In the golden light of the soaring sun, the mighty battleships soared gracefully through the heavens, their colossal wings slicing through the air with ethereal elegance. From the peer of these extraordinary vessels, one could behold a breathtaking vista of mountainous splendor, where nature's magnificence unfolded in the grandest of forms.
The battleships weaved their way through a labyrinth of ancient mountains whose peaks kissed the limit of the skies. These majestic giants, draped in veils of mist, stood like sentinels of an ancient realm, tall and mighty. Their rugged slopes, adorned with cascading waterfalls and terraced fields, bore witness to the harmony between man and nature, a testament to the wonderful world they were present.
As the battleships gracefully traversed the valleys, a serpentine ribbon of jade blue wound through the heart of this landscape. A meandering river caressed the fertile plains below. Its gentle currents carried the warmth of the heaven and earth energy while lotus flowers swayed, adding delicate splashes of pink and white to the verdant canvas.
However, there was something else mixed within this river, shimmering with a pinkish glow amidst the sunlight. They were like sakura blossoms flowing through the river stream.
"This is…"
Davis was dumbfounded as he turned to look at the mountains nearby, tracing their river's source as his eyes went wide because he caught sight of a giant thousand-meter-tall tree with incredible thickness.
This was his favorite picnic spot in the entire First Haven World so far. He had even told Evelynn and the others about this location while dining with them, wanting to spend time with them here.
However, he turned to look towards the ship in the lead, the Zyrus Family's battleship that began to descend.
If it weren't for the space before them that was wide and clear, he would've been quickly able to tell what this location was.
Instantly, he could sense thousands of gazes falling on him from every battleship present. Regardless, he stood at the peer and continued to gaze at the scenery before him with befuddled eyes.
What was supposed to be the mountain's lofty peak reached towards the infinite skies, blotting out the horizons when looked at from the foot, was now a vast expanse of leveled ground, a testament to his calamitous being.
This was none other than the mountains that collapsed because his Annihilative Heavenly Tribulation destroyed the Void Dust Secret Realm, leaving behind none other than these ruins, a leveled ground where even a single strand of grass hadn't grown.
The locals dubbed it the Calamitous Land of Ruin, although it was greatly known as the cursed land of the Zyrus Family throughout the First Haven World.
"Ridiculous…"
"What kind of joke is this…?"
"Why have we stopped here? Isn't our destination towards the Northern Divide?"
Booming voices echoed out in the area, Late Stage Immortal Emperor undulations causing many to come out of their reverie and turn to look at the Zyrus Family's battleship that descended. They had a long way to go as it was speculated the secret realm was somewhere in the Northern Divide, as the Zyrus Family previously stated so.
They couldn't understand why they would stop here, closely looking at the Zyrus Family's actions.
Regardless of their thoughts, Patriarch Yinakin Zyrus flew out, his smile growing wide and bold.
"Renowned cultivators of the First Haven World, I present to you the location of the secret realm that most likely sprung up after the collapse of the Void Dust Secret Realm."
Patriarch Yinakin Zyrus turned around and spread his hands as he announced with a wide smile on his face.
"…"
There were no guards beside him, and he stood on leveled ruins like a fool, yet no one dared to let out a single voice of displeasure or fury at the moment, looking at him with speechless expressions.
They couldn't believe what he had just said.
By this time, almost every major power knew that the collapsed Void Dust Secret Realm belonged to the Void Dust Empress of the Aurora Cloud Gate. It was a secret realm she established using her own powers, making them feel immense respect for her, but this… they didn't know what to feel about it.
Another secret realm appeared upon the collapse of a secret realm?
What was that supposed to mean?
Did the Void Dust Empress seal the entrance with her own spatial arts and superimpose her own secret realm over it? But if that was the case, shouldn't the Aurora Cloud Gate own this secret realm? But they didn't say a word and let the Zyrus Family take care of things.
How were they supposed to make sense of this situation?
Yet, numerous expressions continued to twitch as they saw Patriarch Yinakin Zyrus smile widely and chuckle as though he was a child. They wondered if he finally went crazy. However, they saw him shatter a core, causing the scenery to change ever so lightly as a hole in the ground appeared.
It was ten meters wide and seemed to grow wide as it descended.
"From here on out, we should move on foot."
Patriarch Yinakin Zyrus appeared to be a man of few words at this moment. With a few words, he descended into the hole without even gesturing for them to follow.
His actions caused a lot of people to be stumped or pissed, but they reluctantly followed him into the whole.
The youngsters were made to stay while the elders descended.
Davis also followed them into the hole as no one was there to stop him. Around a few hundred entered.
The hole, veiled beneath a serene facade, began its descent at an acute angle as if daring those who approached to embark upon a daring courage test into the unknown. The journey downward was not for the faint of heart, as the walls of the mountain cavity emanated an ethereal glow, casting dancing shadows that seemed to whisper the Laws of Space to those who listened to the resonance.
With each step taken, the cultivators found themselves enveloped by an otherworldly ambiance. The air carried a hint of dampness, a scent reminiscent of earth and secrets buried deep within. As they progressed, the cavity expanded, gradually transforming into a vast cavernous expanse.
Entering the spacious cave, a realm of magnificent proportions unfolded before their eyes. The ceiling soared high above, adorned with stalactites of unknown quality that shimmered like fragile crystal chandeliers. Natural formations, shaped by the passage of time, adorned the walls, creating intricate patterns reminiscent of runic imprints upon a beast's skin.
In the heart of this cavernous expanse, the immortals were confronted with a sight both awe-inspiring and disconcerting. A few kilometers ahead, the cave reached its climax—a vast chamber with a breathtaking centerpiece. A vortex, measuring an astounding thirty meters in width, materialized as a swirling maelstrom, reminiscent of an entrance to a mini realm.
"…"
The very sight of it caused numerous hearts to shudder.
They couldn't believe it. It was the entrance to a secret realm.
It was no wonder no matter how long they searched or followed the Zyrus Family people into the Northern Divide, they were unable to find it.
Looking at Patriarch Yinakin Zyrus, who still kept smiling as though he didn't care if he died on the spot anymore, the others were full of fury. They were duped!
The secret realm was in the Zyrus Family Prefecture all along!
Regrettably, they could do little to protest violently because they signed Blood Soul Contracts with the Zyrus Family, one that particularly emphasizes non-aggression, leaving their hands tied towards this situation while he managed to gain an entire domain power's worth of wealth in a single night.
Davis was also thoroughly dumbfounded, not having expected this secret realm to be so near.
"Emperor of Death, although it is my Zyrus Family that found this secret realm, we'll let you name it since I presume that it is because of you that it materialized."
Patriarch Yinakin Zyrus handed over the torch to Davis, causing everyone to turn to look at him with displeasure. However, Davis wasn't bothered. Instead, he scrutinized the secret realm heavily, feeling his heart become unsettled.
"Are you sure this a secret realm? Isn't the entrance a bit too big?"
He pointed at the thirty-meter-wide spatial vortex, causing the others to take a look at it again.
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