Meng Lin stepped onto the platform with the other disciples from Pavilion Mountain, their presence weas immediately noticed by the eighteen Core Disciples already assembled.

"It sure is crowded here," Luo Mei remarked beside her, her black robe pulsing with a subtle aura. She wore a carefree expression, seemingly unbothered by the situation.

Meng Lin's gaze swept over the crowd, settling on the trio of Soul Wondering Realm disciples at the forefront. Sensing very little danger from them, she turned her attention towards the sky, where her spiritual consciousness detected several enormous powers converged. She couldn't see anything, but she could feel their presence.

"Luo Mei," Luo Hao's voice broke her thoughts as he stepped up beside them. His playful demeanor was slightly subdued in the presence of the other Core Disciples. "Let's not get too relaxed. This is where the real competition begins."

"Hahaha, Luo Hao, talking seriously is unbecoming of you," Senior Sister Liu said, leisurely walking closer to the gate. Standing a few paces ahead, she bowed her head. "Division Heads and Sect Master," her voice rang out with a tone of respect and authority that drew everyone's attention.

Space suddenly shifted, and from it appeared seven figures in the sky, each shifting their gaze towards Senior Sister Liu. Their expressions unreadable, but their presence was undeniable.

Meng Lin felt a shiver run down her spine as she sensed a suffocating aura from each of the figures above. She could tell that these were no ordinary sect elders; their prowess was evident in the way their auras were released.

Her eyes locked onto the man at the front, and she felt a jolt in her heart as his aura reminded her of a certain demonic woman. It was an aura that seemed as if the heavens were under his control.

The man at the forefront, whose aura seemed to control the very heavens, spoke first. His voice was calm but carried a power that demanded attention. "Little Liu, you have gotten even better at noticing the fluctuations in space."

Senior Sister Liu smiled. "Thank you, Sect Master Tian," she replied, her voice steady.

Sect Master Tian nodded slightly, his gaze then sweeping over the assembled disciples. "Today is when the Ancient Spirit Pool Realm will open. I trust that you will lead the disciples well."

Senior Sister Liu bowed deeply. "Of course, Sect Master. It is my purpose."

Watching the interaction, Meng Lin's thoughts were elsewhere. "Shouldn't the Division Heads be guarding important locations within the sect boundaries? Why are they here?"

Luo Mei noticed the confusion in Meng Lin's gaze. "Can you believe it?" she asked, her voice transmitted directly to Meng Lin’s ears. "I had the same thought when I heard that the sect had withdrawn all its manpower back into the sect. I don't think us going to this Secret Realm is as it seems."

A foreboding feeling washed over Meng Lin, her heart pounding with a mix of curiosity and nerves. It was a good thing she had already packed everything into her inventory before leaving Pavilion Mountain.

Senior Sister Liu began giving out respective instructions, dividing the 18 disciples into groups of three, with each of the Soul Wondering Realm disciples from the 18 core disciples being separated.

"Luo Hao and Wu Dao will lead the first group," Senior Sister Liu announced, her voice carrying slight authority. "Luo Mei and Meng Lin will lead the second group, and the last group will be led by me."

Meng Lin exchanged a glance with Luo Mei, who nodded back with slight happiness in her eyes.

Senior Sister Liu continued, "Remember, the Ancient Spirits Pool Realm is not just a competition but also your teamwork. Watch out for each other and seize every opportunity to grow."

With a final nod from Sect Master Tian, the gateway to the Ancient Spirit Pool Realm was opened. A brilliant water qi filled the arena, and the disciples stepped forward one by one, each being sent off to different locations.

***

Emerging on the other side, Meng Lin found herself in a lush, vibrant landscape with an ashen-colored sky; the scene around her was that of boulders and rocks, and the air was thick with spiritual energy, jolting her senses and making her feel more alive than ever.

"Hmm"

She suddenly noticed something as her spiritual consciousness began to spread out.

Lights covered the floor as seven figures appeared, one by one, each taking in the breathtaking scenery with awe.

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"This place is incredible," Luo Mei said, her eyes wide with wonder. "The spiritual energy here is so dense; it's turned into fog; it doubles the amount in the Pavilion Mountain." Luo Mei stretched Her arms, clearly relishing the sensation.

Meng Lin nodded, turning towards the six other core disciples, a man with a pale face was at the forefront. "I think introductions are in order."

The man with the pale face took a step forward, his expression calm but his eyes prideful. "I'm Chen Wei," he said, his voice arrogant. "Middle-stage Soul Wondering Realm. It's a pleasure to meet you all."

Meng Lin raised an eyebrow as she inclined her head in acknowledgment. Was she supposed to feel intimidated by his realm, she wondered.

Her gaze didn't stop to judge as she moved on to the others, quickly getting the names and realms of the other six core disciples.

They were all in the Gold Core Realm, three peak stages and two late stages, there was only one within the middle stage, a young man with a serious expression.

Luo Mei chuckled softly at the end of the introductions, a playful glint in her eyes. "Quite the diverse group we have here," she remarked, "Looks like we'll be good allies." She continued with a smile, "Luo Mei, Mid-stage Soul Wondering Realm, most of you know me".

" This one here is my junior sister, Meng Lin," she gestured to Meng Lin, who nodded slightly, "Early-stage Soul Wondering Realm."

"Now..." Luo Mei was about to continue when she was suddenly interrupted; Chen Wei, the man with the pale face, spoke up.

"Junior Sister Meng Lin, I've heard a lot about you, I'd like to ask for your advice with a technique of mine."

Meng Lin's brows furrowed slightly at Chen Wei's request. It seemed that he was somewhat dissatisfied with the leadership positions within the group, now he wants to challenge her.

She glanced at Luo Mei, who wore a puzzled expression and then turned her attention back to Chen Wei.

Meng Lin replied calmly, "Sure, I'd be happy to help, but..." Not letting her finish her words, he interrupted with a smirk. "Don't worry, I'm sure even with your limited understanding, you can provide some insights."

The other disciples watching the exchange didn't have much reactions, they clearly understood the personality of Chen Wei, within the Gold Core Courters, they had to deal with not just Chen Wei.

Luo Mei on the other hand soon had a noticeably angry expression, of course she understood the principle of following only the strong, however she didn't expect to be interrupted in her speech, her eyes narrowed as she looked at Chen Wei.

Before Meng Lin could respond, Luo Mei stepped forward, her voice laced with annoyance. "Chen Wei, what is the meaning of this? Are you trying to start a fight within the secret realm?"

Chen Wei glanced at Luo Mei with a dismissive look. "I'm merely testing her skills. After all, if she's as talented as they say, she should be able to handle a simple palm technique, shouldn't she?"

Luo Mei's anger flared, her voice sharp. "Enough with you! Meng Lin is your senior sister, and you should show her respect. If you want to test your skills, there are plenty of other ways to do so without attacking her."

Meng Lin appreciated Luo Mei's protective stance but gestured for her to calm down. "It's alright, Senior Sister Mei. I don't mind the challenge. Let's see what Chen Wei has in store."

Chen Wei smirked. "Very well," he said. "If you can take this technique then I won't have any problems with you being one of the leaders"

Meng Lin nodded her expression the same. "You can attack anytime".

Chen Wei stepped forward, his aura surging as he gathered his qi. "Let's see if your skills match your reputation," he said as he raised his palm, in which Armor began to appear. "Let's see you handle my Soul Shattering Palm"

Meng Lin's eyes narrowed, recognizing the name. It was the technique that the Soul Shattering Sect was known for, known for its destructive power on the soul itself.

The surrounding disciples watched intently, the atmosphere tense. Luo Mei was worried but kept quiet, she decided to just observe silently, she believed that Meng Lin, just like her. Someone with a physique should be able to cross realms.

She looked over at Chen Wei, 'While the Soul Shattering Palm can damage the soul, if the opponent's power is stronger than yours then the technique wouldn't be able to harm them at all, now what shall you do junior sister'

Crazy amounts of aura burst out of Chen Wei's palm as it began to glow with a dark, ominous energy. "Prepare yourself," he said, launching himself towards Meng Lin with blinding speed.

Meng Lin's mind raced as she recalled the Stellar Soul Shield. However, she didn't intend to use the technique; she knew that at a moment like this, she had to show something more potent, enough to shut his mouth.

"Haa" Chen Wei's palm strike, infused with dark, soul-crushing energy arrived instantly, striking Meng Lin's body as she didn't react at all.

Boom!!, the boulder behind Meng Lin was hit by a strong shockwave as the technique traveled across the scene, strangely though. It didn't break apart from the palm attack of Chen Wei.

"Ah," Luo Mei gasped, followed by the other disciples as they witnessed Chen Wei's arm sticking out on the other side of Meng Lin's body.

"Is this it," Meng Lin's calm voice cut through the gasps of shock from the others, her figure soon becoming blurry before completely dissolving to mist.

Her silhouette appeared within the mist and Chen Wei's attack had passed through her form without dealing any damage.

Chen Wei's eyes widened in shock as he felt no resistance. He took a step back, looking at Meng Lin, with an expression. "What... how?" he stammered, withdrawing his arm.

He truly couldn't understand, he had cultivated that technique until he reached complete mastery of it, he was even confident of using it against a late stage opponent, he thought that even Luo Mei wouldn't be able to easily handle that attack and yet..."

Meng Lin's eyes glinted. "The Soul Shattering Palm is powerful, but it relies on the user’s comprehension and the opponent’s lack of defensive measures. If you can't land a hit, it's useless."

The other disciples murmured among themselves, impressed by Meng Lin’s effortless evasion. Luo Mei’s lips curved into a satisfied smile, showing pride for her junior sister.

Chen Wei clenched his fists. "This isn't over," he said, his voice laced with frustration.

Meng Lin took a step forward, her gaze turning serious. "It is for now. We have more important things to focus on." She then turned to look at the boulder behind her, still in her mist form.

"How long are you guys going to continue to hide"