Three in the morning—the hour when darkness lies at its deepest.
Four black SUVs slipped soundlessly out of the Pearl Hotel's underground garage and melted into the empty streets. Lu Chen sat in the front passenger seat of the second vehicle. At the wheel was Ahu; Hive and Aque occupied the back. In the other three cars rode twelve combat operatives of the Ghost Organization—every one of them elite, all above Level 20.
The convoy avoided the highway, choosing the ring roads instead, steering clear of surveillance-heavy districts. Aque balanced a laptop on her knees; live feeds flickered across the screen—traffic cameras and drone footage she had compromised well in advance.
"Any movement from the Association?" Hive asked.
"Thirty minutes ago, Chen Jing left the city with two squads, heading toward the Yunling Mountains as well," Aque replied, fingers flying across the keyboard. "They're taking the main road—slower than us. The Chen family convoy departed ten minutes ago via a side route. They may be cutting across."
"How many from the Chen family?"
"At least fifteen. Chen Zhenghao is leading them, along with an elderly man whose aura is extremely strong—likely a hidden powerhouse." Aque pulled up a blurry satellite thermal image. "We need to reach the entrance before they do."
Lu Chen watched the nightscape streak past the window, then spoke calmly. "Aque, send me the detailed topographic map of the Yunling range."
Aque glanced at Hive. He nodded.
"Sent to your tablet."
Lu Chen opened the map. The Yunling Mountains formed the natural northern bulwark of Jiang City—over fifty kilometers deep, with a main peak rising two thousand meters. Vast tracts were untouched by human presence. Since the resurgence of spiritual energy, the region had become a haven for feral beasts and rare herbs, as well as a crucible for martial cultivators.
Their destination, however, lay at the very heart of the range: a valley known as Ghost's Sigh.
Perpetually shrouded in mist, plagued by anomalous magnetic fields—compasses failed there, drones spiraled out of control. Expedition teams had ventured in before; they either vanished or returned deranged, babbling about "ghosts."
To martial practitioners, such ghosts were usually nothing more than powerful aberrant beasts or ancient prohibitions.
Lu Chen zoomed in on the valley's mouth.
Encircled by mountains on three sides, it offered only a single narrow entrance flanked by sheer cliffs. Inside, the terrain was treacherous—boulder fields, fissures, and a stretch of marshland. Any engagement there would heavily favor the defenders.
He closed his eyes and activated the Combat Rehearsal Module.
[Module Activated]
[Please Define Simulation Scenario]
"Yunling Mountains—Ghost's Sigh Valley Entrance. Friendly forces: myself (Level 24), Hive (Level 40), Ahu (Level 35), Aque (Level 28), twelve operatives Level 20–25. Hostiles: Chen Jing (Level 25) with two Association tactical squads, five per squad, average Level 20; Chen Zhenghao (Level 45) with fifteen Chen elites, average Level 25–30, including one elder at Level 55."
[Please Define Objectives]
"Objective One: Enter the secret realm successfully while avoiding large-scale conflict. Objective Two: Attrit enemy combat strength as much as possible. Objective Three: Ensure survival of core personnel—myself, Hive, Ahu, Aque."
[Simulation Initiated…]
[Constructing Scenario…]
Vivid images bloomed within Lu Chen's mind.
At the valley entrance, the Ghost Organization's convoy halted. Aque deployed drones; energy fluctuations surged from within—the secret realm was on the verge of opening.
Then engines roared behind them. The Chen convoy arrived. The two sides faced off at the mouth of the valley.
Chen Zhenghao demanded Lu Chen and the fragment of the Demon-Suppressing Stele. Hive refused.
Negotiations collapsed. Combat erupted.
The Level 55 elder struck first—one palm shattered Ahu's defenses, grievously wounding him, then turned to suppress Hive. Chen Zhenghao led his men in a ruthless sweep; at Level 45, he was virtually unstoppable.
Lu Chen attempted to fight back using the stele fragment in tandem with the Demon-Slaying Blade, but Chen Jing's squad pinned him down. Individually weaker, the Association operatives moved with disciplined coordination, locking him in place with tactical formations.
Ten minutes later, over half the Ghost operatives lay dead or incapacitated. Ahu fell in battle. Hive escaped with critical injuries. Lu Chen was captured; the stele fragment seized.
[Simulation Complete]
[Result: Defeat]
[Cause: Overwhelming disparity in high-tier combat power—enemy possesses a Level 55 combatant]
[Recommendation: Avoid direct confrontation at the valley entrance; preemptively deploy traps to erode enemy high-tier strength]
Lu Chen opened his eyes, cold sweat beading on his brow.
Though only a simulation, the clarity of death still made his heart race. Level 55… against that, he truly stood no chance.
"What's wrong?" Hive noticed his expression.
"I was thinking," Lu Chen said carefully, "if that Level 55 elder really shows up… what do we do?"
Hive fell silent, then replied, "I brought an inhibitor."
"Inhibitor?"
"A neurotoxin designed specifically for high-level martial artists." Hive produced a compact metal tube. "Inhalation causes energy destabilization within three minutes, reducing combat capacity by thirty to fifty percent. The problem is the delay—and if they're alert, it's easy to avoid."
"Needs close-range deployment?"
"Preferably without them noticing."
Lu Chen's thoughts raced.
[Resimulate: Deploy neurotoxin at valley entrance, disguised as a natural phenomenon—miasma]
[Simulation Initiated…]
The scenario shifted.
The Ghost Organization arrived early. Aque installed miniature dispersal devices along the cliffs flanking the entrance, each loaded with neurotoxin. Lu Chen used the stele fragment to fabricate intensified "secret-realm energy fluctuations," luring both the Chen family and the Association into the valley.
As the standoff formed, Aque remotely activated the devices. The toxin merged seamlessly with the valley's natural mist—colorless, odorless, spreading slowly.
The Chen elder sensed something amiss but had already inhaled trace amounts. Three minutes later, his strength fell by thirty percent—dropping from Level 55 to roughly 38.
Hive and Ahu together barely managed to hold him at bay.
Lu Chen, wielding the stele fragment and Demon-Slaying Blade, led the operatives against Chen Zhenghao and Chen Jing.
The battle remained brutal—but victory became possible.
[Simulation Result: Pyrrhic Victory]
[Friendly Casualties: 80% operative losses; Ahu severely injured; Hive lightly injured; Aque survives]
[Enemy Casualties: Chen Jing killed; Chen Zhenghao critically wounded and escaped; Chen elites 70% losses; Association squads annihilated]
[Recommendation: Introduce additional "unexpected variables" (e.g., provoke valley-dwelling aberrant beasts) to further destabilize the battlefield]
Aberrant beasts…
Lu Chen recalled Aque mentioning Level 30+ creatures deep within Yunling.
If they could be drawn out—
[Third Simulation: During combat, fire energy rounds into the inner valley cliff face to provoke resident beasts]
The scene transformed once more.
Mid-battle, Lu Chen feigned retreat, flanking wide before firing an energy rifle into the depths of the valley. The blast and energy surge roused a nest of flying aberrants—Ironwing Bats, Level 25 on average, over fifty strong.
Enraged, the swarm descended in a frenzy, attacking all humans indiscriminately.
Chaos erupted.
The Ghost Organization withdrew amid the turmoil, slipping into the secret-realm entrance. The Chen family and the Association were bogged down by the swarm, suffering grievous losses.
[Simulation Result: Successful Entry into Secret Realm; potential pursuit by bat swarm]
[Success Probability: 71%]
That would suffice.
Lu Chen opened his eyes and looked at Hive. "I have a plan."
He explained the strategy, omitting any mention of the rehearsal module, framing it as pure tactical deduction.
Hive pondered it briefly. "High risk. If the toxin fails, or the beasts don't appear, we're finished."
"Head-on, our odds are worse," Lu Chen replied evenly. "No one here can stop a Level 55."
Ahu snorted from the back seat. "I can try."
"You'd die," Lu Chen said flatly. "The gap between 55 and 35 isn't something courage can bridge."
Ahu bristled, but Hive raised a hand. "He's right. Lao Bai's toxin works, but only with an opening. Lin Xiao's plan… is worth the gamble."
He met Lu Chen's gaze. "You'll draw out the beasts?"
"Yes." Lu Chen nodded. "With the stele fragment, I can simulate the energy signature of a high-tier treasure. That'll be irresistible."
"Good." Hive decided. "Aque, prep the dispersal units. Ahu, set decoys and traps at the entrance—buy us time. Lin Xiao, you're with me. We go deeper and confirm the entrance."
"Understood."
At four a.m., the convoy reached the outskirts of the Yunling Mountains.
From there, no roads—only foot travel. They disembarked and organized their gear. The Ghost operatives moved with practiced efficiency, sorting supplies, shouldering packs, checking weapons.
Lu Chen strapped on his own equipment, the Demon-Slaying Blade at his waist. The stele fragments were sealed in special material to prevent energy leakage.
Aque launched three micro-drones to scout from multiple angles.
"Life signs three kilometers ahead—rock wolves, around Level 20. We can bypass them," she reported. "Five kilometers farther is Ghost's Sigh. No other teams detected."
"Move out," Hive ordered.
Fourteen figures advanced swiftly into the night.
The mountain paths were treacherous, but to them, effortless. Martial artists above Level 20 possessed physiques far beyond the mundane; traversing such terrain was second nature.
As he moved beside Hive, Lu Chen continued running scenarios in his mind.
[Simulation: Probability of aberrant-beast ambush at the entrance]
[Simulation: Countermeasures for ancient prohibitions within the secret realm]
[Simulation: Optimal timing and method for betraying Hive, if necessary]
One possibility after another flickered through his thoughts, conclusions stored away. That was the power of the Combat Rehearsal Module—not perfect foresight, but preparedness.
An hour later, they reached the mouth of Ghost's Sigh.
Dawn had yet to break. Dense mist filled the valley, visibility reduced to less than ten meters. The fog was tinged faintly green, eerie under the night sky.
Aque's drones faltered upon entering, signals stuttering.
"Magnetic interference. Drones have a three-minute operational window," she frowned. "But confirmation achieved—there is indeed an energy source roughly five hundred meters in."
"Set the traps," Hive said.
Ahu led the deployment. Six dispersal units were mounted along the cliffs, disguised as natural rock outcroppings. Several sensor-triggered mines were buried at the entrance—not to kill, but to sow chaos and conceal the toxin's release.
Lu Chen followed Hive deeper into the valley.
The farther they went, the denser the mist grew—and it carried something else. A dull dizziness crept in with each breath. Hive produced respirators and handed one to Lu Chen.
"Toxic miasma. It won't cripple martial artists immediately, but prolonged exposure dulls judgment."
Lu Chen donned it.
After three hundred meters, they reached a vast boulder field—a natural labyrinth of stones ranging from millstones to house-sized monoliths.
"The energy source is beyond this," Hive said.
They wound through the rocks, and the space opened suddenly into a circular clearing some fifty meters wide. At its center lay a massive formation carved into the ground.
Lu Chen recognized the sigils instantly—akin to the teleportation array he had seen within the stone tower of the secret realm, but far more complete, more intricate. It rotated slowly now, emitting a gentle silver radiance that cut through the fog.
"The entrance," Hive murmured, kneeling to inspect it. "Not fully activated. It needs a key—or a sufficient energy infusion."
Lu Chen produced the dragon-carved jade pendant.
The moment it emerged, the array flared brighter. The pendant lifted of its own accord, floating to the center and locking into a recessed slot.
A resonant hum filled the air.
The array accelerated, silver light surging upward to coalesce into a three-meter-tall gate of radiance. Beyond it swirled a nebula-like void.
"We did it," Hive breathed.
Then explosions echoed from the valley mouth.
"Boom! Boom!"
Gunfire and energy clashes followed.
"They're here," Lu Chen said.
Hive glanced between the gate and the entrance. "Perfect timing. Aque, report."
"Chen family has arrived—fifteen strong. Chen Zhenghao confirmed, along with the Level 55 elder. The Association is here too—Chen Jing with ten. They're in a standoff for now."
"Proceed as planned," Hive said.
"Roger."
At the entrance—
Chen Zhenghao stood before the fog-choked valley, face grim. Beside him, Third Granduncle clasped his hands behind his back, eyes closed, sensing.
Chen Jing and her team held position opposite them.
"This area is an Association-designated restricted zone," Chen Jing said coldly. "Leave immediately."
"Restricted?" Chen Zhenghao laughed. "Since when does the Association own public mountains? Your name carved into the rock?"
"We're on assignment."
"So are we." Chen Zhenghao gestured toward the valley. "The man we want is inside. How about cooperation? Capture Lin Xiao—your Association takes the stele fragment, we take the man."
Chen Jing frowned.
She knew the fragment mattered—but Director Wang's order was elimination, not capture.
Before she could answer, Third Granduncle opened his eyes. "There's activity inside. More than Lin Xiao—at least twelve others. The energy signatures are chaotic. Not Association."
"Ghost Organization," Chen Zhenghao said coldly. "So they really are colluding."
A thunderous crash erupted from within the valley.
Golden light burst through the fog—the false omen of a treasure's emergence, forged by Lu Chen.
"Earth-tier artifact?!" Chen Zhenghao's breath hitched. "Third Granduncle!"
"Move," the elder said, already advancing.
Chen Zhenghao followed. Chen Jing clenched her teeth, then signaled her team. "After them—keep distance!"
All three factions surged into the valley.
Hidden in the shadows, Aque waited until every last figure entered the dispersal zone—then pressed the trigger.
A hiss cut through the mist.
Six units activated simultaneously, releasing the colorless, odorless neurotoxin.
At the same time, Ahu's mines detonated.
Explosions thundered, smoke and debris choking visibility.
"Ambush!" Chen Zhenghao roared. "Hold your breath—the fog is toxic!"
Too late.
The Association operatives fell first—lower levels, weaker protection. Energy flow stuttered, limbs went numb.
"Withdraw!" Chen Jing ordered instantly.
On the Chen side, Third Granduncle merely frowned. "Petty tricks."
He inhaled deeply. Pale light shimmered around him—externalized energy forming a protective shell, isolating the toxin. The might of Level 55 laid bare.
Chen Zhenghao and the elites followed suit, some erecting barriers, others swallowing antidote pills.
The toxin's effect was blunted.
Then Lu Chen's voice rang out from the depths. "The treasure's with me! Come and take it!"
The golden radiance intensified.
"Pursue!" Chen Zhenghao's eyes burned as he charged into the boulder field.
Third Granduncle moved faster still—a shadow threading through stone, arrowing toward the light.
Chen Jing hesitated only a moment before following. Her mission was to eliminate Lin Xiao. She could not allow him to escape.
Within the boulder maze, Lu Chen watched them approach, a cold smile curving his lips.
He raised his energy rifle and fired three shots into a cavern mouth deep in the valley wall.
Crack. Crack. Crack.
Stone exploded.
A shrill chorus erupted from the darkness.
The Ironwing Bats poured forth—dozens upon dozens, half a meter long, wings like blackened steel, crimson eyes gleaming, fangs bared.
Provoked by the disturbance and drawn by the dense scent of prey, they dove.
"Aberrant beasts!" someone screamed.
The swarm attacked indiscriminately.
A Level 25 Chen elite cut one down—only for two more to tear through his barrier, rending flesh.
Screams echoed.
Chaos reigned.
Third Granduncle was ensnared by over a dozen bats. Each fell to a single strike, but their numbers slowed him.
Chen Zhenghao fended off five or six at once, roaring in fury.
The Association fared worse—already weakened, casualties mounted rapidly.
Meanwhile, the Ghost Organization withdrew as planned. Ahu led the survivors around the far side of the boulders toward the formation.
Hive and Lu Chen stood by the array, watching the maelstrom.
"The plan worked," Hive said grimly. "But the Level 55—your toxin barely slowed him."
"Stalling is enough," Lu Chen replied. "Once they're spent, we enter."
"Ahu's almost here. Prepare—"
The world seemed to lurch.
Third Granduncle erupted with terrifying force. His aura solidified into a shockwave, obliterating the bats around him into mist.
"Vermin," he snarled. "You dare bar my path?"
His gaze locked onto the array—and them.
"There you are."
One step—and he vanished, reappearing amid the boulders, hurtling forward.
"Stop him!" Hive shouted.
Ahu arrived just in time, six operatives forming a desperate line before the array.
"Out of my way," the elder said, striking.
A colossal palm of force crashed down.
Ahu roared, muscles swelling as he met it head-on.
Impact.
Ahu was hurled backward, shattering three boulders, blood spraying as his right arm snapped. The others were flung aside, fate unknown.
Level 55—overwhelming.
The elder didn't even glance at them as he advanced.
Hive bared his twin blades. "Lin Xiao—go!"
He charged.
Lu Chen knew Hive couldn't hold him. Level 40 against 55 was a chasm.
He looked once at the dragon pendant in the array's heart—then at the onrushing elder.
And decided.
He sprinted—not through the gate, but to its center—and tore the pendant free.
The light faltered. The gate wavered, collapsing inward.
"What are you doing?!" Hive shouted in fury.
"Trust me!" Lu Chen roared, channeling every shred of power into the stele fragments.
Five shards blazed, merging above the array into a colossal golden character:
镇 — Suppress.
The Demon-Sealing Sigil.
He could never seal a Level 55—but he could seal the array.
"Seal!"
The sigil slammed down. The formation died, the entrance closed.
But the stored energy had nowhere to go.
"No—it's going to blow!" Hive's face drained.
Lu Chen grabbed him. "Run!"
They fled.
Third Granduncle halted, barrier flaring.
Then—
The world detonated.
A tidal wave of energy ripped through the boulder field. Stones flew, earth split. Most of the bat swarm was annihilated; Chen and Association forces were devastated.
When the dust settled, a twenty-meter crater marked where the array had been.
At its edge, Third Granduncle stood amid ruin—shielded, wounded, blood at his lips.
Chen Zhenghao crawled free, battered and bleeding.
Chen Jing survived as well—with only three operatives remaining.
Lu Chen and Hive were gone.
"They escaped!" Chen Zhenghao screamed. "Search the valley! Every inch!"
Third Granduncle closed his eyes, sensing—then shook his head. "Nothing. Either dead… or gone by special means."
"Impossible!" Chen Zhenghao raged. "The artifacts—the Ark Core—"
"Enough," the elder snapped. "We withdraw. That explosion will draw stronger beasts—or worse, Association reinforcements."
Reluctantly, Chen Zhenghao ordered retreat. Chen Jing followed suit.
The valley fell silent once more, strewn with corpses and blood.
Deep within a concealed rock fissure, Lu Chen and Hive crouched in the narrow dark.
Both were injured—Hive with broken ribs, Lu Chen's meridians torn by the forced seal.
But they were alive.
"Why… close the entrance?" Hive gasped. "Without it, how do we get in?"
"The array isn't destroyed," Lu Chen said. "I sealed its activation, not the structure. Once the energy settles, the pendant can reopen it."
"Then why?"
"Because we can't let them follow." Lu Chen leaned against the stone. "That Level 55 would slaughter us inside. Better to shut the door, wait them out—and slip in alone."
Hive studied him, then laughed softly. "Ruthless. Decisive. I'm starting to see how you've survived this long."
Lu Chen said nothing, eyes closed, regulating his breath.
In the distance, engines faded—the Chen family and the Association were gone.