Translator: CinderTL
"Is this the entrance to the secret realm?"
Suro, near a desolate mountain.
Wild grass grew everywhere, the soil was brown and yellow, and withered trees dotted the landscape.
Over a dozen black-robed figures appeared nearby. The woman in the black gauze dress finally found the burly man with a ponytail by following the marks.
"Wasn't the secret realm supposed to be in the Dowa Faction's territory? Why did you find it here?"
The woman in the black gauze dress was full of confusion as a bomber flew overhead.
It was precisely because both the Platinum Federation and the Red Nation's military had discovered this secret realm and imposed a strong blockade that they were so passive.
Otherwise, they could have opened the entrance and entered long ago.
"This secret realm is special."
The man with the ponytail, named Viper, spoke in a deep voice. He wore a black windbreaker, with some stubble on his face, clearly not having had time to groom himself.
Yet, at this moment, his eyes were shining brightly as he looked at the withered trees on the mountainside, with a gleam of light flickering in his eyes.
"Special?"
"Yes, the barrier of this secret realm is unstable, with some nodes experiencing intense energy fluctuations."
"I've been searching for this place for a long time, and I finally found it."
Viper ordered his subordinates to bring over a scanning device.
A blue projection screen appeared, showing a series of intense fluctuations, resembling an electrocardiogram.
There were also constantly fluctuating numerical values.
"You mean..." The woman in the black dress's eyes lit up, and then she saw Viper nod his head.
"You guessed right. With the key, there's an eighty percent chance we can break through these unstable nodes and temporarily open the entrance."
"Together?"
Viper was eager, already feeling the Serpent Spirit Power within him stirring.
This secret realm must contain the Divine Power Crystals of the Serpent Spirit Evil God. He even suspected that the Serpent Spirit Sect might also be searching for the nodes of this secret realm.
The woman in the black dress was interested, but soon, thinking of the rapidly growing young man, she had to suppress the thought.
"No."
"That guy has already opened two gates. Why don't we return to the Red Nation, deal with this threat, and then enter the secret realm?"
Viper frowned upon hearing this and quickly shook his head in refusal.
"The nodes of this secret realm could change at any moment, and the people from the Red Nation and the Platinum Federation might also discover it."
"Going back and forth would waste too much time. I can't afford to wait."
He was close to breaking through the third gate, and this was his opportunity.
If he could obtain a sufficiently pure and high-quality Divine Power Crystal, it might be possible for him to reach the Pinnacle Realm.
The woman in the black dress was dissatisfied but knew she couldn't stop him.
Finally, she gritted her teeth and decided to give up on this secret realm journey.
"If this person isn't dealt with, I won't feel at ease."
"If you won't handle this, then I can only report it to the Alliance Leader and ask him to come."
"Are you sure?"
Viper was somewhat surprised.
He knew the Alliance Leader's temperament well; he disdained taking action against those of lower realms.
Moreover, the Alliance Leader was currently in a secret realm and wouldn't easily appear, nor was he easy to contact.
"I have to try," the woman in the black dress said with annoyance. Viper looked at her deeply.
"Alright, I owe you a favor this time. I'll find the Divine Power Crystals of the Crows of the Dead for you."
"Deal."
As soon as the words fell, Viper quickly took out the key, ready to open the secret realm.
The woman in the black dress gritted her teeth, her eyes filled with hesitation, but she eventually turned and left with her people.
In her mind, the image of that young man reappeared, and the killing intent in her eyes grew stronger.
He had caused her to miss an opportunity in the secret realm.
"That damn guy, you must pay the price..."
Buzz!
That night, in the Nanjiang Flame Tiger Hall.
The phone vibrated. Chen Feng, who had been waiting by the window, picked it up and saw the message.
[Zhou Wuren: Apologies, Grandmaster Chen.]
[The rules of the northern martial arts world are too strict, and the Saint Sect places particular importance on such matters.]
[Regarding the method of the Gate of Spirit, I would like to pass it on to you, but...]
The other party sent a long paragraph of text, which Chen Feng quickly scanned.
Unable to break through the Gate of Spirit, he still wasn't in a hurry to enter the Dead Crow Secret Realm. Instead, he considered trying other methods.
He had contacted Zhou Wuren privately, hoping to obtain the corresponding method from him or to borrow it from the so-called Saint Sect.
But unfortunately...
"There's only one choice left."
Chen Feng shook his head and finally raised his hand to look at the black mark on his hand.
It resembled a crow spreading its wings, with a mysterious aura hidden within.
Buzz!
The phone vibrated again. Zhou Wuren, perhaps feeling somewhat embarrassed, added a few more sentences.
Chen Feng replied, indicating it was fine, and also dismissed the thought of forcibly taking the method from the northern martial arts world.
There were two Pinnacle Realm experts, and it wasn't suitable for him to cause too much commotion with the identity of the Blue Demon.
Suppressing his thoughts, he saw a question from Zhou Wuren.
[Zhou Wuren: Shall we go together?]
The Lion Heart Sect had already scheduled Xie Xiao's funeral for the day after tomorrow.
Almost the entire southern martial arts world knew about it. Zhou Wuren had made a promise earlier, so he was also notified.
Chen Feng nodded slightly, not forgetting his own promise, and replied with a "Yes."
Finally, he put down the phone and glanced at the brightly lit Nanjiang.
He drew the curtains and lay down on the bed.
The Divine Martial Alliance, Suro...
Skyway Shipping, Deputy Council Speaker...
Thoughts flashed through his mind one by one, and his eyes slowly closed.
Chen Feng knew that this trip must succeed.
Splash!
The salty smell of seawater filled his nostrils as a gray steam-powered warship docked at the port.
Seagulls flew past, and rows of buildings stretched from low houses to multi-story buildings, with red and gray brick walls extending layer by layer.
People bustled around the port, with ships docking and sailors disembarking.
Some were moving cargo, while others were whispering incessantly.
"I heard someone discovered the fleet of the Great White Shark - Tiger in the East Sea, and it seems they were all wiped out. I wonder if it's true."
"Fake, right? The Great White Shark - Tiger is a fourth-tier transcendent!"
"Yeah, and no one has come forward to claim the bounty."
"Could it be that Duke Charles took action?"
Whispers reached his ears as Chen Feng, dressed in a black trench coat, entered Banli Port, taking in everything quietly.
In his dream in Qinggang City, he had specifically found clothing that fit this world.
A trench coat, leather shoes, a black shirt, and a round black hat.
It gave him a gentlemanly appearance, with his burly frame filling out the clothes perfectly.
Then, he withdrew his gaze and looked at the city in the distance.
Nearly a month had passed since he last left this world.
He had previously obtained clues about the Star Soul Elixir from the Mermaid Clan, which were related to Adler, the court alchemist of the Steel Kingdom.
Therefore, he needed to find this person.
But being unfamiliar with the place, his best option was to first find Captain Lei Long, whom he had saved last time.
With his help, he could gather information and locate Adler, avoiding unnecessary trouble.
Tap, tap!
Leather shoes stepped on the thick wooden planks of the port, and the road ahead was filled with people.
Carriages were parked, and black cars drew gasps of admiration.
Chen Feng looked around for a moment but didn't see any familiar faces.
Just as he was wondering how to find someone, he sensed a figure running towards him and stopping in front of him.
It was a boy in a patched gray sweater and black pants, about four feet tall.
His face was covered in freckles, with short brown hair, and he looked to be around twelve or thirteen.
"S-sir, do you need a guide?"
He asked bravely, though he looked no older than twelve or thirteen.
"How do you know I need a guide?"
Chen Feng asked. He had learned the language of this world, thanks to the members of Lei Long's crew during their sea voyage.
"I can tell you're not from Banli Port."
"And if you had acquaintances here, someone would have come to meet you."
The boy looked up and answered honestly.
But soon, worried that his actions might displease the man in front of him, he quickly lowered his head.
"I see."
Chen Feng nodded, roughly understanding that the boy likely came from a poor family, otherwise he wouldn't be working at such a young age.
Not delving deeper, he simply stated his request.
"Then have you heard of someone I'm looking for?"
"Please tell me, sir."
"Lei Long."
---
"Father, you called for me?"
At the same time, in a manor in Banli Port.
A brown-haired young man in a black gentleman's suit and a bow tie stood respectfully in front of a desk.
The surrounding bookshelves were neatly filled with various books. A middle-aged man in a silk court robe sat behind the desk, putting down the newspaper in his hand and looking up at the newcomer.
"How's the investigation into Tule going?"
The brown-haired young man wasn't surprised and quickly nodded, reporting, "No bodies or fleet have been found."
"I suspect they were destroyed and hidden by the mermaids of the deep sea, or the perpetrator deliberately concealed them."
"Hmm."
The middle-aged man in the silk robe nodded slightly and remained silent for a moment.
"Who do you think took action?"
"I believe it was likely a transcendent of at least the fourth tier."
The brown-haired young man said seriously, "The mermaid clan has lacked strong individuals in recent years. If they had the strength, they wouldn't have stood by earlier."
"It's possible that another transcendent passed through the white mist and went to Merman Bay, coincidentally encounTuling them."
"It could also be someone from the other two families, deliberately sending people to target us, but I feel this possibility is unlikely..."
His logic was clear, and the middle-aged man in the silk robe didn't interrupt.
Only after he finished speaking did he bring up another matter.
"The Great White Shark - Tiger is dead."
This was confirmed news he had obtained while investigating the Blood Sea Vice Admiral.
The brown-haired young man was stunned, then came back to his senses.
"Father, do you think it was the same person?"
"The timing is close, and the routes aren't far apart. I'm just speculating."
The middle-aged man in the silk robe shook his head and stood up to look out the window.
In the distance, a huge chimney continued to belch gray smoke, bringing them wealth.
The captured mermaids were transported to the capital, maintaining their relationships with the great nobles.
But someone had been rather blind.
"Continue the investigation, look into the fleets that arrived at the port around the same time."
"Perhaps we'll find something."
The brown-haired young man nodded, then thought of something else.
"Father, I heard Master Adler is passing through our Banli Port?"
"Yes, the king hopes to clear the sea and eliminate the Blood Sea Vice Admiral's forces."
"Adler has been quite trusted by him recently. Leaving the capital this time is likely to oversee the nobles along the coast."
The middle-aged man shook his head and finally reminded, "Stop the factory operations for the next two days. He should arrive in a few days, and I'll personally welcome him, hoping to send him off sooner."
"Yes."
The brown-haired young man responded respectfully but didn't leave immediately.
"Is there something else?" the middle-aged man asked, puzzled.
"Father, Duke Lien of the capital has sent another letter, seeming impatient."
"Regarding the mermaids, what do you think..."
"Send Bernard, he knows what to do."
With that, the brown-haired young man didn't ask further.
He bowed respectfully and left the study, arriving downstairs at the manor.
A line of carriages was already waiting, with a middle-aged man in a black suit standing nearby, and someone kneeling on the ground behind him.
"Young Master Lund, where are we going?"
"To the factory, to check on those pigs."
His tone was indifferent as the brown-haired young man stepped on the kneeling man and boarded the carriage.
---
"Master Lei Long's home is at 126 Garden Street."
"Just half a kilometer ahead."
The boy's excited and admiring voice kept ringing out as Chen Feng followed him from the port into the city, passing by many people.
Lei Long was somewhat famous in Banli Port, so it didn't take much effort.
Looking around, the sun was high, and the red sun hung in the sky.
The rows of houses on both sides of the street were red and gray, with iron fences separating small courtyards.
Bicycles and carriages passed by on the street, and a few open-top black cars honked, drawing gasps of admiration and envy.
For a moment, Chen Feng almost thought he had traveled to the Western world of the last century.
"Sir, are you a friend of Master Lei Long?" the boy suddenly asked seriously. Chen Feng hesitated for a moment, then nodded.
"Then you must be very powerful too."
"Why?"
"Master Lei Long is one of the famous captains of Banli Port. Being his friend, you must be extraordinary."
The boy smiled, clearly more relaxed.
Chen Feng saw his cleverness and smiled, asking,
"What's your name?"
"My name is Tulin, sir!"
"My greatest wish is to go to sea with Master Lei Long!"
The boy had some ulterior motives, but Chen Feng smiled without exposing him.
The two continued forward, and soon, Garden Street came into view.
Rows of three or four-story apartment buildings, gray stone brick houses, with flower pots placed outside the windows on the second and third floors.
The road was relatively flat, and the environment should have been good.
But Chen Feng looked up and saw the black chimney in the distance still belching gray smoke, making the sky seem darker.
Affected by this, the flowers he had seen along the way were mostly covered in dust.
"Cough, cough..."
"Old Gerr, why are you coughing again?"
"I feel uncomfortable in my chest, I don't know why."
"Don't scare me. I heard many people have been getting strange illnesses recently."
"Yeah, they say they cough up blood, seems like an infectious disease..."
The coughs and whispers of passersby reached his ears, and Chen Feng felt this scene strangely familiar to the news he had seen in his previous life.
He was about to continue walking.
Clip-clop!
The sound of hooves approached as a line of carriages slowly arrived.
Two black horses pulled four-wheeled open carriages, three in total.
Coachmen cracked their whips, with suited bodyguards accompanying them, and even armed soldiers running alongside.
The family crest of a swordfish was emblazoned on the carriages, drawing gasps of admiration from the onlookers.
Chen Feng paused and looked over.
The brown-haired young man in a gentleman's suit and bow tie sat in the middle carriage, casually glancing at the passersby.
His indifferent gaze seemed to look at them as livestock, as if everything here was at his mercy.
For a moment, their eyes met.
The other party indifferently looked away, and they passed by each other.
(End of the Chapter)
---
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