Chapter 302: The Imperial Family, the Secret Realm Opens

After the white-haired cultivator left, He Pingsheng quickly pulled out another top-grade third-rank elixir: Soul-Returning Pill.

He swallowed it in one gulp.

Slowly, his spiritual sense replenished.

Half an hour later, his spiritual sense was fully restored.

Unfortunately, he could not locate the white-haired cultivator or the green-robed quiet one.

Otherwise, if he could find just one of them, he could strike them again with a spiritual sense attack.

But He Pingsheng dared not let his guard down; after confirming neither of them had locked onto his spiritual sense, he secretly began shaping his appearance on the square.

Soon, He Pingsheng had changed his appearance entirely.

Thanks to the protection of the Brocade Lan Robe, even though his appearance had changed, he would not be detected by Nascent Soul cultivators.

When he finally turned his attention to purchasing a map jade slip, the map seller had already been seized by several officials.

He Pingsheng fell silent.

He didn't know if the man was arrested for selling fake maps or for selling real ones.

Forget it.

Not having a map didn't matter.

It was said the Five Dragon Gully Secret Realm was peculiar—it consisted of five connected gullies; without a map, one wouldn't get lost, as long as one kept walking forward along the valley.

For the rest of the time, He Pingsheng sat cross-legged at the edge of the square, waiting patiently.

He waited for nearly two months.

During this time, massive airships continuously flew in from afar and landed on the square.

In total, over seventy airships arrived.

This proved Liang State had over seventy major commanderies.

Among all these airships, one was particularly distinctive—it was golden in color, adorned with a massive dragon banner.

The moment the airship landed, nearly every cultivator on the square was stunned.

"The Imperial airship!"

"Heavens, are the Liang Imperial Family's disciples also participating?"

Hearing the cultivators' murmurs, He Pingsheng learned this golden airship belonged to the Liang Imperial Family.

The people who descended from the Liang Imperial airship all wore uniform attire—each cultivator, male or female, donned a pale moon-white robe, exuding nobility and elegance.

Very impressive to behold.

He Pingsheng swept his spiritual sense over them and found most were Foundation Establishment eleventh and twelfth layers.

Those with lower cultivation were virtually nonexistent.

The Liang Imperial Family's airship arrived only on the final day before the Secret Realm's opening.

With the Imperial arrival, the 【Five Dragon Gully Secret Realm】 was about to open.

An elderly man, staff in hand, hair and beard snow-white, looking ethereal and transcendent, stepped out from the Imperial airship, smiled warmly on the golden vessel's deck, and addressed the cultivators on the square: "Ladies and gentlemen… young friends, greetings. I am an Imperial Elder—you may call me Elder Futo."

"I shall preside over the opening of this Five Dragon Gully Secret Realm!"

"As all know, our Five Dragon Gully Secret Realm opens only once every hundred years. This time, the 【Black-and-White Lotus Root】 within the 【Earth Dragon Gully】 has ripened. To encourage the younger generation, the Imperial Family has prepared one 【Blood Jade Purple-Skinned Date】 as a reward for the cultivator who retrieves this 【Black-and-White Lotus Root】!"

"The Black-and-White Lotus Root ripens only once every six hundred years!"

"Hehe… do you understand?"

Countless cultivators bowed to the elder: "Thank you, Elder! Thank you, Imperial Family!"

"Long live the Imperial Family!"

After the praise subsided, someone stood and asked: "Elder Futo, we've heard the true opening of the Five Dragon Gully is still eleven years away—why is it opening early?"

"Is the 【Black-and-White Lotus Root】 in the Earth Dragon Gully truly ripe?"

Elder Futo showed no surprise; he had expected this question.

He smiled broadly at the crowd: "Hehe… you know one thing, but not the second!"

"Indeed, the Five Dragon Gully Secret Realm's official opening time is still eleven years away!"

"But can anything be truly fixed?"

"Long ago, during the last opening, someone discovered the Black-and-White Lotus Root's ripening time had advanced by over a decade!"

"That's why we're opening the Secret Realm eleven years early!"

"Rest assured—the Lotus Root has ripened!"

"Yet, should the Lotus Root somehow not be ripe!" Elder Futo shifted tone: "It doesn't matter. Whoever brings back the root, ripe or not, will receive a 【Blood Jade Purple-Skinned Date】—no questions asked."

"Young friends, do you understand?"

Everyone bowed in response.

All believed him.

Only He Pingsheng sneered.

"Also, I must warn you—the Secret Realm is perilous!" Elder Futo continued. "Within the Five Dragon Gully dwell beast beasts equivalent to human Golden Core cultivators—you must cooperate to defeat them and claim treasures!"

"Naturally, some cultivators covet others' treasures and harbor murderous intentions—nothing unusual."

"Regardless of any killing or treasure theft that occurs within the Secret Realm, the Imperial Family will not intervene."

"Cultivation is, after all, a battle against fate itself. Do you understand?"

"Thus, dangers abound."

"If you encounter danger, crush the Life-Death Tablet in your hand—within three breaths, you'll be teleported back to the square!"

He Pingsheng nodded.

Three breaths were critical.

Sometimes, danger struck too fast to activate the tablet.

This must be remembered.

"Enough…"

The elder finished speaking, waved his hand, and declared: "I hereby declare the Five Dragon Gully Secret Realm officially open—each gully lasts ten days, totaling fifty days!"

"After fifty days, all must exit the gullies!"

"Otherwise, those who remain will wait another hundred years for the next opening!"

"And if the Imperial Family discovers anyone daring to stay behind, you'll find no escape—neither heaven nor earth will save you!"

"Open…"

The elder pulled out a pentagonal jade tablet, unleashed a torrent of magic power—suddenly, five beams of divine light shot from the tablet and struck the void.

Instantly, a vast array barrier appeared.

This was the great array protecting the Five Dragon Gully Secret Realm.

The array's rank was extremely high—He Pingsheng couldn't even determine its grade.

But that was normal.

After all, it was an array capable of covering five gullies, and rumor said it possessed additional functions beyond defense.

A dark vortex suddenly materialized in the center of the square.

"Ladies and gentlemen…" the elder swung his staff: "Enter!"

"Each according to your destiny, each according to your fate, each according to your skill!"

As Elder Futo finished speaking, streams of light shot upward into the vortex.

He Pingsheng was no exception.

He stepped forward, mounted his sword, and flew.

With a thud, he plunged into the vortex.

Inside the black vortex, darkness swallowed all sight.

He Pingsheng felt dizziness in his spiritual core.

But fortunately, the dizziness lasted only about two breaths—then sudden light flooded his vision.

The Secret Realm had arrived.