You, a living person, are telling me I've served in the underworld for ten years?

"They've come! As expected, they've attracted them!"
This immortal technique… it's incredibly powerful! It can actually summon primordial lightning and fire to temper one's body? Chen Yang! Survive this tribulation… not only will you master the technique, but your foundation of strength will likely undergo a true qualitative transformation, a complete metamorphosis!
-
The next morning.

After enduring a night of tempering tribulation, Chen Yang, exhausted both physically and mentally but with an indescribable air of majesty and composure in his eyes, and Liu Piaopiao, who had suffered great losses from activating her source to protect him, finally stepped out of the entrance to the Sumeru Space side by side once again, appearing at the entrance to a rocky canyon covered with strange purple moss deep within the ruins.

The two dared not linger in an area teeming with high-level cultivators, and after choosing a direction, they intended to make their way discreetly.

However, not far from the canyon entrance, a deliberately loud laugh, tinged with arrogance and surprise, suddenly rang out and clearly reached their ears.

"Hahaha! What a coincidence! Junior Sister Liu! Brother Chen!"

A group of about twenty cultivators, dressed in uniform black brocade robes with cloud patterns and exuding a powerful and refined aura, emerged from around the corner.

The man in the lead, tall and imposing with striking features and an undisguised look of surprise and... a strong, almost aggressive, playful expression, strode towards Liu Piaopiao and Chen Yang!

It was none other than Liu Haoran, who had once coveted Liu Piaopiao and had repeatedly clashed with Chen Yang! At this moment, he was full of energy, dressed in fine clothes, and surrounded by his fellow disciples, like a star being surrounded by the moon.

His gaze was fixed intensely on Liu Piaopiao, whose face was tired and pale. His "surprise" almost overflowed from his eyes. As for Chen Yang, who was standing next to him with a restrained aura and a slightly disheveled appearance, he completely ignored him.

"Junior Sister Liu, it's been so many days! You're as beautiful as ever! I've missed you dearly!"

Liu Haoran's gaze was intense, his tone fervent, carrying an air of natural intimacy.

The group of fellow disciples behind him immediately stopped in their tracks, their gazes sweeping back and forth between Liu Piaopiao's stunning face and Chen Yang, their faces filled with either schadenfreude or curiosity as they watched a good show unfold.

Immediately, as if he had just noticed Chen Yang, Liu Haoran's lips curled into an undisguised contemptuous smile, and he said in a forced, insincere tone.

"Oh? Isn't this Brother Chen? Well, you look... like you've been through a fierce battle? You don't look too well. Junior Sister Liu, with your ethereal beauty, is running around in this dangerous place with you. It's truly heartbreaking!"

What if... tsk tsk..."

He didn't finish his sentence, but his condescending and sarcastic tone was already obvious—he was blatantly showing off his superiority to Liu Piaopiao while taking the opportunity to put down Chen Yang, intending to sow discord, undermine Chen Yang's position in Liu Piaopiao's heart, and elevate himself.

Liu Piaopiao's delicate eyebrows furrowed instantly, a hint of disgust and anger flashing in her eyes, just as she was about to speak in rebuttal.

Chen Yang merely glanced expressionlessly at Liu Haoran and the twenty-odd fellow disciples behind him who were clearly quite skilled. His deep eyes were completely unmoved, as if he were looking at a pile of insignificant pebbles.

He gently tugged at Liu Piaopiao's arm and whispered.

"Ignore it, let's go."

His voice was so calm that no emotion could be detected.

It wasn't fear, but the group in front of them was quite imposing, while Chen Yang was only just recovering from serious injuries, and Liu Piaopiao had also been greatly weakened last night and wasn't at her peak. A head-on confrontation would not only be unnecessary but also extremely unwise.

He chose to bypass these obstacles.

at this time,

"what happened?"

Jiang He's deep voice broke through the crowd, and he walked side by side with Qiu Niu, dressed in an ochre outfit.

Behind them followed Su Meng, Xing San, and dozens of cultivators who had temporarily joined them, clearly drawn by the commotion. Jiang He's gaze swept over the cold, dark robes of Liu Haoran and the others, before landing on Chen Yang with a questioning look.

Liu Haoran's face instantly turned gloomy.

Before Chen Yang could speak, Qiu Niu interrupted in a gruff voice.

"Is that even a question? Look at them, all swarming around like leeches. They're clearly jealous of Brother Chen and Miss Liu's perfect match and are here to cause trouble!"

"Qiuniu!"

Su Meng gave a low rebuke, but couldn't hide the wariness in her eyes.

Chen Yang patted Qiu Niu's strong arm, signaling him to calm down, and looked directly at Liu Haoran, explaining to Jiang He in a calm tone.

"It's nothing, just a few old acquaintances sending their greetings."

He emphasized the words "old friend" with a hint of sarcasm.

"Chen Yang! You think you're worthy of spouting such nonsense with your meager skills?"

Liu Haoran seemed to be stung by that gaze, and finally couldn't help but take a step forward, his body surging with cold spiritual energy.

"If you hadn't gotten some broken magic treasures by sheer luck, how would you be any different from this brute? You couldn't even protect the inheritance of the Realm Lord; trash is trash after all!"

More than twenty disciples in black robes stepped forward behind him, their clothes fluttering in the wind. Their cold stance resembled a tightening net, locking Chen Yang, Liu Piaopiao, and the others in the center.

Several others quietly moved and blocked the path leading to the nearest trial platform.

Liu Haoran's gaze swept greedily over Liu Piaopiao's stunningly beautiful face, his tone suddenly softening, revealing a nauseating intimacy.

“Junior Sister Piao Piao, how can such a cowardly coward and a worthless person with empty fame be worthy of your affection? Why not come with me to the Heavenly Mystery Sect? With your Ice Heart Profound Body, I guarantee you will have a chance to form your core within ten years! Why bother... guarding this mud-rolling bumpkin?”

His words were venomous, as if he wanted to crush Chen Yang from the very bottom.

Chen Yang's five fingers suddenly tightened, and the original energy of the "Qingwei Yuanjiang Dafa" in his body almost burst out. The lingering pain in his meridians from yesterday's fierce battle and the feeling of emptiness after the lightning tribulation suddenly stung.

The icy touch of the Soul-Splitting Iron Fork emanated from the spatial artifact, but his gaze swept over the twenty-odd well-trained, interconnected disciples in black robes, especially the two hawk-like figures beside Liu Haoran, whose auras were clearly stronger than the others—these were the true elite guards of the Heavenly Mystery Sect on this trip. A direct confrontation would surely result in their injury!
He forcefully suppressed the murderous intent surging in his chest. The Heavenly Silkworm Armor emitted a faint, warm spiritual light beneath his clothes, protecting his heart meridian.

He took a deep breath, his face ashen.

Liu Piaopiao's pretty face was frosty, and a faint but breathtaking icy blue aura quietly flowed around her fingertips. It was a sign that she had forcibly gathered the Ice Heart Technique. Last night, she had exhausted her own source to help Chen Yang overcome his tribulation, and at this moment, her aura was even more ethereal.

"Liu Haoran, no matter how high the threshold of the Heavenly Mystery Sect is, it cannot contain such filthy thoughts as yours! What Chen Yang is like is none of your business!"

Her voice was clear and melodious, like icicles striking each other, yet every word carried a resolute chill, causing the surrounding air to seem to condense into fine frost.

"Junior Sister Piao Piao..."

Liu Haoran was publicly reprimanded, his face turning from red to green, and he could no longer suppress his violent temper.

A longsword wrapped in purple lightning runes was drawn half a foot from his sheath with a clang, its cold light locking onto Chen Yang's brow.

"You surnamed Liu, do you really think this is your Tianji Sect's backyard?" Qiuniu roared, his muscles bulging like iron, a heavy bronze battle axe already in his hand. Jiang He's expression was solemn, his feet slightly shifting, already forming a horn-like formation to protect Chen Yang's flanks, a faint earth-yellow light flickering in his palms.

Su Meng, Xing San, and dozens of people behind them all brandished their weapons and magical treasures, and various colored spiritual lights soared into the sky.

Two violent waves of spiritual energy collided fiercely in mid-air, producing a muffled roar. The space itself seemed to thicken and distort due to the murderous aura! Countless onlookers were forced to retreat, staring in horror at this powder keg that could erupt into a bloody conflict at any moment.

The air was frozen, making even breathing difficult.

The two guards behind Liu Haoran had a cruel killing intent in their eyes, waiting for the order to be given.

A brutal and bloody battle with vastly unequal numbers and unpredictable costs is about to begin!
Rumble, rumble—!
At this critical juncture, a life-or-death confrontation, the entire trial space suddenly erupted in an unprecedented tremor! It was as if a colossal beast, dormant for countless eons, had been overturned beneath their feet. The solid ground shook and cracked violently, and the distant sky seemed to be ripped apart by an invisible giant hand, emitting a piercing groan!

Everyone, from the murderous disciples in black robes to the tense Chen Yang and his group, and even the thousands of cultivators on the periphery, was stunned by this sudden surge of heaven and earth power! They instinctively looked up.

Before them, the vast wilderness that had once been shrouded in layers of restrictions and seemed to be empty, was now violently churning, twisting, and folding like boiling water!
A blinding, indescribable stream of light burst forth, piercing through heaven and earth! Amidst a heart-pounding, earth-shattering roar, an enormous, unimaginably colossal circular portal was being torn apart by reality and "constructed"!
It resembles stone and jade, and seems to be formed purely from the laws of light and space.

The door frame is engraved with ancient runes that are neither gold nor wood and are covered with the marks of time. Each symbol seems to draw upon the power of the stars in the heavens as it turns, emanating a terrifying aura that can suppress eternity and shift the void! Inside the door is a bottomless, constantly rotating chaotic light, so deep that it seems capable of devouring the soul.

"Teleportation array!"

Someone let out a high-pitched scream that instantly ignited the entire oppressive space!
"So enormous... Could it be the gateway to the final destination? The World Lord's secret treasure is inside!"

Greed and ecstasy spread like wildfire, dispelling all confrontation and murderous intent.

"The final trial must have begun! Charge!"

The surging crowd was like a flood that had burst its banks. Countless figures and streaks of light of various colors frantically abandoned all doubts and opponents and rushed toward the grand divine array that symbolized opportunity and the unknown!

"Stop them..."

Liu Haoran growled in resentment, just about to order his men to intercept Chen Yang and the others who were rushing out.

But his disciples, their eyes burning with desire as they gazed at the divine array that seemed to connect to the heavens, no longer cared about stopping him. In the midst of their hesitation, Chen Yang grabbed Liu Piaopiao's wrist and gave a low shout.

"go!"

Without hesitation, Jiang He and Qiu Niu unleashed their powerful auras, blasting away the few remaining black-robed disciples in their way, and followed closely behind Chen Yang.

Su Meng and Xing San, along with their companions, transformed into several swift streaks of light and merged into the surging tide of people rushing towards the divine array! Liu Haoran's face was ashen; he stamped his foot and could only curse, "They got off easy!"

He led his elite troops to rush towards the teleportation array.

Stepping through that radiant portal, there was no intense shock, only a strange sense of weightlessness and spatial disintegration that passed by in an instant.

The bright light faded, and everyone found themselves on solid ground.

"Is this...is this a fairyland?"

A chorus of gasps came from behind me.

What came into view was no longer the violent and ferocious scene of the Five Elements Trial.

The mountains are lush and green, with mist swirling around them and transforming into endless clouds; springs gurgle and waterfalls cascade down from the heavens, reflecting a magnificent rainbow in the sky; the air is so fresh and pure that every breath feels like inhaling the purest essence of heaven and earth, washing away physical and mental fatigue.

Rare flowers and exotic herbs abound, mythical birds and beasts frolic among the forests and springs, and magnificent palaces and pavilions peek out from the half-hidden celestial clouds... A harmonious, eternal, and pristine paradise unfolds before everyone's eyes.

All the cultivators who arrived through the portal, regardless of any previous grudges or identities, were now in the same magnificent world, their faces filled with awe and greedy longing.

Chen Yang, Jiang He, Liu Piaopiao, Qiu Niu, Su Meng, Xing San, and others all reunited with each other unharmed.

"They weren't separated?"

Su Meng looked at the people around her with some surprise. Xing San glanced around warily.

Don't let your guard down!

This is definitely not a good place.

"careful!"

Liu Piaopiao suddenly cried out. Just then, a cultivator near the edge of the cliff saw a lingzhi mushroom glowing with rosy light. His heart wavered, and he was about to pick it when, the seemingly solid ground beneath his feet suddenly collapsed. An incredibly powerful suction force instantly pulled him into boundless darkness, leaving only a piercing scream echoing in the air. Everyone was horrified.

This place is full of traps!

Jiang He's expression was grave.

"It seems we're not going to fight with magic anymore; we'll have to use our wits and ingenuity to find a way out."

He quickly composed himself, his gaze sweeping across the surrounding landscape, the flow of flowers and plants, and even the gathering and dispersing of clouds and mist.

A glint of light flashed in Chen Yang's eyes as he pushed his keen perception of the flow of energy, granted by the Pure Subtle Yuan Descent Technique, to its limit. Qiu Niu, Su Meng, Xing San, and the others instinctively surrounded the two, remaining vigilant and on high alert.

"The universe shifts... Kan water and Li fire... Qian is strong and Kun is gentle... The nine stars revolve..." Jiang He's expression grew increasingly serious as he muttered incantations, his fingertips tracing invisible paths on the ground.

"No... This mountain layout, this flow of air, this isn't a natural place at all! It's like a giant 'living formation'!"

"The Eight Trigrams Formation?"

Chen Yang's eyes narrowed, and he continued. In his perception, the mountain terrain, the water flow, and even the earth veins flowing beneath his feet all subtly aligned with the river's assessment.

A vast and exquisitely subtle invisible force enveloped this beautiful fairyland.

"Exactly! It appears chaotic, but in reality, it is perfectly integrated into the Bagua (Eight Trigrams) pattern and operates continuously! We seem to be gathered here, but we are already pawns enveloped by this 'living Bagua Immortal Array'!"

Jiang He's movements were resolute, and beads of sweat trickled down his forehead.

"Once the formation is truly activated..."

Before the words were even finished, the entire "fairyland" suddenly emitted a magnificent and ancient hum!

The mountains began to visibly and slowly slide away, rivers instantly changed course, and the once continuous land cracked open without warning, revealing abysses over a hundred feet wide! The clouds swirled rapidly, transforming into massive vortexes that sucked and tore at the clouds! The colorful clouds in the sky were also stirred by an invisible hand, their colors becoming strangely unsettling! (End of Chapter)