24: The Holy Land has ended, and danger lurks on the return journey.

Deep within the Heavenly Illusion Sacred Realm, atop a dilapidated altar, the final struggle had entered a fever pitch.

At the center of the altar, a crystal shimmered with seven-colored light, brimming with vast Soul Power—this was the "Illusion God Crystal," one of the most core Legacies of the Heavenly Illusion Sacred Realm!

Nie Li was covered in blood, his clothes tattered, but his eyes were bright as stars, and his aura was several times stronger than before entering the Secret Realm, having already reached Silver Peak, just a hair's breadth from Gold Rank! Relying on his familiarity with the Secret Realm and the trump cards Brother Yun Feng had given him, he had repeatedly escaped death under the encirclement of Ye Han, Shen Fei, and "Ghost Shadow," and successfully seized several important Opportunities.

At this moment, he was confronting Ye Han, Shen Fei, and the "Ghost Shadow" leader, their gazes fixed on the Illusion God Crystal.

"Nie Li, hand over the Illusion God Crystal, or this place will be your burial ground!" Ye Han's face was grim; most of the Yun Family disciples he brought had perished in the Secret Realm, and if he couldn't obtain the core Legacy, he would have no way to explain himself upon returning.

Shen Fei's eyes were even redder; he had suffered considerable losses in several skirmishes with Nie Li and hated him to the bone. The "Ghost Shadow" leader, like a venomous snake, lurked at the side, searching for an Opportunity for a fatal strike.

Nie Li wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth and sneered, "Want it? Come and get it yourself!"

The battle erupted instantly!

Nie Li pushed the Wind and Snow Spirit Record to its limit, unleashing his Wind and Snow Domain, freezing everything, and actually managing to temporarily withstand the combined assault of the three. He fought and retreated, his target an inconspicuous teleportation array at the edge of the altar—another exit from the Secret Realm!

"He's trying to run!" Shen Fei roared, attacking frantically.

Ye Han and "Ghost Shadow" also went all out, various killing moves surging towards Nie Li like an overwhelming tide.

Rumble!

The altar shook violently under the furious energy impact, finally unable to bear the burden, and began to collapse!

Just at this chaotic moment, Nie Li endured a backstab from "Ghost Shadow," spitting out a mouthful of fresh blood, but used the momentum to charge fiercely towards the teleportation array. At the same time, he reached out and a suction force swept towards the Illusion God Crystal!

"Dream on!" Ye Han's eyes were about to split, he unleashed a full-powered palm strike, attempting to stop him.

However, Nie Li's movements were a fraction faster; his fingertips finally touched the Illusion God Crystal, drawing it into his hand! Simultaneously, his body was engulfed by the light of the activated teleportation array.

"Chase!" Ye Han and the other two disregarded the collapsing altar and frantically rushed into the teleportation array.

A flash of light, and the figures of the four simultaneously vanished within the Secret Realm... Deep within the abandoned mine, the light gate of the Secret Realm entrance fluctuated violently.

Immediately after, several disheveled figures were shot out like cannonballs, falling heavily to the ground.

It was Nie Li, Ye Han, Shen Fei, and the "Ghost Shadow" leader!

As soon as the four landed, before they even had time to catch their breath, they instantly engaged in battle again like mortal enemies, their target the Illusion God Crystal in Nie Li's hand!

"Hand over the item!" Ye Han was like a madman, his attacks completely uncoordinated.

Shen Fei and "Ghost Shadow" also attacked Nie Li with bloodshot eyes.

Although Nie Li was seriously injured, supported by the Soul Power emanating from the Illusion God Crystal and his improved strength from the Secret Realm, he barely managed to hold on, fighting and retreating, trying to escape the battlefield.

Brother Yun Feng, hidden in the shadows, calmly observed this dog-eat-dog melee. His gaze primarily fell on Nie Li, confirming that although he was seriously injured, his Foundation was intact, and his aura was even more condensed, which pleased him.

"It's time to clear the field." Brother Yun Feng's eyes turned cold. These few people, like Ye Han, would ultimately be a disaster if left alive.

He did not show himself, but quietly activated several hidden Restrictions he had previously arranged around the mine shaft, which had been in a dormant state—this was a trapping and killing array he had set up using natural terrain and residual energy after analyzing the mine shaft's structure with the System.

Buzz!

Just as Ye Han's palm was about to strike Nie Li's back, several earthy yellow lights suddenly lit up around the mine shaft. The ground seemed to turn into a quagmire, and a powerful gravity instantly enveloped Ye Han, Shen Fei, and "Ghost Shadow"!

"What's going on?!"

The three were greatly alarmed; their movements instantly became sluggish, like flies trapped in amber!

Nie Li also felt a pressure, but this pressure seemed to intentionally avoid him, allowing him to seize the Opportunity to escape the battle circle, looking around in surprise and uncertainty.

"Who is it? Get out here!" Ye Han was both shocked and enraged, frantically urging his Soul Power to resist this bizarre gravity.

His answer was three fingers Brother Yun Feng pointed from afar.

Chirp! Chirp! Chirp!

Three extremely condensed finger winds, like the whispers of death, penetrated the obstruction of the gravity field and accurately, precisely, plunged into the foreheads of Ye Han, Shen Fei, and the "Ghost Shadow" leader!

The three men's bodies stiffened abruptly, the horror and anger on their faces instantly froze, their pupils dilated, and the Soul Power fluctuations on their bodies receded like a tide.

Thump! Thump! Thump!

The three Gold Rank powerhouses, who had once dominated the City of Radiance, along with their ambitions to rule, fell straight to the ground like chopped wood, their life force completely gone!

Silence!

Deathly silence!

Nie Li watched this sudden scene, his breathing almost stopped. Although he guessed it might be Brother Yun Feng's doing, he hadn't expected it to be so decisive, so... terrifying! Three Gold Rank experts, just like that, silently insta-killed?

[Successfully killed Ye Han, core Elder of the Yun Family; Shen Fei, Young Lord of the Sacred Aristocratic Family; and the "Ghost Shadow" leader of the Dark Guild, significantly altering the power structure of the City of Radiance. Received Rule Energy feedback: 1000 points!]

[Current Rule Energy: 3060 + 1000 = 4060 / 5000.]

With a surge of immense energy, Brother Yun Feng felt his control over the Rule deepen by another fraction.

Only then did he slowly emerge from the shadows and approach the still-shaken Nie Li.

"Yun... Brother Yun Feng..." Nie Li looked at Brother Yun Feng, his voice a little dry.

Brother Yun Feng's gaze swept over the Illusion God Crystal in his hand and his numerous injuries, then he nodded: "Good harvest, and your injuries are not serious. Go back and digest it well; Gold Rank is within reach."

His tone was calm, as if he had just casually swatted a few flies.

Nie Li took a deep breath, suppressing the shock in his heart, and solemnly put away the Illusion God Crystal: "Thank you again, Brother Yun Feng, for saving my life!"

"No need to be polite." Brother Yun Feng waved his hand, his gaze sweeping over the bodies on the ground, "Clean this place up. After you go back, you know what to say, right?"

Nie Li understood: "Understood! Ye Han, Shen Fei, and others fought over the Legacy in the Secret Realm, killed each other, and perished together! It has nothing to do with me!"

"Very good." Brother Yun Feng nodded, "Go back. The City of Radiance is about to change."

Nie Li nodded heavily, knowing that Brother Yun Feng must have made arrangements outside as well. He said no more, quickly cleaned up the traces of battle, completely incinerated the three bodies, and then, dragging his injured body, quietly departed.

Inside the mine shaft, only Brother Yun Feng remained, along with the slowly rotating, gradually dimming Secret Realm entrance.

Brother Yun Feng looked at the entrance, feeling the space within becoming unstable, about to completely close.

"One Secret Realm exploration, and the next generation's core of the Yun Family and Sacred Aristocratic Family, as well as a capable general of the Dark Guild, are buried... This deal is very worthwhile."

A cold arc curved at the corner of his mouth.

"Next, it's time to go back and 'receive' the fruits of victory, and see how Ye Xiu and the Sacred Aristocratic Family's Patriarch will face this bolt from the blue."

With a flash of his figure, Brother Yun Feng also disappeared into the mine shaft. The oppressive feeling of an impending storm had already enveloped the entire City of Radiance. And this time, the one holding the eye of the storm was the Yun Family, it was Brother Yun Feng!