They had just been discussing the possibility of intelligent humanoid races deep within the Secret Realm, and here they were? Wang Xuan walked forward.

This group of people was dressed in an exotic fashion, not like the ancients. Even their heads and faces were adorned with intricate protection. It wasn't a bulky helmet but a delicate structure with patterns of birds and flowers that both provided ventilation and looked aesthetically pleasing.

Wang Xuan was amazed. This wasn't simple craftsmanship—it was extremely intricate and layered. Even by the strict standards of modern people, it was quite stunning.

"Jili... Ola!" someone from the opposite group shouted.

They said a bunch of things, but only the last word was clear, as if it represented something significant.

Zhao Qinghan whispered, "They suddenly appeared from the forest, and they had a strong sense of hostility when they saw us, but they've hesitated to make a move."

Were these the intelligent beings from the depths of the Secret Realm? Meeting them with hostility right from the start wasn't a good sign.

Wang Xuan released his mental energy, scanning and observing them. His first impression was that these people were incredibly powerful—there wasn't a single weak one among them.

If a conflict broke out, their side would likely suffer.

Some of these individuals had restrained auras, but Wang Xuan could tell they were at the level of grandmasters!

His heart sank, and he unconsciously reached for his short sword. If conflict became unavoidable, they'd have to fight for their lives.

A man on the opposite side seemed to sense his intent and glanced over. There was a misty glow around his forehead, indicating that his mental power was extremely strong.

Wang Xuan was alarmed. This group not only had grandmasters but also people with unusually strong mental energy—none of them would be easy to deal with.

He grew more anxious. If a fight broke out, how many on his side would survive?

The people in front of him appeared quite young, similar in age to his group. Some were even younger, looking under twenty.

But that didn't surprise him.

If these people came from the depths of the Secret Realm, it made sense for them to be this strong.

This was, after all, an extraordinary planet, nurturing all kinds of strange things.

In a world where the supernatural was the main focus, encountering powerful beings wasn't unusual.

Wang Xuan dismounted his horse and patted its mane, nudging it toward Zhao Qinghan.

He signaled to her with a glance: if things went south, she should ride the horse and escape immediately.

From that brief look, Zhao Qinghan understood the gravity of the situation, and her heart sank. These ten people were clearly hostile and tough to handle!

Even Zhong Cheng, who usually had a lot to say, remained silent, showing goodwill and mentioning that they were all human, possibly with common ancestors, perhaps originating from the same homeland.

The group of strangers shifted their attention to Wang Xuan.

He didn't hide his mental energy, fully releasing his domain to scan the ten people across from him.

The more he observed, the heavier his heart grew. Each of these people had their own distinct characteristics, and they were all incredibly powerful.

Some had strange energies flowing within them, like dormant volcanic magma, ready to erupt at any moment.

Others had a metallic sheen on their skin, similar to a protective technique like the Golden Body Art.

…

On the other side, some individuals were also surprised, staring intently at Wang Xuan.

Several of them were whispering among themselves, discussing the people from the new star.

Wang Xuan's mental energy picked up on their conversations. Through their mental fluctuations, he caught a few key phrases here and there.

He wasn't understanding their language but was instead grasping their thoughts.

"A bunch of primitives!"

The other side… clearly looked down on them, making Wang Xuan's eyelids twitch.

These beings, suspected to have come from deep within the Secret Realm, seemed incredibly arrogant.

"One of them is riding a descendant of a heavenly horse, and his mental power is strange. It seems stronger than what I can sense. Could he have formed a domain?"

One person wore a serious expression and issued a warning to his companions. He had been watching Wang Xuan closely.

"That can't be right. A domain… doesn't that relate to the supernatural?"

"Be quiet. I'm worried he can sense our thoughts."

The group of ten fell silent, all of them now focused on Wang Xuan. They even quieted their mental energies, clearly using some sort of secret technique.

Their understanding of cultivation and the supernatural far surpassed that of the people from the new star.

The ten communicated with hand signals, glanced once more at Wang Xuan, and then slowly retreated into the forest.

"What kind of primitive planet are these people from? So backward. Not only are their protective suits fragile, but even their sense of aesthetics is so outdated and crude. Their clothes are so ugly."

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"Be quiet! That person might still be able to sense us."

"Are we really not going to attack them?"

"No rush!"

…

The ten disappeared, as if they had never been there at all.

They were all incredibly strong, far more powerful than Moonlight Bodhisattva!

Wang Xuan watched them leave, exhaling a sigh of relief. Encountering such a group had made him consider telling Zhao Qinghan and the others to flee earlier.

"It makes sense. If they've been cultivating since childhood and persistently for years, of course they'd be strong," he murmured to himself.

However, he was also somewhat irritated. These people were too full of themselves, extraordinarily arrogant.

It would be one thing for them to look down on others due to their strength, but they even despised their sense of fashion.

The most outrageous part was that they considered his group to be primitives from an uncivilized planet.

Still, in comparison, the people from the new star were indeed quite weak.

Wang Xuan was a late bloomer, only stepping into the field of the Old Technique a few years ago.

The others weren't dedicated practitioners either. Some of them were practicing the Old Technique just to maintain their figures!

The group of explorers couldn't calm down after witnessing the new humans. Their earlier speculation had become a reality.

This was the first time people from the new star had encountered humanoid beings in the Secret Realm. It was proof that there was indeed an intelligent race here.

"It's a shame we can't bring this news back. It's a groundbreaking discovery," Zheng Rui lamented.

"I have a bad feeling about this. It seems like they might come after us," Zhong Qing said.

Wang Xuan noticed that Little Zhong was developing a tendency to be a bit of a jinx.

He shared a grim truth with them: "Those ten young men and women were all likely at the grandmaster level!"

In an instant, everyone went quiet. Their hearts couldn't stay calm—the gap between them was this wide?

The most troubling part was that the group of ten had harbored killing intent. If they had acted, the scene would have been unimaginable.

For days, the explorers had been teetering on the edge of life and death, struggling even against grandmaster-level monsters.

Now there were ten terrifying humanoid beings. Who could stop them? If they had decided to strike, everyone present would likely have died.

Zhao Qinghan said, "Let's leave quickly. If we can get in touch with Old Zhong and Old Song, that would be ideal. If possible, we should try to find their whereabouts."

Right now, Old Zhong and Old Song might be their only protection, as both possessed extraordinary combat power.

Zheng Rui nodded and said, "Let's follow the battle traces left by Senior Zhong Yong."

However, doing so was extremely dangerous. If they encountered extraordinary rats, the consequences would be even worse.

After some discussion, the group decided to follow from a distance, maintaining a safe gap.

Everyone present believed that since those ten people had hostile intentions, they would eventually make a move.

The group entered the forest, running swiftly.

For days, they had been fleeing for their lives, their nerves stretched tight, unable to find a moment of peace.

At this moment, they all deeply missed the New Star—the bustling cities, the fragrant wine, the delicious food, and the soft, comfortable beds. In moments of desperation, one always longs for the past.

Zhou Kun was lost in even deeper thoughts: neon lights, luxury cars, beautiful women, the dazzling world. He used to take pretty girls on joyrides in his small spaceship, flying through the skies.

"I miss my three girlfriends!" He wanted to cry, sighing and reminiscing as he ran for his life.

Zhong Qing, slim and running swiftly nearby, heard this and looked at him with disdain.

Zhao Qinghan stretched her long legs, running faster than most, keeping pace with Wang Xuan.

At this point, the Grandmaster Horse was not carrying anyone. As the group's "top fighter," everyone relied on it, ready for battle at any moment.

Eventually, the group could run no more.

After crossing mountains and valleys, they had no idea how many miles they had covered. Their lungs felt like they were about to burst.

Panting heavily, they slowed their pace to adjust, and many of them collapsed to the ground.

"Eat some spiritual fruit to restore your strength!" Wang Xuan said, opening his bag and distributing blue, fragrant fruits that looked incredibly delicious.

Many people's eyes changed. These were rare spiritual medicines, extremely precious. Hardly anyone had eaten them before, and in terms of New Star currency, they were worth a fortune.

Wang Xuan distributed them, and many people were too embarrassed to take any.

After all, Wang Xuan and the Grandmaster Horse had collected them.

Wang Xuan handed one to Zhao Qinghan and took one for himself, biting into it. It was sweet and crisp, but to him, it was no big deal.

His body was too strong, and ordinary spiritual medicines had little effect on him.

He had long suspected that the insects on his body were far more valuable than the fruit.

Many people hesitated to take the fruit because they felt they hadn't contributed much.

Wang Xuan said, "There may not be enough, so split them up. If those ten people really come after us, we'll likely be wiped out. Now's the time to replenish your strength and boost your abilities. Eat them while you can."

The group silently ate the spiritual fruit.

Someone felt guilty and suggested giving more fruit to the Grandmaster Horse and Wang Xuan.

"Brother Ma said he doesn't like this fruit. One is enough for him," Wang Xuan said.

The Grandmaster Horse glared at him in disbelief. Who said it didn't like it? It would eat them all if given the chance. Sweet and crisp, it was delicious!

Wang Xuan simply thought that since the horse had reached grandmaster level, the fruit wouldn't have much effect on it. It was better to leave it for others.

Wang Xuan casually grabbed another fruit, but instead of eating it, he handed it to Zhao Qinghan.

After consuming two doses of spiritual medicine, much like the Sacred Lotus, the effects would diminish.

The group rested, waiting for the medicinal effects to take hold.

Wang Xuan didn't look at the others. He sat beside Zhao Qinghan, watching as her fair face began to glow with a faint blue light. She closed her beautiful eyes and remained still.

He knew that this time, Zhao Qinghan would be able to firmly step into the quasi-grandmaster realm.

After all, she had already been on the verge of reaching that threshold.

He then got up and walked over to the Grandmaster Horse, pulling out a bug that looked like a blue gemstone, intending to feed it.

The Grandmaster Horse's eyes widened in anger, feeling deeply wronged!

When Wang Xuan peeled back a small piece of the bug's shell, the horse's eyes narrowed, and it almost bit Wang Xuan's fingers. It swallowed the bug in one gulp.

Then it wagged its tail and rubbed against Wang Xuan, clearly asking for more.

"Hold on, let's see if it's poisonous first," Wang Xuan said, pushing the horse's large head away, not wanting it to keep hanging around.

The Grandmaster Horse had grown more intelligent. Upon hearing this, it nearly reared up to stomp on Wang Xuan in frustration.

"Don't worry, you're so big that even if it's poisonous, you'll survive!" Wang Xuan said, unconcerned.

The Grandmaster Horse wanted to fight him but was eventually subdued when Wang Xuan grabbed its neck and squeezed hard. It grumpily quieted down.

Others thought he was bonding with the horse, their relationship growing closer.

Zhou Kun sighed and said, "Little Wang really has a way with animals. He's so close with a grandmaster-level spirit horse. I'm jealous."

"I conquer the horse with virtue," Wang Xuan replied calmly.

The Grandmaster Horse snorted, glowing faintly as it looked at him with disdain.

Soon after, they prepared to set off again. They dared not linger, as their lives depended on it.

The group resumed their frantic escape.

Suddenly, Wang Xuan slowed his pace and glanced back.

Then, he walked over to Zhao Qinghan, looked at her seriously, and brought her to the white horse.

"Grandmaster Horse, do you see these bugs? If you can protect this lady, I'll give them all to you."

Wang Xuan grabbed a handful of glowing blue bugs, pointed at Zhao Qinghan, and helped her onto the horse's back.

"Wang Xuan!" Zhao Qinghan's face changed, filled with concern. She and Wang Xuan had a mutual understanding and sensed something was about to happen.

"I know what I'm doing," Wang Xuan whispered, urging the Grandmaster Horse to move quickly. Then he drew his short sword.

Wang Xuan hid behind a tree at the edge of the forest, waiting for the enemy to arrive.

Before long, some figures appeared, speaking quietly.

"These natives are strange. Which planet are they from, and why are they so weak?"

"Do you think they might be the indigenous people of this planet? Perhaps some of the original settlers failed to leave, and their descendants are now uncivilized?"

Wang Xuan, sensing this with his spiritual field, was shocked. Their origins were different from what he had previously suspected!