Wu Dong: I, Lin Langtian, will not play a supporting role

The black vortex, like the gaping maw of a giant beast, devoured the figures of each intruder.

The moment Lin Langtian led Yin Ruoshui and Helian Tieshan into the vortex, he felt a sudden darkness before his eyes, followed by a dizzying, weightless sensation.

The surrounding space twisted violently, as if an invisible giant hand was dragging them through endless darkness and void.

This feeling lasted for about ten breaths, and then I suddenly felt a solid sensation under my feet.

Lin Langtian opened his eyes, and the scene before him made him slightly startled.

This is a separate little world.

The sky was a deep purple, without sun or moon, only countless dark stars dotting the dome, emitting a dim light that illuminated the entire earth in a dim light.

Those stars were not real stars, but energy nodes formed by some ancient formation, with runes faintly flowing within them, emitting a heart-palpitating fluctuation.

The land was a barren plain, the ground grayish-black and covered with fine cracks, like a dried-up riverbed.

An ancient and weathered aura permeated the air, a scent accumulated over millennia, carrying a faint hint of decay and desolation.

At the edge of the plain, a massive mountain peak could be vaguely seen. The mountain was entirely black, towering into the clouds, and its surface was covered with countless fine lines, as if it had been sculpted by some powerful force.

At the summit of the mountain stands an ancient palace, its outline faintly visible in the dim light, exuding an indescribable majesty and mystery.

A wide river flows around the mountain peak.

The river was black, calm as a mirror, reflecting the dark stars in the sky.

The river was completely still, as if time had frozen in this space.

"This is... the Black Emperor's Secret Realm?" Yin Ruoshui stood beside Lin Langtian, her beautiful eyes filled with shock.

"So big, so magnificent..."

Helian Tieshan looked around, took a deep breath, and a trace of reminiscence flashed in his eyes: "That's right, this is the Black Emperor's Secret Realm."

Ten thousand years ago, I came to this place with Lord Black Emperor. This place was originally Lord Black Emperor's cultivation ground, but he later sealed it away as a place for inheritance. He pointed to the black mountain in the distance.

"That is the Black Emperor's Palace... the core of the secret realm. The Black Emperor's most precious legacy should be there."

Lin Langtian nodded, his gaze sweeping over his surroundings.

At this moment, nearly a hundred figures have emerged from the black vortex and scattered across the plain.

Some of them were in small groups, while others stood alone, but without exception, they were all surveying this unfamiliar land, their eyes filled with vigilance and curiosity.

Hei Tianjue stood with his hands behind his back, his long, ink-black hair swaying gently in the dim light, his jet-black robe spotless.

His expression remained indifferent, as if this secret realm was nothing more than an ordinary piece of land in his eyes.

However, when his gaze fell on the black mountain peak, a burning determination flashed in his eyes.

Even as a prodigy of the Black Heaven Ancient Clan, Hei Tianjue was still incredibly tempted by the inheritance of the ancient Black Emperor.

On the other side, An Cang and the man in black robes stood side by side, talking in hushed tones.

The black-robed man's hood was pulled low, obscuring his expression, but his jet-black eyes gleamed with an eerie light.

An Cang's face was gloomy, and his gaze kept sweeping towards Lin Langtian, his eyes full of resentment and fear.

Hei Yuan, Ying Mei, Jiao Tu, and others each led their subordinates and occupied a corner of the plain.

Their gazes also fell on that black mountain peak, their eyes filled with greed and longing.

Those powerful rogue cultivators were even more eager.

They were moving in small groups towards the mountain peak, afraid that if they were a step too slow, they would miss the opportunity.

"Hurry! The treasure must be on the mountaintop!"

"Don't block the way! First come, first served!"

Amidst the commotion, dozens of figures simultaneously shot out, hurtling towards the black mountain peak!

……

Lin Langtian didn't move. He just stood quietly in place, his gaze fixed on the mountain peak, his brows slightly furrowed.

For some reason, he felt that something was off about this secret realm.

The feeling was as if an invisible pair of eyes were secretly watching them all.

"Young Master Lin, shall we go too?" Yin Ruoshui asked.

Lin Langtian was silent for a moment, then said, "No rush, let's see how things go first."

Helian Tieshan nodded in agreement: "That's right. Although this secret realm is a place I'm familiar with, who knows what changes have occurred over the past ten thousand years? It's best to be cautious."

The three stood still, watching the figures rushing towards the mountain peak.

However, just as those figures were about to approach the mountain peak.

"what!"

A piercing scream suddenly rang out!

The few rogue cultivators who were at the forefront had just stepped onto the black river that encircled the mountain when the river suddenly cracked open beneath their feet. Black tentacles emerged from the water, wrapped around their bodies, and dragged them into the water!
"Help!"

"What the hell is this?!"

Screams and cries for help mingled together, but quickly disappeared into the black river.

A few ripples appeared on the river's surface, then it returned to calm, as if nothing had happened.

The people behind were terrified and stopped in their tracks, no longer daring to approach the river.

“A black river… black tentacles…” Yin Ruoshui’s pretty face changed slightly as she asked, “What’s in that river?”

Helian Tieshan's expression was solemn, and he said in a deep voice, "That is the River Styx, a strange water that the Black Emperor brought from the outside world to protect the secret realm."

The River Styx contains an extremely dense power of death; any living being that falls into it will be instantly corroded and turned into nourishment for the River Styx.

Ten thousand years ago, the Styx River only had defensive capabilities and never attacked proactively. Now, it seems... to have changed.

Lin Langtian's gaze narrowed slightly. He could sense that the River Styx indeed contained an extremely dense power of death.

But besides that, there was an even darker, more sinister aura, as if something lurked deep in the river, manipulating those tentacles, waiting for its prey to arrive.

The panicked powerful warriors retreated, moving away from the River Styx.

They gazed at the mountains on the opposite bank, their eyes filled with resentment and anxiety.

The treasure was right in front of them, yet they couldn't cross this strange river.

"How do we get there? By flying?"

"You try it? Those tentacles can pull people down from the sky!"

The crowd murmured amongst themselves, but no one dared to step forward.

Just then, the man in black robes chuckled and suddenly moved.

He walked slowly toward the River Styx, his steps unhurried, as if the river that had swallowed countless lives was nothing more than an ordinary ditch in his eyes.

His hands were clasped behind his back, his face hidden beneath the hood, but a strange light flickered in his dark eyes. The crowd parted to make way for the mysterious man in black, their eyes filled with curiosity and anticipation.

The man in black robes walked to the edge of the River Styx and stopped.

He raised his withered right hand, spread his five fingers, and a ball of pitch-black energy began to condense in his palm.

The black aura was so dense that it almost solidified, emanating a chilling aura.

He placed his palm on the surface of the River Styx.

"Buzz!"

A deep hum emanated from the River Styx.

The voice wasn't loud, but it seemed to resonate deep within everyone's soul, causing everyone present to involuntarily tremble.

The surface of the River Styx began to churn violently, as if something within it was awakening.

A moment later, a crack appeared in the water, revealing a dark passage leading to the other side.

The man in black robes withdrew his hand, stood with his hands behind his back, and said calmly, "You can go now."

The crowd exchanged bewildered glances, their eyes filled with shock and apprehension. This man in black robes could actually control the River Styx?!
"Who is he? How could he possess such abilities?"

"I don't know... but his strength is probably no less than Hei Tianjue's."

"Let's go! Whoever he is, as long as we can get there!"

Amidst whispers, the group stepped onto the dark passage and hurried towards the other side.

The man in black robes stood at the entrance of the passage, watching the powerful figures passing by him, a strange smile appearing on his lips.

Hei Tianjue walked at the front, his long, dark hair fluttering in the shadows, his expression still indifferent.

He looked at the man in black robes, his brows furrowing slightly. Although he vaguely sensed that something was amiss, his pride and arrogance prevented him from backing down.

An Cang followed behind the man in black robes. Their eyes met in the air. An Cang nodded slightly, and the smile on the man in black robes deepened.

Lin Langtian led Yin Ruoshui and Helian Tieshan through the crowd.

As he watched the black-robed man's retreating figure, his unease grew stronger. This black-robed man was too eerie.

His methods, the faint aura of evil emanating from him, and the subtle relationship between him and An Cang... all of these things made Lin Langtian wary.

"Be careful of that man in black," he whispered to Helian Tieshan.

Helian Tieshan nodded, his eyes also filled with solemnity: "I know that he has the aura of an extraterrestrial evil race on him. Although it is being suppressed as much as possible, it cannot be hidden from me."

Soon, everyone crossed the River Styx and arrived at the foot of the black mountain.

Up close, the mountain appears even more majestic and spectacular.

The mountain was entirely black, its surface covered with countless fine runes that glowed faintly, as if they were alive and slowly flowing.

At the summit of the mountain, the ancient palace... the Black Emperor Palace, was now clearly visible to everyone.

The palace was tens of thousands of feet high, entirely black, and constructed from an unknown type of black stone.

The palace doors were tightly shut, and the doors were carved with countless ancient patterns... There were black dragons soaring through the sky, giant whales churning the seas, giant pythons coiled in the abyss, and countless other ancient ferocious beasts whose names were unknown.

Each sculpture is so lifelike, it seems as if it might come to life at any moment.

In front of the palace gate, there is a huge platform.

The platform is circular, hundreds of feet in diameter, and paved with black jade, smooth as a mirror.

However, in the center of that platform, a dark light was suspended.

Within that light, a huge egg could be vaguely seen.

The egg was about ten feet tall, completely black, with fine lines covering its surface, and a faint dark red light flowing within the lines.

The eggshell exuded an extremely strong and eerie aura, a cold, violent, and insane aura that seemed to contain all the negative emotions in the world.

However, the powerful figures present did not perceive the true nature of that strange aura.

They only sensed that the egg contained an extremely powerful energy fluctuation, so strong that it even surpassed the Dark Source Pearl they had seen before!
"What's that? An egg?"

"Such a powerful energy fluctuation! Could it be another treasure left behind by the ancient Black Emperor?"

"No, why would the Black Emperor leave behind an egg? It looks more like the egg of some ancient ferocious beast!"

"Who cares what it is, let's grab it first!"

……

Greed once again blinded everyone.

They rushed toward the platform, lunging toward the giant black egg!

Even Hei Tianjue quickened his pace slightly, a hint of fervor flashing in his eyes.

However, just as they were about to reach the giant egg... a black figure suddenly blocked their way!

It was that man in black robes!

At this moment, he spread his arms, blocking everyone's way, and a strange light flickered in his dark eyes.

His lips curled up slightly, revealing a cruel and insane smile.

"Gentlemen, this treasure is not something you can touch," he said in a hoarse voice, with a hint of mockery in his tone.

"However, since you want it so badly, then... offer up your flesh and blood!"

Before he finished speaking, he suddenly raised his hand and struck the nearest rogue cultivator, a lower-level Earthly Sovereign!
"boom!"

The powerful man didn't even have time to scream before his head was smashed open, and blood splattered everywhere!

"what you do?!"

"He's gone mad! He's gone mad!"

The crowd gasped and retreated!

But the man in the black robe was even faster!
His figure moved like a ghost, weaving through the crowd. With each move, a powerful figure fell!

Blood stained the platform, flowing along the fine lines towards the giant black egg!

Seeing this, many top experts shouted angrily, "Is this black-robed man trying to offend everyone here?"
However, despite being locked onto by numerous top experts, the man in black robes grinned, though the smile appeared particularly sinister at this moment.

He tilted his head slightly, and with a flick of his sleeve, the blood and flesh that filled the sky rolled upside down.

The flesh and blood of the three lower-level Earthly Sovereigns rolled, and it was at this moment that something horrifying happened.

Suddenly, the strange black egg on the side cracked open and swallowed the torrent of blood and flesh into its body.

This bizarre scene sent chills down the spines of all the powerful figures present.

What... exactly is going on?!
The entire Black Emperor's Secret Realm fell into a deathly silence. (End of Chapter)