289: The secret realm opens, the Immortal Emperor descends.

A single finger defeats Barbarian King Xiang Fei!

This news, following the conclusion of the Dao Discussion Conference, was like a magnitude twelve earthquake, instantly igniting the entire Prodigy circle of the Divine Capital.

Everyone was completely stunned by Shen Yuanmo's incomparably overbearing yet seemingly effortless single finger.

Since then, no one dared to underestimate this God General Who Suppresses the South from the Southern Border, and even fewer dared to go to the ninety-ninth floor of the Tianjiao Tower to disturb his cultivation.

In the hearts of all the Prodigies about to participate in the Heaven-Reaching Secret Realm, the name Shen Yuanmo had quietly been listed as the most untouchable and unfathomably terrifying existence.

Time flew by amidst this strange calm.

Several days later, the day the Heaven-Reaching Secret Realm officially opened finally arrived.

On this day, the entire Qiantian Divine Capital was enveloped in a solemn and majestic atmosphere.

In the center of the city, the massive Heaven-Worshiping Plaza, large enough to hold a million people, was already packed with crowds.

Hundreds of Prodigies from various races who had passed the Immortal Dynasty's rigorous qualification review gathered here.

They were either gathered in small groups, conversing softly, or standing alone, closing their eyes to conserve energy.

But every person exuded a powerful aura and soaring Battle Intent.

In the very center of the plaza, a massive stone gate, ten thousand zhang tall and cast entirely from an unknown ancient bluestone, stood silently.

Engraved on the stone gate were complex totems of the sun, moon, stars, mountains, rivers, and plants. Dao Rhyme flowed across them, emitting an obscure yet vast spatial fluctuation.

This was the sole entrance leading to the Heaven-Reaching Secret Realm.

Shen Yuanmo was still dressed in a green robe, standing alone and inconspicuously in a corner of the crowd.

His gaze calmly swept over every Prodigy present.

The Seventh Prince, Ji Wushuang, wore a Python Robe, surrounded by admirers like stars revolving around the moon, his brows filled with confidence.

The white-robed Swordsman, Ye Wuchen, stood with his ancient sword cradled in his arms, his entire being seemingly merged with the sword.

The Young Lord of the Yao Race, Huang Jiutian, had red hair, was wild and unruly, and flames of war burned in his golden pupils.

These were the few top favorites to win the Heaven-Reaching Secret Realm this time.

Right at this moment!

Ang—!

Nine high-pitched, majestic Dragon Roars suddenly exploded from the depths of the sea of clouds above the Nine Heavens!

Immediately following, thirty thousand li of purple Qi came from the east, auspicious clouds gathered, and a supreme Heavenly Might, which seemed to transcend all things and define all Laws in the world, descended with a roar!

At this moment, the sky seemed to be pressed down by an invisible giant hand; the wind stopped, the clouds halted, and even the light became incredibly docile.

Under the reverent and fervent gaze of everyone present.

A figure wearing a Nine-Dragon Emperor Robe, topped with a Ping Tian Crown, with a majestic countenance, appearing to bear the Luck of the entire Heaven and Earth.

Surrounded by civil and military officials, he stepped out of the Void Realm and slowly descended onto the highest Heaven-Worshiping Altar of the Heaven-Worshiping Plaza.

The current Immortal Emperor of the Great Qian Immortal Dynasty, Ji Cangxuan!

He has arrived!

"May Our Emperor live ten thousand years, ten thousand years, ten thousand times ten thousand years!"

The moment he appeared, whether it was the arrogant Prodigies of various races on the plaza.

Or the billions of citizens of the Divine Capital watching nearby, they all knelt down in unison, shouting "Long Live!"

Even the Seventh Prince, Ji Wushuang, put away all his arrogance at this moment, bowing respectfully with the crowd, daring not to look directly at the Emperor's countenance.

The entire venue had only one exception.

Shen Yuanmo remained quietly standing in place; he neither knelt nor bowed.

He merely raised his head calmly, his gaze piercing through the crowd.

It pierced through the spatial distance and landed on the Emperor standing on the high altar, the one who held the power of life and death over billions of living beings in this Realm.

Ji Cangxuan's gaze, like a lion inspecting its territory, slowly swept across the entire venue.

Finally, it lingered briefly on his son, Ji Wushuang, and on several other top Prodigies like Ye Wuchen and Huang Jiutian.

Then, his gaze seemed to be pulled by some invisible force, landing on the green-robed figure standing alone in the corner.

Their four eyes met.

There were no sparks flying, no clash of Divine Sense.

In Ji Cangxuan's eyes, profound like the starry Universe, a hint of imperceptible approval and curiosity flashed.

But he said nothing, merely shifting his gaze away quickly, as if everything that happened was just an illusion.

"All my subjects, rise."

The Immortal Emperor's voice, majestic yet gentle, spread to every corner of the plaza.

After the crowd rose, his majestic gaze swept once more over the hundreds of young Prodigies in the center of the plaza, his voice becoming loud and full of encouragement.

"You are all the future of my Great Qian Immortal Dynasty, the hope of the Human Race!"

"Today, the Heaven-Reaching Secret Realm opens. This is your Opportunity to soar into the heavens and leap over the Dragon Gate, and it is also tied to the Luck of my Great Qian Immortal Dynasty for the next five hundred years!"

"Inside the Secret Realm, there are no taboos; life and death are determined by fate! You may display your full abilities without any restraint!"

"Ultimately, only one person will obtain the [spirit realm law fragment] from the Spirit Realm, paving the way for future breakthroughs into higher Realms!"

"I, the Emperor, shall await your triumphant return in the Divine Capital!"

After his words fell, Ji Cangxuan spoke no more.

He slowly raised his right hand, and a red-gold Imperial Seal of the State, upon which nine Divine Dragons coiled and which emanated supreme Imperial Dao Dragon Qi, emerged from his palm.

"Open!"

The Immortal Emperor spoke the Heavenly Constitution; his words became Law!

The Imperial Seal of the State in his hand suddenly erupted with ten thousand zhang of golden light, transforming into a magnificent golden pillar of light, like a heavenly column, which slammed heavily onto the ten thousand zhang stone gate!

Boom!

The entire Heaven-Worshiping Plaza, along with more than half of the Qiantian Divine Capital, trembled violently at this moment!

The ancient stone gate, which had existed since the Primeval Era, let out an overwhelmed roar under the impact of the golden pillar of light.

The countless totems of the sun, moon, and stars on the gate seemed to come alive, beginning to spin wildly along an esoteric trajectory!

Finally, amidst a massive sound loud enough to tear Heaven and Earth apart.

The stone gate, which had been closed for a century, slowly opened inward!

Behind the door was not any imagined scene, but a bottomless, pitch-black Spatial Vortex that seemed capable of swallowing all light and matter in the world!

A vast, ancient aura, originating from an Alternate Dimension, rushed out from the vortex!

"Enter!"

Following the Immortal Emperor's command.

The hundreds of Prodigies who could no longer restrain themselves instantly transformed into streaks of light of various colors, their eyes flashing with fervor and determination, rushing without hesitation into the pitch-black Spatial Vortex!

Opportunity is right before them!

Whether they become a Dragon or a worm depends on this moment!

Ji Wushuang, Ye Wuchen, and Huang Jiutian, leading the charge, transformed into the three most dazzling beams of light.

They took the lead and instantly vanished at the far end of the vortex.

Shen Yuanmo was not in a hurry.

He remained standing in place, unhurriedly watching the figures scrambling to enter until everyone had entered the Secret Realm.

Only then did he take a step, walking toward the massive Spatial Vortex as if taking a leisurely stroll.

Just as his figure was about to be swallowed by the pitch-black vortex.

He felt as if the Immortal Emperor's all-seeing gaze, from the high altar, had once again landed on his back.

That gaze was full of scrutiny, full of expectation, and even held the playful amusement of a chess player watching his most favored piece fall into place on the board.

Shen Yuanmo did not look back, and his figure completely disappeared into the vortex.