The aura of the old man in midair seemed to have merged with the heavens and earth. It was as if one couldn’t feel his presence at all, yet he looked so real. This state of being both real and illusory had completely surpassed the Spirit Emperor Level. Shen Haoran had only ever sensed such a thing from Jun Luohua. ’To think this Divine Martial Elder has also reached such a realm!’

"This Divine Martial Elder is a descendant of the Divine Martial Venerable. His line has guarded the Divine Martial Realm and the Divine Martial Blood Pool for generations. He normally doesn’t involve himself in worldly affairs and only makes an appearance when the Divine Martial Realm is opened," Luo Xiaowen explained to Shen Haoran from beside him. Before coming, she had done her homework and had already gained a thorough understanding of the Divine Martial Realm.

Hearing this, Shen Haoran looked toward the Divine Martial Elder with a trace of admiration in his eyes. ’To be able to strictly uphold the will of his ancestors and avoid worldly affairs... this Divine Martial Elder is truly a man of character!’

At that moment, the Divine Martial Elder in midair began to move. He took a single small step forward, but in an instant, he was standing before the crowd, his speed as swift as a Phantom.

"Everyone, welcome to Divine Martial City!" the Divine Martial Elder said softly, opening his arms. Though his voice wasn’t loud, it washed over the crowd like a spring breeze, making them feel utterly refreshed.

"Today is once again the day the Divine Martial Realm opens. And with its opening this time, the Divine Martial Blood Pool will also reappear in the world. Whether or not you are fortunate enough to enter and cultivate within will depend on your own destiny. The rules for challenging the Divine Martial Realm are the same as always: the first ten to pass the trials will be qualified to enter the Divine Martial Blood Pool for cultivation. I ask that all of you abide by the rules of my Divine Martial Realm. Otherwise..." As the Divine Martial Elder reached this point, his aura solidified. The Martial Artists below felt as if a great mountain was crushing them, leaving them breathless.

"Divine Martial Elder, we all know the rules and will absolutely not break them," the Martial Artists below hastily replied.

Hearing that the Martial Artists below understood, the Divine Martial Elder nodded. He then announced in a booming voice, "Divine Martial Realm, open now!"

As he finished speaking, the Divine Martial Elder’s hands flashed through a series of Seal Techniques. The space before him began to tremble violently. A moment later, the entire Divine Martial Square started to shake, and from its very center, a jet-black Rashomon slowly rose.

RUMBLE...

A deafening rumble echoed in everyone’s ears. As the Rashomon ascended, a ferocious suction force emanated from within the gate. Loose gravel and clouds of dust were pulled from the ground, soaring into the air before being devoured by the Rashomon. The robes of the Martial Artists on the square whipped and snapped in the violent wind.

"The gate to the Divine Martial Realm is open. You may all enter. Good luck!" the Divine Martial Elder announced once the Rashomon had stabilized.

"Charge! A spot in the Divine Martial Blood Pool is mine!"

The moment the Divine Martial Elder finished speaking, the Martial Artists on the square surged forward like a stampede, swarming toward the Rashomon. The thundering footsteps of the massive crowd seemed to make the very earth tremble.

"Be careful inside the Divine Martial Realm. The trials are unpredictable and change every time. We’ll be separated as soon as we enter, and from then on, we’ll be on our own!" Luo Xiaowen said solemnly, her eyes fixed on the stream of Martial Artists pouring into the realm.

Shen Haoran nodded. ’I’m not worried about myself, and I’m not worried about Luo Xiaowen either. As the young miss of the Celestial Martial Auction House, she surely has countless treasures and won’t face any major problems.’ Shen Haoran was, however, a little concerned for Han Xu and Murong Wanqing. Their strength was only in the mid-to-upper tier, so there was no guarantee they’d avoid disaster. He immediately instructed them, "Remember, your safety comes first. If you find yourselves in a situation you can’t handle, run for your life!"

"We know!" Murong Wanqing and Han Xu nodded emphatically. They understood this well. After all, nothing was more important than their own lives, was it?

"Alright, let’s go!" Shen Haoran took a deep breath, his face full of anticipation as he gazed at the Rashomon. ’Today, I’m going to see just how wondrous this Divine Martial Realm truly is.’

Then, Shen Haoran led Luo Xiaowen and the others, following the main throng of people into the Rashomon.

Watching Shen Haoran’s back disappear, Ouyang Shaoyu’s face darkened. He spoke with venom in his eyes, "Hmph. Don’t get too pleased with yourself, kid. This Divine Martial Realm will be your grave! I will drink your blood and eat your flesh to quench the hatred in my heart!" With that, he also vanished into the Rashomon.

On another side, Luo Cheng whispered to the guard beside him, "Go and bring Shen Haoran to me. Alive, preferably. I am determined to have the Fire Spirit Black Obsidian within his body!"

"Yes, sir!" The guard responded respectfully. In a flash, he too disappeared into the Rashomon.

After a while, the once-crowded square instantly fell quiet, with only a few people left lingering about.

The Divine Martial Elder once again formed a Seal Technique, and the Rashomon slowly sank back into the ground. The Divine Martial Realm would remain open for one month. After that time, the Rashomon would reappear on its own to eject the Martial Artists from within.

...

As Shen Haoran and his friends stepped into the Rashomon, a wave of dizziness washed over them. By the time their minds cleared, they found themselves standing in a gray fog, with no one else in sight.

’Looks like we’ve been separated,’ Shen Haoran thought as he glanced around. There was nothing to see but an endless gray expanse.

’So this is the Divine Martial Realm?’ Shen Haoran thought, walking forward and curiously observing his surroundings. However, the gray mist obscured his vision. The farther he went, the denser the fog grew, and his visibility became increasingly limited. 𝑓𝘳𝑒𝑒𝓌𝘦𝘣𝘯ℴ𝑣𝘦𝑙.𝘤𝑜𝑚

At this, Shen Haoran’s brow furrowed. He closed his eyes and slowly released his Spiritual Thought from his Sea of Consciousness, probing the area ahead. However, he lost his connection to it before it had even traveled ten meters!

"This..." Shen Haoran’s eyes snapped open as he stared at the gray fog in disbelief. ’This gray fog... it can actually block my Spiritual Thought!’

WHOOSH...

Just as Shen Haoran was reeling in astonishment, the gray fog before him suddenly parted, and a figure slowly began to walk toward him.

"You... Grandpa!" Shen Haoran froze when he saw the figure. The person who had appeared before him was none other than Old Sir Shen, the man who had raised him for more than a decade!

The moment he saw Old Sir Shen, Shen Haoran came to a sudden realization. ’So, this is the first of the Divine Martial Realm’s great trials: the Illusion Realm trial!’