Everyone followed the steps and walked down the mountains, arriving at a valley.
Inside the valley were unfamiliar trees, some dazzling in gold, others as red as blooming mystic flowers. Celestial aura lingered, enveloping the area. At the highest point in the center, there appeared to be a nest built by some bird on a golden-leaved tree.
Luo Yunyi felt like all the delightful air was emanating from there.
The term ’paradise’ is no exaggeration; this place was incredibly beautiful, free from demonic erosion and devoid of the mundane atmosphere, like the idyllic lands depicted in books, yet it resembled more an untainted world untouched by any pollution.
A child of the mortal world stepping onto this land would feel like disturbing its tranquility.
The sound of rushing waves grew louder below; Luo Yunyi then came to his senses. He descended with his sword and discovered that, where cultivators gathered the most, a sea appeared out of nowhere, like a wall of water blocking everyone in front. Attempting to ascend by sword would result in being swept back.
Is this... the Boundary River?
Luo Yunyi wasn’t sure why, but these words suddenly popped into his mind: Boundary River, the river that inevitably appears when venturing into the Immortal and God Realms, emerging just like this, out of thin air. Without the qualifications of an immortal or god, one cannot cross the river, nor cross it without fortune. But once you do cross this Boundary River, your cultivation will surely reach a higher level.
Questions arose in Luo Yunyi’s heart as well. Is this reality, or an illusion?
Clearly, it is an illusion.
No Secret Realm would feature a Boundary River.
But what kind of Secret Realm could create such a real-looking illusion?
The sword under his feet seemed guided by its master; though it was merely an ordinary longsword, at this moment, it emitted a faint golden glow, heading straight for the Boundary River.
Surprised, Luo Yunyi wondered, the Treasure Sword moved on its own and carried him towards the Boundary River. The towering waves were right in front, but in just a breath, he felt as if his whole body was simply being bathed. Looking back, he had effortlessly crossed the Boundary River.
A dozen others attempted to mimic his path and enter, but each was blocked outside. Yet, there were a few, like Luo Yunyi, who were led by their Treasure Swords to charge towards the Boundary River.
The Treasure Sword landed him steadily on the ground and then automatically returned to the sword sheath on Luo Yunyi’s back. At this moment, fewer than twenty people stood there, many celebrating, but Luo Yunyi remained calm.
Luo Yunfei stood not far behind Luo Yunyi, looking at his back shadow, seemingly wanting to step forward and talk, but in the end, he did not move.
"Does this mean we passed the first trial? What are the criteria for this determination?" a cultivator wondered aloud, looking at the cultivators blocked opposite them.
No one could answer this question.
The first trial eliminated more than seventy people?
This hadn’t been the case before. Many started whispering in confusion.
"A senior from my Sect mentioned that previously, more than eighty people passed the first trial. This time, so few?"
"Indeed, a predecessor from our Sect said that during his participation, over sixty people passed the first trial."
"The least was over fifty people passing the first trial. This time, only our group cleared it. Very strange."
"Look at that tall one across; he has been to this Secret Realm before. It’s his second time entering, and last time he passed the second trial. Now he didn’t even clear the first trial this time. Too bizarre."
Luo Yunfei watched Luo Yunyi’s back silently.
He had an uncanny feeling that the unusualness of this Secret Realm’s selection and testing was related to Luo Yunyi.
There was no reason, just an instinctive feeling.