Chapter 126: The opening of the hidden realm.
As the opening of the hidden realm came closer and closer, Falling Boulder City got more and more visitors. A large amount of people from the four clans as well as people from the Demon Race and other sects had arrived, causing the city to become incredibly bustling.
Yao Jun and Guo Luo were currently seated on a large stone located at the outskirts of Falling Boulder City. The twisted space that was the entrance to the hidden realm had grown more and more violent as time passed. It had now gotten so bad that no one could get close to it, for fear of being torn apart by the twisting space.
“Brother Jun! So this is where you have been hiding, I was wondering why you weren't in your room.”
Yao Shui's voice suddenly rang out from behind Yao Jun and Guo Luo, interrupting the silent mood that the two were currently enjoying. Turning their heads, they could see Yao Shui walking towards them, accompanied by the people from the three other clans who were going to enter alongside them.
“It should open up soon, so I figured that it was about time I got a move on.”
Yao Jun responded with a faint smile. He could feel the trembling in his chest grow stronger and stronger, so he was certain that it would not be long until the hidden realm opened. Of course, despite the feeling in his chest, Yao Jun would not enter the hidden realm until he was certain that it was safe enough.
“There is no need to worry, I am certain that the hidden realm will pose no threat to us, entering it will be perfectly safe.”
Yao Shui responded with a laugh, patting Yao Jun on the shoulders as he did so. Yao Jun had already told them that he would not enter the hidden realm if it turned out to be too dangerous. At that time, Yao Shui and the others had shrugged their shoulders and told him not to worry about it.
“Cert...”
Yao Jun was just about to say something when the trembling in his chest grew violent. He quickly turned to face the twisting space, ignoring the confused gazes of the others. The twisting space was currently twisting even more violently than it did earlier, faint cracks spreading in space around it.
“It's opening.”
Yao Jun couldn't help but mutter under his breath. After his words sounded out, the twisting space completely vanished and a loud tearing sound rang out. The only thing that was left behind was a large tear in space, leading into the hidden realm.
From where they stood, Yao Jun and the others could see through the tear and into the hidden realm. Looking into the hidden realm, Yao Jun was completely flabbergasted. The hidden realm looked like it was a world of it's own, completely separate from their world.
The entrance was located in the sky of the hidden realm, allowing them to see a large area of the hidden realm. Just from the parts they could see, Yao Jun saw that the hidden realm was massive. There were frozen tundras, large plains, vast forests, massive lakes, mountains that spewed fire and molten rock into the air.
But the thing that shocked Yao Jun the most was the feeling he got from his Demon God's Gate. The moment the hidden realm opened, his Demon God's Gate released a strong sense of longing and loneliness, it even seemed sad.
“It's open!”
Loud shouts quickly sounded out from the surroundings as more and more people noticed the opening of the hidden realm. People charged out from the city and cautiously approached the tear in space.
“Let's get closer and get a good look before we decide on how to act.”
Yao Shui pat Yao Jun on the shoulder and lead the group closer to the tear in space. A faint and unnoticeable light flickered in his eyes as he looked at tear in space. He had seen how Yao Jun reacted just before the gate opened, he reacted before even the people who were much stronger than them managed to react.
The group a short distance away from the tear in space, since the twisting space had vanished, it was now safe to move closer to the entrance. From where they were standing, they could even faintly sense some smells coming out from within the hidden realm.
“Let me try first.”
While people were gathering around the entrance, a person clad in the robes of the Wei clan stepped forward. The person was tall and lean, radiating a sense of power. Yao Jun could only faintly sense this person's cultivation level, but it seemed to be above the 6th Houtian Sky, so he was likely at the 7th Xiantian Heaven.
Under the eyes of everyone present, the man from the Wei clan stepped towards the entrance of the hidden realm. He pulled out a large hammer upon getting closer to the entrance, ready to react to any situation. Upon reaching the entrance, he placed his hand on the tear in space and tried to step forward, but there seemed to be an unseen force preventing him from moving closer.
Noticing this unseen force, the man took a step backwards and raised his hammer high. As he raised the hammer, it seemed to faintly vibrate as he inserted his Qi, releasing a high pitched screech. The man brought the hammer down with full force, but when the hammer hit the entrance to the hidden realm, it hit the unseen force and bounced back, hitting the man in the chest and sending him flying backwards.
“It seems that people at the 7th Xiantian Heaven can't enter. Zhuang Bing, you try it.”
While some people felt a slight sweat drip down their back upon seeing the state of the man, Zhuang Shao Ju spoke out with an indifferent voice. A middle aged man who was at the 6th Houtian Sky realm standing behind her nodded his head after hearing her voice.
He stepped towards the entrance of the hidden realm and brought out his weapon, a pair of gloves with claws attached where his fingernails were. He stretched out his hand and placed it on the entrance of the hidden realm, but there was no unseen force that stopped him, allowing his hand to reach into the hidden realm.
“It seems that only people below the 7th Xiantian Heaven can enter. Follow me.”
Upon seeing the man's hand sink into the entrance of the hidden realm, Yao Duan He quickly acted. He brought all his men who were beneath the 7th Xiantian Heaven and charged towards the entrance of the hidden realm.
His actions quickly sparked the others to move into action. The main groups of the four clans and the Demon Race all moved into action, dashing towards the entrance of the hidden realm. Those who were at the 7th Xiantian Heaven could only curse their bad luck and head back into the city.
Anyone who stepped into the entrance of the hidden realm vanished from sight, being transported into the hidden realm. The ones who entered the hidden realm could not be spotted by the people who stood outside the entrance, so some people came up with the theory that maybe they were being transported to random locations.
Of course not everyone moved immediately. The weaker groups did not move right away, waiting for the stronger groups to enter first. They would never be able to compete with these groups, so it was better for them to wait until all the stronger groups had moved through. Then they could enter and see if there were any left-overs that they could grab.
“What do you say, Brother Jun, will you enter alongside us?”
After almost all the other groups had entered Wei Li turned towards Yao Jun and spoke. He could feel that Yao Jun was powerful, so if he joined them into the hidden realm, he could be a huge boon.
“I'm afraid that I will have to disappoint you. It seems a bit too dangerous for me and Little Luo to enter that place.”
Yao Jun fondled his chin slightly, locking eyes with Guo Luo, before responding with a shake of his head. With anyone below the 7th Xiantian Heaven being able to enter, the degree of danger inside the hidden realm could be imagined. Yao Jun did not want to risk it, no matter how much his Demon God's Gate wanted him to enter.
“What a shame.”
Hearing his reply, Yao Shui shook his head and spoke with a sigh. As his words rang out, the Qi within his body suddenly surged. His body shot forward like a blur, faster than Yao Jun's eyes even could register.
Before anyone had time to react, Yao Shui had grabbed Guo Luo and arrived at the entrance of the hidden realm. Under the shocked gazes of everyone, Yao Shui pushed her into the hidden realm, causing her form to vanish into the hidden realm.
“You!”
Yao Jun's voice was colder than the winds of hell, his eyes staring death at Yao Shui. He wasn't the only one shocked by Yao Shui's actions, even the other people from the Yao clan that he had brought were shocked.
“You noticed the opening of the hidden realm before anyone else did, so it is clear that you have some connection with it. If you follow me into the hidden realm I will assure you that nothing will happen to her.”
Yao Shui did not falter upon seeing Yao Jun's eyes. He had no hope of getting anything good from the hidden realm, but when he saw Yao Jun react to the opening of the hidden realm before anyone else, he saw hope, hope that he could obtain something good in the hidden realm.
No matter how unlikely it was that Yao Jun actually had a connection with the hidden realm, Yao Shui was willing to bet on it. If he managed to obtain something good from the hidden realm, his standing in the Yao clan could rise dramatically. For that, he would be willing to bet on even the smallest chance.
The other people standing around Yao Jun couldn't help but turn to look at him when they heard Yao Shui's words. If it was true that he had a connection with the hidden realm, could he not lead them to the greatest treasures inside the hidden realm?
“The Wei clan had nothing to do with this, nor will we take part in what follows.”
While the eyes of the surrounding people locked onto Yao Jun, Wei Li spoke out and took a few steps back, slightly shocking the other people watching. Was Wei Li not interested in the treasures of the hidden realm?
But how could they understand what Wei Li was feeling? Wei Li had known from the start that Yao Jun and Guo Luo possessed great power, and that they radiated a dangerous feeling. Yet the feeling he felt back then was nothing compared to what he felt when he looked at the current Yao Jun. It was like looking at a terrifying Demonic beast that was awakening from it's slumber. Wei Li wanted nothing to do with that.
Yao Jun paid no heed to the eyes looking at him, his eyes were completely focused on the entrance of the hidden realm. He started slowly walking towards the entrance of the hidden realm, his expression frighteningly calm. The illusion disguising him vanished since he and Guo Luo were now separated, but that was a fact he didn’t care about at the moment.
He did not want to enter the hidden realm because he felt that it was too dangerous, but now Guo Luo had been forced into that very hidden realm, how could he not be furious? He also could not help but be angry at himself once more.
Had he not agreed to get closer to the entrance, this would not have happened. He also could not help but yell at himself when he noticed that no matter how many times he swore that he would protect Guo Luo, he kept failing at doing just that.
“Follow me every...”
Yao Shui opened his mouth and waved at the rest of the people from the Yao clan that had yet to enter. But before he managed to finish his sentence, the words got stuck in his throat. A piercing pain assaulted his body, forcing large amounts of blood up his throat.
The people standing around were shocked when they noticed that Yao Shui's body had suddenly been pierced through. Tendrils of darkness were growing out from the darkness within the openings of his clothes, digging into his body and squirming around inside him.
The people from the Yao clan were just about to move forward and help him, when they suddenly stopped in their tracks, sweat dripping down their backs. Tendrils of darkness grew out from the shadows that their clothing cast, coiling around their bodies. They did not doubt that the tendrils would pierce their bodies the moment they moved.
While Yao Shui was gasping for breath, mouthfuls of blood leaking out from his mouth, Yao Jun reached his side. When Yao Jun reached his side, the people watching the scene unfold noticed that the tendrils of darkness piercing Yao Shui all gathered together into a single tendril.
The tendril grew into a pitch black demonic serpent that coiled around Yao Shui's body, it's body glistening with his blood. Yao Jun placed his hand on the head of the snake, affectionately petting it. Upon having it's head pat by Yao Jun, the snake seemed to have received an order.
It opened it's maw and bit down on Yao Shui's head, a loud crunching sound ringing out in the ears of everyone present. Under the terrified eyes of everyone watching, Yao Shui's body was quickly swallowed whole by the serpent. Despite swallowing Yao Shui whole, the serpent's size did not change, once more shocking the onlookers.
“If a single hair on her body has been harmed, then the entire Yao clan, and any other clan that has harmed her will pay in blood.”
After swallowing Yao Shui, the black serpent coiled around Yao Jun's body, like a child looking for praise. Yao Jun did not turn around, setting foot into the entrance of the hidden realm. Only his cold voice still rung out after he set foot into the entrance and vanished, forever embedding itself in the mind of everyone present.