71: Chapter 71 Four Prodigies! Chen Lin's Dilemma! My Pet is a Dung Beetle?

"How did you rest last night?"

"It was alright." Lin Feng took a bite of a steamed bun. "This place is quite quiet."

Chen Ruoxi nodded and said no more, lowering her head to start eating.

The two of them finished breakfast in silence.

Putting down her chopsticks, Chen Ruoxi spoke up.

"Eight o'clock, gather at the square. Besides you, there are four others going in together."

Lin Feng was taken aback. "There are others?"

"Mhm." Chen Ruoxi nodded. "They were all recommended by various major powers and meet the entry requirements."

"What are their backgrounds?"

"You'll see for yourself." Chen Ruoxi stood up. "Let's go, I'll take you there."

...

At 7:50, Lin Feng followed Chen Ruoxi to an open space in the center of the camp.

Calling it a square was an overstatement; it was actually just a leveled patch of land paved with stone slabs, with a few flagpoles stuck around it.

At this moment, four people were already standing in the clearing.

Two men and two women.

Lin Feng's gaze swept over them, silently assessing them in his mind.

The first was a young man who looked to be in his early twenties, wearing a magnificent white robe with gold trim. He had long hair draped over his shoulders and handsome features, though his brow carried a hint of arrogance.

He stood there with his arms crossed, his eyes indifferently scanning the people around him, a faint, non-committal smile playing on his lips.

[Shen Yutang, 22 years old, Prodigy-Rank Physique: Ice Jade Holy Body, A-Rank Talent: Frost Mastery]

[Background: Direct descendant of the East Sea Shen Family, candidate for Family successor]

The second was also a young man, but his style was completely different.

He wore a black tight-fitting combat suit, had a lean and muscular build, a buzz cut, a square face with thick eyebrows and large eyes, and dark skin.

He stood there as motionless as a pine tree.

His eyes were calm, showing neither arrogance nor curiosity, as he quietly observed his surroundings.

[Zhao Iron Pillar, 23 years old, Elite-Rank Physique: Rock Physique, B-Rank Talent: Earth Power]

[Background: Former member of the military special forces, rich in actual combat experience]

The third was a girl who looked to be about the same age as Lin Feng, around sixteen or seventeen.

She wore a light pink dress with a small set of Leather Armor over it. Her long hair fell over her shoulders, her eyes were large and round, and her cheeks were rosy, making her look like a porcelain doll.

She was currently looking around curiously. When she saw Lin Feng, she even waved at him, revealing a sweet smile.

[Su Xiaonuan, 17 years old, Prodigy-Rank Physique: Wind Spirit Physique, A-Rank Talent: Wind's Blessing]

[Background: Little Princess of the East Sea Su Family, exceptionally gifted]

The fourth was also a girl, but her style was the polar opposite of the third.

She wore a black tight-fitting leather outfit that outlined her hot figure. Her long hair was scattered over her shoulders, and she wore a half-mask on her face, revealing only an exquisite chin and a pair of cold eyes.

She leaned against a nearby flagpole with her arms crossed, not saying a word.

Her gaze was as cold as ice.

[Cold Moon, 20 years old, Prodigy-Rank Physique: Shadow Physique, A-Rank Talent: Night Walker]

[Background: Member of the mysterious organization 'Shadow', origin unknown]

After observing them, Lin Feng had a good idea of what he was dealing with.

None of these four were people to be trifled with.

Especially that Cold Moon; she gave him a dangerous feeling.

"Everyone's here."

Chen Ruoxi stepped forward, her gaze sweeping across the five of them.

"I'll briefly explain the situation."

"The Secret Realm is codenamed 'Eye of the Abyss', located in the valley three kilometers ahead."

"The entrance has been opened. Once you enter, you have 72 hours to explore."

"After 72 hours, regardless of the outcome, you must return. Otherwise, the entrance will close, and you will be trapped inside."

She paused before continuing.

"It's very dangerous inside. Of those who went in before, some died, and some went mad."

"Therefore, I suggest you form a team and look out for each other."

As her voice fell, the youth in white, Shen Yutang, let out a light chuckle.

"Team up? Major Chen, do you think I need to team up with others?"

He glanced at the others with a hint of disdain in his eyes.

"Bringing dead weight along will only hold me back."

Zhao Iron Pillar remained expressionless and said nothing.

Su Xiaonuan blinked, looked at Shen Yutang, then at Lin Feng, and whispered, "This guy is so full of himself..."

Cold Moon still leaned there as if she hadn't heard a thing.

Chen Ruoxi looked toward Lin Feng.

Lin Feng shrugged. "I don't mind. Going alone is fine too."

Shen Yutang glanced at Lin Feng, a flash of surprise in his eyes.

He didn't seem to expect that this most unremarkable-looking person would actually dare to act alone as well.

"You?" He sized Lin Feng up. "What Rank are you?"

"Rank 26," Lin Feng replied truthfully.

Shen Yutang raised an eyebrow. "Rank 26? That's decent enough. What's your Physique?"

"Glory Corona."

Shen Yutang's expression stiffened slightly.

Glory Corona?

A Prodigy-Rank Physique?

He re-evaluated Lin Feng, the contempt in his eyes lessening slightly.

"And your Talent?"

Lin Feng was silent for a second.

"F-Rank, Fusion."

Shen Yutang was stunned for a moment, then he laughed.

His laughter carried a hint of amusement.

"F-Rank Talent? Interesting."

He stopped speaking.

Su Xiaonuan, however, leaned over, her eyes sparkling.

"Wow, you're only Rank 26 and you dare to go in alone? That's amazing!"

Lin Feng looked at her. "What Rank are you?"

"I'm Rank 24," Su Xiaonuan giggled. "But I have an A-Rank Talent, and a life-saving Magic Treasure my grandpa gave me, so I should be fine, right?"

Lin Feng: "..."

Fine, having a background really makes a difference.

"Alright." Chen Ruoxi interrupted them. "Since you've all decided to act alone, I won't force you."

"But remember one thing—if you encounter danger inside, don't expect others to save you. Everyone's fate is their own."

She turned and walked toward the edge of the camp.

"Follow me."

The five followed behind her, passing through the camp and along a rugged mountain path toward the depths of the valley.

After walking for about twenty minutes, a massive fissure appeared in the mountainside ahead.

The fissure looked like it had been split open by a giant axe, running from the peak down to the base, over ten meters wide and bottomless.

At the mouth of the fissure, the air was distorted, and a faint purple light barrier could be seen.

"That is the entrance." Chen Ruoxi pointed at the light barrier. "Beyond that is the Secret Realm."

She turned to look at the five of them.

"Asking one last time, does anyone want to back out?"

No one spoke.

"Good." Chen Ruoxi nodded. "Then go in. Remember, 72 hours."

Shen Yutang was the first to step forward.

He stood before the light barrier, took a deep breath, and then stepped through.

His figure vanished into the light.

Next was Zhao Iron Pillar.

He walked in expressionlessly.

Then came Su Xiaonuan.

She turned back and waved at Lin Feng. "See you inside!"

She went in too.

Cold Moon didn't move.

She leaned against a nearby rock and looked at Lin Feng.

In those cold eyes, a flash of... curiosity appeared?

"Your name is Lin Feng?"

Her voice was cold, but surprisingly pleasant to the ear.

Lin Feng nodded. "Correct."

Cold Moon stared at him for a few seconds, then withdrew her gaze.

"Watch out for that Shen Yutang," she said indifferently.

Then she turned and walked into the light barrier.

Lin Feng was stunned for a second.

Watch out for Shen Yutang?

What did that mean?

Chen Ruoxi looked at him.

"You should head in too."

Lin Feng nodded, took a deep breath, and walked toward the light barrier.

As he approached, he could feel a wave of warm energy hitting him.

It was as if something behind the light barrier was calling to him.

He no longer hesitated and stepped through.

...

His vision went black.

Then, light reappeared.

Lin Feng found himself standing in a... forest?

No, not an ordinary forest.

The trees here were extraordinarily tall.

Each one was a hundred meters high, with trunks so thick they would take dozens of people to encircle.

The canopy blotted out the sun, leaving only small patches of dappled light.

The ground was covered in a thick layer of fallen leaves, feeling soft underfoot.

The air was filled with an... indescribable scent.

It wasn't the scent of flowers, nor of plants.

It was a faint, fresh sense of... purity, like the air after a rain.

Lin Feng took a deep breath.

Then, he froze.

Because that single breath actually made him feel his mana rise slightly?

"This..."

His eyes widened.

He took another breath.

Indeed!

His mana rose again!

Although the increase was tiny, so small it was almost negligible.

But it had definitely increased!

"The energy in this Secret Realm... is so dense!"

Lin Feng looked around.

He discovered that countless tiny specks of light were floating in the air.

Those specks were golden, red, blue, green...

Multicolored, like countless fireflies slowly drifting in the air.

Lin Feng reached out, and a golden speck of light landed on his palm.

A warm sensation followed, and then it quickly merged into his skin.

[Absorbed a trace amount of Light Element, mana +1]

"These are... elemental particles?!"

Lin Feng suddenly understood.

Those so-called 'eyes' were not monsters at all.

They were elemental particles so dense they were visible to the naked eye!

When they clustered together, they looked like glowing eyes!

"Gave me a scare..."

Lin Feng breathed a sigh of relief.

He had thought there were really monsters covered in eyes inside.

He continued walking forward.

The forest was very quiet, eerily so.

No birds chirping, no insects buzzing, only the rustle of wind through the leaves.

After walking for about half an hour, he still hadn't encountered any living thing.

Forget monsters, he hadn't even seen an ant.

"Is this Secret Realm... empty?"

Lin Feng frowned.

That's not right.

If it were truly empty, how could the people who entered before have died or gone mad?

Something was definitely off.

He became alert, slowing his pace and carefully observing his surroundings.

Trees, fallen leaves, the occasional rock.

Everything looked normal.

But it was too normal, which in itself was abnormal.

Another half hour passed.

Lin Feng came to an open clearing.

This place looked like it had been cleared; there were no trees, only a patch of grass.

In the center of the grass stood a massive rock.

On the rock were carved some... characters?

Lin Feng approached and looked closely.

They were ancient, complex characters; he didn't recognize a single one.

But as he stared at them, the characters suddenly emitted a faint light.

Then, a piece of information was transmitted directly into his mind.

[Welcome to the Elemental Secret Realm]

[This is the cultivation grounds of the ancient Elemental Messengers]

[Those who pass the trial may obtain the Legacy of the Elemental Messenger]

[Trial Content: Maintain your true self within the illusion]

[Hint: The illusion will evoke your deepest fears, desires, and regrets... if you lose yourself within it, you will never wake up]

After reading it, Lin Feng's heart sank.

An illusion?

So those who went mad had lost themselves in the illusion?

"Deepest fears, desires, regrets..."

Lin Feng murmured.

What did he fear?

What did he desire?

What regrets did he have?

As he was thinking, his surroundings suddenly began to distort.

Trees, grass, rocks... everything became blurred, like a reflection in water being disturbed.

Then, it all vanished.

Lin Feng found himself standing in... darkness.

Pure, endless darkness.

It was so dark he couldn't see his own hand in front of his face.

Just then, a speck of light lit up ahead.

The light grew brighter and brighter, forming an image.

In the image were two people.

A man and a woman.

The man was tall and handsome, and the woman was gentle and beautiful.

They stood before a Dungeon entrance, looking back at the camera.

"Xiao Feng, Mommy and Daddy are going on a long trip."

"Be a good boy and wait for us to come back."

Those were... his parents!

Lin Feng's pupils contracted.

In the image, his parents smiled at him, then turned and walked into the Dungeon.

That door slowly closed.

Then, the scene changed.

It was still the same Dungeon entrance, but the door was shattered, and the place was a mess.

There were bloodstains on the ground, broken equipment, and...

Two corpses.

Lin Feng couldn't see the faces of the corpses clearly, but he knew they were his parents.

"No..."

He murmured.

In the image, those two corpses suddenly moved.

They slowly crawled up and turned around.

The faces were indeed those of his parents.

But their expressions were distorted, and their eyes were hollow.

"Xiao Feng..."

"Why didn't you come to save us?"

"Why weren't you a bit stronger?"

"It's all your fault..."

The voices were shrill, like the curse of an evil spirit.

"No! It's not my fault!"

Lin Feng roared.

But those voices grew louder and sharper, like countless needles stabbing into his brain.

"Your fault!"

"Your fault!"

"Your fault!"

Lin Feng clutched his head and crouched down.

Pain, guilt, and self-reproach surged over him like a tide.

Just then—

Buzz—

Deep within his Sea of Consciousness, the golden tower soul suddenly vibrated!

A beam of golden light shot out from the pagoda, instantly dispelling those voices!

The surrounding darkness rapidly dissolved, like ice and snow meeting sunlight!

The image shattered, and the voices vanished.

Lin Feng opened his eyes again.

He was still standing before that rock.

Around him was that meadow, those trees, and those floating motes of light.

Everything was as it had been.

"Huff... huff..."

Lin Feng gasped for air, cold sweat soaking his back.

That illusion just now was too real.

If it weren't for the golden tower soul...

He didn't dare think further.

"Is this... what those people who went mad experienced?"

Lin Feng felt a lingering fear.

He could imagine how hopeless those without a tower soul's protection would feel facing such an illusion.

"Thankfully I have the tower soul..."

He had just breathed a sigh of relief.

Suddenly, a violent vibration came from the wanxiang ring!

Lin Feng was startled and quickly opened the ring.

That dark-gold pet egg was throbbing frantically!

The light spots on the eggshell were flashing wildly like neon lights!

"Is it about to hatch?!"

Lin Feng hurriedly took the egg out.

He placed it on the grass.

The egg's throbbing became more and more intense.

Thump, thump, thump!

Thump, thump, thump!

It was like a heart beating desperately!

Crack!

A crack appeared on the eggshell.

Crack, crack, crack!

More and more cracks appeared, spreading out like a spiderweb!

Finally—

Pop!

The eggshell burst open!

A round, blackish thing rolled out of the egg.

Lin Feng looked down.

Then, he froze.

Was that a... dung beetle?

Yes, it was a dung beetle.

It had a round body, roughly the size of an adult's fist.

It was pitch black all over, but a pair of purple antennae grew from its head.

Its six legs were golden, shimmering with a metallic luster.

There was also a pair of transparent wings on its back, thin as a cicada's wing.

Right now, it was lying on the ground, using its golden front legs to rub its head.

It looked like it had just woken up and was still a bit dazed.

"This... this is my pet?"

Lin Feng's mouth twitched.

A King Rank pet egg hatched a dung beetle?

What the hell is this?!

Just then, the dung beetle looked up and saw Lin Feng.

Its pair of tiny compound eyes suddenly lit up.

Then, its six legs scurried quickly, and like a small black ball, it rolled to Lin Feng's feet.

Nudge.

It used its head to nudge Lin Feng's shoe.

It nudged again.

Then it looked up, staring at Lin Feng expectantly with its tiny eyes.

That gaze was like a newborn baby looking at its mother.

It was full of dependence and trust.

Lin Feng's heart softened.

Even though it looked a bit ugly, it was his pet after all.

He squatted down and reached out his hand.

The dung beetle immediately crawled onto his hand, its six legs hugging his finger as it rubbed its head against him.

[Pet Information]

[Name: Unnamed]

[Race: Void Holy Beetle (King Rank)]

[Rank: 1]

[Potential: legendary grade]

[Skill: Treasure Hunting (Passive), can sense the aura of treasures within a thousand-meter radius]

[Description: An ancient exotic species that feeds on various rare Materials. It can evolve as it grows. Extremely rare.]

Lin Feng stared at the description, stunned.

Void Holy Beetle?

Not a dung beetle?

Treasure Hunting skill?

Can sense the aura of treasures?

"Holy crap... I've struck gold!"

Lin Feng's eyes shone.

Even if it looks like a dung beetle, its function is incredible!

A Treasure Hunting pet!

This is what countless people dream of!

"Little guy, from now on, I'll call you... Xiao Jin."

Lin Feng patted its head.

Even though its body was black, its legs were golden, so the name Xiao Jin fit perfectly.

Xiao Jin seemed to like the name, rolling around on Lin Feng's hand and making "squeak squeak" sounds.

Then, it suddenly stopped.

It looked up and gazed ahead.

Its tiny compound eyes stared at the distant area shrouded in thick fog.

It extended its golden front legs and pointed in that direction.

Then it looked back at Lin Feng.

"Squeak squeak!"

It squeaked twice, then jumped down from Lin Feng's hand and crawled toward that direction.

After a few steps, it looked back at Lin Feng, signaling for him to follow.

"Are you saying... there's something good over there?"

Lin Feng asked.

Xiao Jin nodded.

"Squeak squeak!"

Lin Feng looked toward the thick fog.

The fog was very thick, a vast expanse of white, making it impossible to see what was inside.

But since Xiao Jin said there was treasure...

"Let's go!"

Lin Feng stood up and followed Xiao Jin toward the thick fog.

Behind him, the text on the rock was still faintly glowing.

As if witnessing it all.

...

Meanwhile, thousands of miles away.

Capital Academy, girls' dormitory.

Chen Lin sat on the edge of her bed, holding her phone.

On the screen was her chat window with Lin Feng.

The last message was sent yesterday.

[Lin Feng: I'm back from Mount Dashu, everything went smoothly. How about you? How have you been lately?]

There was no reply.

She didn't know what to reply.

A knock came from the door.

"Chen Lin, are you there?"

A gentle male voice.

Chen Lin's heart tightened.

It was Li Mingze.

She took a deep breath, walked over, and opened the door.

Standing outside was a young man in his early twenties, wearing a white academy uniform, handsome and elegant in demeanor.

He held a bouquet of flowers, a gentle smile on his face.

"I heard you didn't go to training today, are you feeling unwell?"

Li Mingze asked with concern.

"No... no." Chen Lin shook her head.

"That's good." Li Mingze handed her the flowers. "I picked these in the academy garden. I heard you like lilies, so I brought you a bouquet."

Chen Lin took the flowers, her heart a whirlwind of emotions.

Li Mingze, the third-year top student of Capital Academy, S-Rank Talent · Starlight, Prodigy-grade Physique · Starlight Body.

The prince charming in the hearts of all the girls in the academy.

Two weeks ago, he started pursuing her.

Sending flowers, giving equipment, taking her through Dungeons, and helping her increase her Rank.

Defending her in front of everyone, recommending her to the instructors.

Gentle, considerate, and outstanding.

He was so perfect he didn't seem real.

"Chen Lin?"

Li Mingze's voice pulled her back to reality.

"Ah? What is it?"

"You look like you have something on your mind." Li Mingze looked at her. "You can tell me if anything is wrong, don't keep it bottled up."

Chen Lin shook her head: "It's nothing, I'm just a bit tired."

"Then get some good rest." Li Mingze smiled gently. "I'll come pick you up tonight. A new chef arrived at the cafeteria, and his cooking is quite good. Want to go try it together?"

Chen Lin hesitated for a moment.

"Okay."

Li Mingze's eyes lit up, his smile deepening.

"Then it's a date. I'll pick you up at seven tonight."

He turned and left.

Chen Lin closed the door, leaned against it, and slowly slid down to sit on the floor.

She looked at Lin Feng's profile picture on her phone.

The boy who grew up with her and always protected her.

The boy who, after Awakening an F-Rank Talent, still smiled and comforted her.

The boy who, in order to become stronger, entered dangerous Secret Realms time and again.

She remembered what she had said a month ago.

"Lin Feng, when I graduate, I'll come back to find you."

"At that time, no matter how strong you've become or if you're still like this, you're not allowed to reject me!"

But now?

She looked at the lilies in her hand, smelling their fragrance.

She thought of Li Mingze's gentle face and his affectionate eyes.

She felt like she had changed.

Become... a stranger.

"What on earth... should I do..."

She murmured.

Looking at Lin Feng's message!

As Chen Lin looked at that line of text, her eyes suddenly turned red.

Her finger hovered over the screen. She wanted to type, but didn't know what to say.

Ultimately, she turned off her phone.

She buried her face in her knees.

Her shoulders trembled slightly.

Outside the window, the sun was bright.

But in her heart, it was all gloom.

...

Inside the Secret Realm.

Lin Feng followed Xiao Jin into the thick fog.

The fog was very dense, with visibility less than five meters.

The path beneath his feet changed from grass to gravel.

Everything around was a vast white; nothing could be seen clearly.

But Xiao Jin crawled very fast ahead, its six golden legs moving like they had motors, completely unaffected by the thick fog.

Lin Feng could only follow it closely.

They walked for about ten minutes.

Ahead, a massive... outline suddenly appeared?

It looked like some kind of building.

Lin Feng narrowed his eyes, trying to see clearly.

But the fog was too thick; he could only see a blurry shadow.

Xiao Jin stopped and turned back to squeak at him twice.

Then, it continued crawling forward.

Lin Feng took a deep breath and followed.

He had a premonition—

There was something extraordinary ahead.