Kings and over a hundred Divine Spirits simultaneously activating their powers, profound light obscured the sky, and their might shook the heavens and earth.

Surrounding them were thousands of people from various sects across the three star realms, observing from dozens of li away with expressions of horror. Even at that distance, some younger disciples with weaker cultivation found it difficult to stand steady, battered by the profound energy storm.

Sand and stones filled the air, and the stirred atmosphere was like churning ocean waves. With the three Realm Kings personally commanding, these Divine Spirit experts naturally dared not refuse, especially with the added allure of bringing their disciples into the Ancient Illusory Sea Realm. This monumental power assault, combining the strength of the three star realms and shaking the heavens, had been ongoing for an unknown duration. Many Divine Spirit experts were already drenched in sweat, yet the profound array, enduring such immense power, remained completely unyielding.

Yun Che did not approach too closely, remaining hidden behind a large rock, silently observing the changes in the profound array and each individual. His brows were tightly furrowed, lost in thought.