The Final Trial! Chapter Forty-Seven: Xuanyuan Haoyu

“Yu’er!”

Luo Chen hurried to the mouth of the cave, calling anxiously. The result, however, left him disappointed. Several calls received no answer, and the traces on the ground filled his heart with unease. It was clear that Qing Xuan Yu and the others had not left peacefully; the disordered footprints seemed to indicate they had fled from something. This fact, in particular, was what Luo Chen could not comprehend.

When Luo Chen departed earlier, he had specifically instructed Shi Ling to conceal their auras at the cave entrance, and had repeatedly searched the cave with his spiritual sense. There had been no sign of others present, which was why Luo Chen had felt assured enough to leave. Yet the scene before him now was wholly different.

Obviously, there had been something else hidden within the cave, in addition to himself and Qing Xuan Yu’s group. Once Luo Chen left, it had revealed itself. Realizing this was a dire turn, Luo Chen turned and strode swiftly out of the cave, expanding his spiritual sense in all directions to search the surrounding area.

“Yu’er, where are you?”

Luo Chen’s spiritual sense swept the hundred-mile radius unceasingly, his lips murmuring, unwilling to let even the faintest trace escape his notice. Within this range, nothing could be hidden from his spiritual perception.

“What is this?”

Luo Chen’s brows furrowed as he spoke, before his figure flashed northward.

Meanwhile, in an unknown region of the secret realm, a group of people paced restlessly around the entrance to a canyon. Not far from the crowd, many disciples from various families were imprisoned within a formation.

“Sister Yu, what should we do? Are we just going to wait here?” Qian Dazhuang inched his trapped body closer to Qing Xuan Yu and whispered his question. But Qing Xuan Yu only gazed at those outside the formation, her eyes momentarily clouded with thought.

“They’re probably not participants, and now that our spiritual power is sealed by the Binding Spirit Ropes, we must wait and see,” Qing Xuan Yu’s words drew the others’ attention. They gathered toward the center of the formation, while Qing Xuan Yu scrutinized those outside, deeply puzzled.

By the previous rules, anyone above the early Sky Spirit Realm was forbidden from entering the secret realm, and even the entrance itself imposed constraints. It should have been impossible for someone to conceal their cultivation and slip inside.

Yet the appearance of these people defied all logic. A few hours before, right after Luo Chen left, this group had suddenly appeared in the cave, and, without a word, bound Qing Xuan Yu and the others with the Binding Spirit Ropes. Taken by surprise, none had managed to resist. Qian Dazhuang had tried to flee at first, but was quickly caught.

As for their current location, Qing Xuan Yu had no clear idea. The Binding Spirit Ropes restricted only spiritual power, but the formation itself seemed capable of blocking spiritual sense as well; those inside it could not perceive anything outside.

“Sister Yu, who on earth are they?” Qian Dazhuang asked again, but Qing Xuan Yu merely shook her head. She had already probed their strength earlier—all were late-stage Sky Spirit Realm, and one black-clad figure felt to her as if he had long since surpassed even that level. Yet she could not fathom why these people would go to such lengths to capture the contestants.

None of the captives had been harmed; their spiritual power was simply sealed, regardless of gender. And curiously, their captors seemed almost fearful of inflicting any actual suffering.

High above the canyon, two men in black watched Qing Xuan Yu and the others, as if waiting for something.

“Elder, if His Highness becomes angry because we seized her, what shall we do?”

As the man finished speaking, the elder before him sat down on the ground, gazing into the distance. With a casual wave, Qing Xuan Yu’s likeness appeared in his palm. After a few moments of silent observation, he clenched his fist and the image vanished.

“You all recognize him as your prince, but I do not. It’s been millions of years—now that he’s returned, whether he still qualifies for that title will be decided by strength alone.”

“But Elder, the Lord—” the man began, but was quickly silenced by a gesture. The elder’s gaze shifted toward the canyon, where golden light flickered intermittently. A strange smile played about his lips.

Meanwhile, following that faint aura, Luo Chen arrived at a desolate unknown land. Gazing at the vast canyon ahead, he detected dozens of unfamiliar presences with his spiritual sense. All the traces of Qing Xuan Yu within a hundred li led here. Luo Chen sensed he was being deliberately lured.

But there was no time for second thoughts. Luo Chen invoked the Shadow Escape of the Five Lightning Formations and sped toward the canyon.

“Since you’re here, come out! I’ve been waiting for you for quite some time.”

Luo Chen was surprised to be detected the moment he appeared. Suddenly, he found himself exposed to all eyes. The black-clad figures converged on him, while Qing Xuan Yu and the others could only watch them depart, baffled by the sudden turn.

Luo Chen stood upon the limb of a dead tree, his gaze fixed on the black-clad man materializing in midair. Mid-stage Void Shattering Realm! Luo Chen was startled by the man’s cultivation, but as their eyes met, he realized the man had made no move to attack.

“Who are you? Why do you block my path?”

Luo Chen spoke calmly. The man did not answer immediately, but moved to within three meters of Luo Chen, scrutinizing him closely. Luo Chen felt the man’s aura probing him.

“Your strength is decent, but not yet enough to earn my acknowledgment.”

Acknowledgment? Worthiness? The man’s words puzzled Luo Chen. Before he could respond, a powerful force swept toward him. Instinctively, Luo Chen dodged, landing on the ground. Glancing up, he saw his former perch now bore two fresh, blade-like scars.

“Not bad, to evade my invisible sword energy.”

Luo Chen let out a cold laugh. From the man’s tone, it was clear this was but a test, though to what end, Luo Chen could not yet guess.

“Who are you, truly?” Luo Chen pressed.

“Enough talk. Fight, and we’ll see!” the man replied.

He lunged again. Luo Chen had no choice but to dodge swiftly, counterattacking where he could. Pure evasion would not suffice. Though his body matched the Void Shattering Realm in strength, his opponent was a mid-stage expert. One careless mistake could leave him seriously wounded.

“Senior, what is your purpose? Why make things so difficult for me?” Luo Chen asked as he dodged blow after blow. The man, however, pressed his assault, drawing ever closer.

“If you want answers, you must first prove yourself worthy,” the man retorted.

Realizing this would not end peacefully, Luo Chen leapt backward onto a boulder, watching his adversary approach.

“My apologies, senior.”

With those words, Luo Chen pointed skyward. In an instant, clouds surged and gathered overhead; crackling lightning radiated from his body, spreading outward. Within a five-meter radius, thunder and lightning rampaged, a field of seething destruction.

“Interesting,” the black-clad man remarked, unmoving as lightning crackled around Luo Chen. Luo Chen did not hesitate—forming a blade of lightning, he struck at the man without mercy.

In a single breath, the lightning exploded, annihilating everything nearby and sending dust swirling into the sky.

“Not bad, you’ve got some skill. But…”

The man’s words were cut off as he flashed from the dust. Luo Chen had only a glimpse of his form before a heavy palm slammed into his chest, sending him flying. His body crashed through dead trees and finally smashed into a boulder, halting his flight.

Dazed, Luo Chen tasted blood and coughed it up. Looking up at the man’s approaching figure, Luo Chen’s face paled. Only now did he grasp the true gulf between their strength.

His soul-forged lightning blade had been utterly ineffective; the man had repulsed him with a single, almost casual strike, one that clearly did not represent even a tenth of his true power.

Not only his body, but even his soul had been shaken by that blow. Luo Chen stared at the man in awe—this opponent’s strength surpassed that of anyone he had ever encountered.

“Your name is Luo Chen, isn’t it? No, I should address you as Prince Xuanyuan Haoyu.”

Xuanyuan Haoyu? Luo Chen was stunned. Was this his true name? Yet Shi Ling had said Xuanyuan was a demon clan surname. Did that mean he was of demon blood?