The air around the hidden realm's entrance crackled with an otherworldly energy, as if the very fabric of reality strained against the intrusion of those daring to step beyond. The dark violet crystals that formed the inverted horseshoe-shaped gateway emitted an eerie hum, resonating with the stormy at its center.

At the center of the crystalline formation was a violent vortex that reflected little to no light.

'It's the same as back then...' Recalling the memories of her distant past, Xifeng's face now bore a bitter smile, 'This place... where it all truly began...' She bit down on her lips, her lips showing signs of this habit of hers. Her eyes were filled with a slumbering rage that she had hidden deep within her. 'I'll end it all here!'

While Yin Xifeng was lost in her own thoughts, Elder Jiang had already made preparations to completely open the hidden realm's entrance.

The dark violet crystals emitted an eerie hum, resonating with the stormy disturbance at the center. Elder Jiang tossed six array flags that stabbed into the ground around the entrance, and then he began to form multiple hand seals in quick succession.

With that, the crystalline frame of the hidden realm's entrance expanded and soon formed an illusionary rectangular entrance. As for the dark vortex that the crystals surrounded, it had now calmed, and faint light flowed out of it.

The storm at the center of the entrance, once turbulent and chaotic, now pulsed with a rhythmic energy, almost as if it had a heartbeat of its own. The violent swirls gradually transformed into a mesmerizing dance of shadows, revealing glimpses of blurred patterns and scenes that seemed to materialize and dissipate within the heart of the vortex.

"Well then! All disciples have a total of 6 days inside the realm," Elder Jiang reminded. "You all will be forcefully expelled by the realm once the time is up, so make sure to make the most of your time!" Saying this, Elder Jiang fell silent and closed his eyes before continuing, "May fortune be with you."

Elder Jiang's array flags, firmly planted into the ground, glowed with a soft radiance, linking the hidden realm to the heaven and earth. The rectangular illusionary entrance expanded further, creating a bridge between two realms.

With that, all of the young disciples rushed into the hidden realm attempting to out-speed their competition. However, they didn't know...

'Everyone enters the realm at random locations within the hidden realm...' Xifeng thought. Everyone except Xifeng and a few others didn't know of this. However, even then, she rushed in together with the rest of the crowd in an attempt to recreate her past life's events.

'This time for sure...' Her eyes filled with a maddened conviction, 'I'll definitely end it!'

...

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...

The air within the hidden realm carried a different texture and a faint luminescence that seemed to emanate from every surface. The stony labyrinth unfolded before her, its winding passages adorned with glowing cyan moss that cast an ethereal radiance, its passages carved by time and nature rather than human hands.

The uneven ground beneath her echoed with each step, creating a rhythmic sound that harmonized with the subtle drip of water echoing through the cavernous halls. Xifeng, determined and focused, moved forward, her silhouette illuminated by the soft radiance of the moss.

'This part seems a bit familiar...' Xifeng scanned the surroundings before leaving a seal on a discreet rock, 'This should be all for now...' In the past half a day, Xifeng had hurriedly placed her seals over any location that she found familiar. With these seals she would be able spread her spiritual sense over a large expanse while being as discrete as possible.

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While her memories of back then were questionable at best, however, she did recall having been attacked by a certain ape like beast back then...

She located the ape as soon as she could, 'Just as ugly as ever...' She scoffed as she looked at the 5 meters tall ape covered in stony scales, its greying ashen mane coated in mud and moss.

'Still more pleasing to the eye than that bastard.' She grinned in disdain as she sent her spiritual sense to the seals she had formed earlier, she could easily sense any newcomer through these seals and now she just had to wait...

...

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...

Xiao Dong walked through the cave-like labyrinth of the hidden realm, the walls adorned with radiant moss and vibrant vegetation, casting an otherworldly glow throughout the twisting passages. The air was thick with the sweet scent of exotic vegetation, and the gentle hum of unseen insects added to the mystical atmosphere.

Suddenly, a thunderous roar echoed through the labyrinth, reverberating off the moss-covered walls. Xiao Dong's instincts kicked in, and he rushed toward the source of the sound, following the winding path until he reached a vast cavern.

In the heart of the chamber, a colossal rock-scaled ape stood, its immense form illuminated by azure luminescent moss that clung to its body like living armor. A magnificent ashen mane cascaded down its shoulders, shimmering with a spectral glow. At the creature's forehead, a single horn protruded, adding an air of regality to its fearsome appearance.

The massive ape was in a state of enraged fury, attacking a lone figure. As Xiao Dong's gaze focused on the scene, he noticed the red-haired girl being attacked by the creature—it was Yin Xifeng, the granddaughter of Grand Elder Yin. She fought desperately to defend herself against the relentless assault, with a line of blood crawling down the side of her mouth.

With his intuition blaring in his mind, Xiao Dong knew that he had to intervene and save Yin Xifeng from the rampaging ape. The hidden realm's dimly lit ambiance heightened the tension in the air as Xiao Dong prepared to face the ape and save Yin Xifeng right before she suffers from the impending danger.

With a swift dash, he closed the distance between himself and the colossal ape just as its massive fist arced towards Yin Xifeng. In a daring move, he intercepted the attack, his own fist absorbing the impact meant for Yin Xifeng. The force of the blow sent shockwaves through the cavern, but Xiao Dong remained steadfast.

With unwavering determination, Xiao Dong attacked the rock-scaled ape in a fierce battle. His movements were a blur as he dodged the creature's powerful strikes, utilizing the environment to his advantage.

In the midst of the intense struggle, Xiao Dong noticed the single glowing horn on the ape's forehead. Realizing that it might be a source of the creature's power, he focused his attacks on that vulnerable point. With each calculated strike, he aimed for the horn, attempting to weaken the creature.

The battle reached its climax as Xiao Dong, with a final burst of energy, delivered a powerful blow directly to the ape's horn using his 'Soft wood facing earth' technique. While this was one of the strongest techniques that he could currently use, something as profound as 'Short stick facing Heavens' was still out of reach for him.

The hidden realm echoed with the sound of the impact as the horn shattered into pieces. A momentary stillness enveloped the cavern as the rock-scaled ape, now deprived of its source of strength, wavered unsteadily.

Seizing the opportunity, Xiao Dong continued his assault, disorienting the creature until it finally succumbed to exhaustion. The cavern fell into a hushed silence as the defeated ape collapsed, its once-raging roars reduced to feeble groans.

Breathing heavily, Xiao Dong turned his attention to Yin Xifeng, "Are you fine, Miss Xifeng?" He continued with a smile as he stretched out his hand towards Yin Xifeng who was currently on the ground.

His manner of speech seemed awfully familiar for someone who had just met the other person for the first time and Yin Xifeng's expression froze in faint apprehension as he called out her name.

However, Xiao Dong knew that young ladies such as her while looking cold and distant actually liked this kind of things!

And just as he expected Yin Xifeng smiled and reached out for his hand, pulling herself towards him to stab him... stab him?!

"YOU!!!" Xiao Dong roared at Yin Xifeng and prepared to attack her, however, before he could do anything he sensed something move behind him.

"Urraaaghh!!" The ape beast had already recovered and unleashed it's long claws to attack Xiao Dong.

...

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