"What a thick stench of blood!" Bing Ruolan's delicate brows knitted slightly, and she stopped in her tracks. After Luo Feng pointed it out, she too noticed the intense smell of blood in the air, so strong it nearly made her retch.

"Let's go and take a look," said Luo Feng, leading the way.

Bing Ruolan held her sword tightly and followed closely behind.

They had only walked a few steps when they suddenly heard hurried footsteps echoing from the tunnel ahead.

"It's 'Broken Wind Sword' Zhou Jianyi! He's a ruthless killer, run!"

"Damn it, why did we have to run into this demon!"

"We're doomed. We're absolutely doomed!"

Just around a corner, three or four young Martial Artists came running toward them, screaming in terror. From their ashen faces, it looked as if a ferocious beast was chasing them.

Hearing the name Zhou Jianyi, Luo Feng felt a stir in his heart.

When the fleeing Martial Artists noticed Luo Feng and Bing Ruolan, the one at the front screamed in terror, "Zhou Jianyi is right behind us! Run if you don't want to die!"

"Since you are already here, why the rush to leave?"

An icy voice echoed from the depths of the tunnel. The speaker was unseen, but upon hearing the voice, the last bit of color drained from the fleeing Martial Artists' faces.

"Zhou Jianyi is here!"

SHINK! Before the poor fellow could even finish his sentence, a silent streak of blood-red Sword Qi approached from the other end of the tunnel. The fleeing Martial Artists suddenly froze, their heads toppling from their necks. Not a drop of blood spurted from the severed stumps.

A swift and silent kill—such was the terrifying strength of Zhou Jianyi, a master of the ninth level of the Heavenly Court Realm who wielded the Broken Wind Sword.

"Such a swift sword."

Looking at the four corpses on the ground, a glint sparkled in Luo Feng's eyes.

The Martial Arts of the Fast Sword are recognized to have four realms: sonic, howling, silent, and killing.

Zhou Jianyi's sword had reached the realm of silence—silently claiming lives, incredibly masterful.

"This Zhou Jianyi is truly ruthless. He wouldn't even spare those who were already fleeing!" Bing Ruolan bit her lip, her young face filled with indignation.

From the tunnel ahead, screams still echoed. Bing Ruolan frowned in thought for a moment and then spoke softly, "Luo Feng, let's not go forward yet."

If Zhou Jianyi found out that his brother Zhouyan was killed by Luo Feng, the consequences would be catastrophic! Given his nature, he would never give up until one of them was dead.

Bing Ruolan thought she could persuade Luo Feng, but he shook his head and walked forward. "These tunnels are like a maze. Haphazardly changing routes may only get us lost. Moreover, there's no need for us to avoid him."

Making this decision wasn't just a gut reaction from Luo Feng.

Since entering this realm, his Cultivation had invisibly increased by thirty percent. He was confident he could fight Zhou Jianyi. Even if he couldn't win, he was sure he wouldn't lose terribly.

Seeing Luo Feng's resolve, Bing Ruolan pouted. If I had known it would come to this… She followed him.

The two continued to move forward. When they reached the end of the tunnel, all screaming suddenly ceased.

They shared a glance and looked around the corner. Their faces stiffened at the sight.

Before them was a fork in the tunnel, littered with corpses. At least ten Martial Artists had met their ends here. Each of them bore gruesome wounds. Their bodies were shredded by Sword Qi, limbs scattered everywhere, making it impossible to distinguish one from another.

Although she had steeled herself for such a sight, Bing Ruolan couldn't help but frown at the brutal scene. Her worries deepened.

Luo Feng, however, remained composed. He lifted his head and looked deeper into the fork of the tunnel.

At the end of the tunnel stood a young man dressed in black clothes with gold trim. He was tall and slender, his face slightly pale, making him look like a frail scholar at first glance. However, the fresh blood covering him and the chilling murderous aura he exuded sent shivers down their spines.

It was indeed Zhou Jianyi!

"Oh, people from Flowing Cloud Region? You've managed to make it all the way here?"

Hearing their footsteps, Zhou Jianyi glanced towards Luo Feng and Bing Ruolan, his gaze showing a bit of surprise.

This Secret Realm is filled with perils. I thought the Four Prominent Rookies of the Flowing Cloud Region would have all been eliminated in the earlier trials.

Luo Feng and Bing Ruolan remained silent, their eyes fixed on Zhou Jianyi without blinking.

Zhou Jianyi licked his lips, a ruthless smile appearing on his face as he said, "Aside from my brother, anyone who encounters me, Zhou Jianyi, has only one path before them—death!"

At his words, Bing Ruolan, thinking Zhou Jianyi was about to attack, immediately began to secretly gather her Yuan Qi, ready to launch her most powerful attack at any moment.

Luo Feng remained calm and replied coldly, "Nothing is absolute in this world. Even a path of death may hold a glimmer of life."

Upon hearing this, Zhou Jianyi couldn't help but glance at Luo Feng again. A chilling murderous intent radiated from his eyes. He seethed, "This batch of the Four Prominent Rookies of the Flowing Cloud Region is truly extraordinary, daring to repeatedly challenge my patience! Very well, today I shall send you on your way!"

"Feel free to try." Luo Feng retorted, his voice firm and resolute, like the charge of a great army, piercing the heart. His overwhelming presence exuded an unshakeable, iron-blooded will; he was like a sword, unbending and unyielding.

His previous battle with Xue Ren had given him a deeper understanding of his own strength. Against a ninth-level Heavenly Court Realm Martial Artist, he could at least ensure he wouldn't be defeated. Moreover, since the red light in this place had further enhanced his Cultivation, he was confident in battling Zhou Jianyi, even if Zhou Jianyi was no ordinary Martial Artist of that realm.

"Luo Feng, I'll aid you with my Star-piercing Swordsmanship," Bing Ruolan murmured softly. Witnessing the standoff, she had already resolved to risk her life to help Luo Feng kill Zhou Jianyi.

"Both of you attack together. It'll save me some effort," Zhou Jianyi laughed fiercely. A blood-red Gang Qi erupted from him, seeming almost alive as it ceaselessly morphed into sharp swords, shredding the surrounding air.

WHOOSH! Just as the two sides were about to engage, a sound of rushing wind came from a side passage, and a figure shot out with lightning speed towards the inner passage.

It was a student from Ivy School. Seeing Luo Feng and Zhou Jianyi at a standoff, he intended to seize the opportunity to delve deeper and claim the treasure.

"Impudent! Die!" Enraged that someone was trying to get ahead of him, Zhou Jianyi spun and thrust his sword. A monstrous crimson Sword Qi illuminated the entire passage. The quasi-scion level expert from Ivy School barely had time to scream before the fierce Sword Qi shredded him.

Meanwhile, the footsteps of other Martial Artists who had entered the Secret Realm could be heard approaching.

Zhou Jianyi's expression flickered. With so many people suddenly arriving, I have two choices. One: let Luo Feng and the others go and immediately head deeper to find the treasure. Two: kill Luo Feng and Bing Ruolan first, then continue. However, that would certainly delay me. Although their Cultivation levels aren't high, their auras are incredibly sharp. They won't be easy opponents to dispatch quickly, and I'd surely fall behind the others.

After some thought, Zhou Jianyi snorted coldly, his icy gaze sweeping over Luo Feng. "Consider yourselves lucky today. You get to live a little longer. Once I retrieve the treasure in this Secret Realm, that will be the day you die!"

With those words, Zhou Jianyi leaped forward, transforming into a crimson afterimage as he sped towards the deeper parts of the passage.

"PHEW..." Seeing Zhou Jianyi disappear, Bing Ruolan couldn't help but let out a sigh of relief. Despite her resolve to fight him, she knew Zhou Jianyi was not Zhouyan. He was a genuine ninth-level Heavenly Court Realm Martial Artist, even stronger than Xue Ren. Deep down, she had been terrified. Not having to fight him now was the best possible outcome.

Luo Feng felt neither pleased nor regretful at Zhou Jianyi's departure. He's a ninth-level Heavenly Court Realm Martial Artist. If I went all out, I might have a chance to win, but it certainly wouldn't be easy and would affect my subsequent actions. Fighting him now would be unwise.

A murderous glint flickered in Luo Feng's eyes as he said to Bing Ruolan, "We should also go in."

Bing Ruolan nodded, and they immediately used their Light Martial Arts to speed deeper into the passage.

As they advanced, Luo Feng discovered that the initially complex, labyrinthine passages had fewer and fewer forks. All tunnels now seemed to lead in a single direction.

It looks like we're reaching the end of the passage. I wonder what lies beyond it, Luo Feng speculated, his pace quickening involuntarily.

"Judging by the look of it, we're about to reach the end of this passage."

"Finally, at long last! This damned Secret Realm is like a maze; it's making me dizzy!"

"Hmph, what's to fuss about? All of this will be worth it once we get hold of a treasure or two."

"That's right! We need to hurry up and not fall behind the others."

As the number of forks dwindled, the previously scattered crowd began to converge, and voices echoed from all directions.

Luo Feng and Bing Ruolan swept through the passage, their speed resembling that of the wind.

Passing another junction, they encountered three other young Martial Artists. Dressed in cyan brocade robes, they likely belonged to a powerful faction from the Red Maple Lead.

The three youths in cyan robes were also hurrying along. However, their Qinggong was inferior to Luo Feng's and Bing Ruolan's, so they gradually fell behind.

Seeing themselves being left behind, the leading youth in cyan robes turned cold. He gritted his teeth and said to the other two, "This pair of ingrates dares to get ahead of us! Kill them!"

Upon hearing his command, the other two youths in cyan robes sported malicious grins and nodded in agreement.

They were about to reach the end of the passage, which was likely where the treasure of the Secret Realm lay. Anyone not from their own faction was a competitor. One less competitor meant a greater chance of securing the treasure.

"Attack!" the leading youth in cyan suddenly shouted. His treasured sword emitted a bone-chilling sword light, blasting towards Luo Feng and Bing Ruolan.

The other two youths in cyan also unleashed their Martial Arts. Three sword lights shot out in a triangular formation, sealing off all escape routes.

"Courting death!" Luo Feng had noticed their movements long ago. These three were merely at the quasi-scion level; he hadn't bothered with them. He hadn't expected these obstinate fools to actually try and kill him and Bing Ruolan.

"Die!" Sensing the oppressive sword lights approaching, Luo Feng snorted coldly. He abruptly halted, spun, and threw a punch.

BOOM! The vigorous fist force compressed the air in the passage until it seemed like transparent crystal, then crushed backwards with a heavy rush of wind.

CRACKLE! SNAP! The three sword lights shattered instantly. The three cyan-clad youths slammed into the fist's aura, and the sound of their bones breaking, like a string of firecrackers, erupted from their bodies as they died instantly.

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