The next morning was quiet—too quiet for the Azure Leaf Sect.
Xu Ming was practicing in the courtyard, bone-forging exercises flowing through him, when a shadow fell over the entrance.
A tall, confident core disciple stepped in, robes pristine, eyes sharp as a hawk. His aura carried a trace of higher realm cultivation—not enough to terrify, but enough to command attention.
"Li Chen," the visitor said, voice calm but firm. "A secret realm has opened. All core disciples are required to attend. No exceptions."
Li Chen's eyes flicked up, unreadable. "A secret realm?"
The other disciple nodded, expression serious. "Yes. The Realm of Hidden Origins. Only core disciples are permitted. It's… unusual, even for our sect."
Xu Ming, carrying his wooden sword on his back, froze in place.
"Secret realm?" he echoed. "Is it dangerous?"
Li Chen ignored him. His gaze remained fixed on the visitor. "When does it open?"
"Immediately. The formation is active. The elders have dispatched summons personally. You are expected in the Ancestral Hall within the hour."
Li Chen closed his eyes briefly, feeling the subtle pressure behind the words.
Secret realms were never trivial. They were not mere training grounds or tournament spaces. They were tests, traps, or gifts—sometimes all three at once.
Xu Ming glanced at him, worry written plainly across his face. "Master… do you have to go?"
Li Chen's gaze softened slightly—not much, but enough for Xu Ming to notice.
"Yes," he said. "This is not optional. If you wish to survive here, you learn to move when called."
The visitor bowed sharply and turned, leaving as suddenly as he had appeared.
Xu Ming exhaled sharply. "Why… why are only core disciples called?"
Li Chen adjusted his robe, walking toward the courtyard gate. "Because they're the only ones the sect trusts to endure what lies ahead."
Xu Ming fell in step beside him, heart pounding.
"Master… will it be dangerous?"
Li Chen's eyes, normally calm as still water, narrowed slightly. "Dangerous? Almost certainly. Surprising? Likely. Deadly? Possibly. But this is cultivation—danger is the standard, not the exception."
They left the residence. The air outside seemed heavier, charged with anticipation.
Other core disciples were already gathering in the distance, some exchanging excited whispers, others shooting wary glances toward the main hall.
Xu Ming felt the tension radiate off them like heat.
Li Chen, however, walked silently, calm and composed, as if nothing could touch him.
But in the back of his mind, one thought lingered:
The Realm of Hidden Origins… this is no ordinary test. And whatever awaits inside—it's meant to separate the capable from the expendable.
Xu Ming, unaware of the deeper danger, tightened his grip on his sword.
Then I'll make sure I survive it, he thought.
Li Chen glanced at him briefly.
Good.
The core disciples filed into the Ancestral Hall, where a pale, flickering formation shimmered above the ground—a portal carved into shifting light.
The secret realm had already begun to pull them in.
And just like that, the next chapter of trials—and revelations—was about to unfold.