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So it was!

The Hidden World lies within the realm of Mount Everest, and this so-called realm is a place that for thousands or even tens of thousands of years, Earth’s Mortal World has remained undiscovered and undiscoverable. Behind a simple barrier lies the Snow Domain and the Sea of Fire, a place akin to the Ice and Fire Dual Realm. Only by traversing these two places can one reach the true Hidden World. Let alone ordinary people, even martial artists with weaker cultivation realms face a deadly situation upon entering. Even those as powerful as Ye Tianchen and the man with the knife went to great lengths to venture inside and cross the Snow Domain and Sea of Fire. If they hadn’t been lucky enough to find the Great Elder of the Chinese Kunlun Secret Realm, they might never have found the Hidden World!

However, the words of the Great Elder of the Chinese Kunlun Secret Realm truly astounded Ye Tianchen and the man with the knife. First, they didn’t know how the Hidden World was formed. Or rather, even the strongest of the Mortal World who control the Hidden World don’t know, which is strange. How could these controllers of the Hidden World not know its origin? They initially believed it was established with divine skills by these strong people collectively, but now it seems not to be the case... Second, even the weakest among the strongest in the Mortal World has an Early-stage Martial Saint cultivation, undeniably strong. Yet they control the Hidden World, but the Great Elder of the Chinese Kunlun Secret Realm told them the true controller of the Hidden World remains unknown...

Even before entering, mysteries abound. Ye Tianchen and the man with the knife had to be cautious. Clearly, the Hidden World is not as simple as they imagined. It is not merely a place where a few strong Mortal World individuals gather to chat. There seems to be far more to discover. What is the true nature of the Hidden World, and what secrets does it hold? It looks like Ye Tianchen and the man with the knife have a lot to uncover!

With the cultivation realms of the Great Elder from the Chinese Kunlun Secret Realm, Ye Tianchen, and the man with the knife, they traveled using Qi Manipulation Flight towards the far side of the overwhelming Sea of Fire. Of course, Little Black Bear made significant progress in these three days, but walking through the Sea of Fire by itself seemed difficult. Ye Tianchen used Rune Power to protect it; otherwise, Little Black Bear would not have been able to accompany them through the Sea of Fire. Counting Little Black Bear, they were a group of four. Except for Ye Tianchen, they all used Rune Power to shield their bodies to avoid being burned by the flames.

After about an hour, all the scenery ahead changed completely; it was no longer the overwhelming Sea of Fire. Ye Tianchen, the man with the knife, and Little Black Bear were stunned because, before them, there was neither Snow Domain nor Sea of Fire, but green hills and clear waters. Right in the middle was a palace, standing at the highest point of a hill like a Heavenly Palace.

"Is that the Hidden World?" the man with the knife couldn’t help but ask in confusion.

"Accurately speaking, this entire area falls within the scope of the Hidden World, while that Heavenly Palace is merely a gathering place for strong individuals!" the Great Elder of the Chinese Kunlun Secret Realm explained.

"This Heavenly Palace is quite extraordinary. On the surface, it seems to rest atop the hill, but the entire structure is actually floating. It’s undoubtedly made of some material that is far from simple!" Ye Tianchen frowned and said.

"Floating? No way, can a Heavenly Palace like this fly by itself? Could it have developed Spiritual Wisdom?" Little Black Bear couldn’t help but ask in surprise.

"The palace hasn’t developed Spiritual Wisdom, but it must be crafted from some special material; otherwise, it couldn’t float autonomously in the air," Ye Tianchen concluded.

"Sharp eyes, my young friend. This Heavenly Palace is crafted from a material called Cloud Stone, but who built this palace remains unknown!" the Great Elder of the Chinese Kunlun Secret Realm explained.

"Cloud Stone? That is nearly a Divine Material! Such a large Heavenly Palace made of mountain-like amounts of Cloud Stone? My heavens, who possesses such divine skills to accomplish this?" said the man with the knife in shock.

Cloud Stone, a material used to forge Treasures, although a stone, is incredibly strong, and no one can easily shatter it. The most remarkable aspect of Cloud Stone lies in its weight; even a palm-sized piece weighs hundreds of pounds, yet it autonomously floats, which is why it is named "Cloud Stone." The entire palace seen by Ye Tianchen and the man with the knife is built from Cloud Stone. One can imagine how much Cloud Stone is needed to complete it—at least a mountain of Cloud Stone would suffice. Finding even a small piece is challenging, let alone an entire mountain! To possess divine skills capable of crafting it into a Heavenly Palace, such an individual’s cultivation realm must be astounding!

"We don’t know either. Initially, we discovered this place accidentally while discussing matters concerning the Mortal World when we convened within the realm of Mount Everest. We then decided to deem it the Hidden World of the Mortal World, but upon entering, we realized it was far from simple. This is why we don’t dare stay too long, only meeting every few years to discuss matters. This tradition gradually took root!" The Great Elder of the Chinese Kunlun Secret Realm expressed with a frown.

"I see, it seems the Hidden World truly warrants exploration!" The man with the knife said with a smile.

"Indeed, there will surely be unique discoveries here!" Ye Tianchen nodded in agreement.

"I must warn you to be cautious at all times, for some sinister events might occur here!" The Great Elder of the Chinese Kunlun Secret Realm advised.

"Sinister events?" The man with the knife couldn’t help but raise his brows in inquiry.

"Senior, were there any sinister events in the past? Could you tell us?" Ye Tianchen also asked with furrowed brows.

"When we first arrived, we noticed it was quite extraordinary. We dubbed this place the Hidden World, but knew not its former name or nature. When we saw the Heavenly Palace and learned of its crafting materials, it shocked us, and we wished to explore further. But during this, sinister events occurred. We were suppressed by the Heaven and Earth Laws and lost all cultivation, nearly experiencing a total annihilation. Fortunately, we managed to hide in the Heavenly Palace, saving ourselves. Once we slowly recovered cultivation, we charged out with great effort..." The Great Elder of the Chinese Kunlun Secret Realm then elaborated.

"So you set up the tradition of gathering here periodically, discussing matters but never daring to wander recklessly. Upon arrival, you rush into the Heavenly Palace, discuss matters, and quickly leave, correct?" Ye Tianchen asked after deducing the facts.

"Exactly. Over the years, we’ve remained unclear about this place’s true nature. My desire to strengthen myself stems from the wish to unravel this place’s mystery that has persisted for too long. We have attempted to uncover its secrets numerous times but failed each time!" The Great Elder of the Chinese Kunlun Secret Realm honestly confessed.

"It is indeed a place worth exploring. If given the opportunity, I certainly won’t let it slip by!" The man with the knife declared with a confident smile.

"Let’s head to the Heavenly Palace now. Follow closely and swiftly; if anything happens, it can be dangerous!" The Great Elder of the Chinese Kunlun Secret Realm advised.

Whoosh!

The Great Elder of the Chinese Kunlun Secret Realm led the way, flying towards the distant Heavenly Palace. Ye Tianchen and the man with the knife exchanged a glance and quickly rushed ahead, following the Great Elder closely. Little Black Bear, carried by Ye Tianchen’s power, followed behind. All rushed towards the Heavenly Palace made from Cloud Stone at top speed.

"Wait a moment, why is there a person, large as a mountain, standing there?" Little Black Bear paused mid-air, looking ahead, seemingly spotting a giant shadow.

Buzz!

Suddenly, just as Little Black Bear spoke, it felt a shock throughout its body, losing consciousness as if immobilized, losing all sensation, and started falling straight down.

"Not good!" the man with the knife exclaimed upon seeing Little Black Bear fall.

"I’ll save it!" Ye Tianchen immediately dashed back, yet was stopped by the Great Elder of the Chinese Kunlun Secret Realm who urgently said, "You all ahead, I’ll rescue it. Get inside the Heavenly Palace, danger is imminent!"

"Danger imminent? What kind of danger?" The man with the knife remained unconvinced.

Suddenly, Ye Tianchen looked up to the sky, deeply shocked, clenched his fists, and stood firm, stating out loud, "Elder, brother, you three go first. I’ll hold them off for a while!" (To be continued. If you like this work, welcome to Qidian (qidian.com) to vote for recommendation tickets, monthly tickets. Your support is my greatest motivation. Mobile users, please read at m.qidian.com.)