482: The sacrifice begins!

On this day, a tolling bell resounded from the long-silent Xuanyuan Ancestral Land.

Xuanyuan Tianji, clad in a golden robe, stood atop a high platform.

Three years of tempering had stripped away her last trace of youthfulness, her brows now filled with the majesty of a ruler.

In her capacity as the current head of the Xuanyuan Family, she issued a decree to the entire Chaotic Immortal Domain.

"The Human Emperor Secret Realm will open in three months."

"This is the final Opportunity left by our ancestor for the beings of the Da Qian."

"All those below the Immortal Emperor Realm may enter to seek their fortune."

As soon as the news broke, the silent Chaotic Immortal Domain completely boiled over with excitement.

Human Emperor.

The weight carried by these two words was immense—heavy enough to make countless old monsters nearing the end of their Lifespan crawl out of their coffins.

"Anyone below the Immortal Emperor can enter? The Xuanyuan Family is being surprisingly generous this time."

"Generous? I think they just can't hold onto it anymore. Regardless, this is indeed a once-in-a-lifetime Opportunity."

"The Xuanyuan Family has already declined. If they didn't open it, what awaited them would be the extermination of their clan!"

...From that point on, led by the Three Great Cities, various major forces moved upon hearing the news.

Countless people converged toward the Xuanyuan Ancestral Land.

For a time, the once remote outskirts of the ancestral land were swarming with Cultivators.

Su Ming stood atop a pavilion, calmly speaking as he watched the dense crowd in the distance.

"The fish have all entered the nest."

Xuanyuan Tianji had approached him from behind at some point. Looking at the boisterous scene outside, she asked in a low voice.

"I wonder if they will discover the truth immediately after entering."

Su Ming turned his head and, seeing her slightly tense face, let out a meaningful smile.

"The truth? By the time they discover the truth, it will be too late!"

"Go and prepare; the good show is about to begin."

Su Ming withdrew his gaze, his voice sounding somewhat ethereal... Three months later, at the Xuanyuan Ancestral Land.

The once quiet Holy Land was now overcrowded, the atmosphere so oppressive it was suffocating.

Top experts from various major forces had gathered here.

Dense figures filled nearly every inch of the land, clearly demarcated from one another, their eyes brimming with greed.

Everyone's gaze was focused on Xuanyuan Tianji, who was dressed in a pale golden gown.

With a calm expression, she walked slowly to the center of the ancestral land, ignoring the burning gazes around her.

She raised her slender, jade-like hand, pressed her fingers together like a blade, and lightly sliced across her palm.

Beads of blood rolled down!

Buzz!

In the next second!

The entire Xuanyuan Ancestral Land shook violently as a thunderous roar erupted from the ground beneath their feet.

Golden light soared into the sky, slowly condensing in mid-air into a light portal a hundred zhang tall.

The Human Emperor Secret Realm, open!

Inside the light portal was a bottomless vortex.

"Charge! The Human Emperor Legacy is mine!"

Someone roared, instantly igniting the entire scene.

"Get out of the way! Don't block this old man's path!"

"Whoever dares to snatch it shall die!"

In an instant, people from all forces went mad, transforming into streaks of light as they scrambled toward the light portal.

People crowded against people, shoulders bumping shoulders; the scene was chaotic, with some even surreptitiously sabotaging those around them to get a head start.

It was a scene of utter chaos.

Su Ming and Xuanyuan Tianji remained unmoved, standing at the very back of the line, quietly watching this farce.

Meanwhile, Sword Thirteen stood in place like a javelin; he did not follow them inside but remained in the ancestral land.

Once everyone had rushed into the light portal, the noisy ancestral land finally regained a moment of tranquility.

Su Ming and Xuanyuan Tianji walked side by side, stepping unhurriedly into the Secret Realm.

After entering the Secret Realm, their goal was very clear.

They walked toward the altar located in the deepest part of the Secret Realm.

Su Ming and the other's actions did not attract anyone's attention.

In the depths of the Secret Realm, an altar weathered and mottled by time stood quietly.

The surroundings were desolate and dilapidated, eerily quiet.

Su Ming glanced at the patterns on the altar, which exuded an indescribable wickedness.

"Here."

Xuanyuan Tianji made a slicing motion with her fingers, and a drop of gold-and-red intertwined essence blood suspended in mid-air, slowly floating toward Su Ming.

Su Ming reached out to take it. The moment the essence blood touched his hand, a searing energy spread through his entire body from his palm.

"This is a drop of my essence blood."

Xuanyuan Tianji's expression was cold, her tone devoid of any emotion.

"Once the grand Formation is activated, everything within the Secret Realm will become a sacrifice."

"With this, you won't be forcibly refined by the Formation."

Su Ming stowed the essence blood away. Looking at the greedy figures rushing toward them from all directions, he said calmly.

"Move faster; those old fellows have sensed something is wrong."

Xuanyuan Tianji spoke no more. She leaped to the top of the altar, sliced open both her palms, and slammed them into the groove at the center of the altar.

The Human Emperor Bloodline within her body completely boiled at this moment.

Boom!

The previously deathly silent altar was like a Vicious Beast awakening from its slumber, letting out a roar.

Streaks of eerie red light soared into the sky, instantly tearing through the air above the Secret Realm.

Immediately following that, with the altar as the center, the red light rapidly spread outward in a circular ring.

In just a few breaths, a massive blood-colored light barrier tightly enveloped the entire Human Emperor Secret Realm.

"What's happening? The exit has disappeared!"

"What is this red light? The spiritual energy in my body is draining away!"

Throughout the Secret Realm, the Cultivators who were still searching for treasures began to panic.

They discovered the ground beneath their feet had turned dark red, and a terrifying suction was frantically devouring their life essence.

"Don't panic! This must be the ultimate trial left by the Human Emperor!"

A young Cultivator shouted loudly, his face full of fanaticism.

"As long as we endure it, we can obtain the supreme Legacy!"

This blind optimism did not last long.

The faces of several Immortal Emperor Realm old monsters leading the groups turned pale.

They tried to tear through the Void Realm, only to find that the space here was as solid as cast iron, unable to be budged in the slightest.

"Idiots! This is no trial!"

"This is a trap!"

An Immortal Sovereign elder looked at his rapidly withering hand, his eyes filled with terror.

"This is an ancient forbidden Sacrificial Grand Array!"

"Someone wants to sacrifice every living being in this Secret Realm!"

As soon as these words were spoken, the entire scene fell into a deathly silence, followed by endless despair.

Under the shroud of the red light, the air around the altar grew heavy.

The previously frenzied crowd finally realized what was happening.

Turning their heads in unison, countless gazes locked onto Xuanyuan Tianji atop the altar.

"Clan Head Xuanyuan! What is the meaning of this?"

An Immortal Emperor Realm expert soared into the air, only to be pressed down by the red light in mid-air, his figure swaying as he nearly tumbled.

With a grim expression, he pointed at the blood-colored light curtain surrounding them and roared.

"Do you intend to trap us all here to die?"

"Clan Head Xuanyuan, you must know what you are doing!"

Another elder also stepped forward.

"People from all the major forces are gathered here. If anything goes wrong, even ten lives wouldn't be enough for your Xuanyuan Family to pay the price!"

Xuanyuan Tianji stood at the edge of the altar, the red light reflecting off her cold and beautiful profile, making her appear exceptionally solemn and murderous.

She let out a light laugh, one that carried a bone-chilling coldness.

"What am I doing? I know perfectly well."

...