How terrifying Hell Mode was could be well proven by a Saint Beast comparable to a Martial Emperor.

This did match Night Proud’s previous life identity and lived up to the dignity of one of the Nine Great Martial Emperors!

Come on.

An upright battle!

“Thud!”

At the Life and Death Secret Realm entrance, Ye Xingchen was thrown out, lying on the ground like mud, occasionally still twitching.

A Martial King facing a Saint Beast—using toes to think, one could know he’d definitely be finished!

Most tragically, that Saint Beast hadn’t even attacked. Just the spreading flames had instantly killed Ye Xingchen.

Emperor Ye, don’t cry.

Let’s stand up and keep going!

“Qingyang,” Jun Changxiao said, “carry him back and properly bury him.”

Bury?

Li Qingyang’s mouth twitched as he urgently hoisted Ye Xingchen and settled him in his dwelling room.

The next day, Xiao Zuiji personally brought nutritious porridge carefully prepared by Liu Wanshi to feed him.

This relationship—like blood brothers!

“Junior Brother,” Xiao Zuiji said before leaving, “don’t be discouraged. After you recover, we’ll challenge Simple Mode together.”

“Damn it!”

Emperor Ye thought darkly: “When this emperor returns to his peak, I’ll definitely trample that Saint Beast underfoot!”

After consecutively challenging Earth Ranking geniuses, he should have been in prime showing-off time, yet he’d ‘died’ in Hell Mode—of course he was displeased!

…

Although Ye Xingchen’s Hell Mode challenge was just a minor episode, it served as a warning bell for Eternal Ancient Sect disciples. Subsequently, those entering would obediently select Simple Mode.

Thus, disciples formed teams daily.

Daily, some passed and increased their cultivation while others failed and suffered side effects.

Half a month later, over ten thousand disciples had successively entered the Life and Death Secret Realm.

According to Li Qingyang’s statistics, disciples who successfully cleared numbered six to seven thousand, with the rest all failing.

“The elimination rate is a bit high,” Jun Changxiao shook his head.

Li Qingyang said: “Sect Master, according to this disciple’s analysis, the junior brothers who cleared had all undergone strict training in the Training Tower. Those eliminated either hadn’t entered or had just begun.”

“Those who haven’t experienced ultimate physical tempering shouldn’t enter the Life and Death Secret Realm,” Jun Changxiao said.

The secret realm’s function was to increase strength. If they constantly failed challenges, although time acceleration could offset side effects, it was still wasting time.

“Pass down the order: disciples who haven’t tempered themselves for over half a year in the Training Tower are forbidden from entering the Life and Death Secret Realm.”

“Yes.”

Li Qingyang received the order and left.

When this regulation spread, disciples who’d just recently joined could only obediently start strengthening their bodies from the Shaping Room and Training Tower.

…

Because of the three-month entry restriction, Xiao Zuiji and the others continued focusing on cultivation.

However, with the Life and Death Secret Realm’s appearance, the Mission Pavilion’s missions also changed. Many high-difficulty missions required entering the Life and Death Secret Realm to hunt.

Jun Changxiao said: “This keeps quite up-to-date.”

“Sect Master,” Li Luoqiu said, “regarding the list given previously, Procurement Hall members have already purchased everything back.”

“Really?”

Jun Changxiao urgently went to the Procurement Hall, tossing the purchased materials into his spatial ring and successively opening the Pill Pavilion and Weapon Pavilion, which automatically matched quite a few items.

50 High-Grade True Yang Swords.

30 High-Grade Cloud-Piercing Blades.

15 Middle-Grade Mysterious Iron Shields.

He selected maximum production for all three equipment types and began automatic refinement.

Simultaneously, Jun Changxiao summoned a True Yang Sword he’d refined long ago but never had time to examine.

“Clang!”

The sword left its sheath, radiance flashing!

The True Yang Sword wasn’t different from ordinary swords, but the blade was relatively thick and the edge didn’t look extremely sharp, giving a feeling of a heavy sword without edge, great skill without craft.

“Whoosh! Whoosh!”

Jun Changxiao swung the sword, creating flourishing sword flowers.

After testing, he said with satisfaction: “Much stronger than the Cold Radiance Sword.”

“Obviously,” the system said. “This is High-Grade after all.”

Jun Changxiao sheathed the sword: “If disciples are all equipped with these, challenging the Life and Death Secret Realm will definitely be easier.”

…

Back mountain, grassland.

Xiao Zuiji clenched his fist, his expression serious: “Senior Brother Su, are you ready?”

Su Xiaomo’s mouth twitched: “Sect Master, I think we could just stand the shield upright and have Junior Brother Xiao test it with a sniper rifle!”

“Stop the nonsense,” Jun Changxiao said. “Hurry and lift it.”

“…” Su Xiaomo could only lift the heavy shield.

This was a Mysterious Iron Shield.

This shield was much larger than the Solid Iron Shield, extremely heavy, with intricate patterns carved on its surface, quite European medieval in style.

If Su Xiaomo activated Spirit Armor now combined with the Mysterious Iron Shield, he’d definitely look very handsome.

“Huff!”

He took a deep breath: “Ready!”

“Bang!”

The words barely left his mouth when Xiao Zuiji gathered spiritual energy and punched the Mysterious Iron Shield.

As a representative of ultimate physical tempering, his punch carried extremely powerful force.

However, Su Xiaomo stood in place completely unmoved, not even feeling the impact waves from external force striking the shield.

“Continue,” Jun Changxiao said.

“Bang!”

“Bang!”

Xiao Zuiji stopped holding back, not only unleashing his physical strength to the extreme but also executing Mountain-Collapsing Earth-Shattering Fist. The explosive sounds were like Spring Festival firecrackers crackling continuously.

However, no matter how he attacked or erupted, Su Xiaomo holding the shield always stood in place without moving an inch.

“Sect Master!”

Su Xiaomo said in astonishment: “This shield’s defense is extremely strong!”

“Let this seat try.”

Jun Changxiao walked over, his right fist immediately wrapped in materialized spiritual energy, then he punched forth.

“Don’t—”

Bang—

Thud! Thud! Thud!

Su Xiaomo holding the shield crazily retreated, finally falling dozens of meters away with rolled-back eyes and foaming mouth, unconscious.

Xiao Zuiji: “…”

“Used too much force,” Jun Changxiao shook his head.

Having broken through to Sword-Martial Dual Emperor, even his casual attacks absolutely carried over ten million pounds of force. Even with the Mysterious Iron Shield’s enhancement, Su Xiaomo couldn’t withstand it.

However, being able to take one punch without shattering—the Mysterious Iron Shield’s defense was quite high!

“We can mass-produce them so everyone has one,” Jun Changxiao stroked his chin.

Possible was possible, but they lacked ore for refining Mysterious Iron Shields, so they must find ways to purchase more.

…

Thud thud thud!

Regular sounds came from the dining hall.

Ma Yongning stood before the stove, wielding a cleaver and skillfully chopping meat.

It was New Year’s after all.

Liu Wanshi was preparing to make dumplings for fellow disciples.

Having broken through to Blade King, Ma Yongning’s blade technique application had become more skillful. Seemingly casual movements all contained profound mysteries even he didn’t understand.

“Hey,” Jun Changxiao leaned against the doorway, “this seat has a newly refined blade here. Want it?”

Thud!

Ma Yongning stopped, saying proudly: “Sect Master, I’ll use my own blade.”

A blade master’s blade wasn’t something to change casually.

Like his cleaver—even if it shattered, it had always accompanied him.

“Thud!”

Jun Changxiao tossed over the newly refined Cloud-Piercing Blade, then turned and left, though he did instruct: “The meat must be chopped finely. Only then will the dumplings have soul.”

“Understood.”

Ma Yongning continued operating the cleaver to chop.

However, his eyes intentionally or unintentionally glanced at the Cloud-Piercing Blade fallen nearby, radiating a heavy imposing aura.

If he accidentally chopped off his hand now, that would be divine.

“Whoosh!”

Ma Yongning finally couldn’t resist grabbing the Cloud-Piercing Blade’s handle with one hand, bringing it before his face, then licking the blade surface with his tongue. His eyes immediately blazed: “This blade is excellent!”

Licking the blade to judge quality—this was absolutely Cleaver King’s unique secret technique!

“Huh?”

Liu Wanshi walked into the kitchen and discovered Ma Yongning’s cleaver placed on the cutting board, but the person was nowhere to be seen. She wondered: “Didn’t Uncle Ma say the cleaver was his life and must be carried at all times?”