223: Chapter 223 You're cheating, kid!!!

Great Elder Long Bayun pointed at those wormhole vortices that were slowly rotating and emitting deep, mysterious light, his tone filled with undisguised pride:

"See that, kid? This is one of the fruits of the Eastern Territory's century of development! We have mastered the teleportation technology that directly connects to the entrances of specific secret realms. Through these teleportation vortices, one can reach the target secret realm directly, without having to travel long distances and waste a massive amount of time on the road like in the outside world."

Upon hearing this, Lu Chen's gaze suddenly grew intense.

If this technology were true, he could order people to set up these teleportation vortices at the entrances of all the secret realms that produced advancement Materials for ninth-rank Beast Tamers!

At that time, he wouldn't need to rush about; he could directly teleport to the corresponding secret realm, efficiently farm those rare advancement Materials, and save a massive amount of time!

"Senior, do these teleportation vortices possess the function of teleporting directly back to the starting point?" Lu Chen asked the crucial question.

Great Elder Long Bayun shook his head, looking slightly regretful: "We haven't mastered that technology yet. If you want to teleport back directly, you have to rely on the spatial rifts that naturally generate inside the secret realms."

"But spatial rifts are extremely unstable; their appearance time and location are both uncertain. Perhaps... only when our Great Xia gives birth to its own god and possesses the power to stabilize space, will we be able to achieve point-to-point round trips."

Lu Chen nodded; being able to directly connect to secret realm entrances was already a revolutionary technological Breakthrough.

"Let's go, kid Lu. We'll go directly into an eight-star invading secret realm; that place is spacious enough and exciting enough!"

Great Elder Long Bayun waved his large hand, pointing at one of the vortices that had the deepest color and the most intense energy fluctuations.

The Longxia University principal and several high-level officials accompanying them were all stunned on the spot upon hearing this.

"Grand Elder, what you have chosen... could it be the [Dark Night Dragon Palace]?" The principal's voice was even trembling.

"Exactly!" Great Elder Long Bayun's voice was like a booming bell.

Everyone gasped in shock.

The [Dark Night Dragon Palace]!

That was the only eight-star Hell-difficulty secret realm controlled by the Eastern Territory!

It was notoriously dangerous and filled with crises!

Even if Guild Master Xuanyuan Jing personally led the guild's most elite raiding party, there was only a sixty percent chance of clearing it!

Long Aojiao was also anxious. Ignoring her injuries, she grabbed Great Elder Long Bayun's arm: "Grandpa! This is too risky! That's an eight-star Hell-level! Even if Grandpa Xuanyuan led the team, he wouldn't dare say it's foolproof. How can you take him there to fight alone?"

Great Elder Long Bayun, however, had his own calculations.

Old Wu had boasted about Lu Chen to the heavens, claiming that he possessed combat power no weaker than a ninth-rank legend. Whether it was a mule or a horse, he had to take it out for a walk to see!

This [Dark Night Dragon Palace] needed to have its Invading Monsters cleared out periodically, so it could be said to kill two birds with one stone!

Moreover, he was very deeply versed in the strategies for this secret realm and was confident that even in the worst-case scenario, he could still take Lu Chen and escape alive. There was risk, but it was controllable!

"Don't worry, lass, Grandpa knows what he's doing!" Great Elder Long Bayun waved his hand, then turned to look at Lu Chen, deliberately trying to provoke him: "Kid Lu, hearing that it's an eight-star Hell difficulty, you're not scared already, are you? Don't worry, with me here, I'll definitely ensure your life is safe!"

Upon hearing this, Lu Chen's lips curled up slightly: "If Senior isn't afraid, how could this Junior be afraid of a mere eight-star Hell-difficulty secret realm?"

"Hey! Damn it all!" Great Elder Long Bayun was so angry he laughed, his large, bell-like eyes widening: "I'll see if, besides having a stubborn mouth, your strength is actually tough!"

Without further ado, their figures flickered, and they both plunged into the deep teleportation vortex. With a flash of light, they disappeared.

"Quick! Report the situation to the Guild Master immediately!" The Longxia University principal did not dare to delay and hurriedly gave the order.

...

Dragon Radiance Guild Headquarters, side meeting hall.

Guild Master Xuanyuan Jing was drinking with the Wasteland Guardian, with Vice President Zhuge Yuan and others accompanying them on the side.

Receiving the urgent message, Guild Master Xuanyuan Jing's expression changed instantly, and he stood up abruptly: "What? The Grand Elder took Lu Chen into the [Dark Night Dragon Palace] to fight alone?"

He turned his head sharply to look at Vice President Zhuge Yuan, who was sitting calmly on the side, his tone filled with speechlessness and reproach: "Old Yuan! Is this what you guaranteed wouldn't have any issues? You didn't stop him in time?"

Vice President Zhuge Yuan gently stroked his long beard, remaining calm: "Guild Master, calm down! I have been closely monitoring the situation at Longxia University at all times. The fact that Lu Chen could defeat that lass Aojiao in one strike with a fifth-rank F-grade beast pet is enough to show that he is unfathomable."

"Since the Grand Elder dared to take him in, he must have the confidence to bring him out! In my opinion, the Grand Elder's move is precisely to use the danger of the secret realm to thoroughly figure out Lu Chen's background."

At this moment, the Wasteland Guardian took a gulp of fine wine and leisurely interjected: "I tell you all, the emperor isn't worried, but the eunuchs are panicking. I'm not worried at all, so what are you panicking about? I'm not afraid to tell you, let alone an eight-star Hell-difficulty, even a nine-star Hell-difficulty secret realm, kid Lu can solo clear it by himself. Rest assured, your Grand Elder won't die."

Everyone: "..."

Why did this sound so much like bragging?

But seeing the Wasteland Guardian so certain, Guild Master Xuanyuan Jing's suspicion and worry lessened slightly, but he still couldn't set his mind at ease.

"No! The [Dark Night Dragon Palace] is no small matter. In case something changes..." He made a prompt decision: "Summon all Guild Elders above the eighth rank to accompany me into the [Dark Night Dragon Palace] to provide support. Old Wu, you come too!"

Everyone accepted the order and set off immediately.

The Wasteland Guardian curled his lip, drank the wine in his pot in one gulp, and stood up swayingly: "Really, nobody believes what I say. Fine, fine, it's boring staying here anyway, I'll just go along with you to join in the fun."

...

[Dark Night Dragon Palace] secret realm!

The sky was an eternal, dead, dark purple. Twisted dragon-shaped monster trees covered the desolate land, and the air was filled with the scent of sulfur and decay.

Lu Chen had just steadied his figure when his gaze swept across a few giant birds circling in the distant sky, their bodies covered in dull scales and their eyes pitch black like ink, and he couldn't help but be slightly stunned.

[Dark Radiant Dragon Vulture]?

Wasn't this the Invading Monster he had encountered when he was doing his fourth-rank advancement mission?

No wonder the Dragon Vulture mount that Senior Long had summoned earlier gave him an inexplicably familiar feeling; it turned out it was dropped from farming this secret realm.

Looking at it this way, this spatial rift in the [Dark Night Dragon Palace] was the nest connecting to the Dark Radiant Dragon Vulture tribe.

"Kid, this place is just right for us to let go and fight with all our might!" Great Elder Long Bayun's Aura erupted. Although he was suppressed by the secret realm's rules and could only exert Peak eighth-rank strength, his brows were filled with absolute confidence.

He firmly believed that on the same eighth-rank level, relying on his many years of combat experience, he was enough to crush any young kid like Lu Chen!

"Let me see where your confidence comes from!"

Lu Chen's expression was calm, and he smiled slightly: "Since Senior insists on seeing this Junior's true combat power, then this Junior... will respectfully comply."

The moment his voice fell—Lu Chen raised his hand and pressed it into the void.

There was no earth-shaking momentum, no dazzling visions of light.

But the moment his palm pressed down, the entire [Dark Night Dragon Palace] secret realm seemed to freeze for an instant.

Following that, with Lu Chen as the center, the space behind him rippled endlessly like the surface of a lake into which a giant stone had been thrown!

One after another, massive, ferocious, sacred, and eerie figures emerged silently, like a flood breaking a dam!

Dense and numerous, covering the sky and the earth!

In the blink of an eye, wherever the eye could see, beneath the firmament and upon the earth, it was completely filled with billions of beast shadows!

The silver tide composed of Ice Horn Ants spread across the ground, the dark wave turned into by Shadow Soul Mice wriggled in the shadows, Red Falcons obscured the dark purple sky, and the eyes of Illusion Foxes flickered with bewildering light in the air...

Tens of millions! Billions! The number was so large it made one's Soul tremble!

And in front of Lu Chen, three terrifying figures stood proudly.

The Azure Dragon coiled and spiraled, its Dragon might vast, with cyan thunderclouds gathering around its body!

The Void-Eye White Tiger stepped on gale winds, its heterochromatic eyes—one blue and one cyan—gazing coldly at Great Elder Long Bayun, as if staring at prey.

The Abyssal Vermilion Bird burned the sky with flames, the scorching temperature causing the space to slightly distort.

Each one exuded the heart-palpitating ferocity and Aura fluctuations unique to SSS-grade legendary beast pets!

A massive army of over two hundred million beast pets, like a silent ancient legion, gathered their murderous Aura into a tangible storm that swept across the entire secret realm!

Even those Dark Radiant Dragon Vultures that were originally circling and showing off in the distance now let out terrified cries and fled desperately into the distance.

Lu Chen still stood in place, his clothes fluttering slightly in the airflow brought by the billions of beast pets.

He looked calmly ahead, at that Great Elder of the Dragon Radiance Guild who had been aggressive and full of confidence just a moment ago.

Great Elder Long Bayun froze in place, as if struck by Nine Heavens lightning.

His mouth hung open, his bell-sized eyes wide enough to almost split, the muscles on his face stiff, maintaining the expression of confidence and readiness to show off his skills from the second before.

He looked at the endless, boundless tide of beasts before him, looked at the three legendary beast pets that exuded a fatal threat even to him, and his brain went completely blank!

All his calculations, all his confidence, all his Battle Intent were crushed into the most thorough absurdity at this moment.

It took a full three breaths for this hot-tempered, booming-voiced third strongest person in the Eastern Territory to find a shred of his own voice from the extreme shock.

That voice was dry, trembling, and filled with disbelief and collapse:

"Wh... what the f*ck!! Damn it all!! You kid... you kid, you're openly cheating, damn it!!!"