Wu Huang reached the center of the valley and, just as he suspected, the place was teeming with countless presences of rogue cultivators—those without banner or affiliation.
"Not a single one belongs to a sect. Well, it was to be expected," he muttered to himself as he descended with elegance. The independent cultivators paid him no mind, assuming he was just another one of their ranks; thanks to that, he was able to observe the scene as a third party, analyzing the situation without facing immediate trouble.
Shi Lan was waiting in front of the entrance to the secret realm: a colossal gate, ornamented with Dao patterns, ancient runes, and engravings of indecipherable complexity. When Wu Huang's eyes swept across the reliefs, a sharp and sudden pain pierced through him.
"A soul attack?" he wondered, bewildered.
Although it was slight at first, the sting intensified rapidly until it became unbearable. He had to avert his gaze immediately to avoid permanent damage to his Sea of Consciousness.
"So this is the entrance... I wonder what kind of inheritance awaits within," he whispered with genuine curiosity. Although he was certain his younger brother would reveal everything the moment he came out, he decided that the most prudent thing for now was to keep his conjectures to himself.
Wu Huang shifted his gaze downward. "It seems they are growing impatient," he murmured, watching an independent cultivator confront Sister Shi Lan.
"May I ask why we are being barred from entry?" the man inquired in a defiant tone.
"This secret realm is extremely dangerous. Our junior brother was sucked into the portal, and the threats that await inside are unknown," Shi Lan explained, trying to calmly dissuade them. "I recommend you take a step back for your own safety."
However, it was evident that such a mild warning would have no effect. The gazes of those present turned greedy and somber; while they respected the Tian Yun Sect uniform enough not to attack her directly, they were more than willing to ignore her and force their way in.
Wu Huang knew that rapacious nature better than anyone. If he wanted to ensure his younger brother's progress was smooth and without interference, he could not allow this mob to enter.
In a blink, Wu Huang appeared in front of the entrance. Without a word, he released his cultivation pressure at the Foundation Establishment Realm. The air grew heavy, and silence fell over the place like a leaden slab.
"Until our junior brother's status is confirmed, this place remains under our jurisdiction," Wu Huang declared with an icy voice. "Withdraw now, unless you wish to experience the wrath of the Tian Yun Sect firsthand."
Faced with such a demonstration of force and authority, more than half of the cultivators immediately retreated, pale-faced. After all, though they were like sharks willing to risk their lives for a crumb of profit, they knew perfectly well that provoking one of the great sects was not bravery, but a death sentence.
The rest of the cultivators were not at a lower level than his; in fact, some were already bordering on the Golden Core Realm, so they were not intimidated in the least by Wu Huang's pressure.
"This place is not the territory of your Tian Yun Sect," one of them retorted arrogantly. "I suggest you step aside and let us try our luck."
Wu Huang observed him for a moment. His wild style and unkempt clothes gave him the typical look of a minor antagonist, a "transitional villain" of no real relevance. While Wu Huang mentally calculated how to buy more time, his younger sister approached stealthily.
"The formation is ready," Zhong Ling whispered.
At those words, a cold smile played across Wu Huang's face. Noticing that the cultivator in front of him would not show him any respect, he unsheathed his sword in a fluid movement. Immediately, the atmosphere became suffocating.
"It seems my Tian Yun Sect has been too generous lately," Wu Huang stated in a cutting voice. "You rogue cultivators have forgotten what it means to cross paths with one of our disciples."
That was the signal. Zhong Ling, who was waiting for the precise moment, raised her hands and slammed them against the ground with force.
Instantly, an immense runic formation deployed, extending between heaven and earth with a vibrant roar. The panicked cultivators hunched their shoulders and tried to retreat desperately to escape the perimeter, but the array was so fast that they were trapped before they could react.
"Your Tian Yun Sect is too unreasonable!" the arrogant cultivator exclaimed, his voice now tinged with nervousness.
No one expected them to be ruthless enough to activate a sealing formation and trap them all directly upon seeing that words were not enough. Had they known the disciples would act with such determination, they would have ignored the dialogue and forced their way in from the beginning.
Wu Huang, with a triumphant smile, approached Zhong Ling. "Keep them bound until our Master arrives," he ordered confidently.
"Senior Brother, that will be a bit complicated," she admitted with a doubtful grimace.
"What do you mean?" he asked immediately, arching an eyebrow.
"Although the formation is high-level, the core sustaining it isn't that powerful. It didn't have a strong enough catalyst to..."
Before she could finish the sentence, Wu Huang, without a second's hesitation, pulled an extremely mysterious formation flag from his storage ring. As a member of an elite clan and a disciple of one of the most influential sects, the last thing he lacked was resources. His inventory was a walking treasure trove: from top-grade spirit pills to mystic swords.
However, because his cultivation was still in the Foundation Establishment stage, most of these treasures were too powerful for him to handle; for now, he could only settle for "lower" ranked items.
"Once I reach the Golden Core, I will be able to use all of this directly," he murmured to himself with a mixture of annoyance and shame. If his natural talent were as vast as his fortune, he would have advanced in level a long time ago.