Once inside the Secret Realm, it was a time to settle old scores. In other words, the war between the Sects and the Clans had long since begun to play out within this realm...

’So... has everyone died off? Or has no one been willing to enter anymore?’

Chu Mu found it somewhat absurd, but it seemed those were the only two possibilities.

"Anyway, from what I’ve managed to gather, the number of Cultivators who have died in this Secret Realm over the years is probably seven or eight thousand, if not ten thousand."

"Within the Sect, almost everyone has come to fear this Secret Realm. Even though the Sect’s rewards keep getting better, fewer and fewer people are volunteering to come in..."

"Anyway, I was just dragged along to make up the numbers..."

Chu Mu pondered for a moment before asking in a low voice, "What is your mission here in the Secret Realm?"

’The resources inside the Secret Realm are rare and valuable, but from what Chang Hongyi is saying, it’s been scoured for seven years. Anything worth taking should have already been taken.’

’So why continue to pour people in so relentlessly?’

"How would I know?"

Chang Hongyi waved her hand dismissively. "I’m just here to fill a spot. Even if the Sect has a mission, they’d be counting on the elite disciples from the Outer and Inner Sects..."

As Chang Hongyi grumbled and complained, Chu Mu looked up at the sky.

The sun, moon, and stars; the cycle of day and night; Cultivation and the use of Magic—none of it was any different from the outside world.

’This so-called Secret Realm is clearly just a normal world.’

’It’s just that this world once had an owner, and because of that owner’s existence, it has additional rules dictated by their personal will.’

’The Secret Realm has been scoured for so many years, yet they still keep pouring people into it.’

’Could there really be no purpose?’

’Obviously not!’

’What is the most precious thing within this Secret Realm?’

’The world itself, of course—this place called the Secret Realm.’

’There have always been rumors that the Longevity Sect controls multiple Secret Realms...’

Chu Mu was lost in thought as everything seemed to click into place.

’The conflict between the Sects and the Clans has been escalating in recent years, to the point of near-open confrontation. The ultimate reason for it all... is probably this Secret Realm!’

’At this point, he could almost see what the future held.’

’Regardless of this Secret Realm’s ultimate fate, the overt and covert struggles surrounding it will only intensify. If chaos were to erupt... it would engulf the entire Great Chu Cultivation Immortal World.’

As if she’d just thought of something, Chang Hongyi suddenly asked, "By the way, Fellow Daoist Chu, did you use a Secret Realm token to get in?"

"How else?"

Chu Mu was speechless. ’Would the Longevity Sect have willingly sent an Evil Cultivator like me in here?’

"Er..."

Seeming to realize she’d asked a stupid question, Chang Hongyi shook her head again and again. "What I mean is, do you have any extra Secret Realm tokens?"

"No."

Chu Mu shook his head decisively.

"None at all..."

Chang Hongyi looked a little disappointed, but she quickly perked up. Staring at Chu Mu with wide, expectant eyes, she asked, "Fellow Daoist Chu, how about we make another deal?"

"I’m listening."

"First things first. We were neighbors, after all. You’d better not get any funny ideas, Fellow Daoist Chu."

Seeing her act like this, Chu Mu couldn’t help but find it amusing. He waved a hand. "I still have my principles."

"Swear an oath."

Seeing her insistence, a flicker of understanding crossed Chu Mu’s eyes as he subconsciously recalled the scene of the Sun Family Brothers hunting her down.

’It seemed they wanted her to hand something over, didn’t it?’

After a moment’s thought, he nodded. Without another word, he made a Dao Heart Oath.

Only then did Chang Hongyi relax. She glanced around furtively, like a thief in the night, and carefully took out a Jade Box.

"Help me get this thing out of here. Once we sell it, I’ll give you twenty... no, ten percent of the Spirit Stones!"

...