Ascension of The Unholy Immortal-Chapter 290: Entering the secret realm.

"Seems like Senior Mu had a change of heart," Liang chuckled, a spark of satisfaction in his eyes as he began walking towards the ornate golden gate.

Just as he was about to step through the gate, he paused, casting a deliberate glance in a certain direction. With a confident flicker of a smile, he finally stepped across the threshold and vanished into the shimmering light.

Without any mishaps, the gate flickered, and Liang disappeared.

Tian Zi, still reeling from the unexpected turn of events, shook his head in disbelief. It seemed that the Clan Head’s carefully laid plans had fallen apart.

Instead of targeting other challengers, he had focused on removing the outsiders, a decision orchestrated by both the Clan Head and Elder Mu. But now, it was clear that Liang had outmaneuvered them all.

From Tian Zi’s perspective, He had played his part perfectly. Any further developments were of no concern to him.

About half an hour later, all participants had entered the secret realm, leaving only Dong Tian Di and Dong Tian Mu behind.

"You have miscalculated," Dong Tian Mu sighed, his expression laden with disappointment. "Someone intervened, and the Patriarch had no choice but to step back to preserve our image."

"Who was it?" Dong Tian Di’s curiosity was piqued. What kind of individual could force his father to retreat and allow Liang to enter the secret realm?

***

"Old man, are you satisfied now?"

There was a piercing intensity in Dong Clan Patriarch, Dong Huang’s gaze, as if his eyes could cut through the very fabric of time and space.

A disembodied laughter echoed through the vast expanse, reaching Dong Huang’s ears like a distant chime. "Dong Huang, he was merely a junior. There was no need to take matters so seriously."

With a snort cold enough to freeze the surrounding air, Dong Huang retorted, "Known for your otherworldly demeanor, why interfere now?"

The unseen voice chuckled again, its tone smooth and mocking, "Otherworldly? This old man owes Younger Brother Liang a favor. It’s only right that I repay it."

Dong Huang’s eyes narrowed to slits, a predatory gleam flashing within them. After a moment’s pause, he let out a dry, humorless chuckle. "Since it’s just a one-time favor, I can tolerate it... just this once."

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The void answered with silence, profound and impenetrable. Yet Dong Huang wasn’t irritated. He knew all too well—that was the man’s peculiar temperament.

The cosmic quiet resumed, the vast expanse seemingly unbothered by the titanic clash of wills that had just transpired.

***

As Liang stepped through the shimmering golden gate, he felt a wave of warmth envelop him. He stood at the edge of a realm unlike any he had ever imagined. His eyes widened as a vast, primordial wilderness unfurled before him, a boundless expanse that dwarfed every landscape he had ever known.

Above him, the sky was a mesmerizing tapestry of vibrant hues, where shades of orange, purple, and gold seamlessly merged, creating an ethereal panorama. The air thrummed with a raw, primal essence, every breath invigorating Liang’s senses to their core.

It was here that he made an astonishing realization: the very essence of this realm wasn’t spiritual energy but pure runic energy.

At the heart of this radiant realm stood a colossal tree, resplendent with a myriad of colors. Towering and majestic, its branches reached skyward, seemingly piercing the heavens like an ancient guardian reigning over the land. Having already studied the Primordial Rune Secret Realm, Liang immediately recognized this magnificent spectacle. It was the Heaven Reaching Tree, a mythical entity whispered about in countless legends.

Experts within the Dong Clan long speculated that the Heaven Reaching Tree was the very source of this secret realm, the origin where it all began. For runic cultivators who relied on runic energy, the mystery of its source had always tantalized scholars and practitioners alike.

The Ancient Runic Cultivation Techniques were centered around a principal goal: transforming spiritual energy of heaven and earth into runic energy. This intricate process was vital, yet arduous.

Before Dong Jue, a Runic Mastery Realm expert was a rarity. It was so challenging that only one might emerge every thousand years, a testament to the civilization’s early struggles. This difficulty stemmed from the dual challenge of cultivation and the painstaking transformation of spiritual Qi into runic energy, making progress slow and arduous.

Everything changed with Dong Jue and his creation of the Celestial Integration Matrix.

This revolutionary matrix autonomously transformed spiritual energy into runic energy, a breakthrough that erased the need for cultivators to perform the laborious conversion process themselves. Since then, runic energy was always readily available, and the path of runic cultivation flourished.

This is also why runic cultivators rarely venture outside the solar system. Without the Celestial Integration Matrix beyond the solar system, they would have to resort to the old cultivation methods.

Regarding the origins of this tree, there are only speculations and no definitive answers.

Liang raised an eyebrow and closed his eyes, turning his inner focus toward the Primal Chaos Lotus seed.

To his astonishment, the seed was vibrating incessantly, as if expressing its excitement.

Opening his eyes, a peculiar expression crossed Liang’s face. What could possibly excite the Primal Chaos Lotus to such an extent?

An idea sparked in his mind, and his gaze shifted to the Heaven Reaching Tree. Could it be...?

Just as Liang was contemplating the potential connection between the Heaven Reaching Tree and the Primal Chaos Lotus Seed, a sudden and violent force descended upon him.

With lightning speed, a colossal creature swooped down from the sky, its massive form eclipsing Liang like a shadow. It was a monstrous eagle-like creature, possessing two majestic heads and four formidable wings.

The creature let out ear splitting screeches that reverberated through the air, each screech carrying the raw power of a tempest.

The colossal eagle-like creature was not only physically imposing, but also possessed a unique and formidable characteristic: its body was filled with countless small runes.

These runes were etched into its flesh and feathers, glowing with an ethereal light that pulsed in time with the creature’s heartbeat.

The chaos rune materialized on Liang’s forehead in an instant.

He immediately activated the Chaos Embodiment, causing his body to erupt in a maelstrom of chaotic qi. His muscles swelled, and his skin turned a vibrant emerald green.