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Geniuses gathered in droves, hailing from powers great and small, united only by their youth none over a hundred years.
Lan An and his women stood in a corner, chatting merrily, occasionally drawing curious glances.
At last, under countless expectant eyes, the Seven Enforcers reappeared midair.
The lively atmosphere hushed, all knowing the decisive moment had arrived.
Failure now meant a ten-year wait.
For younger cultivators, this was bearable, but for those nearing a century, it was their final chance to join the continent's most exalted power.
Surveying the crowd's fervor, the Seven Enforcers nodded approvingly. Elder Seven spoke, his voice resounding across the field:
"The final trial tests combat prowess. The rules are simple…"
"You'll enter a secret realm crafted by our elders, teeming with demon beasts of varying strength. Slaying them earns points, with stronger beasts yielding more."
"Each of you will receive a Token to collect points. After one month, those with 1,000 points or more pass the trial. The top 50 scorers will be inscribed on the Sacred Spirit Ranking."
"Beyond hunting beasts, you may boost your points by seizing others' Tokens. Those who lose their Token are instantly teleported out, disqualified, and eliminated!"
Elder Seven's gaze swept the crowd, gauging their reactions.
Candidates gritted their teeth, many frowning gravely. The trial was no trifling matter—battling beasts while guarding against human ambushes.
Some schemed to swiftly amass 1,000 points, then hide until the month elapsed.
Others, confident in their might, planned to plunder humans, scorning beast hunts.
Lan An's eyes glinted, finding the trial intriguing. With his battle-hardened experience from the Dark Origin Continent, he feared no such challenge, intending to rampage with his seven women.
But Elder Seven's next words darkened his face:
"Upon entering the Secret Realm, you'll be randomly teleported to different locations. Prepare yourselves!"
With that, the Seven Enforcers exchanged glances, sleeves flicking. Countless wooden Tokens, palm-sized, rained from the sky.
Spiritual energy guided each Token precisely to every cultivator's hand.
The crowd wasn't surprised by the Seven Refining Void Stage elders' masterful control.
Each Token bore a pristine zero, formed by a mysterious force.
Noticing Lan An's grim expression, Mu Zi Yin tugged his sleeve, smiling, "Don't worry too much, husband—we're strong too!"
"Right, and in the Secret Realm, we can regroup!" Ruo Xue said gently.
"Let's do it gather points and reunite!" Yan Hong Lian shrugged nonchalantly.
The women nodded, brimming with confidence.
Lan An fretted over their separation, knowing their new methods remained unpracticed, their combat prowess not yet formidable.
Yet, worry or not, no alternative existed. He resolved to find them swiftly.
A month was ample time.
"Any questions?" Elder Seven surveyed the crowd.
"Honored Enforcer, beyond suppressing our cultivation to Early Nascent Soul, can we use treasures or pills?" a Late Nascent Soul cultivator asked.
"Yes, those are your personal means. The Academy has no cause to forbid them," Elder Seven affirmed.
The Academy had deliberated this. Many relied on treasures for combat, and banning them was impractical. At Early Nascent Soul, however, high-grade treasures couldn't unleash full power.
For instance, Mu Zi Yin's Purple Wood Sword would weaken significantly under such constraints.
Seeing no further objections, the Seven Enforcers nodded, chanting reverently, "We beseech the elders to open the Secret Realm!"
"Open the Secret Realm!" thousands of candidates roared in unison.
Before their eyes, space quaked violently. A colossal black hole eclipsed the sky above the Academy, its inky depths boundless, linking to another realm.
"This Secret Realm, discovered by our Third Dean while wandering the void, was anchored with limitless divine arts. Over years, it's proven ideal for tempering students. Beyond demon beasts, it holds rare herbs and even heavenly treasures yours by fate," Elder Seven proclaimed proudly.
"It's an independent space, perhaps a minor star or a hidden land on this planet," Jin Ni mused in Lan An's mind.
"Whatever it is, it's a forging ground!" Lan An muttered, smirking, turning to his women, "If you face unbeatable foes, use your Token to teleport to Palace Tree. Don't be reckless, or I'll enforce family law!"
"Hmph!" The women glared, their seven exquisite faces flushing. After living together, they knew his "family law" all too well.
"We're not weak, husband don't fret. You, aiming for Sacred Spirit Ranking's top spot, must be cautious!" Li Zhu Luan said gravely, a rare seriousness.
"Don't trust your husband? Watch me!" Lan An thumped his chest, grinning.
As the Secret Realm's entry loomed, the opulent carriage stirred, and Ice Mysterious Empire's five figures emerged, drawing eyes.
Regrettably, all wore masks and armor, gender indistinguishable.
Their aura was chilling, steeped in battlefield slaughter, exuding grim killing intent.
The air froze, tension palpable. Though silent, the crowd sensed the two Ninth-Grade powers locking eyes, neither yielding.
Their rivalry, long-standing, burned for Sacred Spirit Ranking's top spots.
To them, Eighth-Grade powers were beneath notice only Ninth-Grade foes mattered.
"All enter now!" the Seven Enforcers' stern voices rang out.
Nearly 4,000 geniuses soared, plunging into the vast Secret Realm portal.
Despite the throng, the portal, like a bottomless abyss, swallowed each effortlessly.
As Lan An and his women entered, their cultivation plummeted, a mystic force balancing them at Early Nascent Soul.
Yan Die Qing, at Late Golden Core, surged to Early Nascent Soul, then stabilized.
"A high-grade formation at the entrance balances cultivation—Sacred Spirit Academy's means are vast," Jin Ni sighed.
Lan An turned to speak to his women, but a flash enveloped him, his body vanishing.
His women and all candidates faced the same, scattered to random locations.
Once all entered, the spatial rift sealed.
At Holy City's heart, the Ten Thousand Mile Mirror rose, poised to broadcast key moments live.
Watching it hover, the Seven Enforcers descended, summoning seven ornate seats, observing silently.
"This batch has intriguing talents—worth watching," Elder Seven stroked his beard, smiling.
"True, but it can't match the Golden Era's chaos," Elder Six sighed.
"How could it compare to those freaks?" the others nodded.
"No…you're wrong!" a languid, alluring voice interrupted, startling the Seven.
Beside them stood a bewitching figure, her bare back peerless, hair flowing, yet her face remained hideously marred.
"You lass, scaring us!" the First Enforcer, an old woman, chuckled fondly.
"Hundred Faces lass, how could this generation rival your Golden Era's freaks?" Third Enforcer asked, puzzled.
"It'll be livelier surpassing even then!" the figure murmured.
"Why?" the Seven pressed.
"Hee, because of him…" she giggled.
"Him?" The Seven blinked, baffled.
In an endless, desolate jungle, two figures materialized not far apart.
Two youthful maidens, vibrant with spring's breath, yet tinged with maturity, their allure captivating.
Yan Die Qing shook her head, regaining focus, glancing at her companion.
"Why you?" Li Zhu Luan, hands on hips, parted her rosy lips, bemused.
"That's my line such bad luck!" Yan Die Qing rolled her eyes, pouting.
These two, the harem's youngest, perpetually bickered, often spanked by Lan An's "family law" until their fair hips reddened. Yet, they never relented.
Sometimes, they quarreled deliberately for his punishment, claiming bickering was their passion.
Lan An, exasperated, let them squabble, hoping maturity would curb their spats.
Fate mocked them, teleporting these rivals together.
"Let's find husband!" Yan Die Qing, sensing the urgency, spoke softly, darting off.
"Hmph!" Li Zhu Luan huffed, not arguing, and followed.
The harem's youngest duo ventured forth.
In a primal, majestic mountain range, Yan Hong Lian's voluptuous form appeared, scanning her surroundings. Opposite stood a saintly, pristine maiden, her white hair noble. Even the proud Hong Lian silently admired her as creation's masterpiece.
Noticing a familiar face, Bai Su Mei glided over, her white robes fluttering, nodding, "Sister Hong Lian!"
As Lan An's maid, Bai Su Mei revered his women.
Knowing her husband cherished this pure sister, Hong Lian warmly clasped her hand, smiling, "Come, let's find him!"
"Yes!" Bai Su Mei agreed, but both soon raised their brows, glancing aside.
Unnoticed, two giant eagles perched on a peak, wings vast, their bold eyes fixed on the women, Early Fourth-Order demon beast aura faint.
Or rather, they focused on Bai Su Mei, their instincts craving serpent prey.
Hong Lian shrugged, giggling, "Let's earn our first points, then plan!"
"No issue!" Bai Su Mei smiled, stroking her white hair, her saintly eyes gleaming with battle intent.
In a valley, Ruo Xue and Liu Shi Qin flew, chatting. Both gentle and elegant, their temperaments meshed. Teleported nearly a hundred miles apart, their Nascent Soul divine sense swiftly reunited them.
"Ladies, care to stroll with me?" a vile voice, dripping with invasive intent, interrupted. A grotesque youth blocked their path, his eyes roving their forms.
Not with lust, but envy and rage, as if resenting their beauty wasn't his.
His skin was deathly pale, lips blood-red, cheeks rouged pink—an eerie sight.
"Blood Spirit Sect?" Spotting his blood-red robes with a "Blood" emblem, the women snapped.
"Honored you recognize me!" the youth said shrilly, his voice grating like a eunuch's.
This was Xue Qian, third of the Blood Spirit Trio who once clashed with Lan An.
Most knew Blood Spirit Sect's Three Saints, self-castrated by their method, harbored hatred for beautiful women, torturing them at all costs.
Seeing Liu Shi Qin and Ruo Xue, Xue Qian felt he'd found perfect prey, more thrilling than beast hunting.
"Blood Spirit Sect? Then die!" Liu Shi Qin, direct, erupted. Hearing from Li Zhu Luan of Lan An's injuries by their sect, her fury blazed.
An Ice Palm struck swiftly.
Ruo Xue, unhesitating, parted her lips, "Earth Spirit Palm!"
Two fierce attacks surged. Xue Qian cackled vilely, drawing a Blood Pearl from his storage ring.
Battle erupted fiercely…