Chapter 155: Cave Heaven Secret Realm
The remaining elders nodded and addressed the middle-aged elder at the center. “Elder Luo, begin.” The man in the center was Luo Xiaming, Peak Master of Sword Trial Peak, who appeared notably younger among the various peak masters.
He gave a simple acknowledgment, forming a Dao incantation with his fingers. A small cauldron materialized from thin air, hovering above the platform.
Three Foundation Establishment elders each held a formation talisman in hand. Elder Xu Ziqing was among them.
The three channeled their spiritual energy, and the seal script upon the talismans activated, flashing with spirit light.
“Hum—”
The patterns engraved upon the small cauldron lit up one by one—flowers, grass, trees, birds, beasts, insects, and fish—all rendered with lifelike precision.
The cauldron descended slowly to settle at the center of the peak’s platform.
“Those disciples participating in the Sword Testing—once the talismans in your hands are activated, you shall be transported into the Cave Heaven realm.”
“The talismans are bound to you. Should you suffer grave injury within the secret realm, or should your spirit jade token be seized by another, you will be automatically expelled.”
“After one day, the twenty-two disciples who remain within shall advance to the duel stage.”
“Should the number fall short, the eliminated disciples with the highest recorded spirit rune scores shall be called upon to fill the gaps.”
“The remaining rules have been explained previously and shall not be repeated.”
He swept his great sleeve. “Begin.”
As his words fell, the formation talismans held by the assembled Sword Testing disciples flared with radiance.
Their figures wavered, transforming into streaks of spirit light that surged one after another into the small cauldron.
…
Small Cave Heaven realm, a deep forest.
“This is quite similar to that time in Jieran Valley…”
Song Yan mused to himself, producing the uniformly distributed map and casting a glance.
Having been teleported in, he was naturally separated from Li Qingfeng and the others.
“I’ve been sent to the outermost edge—only three fellow disciple markers nearby.”
He stowed the map and extended his divine sense.
This ancient forest had existed for untold ages. Amid the misty haze of the mountains, countless colossal trees stretched skyward.
From their crowns, lush and dense branches and leaves extended outward.
These branches and enormous leaves intertwined with one another, sometimes spanning several li in length—one could almost walk directly upon them.
Song Yan leapt into the air, landing upon a branch of moderate height, then used it as a springboard to vault higher still.
He did not worry about being ambushed from hiding. On the contrary, he rather hoped someone would make a move against him first.
The elevated vantage offered an unobstructed view.
“Oh…”
Gazing out across the horizon, this small world proved boundlessly vast.
Song Yan withdrew his earlier assessment.
This place bore no comparison to the secret realm from that Jieran Valley trial—it could only be described as truly expansive.
“Now this is the bearing of a true immortal’s Cave Heaven.”
Xiao He poked her head out from within her Daoist robe, sniffing the air all around. She delighted in the fresh fragrance of this place.
At Song Yan’s waist hung a square jade token, inscribed with a single luminous cyan rune.
“One.”
This jade token served as the instrument for recording one’s achievements in the competition.
Should the token be seized by another, the spirit rune upon it would vanish, and the person from whom it was taken would lose all qualification to continue competing—eliminated on the spot.
Beyond this, there existed one particularly interesting rule.
The designated Sword Testing area would gradually contract as time elapsed.
Any cultivator who lingered too long beyond the shrinking boundary restriction would likewise be expelled.
Every two double-hours, the perimeter would constrict once more.
“Over sixteen hundred cultivators, and in the end only twenty-two shall remain.”
“Tsk, tsk, tsk…”
It could not be called anything less than ruthless.
Of course.
It was also possible for only a single person to remain.
Whether influenced by his inner demon or sharpened by the edge of the Sword Dao, this thought sprang naturally to mind.
“First, I shall go find those two nearby fellow disciples for a visit.”
Song Yan’s reasoning was straightforward.
Having been teleported to the outermost rim at the start, he could first clear the disciples who appeared in his vicinity.
Then, following the contraction of the boundary, he would advance toward the more central regions. A steady, methodical approach.
This would ensure he accumulated a respectable number of spirit runes before the final hour, while also preserving his strength safely ahead of the ultimate chaotic battle.
“This area lies in the southeast corner of the Sword Testing zone. On the road toward the center, there is a lake.”
Upon the map, a small grass icon was marked beside the lake.
This indicated that spirit herbs and medicinal plants could be gathered at that location.
“Whatever one harvests within the Cave Heaven realm need not be surrendered to the sect.”
“Chances are, people will gather there. An opportune moment to send them on their way as well.”
Song Yan nodded to himself in private.
He flew directly toward the two small light dots nearest his position on the map.
When other cultivators were within a certain proximity, their positions would be indicated upon the map.
This greatly enhanced Song Yan’s efficiency in locating fellow disciples.
Eliminate someone on the spot; if none nearby, seek treasures and gather herbs.
This was his precise strategy for the Sword Testing.
Unexpectedly, someone else shared his exact thinking.
While traversing the ancient forest, Song Yan suddenly halted.
His divine sense had been maintained at maximum range all along, and so when a fellow disciple charged straight toward him—entering the perimeter of his perception—sword qi had already begun gathering within his sleeve.
“Saves me the trouble of seeking them out.”
Song Yan slowly activated the Hidden Sword Spirit-Gathering Stance, concealing himself within the ancient forest.
“Whoosh…”
A moment later, a figure vaulted through the branches from the southwest, alighting upon a massive cluster of leaves.
The protective spiritual energy about his body was remarkably solid. He crouched upon the branch, a spirit talisman pinched between the fingers of his left hand, while his right hand held a Dao incantation at the ready—prepared to summon a magical artifact at any moment.
“Hmm?”
He surveyed his surroundings but detected no sign of anyone nearby.
“The map clearly shows a person right here.”
This cultivator was different from the others—dressed in tight-fitting garments, one could not tell which peak he hailed from.
The rules of the Sword Testing did not require all participants to wear Daoist robes.
He shared Song Yan’s exact line of thinking.
If one remained timid and cautious from start to finish, then should one encounter a formidable opponent midway and be eliminated through sheer inability, it would be truly pointless.
But by striking first and clearing nearby cultivators as circumstances permitted, then gradually advancing toward the center with the boundary—even if one met a powerful adversary along the way, one might still maintain a leading position by virtue of an ample spirit rune count.
After all, he was only at the seventh level of Qi Refining. Pursuing a spot among the top twenty-two was somewhat unrealistic.
Yet a higher ranking might earn him the favorable notice of some elder, who could offer guidance or bestow treasures and spirit resources.
The logic was sound—except for one thing.
“Where did he go?”
The garbed cultivator muttered in bewilderment, though he did not lower his guard. He activated the spirit talisman.
The talisman instantly transformed into three tongues of flame that orbited slowly around him, providing a measure of protection.
He then produced a map from his Cosmos Bag.
“Gone?”
On the map, only a single light dot remained in his vicinity.
He started, seemingly unable to believe it, then swiftly realized something was amiss.
“No—”
“That person’s position overlaps with mine!”
His mind reeled.
At that very moment, a sharp, piercing aura drifted toward him from above.
He raised his gaze. There—at the very crown of the ancient forest, upon a single branch—
A slender figure stood silhouetted against the sky, shrouded entirely in shadow.
Only a pair of golden eyes…
Gazed down upon him from on high.