Sword Blade Peak, Sword Washing Lake.

The mountain peak, like a sword blade piercing the sky, was reflected in the lake, appearing as if a sharp sword had been placed in the water. The surging waves seemed to ripple across its edge, as if washing away the blade’s impurities.

Its name and its meaning were a perfect match for the scene.

Chu Mu had arrived at the shore, and he gazed at the scene before surveying his surroundings, a slight glint in his eyes.

According to Zhao Shuang, the Ancient Cultivator Cave Mansion was hidden at the bottom of the lake. Its Array Prohibitions were still active, the location was well-concealed, and to enter, it seemed one had to pass a test related to Alchemy Skill.

But... the Secret Realm had been scoured for a full seven years, and the information Zhao Shuang had provided was from several years prior.

’After so much time, could something have changed?’

Chu Mu fell into a thoughtful silence. As his gaze swept around, he could clearly see the occasional flash of light streaking across the sky.

’If possible, I really don’t want to get into a conflict with other Cultivators. After all, the Cultivators from the major powers basically move in groups of two or three, relying on each other for support.’

’I’m just a Loose Cultivator, and an Evil Cultivator with a huge bounty on my head at that. In an environment like this, the slightest misstep will put me in an extremely difficult position.’

After briefly observing his surroundings, Chu Mu finally turned his gaze to Sword Washing Lake.

The body of water was vast, its far shore invisible to the naked eye.

Although the surface rippled, it was only stirred by the wind. Overall, the lake appeared extremely calm.

If this were East Lake in the outside world, there would obviously be no real danger in the water.

After all, every Spirit Vein Land had been claimed, and with countless Cultivators around, there was simply no room for Demon Beasts to survive in the waters.

Even a mortal who fell in wouldn’t have to worry too much, as long as they were a good swimmer.

But that rule clearly didn’t apply here in the Secret Realm.

The incredibly dense Spiritual Qi, combined with the long-term isolation, had undoubtedly created a paradise where Demon Beasts could thrive unchecked.

The mountains and forests teemed with countless Demon Beasts; in the past few days alone, the ones he had encountered and seen were already too numerous to count.

And according to the information Zhao Shuang had left behind, this lake was also home to a great many Demon Beasts.

Moreover, encountering a Demon Beast on land was a completely different matter from encountering one in the water.

He checked his Magical Artifacts, Talismans, and various other abilities, then observed his surroundings once more. Only then did he grab Wangcai, use Sword Control to rise into the air, and fly swiftly across the surface of the lake.

Finally, after using the information from Zhao Shuang to pinpoint the general location, the streaking sword-light came to an abrupt halt.

With Wangcai in tow, he landed lightly on the water’s surface and slowly sank into the depths.

The lake was much deeper than he had imagined; he had to descend several hundred meters before he finally touched the bottom.

The lakebed itself was a gentle, continuous downward slope. As he proceeded, the water grew deeper and his surroundings became increasingly dark.

After advancing only about a hundred meters, he looked up and found that, even with his transformed physique, he could barely see any light from above.

He scanned the surrounding water; his naked-eye visibility was limited to just a few dozen meters.

He extended his Divine Sense, but the water’s interference reduced its range by more than half compared to when he was on land.

"The Spiritual Qi... it seems to have gotten much denser."

As he sensed the Spiritual Qi on the lakebed, Chu Mu’s vigilance grew ever sharper.

’The Spiritual Qi in the Secret Realm is already extremely dense, but here at the bottom of the lake, its concentration has increased even further. That undoubtedly means there’s a Spirit Vein down here!’

’This Secret Realm isn’t like the Great Chu Cultivation Immortal World outside.’

’In the outside world, all Spirit Veins are occupied by the major powers. In this Secret Realm, a place with a Spirit Vein would only be occupied by a powerful Demon Beast.’

’A Tier Two?’

Chu Mu’s heart began to pound. Based on his experience in the Secret Realm, Tier One Demon Beasts were a dime a dozen, but only a Tier Two Demon Beast could truly be considered "powerful."

The mere thought of a Tier Two Demon Beast made Chu Mu recall the terrifying, two-headed giant serpent from the valley...

His Qi Cultivation was almost entirely Fire Attribute-based, which was already severely restricted in the water.

His Body Refining Cultivation was also significantly hampered by the water pressure.

’If a Water Attribute Tier Two Demon Beast were to show up...’

Chu Mu stopped in his tracks. He glanced at Wangcai, who was right beside him, and gave him a reassuring pat, signaling for him to stay alert.

After advancing for about another thousand meters, Chu Mu looked up again to find not a single shred of light. His surroundings were utterly dark, yet the Spiritual Qi on the lakebed was growing ever denser.

Just as Chu Mu was observing his surroundings, the water suddenly swirled behind him, and a strange feeling of palpitations washed over him.

BOOM!

Before Chu Mu could even react, Wangcai shot forward from behind him. The water surged as his sharp claws pierced straight through an arm-thick water snake that had launched a surprise attack. With a single snap of his fangs, he bit the snake clean in two.

A thick cloud of blood instantly billowed out, dyeing the surrounding water red.

Chu Mu frowned. ’This is bad,’ he thought.

’The world of Demon Beasts is one where the weak are prey for the strong.’

’Wangcai was once just a common mutt. How long has it been since he became Extraordinary and started following me?’

’Yet now, his power is already equivalent to a Cultivator at the Late Stage of Qi Cultivation, and he’s even approaching the stage of Perfection.’

’What’s the reason for such rapid growth?’

’It’s because of one life-or-death battle after another! He feasted on the bodies of Cultivators, and after entering this Secret Realm, he’s been feasting on Demon Beasts!’

’It’s just like me. My Spirit Root Talent might be poor, but I have an abundance of external resources.’

’And for Demon Beasts, aside from some Treasures of Heaven and Earth, their main resource is the flesh of the weak.’

’Now that the scent of blood is in the water, what comes next...’

Chu Mu scanned his surroundings, then patted Wangcai, who was still devouring the remains of the snake. He immediately quickened his pace, heading for the deeper part of the lakebed, his speed now clearly much faster than before.