Chapter 1757: Initial Exploration of the Secret Realm

The island's terrain is higher in the east and lower in the north, with a 100-acre lake in its center.

Although the island was home to Wang family cultivators, Wang Changsheng didn't want too many people to know about the Heavenly Grade secret realm. Possessing such a treasure could lead to trouble; even with the Wang family's current strength, this secret realm could become a liability if their power waned in the future.

"Qiu Xin, find a suitable reason to evacuate all clan members," Wang Changsheng ordered. Wang Qiuxin assented and proceeded to arrange the disciples' retreat.

Multiple teleportation formations had been built on the island, and Wang Qiuxin arranged for the clan members to teleport away.

Murong Yuyao took out a light blue animal hide, which was a topographical map depicting several islands. Ten thousand years had passed, and some islands no longer existed. If not for the Murong family's descendants periodically sending people to investigate the Heavenly Grade secret realm's location, Murong Yuyao wouldn't have known its whereabouts.

Wang Qingling and the others ascended into the sky and spread out. Fairy Ziyue released her Sea Suppressing Ape, sending it to dive to the seabed to investigate the underwater conditions. Wang Changsheng expanded his spiritual sense to survey the situation within a 500-li radius.

Ye Haitang took out hundreds of blue formation flags and cast them into the sea. She then produced a gleaming blue nine-cornered formation disc, into which she infused a spell. Countless blue runes emerged on the disc's surface, then blurred and transformed into a miniature whale pattern. Since they lacked a key, using brute force to open a passage would create a massive disturbance, so they needed to set up a formation for concealment.

Ye Haitang cast several spells into the formation disc. With the small island at its center, the sea surface within a hundred-li radius churned violently, releasing copious white mist. This mist slowly ascended, forming enormous cloud masses that floated high in the sky, concealing a large area. From a distance, it merely appeared as if there were more clouds in this particular spot.

Wang Ruyan's eyes glowed with a fiery light, as if a flame burned within them. Using her Black Phoenix Dharma Eyes, she observed the surrounding void but found no abnormalities. If even she couldn't detect anything unusual, it would be even more difficult for ordinary Nascent Soul cultivators to discover any anomalies here.

Wang Changsheng's right hand glowed with a dazzling blue light as he struck out towards the void. A sharp tearing sound pierced the air as a blue fist-shadow, over a hundred zhang in size, shot out and struck the void. The void rippled and distorted.

Dazzling blue light simultaneously enveloped the bodies of Wang Changsheng and Wang Ruyan. A piercing saber hum rang out as a fierce blue blade energy shot forth, cleaving into a section of the void. The void suddenly tore open, and an incredibly thick pillar of light shot skyward. The nearby clouds churned violently. Soon after, the pillar of light dissipated, revealing an opening several zhang wide. A surge of pure spiritual energy gushed forth, and Wang Xin transformed into a golden streak of light, flying inside. Not long after, the opening healed, as if it had never existed.

This secret realm had been sealed for over ten thousand years, possibly harboring Fifth-tier demonic beasts. Cultivators with insufficient strength could easily face accidents, while those with excessively high cultivation might encounter dangerous Fifth-tier beasts. As Wang Qingshan and other Nascent Soul cultivators represented the family's future, Wang Changsheng naturally wouldn't immediately send them into the realm to search for treasures. At this moment, the avatar proved useful. Once Wang Xin completed his reconnaissance of the secret realm and confirmed its safety, it wouldn't be too late for Wang Changsheng to send Wang Qingshan and the others in to search for treasures.

"Alright, let's return to the island to rest and await good news."

Wang Changsheng and Wang Ruyan flew back to the island. Wang Qingshan and the others assisted Ye Haitang in setting up the formation, as this was their first time exploring a Heavenly Grade secret realm and much preparation was needed.

In a verdant mountain range brimming with spiritual energy, Wang Xin stood atop a low mound, his spiritual sense fully expanded. He looked around, seeing numerous spirit trees. His spiritual sense detected many demonic beast auras, but their strength was generally weak.

Wang Xin flicked his sleeve, and the Two-Eyed Rat and the Wood Demon flew out. "Go, see what treasures are here." Wang Xin casually pointed, sending them off to search for treasures. Wang Changsheng had trained them to obey Wang Xin's commands. Since they were not cultivators, communication was difficult, requiring prior training.

The Two-Eyed Rat emitted squeaking sounds, its body glowing with dazzling yellow light as it rapidly expanded to the size of a house, then burrowed into the ground and disappeared. The Wood Demon rooted itself underground and moved swiftly into the distance. Not long after, they vanished into the vast mountain range.

Wang Xin transformed into a golden streak of light and flew through the air, carefully observing the environment below and meticulously recording the landscape. His primary duty was to document the conditions within the secret realm and acquire as many cultivation resources as possible.

A moment later, an extremely sharp sound echoed. Wang Xin's expression changed, and he looked towards its source. The Two-Eyed Rat was outside a narrow valley, its entrance covered in green thorns. Its tail swished back and forth, indicating it had clearly discovered high-grade spirit herbs. Inside the valley, green weeds taller than a person grew abundantly. At its end was an opening over ten zhang wide. Wang Xin clearly saw it was a bottomless karst cave with green moss growing on its stone walls.

He released his spiritual sense to investigate the karst cave. Strangely, his spiritual sense penetrated a thousand zhang into the cave before being blocked. There seemed to be a natural restriction, or perhaps some unique ore, preventing further exploration.

"Go inside and take a look," Wang Xin ordered the Wood Demon, which was composed of green thorns, to move quickly and enter the karst cave.

A moment later, a sharp roar and a loud explosion echoed from within the karst cave. Soon after, the mass of green thorns crawled out of the karst cave, its body riddled with wounds and several clear bite marks, seemingly from a demonic beast.

A bloated demonic beast rushed out. Its body was round and plump, with a small head, golden fur, golden eyes, golden teeth, and a thick, long tail. Judging by its aura, it was a mid-grade Fourth-tier demonic beast.

"A Metal-Eating Beast! It's actually this type of demonic beast!"

Wang Xin recognized the beast at a glance. Metal-Eating Beasts subsist on metal ores, possessing strong teeth but limited divine abilities. Typically, it's rare for them to reach the Fourth-tier. Given the Two-Eyed Rat's keen sense of smell, there must be high-grade spirit herbs in the karst cave, which was likely the reason this Metal-Eating Beast advanced to the Fourth-tier.

Upon seeing Wang Xin, the Metal-Eating Beast immediately turned and fled. Wang Xin raised his right hand, and a golden light shot out, blurring before disappearing. The next moment, the golden light enveloped the Metal-Eating Beast; it was the Spirit-Locking Bead, a Buddhist treasure. Dazzling Buddhist light emanated from the Spirit-Locking Bead's surface as it rapidly shrunk, tightening around the Metal-Eating Beast with muffled clanking sounds. The Metal-Eating Beast struggled and writhed, its entire body radiating dazzling golden light, like a massive nugget of gold.

The void above its head rippled, and a golden hand over ten zhang in size materialized, striking down with immense force onto the Metal-Eating Beast below.

*Rumble!*

With a loud bang, a large pit appeared in the ground. The Metal-Eating Beast's body was covered in blood. Its demonic power restrained, it could only endure the blows, utterly unable to use its divine abilities to escape.

A Sanskrit chant emanated from Wang Xin's mouth, and a Buddhist symbol flew out, instantly expanding and striking the Metal-Eating Beast precisely. The ground shook violently as the Metal-Eating Beast's body sank into the massive pit. The karst cave trembled fiercely, and large amounts of rubble cascaded down from its stone walls. The Metal-Eating Beast was reduced to a pile of minced flesh, devoid of any life aura.

The beast originally possessed no great divine abilities; it had only advanced to the Fourth-tier through a fortunate encounter. The Two-Eyed Rat was similar; apart from its skill in locating spirit herbs, it had no powerful divine abilities.

Wang Xin strode towards the karst cave. The Two-Eyed Rat's body transformed into a huge yellow sphere and rolled into the cave.